Summertime is all about sunshine, much-needed vacation time, and relaxation. It’s also a great time to make significant headway on your student loans.

We know that might sound crazy—after all, there’s nothing fun or relaxing about dealing with student loan debt. But here’s the thing: if you want that debt out of your life ASAP, it won’t help to take a vacation from it. Follow a few summer savings tips now, and you’ll see some satisfying progress by the time winter rolls around.

Editor’s Note: The following article on home renovation and budgeting originally appeared on our web partner Houzz’s website. Some of the content has been slightly edited from its original version, and is written from the perspective of a home designer.

The budget conversation — it’s sometimes awkward, often slightly uncomfortable and usually comes with a bit of anxiety. Because of the nature of construction, things often cost more than what homeowners think. There are endless debates on why that is, but the result is that we designers often have conversations with our clients that end with an awkward silence. The silence usually means that certain aspects of the project might be out of our clients’ reach. And truth be told, we really don’t like being the messenger in these conversations. We want our clients to be satisfied with the process and get what they really want.

Money talks. And student debt proves you’ve made a massive investment in your career. While most people want to pay student loans off as quickly as possible, it can actually be smart to take a little longer to do so and start saving for retirement sooner.

Purchasing your first home is really exciting—but it can also be daunting, especially when going it alone. SoFi members aren’t easily intimidated, however. In fact, according to the March 2016 Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends report, people age 35 and younger continue to be the largest group of home buyers at 35%, and 67% of those buyers are purchasing homes for the first time. With 10% down on loans up to $3 million, SoFi makes it easier than ever before for solo buyers and others to own a home.