“As an 18-year-old, I made one of the biggest commitments of my life. I was accepted into a civil engineering degree program and signed up for student loans to finance my college education. What I did not know at the time was how negatively this financial decision would impact my life years after graduation. You see, I was “awarded” unsubsidized and subsidized Federal Stafford Loans, Perkins Loans and private loans in the U.S., plus a private student loan from a Caribbean bank. After my first year of college, I knew I would be on track to have more than $100,000 (USD) in student loan debt, so I had to figure out a way to get off that path and take control of my financial future. I decided to change schools and apply for free money in the form of scholarships. Even after winning multiple scholarships, I still ended up graduating with $58,000 (USD) in student loans. Ouch! My debt then jumped to nearly $70,000 (USD) after graduate school.” Are you mired in student debt?
Podcast Episode 31. Melisa Boutin from St. Kitts & Nevis: Personal Finance for Caribbean Millennial Women
You can also listen in via Soundcloud, itunes, Stitcher Podcasts, Google Play and Spotify .
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
- Build a business or pay off debt?
- How to avoid student debt
- Strategies for paying off student debt
- Understanding the culture and system of debt
- Good debt vs bad debt and leveraging debt for financial wellness
MORE INFO ON MELISA
Melisa Boutin is a Certified Financial Education Instructor, student loan expert and author who is passionate about filling the gap of financial information for Caribbean Millennials. After paying off her own student loan, she hosted a first of its kind financial workshop to educate current University of the Virgin Islands students about how their Caribbean student loans work and founded Yourmoneyworth.com. Her insights have been featured on Canada’s CBC News, Voices of NY, Voice of The Caribbean Radio and her writing has appeared in Potent Magazine.
