re: 401k averages? Saving too much or too little?

Oh no it is okay to call me out if you think it. But here is the truth:

1) I got a job after college that paid me to move there and gave me an extra month salary for the move. The move cost me nothing, since I had family and friends helping me out. And yes, I did live with my parents for a while. I also ended up moving to a city where I knew no one. My parents ended up moving to GA while I was in college, and I ended up getting a job there.

2) My job required a lot of paid overtime for those first 2.5 years. I was lucky and very blessed. I was working at least 10 hours of overtime each week, and in my mind that was extra money just for savings not spending. I knew my next job, or if they choose to cut the overtime, would not be a part of my salary. Also my job gives out a 'bonus' each year, I have never planned for this bonus because it depends on how the company has performed, if they are within budget, and along with many other factors. This bonus can range from 0-10% of my yearly salary pay and again went straight into savings, after I bought something I been wanting that year.

3) While in college I had lots of odd and end jobs that I would save and never used that was easy enough for a down payment since in college (thankfully) my parents paid for my means of living, school, books, etc. I was in school for 5 years always had a job and did a lot of tutoring.

4) While living with my parents the time I did, I paid for my own food, phone, car insurance (since they bought it when I was in my second year of school... I didn't have a car until then), gas, maintenance on the car, and trips/vacation. I was very lucky to have them on my side and their help when I first started out. My parents told me if I lived with them I was to max my 401k out and save a paycheck a month.

5) When I turned 18 my grandmother had a trust fund for each of her grandkids, while I never have touch it and it went straight into savings.

I will agree on what some people have posted and said on other subjects, but I was lucky to have my parent’s support me while in school, let me work my jobs, and them still paying for my education and everything else while in college.

Now I will say it was a completely took me by surprise when I had moved out and out of state having the bills and redirecting my money and spending habits. I will say the first year of being out on my own and with owning this house has taken most of my 'play/vacation' money down.

But really what helped me the most was living with my parents, saving in college (5 years there), having all that overtime, & the trust fund.


I have so much respect for those who have to work their way thru college on their own and battling the everyday life.

I am still trying to learn to live without something that I never truly have done much before. Yes it was good and bad living with my parents for the time I did. I will say not only with savings did it help, but also gave me a new respect for my father and mother. I also was able to understand my father more, and became closer to him. I have always been close to my mother.

Now I am having a hard time saving now and see what everyone else had to go thru at a younger age, but I am learning and seeing. I just wanted to make sure I was on an okay path. When I came across that article I just could not have imaged nor did I receive that pay when I started out. It seem a little (way) to high for me and for others.

Not being rude or mean but thanks for calling me out I believe more people should speak their mind respectfully and others just should be more honest. Again thanks for speaking your mind and calling me out when you thought that. I hope that helped clear something up for you. Now if only we could call others out; and knowing if they would be honest or not back. The worst part of the internet is never knowing if someone is telling the truth.