Student loan payments can seem like they’ll be hanging over your head forever, and it’s easy to just accept them as a long-term part of your life. But there are some things you can do to pay them off faster and be out from under them sooner than you think.
Imagine how nice it would be to free up that money every month to put toward things like home improvements, savings, or even your own children’s college fund. Here are some ways to get your student loan debt paid off sooner and move on with your life.
- Consider refinancing
Sometimes the terms you signed up for back when you took out the loan weren’t the best. That means you might be paying a higher interest rate, which can mean paying a lot more over the life of the loan. If you have a strong, steady income and good credit there’s a good chance you can refinance and get better terms. That could mean lower monthly payments, less interest overall, and potentially paying it off sooner.
- Pay more each month
This may sound counterintuitive, because it does mean a higher impact on your monthly finances than the amount you’re currently paying. But if you can find a little extra money that you can add to your monthly payment, it can help you get the whole thing paid off a lot faster. And when you pay it off faster, not only do you have freedom to gain, but there’s a whole lot of interest you’ll avoid paying.
Finding a little extra money can be as simple as negotiating to save money on your existing bills, selling things you no longer need, or picking up a little gig work in your spare time.
- Add any extra money toward your payments
Sometimes we find ourselves with a little extra cash—maybe it’s a bonus at work, an inheritance, or a bigger tax refund than we were expecting. When that happens, it can be tempting to just spend it on something fun, or to put it into savings. There’s nothing wrong with either of those options. But putting some or all of that money toward an extra payment on your loan can be the best thing you can do with it. It can go a long way toward paying off your loans sooner, and saving you a lot of money by cutting down interest costs.
- Stick to the regular repayment schedule
This sounds strangely obvious, but you might have opportunities to consolidate your student loan debt, or to lower your monthly payment through a federal income-driven repayment (IDR) plan. IDRs can help you out if you’re really in a jam and have no other option. But that’s the only time to use them. Otherwise, it’s far better to stick with the standard 10-year federal loan repayment schedule, because you’ll get it paid off and be free of it far, far sooner.
- Switch to biweekly payments
This is a simple trick, but it can help you pay your loan off a little faster. Instead of making monthly payments, split that monthly payment in half and pay it every two weeks. You’ll make one additional payment each year, so it won’t put any major strain on you financially, but it will mean saving a little money in interest and a little time.
To give you an idea of the difference biweekly payments can make: if you owe $35,000 at 6% interest, and you have 5 years remaining, switching to biweekly will mean paying off your loan 5 months earlier, and it’ll save you $280.
