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Considering the massive student loan debt most college graduates face, there’s increasing debate about whether a traditional four-year degree is a worthwhile investment for young adults. Still, most (69.7% in 2016, to be exact) high school graduates still choose to enroll.
And college tuition and boarding aren’t the only expenses for students either, because finances come into play long before that first meeting with the financial aid department. Trying to meet or beat the universities’ standardized test thresholds and stay competitive for limited scholarship funds, many high school students (or more likely, their parents) fork out money for ACT or SAT test preparation programs as soon as their sophomore or junior year.
The tests themselves don’t cost that much – the basic SAT testing fee is $45, while the basic ACT is a little lower at $39.50. One-on-one test prep tutoring, on the other hand, can be a several-thousand-dollar investment. While group test prep programs tend to run on the lower end of that, elite programs that promise top test scores can cost up to $9,000! That’s more than the average tuition and fees for attending an in-state university for four years. [ continue reading… ]
I felt like I was constantly going to wedding a few years ago. Every week from late June to early August, it seemed, a cousin or a sibling or a friend was tying the knot. The bills to celebrate all this happiness with your friends and family racked up pretty quickly too.
I’m hardly alone though. According to American Express, in 2016 Americans planned to attend an average of three weddings and spend $703 for each wedding. $703!
Do you want to keep the wedding season from breaking your bank? Here’s what you can do to keep your budget intact through the list of summer weddings: [ continue reading… ]
Time flies. It wasn’t long ago when I was trying to figure out where Synchrony Bank came from since the firm came out with an online banking offering. Fast forward a few years and an IPO later, the company not only has a solid online savings product but they are also the largest private label credit card provider in the U.S. based on purchase volume and receivables.
Synchrony Financial grew out of GE Capital, the financial arm of General Electric. It used to be called GE Capital Bank but they rebranded themselves to Synchrony in 2014 to decouple from GE Capital’s battered image during the financial crisis. As a consumer though, none of this would matter all that much because after all, the CDs and savings accounts are FDIC insured up to the limit.
What really matters is how the bank performs on a day to day basis. Here’s my review. [ continue reading… ]
Student loan debt is second only to home loans as the highest form of consumer debt in the United States. That’s scary, especially if you’re a college student who’s just starting or only part-way through this expensive career-before-your-career.
Paying off college expenses as you go is the best way to avoid a massive pile of debt when you graduate, but that’s easier said than done, especially if you’re carrying a full-time course load. Taking classes and studying is enough work for anyone, even before taking on a full time or part time job.
Meanwhile, college surveys report that students spend 8 to 10 hours a day on the web. That’s a lot of (let’s face it – often wasted) time that could be used to earn money. Regardless of whether you spend too much time online, the point is that you’re online anyway – why not make money from it?
Here are four ways college students can earn extra money to keep on top of their student loans by doing what they do best – spending time on the web. [ continue reading… ]
Painting is a popular spring do-it-yourself project, especially since it’s one the easiest ways to refresh the appearance of your home. If you’re trying to sell, new paint can also improve your home’s appeal to potential buyers. Depending on the size of your project, primer, paint, and supplies can get expensive fast. To help you stay on budget, here are a few tips to help you choose paint, find good deals, and ultimately get the greatest return on the time and money you invest in your spring painting projects.
1. When choosing paint brands, compare key qualities.
There are scores of paint brands to choose from these days, ranging in price from $8 per gallon to more than $30. The price of some brands corresponds with their quality, but that’s not always the case. To choose the best paint for your project, you need to look at more than just the price tag. Here are five key qualities to look for:
Coverage: Many higher-end paints have built-in primers and get the job done in fewer coats than economy brands.
Stain resistance: Depending on what you’re painting, you may want to choose a paint with better stain resistance (for instance, high-traffic living areas).
Scrub resistance: Some paints dull when you scrub them, so if you’ll be using extra elbow grease on the walls, prioritize this quality.
Paint pros say acrylic latex paints are more resistant to the effects of temperature and moisture over time than oil-based alternatives.
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are the solvents paint releases into the air as it dries. A typical paint has about 150 grams of VOCs per liter; low-VOC paint has 50 g/l or less. If you’re concerned about paint fumes, this is something to pay attention to.
There were clues of Goldman Sachs’ intentions when they bought out GE Capital Bank, but now it’s official – the investment bank opens its doors to main street consumers with a Goldman Sachs branded online savings account offering. The yield is decent too.
For the veteran safe asset investors out there, Goldman Sachs’ offering is very familiar. The account is FDIC insured, meaning that up to $250,000 is safe for each individual and joint account; it’s a savings account with withdrawals limited to six a month; electronic transfers are usually done under ACH but you can also wire transfer in and out of the account etc etc.
For those here for the routing number, the Goldman Sachs Bank routing transit number (RTN) for ACH is 1240-8526-0. [ continue reading… ]
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