FREEDOM – 150k paid off – it’s worth it!!

My wife and I (27M / 27F) just paid off the last chunk of our student loans — and the feeling is surreal. $150K gone in 6 years.

Along the way we cash-flowed a master’s degree, survived two car accidents, a layoff, a craniotomy, and buried a parent. RIP Dad.

We made it, and I still can’t believe it.

I’m writing this for everyone in this community who’s grinding through the middle stage of their debt-free journey — that brutal stretch 12 to 24 months from the finish line where the end is visible but still feels impossibly far. You’re not alone.

What I won’t miss:

• The endless arguments about money
• Sacrificing time with loved ones, trips, and friends just to stay on the grind

Our advice for couples or anyone who’s doing it alone. Lean into the small, mundane moments with your partner, friends or support system. The quiet date nights, long walks with friends or relatives make all the difference. Connection is HUGE and makes the plague that student loans are on us bearable to hack away.

Happy to answer any questions, but rooting for y’all. My heart goes out especially to anyone in their 20s and 30s. Life is WAY too unaffordable. We need all the encouragement we can get.

Godspeed to all of you. 🙏🏿