How to pay off student loans quickly
Learn ways to make repaying student loans more manageable.
If you're carrying student loan debt, you're not alone. 在2019届毕业的大学生中, 69% took out student loans with an average debt of $29,000. While this figure can be daunting, 一个深思熟虑的游戏计划可以使偿还学生贷款更容易管理.
Explore your options
联邦学生贷款的标准还款期限是10年. 但是,如果你的起薪很低,或者你很难找到工作,那么这可能并不一定适合你.
Be sure you evaluate your student loan repayment options. 联邦学生贷款有许多重要的特点和保护措施,有助于使支付更易于管理, 比如以收入为基础的选择,允许你按收入的一定比例付款. You can also apply for deferment or forbearance, 这让符合条件的借款人暂时暂停还款. 在延期期间,你仍然要对所产生的利息负责. 如果你有资格延期,你可能不需要支付利息.
大多数贷款机构在学生毕业后提供6个月的宽限期. It may be tempting to wait to start paying on your loan, but if you have a job consider starting right away. 你不仅可以在利息产生之前开始削减本金, 你会习惯靠还贷款后的收入生活.
Strategize and prioritize
当面对大量长期债务,如学生贷款时, 人们很容易忽略这些困难的数字和看似不可战胜的时间表. 但从长远来看,如果你在早期拿出一些时间来制定偿还学生贷款的策略,你的情况会好得多.
首先列出你所有的学生贷款和其他债务, 比如信用卡账单——并且牢牢掌握你欠每笔贷款多少钱以及利率是多少.
Bottom line: 拿出额外的钱来偿还利率最高的贷款,或者使用债务滚雪球策略, 谁主张尽快取消最小的贷款.
Analyze your budget
Between rent, utilities, groceries and the occasional night out with friends, 很难看出学生贷款在其中的地位. A budget can help you get a handle on it. To simplify the task, try the 50/30/20 budget rule 你收入的50%不能用于固定开支,比如房租, food and utilities; dedicate 20% of your income for savings and debt repayment; and spend 30% or less on discretionary expenses (i.e. "fun money").
Tip: 看看你的生活中哪些地方超支了,考虑使用应用程序来分析习惯和账单,以便节省开支.
Don't go it alone
Check to see if your employer has a student loan assistance plan to help with payments. 然而,目前很少有雇主提供学生贷款偿还援助作为福利津贴, more plan to, and it never hurts to check!
To refinance or not?
You might be able to save on interest by refinancing your student loans. But before you do, 确保你不需要利用联邦贷款提供的功能和保护,比如延期付款, forbearance, 还款计划选择和公共服务贷款减免. 一旦你向私人贷款进行再融资,在大多数情况下,所有的保护和灵活性都消失了.
Bottom line: 在你做出改变之前,评估一下你的选择,找到偿还学生贷款的最佳方式.