This will not only enable you to build up a great little nest egg but you will also benefit from getting into the habit of saving and investing money. While in college funds may be tight but the self discipline of providing for yourself in the future will be great way to learn the skills that you will also need in building your career. Obviously you don't want to lose it but if you absolutely can't afford to then you should look for something which carries a significantly lower level of risk. Likewise it's important to feel comfortable knowing that you should be investing in the markets for the medium to long term. That's generally regarded as 5 years plus. You need to calculate how much paying your credit cards off at the minimum rate will cost you. There are a number of internet based sites that will allow you to put in your figures and will then spit out the answer for you. Be prepared for a shock though! It's almost certainly going to be far higher than you first imagined. It's the long term cost that can be the sting in the tail with any kind of debt consolidation loan. As a smart shopper you need to do the math on whether the amount you will pay over the life of your refinancing will be worth the monthly reduction in your outgoings. Sit down with a calculator and a pen and figure out the monthly payment of the loan multiplied by the term. That's not to say that you can't invest without learning about the stock market but it will be a far riskier proposition. You don't need to know every last detail about how the markets operate but knowing the basics will enable you to spot potential problems far more easily. There are a number of different ways of learning about the stock market and you should choose one which is best suited to your own particular learning style. Things to consider are: 1. How much will the overall cost of the loan work out at? 2. How much will be saved each and every month over what is currently being paid? 3. Is there a cheaper option? A re-mortgage for example 4. Would getting a part-time job help rather than taking out a loan? Equally important if someone decides to go ahead is making certain that the loan they are taking out is the cheapest they can get.