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•But when home values plummeted and the cost of a bachelor's degree soared into five or six digits, those once-safe investments in your future suddenly seemed risky or unattainable.
•Now's a good time to step back and examine the concept of good debt vs. bad debt and why, in certain cases, acquiring debt may still make sense - provided you plan carefully and don't exceed what you can reasonably expect to repay.
•This simple distinction still applies: Taking on so-called good debt can help boost your credit rating or allow you to buy something that will increase in value over time, whereas bad debt often fuels the purchase of items that are disposable, unnecessary or rapidly depreciable.
•One of the best ways to build strong credit history is to show lenders you can pay off debt responsibly. You're more apt to qualify for a mortgage, car loan, or other large debt if you've demonstrated sound repayment behavior. Just remember: Carrying multiple loans or high-limit credit cards could harm your rating, since lenders might worry you're taking on more debt than you can repay.
•Student loans. The average college graduate earns $47,422 a year, compared to $26,349 for high school graduates - a difference of $21,073. Using simple math, some calculate the difference in total earnings over a 40-year

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