News You Can Bruise for 2000 May 6

I got a packet of stuff from Sallie Mae (a loan company, not a southern belle) about the loan I got from them in 1998. I have to start paying the loan back on the first of next year. I can conveniently make my monthly payments electronically, or I can go for a longer-term payment schedule, and I'll get 2% off the interest rate if I make my first 48 months of payments on time and blah and blah. The funny thing is that all of this is completely irrelevant since by next year I'll be able to pay the loan in one lump sum. It's only a $1500 loan.