Posted on 10/27/2019 4:16:29 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
Jenny Castillo makes over six figures, owns multiple homes in DC and vacationed in three countries already this year. But at the end of each month, shes still counting pennies.
Adulting is very expensive, Castillo, 32, tells The Post. Yeah, on paper I make good money, but when you factor in debt, cost of living and lifestyle, its not.
Even though Castillo makes more than 75% of the US population, according to 2014 US Census Bureau data, she insists theres not much left after shelling out for rent, bills, savings and her pleasure fund.
I have a separate account just for fun things, Castillo says, listing travel, eating out and stays at luxury hotels as her musts. Self-care is something I prioritize in my life, and I dont feel guilty about it.
Castillo is a HENRY short for High Earners Not Rich Yet. Though the term was first coined in a 2003 Fortune magazine article, it has since come to describe a burgeoning class of mostly millennials who make between $100,000 and roughly $250,000 a year, experts say. This cohort is also all about maintaining a particular lifestyle whether thats traveling to the latest jet-set destination, eating at a trendy restaurant or splurging on a spa treatment and green juice. But their taste for luxury and the pressure to keep up with their well-heeled buds on social media has some HENRYs feeling more strapped than stacked.
I feel like Im living paycheck to paycheck, and have been for forever, says a 30-year-old graphic designer, who wished to stay anonymous to protect her job.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
Jenny, Jenny, Jenny...
If "adulting" (behaving like a responsible grownup) is so expensive, you may be doing it wrong. I'm guessing it has much to do with where you choose to reside.
Me, I'm fairly well off myself, as millennials go, got more houses than I can live in, and more vehicles than I need. Got stuff from Bergdorf's, never mind Bloomingdales. But I do not live in NY, LA, or DC.
And I don't borrow money. Use what you have in the most efficient way; don't use what is not yours. Don't let anyone else use what IS yours. (Hat tip to Polonius.)
No smoking, drinking, gambling.
Methinks you're doing something un-adulty, girl.
PS: Adults don't whine!
I call BS. Median income is about $51k / yr depending on which source you look at.
Jenny Castillo makes over six figures, owns multiple homes in DC and vacationed in three countries already this year. But at the end of each month, shes still counting pennies.
Still, she notes, I dont live in a fancy high-rise, I dont take vacations, I dont shop at Bloomingdales I shop at freaking Forever21. But somehow, here I am.
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Boohoo—cry me a river:
Sell those extra houses or turn them into rental property.
Trim that budget down to necessities and save at least 10% in retirement fund and Employee Stock option plans to get the company match.
Figure out what is really going on—
Mutually exclusive events noted in this report: Vacationed in 3 countries vs I don’t take vacations. Girl needs to figure out what she really does.
Sad. Best advice: Pay yourself first. Have your savings deducted from your pay automatically then figure out how to portion out the rest.
Long story short—stop spending more than you make.
Reminds me of the opening of “Bonfire of the Vanities”, where Sherman McCoy laments how he’s just scrapping by on $1M a year and rattles off all the necessities like the private school for his girls, and the club fees.
Adulting?
Self Care?
The WORST/WORTHLESS generation.
Off topic-My grandson got a job lead through Craig’s list. He showed up the first day and the guy said, “You’re obviously a republican and my wife will not be happy with that.”
The crazy thing is he wasn’t wearing a MAGA hat and has no bumper stickers, I guess because he is polite, clean-cut, wears a cowboy hat and boots, he looks like a Republican?
He agreed that he was a Republican but keeps his opinions to himself and he hired him. Of course, the guy ended up loving his work ethic and competence after having gone through several incompetent workers in the past weeks.
Nonsense. $100k a year in DC (with a 15% 401k contribution) nets you $4910 a month. More than enough to live in a decent building in DC.
Hey! Tattoos and piercings get expensive.
I would love to make six figures. Unlike her, I can easily manage living on that. Most of my spending is on housing and that would go away quickly if I had that dough.
Don't remember using that terminology when I was 32.
You’re probably right.
All I remember is the story about the blind stock-picker in NYC.
I’d work on more project cars and trucks and might even finish one.
“Adulting” also includes making disciplined choices. Using available resources, i.e., cash flow and net worth, a very comfortable life can be carved out, regardless of gross income. Some choices are simply ostentatious, made out of misplaced priorities or an attempt to assuage some perceived need or wish fulfillment, having little to do with the real events of one’s life.
The very wealthy really have rather modest needs, which may be met in most instances, with considerably less cash outlay or assignment of resources.
Some 95% of all personal woe is self-induced. This includes spending above your pay grade.
I have a very hard time crying for someone who makes more in a year then I spent on my house.
You are right. They can tell you are a conservative because the don't curse, are clean cut, dress neatly/professionally, don't smoke nor drink and they hate you. I've never seen it like it is now in all of my life.
Well, as someone in the 6 figure pay range, I’m here to tell you.... that doesn’t go very far these days.
Rents, in Atlanta — for example — have doubled in five years.
Spoken like a Fellow Traveler! I was able to retire at 56 thanks to having health care through my VA (I’m a Vet) and the fact that I saved more than I spent. Always. Since my first fast food paycheck at 15 and various babysitting gigs prior to that.
I have never lacked for a thing, never missed a meal, raised three boy, flipped houses when the flippin’ was good, sold my farm for a small fortune a number of years ago, etc.
Never owned a new car, kept our grocery bills to a minimum due to hunting, fishing and growing my own veggies and herbs.
It is a Lost Art. And when TSHTF, I’m gonna be the one smiling and waving - sittin’ there on my sack-o-seeds*.
*Obscure Jim Stafford ‘Wildwood Weed’ reference. ;)
If you are really hard up Laz I can let you bed down in the hay loft. :)
I won't last an hour.
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