Before and After SA?

[ScrimpAndSave]

I had about $2,000 in credit card debt.
No savings


I now and debt free and have $15,000 savings.
I also opened a roth ira (going to start contributing in 2010 after I save for my house downpayment)

I love savingadvice.

[asmom]

There are really two lives before SA: before and after grad school

Before grad school:

No CC debt
No student loan
No car loan
No savings
No retirement. I didn't believe in debt but I didn't believe in planning for the future either. Head was in the "wrong" place.


After grad school:

$10,000 student loan
$20,00 auto loan
$10,000 credit card debt
$45,000 home equity loan
$0 savings
$0 retirement. Felt like a vise was gripping my chest.

After saving advice and today:

$9800 student loan
$5900 auto loan since transferred to a 0% credit card
$0 credit card debt
$34,000 home equity loan
$2000 savings
$8000 retirement. Those numbers still look awful but I am excited about the future, I will retire the auto loan in March and in exactly two years, the student loan will be gone and savings account will be $30,000. And 5 years from now, the home equity loan will be gone, I will be fully funding my Roth as well as continuing my 401K contributions.

[Like2Plan]

I am a relatively new member, joined in May 2007 at less than T-4 years to retirement with plans in place. I like the exchange of the ideas and interesting topics on SA.

I am now at about T-2 years to retirement and still on track.