When I went to graduate school at Syracuse University, I had a small scholarship, and federal student loans. However, even with these resources, I still didn’t have quite enough money to pay tuition for my Master’s program.

So I turned to a private student loan to supply the deficiency.

“After students have considered scholarships, grants and federal student loans, their next step is to find private student loans,” says Beatrice Schultz, a licensed College Planning Relief specialist and co-founder of Westface College Planning.

“Private loans come from many sources, including public banks, private group, or individual lenders,” she continues. “All will require a co-signer, ideally with good credit.”

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There have been many movies made about money. One of the more interesting — at least from a spending perspective — was Brewster’s Millions. The movie was based on a novel written in 1902, and is one of 10 films based on that novel.

The main plot point of the movie is that Brewster has to spend $30 million in 30 days in order to get an inheritance of $300 million. Of course, he does have the option to accept $1 million up front and avoid trying to spend all that money. If he takes the $1 million, the rest goes to charity (minus a fee for the law firm executing the will).

Personally, I’d take the $1 million. I can’t even think about what I’d do with $30 million, much less $300 million. Plus, I’d feel great about the money going to charity. But that would ruin the point of the movie, and, of course, a thought experiment for the rest of us. The 30-day challenge comes with the following rules:

• You can only donate 5% to charity.
• You can only gamble away 5%.
• You have to get value for services you receive (no extravagant tipping just to spend money).
• You can’t own any assets already not yours at the beginning of the challenge.
• You can’t tell anyone what you’re doing.

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As you work to save up enough money to send your child to college, one of the tools at your disposal is the 529 plan.

This plan allows you to put money to work on behalf of your child. With a 529, money grows tax-free — as long as it is used for qualified education expenses.

But could the 529 be a little too effective? What happens if the account grows just enough that assets affect eligibility for financial aid? Depending on the situation, the 529 might be good enough to help out, but not quite enough to completely cover the costs. But if there is too much in the account, you could lose some of your  ability for the financial aid you need.

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One of the pieces of advice you are likely to receive about investing is that you need to make sure to diversify your portfolio.

However, diversification isn’t just about asset class and sector. Diversity also includes geography. For true diversification, you need to consider the where of your investments.

For some investors, it’s possible to do this by investing on a foreign stock exchange. A foreign market can provide you with access to different companies and opportunities.

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Back in 2010, Congress passed, and President Obama signed into law, the Patient Protection and Affordability Care Act (PPACA). In spite of the fact that the legislation ended up being passed without a key feature that President Obama wanted — a public option that would have allowed Americans access to the same plan Congresspeople have — the measure is popularly known as Obamacare.

After clearing the Supreme Court last year, mostly intact, Obamacare is getting ready to roll out in full force in 2014. Some of the provisions have been phasing in gradually, but 2014 marks the year that the provision to buy coverage or face a fine goes into effect.

Are you ready for Obamacare? Here are a few things that you need to know before January 1, 2014:
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Smart phones are becoming increasingly popular — and no wonder. With a smart phone, you can carry everything you need in the palm of your hand.

Your smart phone can act as a camera, GPS device, and do so much more than just allow you to talk to others. You can check email, complete banking transactions, and update your social media statuses.

But smart phones can also be expensive. I know. I finally ditched my prepaid cell phone and got a smart phone on a family plan with my husband. We didn’t want to lock in to a two-year plan, and we found that the contract-less deal offered by T-Mobile would save us money in the long run — even if we did buy the phones up front.

Others, though, are more about the cash flow than the long-term savings. And that can make sense if you aren’t prepared to shell out between $350 and $600 for a smart phone.
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One of the great things about the Internet is that it offers you the chance to access a great deal of knowledge. In fact, it’s possible to learn a great deal from free online courses.

However, there are downsides to online courses. First of all, with free courses, you won’t earn college credit. So if you are interested in getting a degree with online courses, you will need to pay for the credits, and do the schoolwork.

But if you are just looking for your own edification, free online courses can help you boost your knowledge base. Even so, there are still downsides.

Natalie Novoa, the co-founder and CEO of tech startup Teachmeo, has been researching how to address some of the issues associated with online courses. “We have been researching the space for a while,” Novoa says, “and found that the disadvantages of a free online course are many.”

This is especially true if you are serious about your learning. Here are some of the issues Novoa believes are inherent to free online courses:
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If you are looking for personal finance advice, chances are that you have read something written by Liz Pulliam Weston. According to Nielson/NetRatings, Weston is the most-read personal finance columnist online and easily the most prolific of the Top Money Gurus.

Not only is she widely read, but she has also won awards for her personal finance writing. Many readers identify with Weston’s easy-to-understand writing style, and her no-nonsense approach to money.

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