<prompt> Human: I have about 40k worth or student loans and Im making about 40k a year gross. Besides the student loans I have a car note. Right now Im putting 6 of my paycheck into my 401k and my employer matches 75 of contributions. I dont have to start paying the student loans until November. I cant decide if I want to pay them off as quick as I possibly can, or just stretch the term out so that I have more money to save in an IRA. Edit: To clarify my employer matches 75 of contributions up to 6. Also my student loan interest rates range from approx 3.2 to 7.9  <response>: Many employers offer 401k matching and if you dont contribute to a 401k then youre voluntarily foregoing compensation, which is dumb. So sign up for the max contribution level that fully takes advantage of your employer match.Additionally, you dont mention an emergency fund - everyone needs one. Save 3-6 months of expenses, enough to cover any emergencies that come up without having to go into high-interest debt.Finally, paying down debt is a great next step but consider all your debt and its interest rate when considering what to pay. Youll pay the least interest overall if you pay down highest interest rate first. Just make sure you make minimum payments at least. 