How to balance retirement savings and college funds

What people tried

Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.

1. 1
   Having children take out student loans
2. 2
   Cash flowing college expenses out of current income
3. 3
   Using a separate Roth IRA as a backup fund
4. 4
   Working an extra year or two to pay for college
5. 5
   Prioritizing personal retirement and emergency funds before saving for relatives
6. 6
   Suggesting the student take out student loans or get a part-time job
7. 7
   Using flexible investment or savings vehicles instead of restrictive education accounts

In their words

Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.