Thursday, January 8, 2009

Bad Credit Private Student Loans

Bad Credit Private Student Loans

If your a student and your credit is not the best, you may be used to complications already, and you just want to find fast and easy private student loans for bad credit borrowers. Slow down a little bit for you might be able to get a loan and it can sometimes be done quickly, but you should still take a little time to review your options and get the best possible deal.

If you are not looking for student credit cards and seek a private student loan then you should have already exhausted all possibilities of covering your education expenses with federal loans and student financial aid, grants and scholarships. You should be sure to take out the maximum federal loans and any financial aid you can get before applying for private student loans, and student credit cards for that matter. Federal loans offer fixed interest rates and Stafford loans do not require a credit check. Do not give up on federal loans just because you are looking for convenience. If you are going to finish college you will need to be able to manage your way through a little government paperwork. Consider it your first research project.

It is common for students to fund their education through private loans as well as federal loans, because federal loans often do not cover a student’s needs. Students often seek a student credit card to pay for smaller college expenses. Do not go with the first private student loan or student credit card offer without comparing as many lenders as possible. Even with bad credit, some financial institutions will reject your application, however, others will sometimes compete for your business. Remember, student loans cannot be excused by declaring bankruptcy, so the lender knows that this is sometimes a low-risk loan to begin with.

Take the time to call several lenders and compare their offers, and let them know if you are getting better offers so they have the chance to make a counter-offer. This takes a little extra time, but they will attend to you quickly and you can compare different offers and still have the issue resolved in no time. To make things quicker, get all your financial information in order before starting to call private loans.

Making lenders compete for your business is a good way to reduce the higher fees and interest rates students with bad credit have to pay. Also, if you have a cosigner with good credit, you can get a better offer.
If you have all your financial information in order, your credit history in hand, and have calculated exactly how much you need to borrow, lenders will give you tentative prices for the sake of comparison, and most lenders have websites, which provide loan calculators.

Many lenders will offer you fast and easy private student loans for bad credit borrowers, but if you don’t take a little time to compare offers now, you may spend years paying off the extra interest later.

If you are seeking a student credit card, visit StudentCreditCards.com

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Saturday, June 14, 2008

Say no to the on campus credit card guy

Why I said no to the no campus credit card marketing guy.

I was on my way to psych 101 and this man in his mid thirties jumped in front of me and flashed several student credit cards and asked for a minute of my time. I agreed. He proceeded to tell me if I applied for a credit card he would give me a voucher for a free six pack of pepsi. He did not offer me any educational material on building good credit, only a choice of applications for credit cards. I told him I would think about it and he became frustrated. He told me I needed to apply for a student credit card right now or I would not get the free soda. This man would not let up ... he persisted and persisted to the point that I almost felt bad for him.

At this point the one minute of time time had turned in to ten minutes and I was late for class. I told him I would stop by after class after I had some time to think about it. During class I kept thinking about how pushy this credit card guy was and it angered me a little bit. Class was let out early and I walked a different route back to the dorm.

It turns out my roommate was cornered by the same credit card marketer last year and she ended up applying for several credit cards to get many free incentive gifts, only to not get approved for a single one. I called my parents and they told me to not apply for a student credit card until I sat down with them and talked about the basics of building good credit in an intelligent way.

We searched the internet and found this very site, StudentCreditCards.com - where you will find several articles on building good credit and a selection on the major student credit cards for college students to review and compare when applying.

Student should take their time when applying for a credit card. The first step is learning how to build strong credit, educate yourself and involve your parents as they have been through the trials and tribulations of using credit. Credit must be repaid, it is not free money for college. Don't apply for a credit because everyone else has one or because it might seem cool to carry one. When you are ready to learn about credit, read the credit card articles at StudentCreditCards.com and if you are employed or have a co-signer then compare student credit card issuers and apply online only if you are ready.

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Friday, March 14, 2008

Why You Need A Student Credit Card

Why You Need A Student Credit Card
by: Studentcreditcards.com

Owning a student credit card affords an individual luxurious those who pay with cash don’t necessarily have. To begin, using a credit card to make a purchase is hassle-free in comparison to paying by check or cash. In addition, when you carry a credit card around, it limits the amount of cash you have to keep in your purse or wallet. A credit card also simplifies the transaction process and allows the user to make Internet purchases.

College student credit cards are also great to have on hand in case of emergency. What happens if your car breaks down and you to have it fixed, but don’t have the cash? Having a card in case of emergencies provides a security blanket that can get you through most financial crunches.

When utilized responsibly, a student credit card can be used effectively to budget the consumer’s spending. Credit cards also let you cash in on special offers and sales when you otherwise wouldn’t have the cash. Along the same lines, if you have to go on a trip and accrue business expenses that will later be reimbursed, you can use the card to carry the expense until you receive funds.

Student credit cards also boast a certain amount of security. A lost credit card cannot be used by anyone. The card owner can even report the card stolen and have it turned off before it is used. If the card is used illegally, the card issuer cannot legally hold the owner responsible for the unauthorized charges. If you lose your cash, it is most likely gone for good.

While the advantages of owning a college student credit card cover a gamut of situations, benefiting from these advantages requires responsible spending. For example, it is a good idea to pay off the credit card debt on a monthly basis. Failing to do so will cost more money in the long run and take up precious emergency spending dollars.

In the event of your application for credit is denied because of “insufficient credit file” and you are a full-time student, you can contact the lender and ask if they are aware of your student status. In certain cases, companies will extend you a student credit card offer with a lower than normal credit line to get your student credit history underway. As you pay your bills on time, the company will then slowly increase your credit line accordingly. In other words, you are rewarded for responsibly managing your credit.

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, all consumers are protected under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act that states financial instructions must make fair decisions when it comes to determining in an applicant is creditworthy. An individual’s color, race, religion, fender, ethnicity, age, and marital status should not affect their ability to gain credit.

To learn more, or to compare student card offers visit www.studentcreditcards.com

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Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Budgeting for Students

Budgeting can be especially hard for students. There is so much new responsibility in their lives and money is a big one. Many students have never been in charge of their own finances before and they probably haven’t had much guidance in this area. If your child is going off to college or is already a student, you may want to educate them on financial matters.
Most adults know what budgeting is all about, but it may surprise you to know that most students going into college have no idea what that word actually means. You know as a parent how hard it can be to stick to a budget and you should expect that your college student will struggle with it as well. Keep in mind that this may be the first time that they have to exhibit self-discipline. The first step is to simply explain what budgeting is. Budgeting is basically a plan that lists all of your money coming in and money going out. Remember that everyone learns differently, so you may want to also write down a mock budget plan for them. Getting them to write it is also a good idea. Once you get the idea of a budget into their heads, then you can move on to the next step.
Next you want to make sure that all sources of income are accounted for. Student loans, income from their job if they have one, scholarship money, allowance from their parents or family, and any other benefit monies they may have coming in. At this point, most students will think that the amount of income looks great. They probably haven’t had this much money at their disposal before, and may suddenly get the itch to go shopping. A big mistake is for students to use the amount coming in as an excuse to spend five dollars here and there all month long. They won’t even know what happened when the money is gone. This is why it is very important to accurately track expenses in the next step.
Staying on top of money spent is a very hard discipline to learn. First they need to make an accurate list of their expected expenses. Books, bills, cafeteria, groceries, school and personal supplies, gas and don’t forget recreation. Going out with friends is an important social part of their lives and they need to budget for it. Clothing is something that they will definitely need as well. Doctor visits and prescriptions need to be planned for. There are lots of little things that you may not think of yet, which is why the next section is important as well.
Include an unexpected expense section in your child’s budget. Here is where they should note any extra expenses that came up during the month. Oil changes, auto repair, an emergency room visit, replacing a cell phone, anything that they didn’t expect that ended up cutting into their budget. Writing it down will help them look back in future months and determine if it’s something that could happen again that they should plan for.
Keeping up with the budget will most likely prove challenging for most students. Creating a separate savings account will help separate money that needs to be saved from disposable income. Taking out cash instead of using a debit card is a very effective way to stick to a budget. Encourage your child to leave their debit card at home when they go out with friends and only use the cash that is accounted for in the budget. You may want to educate your child on the importance of being responsible with credit as well and help them look for student credit cards that could help them out of a real emergency while they are away at school.

About the Author: Mary Wallace, a retired teacher, is the editor for studentcreditcards.com, a provider of student credit cards and information plus consolidation of student credit cards. For more information, please visit http://www.studentcreditcards.com

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Monday, November 5, 2007

College Students and Money

We live in an increasing more material world. We have grown to expect instant gratification in every way. We no longer need to go to the bank and stand in line to get to our money. We wave tiny keychain devices in front of a receiver to pay for items at the store. Computers start up in no time and internet information is available on just about any subject that we can dream up in a snap. We don’t even have to walk to the mail box to pay a bill anymore. Remote controls, cell phones and MP3 players ensure that we can get where we need to go, talk to whomever we choose and listen to whatever we want in an instant. Our lives as Americans are full of conveniences and luxuries that our ancestors and people in other countries never dreamed of. So how does all of this convenience affect college students?
Current college students have spent their entire lives in this world of instant gratification and automated convenience. They have access to student credit cards to get them out of a bind, but credit cards can also get them into one. This is actually one convenience that can really help college students get by and help them prepare themselves for the future. Building your credit early is important in this day and age. Soon they’ll be out in the real world, needing to open cell phone contracts in their name, buy vehicles and ultimately buy a house. Keep in mind that most long-term big loan contracts, such as a home mortgage, can require up to an eight year good credit history to qualify. As long as they act responsibly, starting on a credit building financial journey while in college is necessary for those who will eventually buy a home.
Building credit can be accomplished if the right steps are taken. Signing up for a secured credit card is a relatively safe way to teach college students the responsibilities of owning a credit card. Secured credit cards require a deposit and the deposit dictates the amount of credit available. If you deposit $500, then you can spend up to $500. This is a great way to establish credit, or repair credit that has been damaged in the past. When you make your payments on time and when you are overall responsible for your finances, you will build your credit and you’ll usually be rewarded for your efforts. Banks and credit card companies keep track of your history and may offer you a line of unsecured credit or simply increase the amount that you are able to spend on that credit card. You will establish a credit score and be eligible for future loans and unsecured credit cards. Secured credit cards are a great way to teach college students about the discipline of paying off something long-term.
If they learn to avoid the instant gratification trap that they’ve been raised to expect and really only use the credit card for emergencies, then they will be better off in the future. Having a credit score and history that says good things about them will help them take pride in what they have learned and accomplished during their college years and will lay the groundwork for a successful financial life.

About the Author: Mary Wallace, a retired teacher, is the editor for studentcreditcards.com, a provider of student credit cards and information plus consolidation of student credit cards. For more information, please visit http://www.studentcreditcards.com

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