I Was Drowning in Student Loans And Still Opened a 401(k)
When I graduated, I had over $100,000 in student loans and was making $60,000 a year.
So naturally, I did what anyone would do:
I started investing a tiny amount into my 401(k) and otherwise ignored my loans entirely.
It wasn’t a strategy per se, it was more like mild financial dissociation.
One day, I mentioned my 401(k) to a coworker.
She looked at me and said,
“I’m surprised you’re investing when you have so much in loans.”
It made me feel real dumb.
I already felt like I had no idea what I was doing (I mean, honestly—I didn’t lol), and hearing that just confirmed it.
I started spiraling: Was I doing it all wrong? Should I not invest?
Not gonna lie, I hadn’t even been thinking about my loans.
They were in deferment for the first six months, so I was like… that’s a next year Mariah problem.
But now that she brought it up like it was the most obvious oversight on my part, I started thinking, shit… should I be putting all of my money toward my loans?
(Answer to old Mariah: No. You should not. But you should at least figure out how to log into your account.)
Here’s the thing. Investing that tiny amount was the only thing I got right that year.
If anything, I wish I’d invested more.
Invest or pay off debt?
Once I started travel therapy, I finally had more income—and I finally figured out how to use it.
I discovered the FIRE movement, devoured every personal finance blog I could find, and actually made a plan.
That’s when I started doing both: paying down loans fast and investing, including maxing out my 401(k), opening a Roth IRA and brokerage account...I even dabbled with Bitcoin for a bit (idk things got weird).
Here’s what made the biggest difference:
- I paid off $72,000 in student loans. I threw every extra dollar I could at them—but only up to a point (more on that in a minute).
- I maxed out my 401(k) and opened a Roth IRA. I treated investing like a non-negotiable bill, not a bonus.
- I opened a brokerage account and diversified. I wanted my money working harder than I was.
- I stopped believing I had to be debt-free to start building wealth. That mindset shift changed everything.
Eventually, I got my loan balance down to $32,000—and then I stopped throwing every extra dollar at it.
The interest rate was 5%, and my investments were growing faster than that.
Right now, those federal loans are sitting at 0% interest thanks to the ongoing pause.
Could I pay them off tomorrow? Yep. Am I going to? Absolutely not.
That money is working harder for me somewhere else.
Honestly? If I could go back, I’d probably be less aggressive with my loan payoff. That’s how important investing has been for me. The growth, the flexibility, the confidence—it changed how I think about money entirely.
Paying off debt felt productive. But investing built the future I actually wanted.
What This Means for You
If you’ve been putting off investing because you “shouldn’t” do it while in debt— you might be playing a game you can’t win.
Here’s what I’d tell any clinician feeling stuck between debt and freedom:
→ Credit card debt or high-interest loans? Pay those off ASAP.
→ Federal student loans under 6%? You have options. Strategy matters more than shame.
→ Frozen with overwhelm? Start small. Build the skill of paying attention to your money.
This isn’t one-size-fits-all. Your income, goals, and risk tolerance all matter.
But if you’ve been waiting to be debt-free or to feel 100% “ready” to start building wealth? This is your permission slip to stop waiting.
Not sure where to start with your finances? 5 resources to get you started when you're financially lost.
Here’s where I started—and where I send people who feel behind or overwhelmed.
If you’re in that spot right now, I was there too—here’s where I started:
📚Read: Rich Dad Poor Dad
Yes, it’s polarizing. But it was the first book that made me think differently about money—and it gave me just enough confidence to start learning more.
Book club keeps delaying me, but these are the others on my list with rave reviews:
➡️ Quit Like a Millionaire
➡️ The Psychology of Money
➡️ I Will Teach You to Be Rich
➡️ Your Money or Your Life.
🔍Deep-dive: A FIRE 101 blog post
ChooseFI.com/FI-101 is one of the best beginner-friendly intros to financial independence. If you’ve ever felt like the math of working full-time forever doesn’t add up… start here.
💸 Log in: to your federal loan portal (Studentaid.gov)
Use the loan simulator tool—it’s free, and it’ll show you exactly what repayment plans and forgiveness options might look like.
📈 Play: with a compound interest calculator
It’s the fastest way to get excited about how much your future money can grow when you start early.
👉Follow: Me on LinkedIn
I share weekly stories, salary strategy, and burnout-proofing tips—especially for healthcare professionals building more freedom into their careers.
Coming Soon…
I’m building a course for burned-out professionals who want a real financial system they can use to cut hours and build wealth.
Inside, I’ll break down:
→ How to stop living paycheck to paycheck
→ How to invest with confidence (even if you still have debt)
→ How to reduce your hours without feeling broke
It’s not ready yet, but I’m sharing the whole build in real time.
If you’re still reading this, you’re exactly who I’m building it for.
Thanks for being here.
– Mariah
The Part-Time PT
Work Less. Build Wealth.
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