Graduate Financial Aid

The Holidays are just about past us now and this is the time of year I like to reflect and plan for the future. Generally that starts with my finances. One of my credit cards (one that I use most) sends me a handy year end summary with nice pie charts and graphics of where I have been spent my hard earned dough. This usually prompt me to look at my budget and how I spend money. So when the piece of the pie for shoes is bigger than groceries, I know I need to make some changes. That being said, it is also a good way for me to find places to save more money by knowing where and how I spend.

Taking time to look at your finances and see where you are at is always better than ignoring them. Even if things are going relatively well, it is always a good idea to sit down and look at how you spend money. Much like writing in a food journal, you will be surprised by how easily we loose track of how much we spend.

January is a great time for people to make fresh starts, people resolve to get into shape, quit bad habits, dump that no good significant other for once and for all because he never is going to marr…oh sorry got a little off track there. But you get the picture. Use this time to look at your finances and how you can spend the next year improving your fiscal health.

If you are recently graduated grad student you may want to consider consolidating your student loan debt. Did you know that you can consolidate private loans as well? Private loan consolidation can save you thousands of dollars as well as improve your credit score. Check out www.StudentLoanConsolidator.com for more information. another great site we offer is www.StudentPlatinum.com. This site has a lot of great tips on debt management, credit and overall financial management.

So see you at the gym in 2008 (or the shoe store) and good luck with keeping those resolutions!

One of the things I love about working here at the Student Loan Network is that we are a fun bunch of cool cats. A meeting never goes by without a hearty laugh or chuckle about something sometimes even at my expense! 1250 Hancock is truly a fun place to work. So now that the holidays are upon us we are doing our annual “Secret Santa” gift exchange and knowing my colleagues, this is going to be fun and challenging.

We have set a limit at $25 and over three gifts over three different days. This scenario requires quite an imagination and some skill. It was requested that we blog to give some hints about things we would like to receive. Since Chanel bags don’t cost $25 well the knock-offs in NYC do but eww… tacky.

Anyway here are some things that make me, me!
Love most types of music (not really a country western fan though)
I love to work out and if I am not in Yoga I am running or hitting a step class
I love to read
I love movies (have a tendency towards complex plots, think pieces and documentaries)
I can never have too many hair elastics
I love Cabernet, Pino Noir and Zinfandel wines
I am almost always out of gas (yes I still drive an SUV!)-but not much anymore though-trying to be green
I don’t like candy
I don’t eat seafood
I like soy candles

Hopefully that is enough info for the fortunate person who gets to present me with a gift!
Enjoy the holidays and remember to laugh!