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Life After College…What is Next?

We've finally graduated!Graduates near university are throwing up hats in the air.

You did it! You graduated from college. All that hard work finally paid off. Now that you don’t have to spend hours writing essays and taking exams, it’s a great time to focus on something else — your financial wellness. Take control of your finances and set yourself up for success with these key money management tips from InRoads.

Know What You Owe: If you’ve taken out student loans, whether federal or private, you’ll need to understand how much you owe. You can find your federal student loan balance and repayment information online at studentaid.gov. Be sure to check with any private lenders you’ve borrowed from, as well.

Build Your Credit: Apply for an InRoads Visa® Classic or Visa® Platinum Credit Card at inroadscu.org/credit-cards. Use less than 30% of your limit and pay off the balance on time every month. As time goes on, your limit can increase and your credit score will soar, which comes in handy when you apply for a loan or lower interest credit card.

Budget with Care: Start by writing out what you want to accomplish in the next few months, next year, and next five years, whether it’s paying off debt, buying a car, saving for a down payment, or starting your own business. Use your budget, month by month and year by year, to achieve your goals.

Be Credit Card Conscious: Hopefully, you didn’t have to rack up much credit card debt while in college, but if you did, try to pay it off as soon as possible. The more debt you pay down, the better your credit score becomes, which helps when you’re applying for an auto or home loan.

Boost Your Financial Education: Did you know that InRoads has a financial educator who provides his services to members for free? Meet with Ryan to get some help setting up your budget, improving your credit, or to achieve your future goals. Email Ryan at [email protected] to get started.

InRoads is Here for You. Just call, stop by, or connect with us using InRoads LIVE on your smartphone. We’ll be happy to answer all your questions and get your financial life underway.

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