It can be the best time of your life, or the worst depending on how you aproach what life deals you as a university student. For most of us heading off to college or university is the first time we've ever been away from home for any long period of time. It is also one of the first times we are pretty much completely responsible for our finances. It is a sad but true fact that for most university students, money is just as important (or more important) than good grades.
Because of the high tuition rates and the incredible costs of text books many students life on and below the poverty line. In many cases it is hard to manage a decent paying job and course load and so you have to sacrifice one or the other. Work for less at a job that matches your class schedule or reduce your class load to get a better job. Neither is really ideal.
The biggest challenge is making sure that you have enough to cover the essentials each month - rent, food, bills, beer/coolers. This means you need to plan things out a little ahead of time and be smart about how and why you spend your money. However there always are times when the money is especially tight or simply not enough. In these cases there are a few things you can do.
1) apply for one of the many student credit card offers you will find on any campus - READ THE DETAILS CAREFULLY
2) apply for a bank line of credit or personal loan to help cover your needs
3) look into scholarships and bursaries available through your school - there are MANY that go unclaimed yearly, and they are often based on need, not academic scores
4) short term loans from family
Going through the fun and pain of university can be interestig enough without having to add on huge money stresses. As a student you will have financial troubles, there is almost no doubt about that. However, how you manage your money on a day-to-day basis will ultimately determine how you deal with financial troubles when they show up. Just keep a cool head, use your campus resources to get unbiased advice and help if you need it.
Home > Archives for March 2010
Student Loans And Finances - Life As A Cash Strapped Student
Student Loan Secrets: Improve Your Credit Score And Pay Off Your Student Loans
The single biggest factor that impacts the amount of interest you pay is your credit score. People with credit scores over 750 pay a lot less interest than people with scores of lower than 650. If you can increase your credit score by 100 points, you can pay less interest, pay more principle and get out of debt more quickly. Credit score is a huge factor in who gets richer and who gets poorer in this country.
The little known secret about credit scores.
Those student loans you needed to get through college can have a huge impact on your score. That small monthly payment could be crippling your entire financial health through increased interest payments on all your other bills.
When you have any type of loan, it shows the maximum credit, the outstanding balance and your payment history. The credit score takes into consideration the total amount of outstanding balances. The more you owe, the lower the score.
You’re thinking simple, right? Newsflash, it isn’t.
Student loans almost always report to your credit report in triplicate. So, for your credit score, even though you may owe only $15,000, it computes your score as if you owed $45,000! This can have a huge impact on the amount of interest you pay.
Even worse, yet in Sallie Mae’s eyes, your loan could look like 7 loans. Then multiply those 7 by 3 and you could have “21 Student Loans” on your credit report. This can destroy your credit score and most people never realize it. They do their best to work hard and pay their bills on time. However, they don’t get the credit score they deserve because the computers foul up their student loan balances.
Only a few professionals understand how this works.
And most don’t care to understand. They just buy your credit score, slap the interest rate on your loan and move on to the next person. You have to work with a professional who understands the inner workings of credit score computers. Only they can help you pay off those student loans and get you the interest rates you truly deserve.
Federal Student Loans Versus Private Student Loans – Which Is Best For Me?
Federal Student Loans versus Private Student Loans – which is best for me?
You have gotten all the grants and scholarships you can, but you still need money for your education. It’s time to look at loans. But which is better – federal loans or private loans?
Federal loans
If you need to take out a loan to help pay for your education, you should always look at federal loans first. The largest source of education loans around, federal loans are long-term loans with low interest rates designed for students who need money for their educations. They have several benefits when compared to other borrowing options, including
- Lower interest rates
- Options to postpone payments
- Longer repayment terms
- Easier credit requirements
Eligibility for some of these loans, such as the Federal Perkins Loan and the Subsidized Federal Stafford Loan, are needs-based, while others are not. You will need to complete a FAFSA to apply for these loans.
The most common federal student loans are listed below:
Federal Perkins Loan
The Federal Perkins Loan is a low-interest loan available to students who have exceptional financial need, based on the information provided on their FAFSA. Undergraduates can borrow up to $4,000 per year, while graduate students can borrow up to $6,000 per year.
Federal Stafford Loan
The Federal Stafford Loan is available to undergraduates and graduate students. Loan amounts depend on a student’s year in school and whether they are financially dependent or independent. Your college’s financial aid office determines your eligibility.
Stafford loans can be subsidized or unsubsidized. Financial need determines which type a student is eligible for. Subsidized loans are based on financial need. The government pays the interest while the student is in school, in deferment, and in their grace period.
Unsubsidized loans are available to all students, regardless of income. The student is responsible for all interest.
Federal PLUS Loan
The Federal PLUS Loan (Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students) is a low-interest education loan for parents. Each year, parents can borrow up to the cost of attendance, minus other financial aid received (scholarships, grants, student loans, etc.).
The PLUS loan is not based on financial need. Qualified applicants must pass a credit check.
Private loans
Private loans are designed to supplement federal loan programs and are available from schools, banks, and education loan organizations. They are usually used to cover education costs that cannot be met by federal aid.
Terms for these loans vary according to the lender and your credit history. Keep these things in mind as you consider taking out a private loan:
- Private loans have credit requirements, and you may need a co-signer
- The lender determines the interest rates and fees, which may be affected by your credit score
- Private loans may not offer deferment options
- Private loan programs may offer borrower benefits, such as interest rate discounts or rebates
No matter what type of loan you take out, be conservative and borrow wisely! All loans have to be repaid, whether federal or private.
Home Loan – A Solution to Accomplish Your Dream House with a Home Loan
Setting up your own house is the biggest gift that you can give to your family. Owning a house has now become a necessity for everyone with the increase in rates of the house rents; it is best advised to purchase a house and start paying the installments rather than pay it to your house owner in the form of rent. Gone are the days when purchasing a house was a big time investment and was a big issue but with the passing days now everyone can dream of acquiring a house with so many options available in the market today. There is loan for everyone’s need right from a home loan, mortgage loans, refinance loan, etc. to suit borrowers in all respects.
Home loan is the most popular type of loan available these days as they are convenient to process and apply which is quick and hassle free also. These loans come with different features and varieties to suit your need, besides the best option is to seek help of a loan broker who will guide through the entire process of the loan. You just need to tell the budget and requirements and these financial experts will plan the best option for you that will enable you to get a loan as well as pay back very easily without any trouble. Home loan comes with a fixed as well as an adjustable interest rate were the fixed rate will ensure you to get a loan with stable interest for the entire length of the loan and with the adjustable loan the interest rate will keep fluctuating as it will depend on the market trends of inflation and deflation.
The best way to apply for a home loan is through the online system also as more and more people are getting accustomed to the Internet and at the same time with such busy schedules where there is always a scarcity of time then using the online system definitely saves a lot of time and makes the processing fast. Most of the lending companies have their websites where they publish the home loan details and for any queries in mind you are always welcome to fill the inquiry form in the website which is answered by there experts or you can even speak to these financial experts through the various toll free numbers. With the advancement in technology now getting a loan is not much of a problem. Another advantage of using the Internet is that you can get to know the interest rates of other loans as well and then it gives you a better chance and opportunity to decide on the best type of home loan to suit you.
It is important for you to maintain a stable salary and have a good credit rating in order to avail a home loan at low interest rates. Hence, if the lending company gets fully satisfied, then the procedure is fast and simple, which very few people can resist.
Home Owner Loan - 5 Tips To Get Yourself Ready For A Home Loan Application
So you need to get a home loan to finance that new house? There are some things you must know to prepare yourself adequately for a favorable application.
1) Know your state of finance. Tabulating the numbers is the key to avoid future disappointment. Is the price of the new house within the range you can afford? How much you can afford will also be influenced by home-related cost like furniture, home accessories and gadgets, insurance, utility bills etc. Self-awareness through budget planning--a few months beforehand--enables you to anticipate for the amount of loan required so that you can repay it promptly.
2) Know your credit report is in good stead. Your credibility is what the lending company looks for in your financial background before it can approve a loan. You can find out your credit score through reports generated from Equifax Score Power, True Credit, or Consumerinfo. A low score almost always leads to high interest rates. Many factors determine your score, including length of history, income, a profiling of your debt and credit obligations etc. If there are areas in your report which can be improved, like closing unnecessary accounts, take the necessary actions and wait around 60 days for the latest status to take effect, then get another copy of your credit report.
3) Know all that you need about the fees and interest rates. Do a comparison of all the lending companies before settling down on the suitable one. Check that all terms and conditions are understood, and there are no other hidden cost. If you have questions, simply ask to clear the air.
4) Know what's the repayment method is like. Depending on the company's policy, you may pay back a portion of the loan plus interest, just the interest for the whole length of the loan plan or the complete sum including interest after the plan is completed. Discuss with the loan officer about your personal repayment capability to reach a mutual agreement.
5) Know what documents are needed for the application. Again check with the loan officer early to give yourself time to prepare them, which are likely to be your pay slip, home insurance policy, driver's licence and social security information.
Finally, if you can apply for a loan online, you are most encouraged to do so. Instant Internet access gives you convenience and cuts short the time instead of you having to wait in the office for the paperwork to be done.
Nsecured Loan To Secured Loan - How A Loan Company Can Convert Your Debt And Claim On Your Home
Warnings have been issued recently by debt counselling charities, regarding an increasing trend by some of the high street lenders to issue “charging orders” on borrowers’ homes in order to recover bad debts. Major names in loan provision such as Abbey, Alliance and Leicester, Bank of Scotland, Halifax, Lloyds TSB, Nationwide, and Northern Rock have all admitted to using these measures to turn an unsecured loan into one that is secured against the borrower’s house.
When a loan is taken out, it can be either secured against the borrower’s property and should repayment defaults occur then the lender can still recover their money through the sale of the property, or it can be unsecured so that no such guarantee is offered by the borrower. Due to the obvious financial risk advantages to the lender and the much lower default rates which occur with secured loans when compared with unsecured loans, increased borrowing limits and lower interest rates are usually available for those who choose to opt for a secured loan.
Charging orders are a legal means of converting a loan that has been taken out without the provision of securing that debt against your house into one where the debt is secured against your property. Having a charging order put on a house means that when the property is sold and the mortgage is cleared, any money that is then left over will automatically go to pay the remaining outstanding debt. According to Fool.co.uk this means that you “cannot sell your house until you've paid off your mortgage, any second mortgage and other secured loans, plus the amount due under the charging order.”
It should be noted that before a court will consider an application granting a charging order, the lender must have issued a county court judgment against the debtor and the borrower must have failed to make the required payments on that judgment as agreed by the court. Also a charging order does not of itself ensure that the lender gets repayment of the outstanding debt but it does prevent the debtor from selling their property without paying what they owe. The debtor is not under any obligation to sell their property once the charging order is put in place; however, there are some extreme circumstances where it is possible for a lender to apply to a court in order to force a sale. It is very rare for the court to allow a creditor who has a Charging Order Absolute to sell your home. It is up to the court to decide whether to make an Order for Sale.
Currently the number of charging orders being issued is about 35,000 per year; however this figure is gradually rising. According to the BBC, “Advisers say the practice is becoming so common that the way loans and credit cards are being marketed should change to include mortgage-style warnings that your home may be at risk if you miss repayments.”
Whilst most people would agree that lenders should be able to recover the money lent, the whole point of an unsecured loan is that it will not put the borrower’s home at risk if future financial difficulties are encountered and they cannot meet the repayment schedule. Peter Tutton of the Citizens Advice highlighted that the banks are also profiting from this practice as they are still charging the higher interest rate of the unsecured debt, "lenders are kind of getting it both ways, they are getting the risk premium off the borrower, but they are getting the security of the charge and that seems unfair."
Malcolm Hurlston of the Consumer Credit Counselling Service told the BBC, that if the practice of using these orders to force unsecured loans into secured loans increases at the current rate then, “it's something that ought to attract the attention of the Department of Trade and Industry or the Financial Services Authority.” The Financial Services Authority in turn stated that they had no authority to intervene and that it was a matter for the Department of Trade and Industry.
With the current lack of regulation covering the situation, the best thing to do is prevent yourself getting into a state of affairs where you could become subject to a charge order.
* Compare as many loans as possible using sites such as Moneynet ( http://www.moneynet.co.uk/loans/index.shtml )
* Check your own financial situation – can you afford the repayments now and do you expect to be able to meet all future payments? Using loan calculators such as ( http://www.fsa.gov.uk/consumer/04_CREDIT_DEBT/loan_calculator.html ) can help decide whether you can afford to take out a loan.
* Read through all documentation and any agreements carefully.
* If you do obtain a loan, and later have financial difficulties and miss repayments, immediately speak to your lender to discuss the problem.
* If your financial situation becomes serious, contact Citizens Advice or the Consumer Credit Counselling Service for free expert advice on how to proceed.
Useful resources:
Moneynet loan comparisons ( http://www.moneynet.co.uk/loans/index.shtml )
Financial Services Authority loan calculator ( http://www.fsa.gov.uk/consumer/04_CREDIT_DEBT/loan_calculator.html )
Disclaimer:
All information contained in this article, is for general information purposes only and should not be construed as advice under the Financial Services Act 1986.
You are strongly advised to take appropriate professional and legal advice before entering into any binding contracts.
