re: Doing well financially, but still living paycheck to paycheck

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if you are automatically investing a portion you are not living paycheck to paycheck IMO

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It sure do feel like it at times, but it’s worth it. Keep increasing the investments and maintain the status quo on the take home post tax and investments and that big net worth number will make you feel warm inside

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I’ve been both. I have been where if I didn’t get money that day, I couldn’t eat.

I’m currently where i always feel “broke” despite earning more than 85-90% of Americans. But the reality is I’m not broke, I just don’t want to touch my substantial savings so I act broke until next payday.

The truth is they aren’t the same, the first is truly a scary place to be..the second is the mindset that prevents actually living paycheck to paycheck

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Correct, there's a difference from living paycheck to paycheck than "feeling like" you're living paycheck to paycheck.

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Correct, there's a difference from living paycheck to paycheck than "feeling like" you're living paycheck to paycheck.

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I was going through this for awhile. Ironically, it took my mother's words to make me realize I wasn't that bad off. I felt like I wasn't getting ahead. I know I am not doing exorbitantly well but I save/invest about $1k a month before any side hustles pay off. The thing that would benefit me the most is a marrying a woman who makes money tbh

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am not doing exorbitantly well but I save/invest about $1k a month

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I would think you are doing better than most

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Three pages in, and it appears I'm the only one that read this part. All the backslapping and "you're doing fine" bullshite, and none of the rest of you read this part? Payday loan or cash advance, whichever it actually is, there is something really, really wrong.

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You’re just the only one not smart enough to know what he meant

IF you are saving/investing, you are doing it about right.

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A $1k Emergency fund is certainly better than a zero dollar one but it’s been my experience that most true emergencies need more than $1k to address them.

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You're right, but I've seen the Ramsey people give the $1K emergency savings target for people who are just starting to get on top of their finances. For some, if you tell them they need six months of expenses saved they can't process it and give up. If you tell them to save $1K, it's an achievable goal for them. The idea is to build on small wins to continue on the path of responsible money management.

I was the same way throughout the years. Religiously contributing maxes to 401ks, setting up IRAs, having some cash in the emergency fund. Then, life gets in the way. Kids. Colleges. Pets. New roofs. Yada yada. The drain on cash is enormous and it never seem to end. But I keep grinding.

My analogy is there are "singles hitters" and "home run hitters". You know, honestly, it sounds like you're on the right track for the long haul because you won't get rich overnight.

I guess my advice is keep doing what you're doing and be patient. Because all of a sudden, when you're ready to retire, you might just have seven figure accounts sitting there after all that hard work and there you go.

In the mean time, just keep grinding and have as much fun as you can. Your health is actually far more important and you can't control that. Who knows how long we all have on this earth.

Good luck!!

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The thing that would benefit me the most is a marrying a woman who makes money tbh

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Good luck with that. I love my wife but she does not increase our financial position. She is really good at making the house look nice by spending my money.

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Pause investing for a min, get rid of all your debts, ...

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That’s a hard pass.

I could stop investing and pay off all my debt today, but my investments pay more per month than my minimum payments

…and I pay double to triple my monthly payments