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What if I told you that in just a little over two weeks, you could be on your way to saving almost $20,000 on your student loans? You might think I was delusional.  

But I’m not. Refinancing to a lower interest rate can save you thousands of dollars over the life of your student loan. In fact, many people are able to save between $15,000 and $20,000. 

To a certain extent, it's normal for couples to have issues around money. We don't all spend, save, or budget the same way — there's bound to be some misunderstandings when two people start sharing expenses. 

But there's one thing couples do when it comes to money that can mean trouble. According to a recent survey by personal finance company SoFi, many couples prefer to keep their money troubles hidden from their partners.

If you’ve ever applied for a loan and been denied — despite your good credit score and history of on-time payments — your debt-to-income ratio may be the unseen culprit.

Your debt-to-income ratio is the total of your monthly debts, divided by your gross monthly income. It’s a simple way for lenders to assess your current debt load — and your ability to take on new debt.

This number isn’t the only way lenders decide whether to give you a new loan. But it’s an important one. Borrowers with high debt-to-income ratios are generally considered at increased risk of defaulting, and may be offered higher interest rates and less flexible terms.

Here’s how to determine yours.

See also: Paying Off Student Loans 

When I was repaying my student loan debt, I made a lot of mistakes. Between making late payments and avoiding calling the loan provider when I was struggling, some of them seriously impacted my ability to get ahead on my loans and pay them down faster. It felt like a vicious cycle.

Most of these big mistakes are easy to avoid, and they can go a long way to making repayment easier and saving money in the process.

Your relationship with your student loan may be one of the most enduring commitments of your life. On average, most people with four-year degrees take 21 years to pay off their student loans.

That means your student loans will likely be a part of your life for many years to come—when you sell the old clunker you’ve been driving and upgrade to something that won’t leave you stranded on the side of the road, as you apply for a mortgage and move into your first home, or when you welcome a tiny little bundle of love into your life and start paying for daycare.