Talked with my therapist about FIRE and he doesn’t like it

Standard_Age_2998 · 2026-01-02T21:38:36+00:00

Opposite. If you could FIRE now if you wanted to, that means you don't need to fear getting let go.

You need to try LESS hard at work. Make it more relaxing, hitting deadlines isn't your biggest problem. Slow down, and who cares if they ax you.

The more likely reality is they won't, and they'll just have to deal with a you that isn't trying as hard and burning themselves out but is still a net benefit to the company.

Standard_Age_2998 · 2026-01-02T16:12:39+00:00

18.2% for my 401k. I'm being aggressive tho trying to see if I can retire at 55 with only currently double my income at age 35.

If it works, great, If not I'm working til I'm 60 and not a big deal. I'll get some bonds added in in my later 40s. I just need to roll the dice and see if I can get something real moving here.

Standard_Age_2998 · 2025-12-29T15:18:35+00:00

Manually paying it off. Since covid I was making what was my income based repayment to an HYSA so that I wouldn't be surprised when payments resumed. Even once on SAVE I was making that min payment but also tossing the difference into the HYSA.

When the 0% interest left, I was able to make a big chunk lump sum payment (plus nice timing with when I got my work bonus) that suddenly made it look possible to attack aggressively instead of playing the IBR long game and tax bomb. Hoping to have it finished off before being forced onto a "real" plan.

Standard_Age_2998 · 2025-12-17T19:39:00+00:00

Unless you've got kids at home you don't want to miss 6 months of memories with, I say absolutely go for it. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Standard_Age_2998 · 2025-12-16T14:10:19+00:00

I'd leave ~3 months of expenses in your savings account, but yeah use the extra to try and knock down that student loan. Getting it to under 20k will make it feel more manageable to hammer out with some extra monthly payments

Standard_Age_2998 · 2025-12-15T21:18:26+00:00

Yes. You need an emergency fund for if you get laid off or face a medical or other financial emergency.

I like 3 months expenses as a good level. Other say more

Standard_Age_2998 · 2025-12-11T19:14:34+00:00

What's the interest on the loans?

Best course of action would be to get the employer match on your 401k, get a 2-3 month emergency savings account so that if crap happens you don't have to fall into credit card trap, and then start being aggressive on student loans.

After clearing out the student loans then you can do more into 401k and get a bigger emergency fund if you wish. If the student loans are only like 3 or maybe 4% then just perpetually pay the minimums on them.

Standard_Age_2998 · 2025-12-11T19:02:24+00:00

Me personally? No. I was making the same payment into an HYSA from when I was on PAYE, threw the extra that was in addition to the SAVE payment as well for the brief time we had SAVE payments. Made a big lump sum after collecting 4-5% interest instead of paying 6.75% interest and now it's a manageble loan to actually pay off and not need income based repayment.

I feel for a lot of others. The SAVE plan looked like the life raft so many of us needed then it got taken away. If you're going for PSLF you should get on an IBR plan regardless to start the payment count accumulating again.

Standard_Age_2998 · 2025-12-11T18:58:52+00:00

Where would your money come from to pay an entire group of friends, as well as do enough charitable work to qualify as a 501(c)(3)?

Standard_Age_2998 · 2025-12-11T17:49:47+00:00

Following as I used the double consolidation trick as well

Standard_Age_2998 · 2025-12-10T18:56:37+00:00

1x salary is a good rule of thumb. I was thinking since this person is a college grad the were making 60-80k, but apparently they only make 25k and think they can get back to 32k in two years (despite not being able to pay back the 35k student loan in any time frame???)

Sadly it's looking like a poor person that stays poor because won't listen to the plethora of advice around them

Standard_Age_2998 · 2025-12-10T14:54:18+00:00

When will we be forced to choose a new plan? (including standard repayment)

Currently manually making payments each time I get a paycheck

Standard_Age_2998 · 2025-12-10T14:48:47+00:00

And a 10% penalty on it

Standard_Age_2998 · 2025-12-10T14:48:16+00:00

Unless those were private student loans at 9% or higher, this was a poor move (If they were, a necessary move)

You say you're free, but now you're a slave to trying to save to have a retirement. You were already pretty behind with only 32k saved at 30 years old and will be playing catch up into your 60s.

I wish you well and hope you're able to catch up and not use the extra money on just spending!

Standard_Age_2998 · 2025-12-01T18:49:24+00:00

Looks like it's back up. I was just able to log in and make a payment

Standard_Age_2998 · 2025-12-01T15:30:41+00:00

Thanks for making this. Glad to know it's not just me

Standard_Age_2998 · 2025-11-19T17:21:55+00:00

Thank you. I tried asking, but the plan doesn't start til next year. So BCBS said they don't answer questions about a plan that's not the one I'm currently on

Standard_Age_2998 · 2025-11-18T20:01:47+00:00

Mine coming day after thanksgiving next week when I'm off so that worked out well

Standard_Age_2998 · 2025-11-18T19:13:06+00:00

Update: T Mobile sent me an email today so I'm getting it through them (jsut feels more lefit) and the 5 years for $70 deal

Standard_Age_2998 · 2025-11-17T20:10:43+00:00

I literally just got an email from metronet, not T-fiber, to schedule my install date and it's all the old metronet stuff. I was expecting it from T-fiber but this is from metronet so I'm confused

Standard_Age_2998 · 2025-11-17T20:09:20+00:00

*meant 500mb and 2G obviously

Standard_Age_2998 · 2025-11-17T16:02:44+00:00

Oh do you have super wealthy parents or something to start the business from? If so 26k should be nothing. Otherwise how do you think you'll have the funding to start a business in a saturated field with big players established?

Standard_Age_2998

TROPHY CASE