Money Management for Students

When you send your children to college, it's a pretty safe bet that they will have a good academic foundation. Without that, they wouldn't perform well enough to get accepted to college. What will they know about money, though? Will they be prepared to understand, evaluate and manage the variety of "money tasks" they will be faced with? Regardless of what they learn in the classroom, they will also have to manage their education expenses, student loans, monthly budgets and credit cards. Prepare yourself to help them learn those lessons by reading the information in this section.

• Obama Plan Will Help Families Address Student Loan Debt

  Obtaining a college degree is a desirable, but expensive goal. Luckily, new assistance tools can help students uncover new ways to afford an education amid rising tuition costs.

• College Students: Land a Part-Time Job – Plan Ahead, Be Prepared

  Getting a job these days isn’t easy, and it can be especially difficult when you are a full-time, or even a part-time, student. Is it possible to find a part-time job that allows you to juggle work and school? Luckily, the answer is ’yes,’ but it will take work to land a good job.

• Ways to Address Student Loan Debt

  Can’t make timely payments on your college loans? Then enlist these tips to delay or extend your school loan liabilities.

• Is Consolidating Student Loans Right for You?

  Having trouble managing multiple student loans or paying the amount due? Perhaps student loan consolidation could help.

• 20 Ways to Save on College Expenses

  There's no sugarcoating it - college is ridiculously expensive. To give your college student and your budget an education, check out these 20 tips for cutting college expenses.

• Simple Strategies to Help Pay for College

  For many prospective students, the rising costs of higher education are a daunting prospect. Check out this article for strategies you can follow to help minimize the burden.

• A College Education Can Cost A Small Fortune

  Are you saving money for your child to go to college? College expenses are on the rise, so check out the many savings options available to you.

• Student Financial Aid 101

  Parents and high school students dream of the first day of college. Don't let the cost of a higher education dampen your spirits. Help may be available to you in the form of financial aid.

• A Student's First Experience With Credit

  It's easy for students to get caught in the credit card trap. Understanding credit will help you become a good credit consumer and set the stage for your future credit health.

• Calculating the Future of Your Student Loans

  College tuition is expensive and growing more costly every year. In 2009, approximately 60 percent of students received financial aid to help pay for tuition. Financial aid allows you, as a student, the opportunity to pay for college without making payments until you graduate, with the exception of grants and scholarships. After graduation, you have a six-month grace period for Federal Stafford Loans and a nine-month grace period for Federal Perkins Loans. Even though you do not have to make payments right away, it's important to learn the facts about repayment options and interest rates, so that you won't be making payments at the same time your own kids are starting college.

• How Much College Really Costs

  There are few moments in life more special than watching your graduating high school senior read an acceptance letter from their favorite college. If the student stays with the program and earns a college degree, he or she could receive a huge financial boost. According to Education Pays, a report from the non-profit organization College Board, college grads can earn about a million dollars more than those without a bachelor's degree over a lifetime.

• Bank Offerings for College Students

  If you are a college student, banks and credit unions want your business. Financial institutions hope that after you graduate and begin your career, you will be a lifelong customer, so while you're in school, they will try to lure you with low fees, low minimums and convenience options.

• Community College: An Affordable Option

  A college education is one of the most important, but expensive, investments you can make in yourself or your child. When weighing out the options, it's hard to ignore the impressive amount you could save on tuition, room, board, and transportation by staying close to home and attending a community college. Money, of course, shouldn't be the only factor in selecting a college; the quality of education and the applicability to your long-term career goals are equally as important. While there is often a stigma associated with community college, the list below provides some benefits to attending community college that you may not have considered.

Return to Index