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This statistic has been making the rounds, but perhaps you’ve been too busy between work, kids, and just generally being superman or woman to notice it.

According to the Federal Reserve Board’s 2016 Report on the Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households, 44% of all respondents could not cover an unexpected $400 emergency expense, or would rely on borrowing or selling something in order to do so. And believe it or not, that 44% is actually an improvement over previous results that go back to 2013. Still, it’s not making anybody feel any better.

If you’re part of this statistic, rest assured that there are ways to liberate yourself from this kind of burden. Saving money is power.

While the great expense of raising children can make you feel financially insecure, there are ways to work it so that you and your kids come out ahead. Even if you grow your family, there are habits to learn and stick to that can help keep you on top of your finances. Getting a grip on your budget, your finances, and your expenses can make for a happier family and a somewhat less stressful existence.

Here are a few suggestions that can help you save money while raising young children.

Establishing an Emergency Fund

Even if you can only afford to contribute a few dollars a week, an emergency fund can help you deal with the unexpected without necessarily having to resort to a credit card. These funds should be in a separate account (not your checking account) where you can access the funds easily, but not that easily (really, save it only for emergencies).

Treating Your Family to Home Cooking

Cooking in bulk, say on Sunday night, before the week begins, is a good way to have meals on hand and to eliminate the temptation for takeout and ordering in. You can save a lot of money in the process, especially if you cook with good health in mind. It’s also a great group activity for the fam.

Rethinking Your Grocery Budget

Walking through a supermarket is an exercise in resisting temptation. Instead, arrive with a pre-prepared list in hand, and stick to it. Planning meals (see our second suggestion) can get your shopping chore done faster.

You don’t have to get completely frugal—some snacks should be allowed—but if the bulk of your shopping list is planned and practical, you’ll likely see the difference in your budget, and, more importantly, in your family’s health.

Staying at Home

It may seem old-fashioned, but young children usually love old-fashioned fun: board games, charades, watching movies, reading comic books, playing music, taking walks, and telling stories can save you money on most outside activities.

You don’t have to give up the outside world completely, but cutting down could surely make a difference in your monthly outgoing expenses.

Buy Secondhand

New clothes are not always a good solution for kids who quickly outgrow their old clothes. Accepting hand-me-downs, attending yard sales, and checking out online trading can be great ways to avoid the high prices of children’s clothing, and possibly the high price of your own wardrobe as well.

Sharing a Nanny

One of the most draining costs of raising young children is day care and/or a nanny. Nanny shares are actually a thing, because of the need to save money with a baby or young child while still benefiting from high-quality care. Nanny sharing can result in a cheaper monthly nanny bill, and a chance for your child to learn how to interact and get along with other children (hopefully).

Asking Your Doctor and Dentist for Free Product Samples

After your child’s checkup, it can’t hurt to ask if there are any free samples you can take with you. Whatever you get can be one less product you have to buy at the drugstore: eye drops, skin cream, toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss. It’s a doggy bag that saves you money.

Cutting Down on Extracurricular Activities

This doesn’t make you a bad parent. Allowing your child horseback lessons or Little League baseball instead of horseback riding lessons and Little League still gives them the benefits of activity and socialization.

You child will usually let you know which activity is the most important to them. It also teaches your child one of the most difficult lessons to learn in life: we can’t always get everything we want. A great source for free activities for kids: your local library.

Reducing the Amount of Toys you Buy

This may sound cruel, but you may have noticed that your child plays with a toy for a few hours at the very most, and then abandons it (have you seen Toy Story?).

Buying fewer toys will save you money and make your child cherish the toys already there. This tip doesn’t mean that you should never buy another toy again. Check online for sales, discounts, and trades.

Signing up for Free Offers and Coupons

Online commerce wants you! They’ll do anything to attract you and keep you. This often includes getting messages to you for flash sales, discounts, and coupons you can use right from your phone. Check your favorite stores for kids. They’ll be glad to hear from you.

Other Ways to Save Money While Raising Young Children

Need additional guidance? Check out SoFi Relay, our new money tracker. You can see your finances at a glance, and track and categorize your spending.

You’ll be able to track your money and cash flow daily to help hit your targets. The best part? SoFi Relay has absolutely no cost.

Sign up for SoFi Relay today!

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The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.
The information and analysis provided through hyperlinks to third party websites, while believed to be accurate, cannot be guaranteed by SoFi. Links are provided for informational purposes and should not be viewed as an endorsement.
Automated and advisory services offered through SoFi Wealth LLC, a registered investment advisor.
SoFi can’t guarantee future financial performance.
This information isn’t financial advice. Investment decisions should be based on specific financial needs, goals and risk appetite.
Neither SoFi nor its affiliates is a bank.
SoFi Checking and Savings^TM is offered through SoFi Securities, LLC, member FINRA / SIPC . Advisory services offered through SoFi Wealth, LLC, a registered investment advisor.

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Parent PLUS loans can be an important tool when it comes to funding your child’s college degree. When your child has gotten back his or her financial aid offer and counted their Stafford loans and Pell Grants, you might find you fall a little short. After all, the Department of Education’s budget doesn’t always account for skyrocketing college fees. That’s why the Parent PLUS loan program has gained popularity over the last 30 years. In 2017, there were around 3.5 million Parent PLUS borrowers ; the average Parent PLUS package is around $15,880 a year. Stafford loans may not cover the total cost of college; Parent PLUS loans can help fill in the gaps.

So what exactly are Parent PLUS loans? They are simply loans issued by the federal government for graduate students or parents of undergraduates. What makes them different from any other type of federal student loans? Unless you’re applying for them as a grad student, these loans are issued in the parent’s name, not the student’s. Financial responsibility, therefore, lies solely with the parent and any cosigners, not the child.

The nitty-gritty details can be a lot to handle. That’s why we made you this Parent PLUS loans guide—we’ll take you through how to apply, how much you could receive, and how much you could pay in interest.

What are Parent PLUS loans?

Parent PLUS loans (also known as Direct PLUS loans) are federal loans offered to parents of undergraduate students. Graduate students are also eligible for Direct PLUS loans, although in the case of grad students, the students themselves who apply for the loan. The interest rate for Parent PLUS loans is set once a year, and because these are fixed-rate loans, the interest rate doesn’t change throughout the life of the loan.

At the moment, the interest rate for Parent PLUS loans is about 7.6% . There is also a loan fee on all Direct PLUS Loans; as of October 1, 2018 that fee will be nearly 4.25% of the loan amount (which is deducted from each loan disbursement proportionately).

How much can I borrow?

The maximum amount you can borrow for a Parent PLUS loan is simply the cost of attendance (as determined by your child’s school), minus any grants or scholarships (or any other financial aid) your child may have received.

How do I get a PLUS loan?

Before applying for a PLUS loan, you will need to fill out and submit a FAFSA® to see what additional aid your child may qualify for. After that, the financial aid process really depends on the school in question. You may want to call the financial aid office of your child’s school before you apply for a PLUS loan, since different schools require different information. Many colleges will require you to fill out the application online. Note: This application takes about 20 minutes to fill out, and it will include a credit check.

What happens if I get rejected?

If your PLUS loan application is rejected based on what they call “adverse credit history,” you may still have options. You can seek out an endorser—which is someone who qualifies and who will agree to pay the loan back in the event that you are unable to. In addition, if you don’t qualify for a PLUS loan on your own, you will be required to go through PLUS credit counseling .

If there are extenuating circumstances impacting your credit history, you can submit documentation to support your appeal to the Department of Education (they provide a list of extenuating circumstances they will recognize if you’re having trouble getting approved for a Parent PLUS loan.)

If you continue to get rejected, your child may be eligible for other unsubsidized federal loans as a result. Consult with a qualified financial aid advisor for details.

When do I have to start repaying?

As a Parent PLUS loan borrower, you will have to start paying back the loan as soon as the entire amount is disbursed. You can, however, request to defer payment while your child is in school—as long as they are enrolled at least part-time. You can even request a six-month grace period once your child finishes school or drops below part-time enrollment. But remember, interest accrues even while payment is deferred.

What happens if I lose my job?

In the event of unemployment, borrowers can contact the Department of Education to request forbearance on the loan. If you are permitted to enter forbearance, you won’t have to make monthly payments for up to three years. However, interest still accrue during forbearance, so your debt will likely increase by pausing payments.

Pros and Cons of Parent PLUS

Pros of a PLUS loan

Parent PLUS loans are federal loans, which means they enjoy most benefits that come with federal loans. For one thing, interest rates are fixed for the life of the loan, so your interest rate will not change or go up from the time your loan is first disbursed. Under certain circumstances, federal loans may be forgiven, cancelled, or discharged.

Cons of a PLUS loan

If federal loans are taken out in the parents’ name(s), the parents assume total financial responsibility for the loan—they cannot transfer responsibility for paying off the Parent PLUS loan back to their child. As parents near retirement and their child becomes capable of paying back his or her loans, it might make more sense to refinance their Parent PLUS loan and transfer the debt into the child’s name.

Are Parent PLUS loans holding you back? Check out SoFi’s Parent PLUS loan refinancing!

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Notice: SoFi refinance loans are private loans and do not have the same repayment options that the federal loan program offers such as Income Based Repayment or Income Contingent Repayment or PAYE. SoFi always recommends that you consult a qualified financial advisor to discuss what is best for your unique situation.
Disclaimer: Many factors affect your credit scores and the interest rates you may receive. SoFi is not a Credit Repair Organization as defined under federal or state law, including the Credit Repair Organizations Act. SoFi does not provide “credit repair” services or advice or assistance regarding “rebuilding” or “improving” your credit record, credit history, or credit rating. For details, see the FTC’s website on credit .
The information and analysis provided through hyperlinks to third party websites, while believed to be accurate, cannot be guaranteed by SoFi. Links are provided for informational purposes and should not be viewed as an endorsement.
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Getting married soon? Congratulations! Just be warned—there comes a moment in many weddings when half the guests suddenly slip away to watch a big game (just follow the cheers to find your wedding party).

Football especially is a pretty good analogy for a wedding – after all, in both football and marriage, you’re either tackling things together or you’re being tackled by them. Money is a common example of this (in marriage, not football), as the growing number of couples dealing with student loan debt can attest.

Whether the loans belong to you, your spouse or all of the above, once you get married it doesn’t really matter anymore. Paying off debt is now something you can tackle together. It may be tough, but with open communication and planning you can work as a team to get that student loan linebacker off your, er, back.

So what’s the best strategy for taking down student loans without letting them clobber your marriage? Here are five tips for proactively – and collaboratively – running a play that could help lead to the big pay-off: a debt-free happily ever after.

Tip #1: Create Your Big Financial Picture

Preparing to take on a big financial goal usually requires some conversation and preparation upfront. Before making any decisions, sit down and talk about your short- and long-term financial objectives, and make sure you’re both on the same page (or as close to it as possible). This can be an overwhelming topic, so see if you can break it down into chunks.

Have you established a household budget? How do student loans (and paying them off) fit into your long-term and short-term goals? Should you start aggressively paying off debt, or might it be better for you to ramp up over time? What other factors (e.g., buying a home, changing careers, having children, etc.) could affect your decisions?

Not only can this exercise help give you more clarity to create an action plan, it can also actually be kind of fun – after all, planning a life together is part of the reason you got married in the first place. The key is to listen to each other and remember that you’re both on the same team.

Tip #2: Take Advantage of Technology

Once you’re clear on the big picture, it’s time to get into the weeds. Many people have more than one student loan, often with multiple lenders, so a good place to start can be to gather all of your loan info in one place. You can use an online student loan management tool to collect this information, compare student loan repayment options, and even analyze prepayment strategies.

After crunching the numbers, your debt payoff strategy may include putting extra money toward your loans each month, which means creating and sticking to a budget that supports that goal. Platforms like Mint and Learnvest can help you aggregate household accounts and track spending.

Note: tracking your spending so precisely may feel like ripping off a bandage at first, but over time, this kind of discipline can help you better see where your money goes and help you make conscious choices about your spending. And once you have your budget in place, these apps can be set up to alert you both when spending is getting off track.

Tip #3: Define The Who, What, When

Whether your finances are separate or combined, you’ll probably want to come to an agreement on how to collectively pay all of your financial obligations. Many couples address this based on each person’s share of the total household income.

For example, if one person makes 40% and the other makes 60%, the former might pay 40% of the shared bills and the latter might pay 60%. Others find it simpler and more cohesive to have one household checking account and pay all bills from there.

However you decide to split things up, it could make things much easier to agree upon a plan that accounts for everything, because missed payments can potentially impact your credit (and/or your spouse’s), making your future financial objectives that much tougher to achieve.

Tip #4: Look For Opportunities to Optimize

Okay, so now you’ve established a plan and a budget, and you know who’s on point for each bill. You’re on the path to getting student loan debt off your plate. Is there anything else you can do to speed up the process?

Short of winning the lottery, the most common ways to accelerate student loan payoff are prepayment (meaning, paying more than the minimum) or lowering the interest rate, the latter of which is most commonly accomplished through refinancing.

If you qualify to refinance your student loans, you have a few possibilities: you can lower your monthly payments (by choosing a longer term) or lower your interest rate (which could also lower your monthly payments) – or you could shorten the payment term, and that means you could save money on interest over the life of the loan – money that could come in handy for those other financial goals you’ve both agreed to pursue.

Tip #5: Be on the Same Team

Living with debt is stressful for any couple, but being part of a relationship has its advantages, too. There’s a reason that weight loss experts often recommend finding a “buddy” to help cheer you on and keep you honest in your diet and exercise journey – and the same applies for achieving a big goal like paying off student loan debt.

Keep it positive and keep the lines of communication open, and you may even find that the journey to being debt-free makes your marriage even stronger – so you can take the hits that come your way as easily as your favorite team does.

Check out SoFi to see how you can save money by refinancing your student loans.

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The information and analysis provided through hyperlinks to third party websites, while believed to be accurate, cannot be guaranteed by SoFi. Links are provided for informational purposes and should not be viewed as an endorsement.
Notice: SoFi refinance loans are private loans and do not have the same repayment options that the federal loan program offers such as Income Based Repayment or Income Contingent Repayment or PAYE. SoFi always recommends that you consult a qualified financial advisor to discuss what is best for your unique situation.

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Homeownership can be both rewarding and a great financial decision for your future. But as anyone who has dipped their toes into the home-buying process knows, the pressure to find and secure the “right” mortgage loan can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re a first-time home buyer.

During the early stages of the home-buying process—perhaps while you’re researching neighborhoods and schools, shopping around for properties, and nailing down the details of your budget—it would serve you well to do some research into the types of mortgages available. That way, you’ll feel prepared when the time comes to put down an offer on the perfect home.

As you’ve likely noticed, there are quite a few mortgage loan types available to borrowers. Brace yourself, because the process definitely requires you harness your best inner comparison shopper. You’ll need to consider the ins and outs of each option alongside your personal and financial needs. To help make the decision a bit easier, we’ve compared the advantages and disadvantages of each mortgage type below.

Fixed-Rate Versus Adjustable-Rate Home Loans

First, it’s helpful to know that most home loans come with a fixed or adjustable interest rate. A fixed-rate mortgage means that your interest rate will never change. In other words, your monthly mortgage payment is locked in. Fixed-rate mortgages generally come in 15 or 30-year loans.

A 30-year fixed-rate loan is the most common, though you can save a lot in interest if you opt for a 15-year loan. Monthly payments on a 15-year loan will be much higher than for a 30-year mortgage, so it’s best to commit only if you’re confident that it works in your budget—even in the event of a financial emergency.

An adjustable-rate mortgage, called an ARM, has a fixed, usually lower rate for an initial period and then increases to a more expensive, floating rate tied to the market interest rate index. ARMs are often expressed in two numbers (like 5/1 or 2/28), although those numbers don’t follow one particular formula (they could represent years, months, number of annual payments, etc.). For example, a 5/1 ARM has five years of fixed payments and one change to the interest rate in each year thereafter.

It’s easy to be drawn to the lower initial rate offered on an ARM, but it very well could end up costing more in interest than a fixed-rate loan over the lifespan of your mortgage. An ARM might work best for someone who plans to pay off their mortgage in five years or less, or is committed to refinancing prior to the ARM’s rate increase.

Rate increases in the future could be dramatic although there are limits to the annual and life-of-loan adjustments, often leaving adjustable-rate mortgage-holders with much higher monthly payments than if they had committed to a fixed-rate mortgage.

Types of Government Home Loans

The government does not actually lend money to home buyers. Instead, “government home loans” is a catchall for loans that are insured or guaranteed by various government agencies in the event the borrower defaults. This makes the loan less risky for lenders, and allows them to provide mortgages at reasonable rates.

Federal Housing Authority (FHA) Loans:

FHA loans are one of the most popular government loan types for first-time home buyers, because they have the more lenient credit score requirements and down payment requirements. With a 580 credit score, you might qualify with a 3.5% down payment. For more, check out the FHA’s lending limits in your state.

Pros: Because FHA loans are ubiquitous and have lower down payment and credit score requirements, they are one of the most accessible loans. FHA loans give potential homeowners a chance to buy without a big down payment. Additionally, FHA loans allow a non-occupant co-signer (as long as they’re a relative) to help borrowers qualify.

Cons: Historically, the requirements for FHA mortgage insurance have varied over the years. Currently, an FHA loan requires both an up-front mortgage insurance premium (which can be financed into your loan amount) and monthly mortgage insurance. The monthly mortgage insurance has to stay in place until your loan-to-value ratio reaches 78%.

USDA loans:

The U.S. Department of Agriculture provides home loans in rural areas to borrowers who meet certain income requirements. USDA loans offer 100% financing—so no down payment is necessary—and require lower monthly mortgage insurance (MI) payments than an FHA loan. This type of mortgage loan is offered to “rural residents who have a steady, low or moderate income, and yet are unable to obtain adequate housing through conventional financing.” To find out if you qualify, visit the USDA income and property eligibility site .

Pros: USDA loans come with low monthly MI, and they are accessible loans for low-moderate income borrowers in rural areas.

Cons: You need a credit score of at least 640 to qualify. These loans, like an FHA loan, also require an upfront fee which can be financed into your loan. If you are obtaining a loan with no down payment, this could result in a loan balance higher than your loan amount.

VA loans:

The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs provides loan services to members and veterans of the U.S. military and their families. If you are eligible , you could qualify for a loan that requires no down payment or monthly mortgage insurance.

Pros: You don’t have to put any money down or deal with monthly MI payments, which could save borrowers thousands per year.

Cons: These loans are great to get people in homes, but are only available to veterans.

FHA 203k rehab loans:

FHA 203k loans are home renovation loans for “fixer upper” properties, helping homeowners finance both the purchase of a house and the cost of its rehabilitation through a single mortgage. Current homeowners can also qualify for an FHA 203k loan to finance the rehabilitation of their existing home.

Many of the rules that make an FHA loan relatively convenient for lower-income borrowers apply here. An FHA 203k loan does not require the space to be currently livable, but it does generally have stricter credit score requirements. Many types of renovations can be covered under an FHA 203k loan: structural repairs or alterations, modernization, elimination of health and safety hazards, replacing roofs and floors, and making energy conservation improvements, to name a few.

Pros: They can be used to buy a home and fund renovations on a property that wouldn’t qualify for a regular FHA loan. And they only require a 3.5% down payment.

Cons: These loans require you to qualify for the price of the home plus the costs of any planned renovations.

Conforming Home Loans

Conforming home loans are a type of mortgage offered by private lenders. They are not insured by the government, but meet standards set by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (government sponsored agencies). As of 2018, the conforming loan limit is $453,100 in most of the U.S. and goes up to $679,650 in certain higher-cost areas.

Conventional Home Loans:

Conventional loans are the single most popular type of mortgage used today. These are slightly more difficult to qualify for a conventional loan than a government-backed loan. However, borrowers can obtain conventional loans for a second home or investment property.

Conventional loans typically require a minimum of a 620 credit score and a down payment between 5% and 20%. Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) ) if you put 20% down. If you put less than 20% down, PMI is required but you have options. PMI can be paid monthly or can be an upfront premium that can be paid by you or the lender. Monthly PMI needs to stay in place until your loan-to-value ratio reaches 78%.

Pros: Pretty much any property type you’re considering would qualify for a conventional mortgage. And you have greater flexibility with mortgage insurance if you are putting down less than 20%.

Cons: Conventional loans tend to have stricter requirements for qualification and require a higher down payment that government loans.

Conventional 97 Mortgage:

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s conventional 97 loan was made to compete with FHA loans. It requires a 3% down payment or 97% loan-to-value ratio, besting the FHA’s 3.5% down payment requirement. A conventional 97 loan also requires that at least one borrower be a first-time homeowner, which they define as someone who hasn’t owned a property in the past three years. Participants in this program will need to have good credit scores and the standard 43% debt-to-income ratio.

Pros: You only need to put down 3%.

Cons: Only single-unit properties qualify, and one of the borrowers must be a “first-time buyer.”

Non-Conforming Loans

If you need a loan that exceeds the limits of both a conforming loan and a government-backed loan, you’ll need a non-conforming loan. A non-conforming loan exceeds the limits set forth by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Jumbo Loans:

Because of their size, jumbo loans tend to have even stricter requirements than regular, conforming loans. Most jumbo loans require a minimum credit score above 700 and a down payment of at least 15%.

Super Jumbo Loans:

For financing of $1 million or more, you are going to need to take out what is called a super jumbo loan. These loans require excellent credit and can provide up to $3 million in financing.

Those looking to fund an expensive property purchase will likely have little choice but to use a jumbo or super jumbo loan. If that’s you, it might require taking some time to get your credit score in good shape.

The process of finding and securing the right mortgage loan requires a little bit of investigation and a whole lot of patience. Happy hunting!

Ready to do some comparison shopping? SoFi offers mortgages with competitive rates, a fast & easy application, and no hidden fees.

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The information and analysis provided through hyperlinks to third party websites, while believed to be accurate, cannot be guaranteed by SoFi. Links are provided for informational purposes and should not be viewed as an endorsement.
SoFi Mortgages not available in all states. Products and terms may vary from those advertised on this site. See SoFi.com/eligibility-criteria#eligibility-mortgage for details.

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