re: Perfect Annual Salary?

Your expenses grow as you age.

If I were making the kind of money I make today in 2007, I'd have felt rich.

Then I got married, bought a house, and started putting 16% of my gross into retirement savings......not as much left over as I'd like for clothes or fancy furniture.

Luckily I am satisfied with having the only house in the neighborhood without a pool, rennovated kitchen, or zoysia sodded lawn, and I'm content driving a reliable 7 year old Chevy truck that's well out of style and high on the miles. Ashley furniture and hand me downs are more than okay for now.

It would be so easy falling even deeper into the trap like many my age. I would like to knock out my student loans completely by Christmas 2015 (which should happen). Other than that all I have is a $200 car note for my wife's stripped down Accord and my mortgage.

God help you if you have a child that needs daycare. What some of my co workers are paying is scary. $700-$1000 per month.