Quick Take & Executive Summary
- **Life’s curveballs become debt traps without a safety net** – your emergency fund protects needs, not wants.
- **Start small: save $1,000 as a non-negotiable bill** – every dollar saved avoids borrowing at 20% interest.
- **Budgeting is freedom, not restriction** – use iDecide to ask: “Is this a shield or a shiny distraction?”
