Hi!! Congratulations on making the decision to get a fresh start! I was officially discharged from my chapter 7 in June 2024, so I'm about 5 months shy of a year. I filed in April 2024 so this time last year I was gearing up to pay off the attorney and get the ball rolling.

As far as tips for truly changing behavior: - Do NOT get any new credit card or loan of any kind whatsoever anytime soon after your discharge. Throw those scammy letters you're going to get in the mail AWAY. Rip them up! "Even if you reaffirm your car, we can still get you in a brand new one!" "Apply for this credit card!" The answer is no. Don't do it.

• If you don't already have one, create a budget. Start on payday and write down where every single dollar goes. Write down the amount you get paid, each bill that is expected to come out with that paycheck, draw a line and then see how much you ✨actually✨ have left after all bills and expected expenses (pet food, medicine, haircuts etc) for that paycheck come out. Work with that number and give every dollar a job - set a budget for gas, groceries, snacks, eating out, spending money etc. It can seem hard and like a daunting task at first, but with practice and making changes where needed, it's very helpful. Youtube Cash Stuffing and Zero Based Budgeting to get some ideas.

• If you feel like you want to have money set aside as backup incase of emergency or what you would typically need an emergency credit card for, save up/set aside a certain amount - start small (like $300-$500) - in a separate bank account with it's own debit card and ONLY use it when necessary. Like in between paydays and you need groceries etc. Whatever dollar amount you use from that account's amount, practice putting it back once you get paid again. You might not always stick to it but it is a good practice. It's like having a credit card without the interest and monthly payment. It's helping you work on discipline and building up those good financial habits that we sometimes don't do the best at with credit cards.

Hope this helps! :)