Is Abundant Living System Is A Scam ?? by Mentor Sam

By Mentor Sam

You have asked yourself this question I am sure.... Is it real???

Looking online can be work just finding a opportunity that works. The Abundant Living System is no different. With all the flashy promises of making the seeming easy $2500.00 a week it all seems like alot of hype and build up to a scam.

Being as though I have lookedfirst hand at The Abundant Livinging System and I must say I am totally shocked at what I have found out. Although there are hundreds of "make $500 a week" ads and websites out there, theirs seem to be different. I compared it to a few other money making programs online that I've made thousands with to see what all the talking about cash gifting was about.

Like any other "work from home business it to has over 500,000 references to it on those search engines. Also in small business magazines in book stores it's in alot of those ads there as well. But good marketing doesn't mean that a work from home opportunity is not a a scam or a rip off..so I looked more closely at it.

Wow! .. On youtube and other video websites there are tens of thousands of videos talking about cash gifting on their own videos. I'm sure you've seen them with all the money being counted out from the overnight fed ex packages. I figured they were all fakes and sent the money to themselves and wanted you to send them cash money for nothing. I began digging deeper.....

It started looking like my hunt was over and I had snached the covers off the scam of cash gifting..... then it dawned on me .. why not call on of these people and confront them on the fact that I had all these cash gifting programs to be one big ring of people scamming online business seekers... so I did it!

I called a lady up and we began to talk about the fraud and scheme of this cash activity on the internet and all these fake videos of cash envelopes being opened. And we talked........and we talked....... I just did not believe her no matter what she said I couldn't understand how it all worked. Why would someone send me $500 in the mail to join a website, it made no sense to me.

...2 weeks went by and I got a call from a ex co-worker who got fired for having a big shouting match with the manager ( great way to get a raise ) He told me how he lost is car and apartment and had moved into a basement with some neighbors who had the internet. He unfolded his personal story from that to recieving in 1 day $7000.00 cash to his door. Naturally I did not believe him...I mean who would believe that his Abundant Living System could do that.

I think you know what I did after I saw the envelopes,cash and website right....I began doing the exact same thing and didn't really believe it would work.... kinda just hoped it would and in 5 hours I made $500.00 cash sent by overnight delivery.

About the Author:

Mentor Sam Has Found the Perfect Easy Cash! plan that privatly makes Thousands!

My Mama Told Me Cash Gifting Wouldn't Work! by Mentor Sam

By Mentor Sam

You have asked yourself this question I am sure.... Is it real???

Looking online can be work just finding a opportunity that works. The Abundant Living System is no different. With all the flashy promises of making the seeming easy $2500.00 a week it all seems like alot of hype and build up to a scam.

Being as though I have lookedfirst hand at The Abundant Livinging System and I must say I am totally shocked at what I have found out. Although there are hundreds of "make $500 a week" ads and websites out there, theirs seem to be different. I compared it to a few other money making programs online that I've made thousands with to see what all the talking about cash gifting was about.

Like any other "work from home business it to has over 500,000 references to it on those search engines. Also in small business magazines in book stores it's in alot of those ads there as well. But good marketing doesn't mean that a work from home opportunity is not a a scam or a rip off..so I looked more closely at it.

Wow! .. On youtube and other video websites there are tens of thousands of videos talking about cash gifting on their own videos. I'm sure you've seen them with all the money being counted out from the overnight fed ex packages. I figured they were all fakes and sent the money to themselves and wanted you to send them cash money for nothing. I began digging deeper.....

It started looking like my hunt was over and I had snached the covers off the scam of cash gifting..... then it dawned on me .. why not call on of these people and confront them on the fact that I had all these cash gifting programs to be one big ring of people scamming online business seekers... so I did it!

I called a lady up and we began to talk about the fraud and scheme of this cash activity on the internet and all these fake videos of cash envelopes being opened. And we talked........and we talked....... I just did not believe her no matter what she said I couldn't understand how it all worked. Why would someone send me $500 in the mail to join a website, it made no sense to me.

...2 weeks went by and I got a call from a ex co-worker who got fired for having a big shouting match with the manager ( great way to get a raise ) He told me how he lost is car and apartment and had moved into a basement with some neighbors who had the internet. He unfolded his personal story from that to recieving in 1 day $7000.00 cash to his door. Naturally I did not believe him...I mean who would believe that his Abundant Living System could do that.

I think you know what I did after I saw the envelopes,cash and website right....I began doing the exact same thing and didn't really believe it would work.... kinda just hoped it would and in 5 hours I made $500.00 cash sent by overnight delivery.

About the Author:

Mentor Sam Has Found the Perfect Easy Cash! plan that privatly makes Thousands!

Have a Bad Mortgage? Your Options for Relief

By A. C. Christianson

I'm not afraid to admit that I was one of the millions, caught up in the frenzy of the "easy refinance." Some of us bought cars, some of us went on luxury vacations. I bought some investment houses. Either way, were all in the same boat: Stuck in bad loans with increasing payments, and not able to refinance due to the sagging housing prices. Let's face it, most of us aren't going to qualify for loans if the house is worth less than we owe. So what are our options? Keep juggling and hang on? Dump the house and take the loss? Who can we trust to help us?

I not late on any payments, but I am working like a dog to keep up with them. I won't be able to sustain this speed for very much longer. You see, I started investing in rental homes a while back and have faithfully stuck with them through thick and thin. Now I'm struggling and looking for help and looking at my options. People keep telling me I'd be in a better position if I had missed some payments!!

For me, "the straw that broke the camel's back" was when the home value finally plummeted a $100000 loss from the when I had taken out the loan. If figured that if the market were to suddenly recover tomorrow (yeah right), and the appreciation was at a healthy 8% a year, it would take me 10 years just to break even! In other words, it would take me a decade just to get back to the original appraised value when I took out the loan. It just doesn't make sense to beat myself up for another 10 years, and my dreams of retiring early, are definitely out the door. So what's the best move?

This is the question I was facing when I first decided I was in trouble. Maybe your in the same position. I owe more on the house than it is NOW worth. The quintessential upside down loan. So I looked at everything from lawyers to banks to real estate agents. Here are the options I found out there. Some of them might be right for you . . . . .

1. Keep on paying and don't change a thing: The success of this method really depends on the terms of loan you have now. If you can hack it for the long term, it is something to consider. However you realize, you don't know when the market will bounce back. In other words, if your house has lost considerable value, who knows when the value will return to at least the price YOU bought it for, let alone the inflated value of "the good old days." All the experts say, "you can't time the market." I guess its true, especially if they themselves were burned as well.

2. You can contact your bank and ask them to modify your loan. It's not hard at all, you just have to call them and ask for the "loan modification department or loss mitigation." This is a good option if your less that $100,000 under water. They'll send you a packet of papers to fill out. Simply send them back, looking as poor as possible and wait. In a few months, they just may come back with a lower interest rate.

3. Short Sale: You could call this a pre-foreclosure sale. Your late on a few payments, and the bank takes a serious look at you and threatens foreclosure. You find a realtor to represent you and present the hardship package. The realtor prices the home at a substantial discount and finds a buyer. He presents the offer to the bank, and the bank usually accepts the deal, which is a preferred position for everyone. The bank is always interested in short sale instead of foreclosure as it saves them 10s of thousands of dollars in hassle and legal fees, and allow both parties to move on to new business. You should remember that there are still negative ramifications for short sales, even if less damaging than those associated with foreclosures and/or bankruptcy. However, short sales do carry less negative credit effects than foreclosures. Short sale sellers are widely seen as less risky than foreclosed sellers. Case in point, Fannie Mae recently adjusted their guidelines to dictate only a two year waiting period for a short sale seller to buy another primary residence, while they extended the waiting period for foreclosures to five years.

4. Deed in Lieu of a Foreclosure. This is the second to the last resort for you, and a solution the bank doesn't particularly like. This is an option where you hand over the house and the bank has to sell it to recover their costs. As part of the deal, the bank let's you off the hook for the loan, and promises to never come after you for any outstanding debt. All of this is negotiated by your rep, and it's all settled by contract.

5. Foreclosure: This is the final option and if you like to go to court, then this is the option for you. In foreclosure, the lender first sends you a summons to appear or foreclosure complaint. The borrower responds to prevent foreclosure and explains the problems at a hearing. The borrower can this point you can still pay the full amount and get the house back during this redemption period. After the redemption period is over, the lender sells the property a public sale or auction and getting as much as they can (or settle for). Any excess goes to you, the original owner/borrower. If the sale amount is less than the loan amount, and in your case it probably will be, you will still owe the balance to the lender. This amount is determined as a result of deficiency proceedings.So as you can see, as we go down the line, the options get worse and worse! As far as my situation, I have to walk away from at least 3 houses. I'm losing a hell of a lot of money, but I'm getting my life back.

About the Author:

Did you like my article? Please visit my blog and and see what happens at HouseShortSale.org. You'll learn lots and find resources for your own situation.

Learning How to Use a Civil Service Retirement Calculator

By William Blake

When retiring from the civil service there is a system for figuring what your retirement benefits will be. The Civil Service Retirement System can be complicated to understand. There is a program available that allows you to plug in your personal information, such as total number of years service and your pay rank and it will calculate what you can expect in retirement benefits.

Just as with any retirement calculator, the civil service retirement calculator can not determine precisely what you annuity payments will be. But it can give you a close estimate on what you can expect and can give you information on survivor benefits and annuity with survivor benefits that may apply in your case.

How Civil Service Retirement is Calculated

There is a method of determining retirement benefits for those in civil service. The government has a formula that they follow called the CSRS. The formula is complex and not very easy to follow. A civil service retirement calculator can be a big help. This calculator simplifies the figures and gives a very close estimate of what retirement benefits will be. The calculator even takes into consideration any unused leave you may have and adds that to your years served. The calculations are based on a work year of 261 days not on the standard calendar year.

If you are married your spouse has benefits under the Civil Service Retirement System as well. These survivor benefits are just over half of the annuity payments received by the retiree. This program is designed to care well for the spouse of those in Civil Service. The goal is to offer the best survivor benefits possible to the spouses.

The figures in the civil service retirement calculator are based on the average of the highest earnings over 3 years - normally your last three years of employment. Your highest 3 rates of pay are totaled together and averaged out for a basis of your retirement calculations in the civil service retirement calculator.

The most important information you need to have for proper civil service retirement calculator results is your expected age of retirement, your high-3 salary, your unused sick days and years of service. As long as you have these four details, then your calculations will be perfect. When you finally have these four items, you can go to an online calculator and input the information and you will be given a calculation immediately.

The federal government also provides an online calculator that would be your best option to use. Using the new retirement system, government workers are encouraged to retire at the age of 60. If you are closely approaching that age, then it is time to start calculating your retirement annuity benefits.

About the Author:

Are you looking for credit card debt assistance? Visit the Debt Reduction Academy, where you can claim your free 5 day e-course "Operation Money-Find: How To Find Money To Start Paying Off Your Debt This Month". Grab your copy now at http://www.debtreductionacademy.com/minicourse.php

Make Good Use of a Retirement Planning Calculator

By Michael Geoffrey

Retirement should be free of schedules, pressures and other worries, but individuals looking for a great retirement should start planning very early. A good retirement planning calculator can be very helpful in making the proper plans for a successful, enjoyable retirement. A retirement planning calculator can help people decide how much money they should save, invest or spend in order to have a successful retirement.

It is important to begin planning for your retirement early in your career. A Retirement planning calculator can be utilized and if followed can really help one prepare for the future. No one wants to be forced to stay in the workforce and put off their retirement because of poor planning. A retirement planning calculator can help.

Where can you find this useful tool? You can find them online possibly on your bank's website or other financial institutions. You can also visit your bank or as the human resources representative at your place of employment to see if they can provide one for you.

Of course the retirement planning calculator will only be useful if the information entered is accurate. Also, once the information is entered the direction given by the retirement planning calculator must be followed in order to maximize your savings for retirement. So once you locate your retirement planning calculator you must give some serious thought to how you will use it.

Anticipating the Cost of Your Retirement Years

So many things change when you retire. Your job will no longer dictate certain aspects of your life. If you chose your current home because of a job opportunity retirement will afford you the opportunity to relocate to a preferred area. These new choices and changes will create new financial decisions and circumstances.

Some of these decisions could make a substantial difference in the funds available for retirement living. While working and raising a family, people have to consider schools for their children, and they usually have to pay taxes for good schools. After raising their family, they no longer need a community with great schools so they might avoid high property taxes.

A retirement planning calculator will help you factor in the cost of health insurance during your retirement. If you are in a financial position to take an early retirement but you have not yet reached the age where you are eligible for Medicare you will need to consider how you will pay for the health insurance you need during the interim.

About the Author:

Is credit counseling the best way for you to get out of debt? Possibly, but there's no one best way for everyone. Visit the Debt Smackdown website at http://www.debtsmackdown.com for more helpful tips & advice about getting rid of your debt for good..

What If You Can't Pay All Your High Priority Debts

By Ian Pelham

Although individual priorities may vary, in the main most people prefer to service the debts that allow them to keep their home and their car before worrying about any of the other debts they may have.

In some cases, you may find that your financial situation is so bad that your cannot even maintain required payments to those high priority debts. Your income, for example, may not be enough to pay the mortgage and the car loan.

Some people mistakenly pay their smaller, lower priority debts when they realise they can't maintain the payments on their higher priority debts. They tend to think, "If I can't pay my car finance, at least I can pay my credit cards."

Not a good idea at all. Virtually every strategy to keep your home and your car will mean you have to resume repayments again in the future. If you can't make the payments just now, get in touch with your creditor and see if they will accept partial payments in the meantime.

If you absolutely cannot make the payments, it is by far and away the best decision to put the money aside to be used to pay the cost of moving home or to buy a second hand car for cash.

Another pitfall to avoid it making desperate choices. Although it is hard to accept that you will lose a home or a car or other valuable property, the alternatives can sometimes be worse.

For example, refinancing a low-rate mortgage with a high-rate mortgage may buy you a few months, but in the long term the situation is likely to be hopeless.

Most times you stand a much better chance of arranging something with your existing lender than you do with a finance company who gives out high interest rate loans, and might very well be more inclined to foreclose.

There are many strategies for dealing with debt problems discussed throughout this course. Occasionally, though it is best to step back and accept the inevitable change which money problems sometimes require.

Perhaps you can no longer afford to live in the home you are currently in, or maybe you need to sell the car you have now and replace it with a much cheaper one. At this point there are things you can do to make the changes in your life more bearable.

You may need to sell your home at a reasonable retail price so as to avoid a low price at a foreclosure auction, or making an agreement with your lender that they can take over ownership of the property without making you pay any shortfall.

These are not easy choices and you really do need to base these on your own unique circumstances and future prospects. After making your decision, it is the best thing to cease payments on that debt and focus instead on servicing other urgent debts.

You absolutely do not want to pay debt on a property that you realise you cannot hold onto at all in the long run. You do not want to throw your hard earned money into a lost cause.

Feelings of moral obligation to particular creditors.

When you are analyzing your priorities you might feel that some creditors deserve repayment more than others. You might like some creditors whilst really loathing others.

You should never let these feelings become a factor in your decision making. Having your family thrown out of their home with nowhere to go just to pay your local dentist and accountants bill is far too much of a sacrifice.

If a creditor is sympathetic or has done you favors in the past, they are more likely to be patient as you work out your financial problems.

A similar situation arises in small towns or villages where there might be only one or two doctors or dentists servicing the community. You might not want to lose the access you have to these people and so you may feel obligated to pay their debts first. This may be a relevant concern but only in limited cases.

You should not assume that a business or a doctor will cut you off from future service right away if you don't pay. Explain the situation and ask for patience.

Also, you may find there are other creditors nearby who you can use as alternatives should the need arise.

The vast majority of people experience financial difficulty at some point in their lives. It really is nothing to be embarrassed about. Ask for help if you need to from those creditors who you have a good relationship with, and promise to do all you can to pay them back quickly as soon as you get back on your feet.

About the Author:

Ian Pelham is a marketer who has come through a very difficult time financially. He used debt consolidation loans to restructure his finances. Using a debt consolidation loan was one of the best things he did to rid himself of his bad debt.

Credit Card Fees And Interest Rates

By Darren Cason

Many American consumers have recently defaulted on their credit cards. Recent hurricanes along with high gas prices have affected consumers. However, having to pay more for gas should not be enough to push you over the edge, if you are using your credit card responsibly.

There are many excellent reasons to use credit cards. They eliminate the need to carry large amounts of cash, and many offer rewards points or cash back options. Discover Card in particular offers a well-known cash back program. Credit cards also come in handy during emergencies, as a convenient way to make unexpected purchases if you do not have cash saved up for such emergencies.

However, the bottom line is that if you can't pay cash for a purchase, then you should not charge it. Credit cards are often used to buy luxuries that you can't really afford. Being able to make the minimum payment is not the same as being able to afford the item.

If you have a balance on your credit card, particularly if you only make the minimum monthly payments, then you need to get control of your finances. First, read the fine print of your credit card agreement. If it has a yearly fee, cancel it. If it has an exorbitant interest rate, call the credit card company. Many will lower your rate just for asking. Next, compare the late fee, especially if you are often charged this fee because you pay late. By shopping around, you may be able to save money on the fees.

Penalty rates can be very high on credit cards. Over three quarters of credit card companies raise rates as a penalty for carrying a monthly balance and paying your bill late. However, there are still some companies who do not do this, so if you often carry a balance or are late paying, you should look for a credit card with lower interest or one which will not raise your rates. Another penalty fee to watch out for is the fee charged for going over the card's credit limit or when you desire for the best card to transfer.

Another factor to consider when choosing a credit card is the minimum payment. Minimum payment amounts are very important when calculating the total amount of interest you'll owe on the amounts you charge. If you're charging items because you can't afford them in full now, why would you want to pay interest on top of that amount? According to one study, paying the minimum payment on a $12,000 balance at 18 percent interest will take more than 60 years to pay off! And you'll end up paying nearly three times your original balance because of all the interest charges. Many people only make the minimum payment each month, but it will take you many years to pay it off if you do that. As a result, new laws require that the minimum payment is at least 1 percent of the balance. If you paid that on the same $12,000 balance, it would cut the payment time to 30 years, and the interest down to less than $6,000.

You must understand how credit card fees if you want to use them responsibly and avoid falling into debt. Think wisely, and avoid using the card if you can.

About the Author:

Now you can remove the confusion in your mind on the topic of best card to transfer to lower interest. You're only a click away - http://www.debtjerk.com/selecting-balance-transfer-credit-cards.html.

How To Negotiate With Debt Collectors

By John Cooper

When you are being contacted by debt collectors it can be very aggravating. It can cause you to change your number, change your job, and even move.

This frustration is ten fold if the debt is not your debt. It is common for a lender to make a mistake and your account to go into collections. Trying to explain that the debt is not yours to a collector is next to impossible. This is because their motive is only to collect money not to fix mistakes.

If you are a victim of a lender mistake then you should immediately request validation of the debt. Do this through certified mail so you have documentation that you letter was in fact received.

Do not request validation over the phone because it is often ignored. In addition you only have 30 days to request validation of a debt once you are notified.

In addition it is becoming common for debt collectors to sell your account if you request validation. This is why I suggest you request validation through certified mail so you can prove that your request was ignored.

Instead I suggest you hire a credit repair firm to dispute and remove the bad credit items that have been posted to your credit report. This way your credit score will not be ruined because of a lender mistake.

If the debt is valid then you should settle it. You should start your settlement offer at approximately 50% of the balance.

Start at 50% of the balance because the collector bought your account for a fraction of the balance. Also this will notify the collector that you are willing to pay you just need to agree on a price.

Before you pay you should get the collector to agree to remove the item from your credit in exchange for your payment. If you do not do this it will only change the item to a paid collection and will still damage your credit score.

In sum, I suggest a service to repair you credit from debt collectors.

About the Author:

For information about credit repair services or to read an article about how to remove credit card judgments visit us.

Fixed Rates Home Equity Loan Permits the Owner to Budget

By Seymour Tinkenger

There are arguments for and against taking out a fixed home equity loan. However, in a tight credit market, the advocates for fixed rate home equity succeed. Throughout the time of easy credit and low rates, various people took the benefit of adaptable rate mortgages, permitting them to buy a home based on a low interest rate. While the interest rate stayed stable, they benefited from this advantage. Nevertheless, as the prime went up, so did the rate on their fixed home loan and along with it their monthly payments.

Since the scheduled monthly payments are set up and founded on a set rate and the total dollar value spread across an amount of time, there's only one variable during a credit market fluctuation that can be changed; that's the interest rate. The scheduled payments will be changed to meet the new total over the life of the loan, something that does not happen with a fixed home equity loan.

Persons who borrowed in this kind of credit market on their home equity with an adjustable rate, may discover that even a modest raise in the prime can convert to a significant increase in their scheduled payments. One unpredictable item left out of the fixed rate equity loan may create much financial pressure for owners and their families.

Some equity lenders give reduced pay back schedule and at the end of the period, a 'balloon payment' is due. This means a larger, lump-sum payment may be steered clear of when you paid above the minimum payment or refinanced.

Fixed Rates Mean Nothing is Open to Change Although the interest rates commanded by a fixed home loan is perhaps a higher rate than a rate quoted for a variable rate, it is a risk that a lot of owners are eager to take. If the rates go up they win, because the price of the mortgage is fixed, unchanged by the market fluctuation. If the rates fall, then they will spend more money for their loan than had they used an adjustable rate, but it is a chance most are willing to take.

After watching friends and reading about many others who may have lost their homes on account of an escalation in interest rates, adjustable rate loans are not quite as attractive to as many homeowners, in particular those looking for a home equity loan. More than ever if their main mortgage has a fixed rate, neglecting to ask for a stable house equity loan might result in repayments rising so high, they end up losing their home by default.

While many lenders will advocate adjustable rate loans, while not necessarily wanting the rates to increase, these business owners stand to gain a windfall if the rates do swell. A fixed rates home equity loan permits the homeowner to precisely budget their money and not concern himself or herself about an escalating loan repayment.

About the Author:

Seymour Tinkenger writes articles largely for http://www.spain-tips.com , an internet site with topics around i want to move to spain and working in spain. His contributions on relocating to spain are found on http://www.spain-tips.com/ar/news/tips-for-people-relocating-to-spain.shtml .

Powerful Tips To Significantly Reduce Your Utility Bill

By Jenni Snook

Receiving our gas and electrical bills is certainly not the most pleasant experience. Despite not receiving a pleasant bill, many people quickly assume that there's nothing they can do to help it. In reality, there is a lot families can do to significantly reduce both their energy consumption and their utility bills. All this is possible by following the tips in this article.

One of the first things you should do is to simply compare the prices offered by different utility companies. Cheaper alternatives may be found by just looking. Utility companies are in fierce competition with rivals, which can only be a win-win situation for you and saving money.

If you live in an area with one utility company, or yours is the cheapest option, then your next option is to try to use less energy. This may appear to be near impossible, but in reality it isn't at all like that. Even by applying very simple energy saving techniques, you can accumulate quite a large amount of savings.

One energy and money saving tip is to switch off all the lights in your home except in the room you are using. Many have a bad habit of leaving lights on in unused rooms. Such a habit can result in higher utility bills in the long run. Saving hundreds of dollars a year can be simple as switching off unnecessary lights at home.

One thing to consider for those who lives in an older home is insulation. Insulation does wonders for cutting down the amount of heat that leaves your home. Insulation can allow your family to save a significant amount of money. If, by chance, you possess a boiler in the household, it would be a good idea to insulate that as well. This helps keep your water warmer, especially during the winter months. This process of insulation assures you savings both on the quantity of water and the heat used to heat it. There is an added benefit of insulation in that it means that your boiler's wear and tear will be reduced meaning that that it will last longer.

There are those people who do not consider reducing their energy bill simply because they are convinced that it is out of their control. Nevertheless, you'll be surprised at how much you can save by looking around for alternatives. By cutting down on energy, you are saving money as well as helping the environment.

About the Author:

Jenni Snook is the head reporter of http://www.HealthyWealthySoul.com, a website dedicated to giving people advice and tools on personal finance planning to attain both financial and spiritual happiness in their lives.

What Varieties of Options are Out There in Student Loans?

By William Blake

The costs of education today are ten times what they were less than 40 years ago. But those differences become even more stark when considering undergraduate versus graduate programs. Fortunately, there are resources available to both types of student to help them pay for college.

Undergraduates typically rely on a complex mix of scholarships, grants and loans. Those loans are sometimes taken out by undergraduates alone, others by their parents alone, sometimes a mixture of the two as when the parent becomes a co-borrower or co-signer.

Stafford loans are very popular and there are two types. The unsubsidized loan is a bit more expensive because you are responsible for accrued interest from the very beginning of the loan. Though they cost more, these types of Stafford loans are easier to qualify for. A subsidized loan in which the government makes your interest payments until 6 months after you finish college are of course less expensive because you save on all that interest. However, these loans have stricter requirements, offered only to low-income families.

Here are some websites you can visit to see what you might qualify for: http://www.salliemae.com/get_student_loan/find_student_loan/undergrad_student_loan/federal_student_loans/stafford_loans/ and http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/studentloans.jsp

Graduate students have to work a bit harder for financial aid. Graduate school is more expensive and less scholarship opportunities are available. Typically a graduate student has to work as a research assistant or other employment related to their major to pay their tuition.

In recent times the PLUS loan program has been extended to graduate students. In the past this program was restricted to parents of undergraduate students. Now it has been expanded to include graduate students and rather than making the loan to parents the money is loaned directly to the student.

PLUS loans have several advantages.

Graduate students have one advantage that many people do not have. Most of them have not yet had the opportunity to get into a lot of debt and have credit problems. Since PLUS loan approval is based on your credit scores many graduate students are able to qualify.

About the Author:

Before considering consolidation as a way to get your debt paid off, research the debt consolidation loan consequences. It isn't always a good idea to consolidate your debt. Find out why on the Inside Debt Consolidation website at http://www.insidedebtconsolidation.com