Student loans may not be the only debt you accrued while in college.

Student loans may not be the only debt you accrued while in college. According to Debt.org, the average college student has $3,200 in credit card debt on top of their loans, and that estimate may be modest. Don’t ignore your credit card debt while dealing with your student loans. Once you lay out what you’re paying in interest every month, you can make the best strategy for dealing with your debt.Big Boss vote

I get it. You’re done with ramen noodles and cheap, used furniture.

I get it. You’re done with ramen noodles and cheap, used furniture. You worked your butt off in college, you’re finally making some money (hopefully) at a job, and you deserve to start living better, right?

Wrong. Face the reality of your debt situation, and work toward paying off these loans. You probably lived quite simply in college, so why stop now? The longer you can keep living a bare-bones lifestyle, the faster you can pay off your student loans.

Continue living with roommates to share rent and expenses.
Skip the concert tickets, pricey dinners, and expensive bar tabs in favor of free things to do such as pot-luck dinners with friends, free museums, and outdoor activities.
While you may need some dressier clothes for work, try not to go overboard. Invest in a few pieces of flexible, good-quality outfits for work and continue to dress on the cheap outside the office.

If you’re dealing with multiple loans, which is often the case, then try to first tackl

e the loan with the highest interest rate. Besides the interest rate of each loan, understand what the minimum payment will be and which loans would qualify for things such as a deferment, loan forgiveness, and a better payment plan.

It would seem crazy to someone that has never had a student loan,

It would seem crazy to someone that has never had a student loan, but yes, it is very possible and extremely common to not be aware of all your loans after graduation. Since you can’t go back in time to tell 18-year-old you to keep track of every detail of each loan you take out, you’ll have to put in the legwork now.

For starters, check the National Student Loan Data System to find any federal loans. To check what you owe to private lenders, contact them directly. Another option is to order a free copy of your credit report to see who your lenders are.

Even if your grace period is long gone,

Even if your grace period is long gone, the first step in dealing with your student loans is to really understand what you’re dealing with. It’s easy to turn your brain off, make your minimum payment (if you can even afford it), and not give it another thought. But to actually make an impact, you need to know how your loan works. Here’s how to understand your student loan debt: