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You’ve decided you want to consolidate your student loans. No doubt, one monthly loan payment would be easier to manage than several. 

Plus, consolidating your student loans with a private lender may allow you to refinance at a lower interest rate. Saving thousands of dollars is certainly nothing to complain about.

If you happen to be one of the 44 million U.S. adults who have student loan debt, making a plan to pay it off in a timely manner can feel daunting, but it doesn’t have to. 

By being smart and strategic about how you go about paying down your debt, you can pay off your student loans a little quicker and with a lot less pain. Here are some strategies you can try. 

Sometimes life throws curveballs that wreak havoc with our finances. When that happens, it’s tempting to ignore statements—or set your email to send payment reminders right to the spam folder. 

But really, the easiest way to avoid defaulting on student loans is to face the problem head-on. 

You put a lot of energy into getting a solid education. And yes, you racked up significant student loan debt at the same time. Now you’re ready to take some big financial steps, and you’re wondering whether that debt load will be a barrier.

Your student loan debt is part of the total debt picture lenders will look at when they’re determining your creditworthiness—whether you’re applying for a credit card, a car, or a mortgage.

So how can student loans raise or lower your credit score? Let’s take a closer look.

If you’re in the process of repaying student loans, your monthly payment probably ranks among your largest expenses. By some estimates, most recent graduates pay more than $300 a month, which is no small figure on any budget. Additionally, as they build their careers, millennials typically earn less than the median national income. That can make keeping up with significant payments difficult if they rely on their salaries alone.

Medicine is a fulfilling profession on many levels, including the prospect of earning a comfortable salary. But before doctors can bring home a six-figure paycheck, most medical students rack up six-figure student loan debt. The average medical school student graduates with $190,000 in student loan debt, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges.