Paying back student loans can be difficult, especially if you have a large amount of loans, a low income, or a high interest rate. Here are some tips to help make paying your student loans a little bit easier.
Instructions
1. First, get a clear picture of the loans you have and what the interest rates are. If your loans are all federal and consolidated, this should be easy. If they are not, then it will take a little more work. The National Student Loan Data System will have lots of answers for you.
2. If your loans are not consolidated, consider if consolidation might be a good option. The advantage is that you will only have one payment at a set interest rate, but the disadvantage is that the interest rate is set for the remainder of your loan and that you cannot pay off your higher interest rate loans earlier than your lower interest rate loans.
3. Determine how much you should pay. If your interest rate is greater than 5%, try to pay off more than the minimum balance every time. A great way to do this is have a direct payment set up so that you pay the student loan company automatically. If your student loans are less than 5%, you can generally make more by investing any extra money, so only pay off the minimum amount each month.
4. If you cannot make the minimum, contact your student loan company for options. You may be able to get a deferment or pay back your loans on a sliding scale. You also may want to consider getting a second job to boost your income or working for a company that helps you pay back your loans.
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