There are a number of people lamenting the demise of professionalism, and bemoaning the lack of formality amongst the rising generation. While few hiring managers and employers actually expect a college student to be super formal, many of them would like to see a little more professionalism. If you are about to attempt to enter the workforce with a newly minted degree, here are some tips on improving your image as a professional: [Read more…] about College Grad? Professionalism is Critical for Landing a Job
College
How I Paid Off $25,000 of Debt in 14 Months
First of all, if you are in college right now, please do everything in your power to keep your student loans to a minimum! I really wish that I didn’t have to experience the story below. Never having that debt would have been much more delightful, for me anyway.
My wife and I had recently gotten married and moved into an amazing rental complex in South Florida. There was a work-out facility, some tennis courts, and a gorgeous pool. It was heavenly, that is, until the bills started coming in the mail.
Somehow it had slipped our minds that once we graduated from college, we had to start paying back our student loans. Between my wife and I, we had $18,000 in student loans plus a vehicle that we owed $7,000 on. Yep, that was a total of $25,000 in debts!
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Is It Worthwhile To Move To Save Costs?
Are you trying to cut costs? Did you have a sudden drop in income? Are you a college student trying to avoid student loans?
One of the most common suggestions personal finance authors make is to move to a cheaper location to save costs, but does it really save that much? How long do you have to be in the new location to reap the rewards of moving?
My husband and I currently live in a spacious, 1,000 sq. foot, two bedroom apartment. We live in an urban area and find our $1,000 a month rent competitive with the area. We have not had a rent increase in two years, and most two bedroom apartments cost more than ours does. I will use our current situation as the example for the purpose of this exercise.
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Do You Know How You Will Pay for College?
Many parents fully expect to pay for (or at least help pay for) their children to attend college. This, however, is becoming an increasingly daunting task. The cost of a college education continues to rise, becoming almost prohibitive. One of the first things to realize as you prepare to pay for your child’s education, or prepare to have your child get ready to pay for his or her own education, is that it is highly unlikely that you will be able to rely on one source of funding to meet your needs.
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Credit CARD Act and Its Affect on College Students
According to a 2009 study by Sallie Mae, the average credit card balance for college students was $3,173.
Only 15% of college freshman surveyed had a zero balance.
Of overall students, 82% carried a balance and had monthly interest charges. The Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility, and Disclosure (CARD) Act of 2009 put new rules in place to help consumers better understand their credit cards and cut down on unfair practices from credit card companies. Of those rules, there are some that college students should be especially aware of.
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