[quote=CA renter][quote=scaredyclassic]
I think I love work but sometimes just packing it in doesn’t sound bad.
I turn 52 in two weeks…and I cannot afford to quit. Still gotta pay off those dang student loans…and other things…[/quote]
I often think about your situation and the fact that you (and your wife?) have student loans you are still paying off. It’s one of the many reasons that we’ve decided to have our kids stay home and attend local JCs/universities for their undergrad degrees. It’s a bit depressing to know that a doctor and lawyer are still paying off their loans in their 40s and 50s…and that’s for an education that cost a whole lot less than it does today. 🙁
We desperately need to direct more public funding to education instead of constantly starting extremely costly wars around the world.[/quote]
It’s mainly our fault. We were earning about 65000 together while she was a resident around 2000 annd had kids when we consolidated and refinanced into very long term multidecade but much lower payment loans. Payments low but around for seemingly ever. It had to be done at that time.
And while I like to complain about it our total payment is extremely manageable, around 600 a mo. But big chunks of our pvt. Loans were paid off along the way so the bill has changed a lot over time and also much of that debt was at much higher interest rate. As a percent of our income student loan payments loomed like a massive iceberg.
Because we had trouble along the way at particular moments though, when it wasn’t clear things were gonna be OK short term I am very averse to my kids loading up on school debt. I hate to think of them as stressed out as I was at certain times.
To me, personally, being able to pay SDSU tuition effortlessly now without screwing with our budget fills me with pride. Pride verging on euphoria. I am grateful for this possibility…
Perhaps some doors are therefore closed. But for all of us together in my family, all things considered, this is an amazing opportunity and value. Everyone’s experience, view of the world, relative optimism varies greatly so I could see how for some this feels like settling for 2nd rate. I just don’t feel that way. It feels smart.
Also, last night I dreamt I went to flyerinhi’s house.
