student debt

Student Debt Burnt by Fried Potatoes

No story I've heard about student loans matches the one about the guy called 'Fried Potatoes.' You know, the direct action aficionado who erased half a billion dollars in student debt - as an art project!

It's a much more colourful version of Occupy's debt freedom project. Remember? When they bought people's student debt at the commercial price (5 or 10% of face value) and cheaply freed some lucky Americans from their heavy student loan debts?

Canada’s Hidden Tax On Low-Income Students

I like to mix up our blog topics. But we need to return to this student loan interest theme because it’s costing Canadian students billions.

Let’s do the math.

Hey Freshers - Watch That Easy Credit

Summer holidays are over and school is starting tomorrow.

This fall, Student Finance 101 will add new articles about provincial student loan programs, plus more tips on saving money and cutting student debt.

Many of these articles and tips will help people who have already finished university or are still in high school.

But today's message is for those of you who start your first year of post-secondary school tomorrow:

Watch out for the easy credit!

Q & A on Saskatchewan's Student Loan Aid

by Rodney Noriega

Source for this Q + A:

Tammy Bloor Cavers is Executive Director with the Student Financial Assistance Branch of Saskatchewan's Ministry of Advanced Education, Employment and Immigration.

SASKATCHEWAN'S STUDENT LOAN INTEREST RATES:

Student Finance 101: What interest rate is charged for the Saskatchewan part of student loans?

Q & A on RAP - Canada's Student Loan Repayment Assistance Plan

By Rodney Noriega

Source for this Q & A: Barry Beaulieu is a policy administrator with the Canada Student Loans Program (CSLP).

WHO TO CONTACT ABOUT RAP

Student Finance 101: Who do you contact to apply for RAP?

Q & A for New Brunswick Student Loan Programs

Introducing a new series (Q & A)...

In this series, Student Finance 101 talks directly with people who can explain the rules of various student loan programs in Canada.

We'll start with New Brunswick.

In some ways, New Brunswick falls in the middle of the pack, student loan-wise. This standing isn’t helped by its high interest rates.

But New Brunswick (aka NB) has two good things going for it – IF you’re already finished with school.

Why Beat Up on the Students?

I've heard Canadians trashing students for 10 years now. It never changes. But it also never ceases to amaze me.

Why so much foaming at the mouth when a student says it's tough to handle student debt these days?

If you don't know what I'm talking about, just look at the comments that follow any online article or blog about the financial plight of students.

If the article is about a student who struggled - but failed - to find a job this summer, you'll see comments like 'Get a job, bum!" Which kind of misses the point now, doesn't it?