When the Paycheck Doesn't Come
A client couple — let’s call them Matt and Lisa — recently hit a major milestone: they made the final payment on Matt’s student loans. $3,200. They were fired up. They’d been working toward this for months, and when they finally hit zero, it felt like a huge win.
The next week, Matt’s paycheck stopped coming.
Matt is a federal employee in the military. Because of the government shutdown, his pay has been suspended indefinitely. He’s still showing up for work — he’s considered essential — but his paycheck is effectively on pause.
And because his income makes up about 70% of their household cash flow, that pause is creating a very different kind of financial milestone: one where they have to carefully count how many weeks they can keep things running before they run out of money.
They’re not in crisis. Not yet. But it’s a real reminder of something I coach on all the time:
Big wins feel good. But cash flow is what keeps you safe.
Let’s dig in.
— Andrew
In This Edition:
✏️ Why debt paydown isn’t the only priority
❓ A shutdown stress test for your finances
📈 A tale of momentum — and margin
⚡ What to do before income gets disrupted
✏️ ONE BIG IDEA: Paying off debt is smart. But it’s not everything.
If you’re in the debt payoff stage of your financial journey, it’s natural to want to move fast. Especially when you’ve got momentum.
But here’s the thing: most people in that phase are running lean by design.
They’re putting every extra dollar toward principal. They’re keeping their emergency fund small. They’re laser-focused — and often under-buffered.
That works — right up until something unexpected happens. A job loss. A delayed payment. A shutdown.
In Matt and Lisa’s case, they’ve been following my Resilient Wealth Framework, which starts with planning spending and building basic reserves. They had $1,000 set aside for small emergencies, which helped keep their whole plan on track. Their debt strategy was working. But when Matt’s paychecks stopped, the math changed.
What they didn’t do is panic. We reviewed their YNAB budget, assessed how far their existing allocations would take them, and calculated they had 7 weeks of float if Lisa’s income stayed steady.
But it was a wake-up call. Because if the shutdown stretches longer than 7 weeks, they’ll likely need to take on new debt — the very thing they’ve worked so hard to eliminate.
One potential lesson?
Debt freedom is important. But so is flexibility.
Build some breathing room into your plan. You’ll thank yourself later.
❓ MONEY QUESTION: How would your finances hold up if your income paused today?
It doesn’t have to be a government shutdown. Life throws curveballs all the time.
What if:
Your employer delayed payroll?
Your biggest client went quiet?
Your hours got cut unexpectedly?
The real question isn’t if your income will be interrupted — it’s when. And the more prepared you are, the less damage it does.
Here’s a 3-step stress test I use with clients:
Calculate your minimum monthly spend. (What’s essential?)
Count your accessible cash. (What’s already in checking and savings?)
Project the timeline. (How many weeks could you cover?)
If the answer doesn't make you feel safe, it's time to reassess your plan.
Start by padding reserves — even modestly. Then rebuild momentum from there.
📈 CLIENT HIGHLIGHT: Matt and Lisa’s financial reset
Before the shutdown, Matt and Lisa were crushing it. They’d paid off over $20,000 in high-interest debt over the past 18 months. They were routinely funding their current month AND next month in YNAB, then directing all extra dollars toward aggressive debt paydown.
But in the excitement of making that final $3,200 loan payment, they skipped a step. They funded this month — but not nextmonth — before wiping out the rest of the balance.
He made the same assumption he had so many times before: "I'm getting paid this Friday." Except he wasn't.
Now, they’re back to the drawing board. Their financial plan is still solid, but they’re adjusting in real time:
Shifting to austerity budgeting (no frills or extras)
Prioritizing savings over debt for the short term (pause any additional payments, hoard cash)
Strategizing how to weather the next 6+ weeks (where can they get cash if needed?)
It’s not failure. It’s resilience in action.
The best plans adapt.
⚡ QUICK TIP: Do a one-minute income pause drill
Ask yourself:
“If I didn’t get paid for the next 4 weeks, how would I cover expenses?”
If the answer is “I don’t know,” you’re not alone. But it’s time to get clarity.
This doesn’t have to be scary — it can be empowering.
Start small:
Save enough to fund one extra week ahead.
Get current on this month’s expenses.
Build from there.
Being prepared doesn’t mean being pessimistic. It means giving yourself options — no matter what happens next.
Want to talk with Andrew directly?
Schedule a 30-minute Free Clarity Session to get expert eyes on your financial questions and explore what support might look like.
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