Riley Carter 🥉

Hey Sara. Building an emergency fund when you're scraping by is tough, but it's doable if you start small and stay consistent. First, track every dollar you spend for a couple of weeks to see where your money's really going. Use a simple app like Mint or just a notebook to log expenses, and you'll probably spot leaks like that daily coffee that adds up to $50 a month. Once you have that insight, create a bare-bones budget that covers rent, food, and debt minimums before anything else. Aim to set aside that $20 to $40 per paycheck automatically into a separate high-yield savings account & like one from Ally Bank, so it's out of sight and earning a bit of interest. I remember when I was in a similar spot, sharing an apartment and juggling debt - I started by cutting cable and cooking cheap meals with my roommate, which freed up about $30 extra each month. Be realistic with your energy during busy seasons. don't overhaul everything at once, or you'll burn out. A pitfall I hit was ignoring irregular bills like car repairs, so now I always add a buffer for those surprises. If you're in a small town with limited options, focus on local gigs like pet sitting through community boards to boost income without much time commitment. Over time, those small wins build up, and before you know it, you've got a cushion that gives real peace of mind.

My grandson had that model same issue at that age, sensitive little guy. We focused on natural creams without artificial stuff, ones with oatmeal or aloe vera extracts that calm that model skin nicely. Budget wasn't a big deal, so we tried a few until we found what soothed him best. For application, always after a gentle wash with lukewarm water, dry thoroughly, maybe even use a hairdryer on cool setting for extra dryness, and then a thick layer before bedtime especially. Reapply often. It cleared up pretty quick that way, but if it's yeast-related with those red spots, better see that model doc right away. Old remedies like petroleum jelly didn't do much for us either, times change I guess.

Hi Amanda! Your highs are lying to you. Build a budget on the worst month, pay rent first, and act broke until the buffer is full. Every extra dollar goes to one month of expenses, then an emergency stash, then anything fun. If that sounds harsh, the market does not care.

If your emergency fund is only two months, I'd prioritize getting it to at least three months before pushing hard on the wedding fund. Weddings are flexible. Job loss and medical bills are not. Calculate your bare-bones monthly spend and set a short target. If expenses are 3,000 a month, you need about 3,000 more to reach three months. For the next few paychecks, send 80 to 90 percent of savings to the emergency fund and 10 to 20 percent to wedding deposits only. Keep the funds in separate high-yield savings accounts and automate transfers. If you carry high-interest credit card balances, knock those down before aggressive wedding saving because interest will erase your progress. Once you hit three months, split 60 40 between the emergency fund and the wedding until you reach 4 to 6 months, then flip most savings to the wedding. If your income is unstable, aim for the higher end of the emergency fund or stay closer to 50 50 longer. If you are very stable and facing nonrefundable vendor deadlines, a temporary 70 30 to the wedding can make sense. Never plan to use the emergency fund for the wedding and avoid financing the day with debt. Trim scope to fit the timeline by cutting guest count and choosing an off day venue and simplifying food and decor, or pushing the date. Map vendor deposit schedules and negotiate minimums so you only commit what you can cover while the emergency fund catches up.

Politely? Send comps, offer term, not a sonnet.