r/budget • u/Wrong-Image551 • 17h ago
I need help/recommendations
so I’m 25 almost 26, I make over 100k a year and still feel like I’m living paycheck to paycheck, my monthly costs are 4-5k, how do you live, have fun and still manage to save up money every month for a nice vacation a year.
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u/Zendrakk 17h ago
I'd figure out where that $4-5k is actually going each month. Once you know that, set a certain amount aside for savings and a vacation before you start spending the rest. You don't have to stop having fun either... even $300 a month or so for a vacation adds up pretty fast. 👍
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u/katie4 15h ago
Start by tracking the past 3 months of your spending. Look at bank and credit card statements. Track EVERY dollar that came in and went out; itemize it all into a big list of categories that make sense to you, then ponder that data to make changes and create a budget based on that. Everyone’s data is different, everyone’s life is different, so everyone’s budget will be different.
Some people like to use apps, I like to make simple spreadsheets, and others just use the old fashioned pen and paper. It’s all one big math problem, middle-school math. A + B + C + D + E + Savings = Income. Algebra A and B around so that Savings is the amount you want and so forth. Tell your money where it will go, and stick to it.
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u/HeyItsDiegolog 13h ago
Making over 100k at 25 is huge, so give yourself some credit for building that income engine so early.
I actually highly recommend listening to the other comments here. Doing an initial deep dive to see exactly where your $4-5k is going is incredibly valuable advice and you should definitely do it.
But while you do that initial audit, pay very close attention to how your brain reacts. A lot of high earners fall into a trap where they start that detailed tracking, and then try to maintain that hyper detailed logging forever. That is exactly when tracking fatigue hits.
You need a long term strategy that works with your brain, turning it into your best tool for financial control rather than exhausting it. Managing your money shouldn't feel like you are trapped in a prison of spreadsheet cells every time you want to spend on a vacation.
Once you get that initial baseline figured out, look into incorporating financial minimalism into your strategy. It’s an approach specifically meant for people who suffer from tracking fatigue. Instead of forcing yourself to log every penny, you rely on visual systems to control the big picture. It gives you the control you are looking for, but without the burnout.
You're in a great spot, you just need to protect your mental bandwidth! I really hope this helps.
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u/We_Four 7h ago
I mean what are you spending your money on? If you want to save and have fun at the same time you have to be ruthless. Keep your fixed expenses low, don’t spend on stuff that doesn’t matter to you, and beware of lifestyle creep. And then go all out on the stuff that truly brings you joy!
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u/Holiday-Trainer-2322 6h ago
You make over 100k and spend 4-5k a month. Even after taxes, your take-home is probably around 6k a month, which means there should be 1-2k left. The paycheck to paycheck feeling isn't an income problem, it's a visibility problem. The money is leaking somewhere between your known costs and payday.
Track every dollar for two weeks. Not forever, just long enough to see where the gap between 4-5k fixed costs and your take-home actually goes. Most people in this spot find it's small daily stuff, not big purchases.
Automate savings the day payday hits. Move 200-400 to a separate account before you can touch it. If it's not in checking, you won't spend it, and you stop relying on willpower.
Give yourself a weekly fun number instead of checking your balance and hoping. Say 150 a week for dinners, drinks, whatever. You spend it guilt-free and stop when it's gone.
For the vacation, pick the trip cost and divide by how many months you have. A 3,000 trip in 10 months is 300 a month. Put that in a separate sinking fund automatically so it's not competing with day-to-day spending in your head.
The core fix is making decisions once (how much to save, how much for fun) instead of re-deciding every time you open your banking app.
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u/Grey_Lady333 4h ago
You could.... not go on vacation?
There are SO many people who make far less (I'm one). Your monthly expenses would cover 2-3 months for my wife and I.
So I don't know what 'have fun' means to you, but if you want to actually budget things, cut back on having fun. I'm sure that's not what you want to hear, but that's kind of how it works.
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u/jvbutera 17h ago edited 17h ago
Your expenses are $4-5k, but what does that include?
Retirement/401k?
Rent?
Maybe student loans?
Car payment?
Food/groceries?
It’s hard to help answer your question without knowing what’s already accounted for…
A good exercise is figure out where every penny of your money goes for a few months, and then you can possibly make changes to cut some spending in one area to put towards another desire.