I Paid Off $69K In Student Debt On Less Than $20 An Hour: Here's Exactly How I Did It

I've always been naturally frugal. I was the kid who saved over a hundred dollars in my piggy bank, only to try to give it all away at eleven years old. Generous? Sure. Wise? Not exactly. I didn't understand why my teacher gave the money back to my parents—couldn't the school use it somehow? Looking back, it was one of my first lessons in stewardship, something I wouldn't fully understand until much later.

As the oldest of seven, avoiding student loans wasn't really an option. I took them out, and I quickly picked up on the unspoken stigma around it; the assumption that borrowing money for school was something to be embarrassed about. But debt, when used wisely, is just a tool. Student loans are different from consumer debt. They can open doors, but they come with strings attached.

You can justify them, normalize them, even joke about them. Eventually, though, you have to deal with them.

Still, in five and a half years, I (mostly) made less than $20/hour, took time off to attend culinary school at a community college, and paid off a total of $69K in under six years. It didn’t happen perfectly, and it definitely didn’t happen overnight. But it did happen.

Here’s how.

I Started Paying Off During The Grace Period

Most student loans come with a six-month grace period after graduation. Instead of waiting, I started paying immediately. I graduated in August 2020, landed a full-time job by November, and began making payments as soon as I could.

I worked at the front desk of an urgent care center. It definitely was not the glamorous rom-com job I had imagined. I saw blood, stress, and long hours, but I’m still grateful for that job because it taught me how to work. Like, really work. It taught me consistency, patience, and how to show up even when I didn’t feel like it.

But let's get back to the debt. Because I had that job, instead of paying once a month, I paid twice. My minimum was over $500, so I aimed for about $1,000 monthly. It wasn’t easy, especially at the beginning when my income felt tight, but it helped chip away at the principal faster and gave me momentum early on.

More than anything though, it changed my mindset. I wasn’t avoiding my debt; I was actively doing something about it.

I Lived At Home Rent-Free

Living at home was one of the biggest financial advantages I’ve been blessed with. My parents didn’t have to let me stay, but they did. And that gave me a huge head start.

Of course, I still wanted independence. I bought a cute little HRV, went out with friends, and lived a normal life within boundaries. But I also knew it wouldn’t be right to waste what I’d been given.

I remember thinking: if I were living in a small apartment with roommates, I’d easily be spending $1,000 to $1,500 a month on rent. So instead of pretending that money didn’t exist, I redirected it right into my student loans. 

It wasn’t always fun. There were moments when I felt behind or wished I had my own space sooner. But in the long run, that decision accelerated everything in a way that would’ve been really hard to recreate otherwise.

I Gave Every Extra Penny I Had To Those Loans

This was the hardest part. After covering basic expenses, every extra dollar went straight to my loans, sometimes close to $2,000 at a time. Ouch.

There’s no real way to make that feel good in the moment. Sending large chunks of money away when you could be using it for something more exciting takes discipline and a bit of insanity. I’d like to think I had both. 

But over time, something shifted. Watching the numbers drop from -$60K to -$50K, and eventually into the single digits, was incredibly motivating. It made the sacrifice feel tangible, like I wasn’t just working hard, I was actually getting somewhere.

And once that money was gone, it was gone. No take-backs, no impulse spending. That built discipline in a way nothing else really could.

I Surrendered The Idea of International Travel

Social media constantly pushes the idea of travel, especially big, international trips. And while I understand that desire, I had to be honest with myself: I couldn’t prioritize both luxury travel and aggressive debt payoff at the same time.

I skipped big trips, even when I had the savings. At one point, I considered going to Spain. I had the money, I had the time, and it would’ve been an amazing experience.

But the more I sat with it, the more I realized I’d feel better putting that money toward my loans.

That decision wouldn't be for everyone, but it was right for me. My financial peace required those sacrifices, and looking back, I can say it was worth it.

I Ignored The Lingo About “Debt Forgiveness”

It’s no secret that the country has a student loan crisis. And in the early 2020s, there was a lot of talk about student loan forgiveness. While that may have helped ease the anxiety and urgency for some people, I chose not to rely on it.

That decision was about predictability. Policies change, timelines shift, and nothing is guaranteed. The only thing I knew for sure was that if I kept making payments, my balance would eventually hit zero.

Plus, my loans were private. Waiting around for something that didn’t actually apply to me and hoping that someday it might would’ve only slowed me down and added unnecessary frustration.

Instead of focusing on what might happen, I focused on what I could control.

I Looked Into Refinancing Options

This is something I wish I had understood earlier.

Refinancing your loans can be a really helpful tool if your financial situation has improved. Essentially, if you’ve built up your credit score and shown consistent payment history, another lender may offer you a lower interest rate and take over your loan.

In simple terms, a new company pays off your original loan, and you now make payments to them, ideally at a better rate.

For me, this meant less money could go towards interest, and more could go towards the actual balance. It didn’t erase the debt, but it made it more manageable and a little less frustrating.

A general rule of thumb I’ve heard is to aim for an interest rate below 7%, since that’s around what long-term investments might return. So if you’re sitting at 10% and can refinance closer to 6%, it’s at least worth exploring.

Of course, refinancing isn’t the right move for everyone, especially if you have federal loans with protections. But it’s one of those “unsexy” financial decisions that can make a big difference over time.

I Lived A Life Well Balanced

While paying off debt was a priority, it wasn’t my entire life, and I didn’t want it to be.

I still showed up for people. I paid my share when going out, bought gifts for friends, and treated my siblings when I could. Those moments mattered, and I didn’t want to sacrifice relationships in the name of financial goals.

I also didn’t follow extreme financial rules. I respect financial experts, but their methods aren’t one-size-fits-all. I didn’t cut up my credit cards; I used them responsibly. I didn’t avoid restaurants entirely; I just made smarter choices.

Life doesn’t pause while you’re paying off debt, and it shouldn’t.

There’s a happy ending for the little girl who once saved her money, only to give it away without hesitation. As an adult, I learned that paying off debt is really just about being a good steward of what you have. If you’re feeling buried under debt, don’t lose hope. Your journey might look different than mine, but with consistent, wise choices, those small, unsexy decisions can lead to a kind of freedom that’s worth every sacrifice.