These days, many people graduate from college owing tens of thousands of dollars on their student loans. Owing so much money can really cause you a lot of financial hardship. With the right advice, however, you can get the money you need for college without accumulating an enormous amount of debt.
Know that there’s likely a grace period built into having to pay back any loan. This is typically a six to nine month period after your graduation before repayments start. Being aware of this information allows you to make your payments in a timely manner so that you do not incur costly penalties.
Think carefully when choosing your repayment terms. Most public loans might automatically assume a decade of repayments, but you might have an option of going longer. Refinancing over longer periods of time can mean lower monthly payments but a larger total spent over time due to interest. Weigh your monthly cash flow against your long-term financial picture.
Do not hesitate to “shop” before taking out a student loan. Just as you would in other areas of life, shopping will help you find the best deal. Some lenders charge a ridiculous interest rate, while others are much more fair. Shop around and compare rates to get the best deal.
Check the grace period of your student loan. Stafford loans offer a period of six months. Others, like the Perkins Loan, allot you nine months. Other loan types are going to be varied. Understand when your first payments will be due so that you can get on a schedule.
When you pay off loans, pay them off from highest to lowest interest rates. Pay loans with higher interest rates off first. You will get all of your loans paid off faster when putting extra money into them. You don’t risk penalty by paying the loans back faster.
Before accepting the loan that is offered to you, make sure that you need all of it. If you have savings, family help, scholarships and other types of financial help, there is a chance you will only need a portion of that. Do not borrow any more than necessary since it will make it harder to pay it back.
To minimize your student loan debt, start out by applying for grants and stipends that connect to on-campus work. Those funds do not ever have to be paid back, and they never accrue interest. If you get too much debt, you will be handcuffed by them well into your post-graduate professional career.
To keep your overall student loan principal low, complete your first two years of school at a community college before transferring to a four-year institution. The tuition is significantly lower your first two years, and your degree will be just as valid as everyone else’s when you graduate from the larger university.
Take advantage of student loan repayment calculators to test different payment amounts and plans. Plug in this data to your monthly budget and see which seems most doable. Which option gives you room to save for emergencies? Are there any options that leave no room for error? When there is a threat of defaulting on your loans, it’s always best to err on the side of caution.
To get a better interest rate on your student loan, go through the federal government instead of a bank. The rates will be lower, and the repayment terms can also be more flexible. That way, if you don’t have a job right after graduation, you can negotiate a more flexible schedule.
You can use your student loan money more efficiently by purchasing meal plans that group meals together instead of charging dollar amounts. This allows you to not worry about what’s on your plate each time you eat because each meal is a flat rate.
If you are the forgetful type and are worried that you might miss a payment or not remember it until it is past due, you should sign up for direct pay. That way your payment will be automatically deducted from your checking account each month and you can be sure you will never have a late payment.
To ensure that your student loan funds last as long as possible, start a savings fund while you are still in high school. The more of your college costs that you can defray from your own funds, the less you have to borrow. This means you have less interest and other costs to pay over time.
In today’s world, student loans can be quite the burden. If you find yourself having difficulty making your student loan payments, there are many options available to you. You can qualify for not only a deferment but also reduced payments under all kinds of different payment plans thanks to government modifications.
Take advantage of graduated payments on your student loans. With this arrangement, your payments begin small and then increase bi-annually. In this way, you can pay off your loans faster as you gain more skill and experience in the work world and your salary increases. This is just one of many ways to reduce the amount of interest you pay in total.
Loan forgiveness is available for many federal loans if you meet the criteria. Certain professions meet the criteria, such as teachers in impoverished areas, nurses and PeaceCorp volunteers. There are many other categories that qualify but you won’t know if you don’t ask. So take the time to find out which jobs offer the chance to have your loan forgiven.
To keep from wasting your student loan funds, make sure that you take advantage of all of the opportunities that your campus has to offer for personal enrichment. You only get to go to college once, so take in things like the college theater, the university orchestra and the student fitness center.
