College comes with many lessons and one of the most important ones is about finances. College can be a costly venture and student loans are often used to pay for all of the expenses that college comes with. So learning to be an educated borrower is the best way to approach student loans. Here are some things to keep in mind.
Use a process that’s two steps to get your student loans paid off. First, make sure you are at least paying the minimum amount required on each loan. After this, you will want to pay anything additional to the loan with the highest interest. It’ll help limit your spend over a given time.
Pick out a payment option that you know can meet the needs you have. You will most likely be given 10 years to pay back a student loan. If that doesn’t work for you, some other options may be out there for you. For instance, it may be possible to extend the loan’s term; however, that will result in a higher interest rate. You can put some money towards that debt every month. Some balances on student loans are forgiven when twenty-five years have passed.
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.
Be sure to read and understand the terms of any student loans you are considering. Always ask any questions that come up or if you need anything clarified. Don’t let the lender take advantage of you.
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.
A PLUS loan is a loan that can be secured by grad students as well as their parents. Normally you will find the interest rate to be no higher than 8.5%. Although it is higher than Perkins and Stafford Loans, you still get a much better rate than one that is private. These loans are much better suited to an older student that is at graduate school or is close to graduating.
You should consider paying some of the interest on your student loans while you are still in school. This will dramatically reduce the amount of money you will owe once you graduate. You will end up paying off your loan much sooner since you will not have as much of a financial burden on you.
Starting to pay off your student loans while you are still in school can add up to significant savings. Even small payments will reduce the amount of accrued interest, meaning a smaller amount will be applied to your loan upon graduation. Keep this in mind every time you find yourself with a few extra bucks in your pocket.
Limit the amount you borrow for college to your expected total first year’s salary. This is a realistic amount to pay back within ten years. You shouldn’t have to pay more then fifteen percent of your gross monthly income toward student loan payments. Investing more than this is unrealistic.
The above advice is just the beginning of the things you need to know about student loans. It pays to be an educated borrower and to understand what it means to sign your name on those papers. So keep what you have learned above in mind and always make sure you understand what you are signing up for.
