Dominating the news headlines currently is the topic of student loan debt and a possible student loan crisis. For the first time ever, the total amount of student loan debt has surpassed the $100 billion mark. This is more than consumer credit card debt and is second only to housing debt (mortgages). Many experts are [...]
One of the trendiest and most pressing topics in personal finances is the devastating amount of debt graduating with college students. Large debt loads saddle new graduates with large monthly payments. Couple this with sometimes unmarketable degrees that do not translate well in the workforce and a wavering economy, and we see that some students [...]
When you have a few (well, maybe more than a few!) credit cards with balances that you carry month to month, you know the frustration of seeing those statements each month with new finance charges added, if you bother to look at the statement at all. I know I don’t want to at times. There [...]
For many readers, this will be a review of a concept you’re already familiar with. But for those not initiated in the ways of the snowball debt reduction method, this handy dandy tutorial should prove quite, well, handy! I enjoy writing articles for those of you just getting into personal finance, and making the decision [...]
When you are struggling with debt, it can be a very stressful and emotional time. Since I have been dealing with my student loan debt, I understand how overwhelming being in debt can be. Even though being in the red and struggling with money isn’t uncommon, it’s not something we like to talk about. Many [...]
I recently heard some advice from financial guru Suze Orman about lending money to friends and family. Her basic view is that you need to have all of your own financial ducks in a row (8 month emergency fund, fully funded retirement account, fully funded 529 plans, secure job, able to easily pay rent/mortgage, etc.) [...]
Attending college is a great way to educate yourself and get the job you want. Whether you’re going right out of high school or going back to school for a career change, college is expensive. Between tuition, housing expenses, and books and supplies, you can easily be in debt for many years after you get [...]
Amanda recently detailed The Aftermath of Debt Payoff in which she and her husband entered the “non-mortgage, debt-free” stage of life after paying off all of their student loans and car loan. Congrats Amanda! But they haven’t quite figured out where to go next. With their financial situation drastically changed, readers had lots of great [...]
When I graduated with a degree in Journalism, I was thrilled to be done with college, start working, and move on. Then, a few months down the road, I got my first student loan bill. And suddenly all of the loans I took out over the past several years for tuition and living expenses were [...]
I remember a conversation I had with one of my college professors several years ago. It was an exciting night; as a senior in the International Studies department I had been chosen to attend a reception at the college president’s home to honor a guest speaker. On the car ride from the dinner to the [...]
