Once they're vested and settled, I agree. But because they must vest and settle, and can be awarded (or not) on discretionary grounds, they're closer to found

Once they're vested and settled, I agree. But because they must vest and settle, and can be awarded (or not) on discretionary grounds, they're closer to found money than they are salary in my budget. IMHO, it's bad personal finance to put yourself in a position where a missed bonus or stock event can screw up your daily finances.