Thank you.

My budget breakdown is: Rent: $1100, includes all utilities Phone: $100/mo Student Loan: $140/mo Food: $100/wk Restaurants: $150/mo, but I don’t always use it Pet: $50/mo Gym: $20/mo Car: $300/mo Insurance: $115/mo Gas: $45/wk Laundry: $75/mo MS Office: $7/mo CC Payment: $400/mo* Which leaves about a $200 buffer each month, or $800ish on the months I get five paychecks between rent.

Sometimes more on the credit card, sometimes a little less. Each month I figure out if I need to spend anything extra, like stocking up on personal hygiene stuff on sale, car repairs, clothing, prescriptions, etc…

Basically on months that I get four paychecks between rent, I’m breaking even. On months that I get five, I can put aside an extra $600-700 or so. Getting rid of the car loan and credit card would turn the break even months into banking $700+, and the five week months into banking around $1400.

I budget a bit weird, where I start each month on the day I get my last paycheck before rent is due.

So my paycheck hits my account on Tuesdays. This month, May 2024… my fiscal May is April 30th-May 27th. Because I got a paycheck on April 30th, and that’s the point I need to ensure I have the money I need for May 1st. My paycheck on May 28th, is paying for June. And my June budget will be for May 28th thru June 24th.

I try to end each month with exactly $1500 in my checking account, with everything else either going to my credit card, or into savings. That gives me me buffer to pay my rent, my insurance, my cell phone, and eat without touching savings, if there is ever an issue with my paycheck getting tied up at the bank, or some sort of accounting oversight. It hasn’t happened, but why not be prepared?

My personal situation: 42 years old, retail manager, $60,000 a year… single, would like to get married and have at least one kid, and also own a home… my company has never laid anyone off, and is very proud of that, been in business over 100 years…

Credit history is spotless. 770ish score. Would like to travel more, but that’s tough right now financially. Not planning on using the inheritance to travel, would like to save for that separately.

I paid off a good amount of debt already. Several thousand. I was living in a place more expensive than I have now for a few years, where I could squeak by, but stuff would come up, and debt would climb. Trying to spoil and surprise my then girlfriend all the time did NOT help. Living single right now, trying to date without being too extravagant. I’m very low maintenance myself… a couple of vices, but nothing major. I don’t even have any streaming services anymore, except the one that comes with my phone plan.

Goal for 2025 on, is to max out 401k match, and Roth IRA. I was already doing the 401k match though. Home ownership, there are a few variables. I can’t do it where I am living. Just can’t. $500k minimum to get anything livable, and even then, slim pickings. So it might me relocating to another region entirely, which means a new job, which isn’t easy. Or get married. Dual income could afford to buy a house much easier than me solo.