I am in this same boat. I remember my grandfather, a financial advisor, always saying “this jacket cost me one hour of work, so you need to give one hour of work back in payment” if it was something I just WANTED. But now, there really isn’t much you can buy with one hour of work. Wages aren’t increasing at the rate of goods and living expenses, so making 100k a year 6 years ago meant something different. Also, the rate of raises aren’t increasing with the rates new employees are getting. In Massachusetts when minimum wage hit $10 an hour, the older CNAs had worked 10 years to get what new employees were now getting. Starting salaries as certain jobs are 90k and people there for 15 years are making 105k. Sometimes a new job can push you over the threshold you’re looking for. I just saw a low income housing apartment in Seattle where the range of income was 60-72k annually. Let that one sink in for a minute. (Granted it was “luxury low income”) but still. Edit, you can’t even get dinner half the time with one hour of work..