When a generation struggles with education and supporting the financial consequences imparted through student loans, it does not represent a healthy society. Public Records in the United States have estimated that student debt has increased staggeringly from $480.1 billion in 2006 to $1,683 billion in 2020. Though these figures might not tell the whole story, the federal student loan program has more defaulters than any other loan offered in the country. In most cases, students have enormous interest rates to repay their loans on time. 

Students should begin planning their reimbursement process sooner, whether they are still enrolled in college or have graduated. Students can comfort themselves during the ‘grace period’ provided by loan companies. This ‘grace period’ refers to the time it takes to repay after graduation, leaving school, or dropping out of university. To obtain a positive credit rating, it is a good idea to start planning the financial budget before the end of the “grace period.” After discussing the details with the lender, choose an eligible and smooth repayment plan. 

There are other ways to compensate for the student loan in time; let’s discuss them in points. 

1. A Repayment Plan that Adds Value 

Students has to set long-term objectives while repaying the loan. Debts for which the interest rate is higher must first be repaid. Do the payments by adding an additional sum of money each time. Make sure this process is discussed with the lender, or the additional fee will be applied to the next payment. Identify loans that have a shorter payback, plan the budget accordingly and add an additional amount to offset the principal balance. 

2. Scheduling More Than One Payment Per Month

Students can add minor changes to the payment every 2-3 times a week. Rather than waiting for a lump sum payment each month for the principal amount, they can pay small additional amounts each week. As a result, the burden of additional long-term interest rates will be reduced. 

3. Budget Allocation

Once the student has finished his or her education, the obvious next step is to find a job that will enable the student to establish himself or herself financially. Budget allocation is critical for a balanced life with a student loan. Each time they receive a raise at work, the extra amount may be added to repay the loan instead of spending it on lifestyle and luxury items. A side hustle will also compensate for paying off the debt on time. 

4. Setting a Refinance Plan

Students can save hundreds and thousands of dollars by opting for the refinance plan while repaying the loans. A refinance means to shorten the actual term period of the loan repayment; just say, the loan has to be paid within the stipulated time of ten years. Students can choose to reduce this period up to seven or five years. When they have a high credit rating, the interest rate automatically decreases. One thing that has to be kept in mind, though, while applying for refinancing is that the federal loan amount will be converted into private loans. This means that the student will no longer be able to sign up for loan waiver programs.

5. Finding a Part-Time Job or Freelancing While Studying 

It is advisable for students to find a summer job or freelance opportunities while completing their education to save up to pay off the debt. There are various institutions that offer internship programs for younger students while they are still in college. Making a plan for the future is always reasonable. Investing in a side hustle is always a good idea; engaging in cryptocurrency, starting your own business, becoming a social media influencer who earns through brand engagement schemes, and making hobbies as income-generating work. 

6. Save on Interest By Investing in Auto-Pay Facility

Another way to pay off student debt on a yearly basis is by engaging in the auto-pay facility. As a result, the lender can deduct the payment directly from the bank account. Federal student loan lenders give the opportunity to invest in a quarter-point interest rate discount that automatically reduces the payment interest if activated. For example, if the student has generated a debt of $10,000, then the interest rate on average is 4.5%, now if the auto-pay facility is activated, then the interest rate will drop to almost 4.25%. As such, savings of $144 are now possible on a 10-year repayment program. 

7. Investing in Paying off the Capitalized Interest

It should be noted that the compounded interest rate increases even when the loan repayment period has not yet commenced. This means that when the student is in college, during the grace period, and even during the forbearance/postponement period, the interest rate continues to increase. Hence, when the actual repayment program begins, all of this accumulated interest will put an additional financial burden on the student’s income. In such circumstances, it would be advisable to reimburse a substantial lump sum of the interest rate accumulated before the end of the grace period. This means that there will be fewer payments to be made every month once the reimbursement process begins. 

8. Sticking With the Government Standard Program

While it might look tempting to choose a short-term plan instead of the standard repayment program initiated by the government, i.e., a period of ten years to pay off the federal student loan, but most often, students may not be able to follow the high amounts that have to be paid out each month. It is wiser to stick to the standard 10-year repayment program instead of playing around with huge amounts of interest rate indexation. The federal student loan does offer income-driven repayment plans that can be extended to a period of 20 to 25 years. There is also the consolidated method which will increase the repayment timeline to over 30 years. These time periods, however, will be an extra burden and take more amount of investment. 

9. Finding Employment in Companies that Pay off Student Loan

It could be a smart decision to look up companies that pay off student loans through various employer student loan repayment programs. This is an added employee benefits process offered by progressive corporate companies. 

Conclusion

There is always some positive way to deal with financial repayment; the best way is to plan ahead. Keeping the budget in check is the start of paying off student loans on time.