YOUR MONEY: MAKEOVER REDUX

Then: Golightly, 46, dreamed of quitting his day job as a public relations specialist for a Southern California aerospace company and becoming a Hollywood screenwriter. When he wasn’t working, he spent about 20 hours a week writing works such as movie scripts and short stories.

But in November 2007, Golightly wasn’t sure whether he could afford the change. The planners told him not to quit his day job. They recommended that he work for 20 more years to secure his retirement.

They also advised him to re-balance his portfolio to get the most out of his savings.

Now: Instead of heading for the bright lights, Golightly stayed at work. But layoffs are looming and he is cutting back his expenses, preparing for the worst.

Meanwhile, he’s still writing. Although he’s not planning to forgo full-time work any time soon, he has partnered with another writer to pen a sitcom, and he recently optioned one of his screenplays to a producer for a nominal fee.

New habits: Golightly refinanced the $215,000 mortgage on his Long Beach condominium into a 30-year fixed loan at a 4.625% interest rate. The move saved him $250 a month. He also canceled his cable service as well as subscriptions to literary magazines he rarely read. He switched from high-priced Italian coffee to a grocery store brand. Altogether, Golightly has shaved about $500 in monthly expenses, or $6,000 annually.

He also has followed much of the planners’ advice. He re-balanced his investment portfolio to include more small company and international stocks.

He increased his contributions to his 401(k) and stopped plowing so much of his money into his company’s stock. Even though his retirement accounts have lost close to 40% over the last year, Golightly feels more confident about his investments.

“I’m in it for the long haul,” he said.

-- Kelly Barron