If you have a bunch of variable rate Federal student loans, July 1st could be your lucky day. July 1st is when the interest rates on Federal student loans changes, and one financial id expert is predicting they’re going to drop to “historic lows.” What this means is you will have an opportunity to consolidate your variable rate Federal student loans together at the new, lower, rate, and save yourself some cash. How much?

For example, if you had a $20,000 Stafford loan with standard 10-year repayment plan and a 6.8% interest rate, you could expect to pay $230 a month and $7,619 over the life of the loan in interest.

But, if you locked in the 2% interest rate available after July 1, you’d pay $184 a month and only $2,083 in interest over the life of the loan. That’s a 20% lower monthly payment and total interest savings of $5,536 (73%).

For more info on how to consolidate your loans and pitfalls to watch out for, check out the article.

Just remember, these are Federal student loans – Stafford, Plus – and it doesn’t apply to private student loans.

Interest Rates on Federal Education Loans to Drop July 1 [Fastweb] (Photo: joelgoodman)

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.