Starting Out
Debt-Burdened Debbie
Marketing Manager · Austin, TX
Drowning in $68k of student debt, trying to build a life anyway.
About Debt-Burdened Debbie
Debbie has been making payments on $68,400 in student loans for four years and has barely scratched the principal — meanwhile her friends are putting down payments on houses and she is putting $720 a month into a hole. She wants to start her life, not just service her twenties, but every dollar that goes toward the future is a dollar she owes to the past.
Financial Snapshot
$72,000
Annual Income
-$41,000
Net Worth
29
Age
Debt-Burdened Debbie's Story — 6 Episodes
The Debt-Free Horizon
Debbie recalculates her full payoff timeline after the raise and the tax refund strategy. For the first time, she can see a date when her net worth crosses zero. She models what life looks like when $720/month stops going to loans.
Uses: debt-payoffThe Salary Negotiation
Debbie gets a competing offer for $89k. Her current employer offers $81k to stay. What's the real financial difference after taxes, benefits, and relocation?
Uses: salary-jumpThe Rent vs. Buy Question
Debbie's lease is up. Her landlord wants to raise rent by $300/month. A colleague bought a condo for $285k. Is it time to buy — even with $41k in net debt?
Uses: rent-vs-buyThe Avalanche Decision
Debbie just got a $4,200 tax refund. She's torn: pay down the highest-rate loan, split it across all loans, or start a proper emergency fund. The math is clear — but the psychology isn't.
Uses: debt-payoffThe Emergency Fund Dilemma
Debbie has $3,200 in savings. Her car needs $1,800 in repairs. Should she drain her emergency fund or put the repair on a credit card at 22% APR? She models both paths — and discovers a third option she hadn't considered.
Uses: emergency-fundThe Reckoning
Debbie finally opens all her loan statements and adds up the real numbers. $68,400 across 6 loans at rates from 4.5% to 7.8%. The minimum payments total $720/month. She's been paying for 4 years and the balance has barely moved.
Uses: student-loan-payoff