7 years of school on to 20 years of debt.

[zack1234]

Easy are you reading what I am typing your country is paying to educate CHINESE and Indian workers

[Plawranc]

As political as this is.

I know most American's on this board are conservative by nature due to their age and upbringing. But Easy here has an exceptionally good point.

Just putting it up there.

[SilverZ06]

My college education will be free.

Go Army!

It's not free. It may cost you your life.

[RotBaron]

I am fortunate enough that my dads wife is a good accountant, and has been acting as our money manager for the last few years, which has allowed me to buy a house,with a generous loan from my aunt to put down a sizable down payment, in the end I am saving several hundreds a month over renting, a comparable size house with the added bonus that it is my.
 Another thing that has been helping with bills and allowing us to have money to live a little, is we have picked up shifts tending bar at her dads bar and grill. The income from there is mainly what are loan payments come from, plus we pay her insurance and car payment form it. Plus, I buy my weekly powerball from my tips on the way home, after I win the 345million next week I won't have to worry about payments.

You may or may not be fortunate to have an accountant as a "money manager."  Most would think so, but it's a CFP that is best at doing what you're asking, and if you don't know one who will do the work for free you're in a pickle. Accounting curriculum does not focus on personal budget and get out of debt. But several of us told you how to help yourself out of the pickle: Dave Ramsey...and other suggestions.

Have you looked Dave Ramsey up yet? I suppose not, because the only guy that I've seen you thank for advice here told you to combine loans...hmmmm what if she decides she's wants a divorce? I'm sorry I have to throw that out there, I'm sure that is not going to happen, but what if one of you dies? Dave would tell you don't combine the loans, know how I know? I listen to his radio show enough, to know that a big rule of his is not to go assume more risk than you need to, just because you got married doesn't always mean that you take your spouse's debt- or I should say - does not mean you HAVE to.

Good luck.

Oh and the lottery     Tax on the poor...

[John Galt]

You may or may not be fortunate to have an accountant as a "money manager."  Most would think so, but it's a CFP that is best at doing what you're asking, and if you don't know one who will do the work for free you're in a pickle. Accounting curriculum does not focus on personal budget and get out of debt. But several of us told you how to help yourself out of the pickle: Dave Ramsey...and other suggestions.

Have you looked Dave Ramsey up yet? I suppose not, because the only guy that I've seen you thank for advice here told you to combine loans...hmmmm what if she decides she's wants a divorce? I'm sorry I have to throw that out there, I'm sure that is not going to happen, but what if one of you dies? Dave would tell you don't combine the loans, know how I know? I listen to his radio show enough, to know that a big rule of his is not to go assume more risk than you need to, just because you got married doesn't always mean that you take your spouse's debt- or I should say - does not mean you HAVE to.

Good luck.

Oh and the lottery     Tax on the poor...

I will definetaly be checking in to Dave Ramesy. Plus I only thanked him for the advice, it will not be advice I will be taking, We keep the majority of our expenses separate(since she is still only my girlfriend) Even, when it comes to the house it is solely mine, after seeing how my dad had to pay my mom 20,000 dollars for the house they shared even though she had never put a cent into it. Next time I am at the library I will pick up a few of Dave's books and check them out.

[RotBaron]

I reread my post, sorry if it sounded snotty, wasn't my intention to.

Since I see you are here in the valley, tune to 92.3 after 7-8pm (I think) and you can catch Ramsey's show every week night. I don't like 92.3 for any other reason as I disagree with their politics (550am for me,) but his show is really good, as always, take what you like, leave what you don't.

Good luck.

[zack1234]

As political as this is.

I know most American's on this board are conservative by nature due to their age and upbringing. But Easy here has an exceptionally good point.

Just putting it up there.

Let me dumb it down a bit.

"If you lend the bloke up the road your saw don't complain that he is a carpenter and your not "

[guncrasher]

Let me dumb it down a bit.

"If you lend the bloke up the road your saw don't complain that he is a carpenter and your not "

dude why do you always insist on breaking the "dont be a dick" rule?  perhaps somebody can post the definition for you and no, it doesnt mean be  dessert.

semp

[zack1234]

You are?

[Hajo]

Until the rest of west follows Scotland's lead and offers government paid college education, notice I'm NOT including room and board, just like we do with elementary and high school today, we will continue to loose our place in the the competitive world of the future.

Yeah, okay tax payers, you may chime in with the same argument as the citizens of early America's past, "Why should tax payers pay for educating the poor?"

Educated people generate much more tax every year of their lives.
The state spends to get more back.
The poor also have an equal right to education and the taxpayers make a profit on the deal.
When it comes time for you to retire, where do you think your social security payments are going to come from. Certainly not from the uneducated folks standing on the street corner because they saw no hope of getting a higher education.

Sorry, my hopeless personal crusade.

I paid for my education.  I worked my arse off while going to college.  Is everything supposed to be provided by our Government?  I thought we were responsible?
Unfortunately in todays job market I know many college graduates that can't get a job commensurate to their education.  They are working as Waiters, Waitresses
etc.  Where is all the money coming from that the Govt. hands out?  Yep....taxpayers.  We are not a nanny state yet.  It's coming, but I don't know where the monitory resources will be coming from.
College tuition is ridiculously high.  I have no idea why.  This country has lost its' manufacturing base which always supplied a good wage to those educated and un-educated.
I've also noticed recently that companies such as Bank America etc. are laying off and/or dropping employees to part time because of health care costs.  The service industry
is going to be our chief private employer....next to the Govt.   BTW an example......in Detroit there are I believe 64 govt. related jobs to every one job in the private sector.
DUH!  Who pays the govt. employees?  And whose money pays a Govt. employees taxes?  Easycore I believe  in what you do......the paradigm needs to change.
Private employers and employees can't fund everything.  We do need to educate for sure, someone has to pay the bills and quit printing money that makes our currency
even less valued.  This is not a political statement on my part I'm just asking where all the money will come from.  Are we just going to continue to print more money
and devalue its'net worth?  I hope not.  And I hope colleges decide to drop needless costs that will drop the tuition so that everyone can attend at a reasonable cost.

[Easyscor]

Hajo, because we had to pay our own way and help our kids make it through, doesn't mean that model should continue in the future. You and I have seen all the things that have shrunk the job base and wage rates over the years. We know that a high school education won't cut it for most people in today's world yet the costs have always put higher education out of reach for too many people.

I doubt there's a member of this board that doesn't recognize the value of higher education. Yet because we had to pay for ours, some will argue against paying for others too. I get that, but sometime, someone will have to carry that burden for the future well being of the country, and for our grandkids.

The most telling thing in this part of the discussion is that no one will argue against the need for higher education. They only argue how it's paid for and by extension, who receives that education. Parents with college behind them make sure that their kids get that degree. Holding a job, paying living expenses plus paying college expenses and going to classes at the same time should not be the test of who deserves a higher education. That model needs to change.

[dedalos]

Hajo, because we had to pay our own way and help our kids make it through, doesn't mean that model should continue in the future. You and I have seen all the things that have shrunk the job base and wage rates over the years. We know that a high school education won't cut it for most people in today's world yet the costs have always put higher education out of reach for too many people.

I doubt there's a member of this board that doesn't recognize the value of higher education. Yet because we had to pay for ours, some will argue against paying for others too. I get that, but sometime, someone will have to carry that burden for the future well being of the country, and for our grandkids.

The most telling thing in this part of the discussion is that no one will argue against the need for higher education. They only argue how it's paid for and by extension, who receives that education. Parents with college behind them make sure that their kids get that degree. Holding a job, paying living expenses plus paying college expenses and going to classes at the same time should not be the test of who deserves a higher education. That model needs to change.

no no no!!  Our tax money should go to foreign aid!  How dare you propose we use tax money to better the lives of Americans. You sound like a communist 

 

[Hajo]

Hajo, because we had to pay our own way and help our kids make it through, doesn't mean that model should continue in the future. You and I have seen all the things that have shrunk the job base and wage rates over the years. We know that a high school education won't cut it for most people in today's world yet the costs have always put higher education out of reach for too many people.

I doubt there's a member of this board that doesn't recognize the value of higher education. Yet because we had to pay for ours, some will argue against paying for others too. I get that, but sometime, someone will have to carry that burden for the future well being of the country, and for our grandkids.

The most telling thing in this part of the discussion is that no one will argue against the need for higher education. They only argue how it's paid for and by extension, who receives that education. Parents with college behind them make sure that their kids get that degree. Holding a job, paying living expenses plus paying college expenses and going to classes at the same time should not be the test of who deserves a higher education. That model needs to change.

I agree with you whole heartedly.  Again this is not a political statement.  This country can't come up with a Budget.  We do know for a fact we are throwing our tax dollars at Foreign Countries (such as Egypt) who
could care less about America or its citizens.  You and I both know there are more countries we throw money at besides Egypt. Hell...we throw money at Pakistan on a regular basis and they permitted Bin Laden to live there.  How smart is that? The people in our Government have to decide whether it's in Americas best interests to educate our young or throw money at problems that money will never solve.  Throw some at what would benefit our budget, improve our schools etc.  As I said the people in our Govt. have to decide what is best...of course without a lobbyist whispering in their ears.  Full Time job creation would be a start.  Let our Entrepreneurs be entrepreneurs and generate more work, private not Govt. jobs and thus create more tax payers, and give those who have labored in college the ability to earn a good living. Maybe, just maybe then our Govt. could create a sensible budget.....we've gone without a budget for how long now?  (Hey, no one wants to answer the tough questions)  they need to be re-elected.

Give our children and grandchildren the opportunity for higher education and the possibility of a full time job.  Make a college education available without the inflated costs that our Universities are charging now.  It's absolutely disgusting.  College tuition has far outpaced the cost of living by a wide margin.  Let's make the Universities responsible also.

[Easyscor]

There are many good causes on the national agenda but they all become much more manageable with an educated population creating products, reducing costs and funding government.

[RotBaron]

Scotland's lead??? What are you talking about? What does Scotland have to show for this?

Ever been to the financial aid office at a community college or university?  Are you aware of Pell grants? Are you aware of tuition forgiveness programs? Are you aware of medical services employers offering tuition to their employees for nursing school? The GI bill, the military's near requirement that officers always be continuing their education? Subsidized loans?  According to the scholarships representative that I met with a few years ago there are still many ("in this economy") that aren't doled out either for lack of qualified candidate or lack of a candidate.


Where isn't the taxpayer picking up nearly everyone's education, or in the least to some degree?
................