Adjusting the Sails (Living with Intention)

Moving forward, I am going to aim at an overall tone of positivity for this blog as well as its accompanying Twitter account. Instead of pointing my finger at ole’ Aunt Sallie, I will try and point my finger towards meaningful things that bring hope and have a chance at making an impact in the lives of those who read this blog.

Make no mistake, I am not agreeing that the repayment system is no longer unfair and stepping down from the fight; that is not the case. However, now that I myself am out of the deep waters and can begin to see land, I will lock in my line of sight straight towards home. Straight towards home INTENTIONALLY and with a POSITIVE attitude by my side. Looking back to where I was, I think I found great comfort in searching for and joining the online team of ‘Sallie Mae haters’; there was a common level of understanding within that community. I think what I really needed to know, aside from the fact that there were other people aboard, was that intentional living and positive motivation on a constant basis would be the extra power that would steer my boat safely towards shore.

It is easy to have hate in your heart. It is easy to point the blame. It is easy to get overwhelmed. You have to decide to make the switch into beast mode and challenge the peanut butter and ramen noodles out of yourself. And beast mode is indeed what it takes. Thankfully, I have found the Dave Ramsey theory to be very relatable, and that is the reason I have stuck with it; you may not find any hope or inspiration in his words, and if that is the case, I encourage you to seek out other financial advisers/approaches until you find one that motivates you.

My hope is that this blog can now serve a community of people who have chosen to live an intentional life of positivity all for the purpose of getting their boat to shore. I for one know that I was completely fed up with sitting out in the middle of the ocean with a bunch of other motionless boats just waiting in anticipation for the next storm. Something clicked and I realized I had to be the captain of my own boat and do something DIFFERENT if I had any chance of getting to shore. My love for those still remaining motionless out in the ocean runs deep; to them I send out this blog as an SOS received in hopes that they too can implement the necessary steps to have their compasses point them home.  

I don't plan to delete any of my previous postings as it helps for me to read about my darkest days so that I have a reminder of just how far I have come. I know this struggle has made me a stronger and much wiser person. Believe me when I say I am not to shore yet, (I still need about 40K more to get me there) but the fact that I can see land is something I will never take for granted. Since intentionally staying focused and trying my best to think in a positive manner has gotten me this far, I am going to stick with it. My hope is that you do as well; because when you do, that also helps me to do the same. Together we can get to shore; besides, what fun is it going to be if I get to shore and am the only survivor?

Stay positive. WE GOT THIS.

"It's not only moving that creates new starting points. Sometimes all it takes is a subtle shift in perspective, an opening of the mind, an intentional pause and reset, or a new route to start to see new options and new possibilities."
― Kristin Armstrong

“Impact is never about knowing all the steps ahead, but about taking one intentional step after the other.” 
― Bidemi Mark-Mordi

“Empowerment is the intentional absence of negativity.” 
― Stephanie Lennox 

I Chose A Road

I consolidated! Let me say that again: I CONSOLIDATED! I was actually approved for a private student loan consolidation :) I cannot explain to you the joy and relief the words, “you were approved” brought to my soul; I cried a happy tear or two at my desk then texted my mom and a few close friends about the news. It took 6 years to get this. Although I have a decent stretch of road to travel in front of me, I am hoping that the ride on the latter half of this journey is a bit smoother.

The facts: I decided to go with Charter One/Citizens Bank. The reason being: interest rates. The only other real option in my mind was Wells Fargo; however, Charter One’s interest rates were approximately one point lower on both the fixed and variable options. Also of note, I have been denied consolidation from Wells Fargo on more than one occasion so I figured I would try Charter One first to take advantage of the lower rates and if denied, try my luck over at Wells Fargo again. Thankfully, Charter One gave me an approval.

The only way I would accept a refinance would be a). approval with no co-signer b). a low interest rate and c). no early re-payment penalty. Based on my debt-to-income ratio (which is finally no longer inverted) I was approved to refinance without a co-signer. Based on my credit score, which they reported was 809 (they source EQUIFAX), I was offered their lowest interest rate. The only thing left for me to decide was the term length as well as a fixed or variable interest rate. This was a tough decision because as I stated in the previous entry, I was torn as to whether or not to embark on this refinance journey if I was only going to be reducing my interest rate by a point or two. Before I tell you which option I picked, allow me to lay out the options I was given to choose from:

Term, Type of Interest Rate, Interest Rate, Monthly Payment, Total Amount to be Paid:

20 Years, Fixed, 5.44%, $299, $71,919.13

15 Years, Fixed, 5.19%, $349, $62,831.51

10 Years, Fixed, 5.04%, $460, $55,314.88

5 Years, Fixed, 4.99%, $813, $48,835.84

20 Years, Variable, 2.82%, $239, $57,438.50

15 Years, Variable, 2.67%, $294, $53,004.60

10 Years, Variable, 2.62%, $411, $49,375.23

5 Years, Variable, 2.57%, $766, $46,019.30

 I went with the 20 year/variable term for merely monthly payment/total amount to be paid reasons. Although the cap is astronomical, there is a cap on the variable interest, but it is so huge (like upwards of 25(ish)%) that should it ever get that high, I am in some deep water. All of my previous Sallie Mae/Navient loans had variable interest rates, and they never changed. I know that Dave Ramsey states to not choose a variable interest rate when a fixed is offered. However, I did not know why he stated that as it seemed pretty clear to me that if I stuck to repaying the amount as fast as I could, I would save myself money in the long run. Literally the day after I signed everything, I ran across one of his broadcasts on YouTube (I am the nerd that listens to these on my lunch breaks) where he stated his reasoning for always choosing fixed is to eliminate any and all risk associated with your finances. Risk basically equals stupidity. In my case, I was too late to back out and choose a fixed rate - here's to hoping I stay crazy committed to paying this baby off. I may look back on this paragraph 2 years from now and hate myself for it, but for right now, in this moment, I feel okay about my decision.

What this means for me: To begin, I did indeed get the remaining 6K paid off from the original 14K I talked about in my last entry; this put me right where I imagined, financing approximately 43K through Charter One. This does significantly reduce the amount of interest I will be paying each month, but in no way is this a cop-out in regards to my repayment responsibility. I will still follow Dave’s advice to the best of my ability and get this debt gone as fast as I possibly can. I have sacrificed my money, time and freedom for far too long and am more than fed up with this burden; I believe my annoyance and sacrifices in combination with the fear of a rising interest rate will continue to fuel my inner crazy to keep putting every extra penny I come across towards this loan.

Although I am out from under the shadows of the MONSTER that is Sallie Mae, I am not going to rest. I am going to look at this consolidation as a ‘job well done so far’ high-five and KEEP RUNNING. I hope you all will continue to follow me on this road to debt freedom and I pray that soon, we will all be able to hang up our running shoes, take a seat, and have a glass of sweet lemonade together. Happy spring, people!

Follow The Easy Steps That Helps You To Pick Up The Right Financial Deal Of Loans For People On Benefits!

People who are surviving on the benefits of DSS (Department Of Social Security) often find tough to meet their ends. Now, you simply stop worrying if you are physically or mentally challenged and unable to earn the sufficient income to fulfill your financial needs and desires. Loans For People On Benefits are available that are meant to offer easy cash to the people who are living on DSS benefits. This is one of the effective financial service that let you arrange quick finances to meet the pending needs and unexpected expenses without any delays and disturbance.

As the name implies, these finances are specialized for the people who are living on certain disability benefits and looking for the swift financial support. This is a short tenure and effective financial option that do not ask for any security to pledge. Funds can be offered on the basis of the current financial affordability of the loan borrower. So, if you are disabled and need quick financial help, here are the helpful steps that help you to find the right and feasible financial option of loans for people on benefits.

Read The Simple Steps To Pick The Appropriate Option:

• In order to grab the affordable financial deal of these financial services, it is important to make sure that your credit report is free from the errors. Most of the lenders prefer to offer the finances to the borrowers at low rates who are possessing good credit ratings. So, applicants have the higher chances of enjoying the easy approval with high credit scores.

• Shopping for the financial deal at online lending market helps you to choose the most pocket-friendly financial service of all. Always compare the multiple quotes to end up with the lucrative and reliable lender offering this financial deal.

• Also, knowing the eligibility criteria carefully is an important step as it let you check if you can easily get the approval of this deal or not.

• Once you find the reputed and affordable lender offering the financial service according to your requirement, visit the site and fill up the application form correctly.

• Always read the fine print of the loan in a careful way to check the several important details about the loan deal such as loan amount, interest rates, terms etc.

• When you e-sign the loan document, you may get the approval within few possible hours and funds will directly send to the checking account without any delays.

Are You Aware Of Loans For People On DSS Benefits?

Are you facing a tough time in life due to shortage of money? When you are living on benefits it is not easy to get through your days as you will find your finance pulling you down at several occasions.

So this can affect you mentally and really depress you and make you wonder as to how to get out of this.

While you are looking out for a job you can have some funds with you by going in for loans for people on DSS benefits. This will immediately give you some financial help, make you settle a few things and thereby will provide a certain amount of solution.

Now these are short term loans so you have to be aware how these loans functions and make sure you only borrow what is needed.

The loan should right now take care of only your immediate needs till you land of on a job or till you have settled your financial issues.

Make your application online once you have calculated as to how much money you want to borrow. The form is available on the site and you just have to key in your details. These facts that you provide to the lender are safe because he has taken high security measures to protect the information that you provide.

There is no credit check done on the applicants nor any kind of assets are collected as collateral. When you apply for the loans, your request will be looked in by the lender who will immediately approve the amount and it will be sent to your bank account. There is no additional fee or processing charges for this service.

You have to only take care about the repayment as these are loans with heavy interest rate and also late payments are charged with penalty. So do not take a loan without being aware of how you are going to pay back the amount.

You can apply for loans for people on DSS benefits whenever you want to as this loan facility is available 24/7.

There is also very less procedures that the loan follows so there will not be any kind of documentation, verifications and also meeting up with lender.

Feasible Financial Deal for People with Disability

Physical or mental disability left no choice for people to spend rest of their life on DSS benefits. They get basic financial gain from this department to survive. But not all the needs can be fulfilled with minimum benefits. The time comes when you have to look after unforeseen needs but not in position to raise cash. At this point do not think disability has closed the doors of financial help. Loans for people on benefits come as blessing in disguise for mentally or physically affected people through which funds for short term needs can be extracted.

With these specialized loan services disabled individuals can remain independent to procure much needed cash in simple manner. The finance generated from these fiscal offers can be anywhere in between $100 to $1000. Applicants have to pay back borrowed sum of cash within specified time frame of 15 days to 30 days.

Cash borrowers from loans for people on benefits can be utilized by applicants for meeting emergency needs like paying for hospital bill, medicine expenses; children school fee, house rent, credit card dues etc.

No collateral is needed to place by borrowers against these unsecured loans. Whether you own a property or not you can still apply for this cash facility. On the other side, loan providers have nothing to do with your bad credit history. Past credit mistakes like arrears, foreclosure, missed payment, IVA etc will not pose hindrance in way of disabled people.

Apply for these loans through online mode without making physical move out of house. You need to process single page of virtual application filled with genuine details. When approval comes funds will be wired automatically in checking account of borrowers without realizing it.

Feel competent enough to raise external finance with aid of loans for people on benefits despite of facing mental or physical challenges. Bad credit ratings will be neglected by lenders to offer loan in shortest possible time.

At A Crossroad

What should I do now? I'm really not sure. Let me catch you up with where I am since my last post in May...

In August of 2013 my total student loan debt was $78,950.18 and today (January of 2015), my total student loan debt is $47,828.42. In a mere 18 months, I have put $30,808.19 towards my student loan debt.

I am down from my original 6 loans to now 2 and a half (thank you, Jesus & Dave Ramsey!) I have my 2 highest principal loans remaining (26K & 17K) as well as over half of my 14K paid down to 6K.

I plan to have the remaining 6K paid off in the next few months. That will leave me with 2 loans totaling about 43K. My interest rate is 8% for the 26K and 8.50% for the 17K, I have been reading reviews about the various companies out there who are currently offering private loan consolidation. It seems like, for the most part, unless I have an above average income, the interest rates offered are about the same as I am paying now.

I am not sure what to do here - do I go for it and try lowering my payments by a minimal amount (I am talking maybe a point or a point and a half of interest) or keep them where they are at Sallie Mae? Maybe the above is thinking pessimistically, but with my credit score (which is currently 761) and an average income, I am unsure the point difference in interest wouldn't be anything impressive. Is it worth the attempt of applying, having multiple pulls on my credit score, and the hassle that we all know dealing with these companies can be? Maybe, anything to save a buck, right? Not sure which road I will sashay down, but at least the latest and greatest update on my progress is documented. Happy New Year, folks! Hard to believe I started this blog in 2010, and I am where I am now, still writing to you in 2015; thanks for the emails and support thus far :)

As always, let me know your advice: comment below or email me at ohthesestudentloans@gmail.com

Oh yeah, and as for my opinion of the best resource to research consolidation places, click here, just in case you yourself would like to gander :)


Ojohthesestudestudentntloans@gmail.com

Exclusive Loan Offer Designed For Someone with Disability!

Only basic expenses are meant to be covered with benefits that you receive for your disability. What about the other unplanned expenses? Do you want to seek for other resorts? If yes then disability loans can be a very good choice in this regard. You may get hold of needed cash with least exertion and most probably for period which will be beneficial for your financial stability.

It can be a usual electricity bills, telephone bills, grocery bill or credit card dues, bank overdrafts etc that can be managed with disability loans. For something which is additional and that cannot be covered with benefits these loans are the only remedy. Here you have been set free by the lender to plan your expenses accordingly.

Disability loans are issued considering your physical limitations. But all the verification procedures will be performed to establish your eligibility. It will just take a few minutes for your end to submit all the application details. Here you will be required to present all the essential information for loan approval online. Thus here no paper documents and faxes should be provided. Make sure that you have made correct entries in the free online application so that lender can process your requirements successfully. Once loan money gets sanctioned, you will receive the same in to your checking account.

If you wish to get funds without collaterals then you are required to seek for unsecured funds which are even accessible for non possessors like tenants and other non home owners.

For someone who has been facing difficulty in managing extra monthly expenses despite benefits, disability loans on same day  are a real help. Now these loans can easily be obtained with just few clicks on the mouse.

For loan funds with security, secured finances should be your pick.