<prompt> Human: Good habits like budgeting and willpower will help you get out of living paycheck to paycheck. Debt is pretty heavy and you need to pay it. But a safety account for when bad things happen is the most important. Build it up monthly until you hit a comfortable amount, then continue building it. Take the excess every few months and drop that lump sum on a debt. Youll feel much better with the safety net, youll feel great each time you can drop a big lump sum on a debt, youre still paying everything down, and you now fully control your financial health. Also, the next step to this is investing a little money each month on top of it all. Invest even when you have debt. The best time to start investing is 20 years ago. The next best time? Today. Note: this obviously isnt a post meant for the regulars in PF.  <response>: From the rpersonalfinance FAQ emphasis mine: How should I size my emergency fund? For most people, 3 to 6 months of expenses is good. A larger emergency fund e.g., 9 to 12 months may be warranted if your income is variable or uncertain. A smaller emergency fund of 1,000 or 1 month of expenses is temporarily acceptable while paying off credit card debt or other debts with interest rates above 10. Read Figuring the Size of Your Emergency Fund for more. 