Student Loans, Saving, And You

loan burden for studentsUniversity is the obvious choice if you want to go into further education. It’s a chilled out place where you can learn the skills needed to succeed in later life. Plus, it also teaches you how to be an adult, when you’re not drinking and partying of course. Unfortunately, college isn’t always one big picnic. Getting there in the first place can be tricky because the costs are so high. And, if you want to be accepted, you will need to stump up the cash. It might seem retro, but saving can be the difference between a college education and an early foray into adult life.

Here are tips that can help you save enough to go to university.

Start Early

Being a kid is great because you have no responsibility. You can do whatever you like and let the adults deal with the pressures of life. Although it’s enjoyable way to go through your teenage years, it also has its flaws. The reason for this is that it pushes you to rely on other people. Of course, your parents want to help you go to college. But, the circumstances might dictate a different course of action. If you’re ready to take some responsibility, you can start saving as early as possible to prepare financially for university. So, put aside any money that comes your way for a rainy day.

Ask Your Parents

Even if you start saving early on, you’re still a kid. And, your parents have an obligation to help you achieve your dreams. That’s why there is nothing wrong with asking them to contribute to your savings. It might not be enough to stop you from securing a loan, but every little helps. The less you have to pay back once you graduate, the more money you can keep for yourself. Don’t badger them into putting money away every week because there is no need. Just tell them that you want to go to college and it would be nice if they could contribute. They’ll get the message.

Get The Right Loan

No matter how much you save, you might need a loan to help with your tuition. Obviously, you’d rather not have one, but needs must. Before you pick any old loan, make sure you think about the different variables. Some loans, for instance, have a grace period which makes them more attractive to lower income earners. Others are liable for a department of education loan forgiveness scheme that writes off some of the debt. These are features which a student like you can use to your advantage. But, it’s only possible if you think about it beforehand.

Get A Job

Without any revenue, you won’t be able to save in the first place. Sorry to say it, but you’re going to need a job. It won’t be nice, and it won’t be pretty, but it will serve a purpose. A weekend job is enough to make a dent in the savings department, especially if it’s over a few years. Plus, you need to concentrate on your studies to get into university.

You can’t do that if you’re always at work!

Your Perfect Real Estate Investment Has Land-ed

ideal investments in real estateThere comes a time in every single person’s life where the penny drops and they realise that it could be time to invest in real estate. However, most people have a warped sense of what that actually means and so they start thinking about how they can afford to, the complexities around doing so, the trials and tribulations, the effort and the work involved.

But investing in real estate doesn’t have to mean buying a structure. It doesn’t have to mean investing in an apartment, flat, house, condo, commercial property or residential space, and it doesn’t have to mean fixing up somewhere. You see, real estate does include land, you know. Yeah.

So many people overlook vacant land as an investment, though, which is foolish if you ask us, and here is why:

You Buy It. That’s All.

When you invest in a structure, you have to think about renovation works and replacing stuff, which you never have to do with vacant land. You buy the land and you have the land. You don’t need to have a knowledge of construction or anything, just an idea of whether the land could be suitable for building on. Simple.

It’s So Cheap

Vacant land is so cheap compared to other types of real estate. You could buy a decent chunk of land with the cash that is in your savings right now, probably, and if not, all you have to do is compare personal loans and take the one that you like the look of. That’s it, then. There are no other outlays. No structure to pay for, no mortgage to battle, taxes are teeny-tiny, and so is insurance, if you want to have insurance.

No Hassle Whatsoever

The thing with investing in vacant land is, well, it’s vacant. That means there are no tenants you have to chase up because their rent is late. You don’t need to pay an agent any maintenance fees or get a gardener or a plumber or anything. No. Vacant land is the least demanding real estate investment you can possibly make. Period.

Prices Can Only Increase

Your options with vacant land are endless. Either you can hang on to it and live safe in the knowledge that no one is making any more land, which means your little piece of the earth is only going to become more in demand and demand is good. You could start using it for business purposes, in which there are only a few things to consider. You could even seek out some planning permission and watch as the value skyrockets, and we mean skyrockets, and that’s without even having to put a nail in anything. Whatever you fancy, you can do.

Earn An Income

The thing with vacant land is, you always have options on how to generate money. Think about it. You could turn it into a campsite, you could rent out some of it to a telephone company to erect a mast or a farmer who wants some grazing grounds. Maybe there is an energy company sniffing around. If it’s wind power, then you can go online and see exactly how much wind your land gets. If it’s solar, then you’re an option so long as you aren’t covered by a giant canopy. Money, money, money.