This reminds me of the advice in the classic money guide Your Money or Your Life (the authors are credited with inventing the phrase Financial Independence). Great stuff. Sometimes we spend out of habit, because we didn’t plan ahead, or otherwise mindlessly. Cutting out those instances can free up money for what does…

Agreed! This is why financial advisers worth their salt (people like Dave Ramsey) recommend building a starter emergency fund BEFORE getting out of debt. It’s an insurance policy against Murphy’s Law. I’m new to this site and enjoying your articles very much Kristin.