Not only did a whopping 84 percent of parents surveyed say they'd "welcome" such contributions to their 529 college savings plans instead of more traditional presents, according to new data from Fidelity Investments, but 33 percent have actually already asked for such assistance. 

And the other 51 percent? Maybe they're waiting for Santa to climb down their chimneys - the Tooth Fairy also makes house calls, it's said - or maybe they haven't heard about programs like the free online one at Fidelity that lets family and friends easily chip in to lessen the burden. Specifically, as the College Board reports, an average annual total cost (including tuition, fees, room and board) of $49,870 at private four-year colleges, $38,330 at out-of-state four-year public colleges, and $21,950 at in-state four-year public colleges. 

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So when Gunnar started having difficulty hearing at work and home, he did what he preaches to his clients: he attacked the problem and got a pair of hearing aids. Now as a hearing loss advocate, Gunnar offers the following tips to get your hearing in shape this fall.

* Be "present" with your hearing: Being present with your hearing means being aware of how you hear throughout the day. If your family members are complaining the TV is too loud, or if you're the one complaining that everyone else is mumbling, you may have a hearing problem that needs to be corrected.

* Get your hearing checked: At least once a year, you go to the doctor for a physical, or to get your eyesight checked. But when was the last time you got your hearing checked? Even if you're not having issues right now, just go and get a baseline to compare it to in the future.

* Preserve your current hearing: Noise-induced hearing loss is a problem that is completely preventable. If you work around a lot of noise, you need to use protection. If you go to loud concerts or enjoy firing up the leaf blower or lawnmower on the weekend, use protection. Remember, once you lose your hearing, it doesn't come back.

* Don't brush off tinnitus: If you have an annoying ringing or buzzing in your ears, especially when it's quiet, it may be tinnitus. Tinnitus and hearing loss often go hand-in-hand, so don't brush it off as a minor annoyance. Go see a hearing care professional and have it checked out.

Consider invisible hearing aids: If you need hearing aids but are worried people will judge you if they see you wearing them, know that invisible hearing aids such as the Phonak Lyric exist. They are 100 percent invisible and can stay in your ears for months at a time. A recent study even showed that Lyric relieves tinnitus faster than regular hearing aids, thanks to 24-hour amplification.

Doctors and patient groups say it doesn't have to stay this way.

"Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in men and women. Finally, we have a screening exam that will make a major impact and change the face of lung cancer for the future to a survivable cancer, not a death sentence," says Ella Kazerooni, MD, MS, chair of the National Lung Cancer Roundtable and Professor of Radiology and Internal Medicine at the University of Michigan.

Screening older current and former smokers each year with low-dose computed tomography or "CAT" scans is a cost-effective system proven to significantly reduce lung cancer deaths.

CT lung cancer screening exams for high-risk individuals are recommended by the American Cancer Society, the American Lung Association, the National Lung Cancer Roundtable, The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, GO2 Foundation for Lung Cancer and many other medical and scientific organizations.

"After decades of having little to offer adults at high risk for lung cancer, we've entered a new era where we now have evidence that lung cancer screening saves lives, and new targeted therapies and immunotherapy are offering new hope to patients diagnosed with advanced lung cancer," says Richard Wender, MD, Chief Cancer Control Officer at the American Cancer Society.

"CT lung cancer screening is a game changer. We finally have a weapon to fight back against this terrible disease - if patients who need this screening get tested," says Debra Dyer, MD, chair of the American College of Radiology Lung Cancer Screening 2.0 Committee.

"Most lung cancers are not diagnosed until it is too late. This screening provides critical early detection that saves lives," says Carolyn Aldigé, founder and chief executive officer of the Prevent Cancer Foundation.

Insurance companies cover these exams with no copay for people 55-80 years of age with a history of heavy smoking who are current or former smokers. Medicare ends coverage at age 77. If you were a heavy smoker, meet the age specifications and stopped tobacco use in the last 15 years, you are covered.

However, unlike breast and colon cancer screening, if you are covered by Medicare, your health care provider must discuss the risk and benefits of a lung cancer screening CT exam with you during a "shared-decision making visit" before ordering your first screening CT.

Lung cancer care advocates urge those who think lung cancer screening can help them or a loved one to have that conversation with their doctor.

"Lung cancer screening is a proven, valuable tool in finding the number-one cancer killer at its most treatable, and even curable, stage," says Laurie Fenton Ambrose, Co-Founder of the GO2 Foundation for Lung Cancer.

For more lung cancer screening information, visit NLCRT.org and RadiologyInfo.org

Source: National Lung Cancer Roundtable (NLCRT.org)

"Looking at the curve of the old barrel staves, the wooden lids and the rusty rings that once held it all together, I was struck by the shapes and threw it in my pickup truck to take home and see what I could do with it," Deffenbaugh recalls.

Despite having no barrel-making experience, Deffenbaugh put the barrel back together and decided to take it a step beyond serving as an unusual table in his home. He cut out one side and turned the pieces into a bar cabinet that could store wine and liquor bottles on the deck when he had guests.

Then, when the guests started asking him to make something similar for them, he had an inspiration that led him to quit his career in human resources, draw up plans, rent a truck and head for Kentucky, returning with 90 barrels and an idea that would become The Oak Barrel Company.

The Oak Barrel Company, based in the heart of Amish country in Berlin, Ohio, takes recycling seriously. In keeping with its motto, "Reclaim, Reuse, Recreate," the company does its best to use the entire barrel, with little or nothing wasted.

Deffenbaugh learned woodworking from members of the local Amish community and contracted with several Amish craftsmen and other local woodworkers to partner with him on various phases of creating art and furniture from the components of the barrels, including the staves, lids and rings. The company has chosen to use wine barrels to create beautiful tables instead of whiskey. While whiskey barrels are very popular, they run the risk of producing a black mold if not properly cleaned, both inside and out, whereas wine barrels are already clean and do not run the risk of any mold, creating a better product in the long run.

The company's product line is always evolving and includes small benches with curved seats and legs from barrel staves as well as stools with barrel-lid seats. Also available are bistro-style, wooden-topped tables made from whole barrels, with matching chairs made from barrel components. Wine enthusiasts may appreciate the wine barrel wine rack and even the wine slate wine rack, designed to hang on the wall or sit on the counter.

All Oak Barrel Company products come with a lifetime guarantee, and many of the products can be customized with choices of stain color, type of metal fixture, and indoor or outdoor finish. The Oak Barrel team can create a custom piece in four to six weeks.

For more information visit theoakbarrelcompany.com to view some of the company's unique designs.

Humaneyes Technologies, an innovator in camera technology, has developed a consumer-friendly, dual camera that combines 360-degree photography with immersive 3D Virtual Reality (VR), all in one simple-to-use solution that costs about the same as a decent DSLR camera.

"360-degree pictures and video continue to change how we use cameras to capture the world around us," says media expert Jim Malcolm of Humaneyes Technologies, "and the global adoption of VR headsets, combined with 3D cameras is providing even more ways to create virtual content and virtual memories."

"We've done it with the best; from documenting Mako sharks with The Discovery Channel, to weightless experiences in the International Space Station, floating more than 250 miles above the horizon." Says Malcolm, "we're now excited to watch, firsthand, as consumers create their own immersive personal stories." The Vuze XR flips easily from a 360-degree camera to a VR180 camera and shoots both virtual video and photos.

Whether recording or live streaming, users can create and share virtual experiences at the moment, and then save them to revisit next week or next decade. Special features of the VUZE include built-in image stabilization, filters, and a VR editing suite. Plus, it doesn't get more portable.

"Everything can be viewed, controlled and edited, right from your phone, so that you can shoot, create and share virtual videos at a moment's notice," says Malcolm.

But not everything needs to be virtual; therefore, the VUZE also functions as a 5.7K and 4K up to 60fps 2D camera for capturing high-resolution videos and 18-megapixel pictures to fill out your photo album.

So think ahead to the holidays and the way the latest in VR technology can help make unforgettable memories and connect far-flung family and friends. The VUZE camera also features live streaming and social sharing features for platforms, including Facebook and YouTube, so that you can bring your social media audience into the scene with you.

For more information on the VUZE XR camera and how to create your own virtual experiences and memories, visit humaneyes.com.

Most away-from-home coffee options have major drawbacks. Hotel room coffee makers are convenient and cheap, but the coffee they brew means a major compromise on taste. Local cafes often offer good coffee, but the cost of all those to-go cups can really add up. Existing travel coffee presses offer a way to brew while on the go, but they typically brew slowly and therefore brew a bitter and very acidic cup.

Travelers benefit from being able to brew delicious coffee quickly and easily wherever they are. Luckily there is a perfect way to do just that. The AeroPress Go travel coffee press brews up to three cups of delicious hot or cold brew coffee that is richer, smoother, and lower in acidity than coffee brewed by other travel presses. Simply add ground coffee and water, stir briskly, press, and enjoy a cup of hot or cold brew coffee in just a minute or two.

The AeroPress Go travels self- contained in its own mug with a lid, making it easy to fit in a suitcase, in a desk, with camping gear, in an RV or in a backpack. It is compact, lightweight, and durable, making it easy to transport. And it cleans up in just a few seconds with a quick rinse.

The AeroPress Go's ability to make cold brew coffee is a big additional advantage because it can be used where there is no access to hot water. Wherever you go, there is almost always a source of water, but often no way to heat it. Use the AeroPress Go to join the hot new trend of drinking coffee that's an amazingly smooth, rich cold brew. With the AeroPress Go, it's easy to brew a cup of cold brew using unheated water in about two minutes.

Visit https://aeropress.com/ for more information about how to brew great coffee on the road.