Monday, October 27, 2008

The Wisdom in Consolidating Your Student Loans

By Aaron Smith

Being a student is expensive. Many find that although they have graduated from college, the debt that they piled up while students puts a serious strain on their budget and will be with them for some time. If this is the case, deciding to consolidate your student loans might be a wise option.

Some benefits of doing the latter include making just one monthly payment on your overall debt. This will be much easier for you due to your fast-paced lifestyle. It is much easier to make one payment on time that to keep track of several different payments and the dates they are due. Thus consolidating your debt will make budgeting your money a much less daunting task.

While the rates on many student loans may change over time, one benefit in consolidating your debt is that you may be able to lock into a fixed, low interest rate for the entirety of the loan.

This can be done by transferring your loans to a private company, thus consolidating them and locking in a fixed, low interest rate. Since these companies charge the government money, you will usually not be required to pay a dime. Such loans should be easy to obtain for just about anyone.

By locking into a fixed, lower interest rate you stand to save money. For instance, the amount of money you are required to pay each month should be reduced. If you are currently experiencing economic difficulties, this will help you to establish a reasonable budget. If you are able to pay more than the minimum monthly payment, your student debt will be eliminated even quicker. Suppose you are able to lower your monthly minimum payment from $150 to $125. If you keep paying the same amount each month, $150, the extra $25 will go straight to the loan's principal. You will thus save considerably on interest and be debt free in much less time.

Some of the other advantages to consolidating your student debt include not only monetary savings, but also the ability to resolve you debt quicker and easier due to a fixed, lower interest rate.

Will also offer the convenience of a single monthly payment instead of several payments to cover the same debt. With no fees typically associated with debt consolidation.

This option is frequently available for practically anyone who is interested. If student loans are taking a toll on your budget, or you simply want to get out of debt, take advantage of these benefits by consolidating student debt for a better rate. - 15465

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