How to Get Help Repaying Your Student Loans: A Guide for Young Adults

If you’re like me, and many of my friends, you graduated from college with a lot of students loan debt. And if you’re like them too, when your first bill came in the mail after graduation, it made your heart sink.

It’s overwhelming to think about how much interest will accrue on those loans over time—and even more so when the payments are due each month. But with some careful planning and smart budgeting, paying off student loans doesn’t have to be so scary.

Get a Side Job

If one desires to accumulate supplemental income, an expedient method is to engage in a part-time occupation. Devoting a few hours per week to such a pursuit may help expedite the repayment of one’s student loan, as well as accruing a reserve of funds for personal use. However, one ensure that the selected employment both satiates financial exigencies and aligns with individual interests.

Here are some things to consider when looking for an additional part-time gig:

• What kind of work do I enjoy?
• Would I rather be doing something else? If so, maybe this isn’t the right type of job for me right now!
• How flexible is my schedule?
• Do I have any commitments outside of my 9-to-5 (or whatever time frame applies)? Can those be accommodated by my employer or coworker (s) without causing too much trouble or inconvenience on either side?
• Or should I hold off until after college graduation when everything is less busy—and less stressful—before taking on another responsibility like this again…
• How many does it pay?
• Is this a job that will help me make ends meet, or is it essentially just for fun?
• If the latter, then don’t expect to get paid well for just doing something you love! What qualifications are required?
• Do I have these skills and abilities already (or can they be learned quickly)? Or do they require years of experience and training that I don’t have yet…

Cut out unnecessary expenses

Cutting out unnecessary expenses can be a good way to save money and pay off your loans faster. Here are some things you can do:

Look for ways to cut back on your expenses, such as by selling things you don’t use anymore or letting family members babysit for free instead of paying someone else.

This might seem like a slight change, but every little helps!

Plus, if you sell something valuable like an old computer or bike that hasn’t been used in years, it could earn more than enough cash to make up for any other losses incurred while trying this strategy (and then some).

Income-driven Repayment Plans vs Standard Repayment Plans

When you borrow money from school, pay it back. There are different ways to pay it back.

One way is to pay the same amount of money every month for 10 years. Another way is to pay less money each month, but for a longer time. The second way is called an “income-driven repayment plan.” The amount you pay each month depends on how much money you make.

If you don’t make a lot of money, you don’t have to pay as much each month. If you make more money later, pay more each month. Both ways have their own advantages and disadvantages, so it’s important to consider which way is best for you.

Learn how to use your student loan repayment options wisely

Now that you understand the difference between income-driven repayment plans and standard repayment plans, it’s time to learn how to use your student loan repayment options wisely.

First things first: if you have a federal loan servicer, contact them immediately. Your servicer is the company that manages your loans on behalf of the government (and receives payments from you), so they’re one of the most important people in this process.

You can find out what your servicer is by logging into NSLDS (National Student Loan Data System) or by contacting each of your lenders directly via phone or email.

Next up: forbearance and deferment are two common ways for borrowers with federal student loans who are struggling financially with their payments because of medical issues or unemployment/underemployment situations access relief while they get back on their feet financially while still maintaining good standing on their loans—but there are some key differences between these two options worth discussing here!

Forbearance allows borrowers who meet specific criteria outlined below (more details below) postpone making payments altogether for up to 12 months at once; deferment allows borrowers who meet specific criteria outlined below postpone making payments temporarily during certain periods when earning less than $20K per year ($40K total household income).

These benefits only apply as long as no new debt has been incurred since taking them out originally otherwise, interest will continue building until paid off entirely!

Finally, consider merging multiple accounts into one larger loan instead of keeping track individually because this may lower monthly payments overall; however, keep in mind any fees associated with closing out old accounts could outweigh any savings gained through consolidation, so make sure before jumping ship completely.

Prioritize your student loans with payments, but don’t neglect other bills and debts

You should prioritize your student loans, but don’t neglect other bills and debts.

While it’s important to pay off your student loans first, don’t forget about other bills and debts that need to be paid. If you have a credit card balance or medical bills, pay the minimum on them while putting extra money toward paying down your student loan debt.

You can read more about prioritizing debt here: https://www.creditkarma.com/blog/best-way-to-pay-off-debt/.

Apply for scholarships and grants to help pay for school

Scholarships are a great way to help pay for your education. There are many scholarships available. Scholarships can be based on academic achievement, financial need, or other factors. Make sure you apply for as many scholarships as possible before starting college and throughout your time in school!

Start looking for scholarships before choosing a school so that you know what kind of funding options exist once you’ve made your decision about where to go.

Scholarship opportunities may be advertised by schools themselves or through local community organizations like churches, civic groups or businesses (for example, local businesses offering gift cards).

Check these sources out first since they might offer some useful financial help with little effort on your part! Also, make sure that whatever scholarship program (s) interest me fits into my long-term goals for career success since those are likely going involve having more than just one degree under my belt.

With the right mindset and knowledge, student loan repayment can be manageable

With the right mindset and knowledge, student loan repayment can be manageable. Here are some tips to help you stay on top of your loans:

• Make a plan. You should have a strategy in place before taking out any student loans or making payments on them. It’s important to understand how much money you’ll owe after graduation, as well as how much time it will take for that debt to go away if you make minimum payments every month (and don’t pay off any extra). If possible, try to avoid taking out any additional debt—like car loans or credit cards—while paying off college loans; otherwise, those additional costs may complicate matters even further.
• Organize everything! The more organized you are with all of this information, the better equipped you’ll be when it comes time for repayment negotiations with lenders or servicers (the companies who handle student loan accounts). This will also help ensure that everything goes smoothly when dealing with lenders/servicers down the road if something goes wrong with one’s account information (e., accidentally missing payments).

Tips for Paying Off Student Loans Faster:

• Use the student loan calculator to see how much you can afford to pay each month. The more money you put toward your debt, the faster it will be paid off. If this is too much for your budget, consider making smaller payments or refinancing with a lower interest rate so that more of each payment goes toward principal (the actual amount borrowed). Sometimes, borrowers have even been able to get their loans forgiven through income-driven repayment plans like PAYE and REPAYE.
• Don’t wait until the last minute to make payments on time every month; this will prevent late fees from adding up over time and hurting your credit score in the process! It’s also important not to take out more loans than necessary—if try paying off debt while still in college by working part-time jobs or taking on an additional internship during breaks between semesters (if applicable). This way, when graduation comes around, there won’t be any surprise expenses waiting around since all debts have already been paid off!

FAQs

1. Can I refinance my federal student loans with a private lender?

Yes, you can refinance your federal student loans with a private lender, but keep in mind that you will lose access to federal borrower protections, such as income-driven repayment plans and loan forgiveness programs.

2. Can I switch from a standard repayment plan to an income-driven repayment plan?

Yes, you can switch from a standard repayment plan to an income-driven repayment plan at any time by contacting your loan servicer.

3. Are there any loan forgiveness programs for private student loans?

No, there are no loan forgiveness programs for private student loans. However, some lenders offer loan discharge programs in case of death or permanent disability.

4. Can I consolidate my private student loans with my federal student loans?

No, you cannot consolidate your private student loans with your federal student loans. However, you can consolidate your federal student loans into a Direct Consolidation Loan.

Conclusion

As a young adult, you may have student loans to pay off. But don’t panic! With the right knowledge and mindset, paying off your student loans faster can be manageable. The most important thing is to prioritize your payments wisely so that they don’t impact other bills or debts too much.

If you can find some extra cash by cutting out unnecessary expenses or getting another job on top of your regular paycheck, then use those funds towards paying off those pesky loans quicker than expected!

After all, no matter what stage in life you’re at now (or even where), there will always be something new around the corner waiting for us all.