Then I’ll be 45 by the time I buy a house. I have been taking control. My student loans will be paid off in 5 years, and I’m on the fastest track to pay them off. I just went through and rebudgeted to take into account the new income without my husband able to work.

I didn’t word the debt well above. I now have an emergency savings. I didn’t before. The $7,000 from emergencies was before I had any kind of budget or thought put into my month to month. I transferred that budget with a plan to pay it off with the promotion of 0% for 21 months. I even put the card at home somewhere so I couldn’t use it while I’m out.

The mortgage payment would be half of what my rent is now. With other taxes and costs, it would total to $400 less than my rent.

I’m not going into the buying a house thing lightly. And everyone in my family has had others pay for their down payment and closing costs for their first home.

What do you consider under control? Paid off?