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SMMC News & Events Blog
This blog highlights news, events, and informative articles on personal finance from University of Illinois System's Student Money Management Center. Feel free to navigate to different categories with the list of topics on the right or search for a specific topic next to the view all link below.
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  • Pointer finger with tiny graduation cap on it

    Know What You Owe Challenge - Fall 2022

    Nov 15, 2022 8:00 am64 views

    About half of students at the University of Illinois take out loans to fund their degrees. Make sure you're not surprised by the amount of student loans you have taken out when you graduate by taking the Know What You Owe Challenge which runs November 15 - December 15, 2022.

  • Pointer finger with tiny graduation cap on it

    Know What You Owe Challenge - Fall 2021

    Nov 15, 2021 12:00 pm170 views

    About half of students at the University of Illinois take out loans to fund their degrees. Make sure you're not surprised by the amount of student loans you have taken out when you graduate by taking the Know What You Owe Challenge which runs November 15 - December 15, 2021.

  • Pointer finger with tiny graduation cap on it

    Know What You Owe Challenge

    Apr 1, 2021 12:00 pm159 views

    About half of students at the University of Illinois take out loans to fund their degrees. Make sure you're not surprised by the amount of student loans you have taken out when you graduate by taking the Know What You Owe Challenge which runs April 1 - May 1, 2021.

  • Pointer finger with tiny graduation cap on it

    Know What You Owe Challenge

    Nov 15, 2020 12:00 pm116 views

    About half of students at the University of Illinois take out loans to fund their degrees. Make sure you're not surprised by the amount of student loans you have taken out when you graduate by taking the Know What You Owe Challenge.

  • IOUs: There's an App for That!

    Oct 14, 2016 3:30 pm17 views

    Have you heard of Venmo? Squarecash? These are just a few of the apps that allow you to send money to anyone, anywhere, anytime.  From a convenience standpoint, these advances are amazing—but what are the costs of convenience?

  • Funding a College Education

    Aug 11, 2023 1:30 pm26 views

    Funding your education can be a daunting task, but there are many tools to help students and their families cover the cost of a college education.

  • Financial Aid Notifications: Cost of Attendance is Estimated

    Aug 9, 2023 1:30 pm31 views

    Financial aid notifications, or award letters, contain valuable information that help you understand the costs of college. However, it's important to remember that Cost of Attendance is an estimate.

  • Exit Counseling is Live for Institutional Student Loan Borrowers

    Oct 1, 2020 4:15 pm4 views

    If you borrowed institutional loans to pay for school and are graduating or leaving school soon, don't forget to complete your Exit Counseling to avoid a transcript hold!

  • Decreasing Borrowing While in School

    Aug 14, 2023 1:30 pm26 views

    Student loans can be a valuable tool for increasing access to higher education, but it does come with a cost. Learn how to limit those costs while in school so you decrease future costs of compounding interest.

  • Credit Cards and Travel

    Apr 7, 2023 1:00 pm56 views

    Travel credit cards have become very popular, offering a wide range of benefits if you use them wisely. Read on to learn about the pros and cons of using credit cards during travel and strategies for responsible credit card use.

  • Creating Your Own Financial Education Plan

    Apr 19, 2021 4:00 pm39 views

    Use this guide to identify what modules in the University of Illinois Financial Literacy Badges Program align with your financial education needs and make a learning plan for yourself!

  • Conscious Credit - Get Savvy Webinar Recording

    Nov 11, 2020 1:00 pm0 views

    In the ever-changing credit market, how do you reconcile what you hear about credit to find accurate, credible information to help you make ethical and conscious borrowing decisions? This webinar explored the role of a responsible borrower, myths and facts about credit, and how building a positive credit profile can have lasting impacts on your overall financial well-being.

  • Completing the FAFSA

    Nov 1, 2019 12:30 pm1176 views

    The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, otherwise known as FAFSA, is “the largest source of financial aid to pay for college”. Read about important dates, tips & reminders for filing.

  • Build Credit to Your Advantage - Get Savvy Webinar Recording

    Nov 9, 2022 1:00 pm4 views

    Learn about building credit to your advantage by watching this webinar recording from November 9, 2022.

  • 2 stacks of coins with a graduation cap on one stack. Text reads Biden Student Loan Cancellation & PSLF Limited Waiver

    Biden Student Loan Cancellation & PSLF Limited Waiver

    Sep 15, 2022 1:00 pm257 views

    Not all federal student loan forgiveness programs are the same. We want to draw your attention to an upcoming deadline to be aware of if you work in public service and will still have a balance after the Biden student loan cancellations are processed.