I'm aware that comparison is the thief of joy but ever since moving to a HCOL area, I've been more focused on making more money.
How does my current income, expenses and goals look?
Income: $88K yearly gross (with a chance for 8-10% annual bonus)
401K Balance: $70K
401K Contribution: 8% bi-weekly check, + Additional Match Rate
Brokerage: $900
Credit Score: 810-835 (avg)
Expenses:
Rent: $1850 (including parking for a 1 bed/1bath (roughly 800 sq ft) + W/D and balcony) (rent has not gone up since I've been here, which is huge for me. Avg rent is this area is $2100-$2400 for a one bed/one bath)
Electric: $105 EST
Gas: $145 EST
Wi-Fi: $74.75
Car Loan: $515
Phone: $110
Car Insurance + Renter's Insurance: $113.71
Haircut (monthly):$130
Fixed Debt Consolidation Loan: $328
Food/Groceries: $750-800 (avg)
Gasoline: $60 (avg)
401K Loan (Pre-Tax, already taken out of paycheck): $132 monthly
Debt:
$13,750 Balance for Car Loan (Was $41,999, put a down payment of $10K, so the original balance was $31,999)
4.94% Interest Rate
$5,680 Debt Consolidation Loan
9.99% Interest Rate
$3,300 401K Loan
9.99% Interest Rate
Credit Card: $1227 (working on paying this off ASAP, selling a personal belonging)
Credit Card #2: $8.00
Credit Card #3: $99.00
Credit Card Expenses:
(I get a $80 stipend from work that helps pay for gym memberships)
$79.00 for a Neighborhood Gym
$34.99 for a Legacy Gym
$29.99 for LinkedIn Premium
$20.00 ChatGPT
$11.99 Spotify (using daily)
$13.99 YT Premium (use daily)
Medical Bills
$750
How I got to this debt is from a combination of trying to start a T-Shirt business in College (wasn't focused enough), Doordash/Uber Eats orders (too excessive), influence from social media (the credit card debt) and wanted to travel like my peers.
Although looking back, realizing that my peers were more than likely splitting the costs with friends, having roommates, significant others and or having their parents fund their lifestyles. Only a rare 1% are able to live excessively on their own (from a self-funded business or partners) and even then that's not normal. Social media does NOT help in seeing the 1% living luxuriously.
I have NO Student Loans (thank god) and no kids at this time.
Goals:
– Be debt free. I'm planning on putting my bonus to work and pay off my Debt Consolidation Loan and then my Auto Loan.
– Travel at least 4 times a year, domestically and internationally. I caught the travel bug as a young kid, when my family took me on a trip overseas for around 1.5- 2 months. We went to 10+ countries and I'll never forget that trip, it was so epic (No, I do not come from a rich family and I currently do not receive any financial help from parents).
I want to recreate a trip like that and also travel a lot more.
– Eventually settle down BUT not until I'm mostly debt free. Dating, having kids is expensive in today's society. I unfortunately had to break up with a gf of over 2+ years due to a mismatch of goals, they wanted to settle down now and I couldn't afford that commitment (+ mentally not ready)
– Eventually create a business, become well off and get out of Corporate America. Yes, I'm fully aware how difficult that is and how much sacrifice is needed but I'm mentally drained from participating in the "rat race". I would love to achieve financial freedom, which in my mind is: No Consumer Debt, No Car Loan, Being able to travel freely when possible (at least 4 times a year), and Enjoying life.
Corporate America/working for someone else unfortunately doesn't align well with that overall goal (in my opinion).
– Being willing to sacrifice. I'm aware that to be great (in any area in life), you have to make sacrifices and I have and will (unfortunately) being willing to do so.
I currently have game systems at my place to help keep myself from going out and spending any more dollars than I need to.
Living in a HCOL area in the midwest, how are my finances? Are my goals too unrealistic?
byu/TowelScared4341 inpersonalfinance
Posted by TowelScared4341
1 Comment
You don’t make enough money to travel every 3 months (especially if one of those is an international trip).
Add on your debt payments + high rent, and it becomes even more so.