High income bros. Did going from $150k to $250k make a big difference?

[LinuxJon]

Seriously. What is the tipping point where stuff feels less stressed?

Fkkn inflation, $160k doesn't feel like it's even comfortable this year for a family of four.

[KikeMogger1488]

Tax jew takes more of your money. You also lose lots of tax benefits, limited IRA and 401 contribs, child care tax credit, etc

[outfoxxed]

Going from 100k and 200k didn't feel different to me but my living expenses are super low.

There's definitely a breakpoint for everyone where more money is about mogging harder and less about getting the stuff that you want.

But you're into rolexes and have two kids and a wife

[nickh04]

i literally make $150/k a day lmao



u my aaron?

[shmobin]

Seriously. What is the tipping point where stuff feels less stressed?

Fkkn inflation, $160k doesn't feel like it's even comfortable this year for a family of four.

Nope. In fact I still live in the same house and drive the same vehicle. All it did was was bring retirement that much closer.

[placentalprevia]

Seriously. What is the tipping point where stuff feels less stressed?

Fkkn inflation, $160k doesn't feel like it's even comfortable this year for a family of four.

no, unless you are good with saving. you will just find ways to spend it, you will get taxed more and feel more disillusioned as you watch larger chunks of paycheck go to the government, diminishing returns for more work

[Duckliver]

I accumulate a lot more toys and get major projects done around the house

Everything else is the same


But I also don’t worry about retirement really so idk my mindset is probably different then people trying to build that up.

[AWSbruh]

No but my expense went up. Made 275k last year and netted 190k after taxes lol

[Scarrdbutsmartr]

Yes that jump in my career made a huge difference but only because I wasnt a Dilbert that didnt immediately increase my cost of living...

Im still living like I was when I made 100k...I am a zero debt guy. Im not a wild'n out buy a 50k watch person. I was able to pay off 100% of my debt (with the exception of my house) within a year (cars/long term investments/wifes small school debt/etc).

...and Im not e-Frauding. Im an old guy thats nearing retirement.

[Duckliver]

Retirement is retarded, don't see the appeal in staying at home doing nothing all day waiting to die. Even if one has enough money to travel and do chit, it gets old quickly, definitely wouldn't want to do that from say 45 to 85.

I think the point is to make sure you don’t run out of money while doing whatever you want as a grumpy old man.

[Scarrdbutsmartr]

Retirement is retarded, don't see the appeal in staying at home doing nothing all day waiting to die. Even if one has enough money to travel and do chit, it gets old quickly, definitely wouldn't want to do that from say 45 to 85.

If this is your version of retirement, ok.

I want to open a charity so retirement really means not having a steady income for me, not sitting home rotting.

[placentalprevia]

I think the point is to make sure you don’t run out of money while doing whatever you want as a grumpy old man.

but why would you want to be a grumpy old man that cant even keep up with people walking through an airport before traveling. Im in the camp of do experiences while your young and able. see too many wait for retirement just to find out they have some life end/limiting illness diagnosed as they were getting ready for their big plans they kept putting off.

[greenleaf]

Retirement is retarded, don't see the appeal in staying at home doing nothing all day waiting to die. Even if one has enough money to travel and do chit, it gets old quickly, definitely wouldn't want to do that from say 45 to 85.

Wait till you need money for long term care to stay alive then no amount of saving is ever enough LOL.

[JayDigital]

Going from $60k in mid 2000's to $120k in early 2010's made a HUGE difference. Went from just getting by after paying for housing, transportation, food, moderate savings, and modest entertainment/vacations on $60k, to feeling a lot more freedom at $120k while being able to maximize savings and investments. In today's terms, I would say that would be like going from $80k to $150k.

However, going from that $120k then, or $150k today, to much higher did not make too big of a difference for us. I have done my best to keep our overhead and lifestyle inflation in control, so could still live very well on $150k today. The additional income has mainly helped with much higher savings/investment, higher level and frequency of entertainment/vacations, more expensive automobiles, etc.

The key really is to keep your lifestyle in check and relatively the same once you get to a certain level. Don't fall into the trap of continuing to upgrading non stop as your income increases. Use the additional income to increase savings and investments to grow net worth.

[LinuxJon]

Maybe buying all those Rolexes wasn't such a smart idea OP?

This is a reasonable point. lol

[Adam16121]

My expenses and responsibilities grew with my income.

[pondus_levo]

Seriously. What is the tipping point where stuff feels less stressed?

Fkkn inflation, $160k doesn't feel like it's even comfortable this year for a family of four.

The only advantage is that you can afford to max our your 401k. Other than that, I feel like I still only have the buying power of $80k/year.

Thanks Obiden

[Polaris]

People actually bother getting out of bed for $250k?

[ThatGuy950]

People actually bother getting out of bed for $250k?

that’s monthly income, and bare minimum for miscers

[EDcellent]

People actually bother getting out of bed for $250k?

I don't wake up for less than 350k.

[GordonXXX]

when you are weak and have no financial discipline - expenses will always rise to match income. you'll never get ahead constantly chasing new baubles.

The Millionaire Next Door

1. They live well below their means.
2. They allocate their time, energy, and money efficiently, in ways conducive to building wealth.
3. They believe that financial independence is much more important than displaying high social status.
4. They do not chase status symbols.
5. They minimize their realized (taxable) income and short-term capital gains and investment costs and they maximize their unrealized income and long-term capital gains. (They buy Tax-Free Money Market Funds, Tax-Free Bond Funds, Tax-Efficient, Low Cost, Diversified Stock Index Mutual Funds, and Retirement Accounts Directly from companies like Vanguard).
6. They systematically “pay themselves first”.
7. They chose the right occupation.
8. Their parents do/did not provide economic outpatient care.
9. Their adult children are economically self-sufficient.
10. They are proficient in targeting marketing opportunities.
11. They buy their cars and drive them for a long time. They believe that you AREN’T what you drive.
12. They never purchase a home that requires a mortgage that is more than twice their household’s total annual realized income.
13. They are their own favorite charity.
14. They pay cash and avoid debt.

[Jacobcapra]

For me personally, breaking $200K for a family of four was when it really started to feel like I was not only no longer paycheck to paycheck, but had a significant amount of financial freedom. Even getting raked on taxes, maxing out FSA's, and contributing a healthy amount to 401K's we are taking home thousands more than we spend each month. We can freely buy what we want without checking the bank account, and if we set a budget and follow it we can easily save a couple grand a month.


Mind you I don't live in CA like I think you do. Average COL with a 2.5% mortgage on a 275K house and no car notes. If you don't hit at least a couple of those boxes, I could see it getting much more paycheck to paycheck.

[NextPound]

Went from 103k to 275k. That jump felt huge, but I dumped every red cent into retirement investments and paying down 4% mortgage. I am now higher than that, but lifestyle creep definitely does set in.

[akferd]

I'll let you know in two years. Of course by then it will be the equvilent of $75k and I'll have a whole other level of responsibility to deal with.

Thatslifeson.jpeg

[Tanerian]

Brb over here making $28/hr and feeling like I have a ton of money while OP out here struggling on 160k.

[stevebec]

assuming social security benefits kick in at 65.

It kicks in at 67, and 10 years from now the trust fund runs try and they start paying out only 70% of what they're supposed to.

[meanstringbean]

no, unless you are good with saving. you will just find ways to spend it, you will get taxed more and feel more disillusioned as you watch larger chunks of paycheck go to the government, diminishing returns for more work

Yea and your brain thinks about the difference in gross, while the real difference is net. So a 50k salary increase you think you get 50k more to spend and can ball on that, in reality after taxes it’s like 30k more, which can disappear pretty quickly

[Destor]

I would’ve thought you made more than $160k with all the watches etc

[MrQuint]

Seriously asking if $100k makes a difference? This may be one of the dumbest threads I’ve ever seen and that’s saying a lot

[ToPHeR35]

Seriously. What is the tipping point where stuff feels less stressed?

Fkkn inflation, $160k doesn't feel like it's even comfortable this year for a family of four.

You live Iin cali....
Props to Benitez today though 👏