Jon Payne

Age: 25

Founder, Web marketing firm, White Marsh, Md.

Jon Payne used to have a very simple health insurance plan: Don't get sick.

But shortly after the 25-year-old from White Marsh, outside of Baltimore, graduated from Towson University in 2003, he got married.

Then he and his wife bought a house, using a little savings and inheritance money from one of his wife's relatives for the down payment. And then he decided to start his own business, Ephricon Web Marketing LLC.

Reality came rushing toward him. He began thinking about life insurance, mortgage payments -- and, yes, health insurance.

"We're very much right in the middle of looking at everything," Payne said.

Less than two years ago, all of the couple's money was sitting in traditional checking and savings accounts. Now they have begun investing in an individual retirement account, and Payne has started investigating online brokerage "platforms," such as ShareBuilder.com (see story, Page F8) to jump-start a stock portfolio.

"I've always been fairly fiscally conservative," he said.

"For most things, anyway, I don't have a real expensive taste. I like to be able to see that money stick around."

Every few months, Payne and his wife sit down and analyze their budget. They would like to start having kids in the next few years. Maybe two or three.

That would throw even more variables into their budget.

"I'll revisit all the specifics in a couple of years," Payne said.

-- Ylan Q. Mui