Dear Penny: How do I pay back $80K in student loans on a $42K salary?

I just got my first “real” job after graduating from college in May. My salary is $42,000, and I’m 23 and single. I have $80,000 worth of student loans (about $50,000 federal and $30,000 private). I know I need to pay off my student debt, but I also need to save an emergency fund, save for retirement, etc. I also have about $3,000 on a credit card. How do I prioritize? I’m feeling overwhelmed. I suspect that you’re overwhelmed because you’re in a time of life when there are so many things you’

Dear Penny: What are the risks of opening store credit card for a discount?

I’m in my mid-20s, and I’ve never had a credit card. Whenever I’m shopping, I get offers for 15% or 20% off if I open a store credit card, but I’ve heard it’s a bad idea to open one. If I pay off the balance each month, is there really any risk to taking advantage of these offers to save extra money? And will a store credit card help me build credit? Getting your first credit card is a pretty big deal. And it’s usually best not to make major financial decisions because a slightly pushy salespe
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