Student Loan Consolidation

Here’s Where Several 2020 Democratic Candidates Stand on Student Loans

Written by adminAugust 12, 2019

With the 2020 presidential race seemingly fully underway, the Democrat party has plenty of candidate is looking to become the nominee who face off against Pres. Trump. One of the biggest issues in this race is become student loan debt. It’s a problem that faces close to 45 million people, most of whom are desperately struggling to pay off their debt.

In a bid no doubt designed to win votes, nearly every Democrat running has some plan for canceling student loan debt and/or making college for everyone. Studies are being conducted that show that many young people are suffering and the burden of student loan debt. It’s forcing them to put off making major life decisions, like buying a home or getting married.

These decisions impact the economy more and more. It’s almost as if the student loan debt problem is a growing bubble. Considering this problem impacts more than just the person who took out the loan, but also their family and friends who are rallying to help the individual to get on their feet. Let’s take a look at several of the presidential candidates have to say about this problem.

Senator Elizabeth Warren

Sen. Warren wants to cancel up to $50,000 in student loan debt for people who have a modest income. She doesn’t want to completely wipe away student loan debt, and she feels that Americans making over $100,000 could easily afford their monthly payments. Really it would be an income-based forgiveness that will determine how much you are able to get taken off what you owe.

She’s also looking to make tuition free public college more of a thing. “Once we’ve cleared out the debt that’s holding down an entire generation of Americans, we must ensure that we never have another student debt crisis again,” Warren wrote in her Medium post, announcing the plan.

Senator Bernie Sanders

Where Sen. Warren is more careful to only offer free college to public schools and wipe away the debt the poorest of Americans, Sen. Sanders has the most comprehensive and complete wiping away of all student loan debt. His goal, through the College for All Act, would make going to college completely debt and tuition free for all Americans.

He also wants to continue giving Pell Grants to low income individuals so when they go to school, it will cover the non-tuition aspects of college, like room and board. He hopes to raise taxes on stock transitions to raise the nearly $2 trillion it will cost to both wipe out debt and provide free education for all.

Senator Kamala Harris

Sen. Harris’s plans aren’t as grand as the previous two, but if you are a Pell grant recipient, indicating low income status, that she wants to cancel is much as $20,000 in student debt. He also wants to offer a better student loan forgiveness program to historically black colleges and invest more in them.

“Yesterday I announced that, as president, I’ll establish a student loan debt forgiveness program for Pell Grant recipients who start a business that operates for three years in disadvantaged communities. https://kamalaharris.org/opportunity-gap/ …” she tweeted.

Senator Amy Klobuchar

Sen. Klobuchar is one of the more moderates in this area running for president. She been more careful not to talk too much about full student loan forgiveness, but she has supported legislation that makes paying back loans easier and more affordable for students. He’s even gone as far as speaking out against total tuition free schools. Although she does want to expand the Pell grant program which helps lower income individuals afford college.

Representative Tulsi Gabbard

Rep. Gabbard is on the same side as Sen. Bernie Sanders in supporting his College for All Act.

“This is the rate of student loan debt over the last 10+ years. Trump admin has made it worse by rolling back regulations and oversight on the way loans are administered. We need to re-invest in our students and make college attainable for everyone. #CollegeForAll” she tweeted.

Former Vice President Joe Biden

Out of all the candidates running for president, former VP Joe Biden is the one who hasn’t said very much at all about student debt during his campaigning. He is perhaps the most moderate of all the candidates while wiping out student debt and offering free tuition is more of a socialist credo. While he hasn’t stated anything recently, back in 2015 he did say he would support any measure that makes 4-year colleges tuition-free.

Written by adminJuly 31, 2019

Student Loan Consolidation

How far would you go to get your child into college? Most parents start planning for college when the child is born. They might open up a savings account and set aside a little money every month to help ensure that their kid is ready to go once they grow up. It might also apply for scholarships and grants, depending on what their financial status is.

It was recently discovered, in light of the Hollywood college scandal, but many parents are willing to go really far to help get their kids into college and taper down a lot of the expenses that goes along with it. In fact, many parents are willing to divorce themselves from their children, which is what some wealthy families in Illinois have been doing to cut down on the cost of paying for their children’s education.

They make too much money for their kids to apply for certain scholarships and things like Pell grants. In order to get around that and the claim money, these parents were giving up legal guardianship and even transferring legal custody to other relatives. They did it so that they can claim they make substantially less money so they qualify for these grant programs.

By transferring custody, usually completed by the junior year of high school, the students then can claim that they are either financially independent or that their legal guardian doesn’t make a lot of money. One student was able to claim that they made only $4,200 from a summer job while she lived at home with her parents in a $1.2 million mansion. The student was able to rake in $47,000 in grants and scholarships.

Is It Legal or Is It Fraud?

Technically, this isn’t considered fraud. It’s not even illegal to do. What business is it of any college to question who the legal guardian is of any student? The students want to become financially independent or parents want to transfer custody, it’s really their right to do that from a legal standpoint. That doesn’t mean it’s an ethical thing to do.

“It’s a scam,” Andy Borst, the director of undergraduate admissions at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, told ProPublica. “Wealthy families are manipulating the financial aid process to be eligible for financial aid they would not be otherwise eligible for. They are taking away opportunities from families that really need it.”

All it takes for a judge to agree to a transfer legal guardianship is when all parties agree. The new legal guardian, the parents, and the children will all get together and decide this is what they want to do. Any laws regarding this transfer guardianship are extremely broad, which doesn’t make it illegal to do in order to show your making less money.

After the Hollywood admissions scandal, these types of stories are seeing the limelight more and more. We’re beginning to see all the different ways that wealthy families are skirting the rules. These are the people who could most afford college tuition, they’re taking federal grant money from people who actually need it.

Written by adminJuly 24, 2019

Student Loan Consolidation

Currently in the United States, 44 million Americans owe $1.56 trillion worth of student loan debt. That’s a massive chunk of change that is forcing many Americans into making rash financial decisions. In fact, studies are showing that many people are putting off major life decisions, like getting married or having children, because they have too much student debt.

This is causing many people think that a college education might not be worth it. Of course, you have to consider your degree a long-term investment. It does pay off, but it will take a while. It does take time to build up your work experience and pay off your debt. One financial expert, Chris Hogan, author of “Everyday Millionaires”, simply advises people not to do it.

“No debt, don’t do it. If you have to wait while you work and save up money, or you wait while you pursue grants or scholarships, I would much rather it take you six years to get a four-year degree than to take on $200,000 in student loan debt that’ll take you 15 years to attempt to pay off,” said Hogan.

This is certainly an interesting perspective. Most people believe that they have to go to college immediately after high school. They don’t. If you can wait, and wait.

“Debt is a thief. This student loan situation is a massive problem,” Hogan stated. “On average, [Americans] have around $55,000 in student loan debt. So, people feel the crunch and the push to try to figure out what to do. And right now, they’re drowning in debt. They can attack this debt by being on a budget and understanding” how it can be fixed.

Student Loan Debt a Major Political Sticking Point

There’s a reason why many Democratic presidential candidates constantly speak about their plan to make college free. They also wish to wipe out all student loan debt. It does impact many lives and our economy. On the Republican side, it’s all about making personal choices. President Trump says the American taxpayers shouldn’t bear the weight of that debt.

“There’s a myth that you have to go to a ‘fancy school’ and take on $200,000 of student loans to become wealthy,” Hogan said. “Instead, state and community colleges are good affordable options.

“Some young people don’t need to go to college,” Hogan said. “They might need to go to a trade school or maybe they work while they’re saving up money. But I think there’s so many scholarships and grants out there, that we’re so used to signing on the dotted line for a student loan instead of taking the time to apply for scholarships.”

Written by adminJuly 18, 2019

Student Loan Consolidation

Most of us have fond memories growing up and playing Monopoly with our friends and family. Sitting at the table or on the floor for hours and accumulating as many properties as you can get, putting hotels on Boardwalk and Park Place while hoping your annoying sister lands right there and gets bankrupt right out of the game. Ahh, memories.

Monopoly is still one of the top best selling games of all time and has maintained its popularity since 1935. This game has been around for so long that they’ve had to release several ‘modern’ versions to keep up with inflation. Even as more kids have given up playing board games in exchange for digital technology, the game remains popular.

What’s really important about Monopoly is understanding that it can be used for more than just a game. You can use it to teach your children simple economic concepts they may not understand. We’ve all gotten frustrated playing Monopoly a time or two when we start losing and spiraling out of control. These can be important lessons for the little ones.

Here are three money lessons you can teach your kids by playing Monopoly:

Lesson #1: Don’t Accumulate Debt

One of the main points of the game involves properly managing your debt. It’s fun when you get involved in building assets and creating a real estate empire. But you’ll soon find yourself incurring debt. That happens when you land on another player’s property and have to pay rent. The amount of rent you owe may turn out to cost more than you have.

At that point, you start selling off your own assets to pay the debt and stay in the game. This is known as a tipping point as soon as your debts outweigh your assets and you have nothing left. Yes, kids will probably get frustrated by getting behind and owing money, but let them work through it. The lesson is the same in life. Don’t get yourself into a lot of debt!

Lesson #2: Entrepreneurial Decisions Are Often a Roll of the Dice

We definitely want to encourage our kids to be entrepreneurs and Monopoly shows us exactly how business ownership is like. We often have to make tough decisions around cash-flow issues. When starting a business, you will make decisions whose outcomes are often like a roll of the dice. You don’t know how it will turn out, either in your favor or not. How do you operate when this happens?

Lesson #3: Borrowing Money from Friends and Family Impacts Relationships

There may come a time in the game when you have to borrow some money from someone else playing with you. Your cash flow may dwindle down and to stay in the game, you’ll have to ask a friend or family member to lend you some cash. But that can become a complicated situation. What if they lend you money, but they need it back before you’re ready to pay it back? What a frustrating situation that can cause and hurt those relationships along the way.

Written by adminJuly 16, 2019

Loans , Student Loan Consolidation

If you’re one of the 44 million Americans who have student loans, it may seem like you’ll never be able to pay it off. It can be an insurmountable amount of money totaling in the tens of thousands of dollars. The average amount of student loan debt Americans have is around $28,000. That will take them as long as 10, even 20 years to pay off.

This is causing a lot of problems and so many people’s lives. It even impacts the economy as it prevents young people from making major life decisions. It’s making them decide to put off getting married, having children, buying a car, or even getting a mortgage. There unable to buy health insurance or save for retirement.

The impact of the $1.53 trillion owed was going to be felt for a very long time. The economy might be thriving right now, but having this much debt as caused major recessions in the past. At some point, the bubble might burst. And while many people are sitting around and waiting for politicians to create a fix, there are things you can do right now to help yourself.

Here are five tips for paying off your student loans faster:

1) Don’t Just Pay the Minimum Balance

The minimum balances there for a reason. If you could pay less, then of course you would. At that point, it would take even longer for you to pay off your debt. We definitely would like to have more money in our pockets, but that’s not going to happen until we pay off our debt. That debt is going to stick with us until it’s paid off. You cannot declare bankruptcy and get rid of this debt. By avoiding it, you’re only making the situation worse in your life. Instead, take responsibility for your debt. Pay it off as quickly as possible. That’ll actually lower the interest will be expected to pay for the lifetime of your debt. Interest alone can add thousands to your total, so limiting that while paying it off quicker will help you in the long run.

2) Set a Payoff Date for Motivation

Whether you decide you’re going to pay more than the minimum balance each month, do a little bit of math and figure out exactly the date when you finish paying off your debt. Use that data as motivation moving forward. Might even think that the date is too far off and make the wise choice to beat the date and pay it off sooner.

3) Check into Refinancing

Listen, if you’ve had your debt for a while and you’ve had a great track record of paying it off without taking on more debt, you could get your debt refinanced. When you graduated college, you probably didn’t have a great credit score. That means monthly payments or higher, as is the interest you’ll be expected to pay. But if you improved your credit score, that will certainly help you to refinance and get a lower interest and monthly payment. Lower interest means you’ll pay it off sooner.

4) Check Out How Each Payment is Applied

When you make monthly payments, you might think every dollar is going toward your loan. It’s not. This is how the lenders make their money. A big chunk of your payment goes towards the interest, not the principal. That means you’re paying off your student debt even slower than you realize. This is why it’s important to pay more each month, as the more you pay, the more you’ll pay down the principal amount.

5) Avoid Forbearances

There may come a time when you think the best course of action is to get a forbearance. Forbearance will allow you to hold off on making payments for certain time without impacting your credit score or putting you into default. While there may come a time when you desperately need a forbearance, it’s never a good idea, especially if you do it for a long period of time. Even while you’re on forbearance, your debt will still collect interest and grow during that time. Always pay something, even if things are financially tight.

Written by adminJuly 3, 2019

Student Loan Consolidation

When we talk about the student loan debt crisis, you’d think of average everyday citizens fighting to survive. This is true, but this issue hits a lot of people really hard, even middle-class and some we’d consider ‘wealthy.’ Recently, it was found out that even presidential candidates can hold student loan debt.

Pete Buttigieg is one of the Democratic party’s darlings so far. He’s married to his husband Chasten Glezman. As part of his filings to become an official presidential candidate, Buttigieg had to file a financial disclosure. The Office of Government Ethics takes this information and makes it public for those who are interested in how much candidates and politicians are making.

With this filing, it revealed that Buttigieg and Glezman owe together between $110,000 and $265,000. His campaign spokesman, Chris Meagher, actually stated that the exact total of student loan debt they hold is $131,296. This means if Buttigieg is elected president, he won’t just be the first gay president, but also the first to hold student loan debt while in office.

Political Points

Buttigieg hasn’t hidden the fact that he has student loans from constituents. He’s actually been pretty open about it. He’s told his story about graduating from Harvard in 2004, winning a Rhodes scholarship, and later graduating from Oxford in 2007. Most of the debt between them, though, comes from Glezman who has a lot of debt getting his master’s degree.

Having student loan debt makes Buttigieg a sympathetic figure in the Democratic party. This has been a hot-button issue over the past few years. They’re just one of 44 million Americans who owe $1.53 trillion. This is the most recent data according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The figures are set to be updated this fall.

Buttigieg is one of several other Democrats who have laid out their ideas on fixing the student loan debt problem here in the United States. President Trump hasn’t done much of anything towards helping to battle the epidemic at all. His approach is strategic in his own way. He says the burden shouldn’t be passed on to taxpayers to pay for people to go to college.

That’s a personal decision you make, you should pay for it. But the Democratic party is listening to the growing outrage of the younger generation. They’re leaving college with mountains of debt and screaming for help. Many of them demand free tuition, even saying it’s their right to go to college debt-free.

Buttigieg says he wants to expand the Pell grant, add more help towards the Public Service Student Loan program, and offer more assistance to lower-class families under debt. Moving forward, he also wants to offer a ‘zero tuition’ for low-and-middle class families when going to public school.

Written by adminJuly 2, 2019

Student Loan Consolidation

Only a few days after presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren released her plan of canceling up to $50,000 for each person student loan debt, Bernie Sanders decided it was time for him to jump in as well. Also a 2020 presidential candidate, Sanders has had a lot to say about this debt problem. His solution is even broader than Warren’s and cancels a lot more student debt.

While Warren only wants to focus on the lower- and middle-class Americans, leaving the rich to fend for themselves, Sanders wants to wipe out the entire $1.5 trillion enchilada with one fell swoop. This plan is a lot deeper than a lot of the other proposals made by other presidential candidates. But make no mistake, all the 2020 hopefuls have their own ideas.

The Washington Post first outlined his proposal that hopes to wipe out every dollar of student loan debt. That means all of the 46 million Americans with student loan debt would walk away absolutely scot-free. This is certainly a very interesting concept that has a lot of Americans paying attention.

“In a generation hard hit by the Wall Street crash of 2008, it forgives all student debt and ends the absurdity of sentencing an entire generation to a lifetime of debt for the ‘crime’ of getting a college education,” Sanders stated in remarks prepared for a Monday news conference detailing the proposal. Other Democrats, including Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), support this proposal.

Canceling Student Loan Debt for Americans

The cancellation of student loan debt will have a large and sweeping impact on the US economy. The problem with student loan debt as of late has been rising tuition as well as the number of Americans who immediately leave college and are burdened with additional payments equivalent to paying down rent or an expensive auto loan.

The average former student pays as much as $3000 per year. This prevents them from being able to invest money in other things. In fact, mind Americans blame student loan debt for their inability to rejoin the rest of society. Paying off so much debt that they’re unable to afford insurance, to save money, and it’s even forcing them to push off major life decisions.

Of course, the way Sanders plans on paying for this that is very Bernie Sanders. He plans on going after the rich and taxing them to give a 100% clean slate to everyone with student loan debt. “We bailed out Wall Street in 2008,” the senator tweeted early Monday morning. “It’s time to tax Wall Street’s greed to help the American people.”

Currently in the United States, 46 million people owe $1.5 trillion in student loan debt. This is a number that it is going to continue to increase as tuition grows each year. New numbers will be updated this fall, so we could be looking at a brand-new record. 11% of the student loan debt out there is facing serious delinquency. 40% is expected to be in default in the next five years.

Other Candidates Support Student Loan Forgiveness

Just about every other Democratic candidate has come out in favor of some type of student loan forgiveness. Julián Castro is one of those candidates. He isn’t making any the same headlines that Warren and Sanders are making, but really agrees with them that the government needs to do more to protect American citizens.

“The federal government has failed to adequately step in to support students and universities — pushing more and more students towards costly loans that can at times be predatory,” Castro wrote on his website. “Make no mistake: this is a crisis. More and more students are defaulting on their loans, tanking their credit for years to come. It’s time we break the work-school tug of war.”

This is a major crisis in our country and our president has done nothing to help combat it. In fact, he has even attempted to remove the current student loan programs out there that help students who are struggling to pay back their loans. President Trump feels as if it’s not fair to put the burden of a person’s decision to go to college on the backs of American taxpayers.

Written by adminJuly 2, 2019

Credit & Debt , Student Loan Consolidation

Less and less Americans are becoming financially savvy. Most of the reports we’ve covered here at Financial Helpers talk about most people being big spenders, taking out loans and debt they can’t afford, and refusing to save any type of money. As a result, it’s taking a massive toll on us financially. We’re in more debt today than we’ve ever been in before.

A lot of us were never taught about the benefits of being financially responsible. As soon as we had the chance to do so, we probably ruined our credit or got caught up with a lot of debt. But for the high school and college students with no credit history at all, you get an amazing chance of starting out just right.

The easiest point to start out is the beginning, but it will take some time. A large portion of your credit score is determined by several years’ worth of on time payments. You have to be diligent and on your game. Over time, you’ll see your numbers climb higher. It’s super important to have a good credit score for many reasons.

For one, some employers look at credit scores. Showing good decision-making skills with your money and finances is important to a lot of future employers. It can also save you a ton of money down the road by cutting down the amount of interest you’ll have to pay. And when it’s time to buy a home or a car, the better score will bring down your monthly payments.

Here are a few other things you can do to build your credit score from scratch:

1) Don’t Apply Blindly for Credit Cards

When trying to get credit cards for building credit, a lot of people make the mistake of just applying for anything they can get. This is a wrong move to make. Every application you fill out that requires a credit check hits your credit as an inquiry. 10% of your credit score is determined simply by how often you apply for credit.

The thing is, you might be declined for these cards because they are above your level. Don’t go for the extremely popular American Express and Discover cards. You must have good credit and a steady income to find your way towards those. Instead, find starter credit cards. They will give you less credit to play around with and may even require a deposit to get started.

Rather than getting an inquiry hit and risking being declined, go for the smaller cards and those you have a better chance at being approved for. Yes, these cards will probably suck and have horrible interest rates, but as long as you know how to use a credit card, that won’t matter. Let’s look at what that means in the next point.

2) Don’t Go Crazy with Credit Cards

The best way to build your credit isn’t to go crazy and max out your cards every month. In that case, you risk something happening and defaulting on your payments. If you can’t make 100% on-time payments, it’s going to work against you by hurting your credit. Instead, use your credit cards sparingly. Use what you can pay off each month and you’ll avoid having to waste any money on accumulated interest and still get a 100% on-time payment reputation.

3) Learn What All the Terminology Means

When dealing with credit, there are a lot of things you need to know. What’s your interest rate and how is that calculated? What’s APR? Do you know what annual fees and minimum payments mean? There’s a lot of stuff that can really swamp you if you’re not prepared and knowledge about how the whole system works.

Written by adminJuly 2, 2019

Saving , Student Loan Consolidation

Currently in the United States, prescription drugs cost a lot higher than anywhere else in the developed world. It can be a major burden on many Americans, especially those who rely on certain drugs to keep them alive. Diabetics and people with severe allergies couldn’t survive without their medications.

The average American pays somewhere around $1,200 each year for their prescription drugs. Seniors often pay more as the cost of drugs is only expected to go up in the future. This is according to data from several major study projections that expect drug costs to rise 6% per year through 2027. This is as many Americans are fighting for free healthcare.

If you’re struggling to buy prescription drugs for yourself or for a loved one, here are 5 ways to save money on these drugs:

1) Get Generic Drugs

Many of us don’t know the full dynamic between doctors and the drugs they prescribe. They don’t realize that mega pharmaceutical companies can have doctors in their back pockets. They’ll actually reward them for prescribing the expensive name brands. To counter this, all you have to do is tell your doctor that you’re on a budget and just want generics. Don’t be afraid to tell your doctor that you’re limited financially and they can help find a pathway of treatment that can fit your budget and lifestyle.

2) Split Your Pills in Half

Depending on the types of medications you get, you can try cutting them in half. It might sound strange, but it will ultimately save you money. Ask for a higher dose and use a pill cutter to cut the pills in half and you’ve just saved yourself half of your medication budget. This is one trick a lot of seniors are doing to make their medications last as long as possible.

3) Use Apps, Cards, and Membership Plans

A lot of the bigger pharmacies around the country, like CVS, Rite Aid, and Walgreens, each have their own membership card program that can help you save money on your prescriptions, as well as other items in the store. There are many apps out there as well, like GoodRx and WellRx that will highlight the costs of individual drugs and tell you their prices at different stores so you can compare price your medications, making it easier on you.

4) Get Drug Coupons

Yes, drug coupons do exist! As well as trying to get your doctor to push the expensive, name brand drugs, the pharmaceutical companies will also send your doctor coupons! Again, don’t be afraid to tell your doctor that you’re struggling financially. They will most likely do whatever they can to help you get the medications and treatment you need at a better price you can afford.

5) Use a Non-Profit or Assistance Program

Your area, especially if you live in a low-income town or city, might have some prescription drug assistance programs in your area. There may even be federally mandated assistant programs for you to choose from, like NeedyMeds, the Patient Advocate Foundation, and The Partnership for Prescription Assistance.

Written by adminJuly 2, 2019

Life Style , Student Loan Consolidation

People have been waiting around for the flying car ever since Back to the Future promised us this advancement back in the 1980s, but we’re not quite there yet. Still, we’ve come a long way in transportation since our horse and buggy days. For many decades, your average combustion engine has been the way of the automobile.

It has dominated sales for three main reasons:

1) Cheaper to make than electric cars,

2) Better range than electric cars, and

3) Cheap fuel.

These days, the paradigm is shifting. Concerns over global warming caused by pollution from cars and trucks are at an all-time high. Global temperatures are rising and smog is only getting worse in heavily populated areas. The only way to combat these issues is through the advancement of technology and purchasing electric cars.

If you find yourself concerned for the environment and desire to play your part in helping fix the problem, there are a few things you need to know before buying an electric car. Here is a short list of things you might need to know:

1) What is your normal route? The one downside to electric cars is their lack of range. If you live and work on completely opposite ends of a large city, or maybe you’re situated way out in the country, you might want to second guess the electric car and go for a hybrid. Electric cars only have a maximum range of 100 miles. A lot of them are shorter than that. Do you do a lot of driving during an average day? Do you take a lot of trips? Get stuck in traffic a lot? If so, then a hybrid vehicle might be the best for you, as it combines an electric engine with a combustion one, so when the battery juices run out, it switches over to gas.

2) Consider where you live. Anyone who has ever driven a vehicle with a battery in very cold weather knows that the battery doesn’t extreme temps. If you live somewhere that gets super cold for a prolonged amount of time, then an electric car might not be for you. You must also consider your availability to a charger. Some require a simple power outlet. A lot of places where the EV cars are most popular are integrating charging stations. So, always be sure to know your surroundings and if having any type of EV or HEV is right for the conditions.

3) EVs have very little noise. If it’s one thing all car owners know well, it’s the hum of the combustion engine. The sound it makes when it starts up, when it’s being revved, and when you’re slowing down. It will take some time to get used to the fact that electric engines are virtually silent. This might be great, except for the fact that no one will hear you coming. This can be dangerous when going around corners. It will require you to change the way you drive.

4) You’ll have to rethink fueling up. We’ve all done it before. We’ve all waited until the tank was nearly empty, driving on fumes to pull into the gas station. We save fueling for when we’re out an about because it takes typically 5 minutes or less. With an electric car, you don’t have that luxury. The average time to charge a battery is 90 minutes. So, if you’re rushing late to work and you forgot to charge your car overnight, you’re out of luck. You can’t just stop at the gas station.

5) Costs of going green. Yes, the biggest perk of going green is you no longer have to spend money on endless gallons of gasoline. This doesn’t require the constant repairs, oil changes, and other maintenance issues that crop up with a combustion engine car. But one of the biggest complaints about the EV is they are typically more expensive. Their expense is why gasoline powered cars became more popular than electric all those years ago. You should be able to do your research and see how the cost vs. savings plays out for you.

6) The government might want to help you get one. Combined with point #5, you should be sure to check into whether the government is in the mood to help cover the costs of buying an electric car. They often offer subsidies to encourage people to go clean instead of buying a cheaper, combustion engine vehicle. Both the federal and state level governments offer their own benefits, so be sure to check what you can obtain for your state.

7) These things go fast! Face it, we all love speed. It’s a need, really. There’s a myth out there that electric cars are super slow compared to the muscle-power you get with a combustion engine. The latest Model S EV from Tesla can hit zero-to-sixty in 2.8 seconds. That’s some serious speed! It’s comparable to the 918 Spyder from Porsche! Whatever specification you have in a car, an EV offers all the torque you need.

8) Not for towing. While electric vehicles have great speed, the technology doesn’t exist quite yet for them to do any heavy-duty work. Not only is range an issue, but EVs are generally weaker.

9) You can go hybrid. If you need more range or power, then you should consider a hybrid vehicle. Hybrids combine the electric battery with the usual combustion engine. The purpose of these is sort of a bridge between full-electric and full-gasoline. When the battery runs out, it would automatically jump to the gas engine.

As environmentalism grows in fervor, more people will start to search for cleaner ways to get around. Electric cars are the future of transportation. Armed with these nine things to know, you’ll be well on your way to living as carbon-free as possible. There are other things to know and remember, which we will provide in future articles.

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