Right now, the student loan industry is going through one of its worst periods in decades. New Federal regulations have forced many banks to stop offering student loans, and students are being forced to either find a direct loan or start paying back what they owe. Enrollment figures are being affected dramatically and right now, many students simply cannot afford to go to school.
This problem is extending to those that are already trying to pay on their student loans. It has become harder than ever to consolidate old student loans and the interest rates are not helping matters either. It is important to pay off your student loans as quickly as possible, especially if you want to save money over the long term. Here are some tips to help you accomplish this.
1. Try asking your family for help.
If your family is in the position to help you financially, this should be your first stop. No one really likes borrowing money from their parents, but if you can pay off all of your loans, it is worth it. You won’t have to worry about crazy interest rates and you’ll have a chance to make bigger payments on the loan. However, you’ll need to make sure that you can set up a payment plan and stick to it to avoid causing any family disputes.
2. Get a second job.
This is a tough one, especially if you are already working full time. However, it can mean the difference between paying on student loans for the next decade, or taking just a year to pay them off. For example, if you owe $98,000 on your student loans, and you get a part time job that pays an extra $1000 a week, you could pay off that loan in less than two years. There are many high paying second jobs, such as bartending, where you can easily work off that student loan in no time at all.
3. Leverage your debt.
If you don’t have the time to get a second job, you may want to consider a technique known as debt leveraging. This involves taking out a loan and making an investment. Whether it is in an interest bearing account, new business idea or stock is up to you. Just make sure that you can count on the returns. This will create a secondary stream of income that can be used to pay down your student loans in a lot less time.
4. Negotiate.
If all else fails, try negotiating with the loan company to get a lower interest rate. If you have been paying on your loan faithfully they will be much more likely to help you out. It never hurts to ask or to apply for a consolidation loan. The worse they can say is no, and you’ll still have a lot of different options out there. The important thing is that you don’t fall behind on your debts. It may take some hard work, but you’ll appreciate it once you’re free of the yoke of your student loans.
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Originally posted 2008-08-17 05:03:58. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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