Let me see if you can relate to this story. I was working in the private sector. It was an interesting job...except it wasn't. The hours were long, the job was hard, and I found myself looking in a mirror after working sixteen hours straight asking myself, "is this what I dreamed of?"

I got off on a tangent when I started remembering some of my dreams, many of them involving me on a tropical island while someone else cleaned my kitchen...but that's another story. Anyway, where I was working certainly wasn't in my dream. So I decided to go back to school to get my degree so I could teach. Yes, teaching is a noble profession.

Teaching is also a starving profession. A profession where you can work very hard and still qualify for food stamps. While working on my degree, I became reacquainted with Ramen Noodles (thank you Nissin).

But I still wasn't able to make ends meet. So I decided to take advantage of a program that we've all come to know and love...the STUDENT LOAN PROGRAM. I signed forms. I made promises. I got in debt. But, of course, it's "good debt." Yeah, right.

Now I'm at the end of the journey in the hallowed halls of academia, facing a cold hard fact...Uncle Sam wants his money, and he wants it NOW! I'm finally living the dream, except the loans I racked up during my college days aren't nearly as much fun as I thought they'd be.

Yes, they are still "good debt," but only like dental surgery is a "good thing"--it gets you what you want to have, but it certainly isn't a lot of fun going through.

While going through school, I amassed just over $50,000 worth of debt. Did I mention I ate Ramen Noodles while I did this? School is just expensive, and after a while, selling plasma loses its appeal.

I took out thousands of dollars in subsidized loans, unsubsidized loans, and unofficial unsubsidized loans. The first two were administered by the U.S. government, and the last was a combination of my two friends, Mastercard and Visa with their pal Discover. Yeah, I got some frivolous stuff, like peanut butter, oh, and that time I got water. But mostly this went for my education.

Okay, does this story sound all too familiar to you. Come on - fess up. You probably have been or are in the same situation. Let me be the first to tell you that the "student loan fairy" does not exist. And yes , you will have to pay back all that money you borrowed from the banker.

Sure the frat parties were great and the splurge of money on those tailgating weekends were definitely worth spending money on - but unfortunately there does come a time when we have to pay back these loans.

So how the hell do you pay off these staggering mountains of debt that may only have helped you make a passing grade D at best ?

Knowledge my friend - knowledge is the power to debt free life. Yeah, we sure did read "too much" in college but listen up - go read The Ultimate Guide To Student Loan Consolidation , even if its the last time you read anything.

Why ? Because dummy - if you don't, you will stay in your pathetic financial situation making payments to someone else for the rest of your life. Why the hell would you wanna do that. Its your money - spend it on something YOU want to !

I sure lived with the "pay-check-to-pay-check" lifestyle in college and damn me if I'm going to continue to live like that.

Its your call my friend ! Click here and start living the life you deserve.