I also have student loans to pay

[amandalynddoh]

[FONT=&quot]I am a 25 years old student who need for a way to pay for school. I have got way too far to just drop out, and I also have student loans to pay when I do graduate, so I am really trying to hold out until then. The only problem is I need some extra help. I am receiving financial aid, but it is not paying for my living expenses. My part time job isn't helping either. I applied for student loans in other places, but wasn't successful. Do you have any helpful ideas?[/FONT]

 

[samclem]

Welcome. Most of the people here are retired now or hope to retire early at some point in the future. Still, we talk about all kinds of things, and perhaps someone will have some useful suggestions for you.

Can you provide a little more information concerning your location, your course of study, your present living expenses, and your earnings?

If you've got your tuition and school expenses covered, then the shortfall is in covering your living expenses. If you are short there, there are two ways to make things work out: Increase your income or decrease your expenses. Sounds simple and rote, but your answer is hidden among those two factors.
One good thing: If you are living on a tight budget now, you are learning some important skills and attitudes that will serve you well later. If you continue to live modestly as your income increases, you'll be able to put away a lot in savings. That money will work for you, enabling you to work less yourself.

 

[plex]

Probably need more details, like whether this is undergrad/grad school, whether you need the loans to support more than just yourself and whether your school gives you access to loans beyond the stafford loans. Federal loans are just about always preferable. Bottom line though, if you can reduce your expenses, do so, the loans really aren't meant for more than tuition/average rent+utilities in the surrounding area+a reasonable food budget and a few other things like reasonable transportation costs. The loans aren't meant to cover more than just your own individual needs.

 

[chris2008]

You may also find ideas to save, stretch your budget and earn some more at The Dollar Stretcher and www.slnet.com's forums.
How about donating blood or move in with an elder person to exchange room versus help?

 

[Bimmerbill]

This may not be a popular option (especially now), but look into the National Guard or the Reserves. The Army National Guard paid for my BS and my MBA. They have a student loan repayment program, GI Bill (could be beefed up if pending legislation is passed) and other programs too.

While I was in, I had free tuition to all state schools. Of course you need to balance the possibility of being mobilized with benefits received...

 

[plex]

Having roommates is probably the biggest cost reducer I can think of, with roommates, your rent+utilities can be easily half as much as you would be spending in a single person apartment.

 

[ls99]

You can switch, full time work, part time school. I was a lot older than you when I started, 36.
Worked full time, including a lot of travel, school part time, took a lot of tests for equivalency credit, got the max number of credits the college allowed, 40. BS degree in 5 yrs, 3.55 GPA. Full fare, I paid for all costs out of my pockets. You can do it.