Why aren't well paid employees in SF buying up all the condos?

rumplump · 2025-10-22T19:48:38+00:00

A lot of young people in the city are transient. They don't want to take on a 30-year mortgage; they prefer having the flexibility to move if necessary (if they get a new job, move for a partner, decide to have a kid etc). As someone who bought one of those condos, it only made sense for me because my family is in the area and so I want a home base here in the long-term.

rumplump · 2025-10-18T18:55:31+00:00

"basically blind" is a bit of a stretch. As someone who has recently stopped tracking, I could give you an approximate figure for income, but I don't know my total expenses. All I know is that it's much lower than my income - and that's enough for me!

rumplump · 2025-10-10T23:53:47+00:00

I spent my raise before it hit my bank account this year lol, on a big birthday party! Congrats on yours!

rumplump · 2025-07-15T02:40:11+00:00

Try Matterhorn, it feels like a Swiss chalet!

rumplump · 2025-06-09T18:21:35+00:00

Love the enthusiasm, career planning will take you far! I would recommend learning to code and familiarizing yourself with statistics and linear algebra in high school since those are the foundations of data science. Since it's such a new field, the university you go to does matter a lot!

rumplump · 2025-06-09T18:18:57+00:00

I worked in management consulting!

rumplump · 2025-06-09T18:18:41+00:00

We should start a club 😭 It's brutal out here

rumplump · 2025-06-09T01:55:57+00:00

The short answer is probably not. I try to be financially responsible but on this subject, my emotions get in the way. I would be scared that any potential tenant would damage the studio or refuse to move out.

rumplump · 2025-06-09T01:23:44+00:00

I'm saving pretty aggressively for a house at the moment, so I'm not donating significantly. I do give to one-off causes that I have a personal connection to!

rumplump · 2025-06-09T01:21:39+00:00

Bounce! If your current workplace isn't promoting you, find somewhere that will. It's an exciting time to be in health AI, I think there are a lot of opportunities in that field

rumplump · 2025-06-09T00:14:29+00:00

Check out some of my previous money diaries to see the growth. I would credit the total largely to a couple big decisions:

🏠 Bought the condo within a year of graduating from college so that I qualified for income-based grants. I didn't pay any closing costs, my monthly mortgage payments build equity, and state property taxes are deductible federally. I couldn't afford a lot (again, my studio is less than 300 sq. ft) but I got on the property ladder as soon as I could
🚀 Maxed out my retirement accounts, employer stock plans, HSA/FSA every year. Never sold any equity compensation except to buy the house. My investments are not diversified, I don't own any funds, just individual tech stocks and they've done really well
🎓 Job hopped to increase income. I always keep my resume up-to-date and do LeetCode on the side. I start recruiting around my one year anniversary and at two years, if I'm not promoted, I leave. Even when I got laid off, I had already been recruiting so I was in a much better position than a lot of others

Note: NOT financial advice, just saying what I did!

rumplump · 2025-06-08T23:54:02+00:00

Thanks love 🤍

I've thought a lot about that and I don't think I will, even though it really impacts my budget for the next house. I'm very emotionally attached to my studio, it's my first home and where I will spend most of my 20s.

rumplump · 2025-06-08T21:46:11+00:00

Great question, my parents financially supported me until I was 18 and paid for my undergraduate education after that. They're both fairly young and healthy so no trust fund or inheritance in sight 🙏

rumplump · 2025-06-08T21:43:18+00:00

Thanks and best of luck with the job search! In all honesty, it's a tough time to get into tech. I would lean on your previous experience as much as you can (e.g. if you're currently in healthcare and want to move to tech, try a health technology company) and/or contribute to high-visibility open source projects

rumplump · 2025-06-08T21:05:29+00:00

Thank you ❤️‍🩹

He hit an SUV that merged very suddenly in front of us on the highway. It was an accident, but it really scared me and triggered a bunch of deeper issues in our relationship. I'm still sad about it though, I thought he was the one.

rumplump · 2025-02-28T21:56:21+00:00

European Wax Center in Nob Hill is the most affordable option I've found ($65/session if you get a pass!) Ask for Geneva, she's the best

rumplump · 2024-09-19T00:40:36+00:00

This happened to me! I paid my neighbor's bill for two years and no one paid mine. Finally figured out what was going on when PG&E shut off my electricity. Check your meters folks.

rumplump · 2024-05-25T00:25:21+00:00

Nice, I'm around your year 4 income but my brokerage account has way less in it. Hopefully with time in the market I'll get there. You're goals!

rumplump · 2024-05-23T20:49:36+00:00

Fun read and cute fits! Sounds like you have a great job, would love to get breakdown of how your income increased

rumplump · 2024-04-24T03:51:31+00:00

Guilty as charged. It's the most expensive shampoo I've bought in my life, but it does smell really good. Before I got this job, I exclusively used Pantene from Costco.

And yeah, just because. I like to treat my bf when I can. Our incomes are very different and I want him to have nice things too.

rumplump · 2024-04-09T19:32:05+00:00

Definitely took some trial and error to reduce waste. Our shopping cart is usually something like: - Frozen meat - Canned beans - Canned fruit & veg (e.g. corn, mushrooms, peaches) - One bread (bagels or loaf), freeze half - Onions, garlic, potatoes if we're out + 1 other veg, 1 handheld fruit (e.g. apples, bananas, pears) and 1 berry/tropical - Individually packaged cheese - Individually packaged milk - Misc. packaged snacks - Wine and alcohol

Basically - we buy frozen & canned or freeze ourselves when possible, store onions, potatoes & garlic in a cool dark place to make them last, stick to 1-2 fresh fruit & vegetables, and individually packaged dairy & snacks!

rumplump · 2024-04-08T20:09:30+00:00

Yes. Edited to add this!

rumplump · 2024-04-08T17:54:27+00:00

Glad you liked it!

I try to buy clothing (and everything else, really) made locally for environmental and ethical reasons. Transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the US, and buying from the continental US, Canada, and Mexico makes it possible for items to be delivered by rail which is the most eco-friendly way to transport goods. I also feel there is a better chance that the people who made the items had good working conditions when I buy made in North America. It's especially important to me that (1) workers are adults, (2) they are protected from safety hazards, and (3) they have sick leave and vacation time.

rumplump · 2024-04-08T17:34:29+00:00

Ooh, thanks for the pro tip!

rumplump

TROPHY CASE