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> but I can tell you that there were $60 rounds of drinks purchased without a second thought and $25 cab rides to the bars. There were $1,500 ski-season cabin s

by Swizec 5y ago

> but I can tell you that there were $60 rounds of drinks purchased without a second thought and $25 cab rides to the bars. There were $1,500 ski-season cabin shares in Lake Tahoe and a $150-a-month membership at Equinox. There were multiple Starbucks lattes per day and $18 organic steak salads eaten at my desk. I don't think this is someone who can't cover essential bills with their salary. This is the trap kids fall into (my early 20's self included) when they first start making real money and it feels endless. It's not endless. It's very easy to fritter away.

saurik 5y ago
WarOnPrivacy wasn't saying that this person was someone who wasn't making much money; they were replying to the rational for this not being "abnormal": most people who live paycheck-to-paycheck--not this person, but most people--simply don't make much money... they aren't "bad with it".
lhorie 5y ago
It's interesting hearing others' experiences on this. Among my circles, my friends would sometimes comment on how weird it was to come to terms with the fact they were no longer dirt poor college students and how now they had disposable income and how guilty they'd feel spending money due to the frugal student mentality. To this day, I still don't feel the urge to buy things on impulse, or because peers have them or do trendy things.
- Swizec 5y ago
  When it happened to me I went from a lifetime of being poor (not just college student poor, family poor before college even) to making 3x the national median salary in the span of 2 years. Yeah it was a little intoxicating and I def overdid it. No regrets tho. Moving to America (sfba) quickly fixed that. Now I’m back to being pretty frugal (but not too much) and investing in asset building. Turns out that’s more rewarding. But your early to mid 20’s are a great time to go a little crazy if you can. It will never again feel the same. You have little responsibility and lots of time to catch up later.
laurent92 5y ago
As a reasonably frugal person, it is very annoying that outdoorsy people set the standard for spending, and they make me look stingy. I’m not stingy. I’m sane. They’re the ones going bankrupt ;) 20 years later: They’re married with kids and I’m single. Perhaps I really looked stingy ;) Moral of the story: People in average are de facto pushed to consume all their margin.
- koilke 5y ago
  I know the feeling. I often prefer not to eat anywhere the costs are more than $10 and usually go for places around $5. I wish to retire in a few years and they in a few decades.
  - roland35 5y ago
    I feel like there are diminishing returns past $15 for a meal. I love pad Thai and normally that runs about $12 which I will gladly pay :)
  - theartfuldodger 5y ago
    It would be very difficult to get a lunch or dinner for $15 that was of any reasonable quality in my region. I do not live in an absurdly high COL area (CNY) What can you possibly be eating for $5 I think some people can treat eating as more utilitarian, while having a great meal or even a halfway decent meal is a true pleasure and an experience worth having as often as possible for myself. The small pleasure is what makes the grind feel worthwhile. I fully expect to walk out $25-$30 lighter after a basic entree/lunch, a drink and a tip, even if eating alone on a lunch break. A date with my wife ( on the low end) $70, bring out the whole family ($100) Do we have significantly different average prices. Maybe a pre-made gas station sandwich or single fast food sandwich could cost $5 A $5 meal sounds like a chore, an amazing roadside Shack find! or absolute trash ingredients not worth eating. How do you do it?

by Swizec 5y ago

saurik 5y ago

WarOnPrivacy wasn't saying that this person was someone who wasn't making much money; they were replying to the rational for this not being "abnormal": most people who live paycheck-to-paycheck--not this person, but most people--simply don't make much money... they aren't "bad with it".

lhorie 5y ago

It's interesting hearing others' experiences on this. Among my circles, my friends would sometimes comment on how weird it was to come to terms with the fact they were no longer dirt poor college students and how now they had disposable income and how guilty they'd feel spending money due to the frugal student mentality. To this day, I still don't feel the urge to buy things on impulse, or because peers have them or do trendy things.

Swizec 5y ago
When it happened to me I went from a lifetime of being poor (not just college student poor, family poor before college even) to making 3x the national median salary in the span of 2 years. Yeah it was a little intoxicating and I def overdid it. No regrets tho. Moving to America (sfba) quickly fixed that. Now I’m back to being pretty frugal (but not too much) and investing in asset building. Turns out that’s more rewarding. But your early to mid 20’s are a great time to go a little crazy if you can. It will never again feel the same. You have little responsibility and lots of time to catch up later.

laurent92 5y ago

As a reasonably frugal person, it is very annoying that outdoorsy people set the standard for spending, and they make me look stingy. I’m not stingy. I’m sane. They’re the ones going bankrupt ;) 20 years later: They’re married with kids and I’m single. Perhaps I really looked stingy ;) Moral of the story: People in average are de facto pushed to consume all their margin.

koilke 5y ago
I know the feeling. I often prefer not to eat anywhere the costs are more than $10 and usually go for places around $5. I wish to retire in a few years and they in a few decades.
- roland35 5y ago
  I feel like there are diminishing returns past $15 for a meal. I love pad Thai and normally that runs about $12 which I will gladly pay :)
- theartfuldodger 5y ago
  It would be very difficult to get a lunch or dinner for $15 that was of any reasonable quality in my region. I do not live in an absurdly high COL area (CNY) What can you possibly be eating for $5 I think some people can treat eating as more utilitarian, while having a great meal or even a halfway decent meal is a true pleasure and an experience worth having as often as possible for myself. The small pleasure is what makes the grind feel worthwhile. I fully expect to walk out $25-$30 lighter after a basic entree/lunch, a drink and a tip, even if eating alone on a lunch break. A date with my wife ( on the low end) $70, bring out the whole family ($100) Do we have significantly different average prices. Maybe a pre-made gas station sandwich or single fast food sandwich could cost $5 A $5 meal sounds like a chore, an amazing roadside Shack find! or absolute trash ingredients not worth eating. How do you do it?