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I still live with my parents and work part-time, and I have come to be obsessed about saving. While I don't have much in savings, I tend to save nearly everythi

I still live with my parents and work part-time, and I have come to be obsessed about saving. While I don't have much in savings, I tend to save nearly everything, unless it's for a necessity. I do hope the latter is not the case when I have a professional job. I am thinking about how everyone talks about investing towards your retirement, savings, etc, and it sounds a bit depressing. 10k signing bonus? Go buy that mint 1986 BMW 528e. I suppose I am just trying to get some perspective. What do people tend to do with most of their income? If they are saving more, are they worse off in regards to the so-called good life? I suppose there must be a balance. There's that word again: "balance".

AstralStorm 9y ago
The real problem here is that the accrual things bringing happiness take time (art, side projects, friends, family) and this is incompatible with income maximization (therefore savings maximization) on fundamental level. If it is just discretionary "comfort" spending perhaps you could rethink why are you doing it. Savings essentially work like a buffer and can be used to supplement a pension. How much buffer you can hold and afford depends on many expenses. Many people are unable to even trade time for these things as their jobs which are full time pay too little - barely subsistence. Telling them to save more or switch jobs is not the solution. (I bet they would of they could)