Thanks for your advice Brian! (and Kim! I just saw your reply)

Yes, I've found that when I just directly contribute and it's taken straight out, I just learn to live on what my bi-weekly check amounts to. So, I'm all about doing a direct deposit into my savings for a while.Also, I plan to put my entire tax refund into my savings to get that going as well.

I guess it seems more pressing because recently our state has voted that school calendars need to be more uniform, so we are (for the first time in decades), going to be starting school after Labor Day, like they do up north. This translates into having to survive a third month on contributions that normally just cover two months of salary.

I already have about $500 a month taken out of my pay and put into a summer pay account, so I continue to receive close to what my normal paychecks are every two weeks during the summer even though I'm on that now three month summer vacation. That's made things a little tighter financially, but still doable; I guess I just want to know I have a little more tucked away in case I need it during those months of hiatus.

If I end up not needing it, great...it can just earn some extra interest. I also have another two grand in another account I don't touch at all which will be added to the nest egg for a down-payment on housing when I decide to purchase.

I hate that I'm paying rent rather than building equity in something right now. I guess I just kept thinking it was wiser to stay more fluid because I was considering moving away from Florida again, because at the time I was dating someone that I thought I might end up married to, and because I really didn't want to deal with yardwork and maintenance/upkeep on my free weekends, and such. But, I can not continue to do this long-term, I know.

Michelle