If you want to pay down student loans faster than scheduled

If you want to pay down student loans faster than scheduled, start with the highest interest rate loans first. If you base your payment on which loans are the lowest or highest, there is a chance that you will end up owing more money in the end.

You may feel overburdened by your student loan payment on top of the bills you pay simply to survive. However, loans that offer a rewards program can soften the blow. For examples of these rewards programs, look into SmarterBucks and LoanLink from Upromise. These are similar to cash back programs in which you earn rewards for each dollar you spend, and you can apply those rewards toward your loan.

To use your student loan money wisely, shop at the grocery store instead of eating a lot of your meals out. Every dollar counts when you are taking out loans, and the more you can pay of your own tuition, the less interest you will have to pay back later. Saving money on lifestyle choices means smaller loans each semester.

To keep your student loan debts from piling up, plan on starting to pay them back as soon as you have a job after graduation. You don't want additional interest expense piling up, and you don't want the public or private entities coming after you with default paperwork, which could wreck your credit.