Help in Long Term Savings for a Teacher

Hi Terry,

I am 32, single and a 6th grade teacher looking for some advice. I bought a townhouse about 3 years ago with a $150K mortgage. My net monthly pay is around $3,700 (yearly gross approximately $60,000). After mortgage and other home expenses, I have around $700 a month left to save (which I have been doing). Currently I have about $50,000 in the bank. My home is the only long term liability. The school district offers a 403b through suggested investment brokers (Fidelity, ING, etc.). The only participation of the district is direct deposit to the account of your choice. Therefore, I am on my own to create any type of long term savings plan. I hear different view points for a lot of my peers, but I really trust your advice. Since the state of Illinois has been reviewing the teacher