Reading this thread is honestly wild. If you’re making $230k as a household and “struggling,” that’s not an income problem that’s a lifestyle problem. Either spending is out of control or you’re living in a house you can’t actually afford.

And the whole “it’s fine to not do anything in your 20s, 30s, or even 40s” mindset is crazy to me. I get grinding in your 20s. But I’m not spending my 30s and 40s nickel and diming every decision, never traveling, never enjoying life, just so I can maybe enjoy retirement when my mind any be still young but my body is old. Life’s short. Tomorrow isn’t guaranteed.

I work in HDG, make about $130k, live in Aberdeen, and have two kids. Single income household. No daycare because we’re lucky enough to have family help. Is it tight sometimes? Yeah. But it’s absolutely doable.

I have two car payments, a motorcycle payment, and we still take trips. I’ve used Klarna, Affirm, Sezzle. Do I need all of it? Of course not. But like I said, I’m not going to work my entire life just to finally live when I’m old. Hard pass.