Paying back your student loans may seem intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. All it takes is a bit of planning and a few sacrifices, and you can take control of your financial future. Take a look below, and if you have any other tips, leave them in the comments!

1. Make a Budget

The first step to successfully paying back your student loans is to make a budget, and stick to it! Note every dollar you spend and log it in a spreadsheet. Having this budget handy will provide insight into where your money is going, and answer questions like:

What meals do I need to skip this month?

What show should I watch on my ex’s Netflix account while my friends are at the bar?

Where will I overspend, and what credit card should it go on?

2. Refinance Your Loans for a Better Interest Rate

So you don’t have the best credit score — who cares? Traditional refinancing is so 2010 — FinTech is hot right now. As long as you have enough savings to cover two months of living (including rent), your account balances are increasing on a monthly basis, you don’t carry a large amount of consumer-debt, have a history of making on-time payments, and have a lucrative future-earnings potential, you’re made in the shade.

Fill out a few applications, accept the hard pulls that will further strangle your credit score (which doesn’t really matter — you’re never buying a house) and sit back and watch the savings roll in.

3. Get a Second (or Third) Job

You’re living in the gig-based economy — there’s no excuse not to have a second job. Just call it a side hustle, you big shot. Hop onto your phone (your cell phone company reactivated your phone, right?), download an app you had the idea for but didn’t have the skills to create, and you’re just a few short steps away from walking dogs, cleaning houses, and further depreciating the value of the car your parents bought you Sophomore year.

4. Doesn’t Spark Joy? Sell It. #MarieKondo

Take a look around your entire apartment (it should only take a few seconds) and take stock of what you haven’t used in the past few months. That guitar you charged to fill the void between work and sleep? eBay. The pocket watch your grandfather handed down to you before he passed away? eBay. The bicycle that’s been gathering dust since you bought it in March to shed your winter weight? Try Craigslist this time — maybe you’ll have better luck.

Minimalism is in, and we’re putting you ahead of the curve. Plus, the fewer distractions in your life the more time you have to walk dogs in the nice part of town.

5. Listen to Dave Ramsey’s Podcasts

When Dave Ramsey was twelve years old, he started a lawn care business. What were you doing? Probably mowing your parent’s lawn for a measly allowance. C’mon, you had neighbors — you’ve got to hustle! Fourteen years later, ol’ “raking-it-in-Ramsey” was making $250,000 / year, and now at age 58, he’s worth $55M.

Fortunately for you, Dave has a podcast with advice that’s totally applicable to your financial situation. Give it a listen while you catch connecting buses to work because your car broke down and you can’t afford to fix it.

Side-note: Sign up for my app Lawnstr to make some extra dough trimming shrubs. It connects people too busy being successful to take care of their own lawns with, you know, people like you. It’s like Uber for grass.

6. Get a Higher Paying Job

Why didn’t you think of this before? Once your workday is complete (but is it ever really complete? #HustleHard) and all you want to do is collapse in bed but you should probably cook food but instead you make a drink, fire up LinkedIn! Apply for a few entry-level positions unrelated to your major that require five years of experience. If you get an interview (which you definitely will — you got this) just tell your boss you have a doctor’s appointment. You haven’t seen a doctor in years — she’ll be happy for you.

It’s all about the grind and staying hungry. And I mean physically hungry. Hunger is a great motivator.

7. Apply for Income-Based Repayment

Pay attention, because it’s time for a #FinanceHack. Apply for Income-Based Repayment, and your monthly student loan payments can’t legally be greater than 15% of your monthly discretionary income. That tip not hot enough for you? Any remaining balance at the end of your repayment term is automatically erased.

What’s the catch? There is no catch!* Poverty pays, baby. Enjoy that celebratory trip to the grocery store.

* If your income is low enough, your monthly payment may not even cover your loan's interest, which means in twenty-five years, your loan will be even bigger than it is now. When that balance is forgiven, it’s considered taxable income.

Let’s say you have $130,000 in loans at 6.5%, and you’re making $40,000 / year. That means at the end of 20 years, you’ve only paid $67,646 and $231,579 is just gone! No more loans! All you have to do now is pay $65,173 in taxes, but hey, that’s a problem for Future You. They probably have a 401k.

8. Go Back to School

Fuck it, defer those bad-boys. Maybe there will be another war.