143k in debt making 65k a year. Terrified..
I’m currently about $142k in debt and earning roughly $65,000 a year, and I honestly don’t see a way out right now.
Before anyone jumps to conclusions, I want to explain how I got here. When I started college, I was homeless. I slept in my car for years after leaving an abusive home. I stayed out of trouble and worked hard to get into a good school. My advisor told me it would be “worth it” to take out loans and that I’d make it back with a good job. I believed her, this was her job after all, and like she said, “ everyone does this to get ahead”.
Because I didn’t have a permanent address, the school based my residency on where my father lived, which meant I was charged out-of-state tuition. I tried to fight it, but they wouldn’t budge.i slept in my car the whole time in college, graduated with honors, with no solid job to show for it.
Since then, a lot has gone wrong in a short period of time. Within five months, my sister died by suicide, then my dad passed away, and I also lost my best friend. I had to cover expenses related to all of it—legal fees, travel, cleaning out belongings—and at the same time I had to move twice. I ended up relying heavily on credit cards just to get through everything.
On top of that, I’m currently using payment plans just to cover basic expenses like rent, and I’ve maxed those out. A few months ago, I also bought an engagement ring on a payment plan. I know that probably wasn’t the smartest decision, but after everything we’ve been through, it felt like we needed something positive. Seeing her happy made it feel worth it in the moment. I felt so sick to my stomach watching all her friends get married and have kids. We have been together for 7 years and went through so much. I couldn’t sleep at night over it. That’s was 4 months ago.
Here’s where I stand now:
Car loan: $22,000 (upside down, ~4 years left)
Credit cards:
Card 1: $7,200
Card 2: $4,000
Card 3: $3,000
Card 4: $3,200
Total credit cards: $17,400
Payment plans (Affirm): $11,500
Private student loans: $68,000
Federal student loans: $25,000
Total: ~$143,900
Surprisingly, my credit score is still in the high 600s. I’ve never missed a payment. I pick up overtime and weekend gigs whenever I can just to keep up, but right now I’m only able to make the minimum payments on everything.
Bankruptcy would likely only clear the credit cards, which honestly aren’t even the biggest part of the problem. The student loans and car loan feel overwhelming.
I’ve been applying to around 15 jobs a day trying to increase my income, but I haven’t had any luck landing something better yet.
My life has been difficult for a long time, and I’m exhausted. I feel guilty that my fiancée has had to stand by me through all of this while her friends are moving forward with their lives. Sometimes I feel like she’d be better off without me, even though she says she’s okay. To be honest, if she wasn’t here, id probably take the same route as my sister
I’m trying. I really am. I just don’t know what direction to take next, and I could really use some guidance.
I do extra gigs, i apply for jobs. I dont eat out or drink or anything.
Thanks in advance.
-john
Posted May 1, 2026, 9:17 PM UTC