Hi all, I’m 24 and work full time making 75k a year.

I currently live with my boyfriend and we split rent/utilities by income percentage cause I make more than him and then groceries we split 50/50. Our landlords live below us and haven’t raised our rent in 3 years and told us they don’t plan on it (total rent is 1600 per month for a 2 bedroom w two parking spots)

My basic breakdown of my finances per month are.

Rent/utilities $1,100
Groceries $200
Car payment $330 (3 years left until it’s paid off, currently at 80k miles for a 2022 Subaru Impreza )
Car insurance $80
Health insurance $paid by work
Phone plan/ Apple music/gym $100
Student loans (WILL BE FULLY PAID OFF NEXT MONTH 😊)

So off the rock I make around 4400 a month (after taxes) and about $2000 of that goes to basic needs.

I’ve paid off my student loans (down from 35k) by putting 1k towards them every month for just under 3 years now - so I know I can fully put that much aside while maintaining my current lifestyle with zero other changes. I go to a lot of concerts and love to travel so that’s where my spare income has gone so far.

I have 10k in savings and 20k in various investments (mostly index funds) but I’m real inconsistent with investing money

SO realistically - if I just put that 1k away per month towards a house is that a good idea? OR should I heavily Invest?? I don’t like the idea of renting forever but I also know the housing market is a bit abysmal. My landlords are great and the I like the area I live but I do like the idea of a house. My boyfriend and I both do not want kids so that doesn’t really factor into my decision.

But yeah is this a good plan? I feel like I could pretty easily save up for a solid down payment on a house in the next 4 years and go all in - especially if my boyfriend ends up proposing and we go in financially together?

I know I’m young but I want to set myself up for success.

I’ll take any advice I’m just curious what people think is a good goal.

My girlfriend is moving in with me this month and I want to open up the finances discussion because i have heard the biggest cause for divorce and breakups is financial issues and I want us both to be on the same page about handling money before that becomes an issue and I'm just wondering what we should talk about. The things on my mind are rent, car payments, credit cards, and saving and budgeting. I just don't know what the important conversations to have about money are for young couples that I may not have thought of? Thanks

A friend asked me to review an annuity illustration/proposal and it was so bad that I wanted to share some of the details with the group as things to watch out for.

This comes from a company often discussed in this sub but my point is on a generic level and I don't want to bash any certain company. I also personally feel that there are good annuities out there that can be integral to a retirement plan.

So, my friend comes away from this meeting with the understanding that he turns over his life savings of almost $400k and he will receive 80k/year for as long as he lives. He is 63 now and this would start in two years. He also understands that he has the ability to withdraw from his cash basis, but doesn't really understand this part. He is excited.

The illustration shows premium paid-in of 370k and withdrawals of 80k starting in 3 years and going for 12 years (15 years total). At that time, the balance is depleted and a life annuity of 24k/year continues. What this means wasn't explained to him to a point where it made sense. He believed 80k/year "forever".

Deceptive illustration: The 15 year illustration was modelled on years 1996-2010. Returns in excess of 30% annually created a huge buildup that supports the 1m+ payout over the model. Later years had negative returns but little impact because they are in the late years of the model. The blended annual rate shown is 2.03%. For anyone not keeping score, these years were the run-up and bubble burst of the dot com era. We are highly unlikely to see returns like this again, and showing 2.03% blended as building to this type of payout is very misleading.

Disclosed fees: The illustration included Annual Expense fees of 1.30%, Rider Annual Expense fees of 1.35%, Annual Contract fees of $50. and withdrawal charges starting at 8% and declining to zero over eight years. The underlying investments have Expense fees of .90%, .88%, and .79% for basic Growth Funds. (yes, poor portfolio mix but 12b1s are all pretty high. 12b1s are paid as ongoing sales fees).

The "Lifetime" annuity after year 15 is shown as 24k. This aligns with the floor of the rider upon depletion of the assets.

In ELI5 terms, what I am seeing here is that they are offering to sell him a 24k/yr deferred lifetime annuity and "helping" him to deplete his savings - for a cost. Annual returns on the three selected funds are < 10% per year (not 30%+). 80k payouts are not sustainable for many years. Rough math suggests he is paying 135k-ish for the deferred lifetime annuity and his remaining balance will last 8-9 years (this includes zero payout for the first 3 years, and a positive market). After this, he's hosed.

IMHO, this represents some of the things that buyers/retirees/you should look out for. It certainly isn't all inclusive. This is what a bad deal looks like.

My payments are $598.79. I have September, October & November left to pay. Which total is $1796.37. I was gonna pay it off but both the principal balance & payoff amount is more. Principal Balance shows $2556.05 & payoff amount is $2558.99. I don’t get it.

Edit:
For those being genuine
I’m sorry if I come off combative. I’m really not. I’m just answering comments with the facts that I have based on what I can see from my end on the finance company’s app and online. I know the math is not mathing hence why I’m here. I came from a Google search that didn’t help but this sub popped up. Also I’m not the account holder so I can’t call . I’ll have them call Monday. In the meantime I was just trying to see if someone had the same experience or some insight that’s why I asked here. And some did have some answers that I think might the reason. So thank you. I’ll know by Monday.

For those not being genuine I hope piling on me fed your starving egos at least. You’re welcomed.

20YO, I have about 11k sitting in my chequing account right now. 20k debt in student loans (repayment doesn’t start until 2028), have never opened a credit account/financed anything. Score for my loans is 698. I sublet and do not drive. l know that having your money sitting in a debit account is the worst way to go about it because I’m not making any profit off the money I DO have- but I have genuinely no sweet clue where to start. I have a savings account but it’s extremely basic as I opened it digitally and didn’t want to get myself into something bigger over the phone. I’m a perfect victim right now. Grew up extremely poor, parents had zero financial literacy, trying to undo that damage before it’s too late.

When I first signed up to bunq, it was to use it as a complementary bank account. However, after a while, I found myself using it mostly. It has worked wonderfully for me on a day-to-day basis, but I can’t help asking myself whether it is good enough to make a commitment. For instance, is it reliable in terms of being able to handle high traffic times, delays in transfer, and so forth?

I work for a company on Long Island that requires I live at the place of work.

I expect to be let go or to resign very soon.
I make $22/hr and have no savings aside from my 401k.
After my last day, my housing agreement states that I have days to leave. This was corroborated by HR as well.
If I’m terminated, it could be immediate removal.
I have been working here for years…

I feel a rush to find a job, and I’ve started saving money, but if I find a job, I will have to relocate and start the new job with little to no financial runway.

I’m not sure what I should do or where to go…. I’ve been applying to jobs in NYC and on Long Island for higher salaries. I have a degree. While finding a job has been extremely difficult, housing is going to be a huge concern very soon. I don’t have family or friends here since I relocated for this job and have been too busy working here to socialize.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

I am curious how others decide to pursue major renovations - altering floor plans, updating the kitchen, and adding attic flooring - knowing the return on investment may be less than half, perhaps losing $50,000 to $70,000 or more.

My home remains quite disheveled in its original 1980s condition. The absence of a dedicated home office bothers me; placing one in the bedroom, hallway, or living room feels awkward. Working from home full time, I sense that the clutter affects my quality of life. How do you come to a decision (or not) to spend money on renovation to enhance your well-being?

Having grown up with low income and managing chronic mental health issues, I am always anxious about financial security. At the same time the clutter and disheveled feel also play a part in overall mental health.

401K/Roth IRA: $1M
Brokerage: $250K
HYSA: $16K
Income: $12.5K/month
Mortgage/HOA/Property Tax: $1800/month
Area: San Diego
Age: 39, SINK

I have about €15k that I’d like to split as follows:

€5k for a long-term horizon: I’m thinking of an All-World ETF that includes emerging markets.

€5k emergency fund + €5k in a flexible high-yield or time-deposit option: I want to keep this second €5k accessible in case I decide to go on holiday or need to cover expenses like rent (though I don’t have immediate plans for that).

Around €200/month: To add to the All-World ETF via a recurring investment plan (PAC) or to evaluate other options.

I hope I’m heading in the right direction. I recently cancelled a €150/month monthly savings plan with UniCredit (which was split between CPR and Global Tech funds) as well as a lump-sum investment of around €5k in "BP Rinascimento" with Poste Italiane due to extremely high management fees.

I’ve now opened a Fineco account to access a wider range of lower-cost investment options on a single platform. A Fineco advisor recommended putting everything into Banor funds, but at first glance, that feels very similar to the actively managed fund setup I had with UniCredit.

Do you have any advice on the best choices to make, or on money market funds, yield-bearing cash accounts, ETFs, etc., that might suit my situation?

Also, I was considering Trade Republic or BBVA for holding the emergency cash—is it worth it?

Husband and I will be 65 at end of 2027 and I am working on the budget now.

Medicare (A,B,D, and Medigap) 700

Mortgage 474

Electric 120

Grocery & Gasoline 800

Internet - Comcast 145

Cell phones 112

Ms Office 10

Netflix, Prime 30

storage unit 40

Car insurance (2 cars) 250

Gas for oven 18

Heating oil 200

Sewage 45

Garbage 33

Water 23

Misc. 100 (car registration, car inspection, etc.)

Amazon (ex. Cat litter) 25

Tax (fed) 375

Total $3500 a month

Income:
We will get that much ($3500) from social security.

We also have $250,000 in our retirement account that we want to grow to $400,000, so don't want to touch it for a few years. If we can get part time work (gross less than $24k a year), we will and use that for any unexpected items.

Is this at least in a sane ballpark? I didn't know Medicare would be $700 a month just for the most basic plans until a few months ago.

Addition: we live in Schuylkill County, PA, so on the lower cost of living side.

another addition: right now, I am getting a net of 526 a week for unemployment. I am interviewing for at least a part time job that will let us net another $1000 a month, on top of the $3500. That would be for emergencies (we have $15,000 emergency account now in HYSA), house maintenance, and travel and gifts.

After reading comments:
OK, I have adjusted the budget from $3500 to $3900. Added $200 a month home maintenance, $100 a month car maintenance, and added $100 to the MISC category to include other medical - teeth, eyes, and the vet for the cat. I am also going to start drawing from the retirement acct. once it hits $300,000 a year, at $800 to $1000 a month. Vacations will be handled separately; we have $6000 set aside already for 2027. It looks like I need at least a part-time job for now and through 2027. I will also look into T Mobile for seniors, with free Netflix - could save us a few bucks.

It’s an active cash Visa card through my bank with a $1000 limit and 0% APR for the first year. What’s the smartest way to start spending and paying back?

Take home pay: ~$1200-1300 a week depending on workload.
4k in student loans.
37k saved.

Option A: $1300 a month in rent (month to month lease), janky two bedroom, in an OK area.

Option B: $1800 a month in rent (one year lease), nice one bedroom condo, in a peaceful area.

Option B doesn’t come around too often in my area.

I also would love to purchase property in the next year or so.

Recent 2025 grad. Boyfriends parents tell me it is best pay off all my student loan debt ASAP (over 100k) while my parents believe it is best to pay the minimum and get forgiveness 30 years down the line. What should I do?

I’m 18 years old and i just received 60k USD about 45k USD after i purchase a vehicle soon. and i dont know what to do and quite frankly im very scared. I dont know where to move my money how to manage it and how to properly divy it up to place it in things like savings or whatnot. I would like to invest and earn money by having it just sit in an account that gains interest. But how? Where do i even start with this money i’m so clueless but i want to be smart with it and NEVER touch it after i buy a car. Or is this a legal CFP question?

I have a friend that worked for AVGO 10+ years ago and they got stock options in a brokerage account, not a Roth or 401k. They have over 900 shares purchased at $20-$30. They don’t plan on touching them. Because of the huge capital gains taxes. Would it be in their best interest to offer their shares for option lending? So they are collect the income from that to help cover the eventual tax burden when they do cashing out. We are both in our mid 40’s.

By me calculations they could have possibly covered the taxes on capital gains and still been ahead, if they did this 10 years ago. We still both have 20 years until retirement.

I owe $8,200 on a car thats worth about $4,500. My auto loan is at a 2.7% interest rate, I only pay about $400 in interest a year.

I have done some car shopping recently and even with a 730+ credit score i’m failing to find an interest rate lower than 6%. I have the ability to pay off the car in a single payment, but is it worth it? I feel as if having that $8000 ready for anything that may pop up in life is worth paying the $400 in interest a year.

I have about $5K that I want to put into T-bills, but I’ve never bought them before. I already have a Fidelity account and would prefer to use that.

For someone just starting out, is it better to invest the full $5K at once or split it up? I don't need the money now I would want to save for a downpayment on a house. My current HYSA has a 3.6% rate. So I would want something much higher than that Any advice on getting started would be appreciated!

I have a job with a defined benefit pension. It will take me 8 more years to vest. My current supervisor makes my job feel unsustainable. He has a real temper. The workplace is one of those “fast-paced environments” that I generally like to avoid since I’m not in love with chaos.

I have a job offer for a slightly different role with $10K less in pay and a 401K. However, the supervisor at this role has been called “a dream boss” and “a pleasure to work for” by the last two people who had the role. It also seems like a laid back work place and everyone appears to have collegial, working relationships.

Should I make the switch?

I'm a 24M turning 25 Next month.

So far I've saved 10 lacs, could have been more but had to use approx 3 lacs for different purposes.

1. 1L lacs emergency fund

2. 1L stock

3. 50k PF

4. 7.5 lacs in Mutual funds

Im currently navigating layoffs and haven't saved anything this year. Otherwise would have saved 3-4 lacs easily.

Pls tell me if I'm on right track or what should be my approach further to manage money efficiently.

I currently have $160k in a 401k, $30k in RSUs that I can’t touch right now, and $17k in an index fund. I have $10k on credit cards. Been thinking about selling off my index fund to pay off the cards. But also I can’t get my wife to stick to a budget. So I’d be really upset if I sold off my index fund and then a year or two I’m back to credit card debt and no index fund. I know budgeting is the solution but should I sell the fund to kickstart us?

Government worker (31 yo) making around 120k a year right now, steadily going up each year.

Currently maxing out my Roth IRA each year, 1k a month into my 457b, 10.7% salary into pension plan and a few hundred each month into my brokerage.

Where can I improve as salary increases? I know I’m
no where near maxing out my 457b and plan to continue to increase but interested in feedback.

Roth IRA (40k):
80% VOO
20% VXUS

Brokerage (4k):
45% SCHD
45% VT
10% GLD

457b (70k)-managed by nationwide (my only account with a fee)

Pension-10.8% (65k) annual contribution. No control over it till retirement @ 47. Will continue to work as a consultant after retirement (god willing lol)

20k cash in HYSA for emergency fund

No debt besides a truck payment at 2.9%.

My wife and I rent around the capital region, no rush to buy right now. Enjoying city living

Honestly living a consumer lifestyle/regular travel but still investing 30k each annually

Hi! I’m just a girl trying my best to educate myself through other subreddits, videos, and searches, but I finally panic started different financial accounts and for my own peace of mind would love some insight on what to do to get a solid start until I feel more confident and understand what I’m looking at.

Here are my 3 priorities in order:
Adding funds to my HYSA account
maxing out my Roth IRA early next year
making small contributions to my…portfolio?

So my main concern is what are solid safe investment choices for my 401k, Roth IRA, and individual brokerage account— and yes, I realize that I probably made many mistakes with my individual brokerage…

I am 20, live at home with no credit card debt and college is being covered through work.

c. anywhere from 500-700 take home weekly
I contribute 20% (usually around $200) of paycheck to 401k — 5% company match
I have maxed out my Roth IRA for this year.

Here’s where my money is:
$300 in PNC Checking
$3,500 Capital One HYSA

Fidelity:
$7,500 in Roth IRA with no investments (please help)

$14,620 in Roth 401k— no investments
$620 in restricted stock plans with Starbucks (given through work and I have no clue what to do with it.)
$14,620 of personal and company match contributions

$650 Individual Brokerage (this was done in a panic, I’m sorry.)
$300 in FXAIX
$150 in QQQM
$200 in VTI

Are there any straight simple answers someone can lay on me? Good ETFs to choose and what percentage to maintain? I’m sure as I get older, make more money, and actually wrap my head around finances, I can diversify my portfolio but everyday I feel haunted by the fact that my money is not doing any work.

Hello all, my parents added me to their credit card when I was in high school to help me build my credit, that being said, it has been eight years since and I am contemplating removing myself. They always make their payments on time, but I’ve noticed the balance is now always sitting around $25,000-$35,000. Will that high of an amount hurt my own credit score and credit line? I try to keep my own personal card low and the only other debt I have is my car payment. Is it better to just stay as an authorized user in the long run or better to remove myself?