Financial Literacy

The Financial Aid Office at Elizabethtown College has compiled a list of resources to help you meet your financial goals. We also offer workshops throughout the semester on various topics such as budgeting, understanding credit scores, and exit counseling for seniors and graduate students. We hope the following resources will help support our current students as well as our graduates for life beyond Elizabethtown College. Financial Aid counselors are available by appointment Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Contact us at (717) 361-1404 or finaid@etown.edu with any questions or concerns.

Budgeting:

Financial Awareness Counseling provides tools and information to help you understand your financial aid and assist you in managing your finances.

Budget Calculator: http://www.youcandealwithit.com/borrowers/calculators-and-resources/calculators/budget-calculator.shtml
Best Budget Apps: https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/finance/budgeting-saving-tools/

Repayment :

Learn about how, when and to whom you make your federal loan payments: https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment
The Loan Simulator can help you figure out which repayment plan is best for you:https://studentaid.gov/loan-simulator/
The Ultimate Guide to Paying off Student Loans Faster: https://studentloanhero.com/featured/ultimate-guide-paying-off-student-loans-faster/

Credit:

Get a free copy of your credit report every 12 months. Ensure that the information on all of your credit reports is correct and up to date: https://www.annualcreditreport.com/index.action
How do I get and keep a good credit score: https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/how-do-i-get-and-keep-a-good-credit-score-en-318/
U.S. News and World Report: Best Student Credit Cards: https://creditcards.usnews.com/student#us-news-survey
How do FICO scores consider student loan shopping: https://www.myfico.com/crediteducation/questions/student-loan-shopping-fico-score.aspx
Disputing Errors on Credit Reports: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0151-disputing-errors-credit-reports
How young people can build their credit: https://www.cnbc.com/2019/02/12/how-college-students-can-raise-their-credit-scores-.html

Saving:

Fastweb- 31 Money Saving Tricks for Students: https://www.fastweb.com/personal-finance/articles/the-31-money-saving-tricks-for-students
Other Ways to Save: http://www.finaid.org/savings/otherwaystosave.phtml
Here’s How to Get Debt-Free Without Sacrificing the Fun Stuff: https://www.thepennyhoarder.com/smart-money/how-to-pay-off-debt-without-sacrificing/?aff_id=2&aff_sub2=full-time-college-student-save-to-travel

Taxes:

IRS Publication 970: Tax Benefits for Education: https://www.irs.gov/publications/p970
Qualified Education Expenses: https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/individuals/qualified-ed-expenses
Education Credits: https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/individuals/education-credits
Elizabethtown College Business Office: https://www.etown.edu/offices/business-office/annual-expenses/education-tax-credit.aspx

Other Resources:

5 Free Online Classes to Improve your Financial Literacy: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/2017/01/31/5-free-online-classes-improve-your-financial-literacy/96568562/
5 Free Personal Finance Classes Everyone Shohuld Enroll In This Fall: https://www.forbes.com/sites/sleasca/2017/08/31/free-personal-finance-classes-online/#11c3551b1bce
Mymoney.gov: https://www.mymoney.gov/Pages/default.aspx
Take a Deep Breath: Here’s How to Tame Your Financial Stress: https://www.thepennyhoarder.com/smart-money/tame-financial-stress/?aff_id=2&aff_sub2=full-time-college-student-save-to-travel
Student Loan Hero Blog: https://studentloanhero.com/blog/
Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/
Peace Corps and Repayment of Your Federal Student Loans: https://studentaid.gov/sites/default/files/peace-corps-and-loan-repayment.pdf

Events:

Visit our Announcements page or the Campus Calendar to find upcoming events about financial literacy, budgeting, or loan repayment workshops.