About two years ago in July, I finished paying off my student loans.
It was an incredible feeling—one I still remember clearly. Even though I was fortunate enough to eliminate my student loan balance, I know many people continue to struggle with student loan debt every day.
The average graduate now carries more than $35,000 in student loan debt. That figure has been rising, and the share of students who rely on loans is increasing as well. For those with law or medical degrees, balances can reach into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
That level of debt is overwhelming and stressful for many people.
After earning three college degrees, I graduated with roughly $40,000 in student loan debt.
To some that may seem like an enormous amount, and to others it might not. For me, it was far too much.
At first, paying off my loans felt impossible. I didn’t want to carry that debt for years or decades, so I created a plan to eliminate it as quickly as possible.
And I succeeded.
I managed to pay off my student loans in just seven months—and it was all thanks to my blog.
Yes—my blog was the key. Without it, I might still be paying student loans today. Blogging gave me motivation, provided a fun way to earn extra income, and made it possible to clear my loans in a short time.
I’m not saying everyone needs to start a blog to pay off their loans, but I do recommend exploring a side hustle. Blogging worked for me and might be a good fit for you as well.
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I believe earning extra income can transform your life. It can free you from living paycheck to paycheck, allow you to pay down debt, help you achieve long-held goals, and more.
My blog changed my life beyond eliminating debt. It gave me the freedom to leave a job I hated, start a business, and grow that business to the point where I now earn a substantial monthly income from it.
If you’re curious about starting a blog, I’ve shared my experience and income reports over the years. I also provide step-by-step tutorials and resources to help new bloggers launch and grow their sites.
Below I describe how blogging helped me pay off my student loans so quickly.
Quick background on my student loans
I earned two undergraduate degrees, took a short break, worked as an analyst, and later completed an MBA in Finance while working full time. Even though I maintained employment through school, I still took out loans and contributed little toward them while my balance grew.
When I was younger I spent money on things like food, clothes, and a house that was more expensive than I should have chosen. I wasn’t great with money at that time, which contributed to the loans I carried.
By the time I finished my graduate degree, I had about $40,000 in student loan debt.
Shortly after earning my MBA I created an action plan, and within seven months my loans were gone. It was challenging, but absolutely worth the effort.
The biggest reason I paid them off so quickly was the income I earned outside my day job. I did mystery shopping and took paid surveys, but the largest and most consistent income source was my blog.
I worked hard on my blog
Every spare minute went to growing my blog. I woke up early, stayed up late, used lunch breaks, and even spent vacation days on blogging. It required a big time commitment, but it was enjoyable and the financial payoff was significant.
While paying down my loans I earned between $5,000 and $11,000 per month from blogging in addition to my regular job income. That extra cash made a dramatic difference and allowed me to eliminate the balance quickly.
Blogging was fun and motivating
Because I didn’t enjoy my day job, I knew any side hustle would have to be something I liked, otherwise I wouldn’t sustain the effort. Blogging fit that need. It’s fun, intellectually stimulating, and helped me connect with readers and other bloggers.
I loved receiving messages from readers who told me my content helped them pay off debt, start a side hustle, or feel motivated. That kind of feedback made the long hours feel worthwhile and kept me focused.
The enjoyment I found in blogging made it feel less like work and more like a hobby, which made it easier to put in many hours consistently.
I focused on growth and quality
To keep the income growing, I invested time in improving the blog. That meant learning social media, growing website traffic, understanding my audience, producing high-quality content, and keeping up with changes in the blogging industry.
Continually improving the site was essential to maintaining a reliable income stream I could use to pay down debt.
I directed nearly all extra income to loans
Whenever I made money from side hustles, I funneled as much as possible toward my student loans. That approach reduced the temptation to spend that income on discretionary items and helped me stay focused on the goal.
It’s tempting to reward yourself after working so hard, but if you want fast progress, it helps to prioritize the purpose behind the extra income and apply most of it to debt repayment.
I stayed positive through the grind
Managing everything wasn’t easy. At times I was working close to 100 hours a week between my day job and side jobs, leaving little time for sleep or social life. Loving the work I did on my blog made it manageable.
Seeing the loan balance decline each month was an enormous motivator. What felt impossible at first became achievable through focused effort, and paying off my student loans remains one of the best decisions I’ve made.
Do you have student loan debt? How are you approaching repayment?
Recommended reading: How To Pay Off Student Loans Faster by Starting a Side Hustle