I paid off $150,000 in student loan debt in 16 months. Here are the sacrifices I made and the jobs I worked to become debt-free.

Tech Insider : Business
a woman poses in a white coat with her husband
Arden Missal and her husband, Jordan.

Courtesy of Arden Missal

I spent 20 years and nearly $100,000 paying off my student loans. I'm done just in time for my youngest to start college.

Tech Insider : Business, Travel
The author and her son at his college graduation.
The author said that she started making overpayments on her student loans once her oldest child graduated from college in 2022.

Courtesy of Trisha Daab.

I'm still paying off tens of thousands in school loans as my oldest applies to college. My financial burden is shaping her approach.

Tech Insider : Business
The aunther and her daughter pose in front of green mountains.
The author, shown with her daughter, says that her lingering student loan debt has impacted how her kids think about college.

Courtesy of Kate Loweth.

I'm an American who studied at universities in China. The Chinese system was cheaper and set me up for success after graduation.

Tech Insider : Travel, Business, Economy
Catherine Work in china
The author studied at two universities in China.

Courtesy of Catherine Work

I'm an entrepreneur who never went to college and taught my kids to avoid debt. They both decided to go to college anyway.

Tech Insider : Business
terrina taylor's daughter weating a maryland univeristy sweatshirt
The author's daughter decided to attend college.

Courtesy of Terrina Taylor

I was accepted into NYU, but chose a community college certification instead. Being debt-free was more important than prestige.

Tech Insider : Business
Barbara Campos holding up an NYU flag
The author turned down NYU's offer of acceptance.

Courtesy of Barbara Campos

I'm a single mom with 2 kids in college. My divorce devastated me financially, so I feel guilty I can't help with their tuition.

Tech Insider
a woman on the phone surrounded by a pile of bills
The author, not pictured, can't pay for her kids' college tuition.

Fertnig/Getty Images

I wanted my daughter to graduate from college debt-free, so I bought a storage unit business. It paid for her entire tuition.

Tech Insider
Nancy Brier cleaning out a storage unit
The author owns a storage unit business to pay for her daughter's college tuition.

Courtesy of Lauren Trippeer

Here's what the economy could look like with a Biden or Trump presidency

Tech Insider : Economy, Politics, Economy
President Biden and Donald Trump on a blue background
President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump have different plans for how they'd tackle the US economy if they win the November election.

Anna Moneymaker/Getty, Anna Moneymaker/Getty, Tyler Le/BI

Middle-class Gen Xers are facing a new retirement challenge: their student loans

Tech Insider : Economy, Economy
A man frowning at his computer.

FG Trade/Getty Images

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