Everyone make mistakes as a college student. It just a part of life and a learning experience. But making mistakes about your student loans can quickly become a nightmare if you don’t borrow wisely. So heed the advice below and educate yourself on student loans and how to avoid costly mistakes.
Verify the length of your grace period before repayment of your loan is due. The grace period is the amount of time between your graduation date and date on which you must make your first loan payment. You can get a head start in making timely payments by knowing what your grace period is.
If you are moving or your number has changed, make sure that you give all of your information to the lender. Interest begins to accrue on your loan for every day that your payment is late. This is something that may happen if you are not receiving calls or statements each month.
If you have extra money at the end of the month, don’t automatically pour it into paying down your student loans. Check interest rates first, because sometimes your money can work better for you in an investment than paying down a student loan. For example, if you can invest in a safe CD that returns two percent of your money, that is smarter in the long run than paying down a student loan with only one point of interest. Only do this if you are current on your minimum payments though and have an emergency reserve fund.
Educating yourself about student loans can be some of the most valuable learning that you ever do. Knowing all about student loans and what they mean for your future is vital. So keep the tips from above in mind and never be afraid to ask questions if you don’t understand what the terms an conditions mean.