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| Student Loan Consolidation, look this gift horse in the mouth. Part II |
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Student loan consolidation is excellent - for some people. Spot the hidden
trap that could ruin your life... a clever animal can steal from a trap
without being caught!
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* Part I Don't get into debt.
Ways to avoid it.
* Part II This article
* Part III Idea beats
student loan consolidation and creates a winning mindset.
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Part II
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Imagine two people
Each has a
student loan consolidation debt of $100 000. The born loser will soon have
borrowed more. The investor uses the student loan consolidation as a
springboard to become a millionaire.
What's different between them?
The mindset, and only the mindset. Get the right mindset.
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The big trap
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Have you a strong willpower? Will
you go on a spending spree and owe $5000 on each card tomorrow? A
student loan consolidation is not for you. Read Part III of this article.
Have you the will power to master your finances? Combine student
loan consolidation with Part III.
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What is
Student Loan Consolidation?
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You transfer all
your existing loans to one low-interest account.
What's in student
loan consolidation for you?
* If you have Stafford loans in the USA,
you¡¯ll have a grace period of six months after graduation to take out a
student loan consolidation.
* Interest rates are lower
*
Easier to remember payment dates with one loan
* Improved credit
rating
Credit cards might charge 20% interest. Wouldn't a student
loan consolidation at 5% be better?
Look for extra discounts on
student loan consolidation during the grace period. Do you get an extra
discount after 2 years of prompt payments.
Do your homework
properly. Were you only paying 3% fixed interest on your Stafford loans
and interest rates have gone up to 8% variable rate on your student loan
consolidation? How high could the rates go? If you get a fixed rate
student loan consolidation, and new student loan consolidations fall to
3%?
Computers calculate your credit rating. Suppose you took out a
subsidised and an unsubsidised Stafford loan for each of four years.
Computers can't really think. They see that you have 8 long-term loans and
never paid back a single cent. You¡¯re obviously a very bad credit risk
before your student loan consolidation!
After your student loan
consolidation computers see that you've only 1 loan and you're making
regular payments. They give you an excellent credit rating. Don't spoil it
with new credit card debts.
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Avoiding student
loans
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In part 1 you read about vital life skills
that mean lower student loans for student loan consolidation, or even
none. You can make your money go twice as far, which means that you'll
effectively be twice as rich, and the IRS can't touch you for it.
Without these life skills, you'll be helpless when you suddenly have
to pay for food and lodgings, credit card, car loan, mortgage, health...
it's never-ending! Many students can't handle it. Part III will help you
even if you have a student loan consolidation.
Have you decided on
student loan consolidation?
* Check how much they will lend
* Can you consolidate your other debts... credit card and car loan?
* Will you need proof of income?
* Can you choose between fixed
and variable interest?
* Are there pre-payment penalties? Avoid
them like the plague!
* What are the penalties if you default? If
you are unemployed or lack self-discipline you are likely to default.
* What other loans must you get - mortgage, kid's schooling?
Avoid lenders that make you start repayments of your student loan
consolidation the day after the grace period. Check for special
incentives. A 1% discount after 2 years regular payments may not sound
like much, but it adds up over time.
Negotiate. Lenders are eager to
lend you money, however much they bluff. They are legally allowed to
lend 35 times as much money as they have, and they make no profit until
they lend it.
"No start-up costs" may be good, but low interest
rates and absence of prepayment penalties for your student loan
consolidation are better.
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What's in Part III
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A better alternative to student loan
consolidation?
* Build self discipline.
* How will interest
rates for student loan consolidation change next 20 years? Don't know?
Then student loan consolidation might not be the best bargain.
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You¡¯ll be in control... not at the mercy of student loan consolidation
providers.
Don't be a loan addict all your life. The ideas in part
III were used by an Australian to become a millionaire.
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