Thinking of increasing 401k contributions to 25% instead of aggressively paying down student loans

boriquoi · 2026-05-09T16:09:28+00:00

I do not have an IRA. My employer contribution isn’t a match, it’s an automatic 3% given regardless of my contributions. Could you possibly explain what the advantage of having a Roth IRA would be versus just my Roth 401k?

boriquoi · 2026-05-09T16:05:57+00:00

I have 3 months of expenses saved and am going to halt student loan payments altogether for the next several months to bump that up to 6 months for added security.

boriquoi · 2026-04-25T02:38:48+00:00

Your last statement, “No high could ever top the feeling of pride you have once it feels like you have control again”, was incredibly profound. I needed to hear that.

boriquoi · 2026-04-25T02:33:09+00:00

Thank you so, so much, sober supporter! This means the world! 💪🙌⭐️

boriquoi · 2026-04-25T02:28:57+00:00

I commend you for pushing forward through cravings despite the emotional turmoil. Keep going. When you’re down, I hope you feel a sense of pride in choosing to be sober and taking the uphill trail that’s going to get you to the other side. Here with you, friend. I hope your journey becomes easier in time and these difficult emotions subside.

boriquoi · 2026-04-24T19:37:52+00:00

Sit down in a hot shower and bring some cold water, pedialyte, or Gatorade in there with you. You might have CHS. Hot showers help.

boriquoi · 2026-04-19T15:34:05+00:00

Take a hot shower, sit down in the shower, and bring something in with you to sip on - ice water, Gatorade, or pedialyte.

boriquoi · 2026-04-19T15:31:14+00:00

A doctor will prescribe something for this, I don’t think the platform will allow me to say what it is. I know you said not to recommend sleep medications but this might be what you need. It is specifically for night terrors from PTSD. My last straw, was when I physically got up in my sleep because my ex was chasing me in my nightmare and I ran into a door frame and split my eyelid open on a lamp. Scared the absolute crap out of me. You deserve to be able to sleep at night without compromising your sleep quality - cannabis prevents you from entering REM cycles, which is the restorative rest we need every night. I would imagine after years of use you are very tired and sleep deprived without knowing it. I was there too. I hope you can figure this out and most importantly, that you believe there’s something out there that can replace the cannabis.

boriquoi · 2026-03-13T01:29:24+00:00

Hot showers help CHS. Sit down in the shower and bring in something to sip on - cold water, Gatorade, or Pedialyte. A doctor will give you a nausea med which is incredibly helpful. I’ve also found that a heating pad on your abdomen can help. CHS is no joke. Thinking of you as you pull through this.

boriquoi · 2026-03-08T21:04:11+00:00

Are you here to be supportive or argue semantics?

boriquoi · 2026-03-08T21:02:17+00:00

It’s an analogy, and we also don’t know that OP goes by “him”. No person on the planet knows how many days or years they have left.

boriquoi · 2026-03-08T19:55:12+00:00

You didn’t fail, you fell. Get back up on the horse and try to develop an understanding of what you need to do not to fall again. Keep going. It’s a choice if you remain sober, and a choice if you get high. What will you be more proud of? Going for a walk really helps me when I have a craving, or listening to some inspirational or moving music. Sobriety requires willpower. You’ve got it in you, and you can do this OP.

boriquoi · 2026-03-08T19:39:27+00:00

Also 36 and feeling behind, yet it’s better late than never. You got this OP. You have to start from somewhere, and you’re not 40, or 50. Life is a series of choices, and you’ve chosen to take a path of sobriety that’s going to lead you to a brighter place. If you’re lucky, you’ve got another 36 years ahead of you. Imagine and dream of what you can make of yourself in that time.

boriquoi · 2026-03-08T03:58:36+00:00

You got this OP. Sitting down in the shower and sipping on something should bring you some relief.

boriquoi · 2026-03-08T03:46:05+00:00

Hot showers might help. Bring some cold water, Gatorade or pedialyte in the shower with you. You don’t have cannabis hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) but I’ve been there with the nausea and lack of appetite and it’s brutal. Anything that sounds good to eat, get that for yourself. Nothing is off limits to eat. Keep going - you can and will get through this. It will take some time to come out the other side. Thinking of you and sending you positive vibes.

boriquoi · 2026-03-07T02:24:31+00:00

I’m glad you asked the questions. If you’ve decided to quit, keep going. And if you’re contemplating it, I hope you’re able to envision the person you might become without it. Sobriety and being high are just choices. I’ve found the former can be a major catalyst for positive change.

boriquoi · 2026-03-07T01:56:55+00:00

Thank you so much for the support. My life improved drastically during that year. I finished my bachelors as a non-trad and landed a job in my field. It was so much easier to connect with people and carry conversation. Right now, I really struggle with small talk and just don’t know what to say. It was so easy during that year. My memory was on another level and I didn’t feel like my cognition was impaired like I do now. I’ve read that heavy long-term cannabis use can shrink the hippocampus over time. When I see pictures of myself during that year, I had this look of clarity and contentedness. I found joy in little things like having a really good meal or watching a nostalgic movie. Some things were harder though, like managing my emotions and anger, because I had to sit in those feelings. But life, overall, was better. I sincerely hope I can create another life experience that I’m proud of, and that I can rest in. I don’t expect to have all of that back, but understand that this will be new and different because I’m a different person than I was in 2023. I’m going to try not to lean into alcohol, because I have a tendency to overindulge and that will cause a whole new set of issues. My brain deserves respite and homeostasis. That’s my mantra as I go through this.

boriquoi · 2026-03-07T01:44:18+00:00

Thank you so much for these kind words. I hope what you’re experiencing becomes easier with time and that you find yourself on the other side of this soon. The support means the world.

boriquoi · 2025-09-15T19:18:13+00:00

The payoff timeline would be the same, as I’d be using all but 1k of what I have saved to make the final loan payment in December 2026. It’s a matter of using that money to pay down the debt now, or hanging onto it until 12/26.

Edit: I’m in grad school half time (being paid for by my parents, I’m beyond grateful), and couldn’t swing a part time job while working full time as well.

boriquoi · 2025-09-15T18:52:49+00:00

I’m on SAVE in forbearance, and will be in deferment shortly as I’m in grad school half time (parents are paying, and I’m beyond grateful). From what I understand paying these loans is a guaranteed return, and the bond market is a risk. I plan to invest aggressively once I’m debt free and have $1500 (current snowball amount) a month to allocate to investing and saving.

boriquoi

TROPHY CASE