Making Sure That College Degree is Worth It

Brought to you by SmarterBucks:

I’ve written before about the cost/benefit of getting a college education.  I don’t fall into the camp that “every American should get a college degree”.  It’s plainly evident, especially in today’s economy, that many people who paid handsomely for college degrees just aren’t using them.  They’d probably be making the same money without a degree.  To the contrary, the vast majority of middle income and upper income Americans got there because of a college degree.  Not that they’re using it necessarily, but it was a gateway to that first opportunity that set them down the pathway to success.  So, what I’m saying is that while there are a lot of people that would have been better off avoiding the time and costs associated with a degree because it wasn’t for them, you do greatly increase your chances of success in life by having a degree – especially if it’s a major that’s in demand (presently, science/engineering, programming, finance, economics majors are pretty hot).

A Better Way to Pay Off Your Student Loans

The reality these days is that most graduates leave college with some sort of student loan debt.  I was fortunate enough to have borrowed from my parents and paid them back via an interest-free loan once I started working.  It took me 5 years and in essence, it was a negative interest rate when considering inflation that they ate since I was paying them back at zero percent.  That’s not an option for most people though.  So, they end up borrowing from various federal or private lenders and need to start paying down their debt upon graduation.  As you’re probably aware from recent news accounts, there’s quite a bit of debate on the Hill about whether student loan interest rates should rise or remain at present rates.  Americans now hold over $1 Trillion in student loan debt.  What if there was a way to help minimize costs and lessen the burden of student loan debt?

That’s where SmarterBucks comes in.  SmarterBucks is a reward program that helps students pay down student debt. There are some really great benefits worth checking out.  Here are some key points:

• FREE and Easy to use – that’s a huge plus for me, as you have nothing to lose
• Various Ways to Earn Rewards – The versatility in the way you can earn points is great.  The options range from routine shopping and surveys to deals or optional debit card usage.
• Rewards have no limits, blackouts or expirations – This is important, since probably half the various rewards systems I’ve used in my life have never been redeemed (store points, restaurant cards, etc. always end up being cancelled or expire on me).
• Rewards are Paid Directly To Your Loan Account – There’s no gimmickry tied to earning points, redeeming points, sending checks this way or that.  No, in this system, each time you accrue $15 or more in benefits in your account, SmarterBucks will make a direct payment on the loan you designated.

Testimonials

Here are a few cases where college grads benefited from using SmarterBucks.  See for yourself!