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5 Essential Tips For Any Relationship

What makes a relationship work? Is it love only? NO. Just being in love does not help. You have to develop the relationship with the strong foundation of trust in each other. But how do you go about it? Is trust built in one day?

The other day, one of my friends was complaining that her spouse did not care for her. She was also concerned that he had something going on in his mind, which she was unaware of. He would rather confide in a lifeless diary, she claimed.

Why do such situations arise? Does my friend have a problem in her relationship? Yes, a little. But it is not that grave to assume it cannot be solved at all. Her problem is what many couples have- lack of trust in each other.

Some important things to be taken care of in any relationship are:

1.Communication:

The most important facet of any relationship is proper and clear communication. Hiding things will only develop cracks in the relationship. Be clear in your thoughts and how you put them forward to your partner. Keep him informed about every small little thing going on in your life. This makes the person feel important and loved. He will reciprocate too.

Before he finds out from another source, it is better to tell him everything beforehand as that will reflect honesty in your personality and he will like you even more for it as trust is the backbone of any relationship, something that you cannot find on your regular dating app.

2.Look at the sunny side:

Everybody has something positive about him. Do not always criticize your partner. Try to communicate what you really like about him. Everybody likes to hear nice things about themselves. If it comes from a loved one, it is appreciated more.

 

3.Trust has to be earned:

When you expect your partner to trust you, have you asked yourself whether you behave in the same way? Many times it so happens that, we miss out on this one point. Always remember, Trust, like Respect, has to be earned, and not asked for.

Your partner will trust you only when you trust him. Trust is like a delicate glass wall, it takes very little to crack. So, don’t let your relationship lose the trust in it. Believe me; your partner will love you all the more, when he is sure that you trust him completely.

4.Be Predictable:

Your better half comes home later than usual, and you are worried. Why didn’t he inform me? So, don’t be unpredictable. It may lead to suspicion. This causes lots of confusion and then leads to mistrust in any relationship. If there is some valid reason for a change in your behavior, let him know about it. Make things clear between the two of you.

5.Don’t say “Yes” when you want to say “No”:

Sometimes, in any relationship, you have to do things which you actually don’t approve of. You do it for somebody because you love him. But this may cause mental discomfort to you, as it is not what you wanted. So learn to say “No” to your partner, when you feel like that. Make him understand why you are saying so. This will reduce confusion and keep you at peace too.

6.Walk the talk:

It is disturbing for your partner to comprehend your behavior, when it does not match what you are always preaching about. Set an example and practice what you preach. Your partner should get the impression that you really abide by what you say. This will further help in building trust in your relationship.

Advice For Students Seeking Apartments In Hattiesburg

For University of Southern Mississippi students, dormitory life might sound as fun as midterm exams. If you live in the dorm and are seeking off campus living arrangements or a first time student hoping to skip life on campus all together, this guide is for you. We’ll take a closer look at some of resources that are available to help you find an apartment.

Hattiesburg has over 100 apartment complexes that cater to many different needs. Some have tennis courts, swimming pools, walking tracks, or other amenities like washer and dryers or balconies. Apartments usually start around $500 a month, but if you check into some of the older apartment complexes you can probably find a better deal. With all the development in the Hub City in recent years, some of the “older” apartments in town aren’t really that old-they just may not have all the bells and whistles some of the newer complexes offer.

There are several apartment complexes located in the vicinity of USM-easily accessible to campus either by walking or biking. A good thing about most apartments near campus is that they have been there for a while so rent is usually cheaper, plus you still have one of the advantages of on campus housing and that’s being close to campus for all the activities.

The complex is quite huge with tall, sky scraper apartments that anyone would want to live in and this has become a dream house for one and all, right from the lower class to the richest elite of the city. Hattiesburg, as a city, is the biggest in the entire state of Mississippi and if the rent is affordable then there can be no question that people will flock to it as they consider it a huge compliment to have one of their own some day and only Parc Central Residences that can match up to it in structure and rates.

University Edge is one apartment complex that is designed with the college student in mind. Usually college towns have at least one complex that is geared toward students. These apartments come in either 2 or 4 bedrooms and are laid out almost like a suite-where each bedroom has its own bath while sharing common areas that include the kitchen and living room. Pool tables, basketball and volleyball courts, as well as a fitness center make up just a few of the amenities offered to residents.

Let’s take a look at a few good sources for finding apartments in Hattiesburg. The first is the Hattiesburg Apartment Directory. This little guidebook is found at most convenient stores throughout town. If you are out of town, visit them on the web (http://www.hattiesburgapartmentdirectory.com/), and you can request one. The guide will show many of the apartment complexes with the amenities and some will even have the latest pricing of their apartments. If no pricing information is given, there will be listed a contact number of the apartments. Current apartment vacancies are also listed on the Apartment directory website.

You can always keep an eye on the classified ads in the local newspaper– the Hattiesburg American. ( hattiesburgamerican.com). You can either find an apartment or roommate by perusing the classifieds. There is also this little gem called The Impact (www.goimpactgo.net), which is advertising paper featuring predominately classified advertisements. Look through the section Apartments for Rent to see what is available.

Hattiesburg.Mississippi.com is another good spot to find vacant apartments and other information about the Hub City and surrounding area.

10 Must-Haves for Your Purse

We all carry them. At least women do. Purses to carry all of our necessities, and, well, junk. You can get attractive deals on designer bags that you can use on a daily basis from luxurytastic. As you go through luxurytastic replicas reviews blog you will find about all the attractive deals and offers that are going on, on their website and how you can avail those offers. There are 10 things that I believe every woman should have in her purse. Here they are.

Notebook. This may seem odd to some of you and then some of you will probably agree. Have you ever been scrounging around trying to find something to write on? You end up writing on the back of a gum wrapper or check stub. You can buy cute purse size notebooks that will fit nicely inside your handbag. They will come in handy. You can write people’s email and address and phone#, write down a quick recipe or write your great idea. In fact, I carry one in my purse and whenever I get a writing idea for this site I quickly write it down. Be sure and carry a pen too!

Next, a great lip gloss is a must-have. Now I know some women carry all of their makeup in their purse but that really isn’t necessary. A good lip gloss will work for a quick pick me up. It will brighten up your face and make you feel a little fresher.

Cash. I think it is important to always carry a little cash in your handbag. Not a boatload, but enough so you have the freedom and availability to buy something if you need or want it. In this day and age the debit and credit card rule and we hardly ever carry cold hard cash.

Another important item that I always have with me is hand sanitizer. You can buy cute little bottles at your local store with great smelling scents. This will come in handy every time you pump gas or do not have access to soap and water.

If you are prone to allergies or headaches, like me, then I would suggest carrying your allergy and headache pills. I keep a small pill box in my handbag with allergy pills, heartburn pills, and migraine pills. You don’t know how many times that has come in handy.

How about kleenex? You can purchase a small purse size package of kleenex at the store. Kleenex’s are great to have and can serve several purposes. Blowing noses, quick clean-ups, etc. You ‘ve probably been asked in the past if you had one to give to someone else. Next time you are asked, you will be prepared.

This next one is probably the most obvious, and the majority of us already do it, but you need to always have your cell phone. As I said, I am sure we all do this, but nowadays it is really important. It is hard to imagine our lives without cell phones anymore.

You probably never thought of this but I would carry a travel-size toothbrush and toothpaste. They will come in handy when going on dates, office lunches or when you can’t get home. Here’s a freebie for you. Carry a purse size deodorant too. You never know!

Mints and gum are a must-have for my handbag. You always want fresh smelling breath or sometimes you just enjoy something to chew on!

Here’s something you might not have ever thought about. A small sewing kit. You never know when a button will pop off or a hem will come undone. A small sewing kit can be a great lifesaver in those moments.

I am sure you have probably thought of other items that would be just as important to carry in your purse. Maybe this article has given you thoughts on new items you never thought about too!

4 Essential Tips For Trading Bitcoin And Altcoins

Trading in bitcoin and altcoin is not an easy activity. Before you can become an expert on it, there are several factors that you need to consider, things that you must learn and experiences that you must gain. In addition, cryptocurrency has high volatility rate. Hence, for you to be profitable, you must be able to formulate strategies and think of a way on how you can put your best foot forward. To help you out, here are some of the important tips that you should consider when trading Bitcoin and Altcoin. These tips have been proven effective by traders.

Set Your Purpose and Goals

When trading Bitcoin and Altcoins, one of the most important things that you must do is to know the purpose of your every trade. Consequently, you must always establish a sound and clear strategy in mind. Having a goal in trading will allow you to have a direction to follow. It is very important that you are able to set the amount of money you are willing to lose and the maximum profit you want to earn as well. Trading is a risky activity, hence you must always be prepared.

Risk Management

You must be able to look for the edge of the movement for you to be a profitable trader. You should consider even the small opportunities and evaluate if they have the chance to accumulate into a big one in the future. Hence, this will be done by managing the risk wisely across your portfolio. One way to do this is to diversify your investment. You should not just put all your eggs into one basket. You should spread your investment across different portfolios so you will be able to spread and manage the risk.

Always update yourself

In the realm of cryptocurrency, it is important to always keep yourself posted. As you may know, cryptocurrencies have high volatility. This means that their values are changing quickly from time to time. Thus, for you to stay in the trading scheme, making yourself up to date or posted is really necessary. But the good thing is that you have the Internet to make that happen. You can read financial news about bitcoin revolution, and see if there’s any updates about its current standing in the world in general and allow yourself to be informed and knowledgeable.

Identify Crypto Scams

You have to know that altcoins are very enticing. But you need to put in mind that the world of cryptocurren receives an enormous amount of attention. This will bring a lot of scammers. Hence, it is very crucial that as a trader, you know how to protect yourself from these scammers. Learn how to identify crypto scams. There are so many of them across the field of trading. A lot of entrepreneurs want your funds. Always be careful and wise. And most importantly, always rely on valuable cryptocurrency to avoid any problems or troubles in the future.

The Skinny on 4 Popular Diet Myths that Actually Make You Gain Weight

Summer is just around the corner. With the change in season comes our annual obsession with losing weight in time to look good for shorts and midriff-baring shirts, bikinis or swim shorts at the poolside or beach and that slimmer business suit you’ve always been wanting.

Losing weight is easier said than done. Popular diet myths, perpetuated by diet fads that tell you to cut the carbs, cut the fat, cut the (insert food here), don’t help. Here are four popular diet myths that don’t help you lose weight, and what YOU can do to actually see a change on the scale. And if you are looking for some surgical process that can help you in losing weight then, The Boston liposuction plastic surgeon offers several types of liposuction according to your body fat which makes this process quite effective. 

Diet Myth #1: To really lose weight, you have to cut all the calories out of your diet.

What’s the stereotypical problem with diets over the long term? The dieter always ends up caving for his or her cravings. Technically, you would lose weight if you ate half as much as usual. However, realistically you cannot sustain such a diet and will end up making up for it in the future, thereby negating any weight loss you might have gained.

What then should you do if you want to lose weight? First, don’t stop eating or cutting your meal portions. Reducing your calories is a great idea, but only to the amount that will sustain your activity levels and lifestyle in a healthy manner. Don’t starve yourself just to lose weight! It might give you short term weight loss, but not in a manner that will last.

Diet Myth #2: You can boost your metabolism by eating many small meals throughout the day. A higher metabolism will then help you lose weight!

Quite honestly, how much food you eat or when you eat it (including diets that tell you that eating at certain hours is better than others) hardly affects your body’s metabolism rate. Eating 2,000 calories in three meals or 2,000 calories in 7 small meals is still 2,000 calories in a day.

What really makes a difference in how you burn fat is your body composition. More lean muscles boost your metabolism, while higher fat percentages in your body lower how many calories your body burns.

Healthy, efficient dieting isn’t just about cutting calories, but also about working out. Increase your muscles and you will increase your body’s metabolism, leading to healthy and sustained weight loss!

Diet Myth #3: All fat is bad, so you should eat as much fat-free food as you can.

While many people have debunked this myth, many consumers still equate “fat” in food with the fat hanging on your waist. Just take a look at your grocery store’s shelves to find proof that “fat-free” food is still a popular fad.

Instead of cutting fat, focus on healthy fruits and vegetables that are naturally low on fat but also balanced in healthy things like fiber and vitamins. Some fats are even good for you, such as the fats found in nuts and fish.

Of course, you should avoid certain types of fat, including trans fats. However, don’t obsess yourself with the fat content in your diet, but rather focus on eating healthy, balanced meals to lose weight!

Diet Myth #4: Drinking milk or eating dairy can help you lose weight.

The milk industry in the United States has marketed milk as a way to lose weight, as can e seen on industry sites like WhyMilk.com. Not true says scientists (source). Milk clogs arteries and is full of all sorts of unhealthy fats and impurities. While calcium might help you to lose weight, you can easily find healthy sources of calcium in dark, leafy vegetables and soy milk for delicious alternatives to milk.

Understanding The Pros And Cons Of Laser Hair Removal

A common phrase which we have heard a lot is- “Beauty is Pain”. This might have been true a few years ago. But today, it’s not the case anymore. Take the process of hair removal, for example. We have been going for threading, waxing and shaving for years but laser hair removal has solved all the problems which come with those painful and irritating procedures.

What does laser hair removal do?

The laser hair removal process is a semi-permanent way to get rid of unwanted hair. The effects stay from anywhere to 6 months to a year, depending on the kind of procedure you opt for and the kind of hair you have. The technicians and experts with analysis your skin and hair’s quality, density and colour and make sure that the equipment and products used suit your skin and hair type. The laser targets the hair follicles and destroys them. This slows down the pace of the hair growth in the targeted area. The laser also works on the melanin of the body hair. This makes the new hair come out thinner and lighter. So, the problems of bristly, bumpy hair are solved with laser hair removal. The effects stay longer. You don’t have to go through hair removal processes very 2 weeks. IPL or laser hair removal machine with reduce hair for good, at least for a year or so. The whole course or set takes 6 to 8 sessions within a given time period.

Few disadvantages of laser hair removal and advantages which help overcome them

  • You can say goodbye to your waxing kits and razors for as long as a year.
  • You might feel a bit uncomfortable. But the process is not as painful as threading and waxing. It would just feel a bit tingly, like you’re being snapped by a rubber band. Its irritating, but this sensation goes down to almost nothing
  • Reddish skin is a common side effect. But you shouldn’t have to worry about rashes and irritated skin. This is a side effect of threading and waxing and even in cases of shaving and using creams. But laser hair removal is done with the best equipment and uses special coolants in the machine itself. The skin won’t burn or get damaged if you go to a reputed clinic. Use of proper cooling gels or lotions can help reduce the bit of redness which you might have after every session but that’s about it.

  • It’s expensive as compared to a can of waxing gel. But you will be saving money overall with laser treatment. If you take into account the number of times you have to visit the parlour or buy hair removing creams and gels, or razors, you will see that on the long run, laser hair removal actually saves you money.
  • You will have to be patient as 6 to 8 session is a lot of time. But the actual procedure will take less than half and hour which is probably less than how much time you spend waxing or shaving.

Consider these points and you’ll soon see that its a great idea to go for laser hair removal to get rid of unwanted hair from any part of your body.

A Guide to Affordable Dining in and Near the O’Hare International Airport

The Chicago area boasts an endless number of restaurants, many of which are in or near the Chicago O’Hare International Airport. Restaurants in and near the airport include almost anything you can think of, from Italian to Chinese to American. Many of these restaurants are inexpensive, and are perfect for the budget minded visitor to the area. Here are five affordable restaurants in or near the Chicago O’Hare International Airport.

  1. Pizza Strada. This restaurant is located at three different locations inside the Chicago O’Hare airport. You can find it in the Rotunda between Terminals 2 and 3, in Terminal 2 at Gate E4 of Concourse #, and in Terminal 1 in Concourse C at Gate C18. To access some of these locations, you need to have a plane ticket or boarding pass. So, this is a good choice if you are getting off a flight and have a layover or you just arrived into Chicago and wish to dine before leaving the airport. Just don’t leave your luggage too long at the baggage claim area! You can also dine in Pizza Strada if you are waiting to take off for a flight from Chicago O’Hare.

You will get the best service if you dine at the Rotunda location of Pizza Strada, because of the more relaxed atmosphere of the Rotunda compared to the terminals. Otherwise, you will still receive decent service. You can’t expect perfection at a pizza place inside the airport, bustling with hurried travelers. The airport is busy, and pizza is a popular dining choice so be prepared for Pizza Strada to be full of people at busy times in the airport.

But still, if you compare it with Seatac Airport Flights, you will come to the conclusion that Rotunda is far better with pizza and other fast food items, a feat that not many airports can boast about as it is virtually impossible to find a terminal that has the best food court where you will get food akin to five star hotels and lavish restaurants. So this makes Rotunda even more significant due to its services.

The prices at Pizza Strada are reasonable. Two can dine for $20 if you share a pizza. The quality of the pizza is decent. Although this might not be the best pizza you will find in Chicago, especially since Chicago is home to some great pizza locations, you will be satisfied with the taste.

  1. Chicago Bar and Grill. This restaurant is also located in the Chicago O’Hare International Airport. It is located in Terminal 3, and is open from 6 am to 9 pm. The restaurant has a bar, so you can enjoy a relaxing alcoholic beverage while waiting for your flight. On the menu are burgers, chicken, and salads. The prices are more expensive than Pizza Strada, but still affordable. You will need to tip also when dining here. Plan to spend about $30 for two people plus tip for a burger and salad and one beverage each. The service is good at this restaurant, especially if you dine at times when the restaurants isn’t as full. This would be after about 7 pm or between 2 and 4 pm. The food quality is on the high end, better than a fast food pizza or diner type meal. It’s not five star, but you will be pleased with your selection.
  1. Johnny Rocket’s. Johnny Rocket’s is located inside the Chicago International Airport as well. It is in the area between Terminals One and Two. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. The atmosphere is a 50’s or 60’s style diner, with diner type foods. Two can dine for about $25 plus tip including a soda for each person. The service is good here, unless it is extremely busy. Most of the staff is usually friendly. The food quality is on the high end for a diner. I usually find diners not to have great food, but I am satisfied with the quality at this diner.
  1. Allie’s American Grille. Allie’s American Grille is located two miles from the Chicago O’Hare International Airport. The prices are a little higher than the places at the airport, but still affordable. Your best bet is to order sandwiches or salads instead of a steak or seafood to stay in the inexpensive range. It will cost about $35 plus tip for two to eat sandwiches and salads plus a beverage. If you order steak or seafood, plan to spend about $50 plus tip not including appetizers or desserts. This restaurant is well known in the Chicago area, and is inside the Marriott Hotel.

The service is always good at Allie’s American Grille. This might have something to do with the fact that the restaurant is part of the Marriott. You may have to wait for a table if you visit on a weekend during busy times of dinner, but otherwise you can usually find seating. The food quality is high, especially for the prices.

  1. Lou Mitchell’s express. This is a place inside the Chicago O’Hare International Airport, in Terminal 5. The prices are quite affordable. You can get a sandwich and beverage for about $15. The great thing about Lou Mitchell’s Express is that it is open 24 hours. This means that if you have an overnight flight or late flight, you will be able to choose this restaurant as your dining option. In addition to sandwiches, you will also find baked goods, salads, soups, juices and Haagan Dazs ice cream. The service is always fast. You simply stand in line and order your food at a counter and then take it to a table. This means no tip! The food quality is high for a sandwich shop, and the food is generally fresh. This might be your fastest affordable dining option.

Liquid Diet Suggestions for Jaw Surgery Patients

Having your mouth wired shut after jaw surgery can put a real cramp in your eating style. It might seem impossible to find anything that you can blend up well enough to slurp through a straw. You have to find some way of getting some nutrients after jaw surgery, otherwise your body won’t have enough nutrients to fuel your recovery. Don’t fret, aside from helpful information from online space where plastic surgery marketing is an extremely crowded space, there are some foods that have flavor and will travel up a straw. So, if you find yourself on a liquid diet, try some of these tasty treats.

Tomato Soup

A person may not be a big fan of tomato soup when you can chew, but after a couple of days of milk shakes, jaw surgery patients will enjoy the punch of flavor that tomato soup can offer. Most items that people think of when they realize they will have to be on a liquid diet consist of a lot of dairy. The problem with eating dairy day after day while your mouth is wired shut is the after taste. You aren’t going to be able to brush your teeth fully for a couple of weeks, and while you can use mouth wash, this won’t completely rid you of the dairy after taste. You will need items like tomato soup, for your liquid diet after jaw surgery to refresh your mouth from that warm milk taste.

Chicken or Beef Broth

If you are craving something meaty, then try grabbing a cube of chicken or beef broth mix and stirring it up in a cup of warm water. This is about as close as your can get as a jaw surgery patient, to tasting meat while your mouth is wired shut. Making the broth separate, as opposed to simply buying a cup of soup and drinking the broth is preferable since small bits of food that you will suck up out of a cub of soup can start to build up and block off the gaps in your teeth that allow your liquid diet through. It is frustrating enough being a jaw surgery patient confined to a liquid diet without having constant build blocking your liquid consumption.

Fruit Smoothie

You aren’t going to have much luck with a smoothie made from fresh or frozen fruit, but if you make a smoothie from frozen pulp free fruit juice, well then, you can still enjoy the slushy texture without having to worry about the pulp blocking your nourishment. Jaw surgery patients have to learn how to make their favorite liquid items as smooth as possible, a fruit smoothie made with frozen fruit juice instead of fresh fruit is a great example of this.

Apple Juice

It may seem simple, but getting a decent dose of flavor when you are on a liquid diet as a jaw surgery patient can be difficult. A good brand of apple juice can offer you a great deal of flavor, and when served nice a cold can be quite refreshing to a mouth that is wired shut.

Hopefully you will find these suggestions help full as a jaw surgery patient on a liquid diet. Keep in mind, as a recovering patient, you need to give you body fuel to recover. Also, make sure that you avoid anything overly sour, like lemonade, because as a patient recovering from jaw surgery, such sour liquid diet items can cause your jaw to wind up, placing you in a decent amount of pain.

Spinal Cord Stimulators & the Control of Chronic Pain

As a workers’ compensation adjuster, I managed many work related injuries that were attributed to complex accidents that occurred while the employee was at work. For many of these employees, the work related injury often resulted in significant back pain with some employees requiring back surgery, not just once but several times.

In my experience of workers’ compensation management, the tendency for back pain sufferers to turn to repeat back surgeries was often disheartening. For many patients, back pain and spinal cord functioning was rarely improved with repeated back surgery and, in most cases, the spinal cord function was even further impaired.

For many patients, the option to use a spinal cord stimulator as a method for pain management was often considered in lieu of repeated back surgeries that may only serve to further damage the spinal cord integrity.

So, what is a spinal cord stimulator? Also known as a SCS, the spinal cord stimulator is a unit that is surgically implanted at the site where nerve damage is present. Through the use of an external control, the back pain sufferer can control the electromagnetic pulses that are sent to the damaged nerve area which, ultimately, block the pain signals from reaching the brain. According to spine surgeons at Central Texas Spine Institute, using a spinal cord stimulator will certainly help patients to minimize back pain and other pains related to your spine.

While the SCS does not remedy back pain 100 percent, it can provide back pain relief by about 50 percent and, when coupled with prescription medications, may provide for a far greater improvement in back pain than repeated back surgery.

The major disadvantage to the spinal cord stimulator lies in the cost associated with implantation, maintenance and repair. However, in terms of overall health outcomes, the back pain sufferer, especially those on workers’ compensation programs, may be able to return to gainful employment much sooner than those who pursue back surgery; only adding to the financial balance for this pain management method.

In the workers’ compensation programs, many employees opt to agree to settlement of their current and future medical benefits. When pursuing this option under your workers’ compensation plan, as a back pain sufferer, be certain your insurance adjuster is allowing for payment of chronic pain management techniques, including the cost for lifetime use of a spinal cord stimulator, stimulator replacements and associated replacements of lead wires and batteries.

As with any chronic pain issue, especially for employees who suffer from work related back injuries, there is a fine balance between repeating back surgery and electing to live with chronic pain. Because back surgery that is repeated over and over again often only results in further deterioration of the spine, both the injured employee and the employer may be well served by considering these alternative forms of pain management, including the use of a spinal cord stimulator.

Understanding Types Of Educational Loans

With the rising cost of college education, footing the bill is hard work. Many students like me can’t quite come up with what they need. Thankfully, the U.S. Government has many programs set up through which people like you and I can receive financial aid. In Part One I explained how the FAFSA works and outlined the basic steps in completing the application. In Part Two I enumerated the three major types of grants available through the FAFSA. This final piece, Part Three, details the various major loans offered.

Loans differ from grants in that loans must eventually be repaid (usually with interest). Grants, remember, are free money with very few strings attached. Obviously, if you can fund your education through work and grant money, do it. Loans are typically the last option, but the loans offered by the government tend to be better than most.

Stafford Loans

The Stafford Loan is the most common student loan offered by the U.S. government. This lower-interest loan comes from either the government directly or from a private lender guaranteed by the government. Check with your academic institution to see whether it participates in the Federal Direct Loan Program or the Federal Family Education Loan program-the former is a direct government loan and the latter comes from a private lender.

The Stafford Loan is available to both undergraduate and graduate students, and it comes in two varieties: subsidized and unsubsidized. Subsidized loans are the better option if you can get them. As with grants, subsidized loans tend to go to those from lower-income backgrounds. The primary advantage of the subsidized loan is that the U.S. government basically pays your interest until 6 months after graduation. Not until then are you expected to begin paying? The unsubsidized loan, on the other hand, does accrue interest while you’re in school. However, there is still no expectation to pay off the loan until you’ve graduated.

The interest rate on Stafford Loans varies, never going above 8.25 percent. Currently, the interest rate is hovering around 7%. This interest rate is the same for both subsidized and unsubsidized loans.

It’s also important to note that the Stafford Loan has a yearly cap: First-year students are capped at $2,625. This amount steadily increases each year. Fourth-year students often receive over $5,000. The payment is usually split in two, one arriving near the start of the traditional first semester, and the other arriving near January.

Federal PLUS Loans

The Federal PLUS Loan also comes in several flavors. The most common PLUS loan is a loan between the U.S. government and the student’s parents. Thus repayment of the loan is fully the responsibility of the parents. The current interest rate is slightly higher, coming in at 8.02%. Another primary difference between the PLUS loan and the Stafford loan is the ability, under PLUS, to borrow up to the amount of college AND living expenses, minus other aid received. Assuming you get a decently paying job when you finish college and are able to pay back the large debt, the PLUS loan allows you to pay for college, no matter how expensive.

 

Perkins Loan

The Perkins Loan is the third and final major loan offered through FAFSA. According to the FAFSA website, this loan is only administered by some participating campuses. So if you think you’d qualify for this one, check with your financial aid office. The Perkins Loan is needs-based, so if you didn’t qualify for the Pell Grant or subsidized Stafford Loans, you’re not likely to get this one either. It is subsidized, meaning interest does not accrue until some time after graduation. For this loan that window is 9 months after finishing school. With a maximum of $4000 per year (undergraduate) and with a low 5% interest rate, this loan is the loan of choice if you can get it. Additionally, you might be able to get some of the total cost of the loan eliminated if you teach in certain fields or areas. Check out Wikipedia’s Federal Loan Cancellation page for more information.

For those from low-income homes, there are a ton of opportunities for both grants and loans through the FAFSA program. Because of this, just about anyone with the desire and intelligence to do so should be able to get through college, one way or another. Once you’re done it’s up to you to find that winning job and pay off the debt, but we owe some thanks to good ole’ Uncle Sam for the help in paying for the degree!

Besides these loans, there are personal loans that you can choose. You can get a personal loan with low fixed rates that will help you with your education without putting too much strain on your finances. This will help you focus more on your studies rather than your loan amount.