Thank you, I will start trying to figure out the case study materials but it is a bit overwhelming for someone just starting to get a picture of my finances. To answer the questions so far: Spouse has already started the business, and won several grants, but the most recent win requires full-time employment status so it can no longer be done in spare time. Business partner quit a job to work at their company full-time last year for the same reason and spouse will be the 2nd full-time employee. There is at least a year's worth of money so far, but government grants have a tricky way of delaying starts or payments. I worry that paying the $30k student loans at 6.8% would mean no longer having access to that money as an emergency fund, as opposed to the advice in early blog posts about opening a line of credit or using Vanguard accounts in lieu of emergency funds since one would still have access to that cash in a true emergency. Our $5k+ monthly expense (which is in addition to the mortgage) is mostly just typical outrageous spending, manicures, books, pool membership, home cleaning, leisure trips, tickets to the circus, eating out, thousand dollar grocery bills. That was just last month. We do have some expenses related to taking care of parents-in-law as well. We have instituted a family-wide austerity plan to tackle big as well as small expenses where we can, although the toll road use is fairly significant at at least $30/week. Spouse grew up in a family and country whereby frugality comes easily, and I'm working on aligning my outlook as well.
Will get started and return with a case plan - thank you for your advice so far.