About 40 families in a Pennsylvania school district received a threatening letter from an administrator this month: If you don't pay the lunch debt school fees of more than $10, the district said they could lose their children.

The letter, signed by Joseph Muth, director of federal programs for the Western Wyoming Valley School District, told parents that sending children to school without lunch money was a form of neglect, and "the result may unless your child is removed from your home and placed in a foster home."

Since then, local officials have condemned Muth's threats. Legal experts have weighed in, saying a parent's inability to pay would not qualify as negligence in the state. And on Wednesday, the school board apologized for the letter and reversed its initial decision not to accept donations to pay off the school district's $22,000 total lunch debt, NPR reports.

Although the indignation has returned to put the lunch debt school in the national spotlight, advocates say donations and apologies won't get to the root of the problem.

No one knows exactly how much school lunch debt exists across the country, because districts keep this information secret, according to Elyse Homel Vitale, a senior advocate with the nonprofit California Food Policy Advocates, which supports policies aimed at increase access to food. What is clear is that the western Wyoming Valley is not alone: A survey by the School Nutrition Association, which represents 58,000 school nutrition officials, found that more than 75 percent of school districts reported lunch debt in the previous school year, and 40 percent say their debt is growing.

The US Department of Agriculture, which runs the National School Lunch Program, has said its funds cannot be used to eliminate the lunch debt even though federal child nutrition programs are meant to curb this problem in the first place: In 2018, 30 million children living in households with incomes at or below 130 percent of the poverty line received free meals at through the NSLP. But each year fewer kids are getting free lunches, according to the Economic Research Service, and more kids are being denied meals because of clerical errors or program limitations.

Children living in households that receive benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program are automatically eligible for free meals, but school districts and states have to certify them first. According to Center for Food Research and Action analyst Crystal FitzSimons, this isn't always done correctly: Some states simply don't enroll the USDA-required 95 percent of SNAP participants. Other times, a child is overlooked when their name is misspelled.

Read More: How to pay your debts with low resources, part 2
The consequences of such a small mistake can be dire: As previous research from the nonprofit newsroom New Food Economy has shown, families sometimes believe their child is getting free meals, while in reality they are racking up hundreds of dollars in debt that districts can go after using for-profit collection agencies. Most districts in the 2018 SNA survey said they notify parents directly about the lunch debt or offer some kind of assistance, but only half accept donations.

One reason for the rise in controversy like this might be that the USDA required schools to begin collecting the lunch debt unpaid in 2017, according to SNA spokeswoman Diane Pratt-Heavner.

There's also a broader problem with the NSLP: Its eligibility criteria uses what economists agree is an outdated measure of poverty that ignores the cost of living and other factors that cause children to be insecure. food.

"Fundamentally broken." This is how A. Wayne Johnson, the Trump administration official who resigned on October 24, described the student debt system he once ran. Johnson also called for the forgiveness of the student loans in a complete break with his former boss Betsey DeVos who ridiculed the Democrats' plans to do just that.

Johnson is right when he says that the student loans as we know them are punitive and unsustainable. And it's much deeper and more complex than even the $1.6 trillion in loans. Families who aspire to send their children to college start working to their unattainable promises, archaic ideas and tough demands very early in their lives together and expect the tension to last long after the children leave their homes.

I saw this clearly in conversations I had with parents and middle-class students for my book, "Debt": How Families Make College Work at Any Cost. Middle-class parents feel compelled to send their children to college, but the only way to give them that opportunity is to pay for it, and the price is high. This demand propels them into a bewildering maze of financial policies and programs run by the government, financial firms, and universities. The road is so convoluted that I felt it needed a new name: the "student finance complex."

The complex of student loans it attracts middle-class families first, by offering them the carrot of investment. The moment your child receives a Social Security number, the federal and state governments and financial companies unite to tell families to save in accounts known as 529 plans that they say will grow in mutual fund offerings. from the same companies.

The existence of these plans provides an early, hard lesson for the student financial complex: Responsible parents save for the cost of college; the act of trying is how they can show they are doing the right thing. It doesn't matter that no one can predict how much college will cost in eighteen years. Or that few are able to save money.

Read More: 3 Ways You Can Get Student Loan Debt Forgiven

According to a study by the Government Accountability Office, only a small fraction of US families – less than 5 percent – invest in 529 accounts. It should come as no surprise that those who do are far wealthier than most, nor that the other 95 percent end up feeling like they're failing.

Even those few middle-class families who make the effort and manage to save for college feel like they haven't done enough. This daunting feeling often comes at the next step in the student financial complex: filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The FAFSA, as all families applying for student aid call it, is the gateway to financial support from the federal government, state governments, and schools.

Critically, the information families provide on the FAFSA generates the "expected family contribution," the amount the federal government says a family can pay for college and for student loans.

Staying in a job that makes you unhappy isn't just painful and uncomfortable. It can wreak havoc on your mental health, reduce your productivity, and make you doubt your ability. The same goes for staying in a field that no longer serves your passion.

So when the need arises to jump ship, go back to school, or change industries, it's very important to dive in. Unfortunately, most of us cannot afford to quit our jobs and have no income for an indefinite period of time. here is how prepare financially for this change period:

START SAVING AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
Although this is pretty obvious, consumer analyst and money expert Julie Ramhold says that the first step in taking any risk is to build your savings nest. If it takes longer to find another opportunity that fits what you're looking for, it's important to be able to meet your living expenses without worry. Or, if you are going to change careers entirely, you may be "out of work" while brushing up on new skills for an extended period and need to understand how that is possible. prepare financially. If this is the case, going into squirrel mode will serve you and your bank account well. Although it may not be possible, Ramhold suggests erring on the side of caution and starting to save more about a year before you plan to make a big change.

“Your goal should be to cover monthly expenses for as long as possible, so if you plan to be out of work for six months, make sure you have enough money saved to cover those six months and then some, such as emergencies that may arise,” he explains. . "Doing so will mean you're prepared for whatever life throws your way when you don't have a job or are still settling into a new one."

…TO PROVE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH MONEY.
As you begin to develop your exit strategy, remember that throwing a grenade into your current professional life isn't just a threat to your portfolio; it can also be a threat to your psyche. That's why EnrichHer's CEO, Roshawnna Novellus, suggests you educate yourself on your money mindset. Does arguing about finances stress you out? Do you have anxiety about not knowing where or when your next stream of income will arrive?

The more you can mentally prepare for this uncertainty, the better you can prepare financially to deal with the emotions that arise in the process. "It's important to get your financial affairs in order for many reasons, including peace of mind, stress reduction, and the ability to focus," says Novellus. "If your personal relationship with money is not good, it can cause a lot of turmoil by doing something new."

One powerful way to examine your triggers and build confidence in your ability to weather this transition is to connect with like-minded people. Joining circles of entrepreneurs who have taken similar leaps of faith or seeking out mentors who can provide an outsider's perspective can be encouraging.

…AND DO A LITTLE EXTRA WORK IN THE INTERIM.
Depending on the type of transition you're making, going from working a 60-hour week to having some down time will come as a surprise. And while you'll probably enjoy it for a second, you'll probably start to feel anxious, fast, so should prepare financially For that. That's why Ramhold suggests taking a consulting job as you prepare for your move. This will not only help fill your time—since no one can send out resumes eight hours a day, five days a week—but it will also earn you some extra cash to fill the gap.

DETERMINE YOUR NEEDS, AND THEN REDUCE THAT NUMBER.
What you spend right now when you're in gainful employment isn't exactly what you'll charge to your credit card once you've sent the two-week notice. Ramhold says that one of the most effective ways to create a financial roadmap for your unemployment spell is to count your weekly and monthly expenses. With that number in mind, you can start making cuts that result in savings and give you more wiggle room while you look for a better job. And while most people rush to grab a red pen for their daily Starbucks habit, Ramhold says that other recurring expenses are actually much more expensive, and many are unnecessary.

"Maybe you just want Netflix for the final season of You. In that case, go on a binge and put your subscription on hold until later. Maybe you're not using your Amazon Prime benefits enough to justify the $119 annual cost, in which case you should consider canceling it and keeping the money saved,” he says.

If you're going to cut subscriptions, Ramhold says it's better to do it now, rather than when you leave. This gives you time to adjust and understand the reality of your new normal.” "This works because it allows you to accept frugal living before you're forced to, so that when it's no longer an option, it's not a stressful transition," he explains. "Find out where you can cut back, and do it without hesitation."

Everyone needs to save. In fact, you should probably set aside money for retirement and other financial goalss right now.

Whether you want to buy a house, go on a debt-free vacation, or make another big purchase, saving is the smart way to go.

Unfortunately, although most of us know it, we also have many excuses for not doing it and not getting our financial goals. The problem is that the longer you make excuses, the more compound interest you lose, and the harder it becomes to save enough to achieve something important.

1. You don't have enough money
Sometimes your income is not enough to cover your essential needs and still allows you to save money for other financial goals. If so, the only option you will have is to increase the income available to you. You could do this as follows:

Ask for a raise. Come prepared with evidence, such as proof of recent success and market salary data, to show that you deserve a higher salary.
Looking for a better job. If your company doesn't pay you what you're worth or your job is a dead end with little potential to increase your income, moving to a new position may be for the best.
Working a side job. There are plenty of opportunities to earn extra money in the gig economy. Think about what interests you and what are your abilities to find a niche for yourself.
Improve your skills. If you can't justify a raise or find side work, you may need to take some courses or talk to your employer about training programs you could take advantage of to earn a higher salary.

2. You have too many expenses
For many people who say they have very little money, the problem is not really income but excessive spending. If you spend too much of what you earn, you won't be able to save anything.

To determine if overspending is your problem, track what you spend for about 30 days. Once you see where your money is going, look to cut back on discretionary expenses like dining out or entertainment.

If you find yourself spending too much, living on a budget will allow you to save more. Set spending limits on different types of purchases, and once you hit those limits, stop spending. If you're having trouble keeping track, try an envelope-based budgeting system: Put the money you've allocated for each purchasing category in an envelope and spend only the money available.

Read More: Understand practical ways to keep your finances under control

3. You don't know how to start
Figuring out how to save and invest doesn't have to be complicated, although it may seem so. The simplest way to start saving is to open a high-yield savings account and deposit money into it to meet your financial goals. This approach makes sense for an emergency fund or for money you'll need soon, like for a vacation you're planning this year.

Overcoming these excuses is essential
Although there are probably many reasons for not saving, none are good enough to justify not saving some money for the future. If you don't save, reaching your financial goals will be nearly impossible and you'll run into difficulties later. Now is the time to find a way to overcome the obstacles that prevent you from doing so.

dream of a savings goal It's almost always fun: a sunny vacation, the perfect house, a dazzling holiday gift. But think about how long it might take to get there, and all that fun could be gone.

Even if you're doing the right things, like cutting back on spending or taking a part-time job for extra income, it can be daunting when the line of savings goal is far. Here's how to stay motivated until you reach it.

Automate your savings
If you plan to save a little each month for the next year or so, you can simplify the process by setting up automatic transfers from your checking account to your savings. You will be making deposits with no extra effort.

This tactic helped Marissa Ryan, co-founder of a Chicago-based digital marketing agency, when she wanted to save $25,000 for her wedding in 18 months. Using direct deposit, she split her paycheck between two different accounts, one for her wedding fund and the other for living expenses.

He says the automation helped, because there were months when he didn't feel like making the effort. "Setting up automatic deposits took 'me' out of the equation, so I didn't have to worry about missing a month," says Ryan.

To further increase your savings with minimal effort, put your money in a high-yield savings account or certificate of deposit, which can earn 20 times more than a traditional savings account.

Celebrate small wins
Let's say you want to save $5,000, and you've set aside $500. It's a cause for celebration, says Joseph Polakovic, owner of Castle West Financial LLC, a financial advisory firm in San Diego.

Explain that when you have a big financial goal, it helps to view it as a series of smaller goals that are easier to achieve. When these milestones are reached, celebrating them – with an inexpensive gift, for example – can help keep you motivated.

"You don't get a single reward at the end. You give yourself various rewards along the way,” he says.

Look at the big picture. Literally.
While you don't want to be overwhelmed by how far away a goal seems to be, reminders of the savings goal themselves can be useful. Once Ryan chose the perfect location for his wedding, he downloaded an image of it and used it as the background image on his phone's home screen. “It made me feel good just anticipating the place, and it kept me going,” he says.

Polakovic agrees that it is a good strategy. You could print a photo that represents your goal and post it where you see it every day, like on the refrigerator or bathroom mirror, he says.

take setbacks in stride
There will probably be bumps along the way. For Ryan, it was an unexpected $3,000 bill to repair the car. She says she used part of her wedding fund to pay for it, but was determined to rebuild the balance sheet as quickly as possible and get to her savings goal.

Read More: Learn about some low-value investments

If you have a savings deficit, there are options to get you back on track, including increasing your income. Ryan says that she took a side job as a freelancer to replenish her fund.

To be responsible
Find a friend or family member you can report your progress to. Scott Perry of Raleigh, North Carolina, says he and his wife held each other accountable when they decided to pay off $60,000 in student loans early. They made a plan to live below their means and earn extra income from the side scams. When surprise money arrived, for example, from a gift or a job bonus, they used part of it to pay down the principal of the loan, in addition to creating an emergency fund.