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• Start out with partial payments.

  Pay no principal for nine months¹ and use that money for your ambitions.

  ¹Pay only the monthly interest for the first 9 months, then start full principal and interest payments.

• No fees required.

  No late fees. And no fees to pay off your loan early.

• You could save thousands.

  A lower rate could help you save versus your current loan.

SmartStart student loan refinancing gives you lower, partial payments for nine months. So why is that extra breathing room today helpful for tomorrow?

Nine months of extra cash could help you:

Find the right refi for you.

SmartStart helps our most qualified borrowers keep extra cash for nine months. Like our standard SoFi Student Loan Refinancing, it could save you thousands. See a 10-year, $50,000 refinance example:

Example chart shows calculations based on a 10-year term and a $50,000 loan balance. Estimated monthly payments for the standard Student Loan Refinance are based on 6.34% APR (the average interest rate for all SoFi refinance loans from 2/28/24 to 2/28/25). Estimated monthly payments for the SmartStart loan are calculated using 6.47% (the average rate for all SLR plus 0.125%). Estimated monthly payments for “Current Loan” are based on a hypothetical loan with 8.55% APR (SoFi borrowers’ average incoming rate from 2/28/24 to 2/28/25) with a remaining term of at least 10 years. Calculations assume no origination fee option selected and no pre-payment amounts. Your rate on a new SoFi loan will depend on various factors, including the term of your loan, your credit history, and your cosigner’s (if any) credit. SoFi Refinance Student Loans are private loans. When you refinance federal loans with a SoFi loan, YOU FORFEIT YOUR ELIGIBILITY FOR ALL FEDERAL LOAN BENEFITS, including all flexible federal repayment and forgiveness options that are or may become available to federal student loan borrowers including, but not limited to: Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF), Income-Based Repayment, Income-Contingent Repayment, extended repayment plans, PAYE or SAVE.

*You may pay more interest over the life of a new SoFi loan if you refinance.

Find the right refi for you.

SmartStart helps our most qualified borrowers keep extra cash for nine months. Like our standard SoFi Student Loan Refinancing, it could save you thousands. See a 10-year, $50,000 refinance example:

Example chart shows calculations based on a 10-year term and a $50,000 loan balance. Estimated monthly payments for the standard Student Loan Refinance are based on 6.34% APR (the average interest rate for all SoFi refinance loans from 2/28/24 to 2/28/25). Estimated monthly payments for the SmartStart loan are calculated using 6.47% (the average rate for all SLR plus 0.125%). Estimated monthly payments for “Current Loan” are based on a hypothetical loan with 8.55% APR (SoFi borrowers’ average incoming rate from 2/28/24 to 2/28/25) with a remaining term of at least 10 years. Calculations assume no origination fee option selected and no pre-payment amounts. Your rate on a new SoFi loan will depend on various factors, including the term of your loan, your credit history, and your cosigner’s (if any) credit. SoFi Refinance Student Loans are private loans. When you refinance federal loans with a SoFi loan, YOU FORFEIT YOUR ELIGIBILITY FOR ALL FEDERAL LOAN BENEFITS, including all flexible federal repayment and forgiveness options that are or may become available to federal student loan borrowers including, but not limited to: Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF), Income-Based Repayment, Income-Contingent Repayment, extended repayment plans, PAYE or SAVE.

*You may pay more interest over the life of a new SoFi loan if you refinance.

Grow ahead—get SmartStart now.

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FAQs

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While it’s true that the last few years have been challenging in terms of inflation, geo-political turmoil, and higher-than-average interest rates, in good news, the majority of investors who responded to SoFi’s 2025 investing survey revealed some strong, forward-looking sentiment.

Of the 1,000 investors we surveyed, close to 90% invested money in their portfolios over the past year. In addition, nearly two-thirds (65%) said they feel optimistic or content about their investments over the past year, and a full 68% plan to expand or shift their investing strategies in the coming months — all indicators of investor confidence.

Similar to the SoFi Investing Survey for 2022, investors also shared insights about how they manage their portfolios, how they handle investing stress, where they stand in light of crypto, and more.

Key Survey Findings

•  More than two-thirds of investors (68%) said they plan to shift their strategies in some shape or form in 2025 — whether by increasing their portfolios, buying a new type of investment, working with an advisor, or doing more research.

•  Despite inflation concerns, rising prices only made 19% of investors want to invest less in their portfolios, while 82% either wanted to invest more or maintain their holdings.

•  Optimism remains high, as nearly two-thirds (65%) of respondents said they feel either optimistic or content about their investments over the past year.

•  Despite volatility in 2024, 73% of investors chose to hold onto their assets and wait things out, while another 23% primarily bought investments.

•  Investors’ top strategy for coping with the stress of market volatility was to arm themselves with knowledge, with 24% conducting their own investment research.

Looking Back at 2024, Investors Feel Positive

No question: Last year was fast paced and dynamic, and investors had to keep their eyes on a number of factors. Nonetheless, nearly two-thirds of the investors we surveyed were optimistic or content when looking back at their investments; and fewer felt stressed.

Nearly 40% didn’t stress about the markets; others found ways to cope

How to remain calm in the face of uncertainty? First, a striking 40% of investors didn’t experience tension about the markets. Others turned to some smart strategies for peace of mind.

Looking to Grow in 2025

Even with the wide range of investor experience, the overall mood about the investing year to come seemed to be positive.

68% of respondents plan to make some changes to how they invest over the next year

As noted, most respondents have decided to change their plans, and 28% of them want to invest more into the market. In addition, some investors plan to work with a financial advisor, or do their own due diligence and dig deeper into investment research.

Here’s the breakdown:

Here’s What Investors’ Portfolios Look Like Right Now

This overall positivity makes sense. After all, the market has kept up a steady pace, even as inflation has lingered, and there are reasons investors may want to lean into that feeling of confidence. More than one-third (35%) of respondents report having more than $200,000 in their investment portfolio. Here’s the breakdown:

Most investors (76%) said stocks are the most common investment in their portfolios. Mutual funds, cash, and bonds were the next most popular investment types.

87% of respondents have invested over the past year

Nearly nine out of 10 respondents invested money into their portfolios over the past year. Men were more likely than women to invest — and invest more money when they did.

More than 3 out of 4 people have invested in non-stock market-related assets

Investors seem to be taking an intrepid stance regarding their investments. In fact, 82% of our respondents invested money into a non-stock-market-related asset, including CDs (certificates of deposit), crypto, as well as gold and other commodities.

Recommended: How to Invest in Gold: Tips for 1st Time Gold Investors

Market Volatility Has Impacted Some Investors’ Purchase and Investment Decisions

Market volatility has impacted investors at all ages and stages, but many investors have held steady, with a relatively small percentage adjusting their plans or spending.

When faced with market swings, 73% of investors held onto their assets last year

Investors seemed to take a philosophical approach to last year’s volatility. When we asked investors how they coped with market swings over the past year:

The investors that did sell some of their assets ultimately sold less than half of their portfolio. Only 8% sold 76% or more of their total investments, an indication that many investors were able to resist their impulses.

Some investors may also enlist strategies, such as automating their investing and/or dollar cost averaging, to help them continue building their portfolio when the market is trending in an unfavorable direction. With dollar cost averaging, a fixed amount is invested at regular intervals to avoid trying to time the market.

Recommended: What Types of Stocks Do Well During Volatility?

Only 19% said market volatility has caused them to make impulsive investment decisions

Market volatility has caused some investors to respond emotionally, with 19% saying market volatility has caused them to make impulsive investment choices.

But of the people who made impulsive investment decisions, 57% said they’re happy with their choice, and only 15% of them regret them. Maybe these emotion-driven decisions revealed new opportunities, or valuable perspectives on risk.

Only 12% had to cancel or delay plans or purchases over the past year because of money lost on investments

Fortunately, market fluctuations seemed to strongly influence only about 12% of the investors we surveyed. Of those who had to change their plans, here’s where they felt it most:

Some Investors Are Adding Crypto to Their Portfolios

Crypto can be a volatile asset and risky, but a number of respondents are investing in crypto. In fact, a full 26% of respondents said they have cryptocurrency in their portfolios, and 66% of them even said they invested more than $500 over the past year.

Crypto investors tend to be male (72%) and under the age of 55. Less than one-third of crypto investors are female..

26% of respondents have cryptocurrency in their investment portfolio

Despite the ups and downs of the crypto market over the years, slightly more than a quarter of investors (26%) said they invested in crypto over the past year. Of these investors:

66% have invested $500 or more over the past year
72% of crypto investors are male, 28% are female. Of those who invested $5,000 or more in crypto over the past year, 78% are male.
Only 16% of respondents aged 55 or older are invested in crypto

Most investors with cryptocurrency in their portfolios have invested at least $500 over the past year:

Only 4% of investors who have cryptocurrency in their portfolio haven’t invested anything into cryptocurrency over the past year.

A majority of investors are either confident or cautiously optimistic that crypto is a worthwhile investment

The crypto market remains volatile as worries of economic downturns continue to swirl, and political changes in the U.S. — and potential changes to how crypto is regulated — become solidified. Despite this financial climate, most investors are hopeful of the future.

Among all investors:

Of the 26% of investors who currently have crypto in their portfolio, however:

Overall, the crypto market still has plenty of believers who are paying close attention to developments in the crypto market this year.

Many Investors Have Investment Regrets – Mostly That They Didn’t Invest Enough

Interestingly, investors don’t have many regrets about their investments over the past year. In fact, 46% said they have no regrets at all, and most others said they should have bought more assets.

Nearly half (46%) have zero regrets about their investments over the past year

Hindsight is never 20-20, and nearly half of investors realize that and are not caught up in regrets about what they woulda-coulda-shoulda done in 2024. Being older and wiser may play a role, as 77% of those with no regrets are 45 and up.

That said, more than half (54%) of respondents have some type of investment regret this year. Many wish they had bought more assets, perhaps to take advantage of lower prices.

Here’s the breakdown of the investment regrets respondents had this year:

People are split on how inflation made them feel about their investment strategies over the past year

Inflation can be a thorn in the side of investors. Our respondents were split in how they approached inflation over the past year. One thing is for certain: confident investors will continue to engage with the market despite inflation.

Recommended: 5 Tips to Hedge Against Inflation

The Takeaway

With a new year comes new challenges. You never know what’s going to happen next, so it’s important for investors to take stock of their portfolios, solidify a strategy, and make plans for going forward. While the past year was one of many ups and downs, the coming year is likely to bring the same. But as the data shows, investors remain optimistic.

Ready to invest in your goals? It’s easy to get started when you open an investment account with SoFi Invest. You can invest in stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), mutual funds, alternative funds, and more. SoFi doesn’t charge commissions, but other fees apply (full fee disclosure here).

Invest now

SOIN-Q125-089

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If your paycheck isn’t stretching as far as it used to and you’re worried about where the economy is headed, you’re probably looking for ways to reduce your expenses.

One biggie is food, and pretty much everyone knows it costs less to eat at home than to eat out. But how much less? We looked into it.

First off, the average U.S. household spent almost $4,000 in 2023 eating out, 30% more than just two years earlier, according to the most recent data available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The cost of eating at home has also grown significantly since the pandemic turbocharged inflation: Groceries are 27% more expensive than they were in March 2020, according to the Consumer Price Index.

So what’s a good estimate of the potential cost savings? As of March of this year, an average meal at home cost roughly $3 to $5 per person, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

A meal out, on the other hand, could run you around $15 per person at a fast-casual chain like Chipotle, or $40 or $50 at a fancier sit-down restaurant.

Add drinks, tip, and delivery fees if you’re ordering in, and the bill climbs fast. And if you’re feeding a whole household, those differences multiply quickly.

Think of a family of four who eats out twice a week. If they’re spending $5 per person to eat at home, that’s $20 per meal. If they’re eating out and spending $20 a person, that’s $80 a meal — a $60 difference. Forgoing one dinner out a week could save about $260 a month, or over $3,100 a year.

Food overall — at home or out — is Americans’ third largest expense, behind only housing and transportation. But it’s also one of the more flexible categories in an economy where so many costs feel out of our control.

You don’t have to swear off Chinese takeout or the occasional meetup with friends for dinner and drinks. Cutting out just a few restaurant meals each month adds up. (Tracking your “dining and drinks” spending in SoFi’s free Relay budget app can help.) And if you’re short on time or energy, don’t overthink it — something as simple as a frozen pizza or a rotisserie chicken dinner is just about as easy to get as takeout, at a fraction of the price.

So what? Preparing your own meals can be one of the most manageable, high-impact ways to keep your spending in check. And the money you free up can be used to cover a rent increase, pay down credit card debt, or build up your emergency savings in case there’s a recession.

Related Reading

•   How to Stretch a Buck the Old-Fashioned Way (SoFi)

•   How to Save Money: 28 Ways (NerdWallet)

•   73 Cheap Dinner Ideas for Weeknight Meals (Taste of Home)

Please understand that this information provided is general in nature and shouldn’t be construed as a recommendation or solicitation of any products offered by SoFi’s affiliates and subsidiaries. In addition, this information is by no means meant to provide investment or financial advice, nor is it intended to serve as the basis for any investment decision or recommendation to buy or sell any asset. Keep in mind that investing involves risk, and past performance of an asset never guarantees future results or returns. It’s important for investors to consider their specific financial needs, goals, and risk profile before making an investment decision.

The information and analysis provided through hyperlinks to third party websites, while believed to be accurate, cannot be guaranteed by SoFi. These links are provided for informational purposes and should not be viewed as an endorsement. No brands or products mentioned are affiliated with SoFi, nor do they endorse or sponsor this content.

SoFi isn't recommending and is not affiliated with the brands or companies displayed. Brands displayed neither endorse or sponsor this article. Third party trademarks and service marks referenced are property of their respective owners.

OTM20250523SW

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SoFi has private student loans
for your education.

We offer loans for college students at all stages of their academic career. Whether you’re just starting undergrad or going for a medical degree, we have you covered.

Private loans for college, without the hassle. See private student loan rates for undergrads in minutes—with tips along the way. Learn more.

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Get low-rate student loans to pay for college, with flexible repayment plans for qualified parents (and sponsors), too. Learn more.

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Get competitive private student loan rates for business school as you advance your career. Learn more.

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Pay for law school with our premium, variable- or fixed-rate private student loans. Learn more.

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Doctors, nurses, and more who answer the call of medicine deserve great private student loan interest rates. Learn more.

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SoFi student loans versus other private education loans.

It doesn’t take a Ph.D. to see the advantages of SoFi Private Student Loans when compared to other private student loan lenders. Secure funding with no fees, flexible repayment options, and more on your variable- or fixed-rate student loan today.

^‡ and subsequent loans^{^}‘,
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competitorCards={[
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‘Sallie Mae’,
’15 minutes’,
‘Late fee + returned check’,
‘3’,
‘No’,
‘No (terms assigned by lender)’,
‘Automated payments’,
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[
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‘3 minutes’,
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Comparisons based on information obtained on lenders’ websites as of January 9, 2024.

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Understanding student loans: tools,
tips, resources, and more.

Want to learn more about private student loans? Our online resource center is filled with over 5,000 articles, budgeting tools, guides, and more.

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FAQs

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² Interest Rates: Eligibility and Important Details. Fixed rates range from 3.18% APR to 15.99% APR with 0.25% autopay discount. Variable rates range from 4.39% APR to 15.99% APR with a 0.25% autopay discount. Unless required to be lower to comply with applicable law, Variable Interest rates are capped at 17.95%. SoFi rate ranges are current as of 6/1/23 and are subject to change at any time. Your actual rate will be within the range of rates listed above and will depend on the term and type of repayment option you select, evaluation of your creditworthiness, income, presence of a co-signer (if applicable) and a variety of other factors. Lowest rates reserved for the most creditworthy borrowers. Check out our eligibility criteria at https://www.sofi.com/eligibility-criteria/. 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.

• Absolutely no fees

  No origination fees, pre-payment, or late fees.

• Competitive Fixed Rates²

  Low fixed rates that could help you save more.

• Flexible term options

  Flexible term options that fit your budget.

{/* added 3/25/25 */}

Real stories from real grads.

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Use our Student Loan Refi Calculator to see how much you could save by refinancing student loans with SoFi.

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How refinancing student loans works at SoFi.

View your rate

 
Checking your rate will not affect your credit score.^†

Find your low, fixed interest rate.

Refinance student loans for a lower monthly payment or a lower interest rate.
See payment examples.

Why choose SoFi?

Since 2011, we’ve helped over 500,000 members refinance their student loan debt. Here’s just a bit of what they enjoy:

• Serious savings.
  Zero required fees.
  

  You could save thousands with a lower interest rate and no fees required.

• Easy online process
  

  Your time matters. View your
  rate in minutes.

• Member benefits
  

  Access SoFi Travel benefits³, our debt summary tool, rewards points⁴ to pay toward loans, and more.

View your rate}
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title: ‘Get prepared.’
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