Youve spent the last four-plus years with your nose to the academic grindstone. Graduation day is finally here; time to look back on what youve accomplished through your college years, and look ahead to a successful career and a happy life.
If youre like most college graduates, theres something else awaiting your future, something not so pleasant. Remember those student loans that helped you survive through college? Now its time to pay the piper. Studies show that two-thirds of students have significant student loan debt coming out of college. Ten percent of them owe $35,000 or more. Are you one of them? If so, dont panic. Stop, take a deep breath, and read on for tips on how to make repayment as painless as possible.
Rule #1Stick to the (payment) plan
Finally, those years of hard work are starting to pay off. Youve landed a plum job making a nice salary, and you can finally afford those toys you dreamed about during those all-night cramming sessions. Then your first student loan bill comes in, and suddenly that new car seems just as much of a dream as it ever did. It sucks, we know. But youve got to bite the bullet. Pay your student loan back early, and...