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If you've been diligently paying all of your bills every month, maybe you're reading this article while enjoying a congratulatory glass of wine or a piece of chocolate cake. After all, don't you deserve a reward for all that discipline? 

But hold on ... shouldn't your excellent credit score be worth a little more than a booze or sugar hangover?  So why, exactly, is your lender not showing you some love?

Before we headed off to college, most us heard how our college years would be the best years of our lives. And yes, they were great, but they were also pretty expensive. 

As we try to get the hang of this adulting thing—showing up for work on time and paying our bills—our college education can start to take on a different hue. If you've ever spent any time wondering about how you could've done things differently, you're not alone according to our recent survey.

No matter how much student loan debt you have, it’s the monthly payments that truly impact your day-to-day life. Finding space in your budget to pay a hefty student loan bill can be challenging—if not impossible.

If you have federal loans, you probably qualify for an income-driven repayment plan that can can make your monthly payments a lot easier. They are:

1. PAYE
2. REPAYE
3. IBR
4. ICR

Taking out a Parent PLUS loan for your child is a great way to get them started in the world. But if your child is a well-established adult with a steady income now, it may be time to pass the loan off to them—and a lot of parents make that decision. 

The difficulty is that the federal government doesn't let you transfer the loan to your child's name, and it can be a challenge finding a lender who will do it. CommonBond is one of the few who make it possible.

Going back to school can be a fantastic career booster. In some roles, having a masters degree increases your earning potential by tens of thousands. And certain careers—like being a lawyer or a doctor—simply aren't possible without additional higher education. 

But managing a student debt load while you're in a graduate program can feel a little like running a marathon with a boulder strapped to your ankle. The good news is that deferring your loans is an option for most students, but it won't be the best choice for everyone. 

What is the essential question around refinancing your student loans? It’s probably this:

Is refinancing worth the hassle?

Let us answer your question with a question: how many other ways can you make $20,000 in one hour?