Weddings are one of the biggest expenses in a person's life, costing couples an average of about $35,000, according to wedding registry website The Knot.

And weddings aren't just a splurge for the bride and groom. It can cost an arm and a leg to attend a wedding, especially if you're a bridesmaid or groomsman.

** New entry deadline of July 29, 2018

It's something many of us have joked about: If we could win the lottery and wipe out all of our student loan debt at once...

Well now, one of our lender partners, Education Loan Finance (ELFI), is offering that chance — and you don't even have to buy a lottery ticket.

The internet is full of stories about college grads who paid off their loans in record time. But when you're saddled with debt, it often seems impossible. How exactly does someone go about not only taking control over their student loan debt, but eliminating it all together—especially when you don't even have a grasp on your day-to-day finances? 

I was in the same boat. Post college, I struggled for years to make ends meet and avoided the elephant in the room (i.e. student loan debt). Eventually, I decided that I was ready to be debt-free. And within a year of making the decision, I paid off more than $16,000 in student loans. 

You've heard about all the practical reasons for refinancing your student loans: It can lower your monthly payment, lower your interest rate, and even help you pay off your debt sooner. 

But how does refinancing affect your credit score? 

If you're like me when I had student loans, in creating a budget, you've realized that you're not making enough to make ends meet and pay off your loans. 

So it's no wonder why people choose to move back in with their parents post-graduation. In 2017, TD Ameritrade's Young Money Survey found that 26% of Millennials in college said they planned on moving back home to help pay for student loans. But what about moving back home later ... when you're closing in on 30?

Since graduating from college, you may have buckled down and gotten serious about your finances — improving your credit score by paying your bills on time and establishing a good history of stable employment. 

Unfortunately, this doesn't change your terms for the student loans you borrowed years earlier. While it may not have occurred to you, you may be paying too much for you student loans, and you may be eligible for better interest rates or a lower monthly payment through refinancing.