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How do I make enough money to live?
(lemmy.world)
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With regard to student loan debt, if you haven't already, see if you're eligible for the SAVE program. It's relatively new under Biden and is different than the loan forgiveness which was blocked by the Supreme Court. Based on this table, for $40k/year, the monthly payments for student loans should be $60. Depending on how long you've been paying off the loans, and the amount taken out, you may be eligible for forgiveness. Example situation from the Press Release which may apply to you:
That being said, there are other places to cut costs. The entertainment section would be the easiest. It'll be hard, but that should be near $0 for the short term while you make the plan and prioritize building savings and paying down debt. Building an emergency fund can save so much headaches if something were to happen. Redirecting entertainment into building a savings account with a goal of $1000 would take a year and some change, and would be invaluable when you need it. This would be on top of the debt you're currently paying down. Maybe after you have a comfortable savings account (3 months of living expenses), you can redirect those monthly investments into paying off the other debt faster.
As for other expenses, compare what you're paying now for recurring expenses (phone, internet, etc). If a competitor is offering a plan at a lower rate, call your existing provider and tell them you want that better rate or you'll change providers. This usually gets you a "Retention specialist" who can give you a good deal. Look at those bills and see if you're paying for a modem or router rental per month and determine if it'll be better in the long run to buy one yourself (it probably will be).