Hi, I'm a college sophomore and I am terrified of being buried in debt. So far, I'm doing okay, I have about 7,000 worth of loans to worry about. But I'm sure as tuition rises and the economy gets worse things will get worse, and I'm fairly certain that if I go the way I'm going I'll have more than 40,000 worth of debt. How have you guys helped pay for college while in college? Any suggestions are highly appreciated.
There's a few ways to go about it. 1. Reduce your spending now. Can you move to a smaller place, budget your spending better, drop extras such as cell plans or cable? The less you spend now the more money you can save to pay for next semester. 2. Many people reduce their load in school and work full time to pay for it. 3. Some colleges charge the same no matter how many classes you take. You could pile on as many classes as you can handle and reduce your time in college that way. Graduating even a semester early will save you big bucks. Honestly, the only way to get away from having student loans is to make more and spend less so you can pay out of pocket instead of with loans.
Open an affiliate account on amazon and clickbank and sell products for them. Write articles online and get paid for your service. Open an account on fiverr.com and make a gig you can sell for $5 a time. If you get 10 orders a day, that's an extra $350 in your pocket every week. Make something and sell it on ebay. Write an ebook and sell it on amazon. Hope these help!!
Get scholarships. They're harder to find now, but they still exist. Apply for FAFSA early and every year. The aid is amazing. Take an extra class each quarter/semester if you can keep up with it. You may be able to shave an entire quarter/semester off your degree time.
Scholarships are the best way to go. I admire all the advice to find online income, but really the most reliable thing is to get a part-time job. I know it sounds tedious, but a great part-time job or two will help you alleviate expenses and feel better overall moneywise. If you are skilled at something, you can try Fiverr, but gigs are rarely noticed unless already highly ranked.
Wow! I am also in college right now but I haven't had a student loan. I wish I could bu my parents said that they could support so I don't need to loan for my school expenses. However I am in addiction to online investments as of late so I am thinking to apply for a student loan and invest the money to am investment site. Maybe you could do the same thing.
1) Spend less. 2) Get a part-time job. Sometimes on campus jobs pay better! Also, look into working as an RA in the dorms. You'll save money on housing that way. 3) Scholarships, grants, awards, etc. Apply often! Your financial aid website should have details of the ones your school offers. 4) Maximize your summer earnings. 5) Take only as much loan money as you will need. Or you'll spend too much. 6) No spring break trips. Save your money! 7) Tutor in subjects you rock at or in high school subjects you are studying at college. 8) Look into working as a TA.
There are two ways to avoid studen loan debt: 1) attend a college that is affordable 2) apply for scholarships, grants, awards, etc to offset the cost. I worked through my college years and paid for my education out of pocket. Yes, I went to a community college but I have the degree in the field I need it in and I have NO STUDENT LOAN DEBT. This is the only sure fire way to get your degree without having student loan debt hanging over your head when you graduate.
There are all but 70 million people in holding student debt, with the national average among undergraduate student borrowers carrying a debt load of about $25,000. As a recent study by NERA Economic Consulting noted, “Student debt loads of $50,000, $100,000, and $200,000 are still the minority, but those high figures are becoming more common.” What steps can you take to avoid this type of unmanageable debt, while still reaching your educational goals? While no one can single-handedly control the economy, being knowledgeable about trends in the college education market could be one of the best first steps in making some very important decisions about your future.
During the college, i did part time jobs and earn scholarship. In that way i finished my college without debt.