I believe that you still end up paying the full-term amount, even if you pay off faster, so the shorter period would save you money.

Suzi,

are you doing this through direct student loans or some place else? If it is the former, I could change my loan terms at any point and I did - to get my payments lower when I was brokeass.

If it is the latter, you may want to ask for more time and see if you can prepay the principal without penalty. Then you will have the best of both worlds.

It is through direct student loans. Nice to know I can adjust if needed.

A remote-controlled shark just swam behind my desk.

That is terrifying. I am going to go check my bathtub now. And under the bed. There's no water under my bed but you just can't be too careful.

Went to the community meeting. It was both informative and annoying. People need to learn that these are not for solving your personal problems RIGHT THEN but to give you the resources, contacts and apprise the community of an issue they might not be aware of. We have the most patient community Prez, police Major & liason cops ever. Plus, those guys are nice, funny and will give you their cell #s.

I think I need to see about becoming a block captain (since I'm such a info-gatherer and 911-happy anyway) and sign up for some citizens on patrol gigs. Cause I am like that.

Suzi,

yeah, you can login and manage your loans and they will tell you how your payments will change given the various options.

Went to the community meeting. It was both informative and annoying. People need to learn that these are not for solving your personal problems RIGHT THEN but to give you the resources, contacts and apprise the community of an issue they might not be aware of.

You might want to check out some Parks & Rec re: this.

I don't know if my enjoyment of the schadenfreude would extend beyond the 90+ minutes a few times a year! Even the cops got all coppy and said "Settle down! Can't solve this tonight!" Several times. Which was funny.

But they also approached that contingent after to give them a list of numbers to call. And they offered to escort them home (one of the issues was aggressive teens playing football in the street.)

You might want to check out some Parks & Rec re: this.

Ha! Yes, indeed. I couldn't really stand to go to my community's community meetings. Too many people get on my last nerve including a couple of the long-standing, most active members of the community association.

I have no idea how y'all will find out if I'm dead. My sister could find some of y'all on LJ, I guess. I think meara and Vortex might have her on their friends lists.

It would occur to my sister sooner or later to come post here. And she knows Trudy IRL (and more importantly for these purposes, on Facebook.) So y'all will find out in due course.

I already told a work friend to call the cops if she doesn't see me for a couple of days and I don't respond to her texts, after a local news story about someone being dead in an apartment for days.

This, on the other hand, would have the cops at my door several times a year.

Really, checking here ought to be the emergency plan in the first place.

A remote-controlled shark just swam behind my desk.

I totally want one of those.

Actually, the interest rate shouldn't change, it's just a weighted average of the various loans.

My interest rate went way down when I consolidated 8 or 9 years ago. I think they were like 6 and 8, and ended up consolidated at a little over 4.