<prompt> Human: Just graduated from medical school with about 250K in federal student loans with a 6.8 interest rate and I will be making about 50K for the next four years while I do my residency training before becoming a full fledged doc. Under the standard 10-year repayment plan, the monthly payment would be about 2750, which is obviously impossible at this time. But they do have a income-based repayment plan if you have financial hardship in which case I am estimated to be paying about 380month.My question is: since I dont know of any low-risk investment options that will definitively give me a 6.8 or better annual return, should I just put off retirement investing for now and pay off the loans as quick as possible?Public opinion on a popular doctors forum seems to be to try to pay off as much of the principal as possible during residency 4000mo income, so maybe at least 1000mo into paying down the principal and then when becoming a full doc, just pay it off as fast as possible low end salary of 10Kmonth up to 20Kmonth as a full doc. So if I can keep living expensive down to 1kmonth, then I can put something like 8-9K a month into the loans. Hopefully will be paid off in 3-4 years and then start investing?Thank you all!Assistant: Id pay them down before investing, but I wouldnt live like a pauper, given youve got 30 high earning years ahead. Human: Haha, sure thing. Im just really disgusted by the doctors who live lavishly but still has a 2000month loan payment. Even if they can afford it, just the thought of living under debt for so long really does not appeal to me at all. I guess what Ill do is after residency Ill try to make a 5-year plan to try to pay it off so that I wont have to live on the bare neccessities.Assistant: Living like a pauper is good for the soul. You are more likely to regret spending too much than too little.Human: Sure but of course I doubt Ill be living in a cheap studio apartment and barely subsisting. Most likely a 1 bedroom apartment, still driving my 1995 Honda, and food and living expenses. Nothing like a big new TV, new car, or lot of gadgets or toys. From the outer appearance, I will definitely be living way way below my means.  <response>: Yes, you should be living below your means, but not living like a pauper 