Lost Job Last Year - Working to Get Back On Track

[LegHead1]

Hello -

I was laid off in November of 2008. I was living in CA, making about 80k/annualy in software sales.

After struggling for months to find a job, I took an internship in Washington, D.C. The internship paid 1k/month, so about 760 after taxes. Eventually, I was hired on to staff at 30k/annually, then after 5 months received a raise of 40k annually. During this time of little to no income, I obviously acquired a significant amount of debt, and am looking to get back to where I was a year ago.

Current Expenses:

Rent: $400
Utilities: $81
Loan: $297 (7500 remains, out of 9k)
Car Loan: $240 (9400 remains, out of 14k)
Gym: $90

*Car is in garage, I use metro system to save money, so no insurance/gas/maintenance. Cell phone and metro passes are paid for by my job. I have health insurance but no dental and no vision.

My take home after taxes is $2,221. I put $300/month into my 401k, and it is matched. I put $300/month automatically into a high yield, but just started this last month.

Now, to tackle the debt. I had 13k in cc debt. I used all but 1k of my emergency fund to pay off the highest interest. So that brought it down to 9k. I then consolidated this onto a personal loan (see loan $297) to be paid off in 3 years.

I recently ran into more trouble with my landlords failure to return my security deposit on my apartment that was riddled with bedbugs (fun times). So I am again in the whole for some change, with 1300 on a cc.

I currently have 1k in emergency savings.....

I found out I will be receivng a 4k bonus at the end of the year.

My goals:

1. Be debt free by the end of 2010, with the exception of the car loan.
2. Have 3k in emergency savings.
3. Begun saving for a down payment on a house.

Any advice as to how to get out of this would be greatly appreciated. So ideas I have considered....

1. Cashing out my 401k (8k now)
2. Getting a second job (I work 50plus hours a week right now).

I just turned 26, have a college degree, and did not expect life to be this difficult in terms of finances. Please advise.

Thank you!

[snafu]

You are no longer earning $80.K which precludes you from returning to that previous lifestyle. Good on you for having an emergency fund in CA. Wish you had checked this site back then...as possible other choices/disbursements. What interest rates for consolidation loan, car loan?

1st don't let that landlord off the hook for DD. This is a nasty ploy of unscrupulous landlords to transfer money from your pocket to theirs. What action did your local Housing Authority suggest? If you work in a firm that has lawyers on staff, they usually don't mind sending a letter that you have already prepared. It's usually worth the $50. to have a lawyer sent a letter demanding immediate refund of DD. Do everyone else a favor and write details for Better Business Bureau and on-line so that others don't experience the same ploy.
What is the possibility of continuing software sales PT in your current area to generate more income?