<prompt> Human: TLDR; Should I put money towards paying off my student loans before they are due? Or continue to save beyond a six month emergency fund for lapses in income or multiple emergencies? As a college student during the Great Recession my income and job opportunities are sporadic and hard to come by. I live mostly on loans and savings from these few job opportunities. My university classes require a lot of time and internships that sometimes make it impossible to work for pay. I have one of those recession proofsmart majors at the university U.S. News ranked 5 in the nation for teaching it so in the long run I am not too worried about this debt. However, this debt is five figures and a dark cloud over my head. If I give these loan companies money now, but somehow couldnt pay when they are formally due is a big fear of mine. Advice?  <response>: We are similarly positioned in life. Yuck. I say hoard. Paid down loans now mean nothing if youre unemployed for a year and cant pay them in the future. Pay the minimums when they are due and worry about paying them off when you have stable, long term work. In the long run, I dont think waiting a few years to start being aggressive on debt makes such a huge difference that it is worth the risk of running out of cash. 