Handy Tips To Get Your Personal Finances In Order Keeping your personal finances in order is one of the most important things you can do to ensure that you and your family avoid unnecessary trouble. Fortunately, doing so doesn't have to be a chore or an ordeal. This article will give you some tips that will make keeping track of your personal finances a breeze. A useful personal-finance tip is to investigate different funding sources prior to shopping for a new vehicle. Local banks and credit unions can be terrific sources for advantageous auto finance rates, often beating the manufacturers' captive finance arms. By arranging your own financing prior to visiting a car dealership, you can be certain of getting the very best rate possible. If you can cut at least one point, refinance your current home mortgage. The refinancing costs are considerable, but it will be worth it if you can lower your interest rate by at least one percent. Refinancing your home mortgage will lower the overall interest you pay on your mortgage. If a credit card is close to its limit, consider transferring portions of the balance to a different card. Having a card that is almost maxed out is a huge blow to your FICO score. Transferring part of the balance will even up the credit you have available on your cards. To find real space in your personal finance, stop thinking about income and expenses at the same time. It is essential to track every penny of both, but if you pay attention to them simultaneously, all you end up doing is balancing your budget and not saving anything. Cap your expenses at 70% of your income and see the difference. To make your savings account earn money while you sit back and watch, invest in a long term fixed rate. These accounts offer a higher, fixed interest rate for a longer period of time. Most banks offer high interest to get your money, then cut the rate after a few months. Long term fixed rate accounts will have your money making money while it is in the bank. Never co-sign a friend's loan. Co-signing makes a threesome "  the creditor, your friend and you " that too often ends badly, possibly affecting your own credit. Don't do it unless you are willing to pay the loan yourself. Because you are equally responsible, you'll be hounded to make good if your friend defaults. When it comes to your own finances, always remain involved and make your own decisions. While it's perfectly fine to rely on advice from your broker and other professionals, make sure that you are the one to make the final decision. You're playing with your own money and only you should decide when it's time to buy and when it's time to sell. Change your shopping habits to keep more dollars in your wallet. Instead of going to the mall to browse, only go when you know exactly what you need. Get in the store, make your purchase, and get out. Find other fun activities that can take the place of shopping, so that you only buy things that you truly need. In order to save money, cancel memberships for things you do not use. For example, if you have a gym membership, but you never go to the gym, why do you need the membership? All that this is doing is costing you money that could be spent on more important things. Consolidation Filing bankruptcy should be your last resort when dealing with personal financial issues that have gone out of whack. First look into other things like debt consolidation before you attempt to throw your hands in the air and give up on paying altogether. Honor your commitments unless you absolutely cannot. If you have your debt spread into many different places, it may be helpful to ask a bank for a consolidation loan which pays off all of your smaller debts and acts as one big loan with one monthly payment. Make sure to do the math and determine whether this really will save you money though, and always shop around. If you are facing high levels of personal debt, you must resist the temptation to go to consolidation companies or enlist the help of a loan provider. These options require you to take on even MORE credit; instead, face the collection agencies and find out what payment options are available to you as you pay your debts. Maintaining your personal finances is very important, so don't neglect your education on this matter. By keeping your financial house in order, you will be able to avoid many common pitfalls and difficulties that too many people encounter. The advice you've learned in this article will help you stay on a smooth road to financial prosperity.

Parent Plus Loan Consolidation

If you are a graduate student or a parent that has multiple plus student loans then you may be eligible for a plus loan consolidation. A plus loan consolidation allows you to save money by bundling multiple plus loans into one, so you only have one low monthly payment. Consolidated loans also have more favorable terms with lower fixed interest rates.
In order to become eligible for a plus loan consolidation, you must complete a student loan consolidation application that is provided by your student loan lender. This application will take into account your current financial situation and all outstanding student loans that are in repayment status. Students must also no longer be enrolled in their program of study in order to apply for a loan consolidation.
Once the graduate student or parent has been approved for a parent plus loan consolidation, their consolidated loan will have a fixed interest rate. This fixed interest rate means that the monthly payments can't fluctuate throughout the life of the loan. This is very beneficial for the borrower, since he or she will know the exact repayment amounts. Borrowers that don't decide to consolidate their plus loan will carry a variable rate, which means that there is a chance that their monthly payments will fluctuate. If rates increase then the borrower's monthly payments will also increase to cover for the additional interest rate fees.
Borrowers that are considering a consolidation need to realize that once they've completed the consolidation process, they will not be able to complete another consolidation with the same loans in the future. This means that if interest rates become lower in the future, the borrower will not be able to take advantage of additional cost savings. It also means that the borrower will not be able to include any new student loans that are obtained after the consolidation has taken place.