Resource Spotlight: Loan Simulator

Paying towards your interest while in school and during your grace period can help save you money- any interest that is remaining once repayment begins will be capitalized or added to your principal balance. That means you'll have to pay interest on interest. Do what you can to chip away your accrued interest and avoid capitalization. 

Most loan servicers offer a .25% interest rate reduction when you activiate auto-pay for your monthly payments.

Use complex passwords.  The Duke community can download LastPass  for free from the Office of  Information Technology's website.

Start saving and investing young to take advantage of the awesome power of compound interest.

If you are prone to spontaneous spending, consider keeping your credit card in a safe place instead of carrying it with you.

Make your own coffee at home.  If you spend just $3.50 every workday for your latte or cappuccino, you're losing over a thousand dollars per year.

Don’t think of credit cards as another source of income!

Opt out of credit card solicitations here.

Many credit card companies offer virtual account numbers that increase the security of online purchases because they are good with only one merchant for only one month.

If you do not report fraudulent bank account activity within 60 days of the statement where it appears, the entire loss will fall on you.