You've gotten some good advice. I believe the first step will be to sit down and list out ALL your expenses - don't forget things that don't come due every month like vehicle registration, any subscriptions or memberships, insurances, etc. You'll also want to include some money to save each month for periodic variable expenses like vehicle maintenance, that way things like new tires don't put you in the red. Compare the total of this list to your income. SoCal is a high cost of living area - I know as I'm in San Diego. I have a hard time imagining being able to make it on 20k out here. If your expenses are higher than your income, you'll need to immediately fix that problem - increase your business, get a second job, cut out whatever expenses you can, etc.
After that is addressed, you need to promise yourself that you will pay yourself first from now on and follow through with that promise. Open an online savings account like Emigrant or ING. You should be able to find a savings account paying somewhere around 3% right now. I have an online savings account with Washington Mutual and because I also have a checking account with them, my savings currently pays 3.3%. Put part of your check into this account - 10% is a good rule of thumb.
Establish an emergency fund. An online savings account like I mentioned above is a great place to keep your EF. You have your own business, so this needs to be fairly substantial - like 6 months worth of expenses or more.
You also need to be thinking about a retirement plan. Open a Roth IRA and put 10% of your pay in there. Start now, get in the habit, and give your money lots of time to compound.
That's a lot to think about, but take it one step at a time. Starting with a complete list of all expenses and income. There are some great budgeters on here, so if you are willing to list expenses out for us, you are likely to receive some helpful advice on where you might be able to cut.
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