SPRINGFIELD – Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs is partnering with the Edwardsville Children’s Museum for a free admission day to encourage families to start saving early for college.

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“The best time to start saving for college is yesterday,” Frerichs said. “The second-best time to start saving is today.”

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The State Treasurer’s Office and the Edwardsville Children’s Museum are promoting Illinois 529 college savings plans. If a child knows they have a college savings plan, they are three times more likely to attend college.

The free admission day will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, May 4 at the Edwardsville Children’s Museum, 722 Holyoake Road in Edwardsville. Visitors can pick up information about Bright Start 529 college savings plans and ask State Treasurer’s staff questions.

The first 100 children can decorate their own Bright Start piggy bank as part of a “Little Savers Crafting Workshop.” The piggy bank is a fun, take-home reminder about the importance of saving for college and instilling valuable financial literacy skills in young minds from an early age. Through this hands-on activity, children will not only have fun crafting their own piggy banks, but also learn the importance of setting goals and planning for their future.

The Edwardsville event is part of this year’s effort by the State Treasurer’s Office to team up with select Illinois children’s museums to organize free- and reduced-admission days and spread the word about college savings plans.

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