Anyone around 400k in debt, how was your first year or two out?

[ButlerCard]

I know there are some awesome threads people have posted about what their lives are like 5-10 years after graduating, but I wondered if there is anyone who has been out working within their first couple years, who have finished school recently and are facing the same kind of debt that myself and many colleagues will be facing. I will be finishing up with about 400,000 of debt because I came in straight from undergrad with no money and I had to take out for my living expenses also, not just tuition. Anyone in this boat, what is your life like? How long do you think it will take you to get it paid off? What were some of the job offers you saw right away and what offers did you end up taking? Thanks for any help!

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[niv3k]

Also interested to hear about this from others with experience. I will be graduating with 400k in debt if not more because of interest.

 

[011110]

I had around 240k when I graduated and after 2 years I had it done to about ~160k. At that point I refinanced my loans from 6.8% to 3.75% fixed on a 5 year payoff. It can be paid off quick, but you have to live like a student for awhile.

 

[ButlerCard]

If you don't mind saying I am curious what kind of salary you had and about how much you took home. To get it paid down were you living just as frugally as you were in school or did you actually do some things like go to a restaurant other than only happy hour, or move into an apartment or house that wasn't the cheapest thing you could find. I think that I will be able to live relatively frugally but I don't know if i can keep living that frugally. 8 years of schooling and cheap restaurants and older apartments are starting to wear on me haha

 

[011110]

If you don't mind saying I am curious what kind of salary you had and about how much you took home. To get it paid down were you living just as frugally as you were in school or did you actually do some things like go to a restaurant other than only happy hour, or move into an apartment or house that wasn't the cheapest thing you could find. I think that I will be able to live relatively frugally but I don't know if i can keep living that frugally. 8 years of schooling and cheap restaurants and older apartments are starting to wear on me haha

One year was a GPR where I made 60k. The next year as an associate I probably made 110-115k. I lived at home with my parents, and my fiancé and I stayed there on the weekends. I put almost all of my salary into my loans besides my car payment.

 

[niv3k]

Ugh, thinking about 400k + interest.. Kinda scary . Some dentists say it's not worth it, others say you'll get it paid off and it is worth it( but I'm guessing you'll be broke as hell for a long time).