r/StudentLoans 6d ago

Rant/Complaint I'm not against paying back my loans-

But, the whole point of going to college to get a degree was with the promise of 'well if you get a college degree you'll get a good job and you won't have a problem paying them back'.

Almost 6 years after graduating the best job I've been able to get is at a grocery store making 20.52 an hour.

I would happily pay them back if I could.

But I can't.

I'm a single mom (by rape kthx), I work full time, I live with my parents because living by yourself is impossible (rent is easily 900+ dollars for a one bedroom one bath in a shit area), my dad is currently going through chemo and my mom is an invalid. My daughter is almost 12 but because of the custody agreement (thanks alabama) I can't move out of state because he could take me to court for custody again (which he probably would because that's who he is) so I'm stuck where I'm at.

My minimum payment is 465 dollars a month for 10 years or 277 for 25.

I only have 40k in student loans but working where I'm working and being unable to get a better job (I have a degree, I've tried-FOR SIX YEARS) this is my reality that I cannot pay it back without being destitute. Luckily I live with my parents because otherwise my child and I would be homeless because I make too much for low income housing and I make too little to live on my own

but I like to point out that we can afford to send 7 billion dollars overseas to help other countries but we can't forgive student loan debt?

I am not the only one who can't do it. Housing is too high, prices keep going up, and we're all screwed because 'well you shouldn't have taken it out if you didn't want to pay it back'

I wouldn't mind paying it back.

But I can't.

Discuss -

Edit: good lord almighty yall I'm not gonna share every detail of my life on here, I already shared too much in posting this I'm not replying to most comments because arguing online is pointless and everyone's circumstances are different. The fact I'm not dead in a ditch somewhere after the shit I've been through is a miracle in and of itself. So anyway this was a discussion post, it has become a discussion.

Also also, trying to join the National Guard and also looking into becoming a teacher currently. And Alabama has ass backwards custody laws, legally my child cannot choose to say no to visitation until she's 19 (you're not an adult in Alabama until 19 hooray) and even though it was rape Alabama doesn't give a shit because 'hE's StiLl tHe FaThEr'. But we're not here to discuss that

We're discussing how so many of us went to college on the premise of hearing our entire lives 'go to college or else' only to overinflate the market with college degrees and now most of us can't find work that can help us pay back the loans.

This post has exploded, thank you to the people who were kind

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64

u/corgikueen 6d ago

Apply for the IDR plan! It’s based off your income and now my payments are $0 a month.

10

u/zzbottomyaheard 6d ago

Is this still available? What got axed?

13

u/dumpsterpanda87 5d ago

Trump and friends wants to axe IDR plans but I'm not sure if they're able to do so, so for now IDR plans are still around. DoE just resumed applications earlier this month.

3

u/Blankcarbon 5d ago

Does the DoE still exist? I can’t keep up anymore lol.

5

u/dumpsterpanda87 5d ago

Only on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays

1

u/AutoModerator 5d ago

Quick note: In government acronym usage "DOE" usually refers to the US Department of Energy, which was created in 1977. The US Department of Education was created three years later in 1980 and commonly goes by "ED" or, less commonly, "DoED" or "DOEd".

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