The Right Way to Use Student Loans for Living Expenses

It’s always a bonus when college costs less than you anticipated, especially if you took out student loans to cover your education. If you borrowed a certain amount to cover your tuition, fees, and other expenses but financial aid covered more than you thought, you could receive a refund check for the balance.

Hooray! Free money, right?

Unfortunately, many college students treat a student loan refund like bonus cash and spend it on things they don’t need. And while it might be nice to get a new set of headphones or a computer or go on spring break, it’s important to remember that any money you borrowed needs to be paid back with interest.

So, what should happen with your student loan refund? Here are the do’s and don’ts.

How to spend your student loan refund

There are many smart ways you can use a student loan refund check to enhance your college experience.

Find cheap housing

If you live in a dorm, it’s considered a direct cost and is covered by your student loan before you receive your disbursement. But if you live off campus, it’s your responsibility to find and pay for housing yourself.

Use your student loan refund to cover you housing, but keep it simple. You don’t need to live in an expensive apartment to live in a decent neighborhood. Cut the cost even more by getting yourself a roommate or two.

Keep your food allowance minimal

The best way to eat on the cheap is to cook for yourself. There’s no shortage of cheap and easy recipes for college students online. Meal plan on a budget and use your student loan refund at the grocery store, not at restaurants.

Cover transportation costs

Unless you live on campus or within walking or biking distance, you’re going to need to pay for transportation.

Using your student loan refund to pay for transportation could allow you to get to and from a part-time job, helping you make money in the long run. You should always look at unexpected cash as a way to help get you out of debt rather than deeper in it.

Buy books and supplies

Your student loan refund is supposed to be used to cover education-related expenses. So, it’s a great way to buy the books and supplies you need. Just make sure to shop around for the best deal, which you won’t find at the campus bookstore. Look for used books online to save even more money.

Hire a tutor

There isn’t much of a point to student loan debt if you can’t pass your classes. If you’re struggling, paying for a tutor is absolutely worth the expense.

Pay for additional expenses

If you were approved for additional money to cover special expenses — such as child care, disability-related costs, a computer, or software — use it accordingly.

How not to spend your student loan refund

You might be tempted to use your refund money to spruce up your life a bit, but resist using it to do the following.

Buy furniture

If you’re living off campus in an unfurnished apartment, you’re going to need some household items. Bring what you can from home. Whatever else you need, buy it used. You’ll find plenty of cheap, gently used items on Craigslist, at yard sales, or in thrift stores.

Purchase new clothes

Make your current wardrobe work. If there’s something you just can’t live without, look for it in local thrift stores, check websites such as thredUP or Poshmark, or get together with friends for a clothing swap.

Get a new car

One of the worst mistakes you can make with your student loan refund is to spend it on a new car. Drive the one you have until it won’t drive anymore. If you don’t have a car, learn to make college life work without it. If you live on campus, it’s easy. If not, take public transportation or invest in a used bicycle.

Buy alcohol

Alcohol is a waste of money, and if you’re not careful, it also can be costly to your health, studies, and relationships.

Go on vacation

Whether it’s a weekend getaway or spring break, travel is a luxury that shouldn’t be funded by student loan money. There are plenty of ways to have free fun in a college town.

What to do with leftover student loan money

Save it

If you have more student loan money than you need, this is the perfect time to learn an essential life lesson — how to save for an emergency. You never know what might come up. If you do have leftover funds, sock them away for a rainy day.

Give it back

There is no rule that says you have to keep all the student loan money you receive. In fact, you can return part of your loan interest-free within the first 120 days.

If that 120-day window has closed, you still can pay a portion of your loan back. Take whatever you have left and make a student loan payment while still in school. You’ll put a dent in the debt and free yourself from the interest you’d otherwise pay on that amount when you graduate.

Bottom line: Spend as little as possible

One purchasing decision might seem like a drop in the bucket, but you’ll make hundreds of purchasing decisions while you’re in college. From housing to food to entertainment, that could add up to thousands of dollars in savings over the course of your college career.

While you should focus on keeping your costs down, you also should think about how to reduce your debt. A great way to do this is by taking on a side hustle while you’re in school. That way, you can make money to cover the costs above rather than using your student loan refund check.

If you can use your part-time income to pay for books, transportation, and other expenses, then your entire refund can go toward paying off your student loans.

Interested in refinancing student loans?

Here are the top 6 lenders of 2018!

Lender	Variable APR	Eligible Degrees
Get real rates from up to 4 Lenders at once Check out the testimonials and our in-depth reviews! 1 Important Disclosures for Laurel Road. Laurel Road Disclosures VARIABLE APR – APR is subject to increase after consummation. The variable interest rates are based on a Current Index, which is the 1-month London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) (currency in US dollars), as published on The Wall Street Journal’s website. The variable interest rates and Annual Percentage Rate (APR) will increase or decrease when the 1-month LIBOR index changes. 2 Important Disclosures for SoFi. SoFi Disclosures Student Loan Refinance: Fixed rates from 3.999% APR to 7.804% APR (with AutoPay). Variable rates from 2.480% APR to 7.524% APR (with AutoPay). Interest rates on variable rate loans are capped at either 8.95% or 9.95% depending on term of loan. See APR examples and terms. Lowest variable rate of 2.480% APR assumes current 1 month LIBOR rate of 2.07% plus 0.91% margin minus 0.25% ACH discount. Not all borrowers receive the lowest rate. If approved for a loan, the fixed or variable interest rate offered will depend on your creditworthiness, and the term of the loan and other factors, and will be within the ranges of rates listed above. For the SoFi variable rate loan, the 1-month LIBOR index will adjust monthly and the loan payment will be re-amortized and may change monthly. APRs for variable rate loans may increase after origination if the LIBOR index increases. The SoFi 0.25% AutoPay interest rate reduction requires you to agree to make monthly principal and interest payments by an automatic monthly deduction from a savings or checking account. The benefit will discontinue and be lost for periods in which you do not pay by automatic deduction from a savings or checking account. *To check the rates and terms you qualify for, SoFi conducts a soft credit inquiry. Unlike hard credit inquiries, soft credit inquiries (or soft credit pulls) do not impact your credit score. Soft credit inquiries allow SoFi to show you what rates and terms SoFi can offer you up front. After seeing your rates, if you choose a product and continue your application, we will request your full credit report from one or more consumer reporting agencies, which is considered a hard credit inquiry. Hard credit inquiries (or hard credit pulls) are required for SoFi to be able to issue you a loan. In addition to requiring your explicit permission, these credit pulls may impact your credit score Terms and Conditions Apply: SOFI RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MODIFY OR DISCONTINUE PRODUCTS AND BENEFITS AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE. To qualify, a borrower must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident in an eligible state and meet SoFi’s underwriting requirements. Not all borrowers receive the lowest rate. To qualify for the lowest rate, you must have a responsible financial history and meet other conditions. If approved, your actual rate will be within the range of rates listed above and will depend on a variety of factors, including term of loan, a responsible financial history, years of experience, income and other factors. Rates and Terms are subject to change at anytime without notice and are subject to state restrictions. 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. Licensed by the Department of Business Oversight under the California Financing Law License No. 6054612. SoFi loans are originated by SoFi Lending Corp., NMLS # 1121636. (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org) 3 Important Disclosures for CommonBond. CommonBond Disclosures Offered terms are subject to change. Loans are offered by CommonBond Lending, LLC (NMLS # 1175900). The following table displays the estimated monthly payment, total interest, and Annual Percentage Rates (APR) for a $10,000 loan. The Annual Percentage Rate (APR) shown for each in-school loan product reflects the accruing interest, the effect of one-time capitalization of interest at the end of a deferment period, a 2% origination fee, and the applicable Repayment Plan. All loans are eligible for a 0.25% reduction in interest rate by agreeing to automatic payment withdrawals once in repayment, which is reflected in the interest rates and APRs displayed. Variable rates may increase after consummation. All variable rates are based on a 1-month LIBOR assumption of 2.08% effective July 25, 2018. 4 Important Disclosures for Citizens Bank. Citizens Bank Disclosures Education Refinance Loan Rate Disclosure: Variable rate, based on the one-month London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) published in The Wall Street Journal on the twenty-fifth day, or the next business day, of the preceding calendar month. As of August 1, 2018, the one-month LIBOR rate is 2.07%. Variable interest rates range from 2.72%-8.17% (2.72%-8.17% APR) and will fluctuate over the term of the borrower’s loan with changes in the LIBOR rate, and will vary based on applicable terms, level of degree earned and presence of a cosigner. Fixed interest rates range from 3.50%-8.69% (3.50% – 8.69% APR) based on applicable terms, level of degree earned and presence of a cosigner. Lowest rates shown require application with a cosigner, are for eligible, creditworthy applicants with a graduate level degree, require a 5-year repayment term and include our Loyalty discount and Automatic Payment discounts of 0.25 percentage points each, as outlined in the Loyalty and Automatic Payment Discount disclosures. The maximum variable rate on the Education Refinance Loan is the greater of 21.00% or Prime Rate plus 9.00%. Subject to additional terms and conditions, and rates are subject to change at any time without notice. Such changes will only apply to applications taken after the effective date of change. Please note: Due to federal regulations, Citizens Bank is required to provide every potential borrower with disclosure information before they apply for a private student loan. The borrower will be presented with an Application Disclosure and an Approval Disclosure within the application process before they accept the terms and conditions of their loan. Federal Loan vs. Private Loan Benefits: Some federal student loans include unique benefits that the borrower may not receive with a private student loan, some of which we do not offer with the Education Refinance Loan. Borrowers should carefully review their current benefits, especially if they work in public service, are in the military, are currently on or considering income based repayment options or are concerned about a steady source of future income and would want to lower their payments at some time in the future. When the borrower refinances, they waive any current and potential future benefits of their federal loans and replace those with the benefits of the Education Refinance Loan. For more information about federal student loan benefits and federal loan consolidation, visit http://studentaid.ed.gov/. We also have several resources available to help the borrower make a decision at http://www.citizensbank.com/EdRefinance, including Should I Refinance My Student Loans? and our FAQs. Should I Refinance My Student Loans? includes a comparison of federal and private student loan benefits that we encourage the borrower to review. Citizens Bank Education Refinance Loan Eligibility: Eligible applicants may not be currently enrolled, must be in repayment of their existing student loan(s) and must make the minimum number of payments after leaving school. Primary borrowers must be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident or resident alien with a valid U.S. Social Security Number residing in the United States. Resident aliens must apply with a co-signer who is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. The co-signer (if applicable) must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident with a valid U.S. Social Security Number residing in the United States. For applicants who have not attained the age of majority in their state of residence, a co-signer will be required. Citizens Bank reserves the right to modify eligibility criteria at anytime. Interest rate ranges subject to change. Education Refinance Loans are subject to credit qualification, completion of a loan application/consumer credit agreement, verification of application information, certification of borrower’s student loan amount(s) and highest degree earned. Loyalty Discount Disclosure: The borrower will be eligible for a 0.25 percentage point interest rate reduction on their loan if the borrower or their co-signer (if applicable) has a qualifying account in existence with us at the time the borrower and their co-signer (if applicable) have submitted a completed application authorizing us to review their credit request for the loan. The following are qualifying accounts: any checking account, savings account, money market account, certificate of deposit, automobile loan, home equity loan, home equity line of credit, mortgage, credit card account, or other student loans owned by Citizens Bank, N.A. Please note, our checking and savings account options are only available in the following states: CT, DE, MA, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, and VT and some products may have an associated cost. This discount will be reflected in the interest rate disclosed in the Loan Approval Disclosure that will be provided to the borrower once the loan is approved. Limit of one Loyalty Discount per loan and discount will not be applied to prior loans. The Loyalty Discount will remain in effect for the life of the loan. Automatic Payment Discount Disclosure: Borrowers will be eligible to receive a 0.25 percentage point interest rate reduction on their student loans owned by Citizens Bank, N.A. during such time as payments are required to be made and our loan servicer is authorized to automatically deduct payments each month from any bank account the borrower designates. Discount is not available when payments are not due, such as during forbearance. If our loan servicer is unable to successfully withdraw the automatic deductions from the designated account three or more times within any 12-month period, the borrower will no longer be eligible for this discount. Co-signer Release: Borrowers may apply for co-signer release after making 36 consecutive on-time payments of principal and interest. For the purpose of the application for co-signer release, on-time payments are defined as payments received within 15 days of the due date. Interest only payments do not qualify. The borrower must meet certain credit and eligibility guidelines when applying for the co-signer release. Borrowers must complete an application for release and provide income verification documents as part of the review. Borrowers who use deferment or forbearance will need to make 36 consecutive on-time payments after reentering repayment to qualify for release. The borrower applying for co-signer release must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. If an application for co-signer release is denied, the borrower may not reapply for co-signer release until at least one year from the date the application for co-signer release was received. Terms and conditions apply. Average savings based on 18,113 actual customers who refinanced their federal and private student loans through our Education Refinance Loan between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2017. The calculation is derived by averaging the monthly savings of Education Refinance Loan customers whose payments decreased after refinancing, which is calculated by taking the monthly student loan payments prior to refinancing minus the monthly student loan payments after refinancing. The borrower’s savings might vary based on the interest rates, balances and remaining repayment term of the loans they are seeking to refinance. The borrower’s overall repayment amount may be higher than the loans they are refinancing even if their monthly payments are lower.
	2.57% – 5.87%	Undergrad & Graduate	Visit Earnest
	2.80% – 6.38%1	Undergrad & Graduate	Visit Laurel Road
	2.48% – 7.52%2	Undergrad & Graduate	Visit SoFi
	2.47% – 7.99%	Undergrad & Graduate	Visit Lendkey
	2.57% – 6.65%3	Undergrad & Graduate	Visit CommonBond
	2.72% – 8.17%4	Undergrad & Graduate	Visit Citizens