I'm a relatively frugal recent college grad living in Houston. My baseline costs per month run about $1600, though for one reason or another I only hit this ab

I'm a relatively frugal recent college grad living in Houston. My baseline costs per month run about $1600, though for one reason or another I only hit this about half the time (christmas gifts, expensive doctor visit for contact prescription, splurge on a laptop, etc). The rest of my salary goes straight into savings. It breaks down like: * ~$800 for rent + internet + electric. I have a one bedroom apartment, but fully half of it is empty an unfurnished. I keep telling myself I'll get a roommate, but it's been over a year and I still haven't. As your biggest expense, this is where you will make or break yourself. * ~$400 for food, alcohol included. I like good food and beer :P You could do a lot better. * $250 on student loans * <$10 on transport. I take the light rail occasionally and occasionally get flats on my bike. * The last $150 goes to smaller things that seem pop up once in a while. Around here at least, you could probably live on $800/month the way you're talking about, and still be fairly comfortable. I don't know how well other sections of the country would fair. Damn... I could be doing a lot better.