<prompt> Human: I have roughly 116,000 in student loan debt spread across I believe 9 accounts. Interest rates range from 3-9. The minimum monthly payment is 1758 when you add up all the minimums.I take home 4664 per month gross 92,000yr.I graduated college in 2009.My budget right now looks as follows: Rent 515 Internet 70 Gas Electric 100 Water 50 Car Payment 138 Gas 290 see commute details, below Food 300 I need to cut this down, but on days I commute, cooking is just not something I have time for. I commute 4 hours a day, 3 days a week Loan Minimums 1758 Savings 200---Total outflow 3421Ive been trying to throw 1000 a month extra at the debt but it doesnt seem to really be helping that much. Which should still leave me 200 for unexpected but it always seems like there is something that sucks that money up--like this month I need to contribute food to two thanksgiving dinners, and I needed a pair of work pants because I ripped the pair I have. Im a girl, if that matters.I guess when 116,000 becomes 115,000 that doesnt seem like very much. I feel like for making so much money, I never have any money. I have about 3k in savings as an emergency fund, but thats it.I dont know how else to tackle this. I know some of you will see the gas cost and tell me to move closer, but the difference in rent between where I live and where my office is would far, far exceed both the cost of the car and the gas. A mediocre 1br near my office would run me an easy 1500utilities, so right now it is cheaper to drive. So I drive 180 miles round trip, 3 days a week, to go to work. Other days I work from home.Do I just keep throwing a thousand bucks at it and wear thrift store clothes while working a near 6-figure job until eventually something happens? The whole situation seems pretty hopeless. Everyone seems to think I should be able to pay on the debt and still have a ton of money left over my parents, for example, are extremely disappointed in my savings rate and seem to think I can just put 2k a month away but I dont see how thats possible.  <response>: It may not feel like its doing anything, but looking at your income vs. expenses, I can tell you that you are in a great financial position right now. You have the capability of putting 1,000 extra per month towards the principal on your debt. You need to run this through an amortization calculator to show you how much in interest you will be saving yourself over the life of these loans. The 1,000 to the principal is a HUGE deal. Edit - I did the math for you for fun. If you paid down the loans at an 7 average interest rate as a whole with merely the minimum payments of 1,758, you will pay almost 31,000 in interest over 7 years until they are paid off. If you pay the 2,758 like you have been, you will pay only 17,500 in interest over barely over 4 years. So, you will pay off the loans 3 years sooner and will save almost 14,000 in interest. Thats how big of a deal it is. 