One night in a bar $...$

In a cozy corner of a bustling bar in the heart of the city, Drew, a man in his mid$-$thirties with a casual demeanor, took a seat next to Manny, a stranger who seemed open to a chat. The bar, known for its laid$-$back atmosphere, was the perfect place for casual conversations and unexpected friendships.

Manny, who was enjoying a cold beer, turned towards Drew and greeted him with a friendly nod. "First time here?" he asked.

Drew smiled, $"$No$,$ I've been here a few times. It's a great spot to unwind. I$\text{'}$m Drew, by the way."

$"$I$\text{'}$m Manny. Nice to meet you, Drew," Manny replied, extending his hand for a handshake. As they sipped their drinks, the conversation naturally flowed from sports to work, and eventually to more personal topics like finances and life goals.

Drew, feeling surprisingly comfortable, opened up about his financial situation. "I've been trying to get a better handle on my finances lately," h confessed. "I own a house which Zillow says is worth about $$600,000.$ I took out a mortgage of $$500,000$ to buy it$,$ but over the years I have managed to keep making my $$1800$ monthly mortgage payment so that I now owe only about $$375,000$ on it$."$

Manny, who had some interest in personal finance, nodded thoughtfully. "That's a solid piece of home equity. What about other debts?"

Drew took a sip of his drink before continuing. "Well, I have a car loan. I owe $$6,000$ on it$,$ but the car's worth about $$16,000.$ And then there's this credit card debt of $$4,000.$ I$\text{'}$m planning to pay it off by paying $$500$ each month."

Manny was impressed by Drew's openness and his plan to tackle his debt. "Sounds like you've got a good strategy there. You must be making a good amount of income."

Drew chuckled, "I make about $$7,000$ a month before taxes. It's decent, but you know how it goes, never seems to be enough. Especially because the government takes $$1,700$ out of my paycheck every month in taxes."