Unfortunately student loans are a fact of life for many 20- and 30-something year olds. The original idea from years ago that student loans would get you through college and launch you into a high paying job has morphed into a debt burden for college graduates, and people who just went to college for a while.

Student loan debt (and the monthly payments) have become an anchor around the neck of younger Americans who are trying to start their careers, build a quality life, and buy a car or house. Often times people have to choose between buying a car and paying their student loans, and student loan payments are a large factor in determining whether or not you can qualify for a mortgage.

Fortunately there are some solutions to help you lower your payment and get control of your budget. A lower budget will of course help your monthly budget but it will also help with your debt ratios when you go to apply for a mortgage. And of course a lower payment means that you will pay less overall over the life of the loan.

The best company that I have found to help you lower your student loan payment is LendEdu.com. They have a pretty interesting business model and are actually a platform that connects borrowers with lenders, specifically for student loans. What makes the site so awesome is that they make it super easy to search for, and find, better rates on terms that are acceptable to you, so you can lower your payment.

The site walks you through ten simple questions and then give you multiple choices and options. There’s really no downside to the process; either you get a better rate and loan payment or you keep what you have. One really important thing that I know you are thinking about is “what about my credit score?”

LendEdu uses a “soft inquiry” that doesn’t affect your credit score or punish you for shopping around. That’s a good thing for everyone. Also the site is free to use and your data is Norton secured so you can feel comfortable. According to the site, the average borrower can save $13,000 over the life of the loan. That certainly seems like a lot and worth doing.

If you are serious about getting control of your budget and reducing your fixed expenses, why not give LendEdu a try?