My goal was to pay off my $20,000 loan by my 26th birthday (March 2016). I didn't get 'serious' about paying it down until nearly two years into the loan... up until then I made only the minimum payments. I started off 2014 with a little over $16,000 left and told myself I had two years to pay it. Due to a strict budget, making wise choices when it came to bonus money and tax returns, and to top it off some generosity for my parents (gifting me $2500 for my birthday to do 'whatever I wanted'), that loan will be gone by the end of this week. Can't wait to be completely debt free!!!