Q: My father is dying from cancer, and I have a major disability. What do I need as safety net to take care of myself as aftercare for me and to take care of his expenses. A: Thanks for reaching out to me, and I’m so sorry to hear about your father’s cancer, and your […]
Financial Steps to Take When a Parent is Dying Read More »
When socializing with friends in college, a couple of fun nights out here and there or a few extracurricular activities every semester may seem like a good idea at the time – but they can quickly put a dent in your wallet. No one wants to stop college students from having a life. After all,
How to Keep Socializing From Ruining Your College Budget Read More »
No matter which higher education institution you choose to attend, you’ll do better if you plan ahead — and ask the right questions — in order to get the maximum college financial aid. “The first question to ask a school is: ‘What kind of financial aid do you offer?’” says Pamela Mason, the Senior Associate
List of Colleges Offering Merit Aid Read More »
The average college student spends about $765 to dine off-campus, according to Student Monitor. It’s all too easy to overspend when many restaurants and eateries in college areas let students pay just by swiping their school ID cards. There’s another reason students fork over a lot of dollars eating out: it’s their first time away
How to Cut Food Expenses While in College Read More »
Q: I have an outstanding medical bill from 2/2009 (DOS) for $92.00. I had a debt collector call me today. I am wondering if this medical bill is past the statue of limitations. I live in Florida. A: Thanks for reaching out to me about your $92 medical debt from Feb. 2009. Some debts have a statute
Dealing with Old Medical Debt Read More »
Recent data from the National Retail Federation show that college shoppers spend about $46 billion a year on apparel, supplies, dorm furnishings and more. On average, U.S. students and their parents dole out $837 on college purchases. The biggest collective chunk of that money, $232, went toward clothing, shoes and collegiate gear. During your college years, you
How to Save Money on College Clothing and Gear Read More »
About 60% of college students buy a new computer, MP3 player, smart phone or other device. If you go all out, and get a new flat screen TV or other electronics for a dorm room, your costs can quickly skyrocket. In fact, behind the clothing, shoes and collegiate gear category, the largest portion of college
5 Tips to Help College Students Save Money on Electronics Read More »
If you’ve figured out a way to pay for a slew of upfront college expenses – like tuition, fees, room, board, books and supplies – you might think most of the spending you’ll need for higher education is over. Sadly, that’s far from reality. A report in the Fiscal Times once estimated that the true
Why College Costs Can Be Twice What You Expect Read More »
Q: Hi Lynnette, I have been working at repairing my credit for the last 4 years (intensely). I have paid off all debtors and have managed to obtain an unsecured credit card with $1000 limit that has been upped to $5000 due to my handling of the card. This month I pulled my credit file
The Impact of Closed Accounts on Your Credit Score Read More »
College students often complain about the high price of college textbooks. Plenty of parents decry these costs too – because it’s the parents who often get an 11th hour call from a son or daughter who needs money or a credit card to buy the latest book for Biology, History, Engineering or some other subject.
The Strategy That Saves You Money on College Textbooks Read More »
Your credit report and credit score remain important as you approach preretirement or retirement. Whether you cosign for a child’s or grandchild’s loan, tap your home equity to buy a vacation home, or simply finance the purchase of a new car, you’ll need to have good credit. Here’s what’s happening in the credit landscape this
Changes That May Impact Your Credit Score Read More »
Picture for a moment a world in which students attending college would get all their textbooks completely free. Does it seem like a pipe dream? Well, it’s a lot closer to reality than you might suspect — and not just for students formally enrolled in higher education institutions. There’s a fast-growing movement in the U.S.
Save Money With Free Open-Source Textbooks Read More »
Room and board at colleges and universities nationwide is awfully expensive, in the range of 8,145 to $11,745 per year, according to data from the College Board. So what’s a student to do to slash some of these costs – especially when you’re already struggling to pay for tuition and fees, books and supplies, as
How To Save Money on College Room and Board Read More »
What is your image of what a college lifestyle is supposed to be, especially college housing? In decades past, students hunkered down in bunk beds, most often with two to four people in a tiny room, and gladly ate ramen or beans and rice as they studied (or even partied) their way through college. But
The Rise of Luxury College Housing Units Read More »
Room and board expenses at public four-year colleges now average $9,804 nationwide, more than the average tuition and fee charges of $9,139 at public institutions, according to the latest data available from the College Board. That trend — of housing and meal costs exceeding college tuition — has actually been in place for several decades.
Why You Should Re-Think Living at Home or Living Solo While in College Read More »
