Typical federal student debt payment is ~$300/mon assuming 6% interest, 10 year repayment, and >$30k of debt. With less than $35k income, that payment drops.

Typical federal student debt payment is ~$300/mon assuming 6% interest, 10 year repayment, and >$30k of debt. With less than $35k income, that payment drops. You have to make some really poor decisions about where you live to be spending every dollar on rent and student loans assuming you have a job that does not pay minimum wage. Making investing a priority can be hard, but it is far from impossible at that age. Even a small amount early on will far out weigh a much larger amount invested later. It is important to communicate that instead of telling people they probably can't do it.