I spend my days visiting the elderly for work. I am in their homes every day. There are many many who planned to just “work until they die” to pay off loans and debt. Unfortunately there was a heart attack they didn’t plan on, a bout with lymphoma that came from out of the blue or a slow onset Alzheimers with the spouse that required daily care. Do not for a MINUTE sacrifice your retirement.
Plan your retirement VERY VERY well.
Do you know how sad it is to be working because you have to in order to afford your medicine and your copays?
Do you know how sad it is to be living on your social security every month and not have $20.00 left over for gas to go see your grown kids who live 3 hrs away?
Don’t do that.
Your kids are super super lucky that you have saved enough for them to attend state schools.
Sit down with them and show them how awesomely you have saved. You cannot fund “an experience” from them. They can get out of a state school what they put into it.
Don’t feel guilty or bad about it for one minute more. I know it may sound harsh but we were in your same shoes a year or so ago. D was my special little snowflake. Dang she works hard and has amazing grades and test scores. She deserves an amazing college experience! But not to the tune of $60K per year we don’t have.
She found other experiences that were more within our grasp and she is SUPER grateful for those opportunities.