Middle-aged and a financial dud

[Anonymous]

Start saving a %of gross income, lets say 20%, have it taken out to 401K every year, HSA, brokerage, another savings account. After 6 months, review, does it hurt? Increase savings rate to 25% and again review after 6 months. Keep increasing savings rate till it hurts a lot and then stop. If you get any salary increases, put it all away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We've always made significantly less than you, OP, and yet own a home in a nice suburb of DC and have enough to pay for college and retirement. We lived extremely frugally when we were younger, however, and invested in stocks early on that have done well over the decades. You really must start reining in your spending and investing what you can, except that your time-frame will be much shorter.

+1

DH and I have always made way less than you as well. But, we’ve had the financial discipline to always take the high road and live within our means. We’re in our mid-40s and have $1.6M saved in our 401k, $750K saved in 529 plans for our three kids, a taxable brokerage account with $600K, and an online savings account with 36 months ($150K) of net living expenses for emergencies.

Maybe it’s time to stop spending so much of your money on buying the latest car and cell phone model every two years – take the bus like we do. Lose the cleaning service. Stop eating out and actually cook your food. Stop taking vacations – save that for when you’re in retirement.

Horsesh!t. There is no way your numbers line up unless your are a crypto star. And you aren't. So gtfo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We've always made significantly less than you, OP, and yet own a home in a nice suburb of DC and have enough to pay for college and retirement. We lived extremely frugally when we were younger, however, and invested in stocks early on that have done well over the decades. You really must start reining in your spending and investing what you can, except that your time-frame will be much shorter.

+1

DH and I have always made way less than you as well. But, we’ve had the financial discipline to always take the high road and live within our means. We’re in our mid-40s and have $1.6M saved in our 401k, $750K saved in 529 plans for our three kids, a taxable brokerage account with $600K, and an online savings account with 36 months ($150K) of net living expenses for emergencies.

Maybe it’s time to stop spending so much of your money on buying the latest car and cell phone model every two years – take the bus like we do. Lose the cleaning service. Stop eating out and actually cook your food. Stop taking vacations – save that for when you’re in retirement.

Horsesh!t. There is no way your numbers line up unless your are a crypto star. And you aren't. So gtfo.

WE MAKE SACRIFICES!! I know you can’t imagine what it must be like to not own a car, to grow your own vegetables, and to have five people sharing a single 400 sqft apartment, but this is precisely what we do. And, BTW, this is luxurious by Mumbai, Bangkok, and Siem Reap standards!! So many entitled and well heeled aristocrats in DMV operate with such an insufferable blind spot, it isn’t even funny.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We've always made significantly less than you, OP, and yet own a home in a nice suburb of DC and have enough to pay for college and retirement. We lived extremely frugally when we were younger, however, and invested in stocks early on that have done well over the decades. You really must start reining in your spending and investing what you can, except that your time-frame will be much shorter.

+1

DH and I have always made way less than you as well. But, we’ve had the financial discipline to always take the high road and live within our means. We’re in our mid-40s and have $1.6M saved in our 401k, $750K saved in 529 plans for our three kids, a taxable brokerage account with $600K, and an online savings account with 36 months ($150K) of net living expenses for emergencies.

Maybe it’s time to stop spending so much of your money on buying the latest car and cell phone model every two years – take the bus like we do. Lose the cleaning service. Stop eating out and actually cook your food. Stop taking vacations – save that for when you’re in retirement.

Nobody gives a shit sugar plum. Is this making the OP feel better

Are you calling me a sugar plum because I’m a brown person?!? You need to get your head straight you racist POS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We've always made significantly less than you, OP, and yet own a home in a nice suburb of DC and have enough to pay for college and retirement. We lived extremely frugally when we were younger, however, and invested in stocks early on that have done well over the decades. You really must start reining in your spending and investing what you can, except that your time-frame will be much shorter.

+1

DH and I have always made way less than you as well. But, we’ve had the financial discipline to always take the high road and live within our means. We’re in our mid-40s and have $1.6M saved in our 401k, $750K saved in 529 plans for our three kids, a taxable brokerage account with $600K, and an online savings account with 36 months ($150K) of net living expenses for emergencies.

Maybe it’s time to stop spending so much of your money on buying the latest car and cell phone model every two years – take the bus like we do. Lose the cleaning service. Stop eating out and actually cook your food. Stop taking vacations – save that for when you’re in retirement.

Horsesh!t. There is no way your numbers line up unless your are a crypto star. And you aren't. So gtfo.

WE MAKE SACRIFICES!! I know you can’t imagine what it must be like to not own a car, to grow your own vegetables, and to have five people sharing a single 400 sqft apartment, but this is precisely what we do. And, BTW, this is luxurious by Mumbai, Bangkok, and Siem Reap standards!! So many entitled and well heeled aristocrats in DMV operate with such an insufferable blind spot, it isn’t even funny.

Vegetables are bourgeoise. We typically only eat rice, though sometimes let our youngest have beans when he's in a growth spurt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We've always made significantly less than you, OP, and yet own a home in a nice suburb of DC and have enough to pay for college and retirement. We lived extremely frugally when we were younger, however, and invested in stocks early on that have done well over the decades. You really must start reining in your spending and investing what you can, except that your time-frame will be much shorter.

+1

DH and I have always made way less than you as well. But, we’ve had the financial discipline to always take the high road and live within our means. We’re in our mid-40s and have $1.6M saved in our 401k, $750K saved in 529 plans for our three kids, a taxable brokerage account with $600K, and an online savings account with 36 months ($150K) of net living expenses for emergencies.

Maybe it’s time to stop spending so much of your money on buying the latest car and cell phone model every two years – take the bus like we do. Lose the cleaning service. Stop eating out and actually cook your food. Stop taking vacations – save that for when you’re in retirement.

Horsesh!t. There is no way your numbers line up unless your are a crypto star. And you aren't. So gtfo.

WE MAKE SACRIFICES!! I know you can’t imagine what it must be like to not own a car, to grow your own vegetables, and to have five people sharing a single 400 sqft apartment, but this is precisely what we do. And, BTW, this is luxurious by Mumbai, Bangkok, and Siem Reap standards!! So many entitled and well heeled aristocrats in DMV operate with such an insufferable blind spot, it isn’t even funny.

this sounds like a bodyshop to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We've always made significantly less than you, OP, and yet own a home in a nice suburb of DC and have enough to pay for college and retirement. We lived extremely frugally when we were younger, however, and invested in stocks early on that have done well over the decades. You really must start reining in your spending and investing what you can, except that your time-frame will be much shorter.

+1

DH and I have always made way less than you as well. But, we’ve had the financial discipline to always take the high road and live within our means. We’re in our mid-40s and have $1.6M saved in our 401k, $750K saved in 529 plans for our three kids, a taxable brokerage account with $600K, and an online savings account with 36 months ($150K) of net living expenses for emergencies.

Maybe it’s time to stop spending so much of your money on buying the latest car and cell phone model every two years – take the bus like we do. Lose the cleaning service. Stop eating out and actually cook your food. Stop taking vacations – save that for when you’re in retirement.

Nobody gives a shit sugar plum. Is this making the OP feel better

Are you calling me a sugar plum because I’m a brown person?!? You need to get your head straight you racist POS.

oh hell no, you dont get to call people racist because you are not happy with the feedback. i am not the PP but there is not even a way to id you as brown person from your post. Get your head straight you idiotic POS. Signed, a brown person.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We've always made significantly less than you, OP, and yet own a home in a nice suburb of DC and have enough to pay for college and retirement. We lived extremely frugally when we were younger, however, and invested in stocks early on that have done well over the decades. You really must start reining in your spending and investing what you can, except that your time-frame will be much shorter.

+1

DH and I have always made way less than you as well. But, we’ve had the financial discipline to always take the high road and live within our means. We’re in our mid-40s and have $1.6M saved in our 401k, $750K saved in 529 plans for our three kids, a taxable brokerage account with $600K, and an online savings account with 36 months ($150K) of net living expenses for emergencies.

Maybe it’s time to stop spending so much of your money on buying the latest car and cell phone model every two years – take the bus like we do. Lose the cleaning service. Stop eating out and actually cook your food. Stop taking vacations – save that for when you’re in retirement.

Nobody gives a shit sugar plum. Is this making the OP feel better

Are you calling me a sugar plum because I’m a brown person?!? You need to get your head straight you racist POS.

oh hell no, you dont get to call people racist because you are not happy with the feedback. i am not the PP but there is not even a way to id you as brown person from your post. Get your head straight you idiotic POS. Signed, a brown person.

+ 1. Also why is the sugar plum reference racist?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We've always made significantly less than you, OP, and yet own a home in a nice suburb of DC and have enough to pay for college and retirement. We lived extremely frugally when we were younger, however, and invested in stocks early on that have done well over the decades. You really must start reining in your spending and investing what you can, except that your time-frame will be much shorter.

+1

DH and I have always made way less than you as well. But, we’ve had the financial discipline to always take the high road and live within our means. We’re in our mid-40s and have $1.6M saved in our 401k, $750K saved in 529 plans for our three kids, a taxable brokerage account with $600K, and an online savings account with 36 months ($150K) of net living expenses for emergencies.

Maybe it’s time to stop spending so much of your money on buying the latest car and cell phone model every two years – take the bus like we do. Lose the cleaning service. Stop eating out and actually cook your food. Stop taking vacations – save that for when you’re in retirement.

Nobody gives a shit sugar plum. Is this making the OP feel better

Are you calling me a sugar plum because I’m a brown person?!? You need to get your head straight you racist POS.

oh hell no, you dont get to call people racist because you are not happy with the feedback. i am not the PP but there is not even a way to id you as brown person from your post. Get your head straight you idiotic POS. Signed, a brown person.

+ 1. Also why is the sugar plum reference racist?

Indians always defensive

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We've always made significantly less than you, OP, and yet own a home in a nice suburb of DC and have enough to pay for college and retirement. We lived extremely frugally when we were younger, however, and invested in stocks early on that have done well over the decades. You really must start reining in your spending and investing what you can, except that your time-frame will be much shorter.

+1

DH and I have always made way less than you as well. But, we’ve had the financial discipline to always take the high road and live within our means. We’re in our mid-40s and have $1.6M saved in our 401k, $750K saved in 529 plans for our three kids, a taxable brokerage account with $600K, and an online savings account with 36 months ($150K) of net living expenses for emergencies.

Maybe it’s time to stop spending so much of your money on buying the latest car and cell phone model every two years – take the bus like we do. Lose the cleaning service. Stop eating out and actually cook your food. Stop taking vacations – save that for when you’re in retirement.

Nobody gives a shit sugar plum. Is this making the OP feel better

Are you calling me a sugar plum because I’m a brown person?!? You need to get your head straight you racist POS.

oh hell no, you dont get to call people racist because you are not happy with the feedback. i am not the PP but there is not even a way to id you as brown person from your post. Get your head straight you idiotic POS. Signed, a brown person.

+ 1. Also why is the sugar plum reference racist?

Indians always defensive

How do you know she's Indian?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We've always made significantly less than you, OP, and yet own a home in a nice suburb of DC and have enough to pay for college and retirement. We lived extremely frugally when we were younger, however, and invested in stocks early on that have done well over the decades. You really must start reining in your spending and investing what you can, except that your time-frame will be much shorter.

+1

DH and I have always made way less than you as well. But, we’ve had the financial discipline to always take the high road and live within our means. We’re in our mid-40s and have $1.6M saved in our 401k, $750K saved in 529 plans for our three kids, a taxable brokerage account with $600K, and an online savings account with 36 months ($150K) of net living expenses for emergencies.

Maybe it’s time to stop spending so much of your money on buying the latest car and cell phone model every two years – take the bus like we do. Lose the cleaning service. Stop eating out and actually cook your food. Stop taking vacations – save that for when you’re in retirement.

Horsesh!t. There is no way your numbers line up unless your are a crypto star. And you aren't. So gtfo.

WE MAKE SACRIFICES!! I know you can’t imagine what it must be like to not own a car, to grow your own vegetables, and to have five people sharing a single 400 sqft apartment, but this is precisely what we do. And, BTW, this is luxurious by Mumbai, Bangkok, and Siem Reap standards!! So many entitled and well heeled aristocrats in DMV operate with such an insufferable blind spot, it isn’t even funny.

You need serious help. This is incredibly bizarre. Just go move somewhere cheap and actually have a life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any debt?

Recommend Dave Ramsey Financial Peace for the basics. You can do anything you put your mind to, OP!

+1

Start here, OP:
https://www.ramseysolutions.com/ramseyplus/financial-peace/class

OP Ramsey is a scam, look at the reviews. Do not pay this money save it instead.

All the info and motivation to get out of debt is in his free podcast

[Anonymous]

Get the free trial for YNAB.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We've always made significantly less than you, OP, and yet own a home in a nice suburb of DC and have enough to pay for college and retirement. We lived extremely frugally when we were younger, however, and invested in stocks early on that have done well over the decades. You really must start reining in your spending and investing what you can, except that your time-frame will be much shorter.

+1

DH and I have always made way less than you as well. But, we’ve had the financial discipline to always take the high road and live within our means. We’re in our mid-40s and have $1.6M saved in our 401k, $750K saved in 529 plans for our three kids, a taxable brokerage account with $600K, and an online savings account with 36 months ($150K) of net living expenses for emergencies.

Maybe it’s time to stop spending so much of your money on buying the latest car and cell phone model every two years – take the bus like we do. Lose the cleaning service. Stop eating out and actually cook your food. Stop taking vacations – save that for when you’re in retirement.

With respect, do you have student loans or medical bills?

Not OR but I always made WAY less than OP and yet paid off my student loans as soon as I could. And I pay my medical bills.
The only solutions for OP is to either earn more money or live more modestly. Which one is more reachable?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We've always made significantly less than you, OP, and yet own a home in a nice suburb of DC and have enough to pay for college and retirement. We lived extremely frugally when we were younger, however, and invested in stocks early on that have done well over the decades. You really must start reining in your spending and investing what you can, except that your time-frame will be much shorter.

+1

DH and I have always made way less than you as well. But, we’ve had the financial discipline to always take the high road and live within our means. We’re in our mid-40s and have $1.6M saved in our 401k, $750K saved in 529 plans for our three kids, a taxable brokerage account with $600K, and an online savings account with 36 months ($150K) of net living expenses for emergencies.

Maybe it’s time to stop spending so much of your money on buying the latest car and cell phone model every two years – take the bus like we do. Lose the cleaning service. Stop eating out and actually cook your food. Stop taking vacations – save that for when you’re in retirement.

Horsesh!t. There is no way your numbers line up unless your are a crypto star. And you aren't. So gtfo.

WE MAKE SACRIFICES!! I know you can’t imagine what it must be like to not own a car, to grow your own vegetables, and to have five people sharing a single 400 sqft apartment, but this is precisely what we do. And, BTW, this is luxurious by Mumbai, Bangkok, and Siem Reap standards!! So many entitled and well heeled aristocrats in DMV operate with such an insufferable blind spot, it isn’t even funny.

Nobody in the DMV is living five to a 400 sq ft apartment and taking the bus with over $3million saved unless they are looney tunes nuts. I prefer to think you're just a liar.