Today I'm celebrating paying off >$160k in student loans. Unlike the financial advice articles saying to stop buying Starbucks and avocado toast, a thread on how I really did it:

I lived at home, asked for loans *with interest* from family, negotiated the heck out of job offers, never had the newest tech or lived in the trendiest neighborhood & eventually refinanced. All of this got me to a place where I could pay more than what was due every month.

If all I did was skip out on coffee and brunch, I would be writing this thread at age 90 instead of 30, having paid more in interest than the original amount of my loans. Paying off this much money takes bigger moves and a lot of help.

I fully acknowledge that I was privileged to have help, but no one should be saddled with this much debt at 21. Sure, I "knew" what it would cost but what does a 17 yr old scooping ice cream for $7/hr know about taking on $35k+/yr in tuition? NOT MUCH.

There are very real conversations happening around student loan forgiveness right now. Pay attention, call your representatives. Just because people have paid off mountains of debt doesn't mean that's how it should be. Education should be a right for all. Fin.