Q: Our granddaughter is a high school junior, academically bright, and trying to decide which college she should attend. She has asked for our advice to help her choose. We can help with her expenses, but we hesitate to offer her specific advice because we did not attend college. How should we answer her?

A: How lucky you are that your granddaughter includes you in her decision-making! Because she asked, you should voice your opinion, but only after listening carefully to how she feels about her options.

Because you know her well, your granddaughter believes you will offer the support she needs. She appears to trust your intuition, feelings, speculations and hunches.

It is only natural, too, that your granddaughter would be a little fearful as she prepares to leave the nest. Guide her by suggesting a range of options.

Does she have the grades and finances to apply to the school she prefers? And if her first choice does not accept her, has she prepared a plan B?

Has she visited any colleges and universities? If possible visiting the schools of her choice and talking with the students attending them before making her final decision can be valuable.

Does she have a career passion? Sometimes starting at a community college is the perfect way to get started on the road to a fulfilling career.

No matter what, assure your granddaughter that life is a journey. Whichever road she starts out may lead to a destination she has never considered, and that is OK. That is how we all learn. What some might define as mistakes others see as learning experiences. We process our experiences on the way to achieving our goals.

Your granddaughter's desire to further her education is what counts. She will be a winner. You can add her ambition to your brag book!

Q: Those of us raised during the Great Depression had to learn survival skills because in those tough times our options were limited. Regardless of the difficulties, we energized ourselves and worked hard to pay the bills. We were all in the same rowboat and did what had to be done. As we aged we saved as much as possible. Now, because of the downward spiral of America's economy we are concerned whether we saved enough. What should we do?

A: Rising inflation is starting to pinch everyone, especially those on fixed budgets. But even the rich are starting to notice the troubled state of our economy and the rapid devaluation of the dollar.

Recently, billionaire investor Warren Buffett expressed disbelief after learning Chinese money fund manger Zhao Danyang had successfully bid $2.l million just to have lunch with him.

Many of us are facing harder times. Experts are defining the current state of our economy as "stagflation". Economic forecasts anticipate slower future growth and higher inflation.

Revise your budget and focus on maximizing your income and minimizing expenses. Re-evaluate your investment strategy. Sometimes remaining in cash proves to be the best investment option.

Regardless of which party's candidate wins the presidential election in November, it is a no-brainer to expect that taxes will be increased. Both major party candidates are promising big changes that will be expensive.

Changes are coming. In fact they can already be seen in the demand for smaller, more economic automobiles, fewer cars on the freeway, full parking lots at the discount and big-box stores, a friendlier service attitude by retail employees and little need to make dinner reservations.

Change often offers opportunities when we can foresee them. Individuals do not resist change. We resist being changed.

But why worry? The only constant in life is change. The best advice I can offer is to remain alert and informed. Remember the belt-tightening lessons you learned growing up in the Depression. Trust your gut feelings to manage your budget. Acceptance and adjusting to today's realities should be everyone's goals.

To find out more about Doug Mayberry and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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