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Just paid off all my student loans!

M

mikegg

Platinum Member
Graduated from undergrad in May 2012 with $22k in student loans. Paid everything off 1.5 year later on Christmas day as a present to myself.

Worked 5 different jobs including 2 minimum wage jobs and 3 internships in college. Received an offer and started working full-time 4 months before I graduated. Applied and hired as a marketing manager with 6 figure salary 5 months after graduation. Moved back with parents to save on rent and food. Still driving my used car that I bought 5 years ago. Haven't traveled or gone on a vacation in 7 years.

Now debt free. No credit card debt, no student loans, $40k saved in the bank. Next goal is to save a total of $150k for a large down payment on a home by age 26. I just turned 24 years old.

I thought about waiting for Obama to bail me out of student loans because I know he will before he goes out. But screw it. It feels good to be debt free.
 
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AznAnarchy99 said:
Congrats and thanks for making the rest of us feel bad.
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Nah, I still live with my parents, no vacation, no new toys. I just work and study for my next promotion or next level of my career. And despite tasting some success in my career, I still don't actually know what I really want to do in my life.

I also just got dumped by my GF of 3 years. She cheated on me. So yea... I still feel pretty depressed.
 
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Congrats! 6 more months and mine will be paid off. It'll be nice seeing that $1500/mo go towards something else.
 
I only owe about $20k as well but I didn't get into a great job after graduation. I'm still looking for better work but I also started up my own company as well. Hopefully everything will turn up in 2014 so I can pay off my loans early.
 
AznAnarchy99 said:
I only owe about $20k as well but I didn't get into a great job after graduation. I'm still looking for better work but I also started up my own company as well. Hopefully everything will turn up in 2014 so I can pay off my loans early.
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It's all about sacrificing and planning. I save a little here and there. I live with my parents. I don't travel. I'm always thinking about work.
 
How do you get hired as a marketing manager right out of school? Did you do a STEM degree?

Don't worry about getting dumped. When you put an extraordinary amount of effort into one area of your life, other areas will always suffer.
 
gotsmack said:
How do you get hired as a marketing manager right out of school? Did you do a STEM degree?

Don't worry about getting dumped. When you put an extraordinary amount of effort into one area of your life, other areas will always suffer.
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I was lucky. I also knew that in my field, it's extremely important to have worked at a marketing agency and consulted for large companies.

I had 2 internships in the same field then I was hired as an account manager in a marketing agency prior to my graduation. I worked there for about 9 months doing consulting for companies like Paypal, Barnes and Noble, Overstock, etc. After a while, I knew I had the experience and skills to become a manager because I was actually teaching these "senior managers" at large companies how to do their jobs.

The problem was, I was only 23 years old when I applied for a manager position. I was going up against people who were 30-40 years old. So I created a presentation for my interview and sold them my ideas for the company.

School wasn't important to me. I did barely enough to pass. My college GPA was around 2.4 or less. I spent more time trying to learn the things I needed for my career than studying for classes. The truth is, I never even graduated from college. I walked the stage but I don't have my diploma. Because I was working prior to graduation, I didn't finish a class needed for my degree.
 
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senttoschool said:
Now debt free. ...
But screw it. It feels good to be debt free.
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Congratulations-Graphics-2.jpg


Thanks for sharing. (But please go ahead and pick up that last course you need for your degree. While you don't need it now, someday you will be glad to have it.)

Uno
 
senttoschool said:
I was lucky. I also knew that in my field, it's extremely important to have worked at a marketing agency and consulted for large companies.

I had 2 internships in the same field then I was hired as an account manager in a marketing agency prior to my graduation. I worked there for about 9 months doing consulting for companies like Paypal, Barnes and Noble, Overstock, etc. After a while, I knew I had the experience and skills to become a manager because I was actually teaching these "senior managers" at large companies how to do their jobs.

The problem was, I was only 23 years old when I applied for a manager position. I was going up against people who were 30-40 years old. So I created a presentation for my interview and sold them my ideas for the company.

School wasn't important to me. I did barely enough to pass. My college GPA was around 2.4 or less. I spent more time trying to learn the things I needed for my career than studying for classes. The truth is, I never even graduated from college. I walked the stage but I don't have my diploma. Because I was working prior to graduation, I didn't finish a class needed for my degree.
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Amazing! I hope you at least finished that last class! Kinds sad to be so close and not finish. Can we see the presentation? Did you go to a high ranked school?
 
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I only owe about $5k in student loans, but the interest rates are so low (like 2%) that it doesn't make sense to pay them off super early.
 
I remember sending in that last check. What a great feeling.

I only had about $12,000, but that's still a big chunk of change for someone coming out of school without a steady income. I got them deferred twice, and then paid them off in about 5 years.
 
This whole story is very strange.

But congrats. I don't have any student loans, but me and the lady are about $35k down, $50k to go on hers. Joy.
 
Had a college GPA of 2.4, didn't actually graduate at graduation because you hadn't finished a class (though I imagine you've finished now), and started as a marketing manager making 6 figures right out of school? I find this strangely difficult to believe .. but hey, at least if you're honest about being debt free now, more power to you. Congrats.
 
TheVrolok said:
Had a college GPA of 2.4, didn't actually graduate at graduation because you hadn't finished a class (though I imagine you've finished now), and started as a marketing manager making 6 figures right out of school? I find this strangely difficult to believe .. but hey, at least if you're honest about being debt free now, more power to you. Congrats.
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Yea, it's hard to believe. I just want to show that it's not always about your degree or school or experience. Sometimes careful planning can also get you there.

Here's my thread about negotiating salary for the position 1 year ago:
http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2288846&highlight=

And then my thread about my ex employer wanting me to stay longer than I wanted 1 year ago:
http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2290319&highlight=
 
TheVrolok said:
Had a college GPA of 2.4, didn't actually graduate at graduation because you hadn't finished a class (though I imagine you've finished now), and started as a marketing manager making 6 figures right out of school? I find this strangely difficult to believe .. but hey, at least if you're honest about being debt free now, more power to you. Congrats.
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Yeah, I think some key details are missing. And who would hire a college kid to consult?
 
IndyColtsFan said:
Yeah, I think some key details are missing. And who would hire a college kid to consult?
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Well if you read the above threads I linked to, you'd believe it. I have no reason to make this stuff up.

College kids aren't dumb. From my work experience, I've seen many recent grads outperform old timers.
 
Congrats on the debt free, thank god you`d didn't believe Obama would somehow pardon student loans. I wonder what the interest rates are gonna look like once the feds decide to ease up on their support of the market.
 
senttoschool said:
Well if you read the above threads I linked to, you'd believe it. I have no reason to make this stuff up.

College kids aren't dumb. From my work experience, I've seen many recent grads outperform old timers.
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To be honest, I read both threads at the time and just shook my head. No offense, but you sounded like just about every other inexperienced college kid I've dealt with. Anyway, congrats and I hope it works out.
 
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