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1. Keep Your Budget Tight Until You’re Debt-Free
You know that feeling when payday hits, and suddenly you’re tempted by every Starbucks, Target, and Amazon cart?
Yeah, that’s what keeps those student loans hanging around.
If you want them gone fast, you’ve gotta tighten your budget like it’s your favorite pair of jeans after the holidays. snug but still wearable.
Here’s where to trim the fluff without losing your sanity:
Cancel unnecessary subscriptions. You probably forgot half of them even exist.
Cook more at home. DoorDash is fun… until you realize that’s $200 a month in tacos.
Give every dollar a job. Budgeting isn’t punishment. It’s your fast-pass to freedom.
👉 Here’s How You’ll Do It: Set a strict monthly budget in a free spreadsheet or app and label “extra loan payment” as its own line. Watch those numbers drop.
Make It Easy: Consider a Rocket Money app to track and cancel forgotten subscriptions automatically.
2. Pay Way More Than Just the Minimum Each Month
Paying the minimum is like walking up an escalator that’s going down. You’ll move, but barely.
You want that “paid off” email sooner? You’ve got to throw extra cash at that balance like you’re mad at it.
Try these small but mighty tricks:
Round up every payment. If your minimum is $275, pay $300. It adds up faster than you think.
Use the debt snowball method. Focus on the smallest loan first for quick wins (momentum = motivation).
Automate your extra payments. That way, you won’t “forget” to send them (we all know that game).
👉 Here’s How You’ll Do It: Add just $20–$50 more to your automatic monthly payment. It’s basically a coffee run’s worth of progress every week.
3. Boost Payments with a Part-Time Gig
If your budget feels squeezed tighter than your jeans after Christmas, it’s time to get creative with a side hustle.
A few hours a week can make a huge dent. And honestly, that “extra money” hits different when you see your loan balance shrinking.
Here are ideas that fit around family life:
Try short side hustles. Think DoorDash, Rover, or TaskRabbit. fast cash, flexible hours.
Sell unused items. You’ve got money sitting in that closet collecting dust.
Use gig apps. Fat Llama or Neighbor.com can help you rent stuff you already own.
👉 Here’s How You’ll Do It: Pick one gig that doesn’t drain your energy. aim to make an extra $100–$200 a month and send it directly to your loan.
Make It Easy: Track your new side income and deductions automatically using KeeperTax, so you keep more of what you earn.
4. Use Tax Refunds to Make Bonus Payments
Be honest. When that tax refund hits, the temptation to “treat yourself” is real.
But if you want your loans gone faster, that chunk of change can give your payoff plan a serious boost.
Here’s what to do instead of impulse shopping:
Send the refund straight to your loan. It’s the easiest money move you’ll ever make.
Split it wisely. Half toward debt, half for something fun, because balance matters.
Mark your calendar. Make it a yearly ritual to knock down a chunk of your balance.
👉 Here’s How You’ll Do It: File early, then apply your refund directly to your smallest loan for an instant confidence boost.
5. Stay Consistent with Auto-Pay
The secret to paying off debt isn’t motivation. It’s consistency.
When you automate your payments, you remove your biggest enemy: forgetting (or “accidentally” skipping).
Here’s how auto-pay helps you win faster:
Never miss a payment. Late fees are just money you could’ve used to pay down your balance.
Score interest discounts. Many loan servicers offer a small reduction for setting up auto-pay.
Stay accountable. Your payments happen even when life gets chaotic. which, let’s be honest, is always.
👉 Here’s How You’ll Do It: Set up auto-pay for the minimum amount, then manually add your “extra” each month. This keeps your momentum rolling nonstop.
Make It Easy: Use Undebt.it to track and celebrate each automatic payment like a mini victory. because it is one.
Hey, I'm Lily! I'm a mom who's really good at two things: stretching a dollar and talking about stretching a dollar. I created Money Vice after one too many grocery trips where I watched my total climb and thought, "There's gotta be a better way." Spoiler: there is. Think of me as your money-savvy friend who's always got a tip (and coffee in hand).
