Student loans can be a real thorn in one’s side, but there are reasonable and attainable ways to pay them off.

With a little bit of hard work and imagination, you can certainly start your journey toward financial independence. The faster you address and pay down your debt, the sooner you can apply for a mortgage and other loans you might need.

We’ve created a list of five clever ways to pay off your student loans faster. Let’s make it happen!

1.  Join a Ridesharing Company

Driving for companies like Lyft or Uber can be a great gig for young professionals or students.

This is a top side hustle pick because you can essentially do it anytime, anywhere and on your own schedule. You can choose your work hours, earn instant money, and bag special bonuses.

Check out this chart to learn how much you can earn per hour by driving around your area. Besides, working a few hours on a weekend can help you cut through your debt.

2.  Collect Spare Change

Try apps like Qoins to collect spare change digitally. It works the same way your typical piggy bank does — saving small amounts for a bigger expense. By the end of each month, the app forwards the accumulated sum to a lender.

Don’t underestimate the power of spare change. A Moneytips article shares that Qoins users have collectively paid off over $2 million worth of debt.

3.  Get a Roommate

If you find yourself struggling to make housing payments, it may be time to find a roommate. Apart from the emotional benefits of living with someone, it can save you some money that you can use for your student loan. It’s time to say goodbye to hefty rent, furnishing, and utility expenses.

4.  Use Coupons

A pro hack in cutting back on grocery bills is to use coupons on items you would normally buy anyway. Get a hold of a Sunday newspaper to discover exciting food discounts. You can stock up on goods you usually use with various promotions. Read more about couponing to learn how you can save hundreds per month.

5.  Include Additional Payments in Your Budget

American personal finance personality Dave Ramsey once said, “A budget is telling your money where to go instead of wondering where it went.”

If you don’t have a budget, now is the perfect time to start one. Instead of spending extra on fancy meals, name brand clothes, and memberships you don’t need – focus on making additional student loan payments.

To pay off your student loan faster, try to make an additional principal payment monthly. Doing so will not only cut the length of your debt, but it will also impact the interest you pay.

In Conclusion

By trying some of the above ideas – you can definitely start to chip away at your student loans and continue to pay them off sooner. If you set reasonable goals for yourself and put your mind to it – you can be student loan free!

Sources:

Debt.com

https://www.debt.com/news/creative-ways-pay-off-student-loans/

Life Hack

https://www.lifehack.org/articles/money/10-creative-ways-pay-off-your-student-loan-debt.html

It’s graduation season, and the average student loan debt now exceeds $30,000. No wonder an estimated 11% of student loans are in default!

The Department of Education already expanded repayment options like pay-as-you-earn plans (PAYE) and income-based repayment plans (IBR) over the last few years, but many students are still struggling with this financial burden well into their post-college years.

In 2017, lawmakers introduced a new bill that could make a big difference for graduates – and their employers. This bill would extend tax benefits to employers who choose to help their workers with student debt.

Tips for Tackling Student Debt Responsibly

Money to pay back student loans would be great, right? Although the above program could be helpful if passed in the future, paying back the bulk of a student loan is ultimately the borrower’s responsibility. Paying off debt can be challenging, so here are a few tips for tackling student loans responsibly.

1. Pay more than the minimum and/or double up on payments.

Like most other bills, student loans are usually due once a month. Paying a little more than the minimum required amount can help you knock out the debt sooner (use a debt repayment calculator to find out exactly how much), and avoid paying extra interest. If you receive bi-weekly paychecks, you could also set up an additional automatic payment on paydays (even if it’s only a small amount).

2. Find your payoff date and use it as an incentive.

Knowing it will take you 10 years to pay off your student loans is discouraging, but every little bit of extra you pay into the loan will make freedom day a little bit closer. Create a visual update every time you achieve a new payoff date, and you’ll find more incentive to keep taking months and years off the end of it.

3. Use your tax refunds or education credits.

Did you get a tax refund or education credit this year? Instead of spending it, why not use the money to make a large payment on your student loans? The faster you can eliminate a monthly payment, the faster you’ll free up more of your budget year-round, rather than having to wait for your next refund check to have some “fun” money.

4. Take on a side job or apply your annual raise.

If you’re already working full-time, more work might not seem like the ideal situation. That’s why if you take on a side job to repay your student loans faster, choose something fun – and only do it a few hours or days a week. When this money is set aside exclusively for paying your student loans, it can quickly make a dent. Secondly, when you get your annual raise, apply the difference to your loans rather than inflating your lifestyle.

5. Consolidate and refinance – with caution.

Consolidating debt sometimes makes sense, especially if interest rates have dropped significantly. On the other hand, refinancing just to get lower payments while lengthening the duration of your loan – may only mean paying more interest in the long run.

Your personal finance habits will truly make the difference in getting out from under the burden of student loans, once and for all.

Read more about student loan repayment options in this article from bankrate.com.

Article Source: Jessica Sommerfield for moneyning.com