My monthly grocery trip, I went over my 250 by 10 bucks. I was counting the value of my purchases by adding them up slowly. I must have missed an item I bought, didnt factor in tax, or something. I would have gotten my favorite salads if they weren't out at the store.

Note: I wrote this post mainly with corporate jobs in mind because that's my experience. I know many people are far worse off but please humor me.

I feel like there is a distinct divide between those who started earning "good" money pre-COVID, and those whose earning potential was completely stunted by it.

For example, in 2019 I was earning $60k per year (in a M-HCOL area). This was a comfortable enough salary at the time and commensurate with my experience and expected earning trajectory. My sister, who is older and thus had more work experience, had a higher level position earning around $120k.

Then comes COVID and it changes the entire job landscape. Salaries stagnate even more and raises are few and far between. But people who were already making "good" money are more or less fine. Less spending power, but still able to comfortably afford what they need. They're already in advanced career positions and surpassed the threshold for making a comfortable living.

But the people who were still building their careers are screwed. Fewer opportunities, fewer promotions, suppressed salaries. Inflation has real consequences and we are suddenly living paycheck to paycheck and can't afford to save and invest as much as we used to, if at all. When we finally get promoted, the raise still isn't enough to surpass the massive COL increases. Doomed to be perpetually behind.

It just feels like over the past several years there was this invisible "cutoff" point for securing a comfortable living and I missed it. I did the exact same thing my sister did, climbing the corporate ladder in jobs with similar earning potential, but due to sheer luck of timing she was able to secure her bag and mine was ripped from my hands before my career could really take off. I make $80k today, which is far less than I should be making at this point in my career (both in the actual number as well as spending power) but salaries have completely flatlined making it impossible to catch up. By the time I reach the $100k mark, I'll likely only be marginally better off thanks to inflation. I can't help but think if I had simply been born a few years earlier, things would be very different.

Honestly this whole post might just be a big nothing burger and maybe I'm just another whiny millennial but does anyone else feel the same? (PS nothing but love for my dear sis, she deserves every penny she's earned I just wish things turned out similarly for me 🥲🥲)

I recently test-drove a Tesla with the latest FSD and was blown away. It felt like a substantial safety improvement to me, although I understand it’s supervised driver assistance and I’m still responsible for driving.

I’m considering selling my truck and leasing a new Model 3. Looking for a reality check on whether I’m rationalizing an expensive want.

Income and retirement
- Live in a medium-cost-of-living area.
- Just received a promotion to $126,000/year, plus an approximately $5,000 variable annual bonus.
- Contribute 8% to my 401(k); employer contributes another 10%, for 18% total.
- Max my HSA annually.
- Estimated monthly take-home after the promotion: approximately $6,850 after taxes, my 8% 401(k) contribution, HSA contributions, and 401(k) loan repayments. This excludes the variable annual bonus; I haven’t received my first paycheck at the new salary yet.

Assets and debt
- My tracking app reports approximately $99,000 net worth, though I need to reconcile how it treats my 401(k) loan.
- Approximately $90,000 in investment accounts, broken down as:
- 401(k): $58,000
- Roth IRA: $24,000
- HSA: $8,000
- Approximately $17,000 in low-interest student loans.
- No credit card debt.
- Truck is worth approximately $22,000 based on purchase offers.

I recently took a roughly $26,000 401(k) loan at 7.75% over five years to pay off my truck loan and cover upfront tuition while preserving some cash. Repayment is $120 weekly through payroll, averaging approximately $520/month. My plan allows me to continue scheduled repayments on a monthly basis if I leave the company, rather than requiring an immediate lump-sum payoff.

Of that loan, $7,500 covered my first semester’s tuition. My employer reimburses me after each semester, but I’ll need to roll that money into the next semester’s tuition. After my final semester in summer 2028, the last $7,500 reimbursement will become available for savings or debt repayment.

So the truck has no auto loan, but I still have the associated 401(k) loan obligation.

Monthly budget
- Rent: $1,700
- Student loans: $260
- Current auto insurance: $185
- Phone, internet and utilities: $175
- Gym and subscriptions: $85
- Food & drink: $1,000
- Fun and travel: $1,000
- Shopping: $300
- Gifts: $100

My current spending totals approximately $4,800/month, excluding retirement contributions, HSA contributions, and the 401(k) loan repayment, which are already deducted from my take-home pay. This is before adding the Tesla lease and any expenses I’ve missed.

Proposed Tesla lease
- Three years, 15,000 miles/year.
- Approximately $650/month including estimated taxes and fees.
- $0 down payment, but approximately $1,780 due at delivery, including the first payment.
- FSD and connectivity subscriptions would be additional; I’m budgeting $110/month.
- State Farm quoted approximately $230/month for insurance, versus my current $185.
- My apartment has free EV charging.

Leasing appeals to me because I’m uncomfortable taking on long-term battery-health and resale-value uncertainty. I recognize I’d be adding a substantial monthly obligation and could return the car after three years with no vehicle equity. My fiancée owns her home outright, so I’m not currently saving for a home purchase or another major planned expense, although I still need an emergency fund of my own.

The biggest draw is that driving feels like the riskiest thing I do every day. After trying the latest supervised FSD, I felt significantly safer and less stressed behind the wheel. I understand that feeling isn’t proof it’s safer, and I’d still need to stay attentive and ready to intervene, but the experience is what’s motivating this purchase.

Would selling the truck, keeping roughly $20,000 as an emergency fund, and taking on the lease be a reasonable trade-off given my finances? Or am I letting my enthusiasm justify a monthly expense I’d be better off avoiding?

TL;DR: Just promoted to $126k/year plus a ~$5k variable bonus in a MCOL area. Saving 18% toward retirement including employer contributions, and maxing my HSA, but have no dedicated emergency fund. Considering selling my truck for ~$22k, keeping roughly $20k after upfront costs as an emergency fund, and leasing a new Model 3 for ~$650/month plus FSD and insurance. Still repaying the 401(k) loan used to pay off the truck and fund upfront tuition, plus ~$17k in student loans. FSD felt substantially safer during my test drive, and leasing appeals to me because of battery/resale uncertainty. Reasonable trade-off for liquidity, or am I rationalizing an expensive want?

Hey guys, I'm pretty new to investing and personal finance in general. I didn't grow up with much financial knowledge, so I'm trying to figure out the best way to start building wealth.

I recently started making decent money at my first real career job, but my company doesn't offer a 401(k) match.

What's the best order to invest my money? Is it still worth contributing to a 401(k) without an employer match, or should I focus on maxing out a Roth IRA first and putting whatever is left into a brokerage account?

I currently don't have either a Roth IRA or a brokerage account. I've just been keeping my savings in a HYSA up until now.

Should I open both? Is there any reason to prioritize a 401(k) over a Roth IRA if there's no company match?

I like to have some flexibility to access my investments before retirement age.

Would appreciate any advice on how you guys approach this. Thanks!

My child just got a couple grand in birthday money.

We have a 529 with about 8 grand in it right now.

The child may not want to go to college, they are in middle school so still lots of time to figure that out.

Should I just add the $2k to their 529 that we already have or is there a secret third option I should do?

(Yes I already know 36k can be rolled to a Roth, can be used on trade school, and it’s a 10% penalty on the profits to withdraw, I’m just wondering what other people might do, keep all their savings in 529 or do some other investment).