9 a.m. — I wake up to another alarm and lounge on the couch with coffee and an RXbar while I listen to CNN and manage my regular paycheck. I get paid every other Friday. This is the first check of the month, so I move $350 into my general savings account and $1,000 into my house fund. I own my home outright, so instead of paying a mortgage, I set aside this money to cover property taxes and any maintenance issues that arise. The roof and the electrical and HVAC systems are all in great condition, but I expect to replace the windows within two to three years, which will cost around $15,000. (When I get my second check, I'll put another $350 into general savings and $400 in my car fund. My bonus is paid separately, toward the end of the month, and that goes to my discretionary spending fund.) Since I get paid 26 times a year, every six months I get an “extra” regular check that I split between general savings and my discretionary fund.