How to Pay Off Student Loans     

• Postpone Repayment- If you go back to grad school or experience economic hardsips, you are entitled to a deferment.

• Borrow smart if you are going back to grad school- Professional and Graduate students can use low-cost Stafford loans. You can borrow up to the full cost of attendance with PLUS loans.

• Lower your payments- Your payments can be lowered by stretching out the loan term.

• Consider consolidating your loans- By doing so you won't automatically get a lower rate, but you will get the convenience of a single payment.

• Get someone else to pay- By joining certaing groups, like AmeriCorps, you might be eligible for grants to help you pay off your loans. 

****Setting up an automatic payment plan with your credit card company can help ensure that you never miss a payment.

How to create a budget

• Gather any availabe financil statments: This includes bank statments, investment accoutns, recent utiltiy bill, and any information regarding a source of income or expense. THe key for htis process is to  reat a monthly average.

• Record all of your sources of income: This includes any scholarships, loans, money from parents, or from a job.

• Create a list of monthly expenses: This is a list of your fixed costs such as tuition, gas, rent, utilities, and also any variable costs like social outtings.

• Total your monthly income and expenses: You want your income to exceed your expenses.

• Make any necessary adjustments to your expenses.

****If your expenses are higher than your income, then you should look at your variable expenses to find areas to cut. Since these expenses are typically essentinal it should be easy to shave a few dollars in a few areas to bring you closer to your income.

• Bank accounts: Having active bank accounts is proof that you can manage your money, and that you are not a credit risk.

• Employment history: Lenders want to see that you are able to hold a job and are dependable on the job.

• Residence history: Lenders want to see how stable your home life is. Also, if you own your own home, then that can help you to get approved for credit.

• Unitilities: Having utilities in your name can be helpful for first-time borrowers.

• Be early for your interview

• Dress professionally: neutral color suit

• Do not ask any questions regarding job benefits in the first interview

• Maintain eye contact

• Have a nice firm handshake

• Be respectful with salutations-use Ma'am, Sir, Ms, Dr, Mr. etc

• Send out a thank you note within 24-hr on formal stationary