<prompt> Human: EDIT: Here is a screenshot of my weekly paycheck, can I do anything with this to help?Hi rpersonalfinance! Ive read so many posts where fantastic advice is overflowing and I need some help.Here is a breakdown of my situation for context: 26 years old with an undergrad degree Income: I have a job where I work from home and make 40kyr, which after taxes and other deductions my take home is just over 1,000 every 2 weeks Expense: Car payment is 300month 2004 Ford Explorer XLT Total Owed for Car: About 5000 Car Value Kelly Blue Book: About 4000 Expense: Car insurance is 100month Expense: Rent is 200month I live with mom Expense: Student Loan Sallie Mae is 600month Expense: Student Loan Federal is 300month Total Student Loans: About 50k Expense: Cell phone is 20month Credit Card: Capital One is maxed at 500 used it for an emergency car repair, minimum payment is 15month Credit Card: Orchard Bank is maxed at 750 mostly for a plane ticket I volunteer coach a team and were flying to nationals, plus assorted other expenses, minimum payment is 25monthIf you need any other information that might be relevant, Im more than happy to share. I just feel like every week I spend my whole paycheck. I feel like I can never save money, and Ill never be able to move out unless my job gives me a promotionraise. Even then, itll cover rent but Id still be breaking even. My companys annual raises are supposed to be on April 6th, but I dont know what Im getting yet.What are some things I can do to lower my expenses, while I try to get paid more at my job?EDIT: Added total car information.EDIT: Another question - If I decide that my car payment is simply too high, and I dont need the car anymore since I work from home, can I just call the bank and say Come take it, Ill stop paying and you can have it back? Would that work? Would they sue me for the payments? How much of a hit would my credit take? Has anyone done this before?Assistant: All that stuff you listed comes to 1560. That should give you about 400month left over. Where does that money go? If it goes to Starbucks and bars and crap, then give yourself a budget of 100month fun money and put the other 300month toward your credit cards until those are paid off. Cut down on eating out--drink at home and have potlucks with your friends. : Its fun, I promise!Also, youre not going to like this, but I think you should sell your car. Pay off your loan and buy a beater with cash. You work from home, so you dont need a fancy car or even something super reliable for a commute. It just has to get you from A to B. Youll also be able to save a lot on car insurance--I pay about half of what you do because I dont need full coverage on a fully paid-off car. You could have an extra 350month right there by getting rid of the car payment and the necessary insurance.If you are underwater on your car, can you sell it and then go car-less for a while? Maybe your mom would agree to let you borrow her car from time to time, since you dont need to drive on a daily basis. I know thats a big change, but honestly, lifestyle changes are necessary if you want to have big financial changes. My boyfriend and I have one car that he uses for commuting, and I take the bus every day. It was weird at first but now its so normal, and its great because I have so much more wiggle room in my budget without a whole second cars worth of gas, maintenance, insurance, etc. So completely worth it!Human: Like someone mentioned above, Im going to start keeping a daily spending log so I can use my excel skills to analyze where my extra money is truly going. The problem with selling my car is that Im upside down. Its worth 4k and I owe about 5k. I love the idea but I dont think I could do it for 6 months to a year, when selling it would give me more money than I owe.Moms a no-go on borrowing the car. Shes hugely worried that if something goes wrong, she wont have a car to get to work and lose her income, etc.  <response>: Damn. If you were to put that extra 300month toward your car loan though, you could pay off the 5k car loan in just 8 months. That would give you a ton of extra money 600month! to go toward your other debts and eventually rent. Its totally doable! Good call on the spending diary. Ive really found 100month in fun money to be more than enough for me to have fun, social weekends without breaking the bank. 