Your Pandemic Savings Are Gone — Here's What to Do Next

The Federal Reserve just confirmed it: pandemic-era stimulus cash that Americans were sitting on? Completely depleted as of March 2024. If that hits home, you're not alone.

Here's the real talk — rebuilding from zero isn't impossible, but it requires a plan:

**Start with honest accounting.** Pull up your last 3 months of bank statements. Where's the money actually going? Kill the subscriptions you forgot about, cut non-essential spending, and get your bills current if they're behind.

**Build a realistic budget.** Map out income vs. expenses. If it doesn't balance, you've got two levers: cut costs or boost income. Easier said than done, but it's one or the other.

**Boost your income.** Side hustle, freelance gig, asking for that raise you've been sitting on, selling stuff collecting dust — options exist. Even an extra $500/month compounds.

**Attack high-interest debt first.** Credit card debt at 20%+ APR is a wealth killer. Negotiate with creditors or look into consolidation. Interest paid is money gone.

**Start an emergency fund, no matter how small.** $500 saved automatically beats $0 sitting in checking. It prevents the spiral where one car repair = new credit card debt.

The key? Start now, not when you've "got it together." Compound interest works both ways.