Savings? Pay down Debt? Help, please!

**creditcardfree** · 04-26-2013, 05:59 PM

You need an Emergency Fund first. Start with a goal of $500 to $1000.

A rollover to any IRA is fine and very easy to do with any bank or mutual fund company.

Yes...pay that credit card first. All extra money needs to go to that goal after you establish an emergency fund. Pay off this year!!

**Petunia 100** · 04-27-2013, 06:14 AM

Hello and welcome to SA,

Where is your retirement money now? In your old 401k? Is it invested? What sort of fees are you paying?

The difficulty of having less than 1k in a retirement account is you are going have limited good choices. The minimum amount needed for most of the best places to keep your IRA money is 1k.

If you roll your old 401k to Wells Fargo and put it in cash, you are guaranteed to lose ground to inflation. That is not what you want. You want your retirement money to grow for you.

You can buy load funds at Wells Fargo, and most are happy to let you start with $250. A "load" is a commission, and load funds typically have high expense ratios to boot. Do not allow Wells Fargo to sell you any load funds.

Wells Fargo also has brokerage accounts, but unless you have 50k in combined balances, you will have to pay commissions on every trade. You don't want that, either.

So, I would definately not roll your 401k money to Wells Fargo.

**Poverty in Paradise** · 04-27-2013, 07:11 AM

I don't have a 401k...never have and current employers don't offer it for my level of employment. I'll be eligible for a 401k at one of them when I hit 1000 hours worked late this summer.

The $718 is in an Iowa Public Employees Retirement Systems (IPERS) 401(a) fund, and it was all deducted from my paychecks over the course of 7 months. From what I can calculate, it has collected interest varying from .001 to .005% in the last year. I was thinking about rolling it into the Way2Save IRA (.05%) at WellsFargo to use as starting my emergency fund as the money is still accessible in a Way2Save. After building that fund amount to what I need it to be, transfer that money into a dedicated savings/e-fund account and continuing to use the Way2Save IRA for retirement savings. This account has a minimum $100 opening balance.

I'm not interested and frankly feel that I don't have the financial knowledge or ability to dive into stocks, trading, mutual funds, etc. right now.

**jpg7n16** · 04-27-2013, 07:50 AM

Originally posted by Poverty in Paradise View Post

Hi, been lurking for a few months but finally signed up tonight...seeking advice

Welcome

I read bits and pieces of Dave Ramsay's book about 6 months ago, then moved and got into the winter flow and stopped reading.

I think a good next step is to finish what you started there. What did you learn so far? Have you actually tried any of it yet?

My work, by nature, is not super stable. I work mid-Nov through early April and mid-May through the end of October. Yep, I live and work in a ski town. I work for the resort in the winter and teach summer activities in the summer. Off-seasons are tough, as work dries up but also nice as no one is around so it's less tempting to go to the bars, restaurants, etc. It's relaxing and occasionally part-time work can be found...this year I have some work. Next winter (this was my first full-time winter here), I also plan on picking up a night job.

Okay, let's start thinking long-term here. You're working at the resort to make ends meet. Is that what you had in mind when you signed up for this?:

Student Loan (Wells Fargo): $2668 remaining @ 6.24% (pay the minimum $50/month...never late, never missed)
Federal Student Loan: $36110 remaining @ 6.55% (on graduated repayment; currently $252/month, set to increase to I believe $3xx. in November)

Did you take out $40k of Student Debt to work for a ski resort?

What's the end game here? (ie. Your degree should help you do more than part time work for a ski resort...)

Financial stats:
Credit Card Debt (Wells Fargo): $3140 @ 16.45% (zoinks!) (currently pay the minimum $70/month...never late, never missed one)

I think a good temp option would be to transfer this balance to a 0% offer card for like 9-12 months. That will save you interest while you build up your EF, and save interest while you pay down the balance.

WF CC statement says if I continue only paying the minimum (without using it), it'll be 18 years before it's paid. If I up my payments to $111/month, it'll be 3 years. This is the highest interest debt and should be paid down first...right?

Absolutely right!

I'll have around $900 in my checking account on May 1 (after paying May rent). It's depressing to look at everyday. I know my spending habits need to change, especially regarding restaurants and eating out.

One of things you'll learn from the DR books is the value of assigning every dollar of income a job.

It's not just about habits, it's about planning. Do you plan your financial month in advance? or are you just hoping that shifting some habits will do the trick?

Planning is better.

My "fun gear" (bikes, skis, etc.) could use an upgrade but it's just not possible right now.

How would you rank the importance of the following goals?

-ensuring you'll have money to live on in retirement
-getting out of high interest rate debt
-upgrading your skis

I have $718 sitting in a retirement account from the first job I had out of college. I researched withdrawing it today because I'm in a pinch, and found there would be a 30% tax penalty to withdraw it (20% federal withholding, 10% add'l income tax fee), costing me $215.

You have more cash than that on hand right now. You're able to cover all your bills currently. What do you mean you're "in a pinch?"

**Poverty in Paradise** · 04-27-2013, 08:24 AM

I think a good next step is to finish what you started there. What did you learn so far? Have you actually tried any of it yet?

I plan to start reading again once I get moved. The book & workbook are currently in a box somewhere. Moving May 1 and work won't begin again until May 20...plenty of downtime to read & catch up.

Okay, let's start thinking long-term here. You're working at the resort to make ends meet. Is that what you had in mind when you signed up for this?.....Did you take out $40k of Student Debt to work for a ski resort?

What's the end game here? (ie. Your degree should help you do more than part time work for a ski resort...)

Long-term, I want to work in the full-time year-round administrative side of teaching people with disabilities how to do outdoor recreation activities. I work as an instructor in the summer teaching in that very field. In the winter I volunteered for the organization while working at the resort, and plan to either work for the resort or teach (paid) for the adaptive organization. It is not what I went to college for...I changed majors 3 times in college (went 5 years), and when I did my internship in adaptive sports it was very loosely connected to my major but just enough that they (school) let me do it. It was interesting to me and I fell in love with it.

I've had many talks with my parents about getting a "real job", especially my dad. Having a degree is valued in this field and I apply things I learned in college daily when working with participants. I could go on for days about why I work & live where I do. I'm not here to "ski bum". I'm here to work, be involved, apply my talents and skills to help others.

I think a good temp option would be to transfer this balance to a 0% offer card for like 9-12 months. That will save you interest while you build up your EF, and save interest while you pay down the balance.

Thanks for the idea. I'll look into this. Are there fees associated? Transfer fees? Hidden fees?

One of things you'll learn from the DR books is the value of assigning every dollar of income a job.

It's not just about habits, it's about planning. Do you plan your financial month in advance? or are you just hoping that shifting some habits will do the trick?

Planning is better.

I am beginning to plan. I'll be moving May 1 and currently have an Excel sheet open where I'm planning a budget for May. Then June...

How would you rank the importance of the following goals?

-ensuring you'll have money to live on in retirement
-getting out of high interest rate debt
-upgrading your skis

1. Out of debt. It's hanging over my head and I hate paying so much in interest.
2. Beginning a retirement fund that can grow and eventually be something I can invest in other options.
3. Skis & Bike. Partially because I use them everyday at my job, and for personal enjoyment. My skis are super low-end beginner (think rental shop) skis that I bought because this was my first year on skis (prev. snowboarder) and I advanced to skiing expert/double black terrain in all conditions in one season. Skiing is tons of fun but will be better with another set-up that I can also go backcountry with. However, I know that my current set-up "gets the job done" (minus the bc/touring aspect) and if I need to use them another year, I can and will.

You have more cash than that on hand right now. You're able to cover all your bills currently. What do you mean you're "in a pinch?"

"In a pinch?" because I'm tired of my parents bailing me out. I had a couple thousand dollars in medical bills near the end of the season (ski accident) and just put $700 into new brakes on my truck. I have $962 in my bank account as of right now. I'll get about +180 income May 1 from part-time work, +300 subleasing my current room, but -550 paying rent to next place. $890 +/- a few on May 1. Some income will come my way in June through part-time work (more than I currently have), but I'll have -370 in loans/CC throughout May + whatever my April utilities are (~~$50). Then June 1, +300 deposit returned from current lease, +first paycheck from work, but -1100 to cover first & deposit on next place. It would be nice to have been able to pay my truck repairs myself and at least contribute to the dental work fees. I hate not knowing until the last day or two of the month if I'll be able to pay my rent, food, bills...which goes back to planning, not shifting. I'm working on that.
**The housing situation is weird and didn't workout the way I wanted. I could only guarantee getting into the room at the place I'm moving if I moved in May 1 and sublet the last month of their current lease (friends live there, one is moving out), then re-sign onto the new year lease starting June 1. Luckily I was able to get my room rented out for May also and having already paid the $300 "last month" when I moved in, I'll collect $300 from the new person.

Thank you for your comments. It's a lot for me to think about and process right now. Past decisions are/have caught up and I can't change them but I can control my future decisions.

**Petunia 100** · 04-27-2013, 08:50 AM

Originally posted by Poverty in Paradise View Post

I don't have a 401k...never have and current employers don't offer it for my level of employment. I'll be eligible for a 401k at one of them when I hit 1000 hours worked late this summer.

The $718 is in an Iowa Public Employees Retirement Systems (IPERS) 401(a) fund, and it was all deducted from my paychecks over the course of 7 months. From what I can calculate, it has collected interest varying from .001 to .005% in the last year. I was thinking about rolling it into the Way2Save IRA (.05%) at WellsFargo to use as starting my emergency fund as the money is still accessible in a Way2Save. After building that fund amount to what I need it to be, transfer that money into a dedicated savings/e-fund account and continuing to use the Way2Save IRA for retirement savings. This account has a minimum $100 opening balance.

I'm not interested and frankly feel that I don't have the financial knowledge or ability to dive into stocks, trading, mutual funds, etc. right now.

I see. Well, keep in mind that if you do decide to use your IRA as an emergency fund, any withdrawal is subject to federal penalty and income taxes. State penalty and income taxes may apply as well, depending upon your state.

Have you considered an online bank? While the rates are relatively low, they are comparatively much higher. For example, Ally's rate is currently .84% for savings, in a regular or IRA account.

**Petunia 100** · 04-27-2013, 08:56 AM

Originally posted by Poverty in Paradise View Post

"In a pinch?" because I'm tired of my parents bailing me out. I had a couple thousand dollars in medical bills near the end of the season (ski accident) and just put $700 into new brakes on my truck. I have $962 in my bank account as of right now. I'll get about +180 income May 1 from part-time work, +300 subleasing my current room, but -550 paying rent to next place. $890 +/- a few on May 1. Some income will come my way in June through part-time work (more than I currently have), but I'll have -370 in loans/CC throughout May + whatever my April utilities are (~~$50). Then June 1, +300 deposit returned from current lease, +first paycheck from work, but -1100 to cover first & deposit on next place. It would be nice to have been able to pay my truck repairs myself and at least contribute to the dental work fees. I hate not knowing until the last day or two of the month if I'll be able to pay my rent, food, bills...which goes back to planning, not shifting. I'm working on that.
**The housing situation is weird and didn't workout the way I wanted. I could only guarantee getting into the room at the place I'm moving if I moved in May 1 and sublet the last month of their current lease (friends live there, one is moving out), then re-sign onto the new year lease starting June 1. Luckily I was able to get my room rented out for May also and having already paid the $300 "last month" when I moved in, I'll collect $300 from the new person.

It's very admirable that you want to begin relying only on yourself.

Do you track every dollar in and out? A lot of people like Mint. Wells Fargo has a feature called "My Money Map" on their site, which you might try.

**jpg7n16** · 04-28-2013, 07:37 AM

Originally posted by Poverty in Paradise View Post

I plan to start reading again once I get moved. The book & workbook are currently in a box somewhere. Moving May 1 and work won't begin again until May 20...plenty of downtime to read & catch up.

Any opportunity for side jobs in the meantime? Walk dogs, babysit kids, mow lawns, etc. - whatever you can do for a few extra bucks in the downtime.

Two weeks of mowing lawns could probably net you more than cashing out your 401k would.

It is not what I went to college for... It was interesting to me and I fell in love with it... I could go on for days about why I work & live where I do... I'm here to work, be involved, apply my talents and skills to help others.

I think that's the key. If you love what you do, that's a great place to be.

Here's an idea to get you moving that way (if you haven't done so already): talk to someone who's currently in the role you'd like to be in. Shadow them for a day, see what they do. Ask them what it takes to get to their level.

Thanks for the idea. I'll look into this. Are there fees associated? Transfer fees? Hidden fees?

Let me clarify my idea there.

1st) Get on a budget. Assign every dollar a job. Know where the money's going, and what will be available for paying off debt.

2nd) Get a no fee CC to xfer your balance.

Some cards don't charge anything, some charge like 3-4% of the balance one time to move it over (which is far less than you'd typically pay). So either way that may work.

But the largest risk to this idea, is not paying it off like you intended, still keeping the whole balance there, and having the interest rate kick up on you at the end. Most 0% offers will start charging maybe 20%+ after the promotional period is over.

Why I think that risk is worth it if you're on a budget and know you'll be paying it down:
doing the math, if you get 0% for a year with a 4% charge, which the rate switches to 26% afterwards, you will benefit if you can afford to pay between $83.85-682.30/month. If you can only pay less than that, the new 26% rate will end up costing you more long term. If you can pay more than that, you're not saving enough interest to make it worth your while to pay the 4% fee.

If you find an offer, and have a budget in place where you could tell us how much you can allocate to paying off debt, I can better help you decide if it's worth it to switch.

1. Out of debt. It's hanging over my head and I hate paying so much in interest.
2. Beginning a retirement fund that can grow and eventually be something I can invest in other options.
3. Skis & Bike. Partially because I use them everyday at my job, and for personal enjoyment. My skis are super low-end beginner (think rental shop) skis that I bought because this was my first year on skis (prev. snowboarder) and I advanced to skiing expert/double black terrain in all conditions in one season. Skiing is tons of fun but will be better with another set-up that I can also go backcountry with. However, I know that my current set-up "gets the job done" (minus the bc/touring aspect) and if I need to use them another year, I can and will.

Then based on that priority, I'd do the following:

- Pay off the CC (saving the most interest)
- Build up your EF to 3 months
- Start saving an amount that gets you on track for retirement (making more interest than your debt is getting charged) -- http://www.aarp.org/work/retirement-...nt_calculator/
- Pay on your debts as much as you can

Then only once your retirement is on track, and your debt is to a manageable level, should you start looking for ski upgrades.

"In a pinch?" because I'm tired of my parents bailing me out. ... I hate not knowing until the last day or two of the month if I'll be able to pay my rent, food, bills...which goes back to planning, not shifting. I'm working on that.

I agree that it goes back to planning. Just like you said.

With a proper plan, you'll have EF money to support yourself through life's accidents. With a good plan each month, you'll have the confidence of knowing that you'll have a table and food to put on it

For your budget, I'd advise posting what you find and getting feedback from the people here on how you make improvements.

Thank you for your comments. It's a lot for me to think about and process right now. Past decisions are/have caught up and I can't change them but I can control my future decisions.

That's a good outlook to have. And this will certainly be a process. I don't expect you to be fully on track within the month. It's a process to set up the next 70 years of your life for success.

**johntomba** · 04-29-2013, 06:27 PM

You can do it.

First, congrats on deciding to do something about your financial situation. That is the first step. Now come the harder steps. You are going to need to make many lifestyle changes to go from essentially a spender to a saver. Luckily, it�s all up to you on how you want to do it, whether it�s cutting back on �fun� expenses, or looking for additional ways, or new ways to create money. But in the end you need to go from spending more than you have to always spending less than you make. As you do this you need to get rid of the high interest debt you have first and make a pact with yourself to never use credit card debt again. Next you need to start putting a small percentage of you money aside into an emergency account. Check out some of the basic free material out there. This one is from the fed, it�s pretty good. I found it on Seekingbread, also a really nice site for this stuff. Good luck.

**Poverty in Paradise** · 04-30-2013, 05:34 AM

Any opportunity for side jobs in the meantime? Walk dogs, babysit kids, mow lawns, etc. - whatever you can do for a few extra bucks in the downtime.

Two weeks of mowing lawns could probably net you more than cashing out your 401k would.

I'm actually finishing up 11 days of dog/housesitting as I type

And working part-time for the place I'll be working full-time this summer, helping with a remodel of a new facility they'll be opening at the end of May. Somedays I don't work at all, some I work 2 or 3 hours, and some I work a full 8 or 9 hours. Luckily starting today and for the next two weeks work will pickup to almost full-time hours there.

First, congrats on deciding to do something about your financial situation. That is the first step. Now come the harder steps. You are going to need to make many lifestyle changes to go from essentially a spender to a saver. Luckily, it�s all up to you on how you want to do it, whether it�s cutting back on �fun� expenses, or looking for additional ways, or new ways to create money. But in the end you need to go from spending more than you have to always spending less than you make. As you do this you need to get rid of the high interest debt you have first and make a pact with yourself to never use credit card debt again. Next you need to start putting a small percentage of you money aside into an emergency account. Check out some of the basic free material out there. This one is from the fed, it�s pretty good. I found it on Seekingbread, also a really nice site for this stuff. Good luck.

Did you forget a link?

Thanks for the encouragement. I know things need to change. It won't be easy, especially where I live where going for "a" beer one of the local restaurant patios seems to be a nightly thing in the summer. Living with roommates is nice for saving money, but not easy on the bank regarding social life. Luckily, being an outdoorsy town there are so many free activities that are fun & healthy...bike, hike, swim, slowpitch, ultimate, etc. to stay occupied before/after work. I'm planning to pick up a night job next winter, but summer it's just not realistic and I want to make sure I have time to relax and do what I want. During the "peak" summer season I'll be working 7 days a week with some (paid) overnight camping trips in there as well.

Lastly, I've been looking around at savings rates and am leaning towards opening a Way2Save at WellsFargo for establishing an emergency fund, as I can access it without IRS/tax penalties at anytime and combining it with my checking account there will eliminate a $7/month checking fee I'm looking at...due to not having a $1500 daily avg balance, and no longer receiving at least $500 in direct deposits each cycle (my summer employer does not direct deposit -- I use mobile deposit with them). At the same time, opening an IRA at another bank with higher interest rates...my dad has been pushing Navy Federal Credit Union, as I have an account there and he uses them for his retirement accounts (he is retired Navy). I'm hesitant to go with NFCU or an online bank like Ally only because they don't have physical branches anywhere near me and I really like the peace of mind of being able to go in and talk to someone in person. But the Wells Fargo rates are terrible compared to others. I haven't finalized any decisions here, just brainstorming the last day or two.

**jpg7n16** · 04-30-2013, 06:56 AM

Originally posted by Poverty in Paradise View Post

Lastly, I've been looking around at savings rates and am leaning towards opening a Way2Save at WellsFargo for establishing an emergency fund, as I can access it without IRS/tax penalties at anytime

Just to be sure, you're talking about funding this with money from your budget/job right? (ie. not the old 401k) Don't use your old 401k to fund your EF.

I have no issues with you keeping your checking and EF in the same place.

At the same time, opening an IRA at another bank with higher interest rates...my dad has been pushing Navy Federal Credit Union, as I have an account there and he uses them for his retirement accounts (he is retired Navy). I'm hesitant to go with NFCU or an online bank like Ally only because they don't have physical branches anywhere near me and I really like the peace of mind of being able to go in and talk to someone in person.

Since this will be IRA money, it's intended for retirement. CDs are not intended to be long term investments. For your retirement money you need a good mix of stocks/bonds/etc geared for longer term growth.

My point is: you should use a brokerage firm (like Fidelity or Vanguard) for your IRA money, not a bank or credit union.

Once you've paid off your CC, look into opening a Roth IRA at a reputable brokerage firm. Start by using their version of a target date fund.

**Poverty in Paradise** · 05-05-2013, 07:28 PM

Just to be sure, you're talking about funding this with money from your budget/job right? (ie. not the old 401k) Don't use your old 401k to fund your EF.

Yes. Will start from scratch (budget/job) on savings/EF. The other money will go into a retirement account of some sort.

I've come up with a rough budget. Thoughts? I'm open to all criticism, ideas, and "good things" I've done/need to do.

Fixed Amounts:
Rent (incl util): $562.50 (double in June to include deposit)
Fed Loan: $252.24 (will increase in Nov)
WF Loan: $50.46
WF CC: $75
Subtotal: $940.20

Limits (anything excess goes to Savings & CC debt):
Grocery: $100
Gas: $35
Laundry: $25
Gear Repairs: $75
Misc: $50
Subtotal: $285

Total Expenses: $1225.20

The hardest part is that work can be variable, so pay will vary. If I work 3 days/week at the variable job and 2 days/week at the stable job, I'll pull in $1428. During busy/peak periods, I'll work 5 days/week at the variable job and 2 at the stable job, plus a few overnights (paid) at variable job. Overnights are nice (usually chaperoning youth programs and/or camping) because they also come with the benefit of included dinner & lunch.

Grocery: I feel like I can keep under $100 easily for grocery because I have no issue with eating PB&J or basic turkey sandwiches for lunch, bagel for breakfast, and pasta and/or rice for dinner. Throw in veggies now and then. I've cut out pop which is saving me a ton of money. I now drink water from the tap religiously. My Nalgene has become my best friend

Gas: I can ride my bike or take the free bus to/from work every day. I'd only drive if rigging for a long camping trip and need to use my truck for gear. I top out about 100 miles on my truck in a month, going to the grocery store or running shuttle for mountain bike rides. Some months I only put 60 miles on.

Laundry: My next apartment/residence WILL have a washer and dryer, but my current place does not. The only laundromat in town is an absolute joke. I go about every 2 weeks, sometimes 3, with a heaping basket and use most of a $10 roll of quarters.

Gear Repairs: Things needed to keep my gear running...mountain bike, a new carabiner or quickdraw now and then, etc. I don't expect to get near $75 any month. I have a small stock of bike tubes on hand and do my own routine maintenance except for one yearly tune-up & anything major at a local bike shop. If I blow out a wheel or rip a strap on a harness, then this expense will be used up quickly but (knock on wood) I won't experience any of those.

Misc: The occasional afternoon beer, random things around the home, softball fun fee (chip in for game beer), etc. I've already said "no" to a few people wanting to get a drink or go to a movie or go out to eat, and I need to continue being aware of what I'd be spending when I could be putting it to better use.

Anything I don't hit my "limit" on will go into the savings account I'll be opening soon. It's a very tight budget, I know. I'm thinking with my "excess" amounts under limits, I can put $25 toward my CC debt (making that $100/month) and the rest into savings. Maybe more toward CC on good months. Savings will be small but it's a start.

**Poverty in Paradise** · 07-18-2014, 06:38 PM

HAPPY UPDATE

(a year+ later)

I just crossed the $1000 mark in savings/e-fund. Granted, I still haven't done anything IRA or true savings account wise and still have the $718 sitting in a state employee retirement fund back home from a prior job.

Since January, I've been saving 10% of all take-home pay...I should finished the year around $18-20k, so hoping for $1800 - $2000 e-fund. I track all income & expenses in a spreadsheet, and my "End of Month" (aka: what's available) has deducted 10% of all income put in on the main income page. So technically it's all still in my checking account and can be accessed at anytime, but I haven't had to send my "End of Month" figure into the red yet -- yay!

(example with easy numbers: I've "saved" $1000. My bank account says I have $4000 avail. My "EOM" says I have $3000.) When considering a purchase or seeing what's available, I refer to the EOM number.

I'm still working two seasonal jobs that are fairly stable in-season as I'm an experienced employee and therefore get pretty regular work hours. The month of May was a little rough, as my only income that month was a couple dog-sitting gigs.

Last winter I picked up an extra job (3 in total!), working 2 nights and 2 mornings in a restaurant kitchen. That little bit certainly helped! May do the same this winter. Last August I moved to a cheaper apartment -- I now pay $400/month for a studio, all utilities included (it's employee housing). I did add health care expenses, albeit very low due to the new healthcare system and credits.

My next goal is to continue saving 10%, possibly bumping up to 12 or 15%? again in January. Also, to finally pay off that pesky Wells Fargo CC and Loan...I've still been paying the minimums. My Federal Student Loan is currently a $0 monthly payment, on the income-based payment plan. By using the "Avalanche" (high interest first) method, I'll have the CC paid off by April 2016 and the loan by October 2016.

Upcoming, my only major expenses are an EMT course this fall...around $500, and will be reimbursed fully after one year of service in the district. I've also been kicking around the idea of grad school, possible for Fall 2016 or 2017. I want to have the CC and Loan paid off before I take on my schooling/debt.

I still overspend in at least 2 categories each month, sometimes the same categories, sometimes different. I want to start using the "envelope system" or something similar in the near future.

I know that $1000 may not seem like a lot to most people on here, but for me it's HUGE! When I put in my paycheck amount today and saw that number change to 4 digits, I was stoked! And to know that I still have a pretty comfortable amount (just shy of $1300, all bills paid for the month) in my EOM is encouraging. I'm more conscious of where my money goes and what's worth spending money on vs what's not.

Thanks, SavingAdvice Forum gurus! I haven't posted in a year or so, but I've lurked regularly and read a ton of threads on other people's situations, advice, everything. This is a great, supportive community.

Savings? Pay down Debt? Help, please!