Just did some digging into college costs and honestly the numbers are wild. Been looking at the cheapest college in tennessee and found some solid options that won't completely drain your savings. University of Tennessee Southern came up as the most affordable at around $18,900 total per year including tuition, fees, room and board. That's actually pretty reasonable compared to what I'm seeing in other states.

What's interesting is that college prices have been all over the place. They jumped like 28% between 2008 and 2019 at public schools, but then COVID actually brought some prices down slightly. Now things seem to be stabilizing a bit. The average cost nationwide is hovering around $26k per year, so finding the cheapest college in tennessee or similar options in your state could save you thousands annually.

If you're seriously considering college, definitely compare what your state schools are charging. Some states have way cheaper options than others - saw everything from under $8k to over $32k depending on where you look. Worth spending an hour researching before you commit to anything.