Friday, December 9, 2011

Student Loan Survival Tips


Student loans can be an ugly business to deal with, but at times they are necessary if you want to pursue higher forms of education. There have been many horror stories connected with the use of student loans and many of said stories are rather well founded but it is mostly because of people who did not know what they were getting themselves into when they had signed up for student loans. Here are some tips of things to realize when student loans enter into the picture.



Only Apply for a Student Loan When Absolutely Necessary

Scholarships and grants are something that if you can get your hands on them, are an excellent and helpful source of income for your college education. Yet they can be tricky to obtain and they are going have a great deal of criteria. Still if you can in fact get your hands on some of that precious scholarship or grant money to help pay for your education, then so much the better for sure.

Know What You’re Getting Yourself Into When Applying for a Student Loan

Student Loans can be a rather minefield with all sort of loopholes and fine print that you can read. There are times where you can rack up quite a debt if you are not careful. Technically speaking you agreed to it but they can really cause you some headaches on the slightest technicality.

The Back End is What You Have to Worry About

Interest is the killer of any type of loan and student loans are far from the exception. You really think that you can just get away from the minimum payment but the student loan keeps building more and more, until the payments overwhelm you. Interest is the number one killer of bank accounts. For student loans, it will eat away at you.

If You Get a Check For Over Payment, Don’t Spend It

Sometimes the student loans give a little too much money, that more than covers your fees. Therefore you will receive a check in the mail. It’s prudent to put this check in a savings account or money market, so you can use that little amount to help payback the big loan. Not to mention that you will gain a bit of extra money when your bank account gives you interest.

So yes, student loans can and will be a pain. If you find it necessary to get one, exercise common sense. Pay it off at the first possible moment that you can, so interest does not kill you.

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