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Saving Money in 2022: Taxes, Refinancing, & More

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Before You Read, Lower Your Student Loan Payment

It’s that quick & easy — really. Our free tool checks a network of top refinance lenders and shows you options in one easy chart.
Checking rates takes 2 minutes with no impact on your credit
Federal & private loans are eligible
No maximum loan amount

Before You Read, Lower Your Student Payment

It’s that quick & easy — really. Our free tool checks a network of top refinance lenders and shows you options in one easy chart.

Checking rates takes 2 minutes with no impact on your credit
Federal & private loans are eligible
No maximum loan amount

After a brutal 2021, many people are focused on improving their finances and building a safety net. Whether you need to pay off debt or boost your emergency fund, there are multiple ways to cut corners and save money. Below, learn how to save money on student loans, credit card debt, car insurance, and more.

How to save money on student loans and other expenses

Saving money doesn’t necessarily mean you have to work a second job or live on rice and beans. You can improve your finances by using these nine tips:

1. Deduct charitable donations

Because of tax rule changes, you typically can’t deduct charitable donations unless you itemize your deductions. If you take the standard deduction, you usually can’t deduct your cash donations.

However, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (ACT) changed that. When you file your taxes in 2022, you can deduct up to $300 in charitable donations ($600 if you’re married and file jointly).

By taking advantage of this deduction, you can lower your taxable income and get a smaller tax bill, putting more money in your pocket.

2. Consider mortgage refinancing

If you’re a homeowner with a home loan, now is a fantastic time to refinance your mortgage.

Consider that in November 2018, the average interest rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage was 4.94%. As of February 2021, the average interest rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is just 2.81%. By refinancing your mortgage, you could save thousands in interest charges over the life of your loan. Contact a mortgage lender to discuss your options.

3. Use the debt avalanche strategy

If you have multiple forms of debt, such as credit card balances, student loans, and auto loans, the most effective way to tackle it is the debt avalanche strategy.

With this debt repayment method, you make all the minimum required payments but apply any extra money you have to the account with the highest interest rate. Once that account is paid off, you take that payment and put it toward the account with the next highest rate every month.

By targeting the most expensive debt first, you can save more money and pay off your debt faster.

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5.19% – 9.74% APR 2

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5.72% – 9.74% APR 2

4. Compare car insurance quotes

Your car insurance bill can be a major expense,

When you’re a recent college graduate, you may not know where to start when it comes to insurance, so you likely used the same insurance company as your parents. However, that can be a costly mistake, as rates can vary by company, and you likely have very different insurance needs than your family.

Instead, plan on shopping around and comparing insurance quotes once every year. By comparing auto insurance rates, you could save up to $670 per year.

You can use a tool like The Zebra or PolicyGenius to help you compare quotes from multiple companies at once.

5. Sell extra stuff

You likely don’t realize it, but the unused clutter in your home could be a source of extra cash. According to electronic reseller DeCluttr, the average American household has $264 of unused devices in their homes.

If you have a day without any plans, spend some time cleaning out your home and gathering unused clothes, toys, furniture, and electronics. You can sell those items on eBay, Poshmark, Gazelle, and Craigslist and use the money to make extra debt payments or to add to your savings.

6. Consolidate credit card debt

As of November 2020, the average interest rate for credit cards that assess interest was 16.48%. With such high rates, it can be difficult to make any progress paying off your balances.

If you’re struggling with high-interest credit card debt, consider applying for a debt consolidation loan. Debt consolidation loans are personal loans you use to pay off your credit card debt or medical bills. They typically have much lower interest rates than credit cards and fixed monthly payments, so you can save money and know exactly when you’ll be debt-free.

7. Claim the student loan interest deduction

Under the CARES Act, interest was set to 0% on most federal loans. However, if you made payments before the CARES Act was enacted, paid interest that had accrued, or made payments toward private student loans, you can still claim the student loan interest deduction on your taxes.

You can claim the student loan interest deduction even if you don’t itemize your deductions. If eligible, you can deduct up to $2,500 or the actual amount of interest you paid during the 2021 tax year, whichever is less.

8. Cancel recurring subscriptions

With so many apps, streaming services, and other subscriptions readily available, it’s easy to sign up for things without thinking about it. But when you add up the cost of all of those services, it can really cut into your budget. Canceling just a few of your subscriptions can help you save hundreds.

If the idea of calling each service provider is intimidating to you, Trim is a tool that can simplify the process for you. According to the company, the average yearly savings for users that enroll in all of the app’s features is $1,498.

9. Refinance your student loans

When it comes to student loan statistics,  the average borrower has a loan balance of $29,650 with a 5.8% interest rate and a monthly payment of $393. With such a high interest rate, thousands in interest charges can accrue, causing you to pay more than you initially borrowed.

If you’re looking for ways to lower student loan payments or are wondering how to lower student loan interest rates, consider student loan refinancing.

By refinancing your federal loans or private loans, you consolidate them into one. Rates are at historic lows right now, so you can qualify for a lower interest rate and save money over your loan term. Or, if you’re trying to figure out how to lower your student loan payment, you can opt for a longer loan term.

Just how effective is refinancing? Consider this example. Jane had $29,650 in loans at 5.8% interest and a 10-year repayment term. By the time she paid off her loans, she paid over $9,400 in interest charges.

To save money, Jane decided to refinance her loans. She qualified for a 10-year loan at 4% interest. With the lower rate, she paid only $6,373 and saved over $3,100 in interest charges.

 Original LoanRefinanced Loan
Loan Term10 Years10 Years
Interest Rate5.8%4%
Minimum Monthly Payment$326$300
Total Interest$9,495$6,373
Total Repaid$39,145$36,023
    Savings: $3,122

If you decide to refinance your student loans, make sure you get quotes from multiple lenders. You can use Purefy’s Compare Rates tool to get quotes from top refinancing lenders without affecting your credit score.

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Student Loan Refinance

Today’s Rates Starting From 4.49% APR1

Take the guesswork out of shopping for a student loan refinance. Compare real prequalified offers from multiple top rated lenders in 2 minutes with no impact on your credit score.
Purefy - Compare Private Student Loan Consolidation & Refinance Options Quickly & Easily
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Purefy - Compare Private Student Loan Consolidation & Refinance Options Quickly & Easily
Purefy - Compare Private Student Loan Consolidation & Refinance Options Quickly & Easily
Purefy - Compare Private Student Loan Consolidation & Refinance Options Quickly & Easily
Purefy - Compare Private Student Loan Consolidation & Refinance Options Quickly & Easily
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Purefy - Compare Private Student Loan Consolidation & Refinance Options Quickly & Easily
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Ascent Rate Disclosure

Ascent’s undergraduate and graduate student loans are funded by Bank of Lake Mills or DR Bank, Member FDIC. Loan products may not be available in certain jurisdictions. Certain restrictions, limitations; and terms and conditions may apply. For Ascent Terms and Conditions please visit: www.AscentStudentLoans.com/Ts&Cs.

Rates are effective as of 12/1/2023 and reflect an automatic payment discount of either 0.25% (for credit-based loans) OR 1.00% (for undergraduate outcomes-based loans). Automatic Payment Discount is available if the borrower is enrolled in automatic payments from their personal checking account and the amount is successfully withdrawn from the authorized back account each month. For Ascent rates and repayment examples please visit: www.AscentStudentLoans.com/Rates.

1% Cash Back Graduation Reward subject to terms and conditions. Click here for details.

SoFi Rate Disclosure

3 SoFi Rate Disclosure:

Fixed rates range from 4.49% APR to 8.99% APR with a 0.25% autopay discount. Variable rates from 5.09% APR to 8.99% APR with a 0.25% autopay discount. Unless required to be lower to comply with applicable law, Variable Interest rates on 5-, 7-, and 10-year terms are capped at 8.95% APR; 15- and 20-year terms are capped at 9.95% APR. Your actual rate will be within the range of rates listed above and will depend on the term you select, evaluation of your creditworthiness, income, presence of a co-signer and a variety of other factors. Lowest rates reserved for the most creditworthy borrowers. For the SoFi variable-rate product, the variable interest rate for a given month is derived by adding a margin to the 30-day average SOFR index, published two business days preceding such calendar month, rounded up to the nearest one hundredth of one percent (0.01% or 0.0001). APRs for variable-rate loans may increase after origination if the SOFR index increases. The SoFi 0.25% autopay interest rate reduction requires you to agree to make monthly principal and interest payments by an automatic monthly deduction from a savings or checking account. This benefit will discontinue and be lost for periods in which you do not pay by automatic deduction from a savings or checking account. The benefit lowers your interest rate but does not change the amount of your monthly payment. This benefit is suspended during periods of deferment and forbearance. Autopay is not required to receive a loan from SoFi.

ISL Rate Disclosure

Earnest Rate Disclosure

2 Earnest Rate Disclosure:


Actual rate and available repayment terms will vary based on your income. Fixed rates range from 5.44% APR to 9.99% APR (excludes 0.25% Auto Pay discount). Variable rates range from 5.97% APR to 9.99% APR (excludes 0.25% Auto Pay discount). Earnest variable interest rate student loan refinance loans are based on a publicly available index, the 30-day Average Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The variable rate is based on the rate published on the 25th day, or the next business day, of the preceding calendar month, rounded to the nearest hundredth of a percent. The rate will not increase more than once per month. The maximum rate for your loan is 8.95% if your loan term is 10 years or less. For loan terms of more than 10 years to 15 years, the interest rate will never exceed 9.95%. For loan terms over 15 years, the interest rate will never exceed 11.95%. Please note, we are not able to offer variable rate loans in AK, IL, MN, NH, OH, TN, and TX. Our lowest rates are only available for our most credit qualified borrowers and contain our .25% auto pay discount from a checking or savings account.

Advertiser Disclosure:

THIS IS AN ADVERTISEMENT. YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO MAKE ANY PAYMENT OR TAKE ANY OTHER ACTION IN RESPONSE TO THIS OFFER.

Earnest Rate Disclosure

Rates displayed include the 0.25% Auto Pay discount. You can take advantage of the Auto Pay interest rate reduction by setting up and maintaining active and automatic ACH withdrawal of your loan payment from a checking or savings account. The interest rate reduction for Auto Pay will be available only while your loan is enrolled in Auto Pay. Interest rate incentives for utilizing Auto Pay may not be combined with certain private student loan repayment programs that also offer an interest rate reduction. For multi-party loans, only one party may enroll in Auto Pay. It is important to note that the 0.25% Auto Pay discount is not available while loan payments are deferred.

Actual rate and available repayment terms will vary based on your income. Fixed rates range from 4.67% APR to 16.15% APR (excludes 0.25% Auto Pay discount). Variable rates range from 5.64% APR to 16.45% APR (excludes 0.25% Auto Pay discount). Earnest variable interest rate student loan origination loans are based on a publicly available index, the 30-day Average Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The variable rate is based on the rate published on the 25th day, or the next business day, of the preceding calendar month, rounded to the nearest hundredth of a percent. The rate will not increase more than once per month. Although the rate will vary after you are approved, it will never exceed 36% (the maximum allowable for this loan). Please note, Earnest Private Student Loans are not available in Nevada. Our lowest rates are only available for our most credit qualified borrowers and contain our .25% auto pay discount from a checking or savings account. It is important to note that the 0.25% Auto Pay discount is not available while loan payments are deferred.

Nine-month grace period is not available for borrowers who choose our Principal and Interest Repayment plan while in school.

Earnest clients may skip one payment every 12 months. Your first request to skip a payment can be made once you’ve made at least 6 months of consecutive on-time payments, and your loan is in good standing. The interest accrued during the skipped month will result in an increase in your remaining minimum payment. The final payoff date on your loan will be extended by the length of the skipped payment periods. Please be aware that a skipped payment does count toward the forbearance limits. Please note that skipping a payment is not guaranteed and is at Earnest’s discretion. Your monthly payment and total loan cost may increase as a result of postponing your payment and extending your term.

Loan Eligibility criteria: Eligible students must: 1) For college Freshmen, Sophomores and Juniors, attend, or be enrolled to attend, a Title IV school full-time. For college Seniors and Graduate students, attend, or be enrolled to attend, a Title IV school at least half-time; and 2) be pursuing a Bachelor’s or Graduate degree. Earnest private student loans are subject to credit qualification, completion of a loan application, verification of application information, self-certification of loan amount, and school certification.

Responsible borrowing tip: Explore all scholarship, grant and federal options before applying for a private loan.

Earnest Private Student Loans are made by One American Bank, Member FDIC. One American Bank, 515 S. Minnesota Ave, Sioux Falls, SD 57104.

Earnest loans are serviced by Earnest Operations LLC, 535 Mission St., Suite 1663 San Francisco, CA 94105, NMLS #1204917, with support From Navient Solutions, LLC (NMLS #212430). One American Bank and Earnest LLC and its subsidiaries, including Earnest Operations LLC, are not sponsored by agencies of the United States of America.

Advertiser Disclosure:

THIS IS AN ADVERTISEMENT. YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO MAKE ANY PAYMENT OR TAKE ANY OTHER ACTION IN RESPONSE TO THIS OFFER.

ELFI Rate Disclosure

4 ELFI Rate Disclosure:

Education Loan Finance is a nationwide student loan debt consolidation and refinance program offered by Tennessee based SouthEast Bank. ELFI is designed to assist borrowers through consolidating and refinancing loans into one single loan that effectively lowers your cost of education debt and/or makes repayment very simple. Subject to credit approval. See Terms & Conditions. Interest rates current as of 10/13/2023. The interest rate and monthly payment for a variable rate loan may increase after closing, but will never exceed 9.95% APR. Interest rates may be different from the rates shown above and will be based on the term of your loan, your financial history, and other factors, including your cosigner’s (if any) financial history. For example, a 10-year loan with a fixed rate of 6% would have 120 payments of $11.00 per $1,000 borrowed. Rates are subject to change.

ELFI Rate Disclosure

Education Loan Finance is a nationwide student loan provider offered by Tennessee based SouthEast Bank. ELFI is designed to assist students financially with receiving their education. Subject to credit approval. See Terms & Conditions. Interest rates current as of 12/11/2023. Variable interest rates may increase after closing but will never exceed 18.00%. Interest rates may also differ from the rates shown above. The term of your loan, financial history, and other factors, including your cosigner’s (if any) financial history can affect the interest rate. For example, a 10-year loan with a fixed rate of 7% would have 120 payments of $11.61 per $1,000 borrowed. Rates are subject to change.

College Ave Rate Disclosure

College Ave Student Loans products are made available through Firstrust Bank, member FDIC, First Citizens Community Bank, member FDIC, or M.Y. Safra Bank, FSB, member FDIC.. All loans are subject to individual approval and adherence to underwriting guidelines. Program restrictions, other terms, and conditions apply.
Rates shown include autopay discount. The 0.25% auto-pay interest rate reduction applies as long as a valid bank account is designated for required monthly payments. If a payment is returned, you will lose this benefit. Variable rates may increase after consummation.
Minimum loan amount $1,000, as certified by your school and less any other financial aid you might receive.
This informational repayment example uses typical loan terms for a freshman borrower who selects the Deferred Repayment Option with a 10-year repayment term, has a $10,000 loan that is disbursed in one disbursement and a 8.35% fixed Annual Percentage Rate (“APR”): 120 monthly payments of $179.18 while in the repayment period, for a total amount of payments of $21,501.54. Loans will never have a full principal and interest monthly payment of less than $50. Your actual rates and repayment terms may vary.
Information advertised valid as of 1/1/2024. Variable interest rates may increase after consummation. Approved interest rate will depend on the creditworthiness of the applicant(s), lowest advertised rates only available to the most creditworthy applicants and require selection of full principal and interest payments with the shortest available loan term.

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