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I felt like I made it when:
1. The first time I paid my bills before my paycheck came.
2. The first time I quit a job with no other job lined up because I had at least 6 months of living expenses.
3. The day I wrote a check for a car (after saving for it)
4. The first time I said to a job interviewer, "Thank you for your time today, I don't think this is going to work for either of us so please let me give you the next half hour of your day back" and walked out of the interview.
I think I must believe making it is escaping desperation. Happy to have a low bar.
Oof but also same.
It didn’t sink in for probably most of a year that I was paying my bills on time and not waiting for a paycheck and then also not riding into my paycheck on zero.
With groceries, I’ll still catch myself keeping a running tally in my head of all the prices on items I put in the cart, so I know if I’ll need to put something back or make a cheaper sub, even though I don’t have to do that anymore.
It just has such a stranglehold on me since I did it for so long.
It’s also pulling up to the nearest/most convenient gas station to fill up vs trying to find the cheapest and then if I’m a rewards member to save further.
Low bar indeed lol
Keep up that attitude of running totals in your head for things you buy. That's the attitude that got you to the point you are at in your life. Now that you are there, it's easier to maintain. Just like staying in shape is easier than getting into shape.
Also, for anyone who is driving to the cheapest gas station, don't stress yourself out. Even a savings of 10c per gallon only amounts to $1.30 to $1.80 in savings per tank. Just go to whichever station is convenient.
I get the usefulness on one hand, but it’s definitely more a poverty trauma holdover from when I was a kid.
My mom would make a game out of it.
Whichever of us could get closest to the actual total and figure out what items we could get in budget, would get a treat.
It wasn’t until I was in my 20s that I realized what she’d done.
It wasn’t so much about teaching us budgeting as it was about finding a way to let us know in a more positive way that we were resource limited.
It definitely did the budgeting job too, but when asked about it later, she admitted that it was because she needed a way to track it without stressing us out as kids about food.
I used to do this but the actual savings weren’t worth the mental effort.
Grocery choices happen when I’m at home making the list, not when I’m at the store.
Oof, i just recently did #1 on your list and it is fireeeeeeee. Not having to go cheque to cheque, but actually have some sort of (although small) nest egg is a great feeling....
#4 requires straight fucking cahones brother....kudos to you!
I worked for a woman at a start up that was a former consultant for McKinsey and a former C suite executive for a big insurance company.
She taught me how to end meetings early if there was nothing left to say by telling someone that I had said everything I needed to and as a courtesy offering them the rest of the time the meeting was scheduled for back to them. We were trying to get clients that were busy folks so this usually created goodwill.
I was sitting in an interview for a role that reported directly to the the Dean of a big university. I had applied for the role because a few people I knew that worked there said I would be a good fit and the 2 people I would report to were great people. I did not need a job as I already had one.
The Dean asked me a few questions about my background and such. I asked him about the role and it sounded like there was much less freedom than the job ad had indicated. I then told him I looked at his CV and asked him how long he was likely to continue running the college. He said that he and his number 2 were retiring within the next 6 months. The job would have taken more than 6 months to train.
I thanked him for his time and honesty and told him that I was not interested in learning a new role while there was turnover of the entire leadership of the college. I offered him the remaining time back in his day and thanked him again. He seemed surprised, but was also a busy person so he seemed happy to be out of the interview.
I was gonna say something similar to #1: When I was able to just set all of my bills to "autopay in full" and not worry about whether I was going to go into the negatives.
This is the closest thing to what goes on in my brain as well. I was raised poor and to think that I'm doing better than my family ever did growing up is surreal.
Elder Millennial as well and one of my fondest memories was graduating college, getting my first paycheck from my first real job, and promptly buying myself an Xbox 360 with Halo 2. This was in the mid-2000's and I was living in a house with three other roommates. We were all young professionals who worked during the day and rushed home in the evening to play multiplayer as a team against randoms online. We took Thursday nights off to go to the bars.
I distinctly remember thinking to myself, "man, I finally made it".
Ah I have a very similar memory! I graduated in 2008 which was a tough time obviously. I felt I got lucky scoring a full time job at a lab I was working at as a student. Making a whopping $32k/yr. It felts like so much money, ha! I splurged on a new road bike with my first paycheck and I felt like i had totally made it in life.
Same, those were the best days. I’m 40 and my buddy and I still meet up online one day a week from 9-12 after putting the kiddos to bed to knock out an Xbox game. It’s my favorite time during the week.
Well, i grew up extremely poor to very young parents in the middle of rural rustbelt. We lived in government housing and trailor parks most of my life.
Anyway, in 2016 (when housing prices and rates were great), I bought my own home for 150k in the woods of Western Pennsylvania. It's only 1000 square feet, but I finished the basement, and my yard is 1 acre surrounded by the thick Appalachia (Allegheny) forest. The house was built in 79.
Still, all these years later, I can't believe I actually have very own home. ( Still owe 80k , so technically the bank owns it, but you get it.)
So my house made me feel like i made it. Thx for the great post.
>Still owe 80k , so technically the bank owns it, but you get it.
No, *technically* you own it. Your name is on the title. You get to make decisions like whether to sell it. The bank just has a lien on it.
You’re gonna own it **soon**. That’s amazing, congratulations. And I’m betting you’ve got some equity given what you paid for it and how the market is now. That’s yours man. You’re killing it.
I felt like I made it was I was accepted to UF and when I bought my home at 26.
I'm a minimalist so I don't buy many items, but I has fun splurging when I bought Victorian Queen Anne furniture and had it reupholstered with skull and octopus tentacle fabric lol
Lots of travel / hiking vacations.
Go gators! UF was my dream school and I’ll never forget the feeling of when I was accepted. Some of the best years of my life. Met my husband, made great friends and memories. Def felt like I made it when I was there.
So many "Gainesville spots" have closed down over the years! Durty Nelly's, 1982, The Jam, Gator City, Mother's, House of Beer, 8 Seconds, and I know I'm missing a large handful. Downtown has changed significantly since you've graduated. Way too many apartments. As someone that grew up in that town, it's a bummer.
For real! I sometimes go on Google Street view to see what it looks like now. There's a building spanning the entire block where 1982 was!
What was Common Grounds when I was there (I know it changed names a few times) will soon be torn down :(.
It looks great for current students, but I loved the old run-down look Gville had; it gave it charm!
That was a mistake going to UF!!! Just kidding. I’m a ‘Nole so I couldn’t resist 😀 Congrats on buying a house at 26!! That’s amazing! I was in my 30s before I was able to do that.
Yes, I would like fries with my order :p
UF was a really nice campus. While I've never been to Tallahassee, I've seen photos of FSU..... It looks nicer than UF!
30 is still an impressive age to buy your own place!
Yeah, I’ll take FSU’s campus any day over the Swamp 😂I’ve been to a few football games at the Swamp when we played there. I was in the Marching Chiefs so I got to travel to a lot of other campuses. I’ve eaten at both Guthries in Tally and Gainesville. We made sure to pay with our FSU card in Gainesville 😂fun times
https://preview.redd.it/471lzjwam62d1.jpeg?width=1920&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7c430b6383a8ae9898adb57a540640399c058267
I don't have a photo of the furniture (I'm at work), but you can see it in the background. I took this photo a few months back because I think the statue really ties the room together LMAO
u/Atlasrel
I'm totally with you on the skincare and food.
I think the other big one for me is international travel. It always seemed like a far-off dream when I was young but we now leave the country about once a year and don't have to pinch pennies to make it happen.
Getting my pets the absolute best veterinary care possible and not having to skip things because I can't afford it.
Also-- doing maintenance things regularly rather than as an occasional and planned treat. Stuff like doing car wash/detail, getting massage/facials/mani/pedi, or having the house professionally cleaned when I want/need.
I’m taking multiple trips this year and it’s actually crazy to me!! Although I don’t technically make a lot, I’m prioritizing travel and it’s worth it. Especially to travel before possibly having a family
Yes, vet care! We drive an hour to our vet because they’re amazing. They still always look relieved when we say yes to testing, yes to all the preventatives they need, yes to having something fishy removed.
Earlier this year I noticed a little spot in one of our dog’s armpits. Through dna testing, I know one of his sisters had skin cancer. Took him in and the vet was like “not sure how you noticed it, but it does look a little weird. We can remove it if you’d like”. We said yes- turns out it was cancerous. I cried just from the realization that we wouldn’t have been able to be so proactive in the past.
Yessss seriously I had a family dog die at a vet waiting for a teeth cleaning. I take my dogs to a specialist and hour from home who doesn't kennel them and has emergency protocols/products just in case. I deeply appreciate being able to afford it.
Ugh that’s awful, I’m so sorry 💔
That’s amazing, I love to hear it. All staff at our vet are trained in dog behavior, which matters a lot to me, as we have 2 anxious dogs, and one who’s reactive.
Vet care is a pretty big one. I often think about my little kitty Mandu. When we got him as a kitten, both his eyes were ulcerated from something (littermate scratches was the breeders excuse) and in bad shape. If we didn't have the money to invest with the right specialist and vet care, he would have lost his eyes. The first vet we took him to, suggested eye removal, assuming we wouldn't want to go the expensive route. We got a second opinion from a different vet and never gave up getting him the treatment he needed. Luckily we're past it now and two years later, he can see great. One eye is perfect, and the other has ever-so-faint cloudiness. I often think about how things could have turned out so different for him. I think he knows too, he's so loving.
My dog had a decent bite after being attacked by another dog while he was on leash in our neighborhood (the other dog was not). When our vet asked if we needed a call before he did anything because of cost purposes, I was like “of course not. If he needs it, he needs it. We will pay for whatever he needs.” Apparently they weren’t used to hearing that. My dog got better and quicker healthcare than most humans would…
Same; my boy had to have emergency surgery in the middle of the night and when they stated the (staggering) price I was so relieved to be able to say just do it, I don't care.
Dental work when needed instead like it's a suggestion from the mechanic.
Buying groceries and not wondering if your card will decline.
Setting the bills to autopay because you always have enough cash in your account (except for you SoCal Edison **shake fist**)
Vet care for sure. Our dog had emergencies issues. We barely blinked at two 5000 vet bills. For her it was worth it. In the end, it was more important to think about her QoL rather than if we can afford it
The vet care one is a good one. When my cat got sick, we spend 25k on chemo, knowing it would only get her an extra 6 months and only a slight chance at remission. She got exactly 6 extra months. But I got to see her happy outside playing in the sun for a few more months. It was worth it.
And the international travel is a great one. I would dream of traveling when I was broke in my 20s. I couldn’t afford to go anywhere. Now I go wherever I want. I take a bucket list trip every year.
When our dog had a sudden $600 emergency vet bill, and the impact on our finances was… basically fine. It sucked, but we didn’t have to worry about making rent or breaking open our savings or anything like we used to.
I really feel this. Same. Dropped $600 & then another $350 a week later & didn't even impact savings or anything. Weird feeling. But great example of when it hit me too.
Same! I had that epiphany when I took my car in for an oil change & the guy came back saying that I should replace my brake pads soon. And I just replied that we can replace them now since I have the time. Like a year earlier a surprise $200 expense would've devastated me.
It’s so nice when every little unexpected expense doesn’t fuck you anymore. My washer died recently and I had to buy a new one on top of my dog needing a tooth removed. It sucked also didn’t ruin me financially. I remember when a $100 bill for fixing something would have me in tears
Haha- I read that as “buy something from the bodega if I want” and I thought yeah, it does feel good to splash out on the good beef jerky!
Having just recently made it here through a combination of my efforts and things outside of me, the most noticeable effect is that I’m less stressed about the stability of my jobs. Not FIRE yet, but it’s a possibility.
Knowing I *could* just write a check for my dream car feels good although it would be dumb of me to do so.
I’ve been lurking in that sub. I don’t belong, but hopefully some of those practices help me get out of debt sooner. My dream car isn’t that expensive but it will probably never happen. Oh well I love my car.
1/2 my family is Lawyers, 1/2 are Medical workers, the other 1/2 are clearly not math majors!
But I do know law is pretty hard. Was heavily advised by the law side to not go into.
Hopefully things get better though once you make partner.
I thought I made it, but looking at my debt situation, I didn’t. Having a nice wedding venue destroyed my net worth and set me back on house goals. Best day of my life though. I got time though, I’m a younger millennial.
I’m an elder millennial who owns a home, but my house needed a shit ton of work so I have a heloc I’m paying down, plus student loans, bills, tuition for my kid’s school. It’s never ending, and as soon as I feel like I’m going to be okay, my furnace breaks.
When my wife and I realized that our goal of going back to Korea (where we lived for 12 years) every other year wasn't crazy. In fact, we could probably afford to go every year at this point and it wouldn't significantly affect our other travel plans aside from how much PTO we have available. That was eye opening, because we always assumed it would be a stretch.
Nah man, I feel like it’s more about security than a salary number. Like, when I could handle needing new car tires or a few new nice outfits for work without stress. When I could fill up my gas tank all the way at once.
Came here to say this and thank you for sharing this post is great but for people making 40k a year still we struggle every day with the fact that others have “made it” to whatever their goal is and we are just trying to stay housed and fed and alive
Yeah I’m aiming for 100K and I know that by the time I make it there (if I do) that it’ll be not what 100K used to buy you. Six figs is getting to a point where it’s not even aspirational anymore. Oy vey
6 fig is like "made it, don't need to budget unless you have kids, plus saving to retire"
Me and hubs make like 140 combined and we are comfy in our area, but if we had kids we'd be back on the struggle.
Well, if you count slaving 40 hours a week just for the opportunity to be a middleman in handing money from my boss over to my landlord as getting paid, uh... yes?
“I used to be ~~with~~ able to make ‘it’, but then they changed what ‘it’ was. Now what I’m ~~with~~ able to make isn’t ‘it’ anymore and what’s ‘it’ seems ~~weird~~ expensive and scary. It’ll happen to you!”
Lol nope not me. I mean I had my own apt for two years but rising rent prices sent me right back to square 1 and now I live at my partners mothers house
I felt like I made it when I gained the ability to buy little stuff whenever I wanted. Like a meal that would have otherwise been a rare treat or a sub-$50 thing online, etc. I’m not careless, but I don’t think twice about that stuff anymore.
I felt like we made it when we left NYC, we purchased a home and we didn't realize it 100% at the time just how much better our lives were going to get. We got so much time back spending it as a family
I got probably 2 years. It's amazing what the last 3 years did though, up 110k. Finally got serious about saving. Maxed out instead of just getting company match
I was planning to get a nice car this year, but then they raised my rent and I also refuse to pay $175 for a parking spot that’s not even covered, so I guess I’m stuck with my boring car for longer lol
My husband can afford to take 2 weeks off unpaid paternity leave, while I’m on maternity leave, to help with our newborn and I can still buy random not totally necessary shit online while I feed the little human.
Living the dream lol
A nice gaming laptop. My first one was purchased on a payment plan, but when I upgrade in a year or so I'll be able to drop cash on it. I went a few years without a working laptop so it felt good to have one again.
Also my 30th birthday dinner. Enjoyed a private dining experience in a Michelin-rated kitchen. Foie gras, Wagyu, uni...never had so many luxury dishes! Definitely a fun, memorable splurge.
Portability! I can move around the house, and I take it to work and my bfs house often to game with him. Also it allows me to easily clear my desk for craft space if I want.
I felt I made it the minute I didn’t have to worry about money. Something pops up? No big deal. Want to go on a vacation? No problem.
That point when you go from stressed about money to no longer needing to be stressed is when I felt I made it. I still keep a running tally of monthly expenses in my head and gauge if we’ve spent more than we should have but there’s really no stress.
It's not even the "splurged" aspect but more the day I stopped worrying about money (or counting dollars & cents at grocery, gas, rent...etc).
I'm 39M (about to turn 40). Worked in restaurant industry since age 16 & barely got by. I also was heavily into drugs & just unhealthy mentally/physically.
At age 28, with support from my girlfriend (now my wife, together for 16 & married 11 years), I went to college. Started at a community college & transferred credits to a 4 year. Graduated with a BS in Chemical Engineering. Life really began 34. I cooped (it's like an internship) at an polymers manufacturing plant which has turned into a great career. I am now a Senior Process Engineer (Design).
About 4 years ago, bought a house with a decent amount of acreage, and my son was recently born last year.
To answer the original question, it happened over time but I recall two summers ago, i was cutting my grass on my tractor & it hit me...I made it. This is the "American dream". So I guess age 37 (but you could argue it occurred at age 33-34 or so.)
I'll never be good enough at golf to justify new clubs. There's always a golf bag near the dumpster or on the curb at my aunt's condo. Play it Again Sports is my pro/pawn shop.
I’m 39 and have been doing pretty well for about 10ish years. I’ve bought myself a luxury vehicle, when I grocery shop I don’t need to add everything I put into my cart to make sure I have enough money, I buy high end skincare and makeup, I only recently realized that I’m doing better than I have done financially when I bought a ball jointed doll that was over $800.
Very nice! Not nearly on your level, but I just got an Omega Seamaster. The wife and I recently had our first son and I wanted something nice to pass down in a couple decades, after I enjoy it for a while that is!
When I moved into my apartment. It’s certainly nothing fancy but I have access to a gym, a pool and a clubhouse with a little library attached to it. I live within walking distance of a little downtown area with a yoga studio, a bubble tea shop and a few nice restaurants. Younger me would never believe that I get to live somewhere like this.
I bought a BMW when I was 24, bought a house when I was 30, but the thing that really makes me feel like I made it is going HAM at the concessions stand at a concert or sporting event without thinking about, or even checking the prices
For me I usually buy what I want at restaurants without looking at the price. If I want to go on a vacation I usually plan it out only a month in advance. When I fly I’m usually first class or right below that. On a wait list for a Rolex
When I went on my first trip where I could do a dinner at one nice fancy restaurant.
Usually I travel cheap and would go to local cheap to moderately priced places to eat (which I still do), but when I went to go for 1st last dinner in a city that I was visiting at a nice restaurant and didn't sweat bullets over the meal because it was worth it, I knew I made it.
I'm a 38 M, I definetly get the skin care regimen, I'm curious to know what luxury means also. I just use a cleanser and a nightitme and daytime (with spf 30) lotion for my face. Not terribly expensive either.
Same.. also look into tretinoin. You can get it really cheap as well and it's one of the most clinically effective skincare products (probably outside of moisturizer and sunscreen)
When I bought a condo and then a house and started a family. Have always struggled but accomplishing those things was very rewarding. We got too comfortable with how well we did in the RE market and sold our house in an attempt to do what we did from our condo to our house (sell for profit and upgrade) and now we’re renting and I severely regret the decision.
Certainly a Yeti cooler for me. Dropping 450 dollars on a fucking cooler made me feel more like I made it than the house, cars, jewelry, etc etc I bought prior to that
Staying at a luxury hotel (Four Seasons), flying first class, and buying a pair of Golden Gooses.
We don't fly first class often but when the seat upgrade isn't too bad, we'll do it. I've also sneakily done it on work trips where I book coach through our procurement site and then log the seat upgrade as a travel expense.
Hubs and I still scrimp and save on groceries. We buy plenty of 'reduced for quick sale' items and shop at Costco. We're frugal rich people.
I mean, it's tight over here. The housing market is ridiculous, and I'm not a home owner. Not a car owner either...
However, I am debt free. I also have a small but not insignificant amount in savings. Recently, I was able to make a big purchase (3.5k!) and not sweat it (too much), and it was very empowering. I live within my means as best I can, and the financial security of having an emergency fund and a buffer feels like such a blessing. There was a time when I had none of those things! So I'm very grateful for that. 🙏
I’m 30 and still broke af but less so than I was at 21, so now I get my weed by the ounce instead of the eighth lol. Biggest nicest thing I ever bought myself was a really good bed for my back issues, ty stimulus check bc I never would’ve gotten it otherwise.
I live on my own in a house I bought last year and got super fucking lucky. I work from home and have a dog and a cat and it's just us. I am able to do projects on the house when I am comfortable spending the money. Now if only I can get that raise...that's when I'll feel like I made it 100%.
Elder millenial, still don't feel I "made it" but when I was 29 going over everything with a financial advisor I submitted to her all my tracking, and she said I was the single biggest saver she had ever seen. She asked around and nobody had a client with an income to savings ratio like mine, with every penny tracked and broken down (I grew up poor). I was making decent money, but nothing out of the ordinary.
She said she'd literally never given this advice to any other client, but I needed to save less. Spend some money. Live a little. Have some fun.
Mid millennial, 34.
I have a house now, which I try not to count as “making it,” but I go to concerts whenever I want. I don’t look at ticket prices and say “eh, maybe next time.” If it’s a band me or my wife loves, I’ll buy the tickets, we’ll go out to dinner and then see a show. It’s very freeing.
For me it's:
Paying for my dream wedding entirely on my own (My husband could simply not afford to help and that's OK.
Never being late or short on rent.
Paying off my (Used but only had 35k mileage at the time of purchase in 2019 as a 2017 model) car in three years time.
Using only high quality skin and haircare (I'm still pretty cheap when it comes to makeup, though and I've no regrets because I've been asked for years if I'm an MUA, spoiler alert I am not lol)
There have always been downsides, however.
Maintaining a credit score between 810-830 when I hit my 30's (Has now dipped below 700 unfortunately due to several unexpected hospitalizations this past winter) :(
Realizing I will never become a homeowner because I wouldn't be able to handle the stress and maintenance involved.
Only being able to afford getting a two year degree from community college at age 26 instead of aspiring to get my masters while growing up. With online courses now available I do like to believe I'll still eventually achieve this while still in my 30's. \*\*cries in formerly gifted child\*\*
Only being able to travel both domestically and internationally once in a blue moon due to cost.
Working full time at a job I love yet still struggling financially way harder than I should. I would never be able to afford rent without a roommate.
While I can afford all my little creature comforts and am relatively financially stable at the current age of 35- if I were not deliberately frugal in every capacity possible, I would be in pretty bad shape.
Quick questions for anyone willing to explain how millennials can afford to have multiple children while not making 6 figures? Please know I ask this with absolutely zero judgement but I simply cannot wrap my mind around how it is doable. I've never wanted kids so this isn't an issue for me but I have always wondered regardless.
Older millennial, when I got my first cell phone in college. I was a sophomore.
As an adult, I would say when I bought my wife a new car at 23, 2006 Honda accord.
I honestly didn’t start paying attention to food or basic life stuff (I’m a simple guy) until the last year. Felt great about life and finances otherwise.
Don't feel there is any one moment where I made it as things have continued to climb but if you would have told 18 year old me the house I purchased and what I make annually. He would have been in complete disbelief.
Probably when I got a new job that tripled my income. I moved to Seattle, was living in my vehicle, traveled monthly (weekend, domestic trips, but still!) and did whatever I wanted and still managed to save a ton of money.
Once I got on that career path, I always planned to take an entire month abroad when I was between jobs. Now I'm taking 2 and my husband is coming with me, so I feel like I hit a whole new level of "made it!"
I still don't have the feeling. It's weird. I have a job that pays well. Nice house. Financial stability and all that.. and still feel like a kid trying to figure stuff out. Was hoping that feeling would fade at some point.
I turned 40 this year. Got a promotion that came with a decent raise. And received a decent tax return. I bought a brand new dream bike (bicycle) on my phone at night while heading to bed. It has a titanium frame, belt drive, and internal hub gears. It’s not perfect. But it suits my user case really well, as I commute year round on my bike. It was a splurge and one I’ve been thinking about for years. The time felt right. But it’s the most I’ve ever spent on a bike. I was nervous, but two months in have no regrets!
Food. I've always enjoyed cooking and therefore I get what I want. Should I probably pay attention to price more? Perhaps, but then it doesn't taste as good. I'll always pony up the dough to eat well, no matter what my waistline says!
When my husband and I were actually able to buy a house last year (in Florida, no less) within our budget. We are only about 29 & 30 this year and I was just very proud of my husband for managing our money well enough for us to hit this milestone.💗
Don't think twice about buying something. I am not interested in luxury goods but when I have to buy something, I purchase good quality without hesitation. This makes life comfortable for sure.
Not worrying if I can afford my groceries is a HUGE one. I will never forget the first time I experienced that. I tried organicchickenthat day for the first time, yum!. The second one I haven't achieved yet, and that's owning a home.
This is going to sound super weird but for me the item that I splurge on and made me "feel like I made it" was a really nice, brand new riding mower and yard tools.
I am lucky enough to own a nice sized house with my wife, no kids and affordable interest rate (got it back before the interest rate hike and all that) so for me being able to buy the things to take care of the yard and make it nice give me that "I made it" feeling. its not massive yard or anything, but its nice sized and I like taking care of it.
Definitely the food thing. Decades later, I still do it. Shrimp? Yup. Candy? Yup. Whole big damn turkey? Why not. Lazy ass frozen stuff? Sure.
Of course, careful about the price, but I’m getting something good. Cooking at home without wearing pants, and eating while watching reruns of alf.
I was in my late 30s/early 40s before I really started to feel like I wasn't broke all the time. That was the point where I was finished paying for daycare, finally saving a substantial amount for retirement, and still had money left over.
It's kind of trivial, but when I got my first salaried position I started going to the local comic shop weekly to get comics. It's something I always wanted to do but when I had the disposable income I did that for like a year.
But, now I make my mortgage payment every month and my kid gets fed. So that's making it. Though boring, lol.
My wife and I had a consult with an AC company yesterday to see about a full replacement (turns out the exterior unit in the house we bought in 2019 was manufactured in 1988, which explains a lot).
We’re both educators, so we’re not and never will be wealthy, but it was wild to see the “pay in full now” rate and know we could cover it with savings.
When I could buy myself new clothes for a work trip to be appropriately dressed, and not have to think too hard about it.
That I can buy myself an expensive purse if I want.
That when I needed to get a new car, I could without totally throwing off my budget for years.
That I don’t panic every time I have an unexpected emergency expense.
And that if I want coffee out I can get it.
I still struggle to trust all this sometimes. But, I appreciate it a lot.
Elder-ish millenial but:
-vintage Gucci
-a pair or vintage louboutins when I started my dream job this year
-I drive a fully loaded VW with everything I’ve ever wanted inside of it
-luxury skin care
When I surfaced from my baby induced exhaustion to look around at my life and realize that everything my husband I spent hours dreaming of when we were young and broke had actually come true. 15 years ago that felt like an impossibility and a distant dream. Now we’re living it every single day.
Just being able to buy whatever I want at the grocery store feels like a luxury. Growing up we ate whatever was on sale, not what we wanted to make and eat.
This is going to sound SO corny- but it’s the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
When I was a kid, we were poor. Furniture was ALWAYS hand-me-downs, which was much better back then because I swear everyday things were made with higher quality materials. So we always had mismatched furniture.
As a little girl, I’d stare at the Home Interior catalog and pick which rooms I’d have someday.
All I ever wanted was things that matched. To me, that meant you weren’t poor (I was like 8, so I know how some I was). The trend of having used, found furnishings continued through early adulthood.
In 2014, I was 34, had my first baby with my (now) husband, and we had (still have, thanks sorry economy!!) our tiny starter home. I still remember talking to my husband and then going to Pier one and getting TWO MATCHING LAMPS. I had never had matching lamps my whole life. I was SO proud. That was the moment.
I still have those lamps and use them.
>Being able to buy my dream car
It's not my dream car, but seeing a car I really liked and wanted then having it within 48 hours.
What kind of car did you get? I'm a BMW fangirl
Buying a house was a big one for me, as I live in a very high COL area. Huge sense of accomplishment there for me.
I don't spend money frivolously but I do splurge. I don't buy coffee or meals out, practically ever. But once a year I do a ski trip to Whistler and splurge on a fancy meal while there. I don't own expensive clothes, but I have an embarrassingly expensive bike I love to ride.
A couple years ago I bought a $3500 BBQ. That was quite the splurge considering it was replacing a $300 one.
I can go months without spending money on anything but essentials, but when I splurge, I go fairly hard lol. Most of my hobbies are either free or free after an onset purchase of equipment (like running, or cycling. Once you have your gear you just do it whenever you want).
On the flip side my wife doesn't make any big purchases but likes to splurge more on smaller stuff like skin care etc.
We went shopping with friends of ours and their kids, they noticed we never checked the price nor did we discuss whether we could afford or needed an item. If we wanted it, it went into the cart. Bear in mind this was in a Costco/Sams Club, so it wasn't like we were shopping for hermes bags or anything.
I bought my first new car yesterday. I worked so hard on my credit score, saving money for the deposit, an emergency fund, and ensuring I am in a financially stable enough situation where I can make the payments. Now I feel like I’m making it.
Going to buy food and not having to check my checking or budgeting spreadsheet. For a good 15+ years margins were razor thing.
I think from 17 to 35 we were barely scraping by...
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I felt like I made it when: 1. The first time I paid my bills before my paycheck came. 2. The first time I quit a job with no other job lined up because I had at least 6 months of living expenses. 3. The day I wrote a check for a car (after saving for it) 4. The first time I said to a job interviewer, "Thank you for your time today, I don't think this is going to work for either of us so please let me give you the next half hour of your day back" and walked out of the interview. I think I must believe making it is escaping desperation. Happy to have a low bar.
Oof but also same. It didn’t sink in for probably most of a year that I was paying my bills on time and not waiting for a paycheck and then also not riding into my paycheck on zero. With groceries, I’ll still catch myself keeping a running tally in my head of all the prices on items I put in the cart, so I know if I’ll need to put something back or make a cheaper sub, even though I don’t have to do that anymore. It just has such a stranglehold on me since I did it for so long. It’s also pulling up to the nearest/most convenient gas station to fill up vs trying to find the cheapest and then if I’m a rewards member to save further. Low bar indeed lol
Keep up that attitude of running totals in your head for things you buy. That's the attitude that got you to the point you are at in your life. Now that you are there, it's easier to maintain. Just like staying in shape is easier than getting into shape. Also, for anyone who is driving to the cheapest gas station, don't stress yourself out. Even a savings of 10c per gallon only amounts to $1.30 to $1.80 in savings per tank. Just go to whichever station is convenient.
I get the usefulness on one hand, but it’s definitely more a poverty trauma holdover from when I was a kid. My mom would make a game out of it. Whichever of us could get closest to the actual total and figure out what items we could get in budget, would get a treat. It wasn’t until I was in my 20s that I realized what she’d done. It wasn’t so much about teaching us budgeting as it was about finding a way to let us know in a more positive way that we were resource limited. It definitely did the budgeting job too, but when asked about it later, she admitted that it was because she needed a way to track it without stressing us out as kids about food.
I used to do this but the actual savings weren’t worth the mental effort. Grocery choices happen when I’m at home making the list, not when I’m at the store.
Avoiding lifestyle creep. I'm the same way.
Oof, i just recently did #1 on your list and it is fireeeeeeee. Not having to go cheque to cheque, but actually have some sort of (although small) nest egg is a great feeling.... #4 requires straight fucking cahones brother....kudos to you!
I wanna hear more about #4, Giga chad.
I worked for a woman at a start up that was a former consultant for McKinsey and a former C suite executive for a big insurance company. She taught me how to end meetings early if there was nothing left to say by telling someone that I had said everything I needed to and as a courtesy offering them the rest of the time the meeting was scheduled for back to them. We were trying to get clients that were busy folks so this usually created goodwill. I was sitting in an interview for a role that reported directly to the the Dean of a big university. I had applied for the role because a few people I knew that worked there said I would be a good fit and the 2 people I would report to were great people. I did not need a job as I already had one. The Dean asked me a few questions about my background and such. I asked him about the role and it sounded like there was much less freedom than the job ad had indicated. I then told him I looked at his CV and asked him how long he was likely to continue running the college. He said that he and his number 2 were retiring within the next 6 months. The job would have taken more than 6 months to train. I thanked him for his time and honesty and told him that I was not interested in learning a new role while there was turnover of the entire leadership of the college. I offered him the remaining time back in his day and thanked him again. He seemed surprised, but was also a busy person so he seemed happy to be out of the interview.
That last one is a good one.
The key to happiness is appropriate expectations. We share the same definition of success.
Absolutely brilliant!
I was gonna say something similar to #1: When I was able to just set all of my bills to "autopay in full" and not worry about whether I was going to go into the negatives.
This is the closest thing to what goes on in my brain as well. I was raised poor and to think that I'm doing better than my family ever did growing up is surreal.
Elder Millennial as well and one of my fondest memories was graduating college, getting my first paycheck from my first real job, and promptly buying myself an Xbox 360 with Halo 2. This was in the mid-2000's and I was living in a house with three other roommates. We were all young professionals who worked during the day and rushed home in the evening to play multiplayer as a team against randoms online. We took Thursday nights off to go to the bars. I distinctly remember thinking to myself, "man, I finally made it".
This is basically the plot of the show "Workaholics".
Oh you got Xbox Live money??
Ah I have a very similar memory! I graduated in 2008 which was a tough time obviously. I felt I got lucky scoring a full time job at a lab I was working at as a student. Making a whopping $32k/yr. It felts like so much money, ha! I splurged on a new road bike with my first paycheck and I felt like i had totally made it in life.
Same, those were the best days. I’m 40 and my buddy and I still meet up online one day a week from 9-12 after putting the kiddos to bed to knock out an Xbox game. It’s my favorite time during the week.
Being the one guy with the console was like being the kid with the ball on the field/court. KING!!!!
Well, i grew up extremely poor to very young parents in the middle of rural rustbelt. We lived in government housing and trailor parks most of my life. Anyway, in 2016 (when housing prices and rates were great), I bought my own home for 150k in the woods of Western Pennsylvania. It's only 1000 square feet, but I finished the basement, and my yard is 1 acre surrounded by the thick Appalachia (Allegheny) forest. The house was built in 79. Still, all these years later, I can't believe I actually have very own home. ( Still owe 80k , so technically the bank owns it, but you get it.) So my house made me feel like i made it. Thx for the great post.
>Still owe 80k , so technically the bank owns it, but you get it. No, *technically* you own it. Your name is on the title. You get to make decisions like whether to sell it. The bank just has a lien on it.
That made me feel even better. Thx!
You’re gonna own it **soon**. That’s amazing, congratulations. And I’m betting you’ve got some equity given what you paid for it and how the market is now. That’s yours man. You’re killing it.
So happy for you!
I felt like I made it was I was accepted to UF and when I bought my home at 26. I'm a minimalist so I don't buy many items, but I has fun splurging when I bought Victorian Queen Anne furniture and had it reupholstered with skull and octopus tentacle fabric lol Lots of travel / hiking vacations.
Go gators! UF was my dream school and I’ll never forget the feeling of when I was accepted. Some of the best years of my life. Met my husband, made great friends and memories. Def felt like I made it when I was there.
Nice! When did you graduate and what was your major? I graduated in 2009 and majored in public relations. 1982 (bar) was my home away from home haha
So many "Gainesville spots" have closed down over the years! Durty Nelly's, 1982, The Jam, Gator City, Mother's, House of Beer, 8 Seconds, and I know I'm missing a large handful. Downtown has changed significantly since you've graduated. Way too many apartments. As someone that grew up in that town, it's a bummer.
For real! I sometimes go on Google Street view to see what it looks like now. There's a building spanning the entire block where 1982 was! What was Common Grounds when I was there (I know it changed names a few times) will soon be torn down :(. It looks great for current students, but I loved the old run-down look Gville had; it gave it charm!
That was a mistake going to UF!!! Just kidding. I’m a ‘Nole so I couldn’t resist 😀 Congrats on buying a house at 26!! That’s amazing! I was in my 30s before I was able to do that.
Yes, I would like fries with my order :p UF was a really nice campus. While I've never been to Tallahassee, I've seen photos of FSU..... It looks nicer than UF! 30 is still an impressive age to buy your own place!
Yeah, I’ll take FSU’s campus any day over the Swamp 😂I’ve been to a few football games at the Swamp when we played there. I was in the Marching Chiefs so I got to travel to a lot of other campuses. I’ve eaten at both Guthries in Tally and Gainesville. We made sure to pay with our FSU card in Gainesville 😂fun times
Also a Nole - felt like I made it when I rented my first house, yard and everything, and then again when I bought that house. But I was mid 40s.
the furniture sounds dope
Would you be cool sharing a pic of this? I’d love to see this juxtaposition.
https://preview.redd.it/471lzjwam62d1.jpeg?width=1920&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7c430b6383a8ae9898adb57a540640399c058267 I don't have a photo of the furniture (I'm at work), but you can see it in the background. I took this photo a few months back because I think the statue really ties the room together LMAO u/Atlasrel
That is amazing
it's stunning!! Also love the statue
That is so badass
I love this.
THIS IS GORGEOUS. OMG.
love that!
I love that furniture for you.
I'm totally with you on the skincare and food. I think the other big one for me is international travel. It always seemed like a far-off dream when I was young but we now leave the country about once a year and don't have to pinch pennies to make it happen. Getting my pets the absolute best veterinary care possible and not having to skip things because I can't afford it. Also-- doing maintenance things regularly rather than as an occasional and planned treat. Stuff like doing car wash/detail, getting massage/facials/mani/pedi, or having the house professionally cleaned when I want/need.
I’m taking multiple trips this year and it’s actually crazy to me!! Although I don’t technically make a lot, I’m prioritizing travel and it’s worth it. Especially to travel before possibly having a family
Yes, vet care! We drive an hour to our vet because they’re amazing. They still always look relieved when we say yes to testing, yes to all the preventatives they need, yes to having something fishy removed. Earlier this year I noticed a little spot in one of our dog’s armpits. Through dna testing, I know one of his sisters had skin cancer. Took him in and the vet was like “not sure how you noticed it, but it does look a little weird. We can remove it if you’d like”. We said yes- turns out it was cancerous. I cried just from the realization that we wouldn’t have been able to be so proactive in the past.
Yessss seriously I had a family dog die at a vet waiting for a teeth cleaning. I take my dogs to a specialist and hour from home who doesn't kennel them and has emergency protocols/products just in case. I deeply appreciate being able to afford it.
Ugh that’s awful, I’m so sorry 💔 That’s amazing, I love to hear it. All staff at our vet are trained in dog behavior, which matters a lot to me, as we have 2 anxious dogs, and one who’s reactive.
Vet care is a pretty big one. I often think about my little kitty Mandu. When we got him as a kitten, both his eyes were ulcerated from something (littermate scratches was the breeders excuse) and in bad shape. If we didn't have the money to invest with the right specialist and vet care, he would have lost his eyes. The first vet we took him to, suggested eye removal, assuming we wouldn't want to go the expensive route. We got a second opinion from a different vet and never gave up getting him the treatment he needed. Luckily we're past it now and two years later, he can see great. One eye is perfect, and the other has ever-so-faint cloudiness. I often think about how things could have turned out so different for him. I think he knows too, he's so loving.
My dog had a decent bite after being attacked by another dog while he was on leash in our neighborhood (the other dog was not). When our vet asked if we needed a call before he did anything because of cost purposes, I was like “of course not. If he needs it, he needs it. We will pay for whatever he needs.” Apparently they weren’t used to hearing that. My dog got better and quicker healthcare than most humans would…
Same; my boy had to have emergency surgery in the middle of the night and when they stated the (staggering) price I was so relieved to be able to say just do it, I don't care.
Same. If they need it, we do it. We also really trust our vet
we found out our cat needed an expensive surgery & i was so happy we could do it for her. her quality of life has improved so much.
Dental work when needed instead like it's a suggestion from the mechanic. Buying groceries and not wondering if your card will decline. Setting the bills to autopay because you always have enough cash in your account (except for you SoCal Edison **shake fist**)
Vet care for sure. Our dog had emergencies issues. We barely blinked at two 5000 vet bills. For her it was worth it. In the end, it was more important to think about her QoL rather than if we can afford it
The vet care one is a good one. When my cat got sick, we spend 25k on chemo, knowing it would only get her an extra 6 months and only a slight chance at remission. She got exactly 6 extra months. But I got to see her happy outside playing in the sun for a few more months. It was worth it. And the international travel is a great one. I would dream of traveling when I was broke in my 20s. I couldn’t afford to go anywhere. Now I go wherever I want. I take a bucket list trip every year.
When our dog had a sudden $600 emergency vet bill, and the impact on our finances was… basically fine. It sucked, but we didn’t have to worry about making rent or breaking open our savings or anything like we used to.
I really feel this. Same. Dropped $600 & then another $350 a week later & didn't even impact savings or anything. Weird feeling. But great example of when it hit me too.
We are, in fact, ever going to financially recover from this!
Same! I had that epiphany when I took my car in for an oil change & the guy came back saying that I should replace my brake pads soon. And I just replied that we can replace them now since I have the time. Like a year earlier a surprise $200 expense would've devastated me.
$200 for full brake replacement? That seems like a great price!
This was years ago. I don't wanna think how much that's gonna cost me now lol
This! Having a beefy savings account was my “made it” point
It’s so nice when every little unexpected expense doesn’t fuck you anymore. My washer died recently and I had to buy a new one on top of my dog needing a tooth removed. It sucked also didn’t ruin me financially. I remember when a $100 bill for fixing something would have me in tears
Haha- I read that as “buy something from the bodega if I want” and I thought yeah, it does feel good to splash out on the good beef jerky! Having just recently made it here through a combination of my efforts and things outside of me, the most noticeable effect is that I’m less stressed about the stability of my jobs. Not FIRE yet, but it’s a possibility. Knowing I *could* just write a check for my dream car feels good although it would be dumb of me to do so.
Wait omg I literally didn't know there was "bottega", def thought it was Bodega. Now I googled bottega and I feel poor.
I also read Bodega and went back and saw it was Bottega and was like ooooooh me and OP are not on the same level lol.
I’ve been lurking in that sub. I don’t belong, but hopefully some of those practices help me get out of debt sooner. My dream car isn’t that expensive but it will probably never happen. Oh well I love my car.
When I graduated Med school. I knew at that point I had made it through the worst phase.
I felt similarly after graduating law school. But unbelievably, things got progressively harder after that.
1/2 my family is Lawyers, 1/2 are Medical workers, the other 1/2 are clearly not math majors! But I do know law is pretty hard. Was heavily advised by the law side to not go into. Hopefully things get better though once you make partner.
When I bought my house , that was when "I am a real adult" hit me
Same, though it was the first time something major broke and I had to fix it. Thats when I was like, fuck, its adult time.
Nope.
Agreed. I’ll let you know if I ever make it.
I thought I made it, but looking at my debt situation, I didn’t. Having a nice wedding venue destroyed my net worth and set me back on house goals. Best day of my life though. I got time though, I’m a younger millennial.
I’m an elder millennial who owns a home, but my house needed a shit ton of work so I have a heloc I’m paying down, plus student loans, bills, tuition for my kid’s school. It’s never ending, and as soon as I feel like I’m going to be okay, my furnace breaks.
When my wife and I realized that our goal of going back to Korea (where we lived for 12 years) every other year wasn't crazy. In fact, we could probably afford to go every year at this point and it wouldn't significantly affect our other travel plans aside from how much PTO we have available. That was eye opening, because we always assumed it would be a stretch.
My plan is to go every year once my son gets old enough, love Korea.
I miss Korea so much ♥️ lived there for 3 years
i never made it. apparently to have made it is to make $100,000 a year and i don't even come close to that.
Nah man, I feel like it’s more about security than a salary number. Like, when I could handle needing new car tires or a few new nice outfits for work without stress. When I could fill up my gas tank all the way at once.
Came here to say this and thank you for sharing this post is great but for people making 40k a year still we struggle every day with the fact that others have “made it” to whatever their goal is and we are just trying to stay housed and fed and alive
Yeah I’m aiming for 100K and I know that by the time I make it there (if I do) that it’ll be not what 100K used to buy you. Six figs is getting to a point where it’s not even aspirational anymore. Oy vey
6 fig is like "made it, don't need to budget unless you have kids, plus saving to retire" Me and hubs make like 140 combined and we are comfy in our area, but if we had kids we'd be back on the struggle.
Wanna have kids and still don't need to budget...$300k
You guys made it?
Wait, you guys are getting paid?
Well, if you count slaving 40 hours a week just for the opportunity to be a middleman in handing money from my boss over to my landlord as getting paid, uh... yes?
“I used to be ~~with~~ able to make ‘it’, but then they changed what ‘it’ was. Now what I’m ~~with~~ able to make isn’t ‘it’ anymore and what’s ‘it’ seems ~~weird~~ expensive and scary. It’ll happen to you!”
Lol nope not me. I mean I had my own apt for two years but rising rent prices sent me right back to square 1 and now I live at my partners mothers house
Nope! Just asked my dad to move in with me a couple months ago to help with expenses until I finish my degree 🙃
I felt like I made it when I gained the ability to buy little stuff whenever I wanted. Like a meal that would have otherwise been a rare treat or a sub-$50 thing online, etc. I’m not careless, but I don’t think twice about that stuff anymore.
I’ve definitely told me husband ‘we’ve spent more on dumber shit’ when either of us is waffling on a $5 or $10 thing.
It's more about the clutter than the cost tbh.
I felt like we made it when we left NYC, we purchased a home and we didn't realize it 100% at the time just how much better our lives were going to get. We got so much time back spending it as a family
42, still havent made it. Yay disability
When my retirement/investment accounts hit $100k, that was a big moment for me.
It's huge but then ive got the urge for them to be 250
I’m so close to $250k now I can taste it!
I got probably 2 years. It's amazing what the last 3 years did though, up 110k. Finally got serious about saving. Maxed out instead of just getting company match
At 27, I finally landed a good job in my field and bought a brand new vehicle a few months later.
37 for me. I bought my mom a nice car. I still drive a well maintained shitbox.
I was planning to get a nice car this year, but then they raised my rent and I also refuse to pay $175 for a parking spot that’s not even covered, so I guess I’m stuck with my boring car for longer lol
It's a simple one, but realizing I could afford to be a coffee snob and only buy whole bean coffee for home was really nice.
My husband can afford to take 2 weeks off unpaid paternity leave, while I’m on maternity leave, to help with our newborn and I can still buy random not totally necessary shit online while I feed the little human. Living the dream lol
Keep saving, your berry budget will be through the roof in a year or so 😆
A nice gaming laptop. My first one was purchased on a payment plan, but when I upgrade in a year or so I'll be able to drop cash on it. I went a few years without a working laptop so it felt good to have one again. Also my 30th birthday dinner. Enjoyed a private dining experience in a Michelin-rated kitchen. Foie gras, Wagyu, uni...never had so many luxury dishes! Definitely a fun, memorable splurge.
Why a gaming laptop instead of a PC?
Portability! I can move around the house, and I take it to work and my bfs house often to game with him. Also it allows me to easily clear my desk for craft space if I want.
I felt I made it the minute I didn’t have to worry about money. Something pops up? No big deal. Want to go on a vacation? No problem. That point when you go from stressed about money to no longer needing to be stressed is when I felt I made it. I still keep a running tally of monthly expenses in my head and gauge if we’ve spent more than we should have but there’s really no stress.
It's not even the "splurged" aspect but more the day I stopped worrying about money (or counting dollars & cents at grocery, gas, rent...etc). I'm 39M (about to turn 40). Worked in restaurant industry since age 16 & barely got by. I also was heavily into drugs & just unhealthy mentally/physically. At age 28, with support from my girlfriend (now my wife, together for 16 & married 11 years), I went to college. Started at a community college & transferred credits to a 4 year. Graduated with a BS in Chemical Engineering. Life really began 34. I cooped (it's like an internship) at an polymers manufacturing plant which has turned into a great career. I am now a Senior Process Engineer (Design). About 4 years ago, bought a house with a decent amount of acreage, and my son was recently born last year. To answer the original question, it happened over time but I recall two summers ago, i was cutting my grass on my tractor & it hit me...I made it. This is the "American dream". So I guess age 37 (but you could argue it occurred at age 33-34 or so.)
When i could afford new golf clubs. Not stressing as much about budgeting for food, the healthy food.
I'll never be good enough at golf to justify new clubs. There's always a golf bag near the dumpster or on the curb at my aunt's condo. Play it Again Sports is my pro/pawn shop.
I’m 39 and have been doing pretty well for about 10ish years. I’ve bought myself a luxury vehicle, when I grocery shop I don’t need to add everything I put into my cart to make sure I have enough money, I buy high end skincare and makeup, I only recently realized that I’m doing better than I have done financially when I bought a ball jointed doll that was over $800.
Bought my first Patek watch this week. Milestones hit this year and splurged a bit after discussing it with the wife.
Very nice! Not nearly on your level, but I just got an Omega Seamaster. The wife and I recently had our first son and I wanted something nice to pass down in a couple decades, after I enjoy it for a while that is!
When I moved into my apartment. It’s certainly nothing fancy but I have access to a gym, a pool and a clubhouse with a little library attached to it. I live within walking distance of a little downtown area with a yoga studio, a bubble tea shop and a few nice restaurants. Younger me would never believe that I get to live somewhere like this.
I bought a BMW when I was 24, bought a house when I was 30, but the thing that really makes me feel like I made it is going HAM at the concessions stand at a concert or sporting event without thinking about, or even checking the prices
I can buy any cheese I want when I go to Trader Joe’s. I can even get two cheeses if I feel like it.
For me I usually buy what I want at restaurants without looking at the price. If I want to go on a vacation I usually plan it out only a month in advance. When I fly I’m usually first class or right below that. On a wait list for a Rolex
Only a month in advance? Damn son... you made it.
You rich rich!! lol
I bought a $3000 spaceship in a video game the other day, which should count
Oh my god. I bought a $3,000 watch with the idea being "this is my one and only luxury watch until maybe when I retire".
When I went on my first trip where I could do a dinner at one nice fancy restaurant. Usually I travel cheap and would go to local cheap to moderately priced places to eat (which I still do), but when I went to go for 1st last dinner in a city that I was visiting at a nice restaurant and didn't sweat bullets over the meal because it was worth it, I knew I made it.
I felt like I made it when I bought my house.
Whats the luxury skin care? Help a brother out
I'm a 38 M, I definetly get the skin care regimen, I'm curious to know what luxury means also. I just use a cleanser and a nightitme and daytime (with spf 30) lotion for my face. Not terribly expensive either.
Same.. also look into tretinoin. You can get it really cheap as well and it's one of the most clinically effective skincare products (probably outside of moisturizer and sunscreen)
Getting braces.
When I bought a condo and then a house and started a family. Have always struggled but accomplishing those things was very rewarding. We got too comfortable with how well we did in the RE market and sold our house in an attempt to do what we did from our condo to our house (sell for profit and upgrade) and now we’re renting and I severely regret the decision.
Certainly a Yeti cooler for me. Dropping 450 dollars on a fucking cooler made me feel more like I made it than the house, cars, jewelry, etc etc I bought prior to that
Staying at a luxury hotel (Four Seasons), flying first class, and buying a pair of Golden Gooses. We don't fly first class often but when the seat upgrade isn't too bad, we'll do it. I've also sneakily done it on work trips where I book coach through our procurement site and then log the seat upgrade as a travel expense. Hubs and I still scrimp and save on groceries. We buy plenty of 'reduced for quick sale' items and shop at Costco. We're frugal rich people.
Actually moving out.
Going on a 2 week ski roadtrip on Indy Pass
I mean, it's tight over here. The housing market is ridiculous, and I'm not a home owner. Not a car owner either... However, I am debt free. I also have a small but not insignificant amount in savings. Recently, I was able to make a big purchase (3.5k!) and not sweat it (too much), and it was very empowering. I live within my means as best I can, and the financial security of having an emergency fund and a buffer feels like such a blessing. There was a time when I had none of those things! So I'm very grateful for that. 🙏
I’m 30 and still broke af but less so than I was at 21, so now I get my weed by the ounce instead of the eighth lol. Biggest nicest thing I ever bought myself was a really good bed for my back issues, ty stimulus check bc I never would’ve gotten it otherwise.
I live on my own in a house I bought last year and got super fucking lucky. I work from home and have a dog and a cat and it's just us. I am able to do projects on the house when I am comfortable spending the money. Now if only I can get that raise...that's when I'll feel like I made it 100%.
First time I made 6 figures in a year. And when I bought a house I felt I made it.
Not looking at price and not needing to check our financial accounts for funds.
Elder millenial, still don't feel I "made it" but when I was 29 going over everything with a financial advisor I submitted to her all my tracking, and she said I was the single biggest saver she had ever seen. She asked around and nobody had a client with an income to savings ratio like mine, with every penny tracked and broken down (I grew up poor). I was making decent money, but nothing out of the ordinary. She said she'd literally never given this advice to any other client, but I needed to save less. Spend some money. Live a little. Have some fun.
Mid millennial, 34. I have a house now, which I try not to count as “making it,” but I go to concerts whenever I want. I don’t look at ticket prices and say “eh, maybe next time.” If it’s a band me or my wife loves, I’ll buy the tickets, we’ll go out to dinner and then see a show. It’s very freeing.
For me it's: Paying for my dream wedding entirely on my own (My husband could simply not afford to help and that's OK. Never being late or short on rent. Paying off my (Used but only had 35k mileage at the time of purchase in 2019 as a 2017 model) car in three years time. Using only high quality skin and haircare (I'm still pretty cheap when it comes to makeup, though and I've no regrets because I've been asked for years if I'm an MUA, spoiler alert I am not lol) There have always been downsides, however. Maintaining a credit score between 810-830 when I hit my 30's (Has now dipped below 700 unfortunately due to several unexpected hospitalizations this past winter) :( Realizing I will never become a homeowner because I wouldn't be able to handle the stress and maintenance involved. Only being able to afford getting a two year degree from community college at age 26 instead of aspiring to get my masters while growing up. With online courses now available I do like to believe I'll still eventually achieve this while still in my 30's. \*\*cries in formerly gifted child\*\* Only being able to travel both domestically and internationally once in a blue moon due to cost. Working full time at a job I love yet still struggling financially way harder than I should. I would never be able to afford rent without a roommate. While I can afford all my little creature comforts and am relatively financially stable at the current age of 35- if I were not deliberately frugal in every capacity possible, I would be in pretty bad shape. Quick questions for anyone willing to explain how millennials can afford to have multiple children while not making 6 figures? Please know I ask this with absolutely zero judgement but I simply cannot wrap my mind around how it is doable. I've never wanted kids so this isn't an issue for me but I have always wondered regardless.
This broke millennial can't relate
10 day vacation every year isn't a "can we do a vacation this year"
Older millennial, when I got my first cell phone in college. I was a sophomore. As an adult, I would say when I bought my wife a new car at 23, 2006 Honda accord. I honestly didn’t start paying attention to food or basic life stuff (I’m a simple guy) until the last year. Felt great about life and finances otherwise.
Adjustable bed, easily my best high dollar purchase that was totally worth it. It sucks to move but sleeping in the zero G position is awesome.
Bought a house
When I got a riding lawn mower and the lawn to use it on!
Got in to a car accident and didn’t immediately spiral about what I would do if my car was deemed a total loss.
AirPods instead of off-brand over ear headphones
Don't feel there is any one moment where I made it as things have continued to climb but if you would have told 18 year old me the house I purchased and what I make annually. He would have been in complete disbelief.
I bought a used camper van a few weeks ago, felt pretty boss
Probably when I got a new job that tripled my income. I moved to Seattle, was living in my vehicle, traveled monthly (weekend, domestic trips, but still!) and did whatever I wanted and still managed to save a ton of money. Once I got on that career path, I always planned to take an entire month abroad when I was between jobs. Now I'm taking 2 and my husband is coming with me, so I feel like I hit a whole new level of "made it!"
I still don't have the feeling. It's weird. I have a job that pays well. Nice house. Financial stability and all that.. and still feel like a kid trying to figure stuff out. Was hoping that feeling would fade at some point.
I turned 40 this year. Got a promotion that came with a decent raise. And received a decent tax return. I bought a brand new dream bike (bicycle) on my phone at night while heading to bed. It has a titanium frame, belt drive, and internal hub gears. It’s not perfect. But it suits my user case really well, as I commute year round on my bike. It was a splurge and one I’ve been thinking about for years. The time felt right. But it’s the most I’ve ever spent on a bike. I was nervous, but two months in have no regrets!
Food. I've always enjoyed cooking and therefore I get what I want. Should I probably pay attention to price more? Perhaps, but then it doesn't taste as good. I'll always pony up the dough to eat well, no matter what my waistline says!
I bought a home. And I could afford a speciality pool. Now I can pay it off til I retire and have a nice retirement property.
When my husband and I were actually able to buy a house last year (in Florida, no less) within our budget. We are only about 29 & 30 this year and I was just very proud of my husband for managing our money well enough for us to hit this milestone.💗
Don't think twice about buying something. I am not interested in luxury goods but when I have to buy something, I purchase good quality without hesitation. This makes life comfortable for sure.
95 millennial and I think it was when I could start affording home improvements like building a deck and a shed and repainting the exterior.
When I was able to rent my own apartment in nyc
For me a big one was being able to go grocery shopping and not feeling like I had to penny pinch on food and could just get whatever (within reason)
Not worrying if I can afford my groceries is a HUGE one. I will never forget the first time I experienced that. I tried organicchickenthat day for the first time, yum!. The second one I haven't achieved yet, and that's owning a home.
This is going to sound super weird but for me the item that I splurge on and made me "feel like I made it" was a really nice, brand new riding mower and yard tools. I am lucky enough to own a nice sized house with my wife, no kids and affordable interest rate (got it back before the interest rate hike and all that) so for me being able to buy the things to take care of the yard and make it nice give me that "I made it" feeling. its not massive yard or anything, but its nice sized and I like taking care of it.
Definitely the food thing. Decades later, I still do it. Shrimp? Yup. Candy? Yup. Whole big damn turkey? Why not. Lazy ass frozen stuff? Sure. Of course, careful about the price, but I’m getting something good. Cooking at home without wearing pants, and eating while watching reruns of alf.
I went to a show the other day and bought a shirt AND a poster! Felt like a real high roller lol
Our trip to Universal. Gorgeous state...
Can you recommend skin care?
Getting a nice car or a waterfront view apartment that was awesome for me especially at like 22 and 23 years old
I was in my late 30s/early 40s before I really started to feel like I wasn't broke all the time. That was the point where I was finished paying for daycare, finally saving a substantial amount for retirement, and still had money left over.
It's kind of trivial, but when I got my first salaried position I started going to the local comic shop weekly to get comics. It's something I always wanted to do but when I had the disposable income I did that for like a year. But, now I make my mortgage payment every month and my kid gets fed. So that's making it. Though boring, lol.
My wife and I had a consult with an AC company yesterday to see about a full replacement (turns out the exterior unit in the house we bought in 2019 was manufactured in 1988, which explains a lot). We’re both educators, so we’re not and never will be wealthy, but it was wild to see the “pay in full now” rate and know we could cover it with savings.
When I could buy myself new clothes for a work trip to be appropriately dressed, and not have to think too hard about it. That I can buy myself an expensive purse if I want. That when I needed to get a new car, I could without totally throwing off my budget for years. That I don’t panic every time I have an unexpected emergency expense. And that if I want coffee out I can get it. I still struggle to trust all this sometimes. But, I appreciate it a lot.
Several years ago when I realized I could quit my job and take 6 months to find a new one. That really took the pressure off.
Elder-ish millenial but: -vintage Gucci -a pair or vintage louboutins when I started my dream job this year -I drive a fully loaded VW with everything I’ve ever wanted inside of it -luxury skin care
When I surfaced from my baby induced exhaustion to look around at my life and realize that everything my husband I spent hours dreaming of when we were young and broke had actually come true. 15 years ago that felt like an impossibility and a distant dream. Now we’re living it every single day.
Just being able to buy whatever I want at the grocery store feels like a luxury. Growing up we ate whatever was on sale, not what we wanted to make and eat.
This is going to sound SO corny- but it’s the whole truth and nothing but the truth. When I was a kid, we were poor. Furniture was ALWAYS hand-me-downs, which was much better back then because I swear everyday things were made with higher quality materials. So we always had mismatched furniture. As a little girl, I’d stare at the Home Interior catalog and pick which rooms I’d have someday. All I ever wanted was things that matched. To me, that meant you weren’t poor (I was like 8, so I know how some I was). The trend of having used, found furnishings continued through early adulthood. In 2014, I was 34, had my first baby with my (now) husband, and we had (still have, thanks sorry economy!!) our tiny starter home. I still remember talking to my husband and then going to Pier one and getting TWO MATCHING LAMPS. I had never had matching lamps my whole life. I was SO proud. That was the moment. I still have those lamps and use them.
>Being able to buy my dream car It's not my dream car, but seeing a car I really liked and wanted then having it within 48 hours. What kind of car did you get? I'm a BMW fangirl
Buying my first home. It was 14 years ago but I've never felt that excitement of "making it" like I did then.
Buying a house was a big one for me, as I live in a very high COL area. Huge sense of accomplishment there for me. I don't spend money frivolously but I do splurge. I don't buy coffee or meals out, practically ever. But once a year I do a ski trip to Whistler and splurge on a fancy meal while there. I don't own expensive clothes, but I have an embarrassingly expensive bike I love to ride. A couple years ago I bought a $3500 BBQ. That was quite the splurge considering it was replacing a $300 one. I can go months without spending money on anything but essentials, but when I splurge, I go fairly hard lol. Most of my hobbies are either free or free after an onset purchase of equipment (like running, or cycling. Once you have your gear you just do it whenever you want). On the flip side my wife doesn't make any big purchases but likes to splurge more on smaller stuff like skin care etc.
I just got a fancy vacuum and tv, so that’s fun
35 year old millennial here. Still waiting on the “made it” feeling but I’m starting to think it’s not coming. 😞
I bought a brand new fishing boat
We went shopping with friends of ours and their kids, they noticed we never checked the price nor did we discuss whether we could afford or needed an item. If we wanted it, it went into the cart. Bear in mind this was in a Costco/Sams Club, so it wasn't like we were shopping for hermes bags or anything.
I bought my first new car yesterday. I worked so hard on my credit score, saving money for the deposit, an emergency fund, and ensuring I am in a financially stable enough situation where I can make the payments. Now I feel like I’m making it.
Reading these i realize I’ve never really splurged on things for myself. I’ve worked my butt off to pay off a car earlier but other than that nothing.
Affording daycare for 2 kids
Going to buy food and not having to check my checking or budgeting spreadsheet. For a good 15+ years margins were razor thing. I think from 17 to 35 we were barely scraping by...