Promising the scholarship savings was a mistake. When our second daughter got a $7,000 annual scholarship to Syracuse, two years after we had started paying 100% of the older girl's college (we're 1%ers, deal with it), I told my wife that within a week she'd be looking for a cut of the savings. It took her two days. I told her that her mother and I would pay 100% of her college (maximum of four consecutive years, you want the five year plan, year 5 is on you) but we were paying 100% of the net, not 100% of the gross. This is the same kid who campaigned for her own car at age 16, didn't get it, said all of her friends had cars. I said "Nobody gave me a car at 16. You want a car, get a job. Also, all your friends with cars are going to graduate college owing $80,000 in student loans. You're going to owe zero. Now go talk to your friends and if you still think you're getting a raw deal, we'll talk." Never heard another word about a car. Every one of her friends said "Where do I go to get that deal?"