Yep. It’s actually time to make your first loan payment. Don’t worry, if you plan ahead, you can avoid feeling like this:

With that in mind, I want to share our old friend Derrick’s cautionary tale from 2013 about first loan payments, as well as offer some helpful tips for getting it right from the start.

As an added bonus, since this is a stressful time in your life, mark your first payment with a UVM Alumni Association bottle opener. Just click below, complete short form, and you can get one. We only have 100 to giveaway, so request yours early.

Now, take it away Derrick!

“I was on an 8-hour drive for my job (not fun) and in the middle of the 5th radio appearance of Pharrell William’s “Happy”  I realized my first loan payment was due that day. I pulled out my crappy, quasi-smart phone and tried to make my payment on the side of the road.

After navigating the worst website in history, I managed to click the payment button before my browser crashed — did I make my payment? Only the internet gods knew for sure.

When I finally got home and logged on from my laptop, it hit me. I had already signed up for automatic loan payments and my side-of-the-road payment also went through.

I made a double payment — not because of my financial acumen — but because of my disorganization. 

I ate lots of Ramen that month. This is definitely not an experience to emulate and I’m going to try and make up for it by giving you really solid advice”.

Don’t be like Derrick. Here are 5 essential things you should do before making your first payment:

1. Read this article to get started understanding your loans.
2. Get Organized. Figure out if you have federal loans or private loans (or both) and how many. It’s probably easiest to ask your parents, look at old mail, or check your email — you loan provider has almost certainly tried to contact you by now.
3. Pick a repayment plan. There are several types and many loans have an option for income-based repayment.  Also, if you are in grad school, make sure to defer your loans.
4. Don’t make your payment late. They are already going to get enough of your money. Don’t give them any extra.
5. Get Your Free UVM Alumni Association Bottle Opener. This is our way of easing the pain of that first payment. Open your favorite Vermont beverage with it, sink into your couch, and start a Netflix binge. You earned it .

One of the challenges of the proverbial “real world” is learning how to manage your money. Expenses mount, loan payments loom, and you’re just trying to get by without doing any major damage. I get it. I’ve been there — heck I am there.

So I put together a few basic personal finance tips from around the internet for you. Most of these are common sense but they’re worth repeating because they work.

Obviously, I’m not a financial adviser and everyone’s situation is different so take this list for what it is — a friendly reminder to look at your own habits and figure what works for you. If these articles and pieces of advice can help you get there, all the better.

1. Set up a budget and track it — Knowing where your money is going is crucial in plugging holes and maximizing spending/savings. Mint.com is a great way to create and track a budget. They walk you through the set up process and do all of the tracking for you — piece of cake!

2. Prep for paying loans — Thinking about student loans can be intimidating, but a little prep can go a long way. Knowing how much you owe, understanding your payment schedule, budgeting for your monthly payment, and making early payments when possible, will make your life much easier and get you out of debt faster.

3. Sign up for a retirement plan  — if you landed a job and haven’t signed up for the 401(k), 403(b), or retirement savings plan offered, hustle down to HR right now to find out how. This article explains how a 401(k) works, why it’s important to think about retirement now, and how you can benefit from your company’s match. (If you’re not working or your company’s plan isn’t right for you,opening your own Roth IRA may be a great option.)

4. Build your own credit — You hear warnings about “bad credit”, but what you may not know is that sometimes having no credit can be just as challenging. Start building your credit now. Opening a credit card (and paying it off in full each month), paying your student loans on time and having your name on other bills (electric, water, cable), are all ways to build credit.

5. Start a rainy day fund — We covered retirement savings in #3, but you also want to build a fund for emergencies like unexpected medical expenses, a layoff, car repairs, etc… Your savings account can also be used to save for big purchases like a vacation, attending and giving gifts at weddings, a new car, etc… This article gives you 9 easy steps for building up your savings account like setting a goal, automating deposits to your savings account, and making worthy sacrifices.

6. Pack your own lunch — This is my personal addition to the list. One way I’ve saved money since graduating is packing my lunch each day. Going out to lunch and/or buying your coffee instead of making it at home adds up quickly — five days a week times $10-15 per day totals to $200-300 dollars in a month. Bringing my own costs less and, as an added bonus, forces me to make healthier choices. It also makes going out to lunch a fun break from the norm instead of business as usual.

So there you have it, a few tips for getting your personal finances in tip-top shape.