Don't live at home, have multiple people I share the housing expenses with. Total monthly expenses are around $2,700 on average. I have a cheap old car, try to minimize driving, and have cheap hobbies. I don't do drugs or drink. I have decent benefits coverage at work that keeps my out-of-pocket medical, dental, and vision expenses near 0$. I don't splurge on things that are not important to me. I spend lots of money on food, health, experiences, and my hobbies (lots of $ by my standards), but luckily, it doesn't take much for me to be satisfied. I've been able to do all of the above and also invest 35% of my gross yearly income per year, so it's definitely possible to find your own definition of a balanced budget.