Android - How to save String from EditText to Sharedpreferences - not working

I have an XML file which gets some text with an input type numberDecimal. I then get this text using getText.toString.

I would like to save this data persistently using Sharedpreferences. Then I would like to retrieve this data in another Activity. Everything is working when I hard code the putString in Sharedpreferences. It is when I try to pass a String variable to Shared preferences that this fails.

This is what I would like to have working...

  SharedPreferences user_data = getSharedPreferences(STORAGE, Context.MODE_PRIVATE);

    final EditText user_wage = (EditText)findViewById(R.id.wage);

    finalwage = user_wage.getText().toString();

    SharedPreferences.Editor editor = user_data.edit();
    editor.putString("wageKEY",finalwage);
    editor.commit();  

Sharedpreferences works when I do this.... I mean I can save the data and retrieve it later.

  SharedPreferences user_data = getSharedPreferences(STORAGE, Context.MODE_PRIVATE);

    final EditText user_wage = (EditText)findViewById(R.id.wage);

    finalwage = user_wage.getText().toString();

    SharedPreferences.Editor editor = user_data.edit();
    editor.putString("wageKEY","123");
    editor.commit();

Also I can get this to work....

  SharedPreferences user_data = getSharedPreferences(STORAGE, Context.MODE_PRIVATE);

    final EditText user_wage = (EditText)findViewById(R.id.wage);

    finalwage = user_wage.getText().toString();
    testvar = "123";

    SharedPreferences.Editor editor = user_data.edit();
    editor.putString("wageKEY",testvar);
    editor.commit();

In summary I can get everything working fine when the String is hard coded in my program. It is when I get the user's input and try to save it that I always get a number exception error on the retrieving side. How should I go about saving a String variable from an EditText?

I think the problem may be because I am using the numberDecimal type in the XML file, but I have also tried regular text input with no luck.

Thank you!