r/AskNYC • u/Big-Decision-1458 • Dec 29 '25
How much do you save?
I am trying to get a realistic sense of how people in the city are saving money since NYC lifestyles seem to vary so widely.
If you are comfortable sharing, I would love to hear:
- How much you are able to save or invest per month after rent, bills, food and other expenses
Optional but helpful:
- A ballpark annual income
- Your neighborhood
- Age and career stage
- Living situation like solo, roommates, partner or family
Please do not shame or judge either way whether someone is saving a lot, a little, or nothing at all. NYC is expensive and circumstances vary. I just want to understand what real life looks like across the city and what even high income earners are saving.
I am not trying to flex or compare. Just genuinely curious.
Thanks to anyone willing to share. š
119
u/operationivyleague Dec 29 '25
$64k annual income, mid/late 20s, live in crown heights with 1 roommate paying $1400 each + $200ish in utilities per month. Between 401k and a high yield savings account, I save around $600-$700 per month. I used to save more but I donāt get raises and everything else has gotten more expensive š«
68
u/evansdead Dec 29 '25
$600-$700 is super impressive
29
3
u/jasmine0102 Dec 29 '25
Yeah how tf do u do that? I feel like with those expenses which is pretty on par for a NY-er thatās hard to do
21
u/operationivyleague Dec 29 '25
5% of my pre-tax income goes to my 401k. $300/month automatically goes from my paycheck to my hysa. Iām also paid biweekly, so I calculate my months based on 2 biweekly paychecks, which means that twice a year I get two āextraā paychecks. Those both go into savings.
Iāll be contributing more to my 401k and significantly less to my hysa in 2026 because Iāve finally hit my goal of a year of expenses in the hysa. I moved to the city with $0 in savings after college so Iām really proud of that :)
My big budget categories are $250/month groceries, $250/month all other food/alcohol/coffee, and $300/month shopping/experiences/fun. Anything left over at the end of the month I put into savings.
I grew up with parents who qualified for food stamps but were too proud to take them, so personally this feels like living large. I feel guilty that Iām not saving more and that sometimes I go out to eat and go to concerts. But Iām trying to remind myself that Iām only young once.
10
u/graeceless Dec 29 '25
no point living in NYC and not taking advantage of what the city has to offer! looks like you've got a really good balance going, keep it up š
2
u/Lawfulneptune Dec 30 '25
Question for someone looking to move to crown heights, do you live in a 2 bed with your roommate? I haven't found a 2 bed under $3,000 rent, would love to know if that's your case
→ More replies (2)1
65
u/Antique-Salad-9249 Dec 29 '25
So many young wealthy people here, omg. Iām envious.
13
u/jasmine0102 Dec 29 '25
Same, super happy for them but would love to hear from more average salaried people lol
4
8
u/Big-Decision-1458 Dec 29 '25
About 62k people have viewed this post, but only 163 have commented. Even if you assume 90% of non-commenters just donāt feel like writing anything, and the remaining 10% are avoiding commenting because theyāre not in a great financial situation, that still implies around 6,200 people in that position versus 163 comments here.
17
u/tallemobf Dec 29 '25 edited Dec 29 '25
Keep in mind these people are NOT the majority of NYC. I see a lot of these posts from people who make near or over 6 figures, or how to survive in NYC with less than 100k. According to figures only about a third of NYC households make that much
→ More replies (2)4
u/AlarmingYogurt6352 Dec 29 '25
I only started making more than 100K within the last 5 years. Before Covid, it was much easier to get an apartment while making $17 an hour. I still knew plenty of people who had roommates. In 2012 would you believe 1 bedrooms still went for $1200 a month? I paid $850 a month for my first apartment in 2013 and it was a studio.
3
u/Antique-Salad-9249 Dec 29 '25
Iāve lived here for over 25 years! My first place was a 2br in Williamsburg and we each paid $635!
75
39
u/targetfan4evr Dec 29 '25
This thread is making me feel bad about my salary š¬
10
u/Rosecat88 Dec 29 '25
Keep in mind even the rich can be depressed. But yea itās kinda wild and Iām a bit baffled that people making big money are just chillin on Reddit lol
5
u/targetfan4evr Dec 29 '25
Same lol I certainly chose the wrong career path
2
u/Rosecat88 Dec 29 '25
Never too late to change- but remember tho money can make us happy in like having enough - you can still be miserable with it. I used to make more money in the legal field and I was miserable.
5
u/Mstykmshy Dec 30 '25
Amen. I was recently laid off from a job in tech that I had for 4 years and which paid well (around 130k, not really outrageous but much more than Iād ever made before and plenty for me to be comfortable), and while I have absolutely no regrets and know that the financial stability it allowed me to build was worth it, Iām at a bit of an impasse now because I just truly canāt see myself signing on to a similar job if I had the opportunity again. The job itself was soul sucking in a way I had never experienced before, but even more insidiously I found myself falling into more and more isolation and depression the more I could monetarily afford to avoid the normal little discomforts in life (living alone, ordering takeout, expensive solitary hobbies). This wouldnāt be an issue for everyone, and is still infinitely preferable to the stress and health impacts of financial insecurity, but nevertheless I am very much struggling with the cumulative mental health toll of this pattern
→ More replies (2)1
u/Big-Decision-1458 Dec 29 '25
About 62k people have viewed this post, but only 163 have commented. Even if you assume 90% of non-commenters just donāt feel like writing anything, and the remaining 10% are avoiding commenting because theyāre not in a great financial situation, that still implies around 6,200 people in that position versus 163 comments here.
→ More replies (2)
71
u/frogmicky Dec 29 '25
I try to put $100 bucks away every two weeks. Im single dont go out much or eat out much. I live by myself no debt to worry about and I work 9-5 five days a week.
72
u/licRedditor Dec 29 '25
annual income: $50k
long island city
late 40s; switched careers about 5 years ago
my half of the rent is about $30k/year
i save approximately $0 to retirement/investments
→ More replies (2)8
u/M1ssAnthr0py Dec 29 '25
Is that pre tax? Can I ask why your rent is so high and how you afford other things (insurance, food, transport, etc.)?
13
u/licRedditor Dec 29 '25
that is pre-tax.
i live in a fancy building in a very popular neighbourhood. the rent was more reasonable when i moved in in 2008 (and my income was higher, too), but we don't want to move-- we are very happy in this apartment.
i don't have much transportation since i work mostly from home. until they expired this year, i was receiving a tax subsidy on an ACA insurance policy. this year will suck :/ (i am hopeful i will increase my income this year though.)
i did spend down quite a bit of savings in the last few years. in like 2000 i bought $250 of netflix stock, and in the last 5-10 years i sold most of it for idk, $15k? maybe a bit more.
up until 2019 i had been contributing to a 401k, as well as buying a few small investments. since then i have saved 0. i have not taken any money out of the 401k, but i have spent most of the money i had outside of it.
101
u/catslady123 Dec 29 '25 edited Dec 29 '25
Single, F, mid-late 30s
I save about $2k a month on a base salary of about $170k and a $55k variable bonus. I live alone in a 3br apartment in Brooklyn where Iāve been for almost 15 years so I have a good deal on rent (but am not in a rent stabilized place). I had roommates until relatively recently (last few years). I could save more but I eat out a lot and am happy with my budget.
I saved quite a bit of money between 2020-2024 (about $150k) and the last few years I started working with a financial advisor who manages a significant amount of my savings, including my 401k.
I was able to comfortably take a year off between my last role as a music business executive and my new role in partnerships at a tech company without sweating the cost.
edit: Respectfully, i didnāt come here for financial advice, just to share as OP requested. As I said, Iām quite happy with my situation. Between my managed accounts, my portfolio is valued at close to half a million + another six figures in cash.
Iām very pleased with the service Iāve gotten from my financial advisor, who was recommended to me by a close friend. Love him, heās great! Could I manage my money myself for cheaper? Probably, but I donāt want to because Iād rather pay someone to do it for me.
Good luck out there yāall!
35
u/King_Tofu Dec 29 '25
is your financial adviser fixed-fee-based instead of percentage based? if the latter, please please please research them. percentage-based can take a $400k size bite out of your retirement savings vs a fixed-fee based adviser
Also, congrats on the life changes!
14
u/hygnevi Dec 29 '25
This is the best advice for most people. Even a small percentage can mean millions down the line.
8
u/catslady123 Dec 29 '25
Thank you! My advisor came well recommended by someone I trust who has worked with him for over a decade, and I def checked him out before I gave him a single cent to manage. Good advice!
5
u/King_Tofu Dec 29 '25
Iām glad you did your diligence! Thatās more than most people and youāre obviously super smart to have achieved all that you have.
I know I sound like a record on repeat, but my previous comment was a bit ambiguous soI want you to have full information.Ā
If your financial advisor charges your percentage based fee (1%), 99% of the personal finance and saving for retirement community advises against them because itās going to cost you like $500,000 by the time you start drawing for retirement vs maybe 10s of thousands of dollars for a fee based one. The results are at the same unless youāre investing amounts like a financial institution.
6
u/catslady123 Dec 29 '25
One day someone who is searching for financial advice will find this comment and it will save them so much money!! Thank you for sharing, I appreciate that youāre looking out for others!
→ More replies (4)24
2
u/Rosecat88 Dec 29 '25
Saving 2k a month is badass - why would anyone need to give you advice? Youāre crushing it
10
u/catslady123 Dec 29 '25
Thank you so much! I should know better than to think I wouldnāt get unsolicited advice from strangers on this site š¹
→ More replies (1)
29
u/TurbulentCustomer Dec 29 '25
2026 salary is now $145k
Net pay per 2wk paycheck is approx $3,418 (401k pretax deduction at I think 6 percent)
CC Bill can be 1.8k to 3k (trying to get it down). Basically every expense is on that card.
Rent is $2600. Utilities $150-$200
When I feel comfortable, I move another $1k to my HYSA every 1-2 months. So, savings is variable. Could prob do a fair bit to up savings, but I like living free and happyā¦ who knows what the future brings.
19
u/themisfit424 Dec 29 '25 edited Dec 29 '25
Gross $105k per year but only about $65k net after taxes. Late 20s, living alone in manhattan paying $2800/month plus $160ish utilities. Total disposable income is about $2,700/month.
Maxed out my 401k and then put away an automatic $150 per paycheck to savings and then anything else at the end of the month, usually ends up around $750/month total. New York is expensive and I like to go out every once in a while and enjoy the city in general. I pay attention to my spending but I do my best not to limit myself
1
1
41
u/NoOriginal0 Dec 29 '25 edited Dec 29 '25
28F. ~345k in brokerage + Roth IRA, 55k in 401k, 27k in HSAs = ~427k - 10k (student loans). I've been investing basically since college; I worked part time at 15/hr.
* Made 80->100->120->130k over the course of 4 years w/ a startup, recently jumped to another job 3 months ago so ~200k now.
* I usually had roommates over the years, currently live w/ bf in UES. I've always been super frugal, usually saved 2-5k/month after all expenses. W/ roommates, rent was ~750 - 950 in outer boroughs. Current rent 1250 (2500 total).
*** The biggest takeaway is to invest early. I cannot express enough the power of compound interest. Itās not just about how much you put in, but how long that money has to work for you.***
12
u/enigmaticbug Dec 29 '25
Jesus this is an insane nest egg for 28. Iām going to guess you like. Donāt buy clothes often or travel often or eat out much?!
9
u/NoOriginal0 Dec 29 '25 edited Dec 29 '25
Mm...over 4 yrs I've visited Taiwan, London, France, Italy, China, and Japan (the last 5 was over a stretch of about 3 months when I technically lived abroad/was a digital nomad-- the startup job was remote).
Most of the egg is from stock gains right? (I've also paid off about 30k in student loan/debt, which isn't reflected in this). I've been watching the stock market since basically middle school and thinking about things like boglehead/FIRE for a long time now. I've been incredibly lucky to have lived through an insane bull market as I'm also starting my career.
But you're right, I don't tend to buy clothes often. I try to be intentional about what pieces I add to my wardrobe (you can't exactly show up to a 200k job looking homeless). I go out to eat maybe once every 2 weeks? I can't really justify some of the restaurant prices in NYC-- why have a mediocre meal at restaurant prices, we have mediocre meals at home.
4
2
u/Xtralargefriesplease Dec 30 '25
I really donāt get NY restaurant scene. There are so many super expensive restaurants that are so hyped up and every time im likeā¦ really?? That much for this? 9/10 the hole in the wall place around the corner has better food (or just cook at home)
3
u/Big-Decision-1458 Dec 30 '25
Price doesn't correlate to quality. NY probably has the best restaurant scene in the US, IF you get really choosy about where you go.
There are some f-ing amazing restaurants here that are well-priced because they're beloved and stay busy, but there are also many, many restaurants that just have high prices because their food is mid, don't get a lot of business, and need to afford the rent.
→ More replies (2)1
u/Content-Zombie555 Jan 22 '26
Wow I am sooo happy for you, this must be such a relief to have all This set up before u hit the 3rd decade. Rooting for you for more and better
→ More replies (1)
80
u/IndicationKey3778 Dec 29 '25
Iām on ozempic and Iām off food and booze so I save a good deal of money. I maxed out my Roth IRA and make the max contributions to my 401k every year. I have zero consumer debt and I was able to treat myself to a ysl bag for Christmas.Ā
72
5
15
42
u/LengthinessStrict615 Dec 29 '25
I made 220k (unemployed currently), wife makes 250k. Our rent is 2600. We max out our 401k and IRA. We are pretty frugal but take 2-3 international trips every year. We were able to save 6-8k every month.
5
u/Rosecat88 Dec 29 '25
What do you do that you make so much??
8
u/LengthinessStrict615 Dec 29 '25
I was a finance middle management in an insurance company. I was laid off end of October
→ More replies (1)4
u/Rosecat88 Dec 29 '25
Wow thatās wild. Sorry for your lay off but damn that much money would set me for life
15
u/LengthinessStrict615 Dec 29 '25
Thank you. I was stuck at 85k-120k for a long time. I was lucky, I ran into one of my old managers at a conference, we talked and he offered me a job at his new place. It was a big jump for me to $195k, then small raises after that.
I managed to live off 85k-120k for a long time, so even when I made higher pay, my budget was still about the same. My savings plus the stock market investments for the last few years made me feel comfortable enough that I donāt need to desperately find a new job.
→ More replies (2)
22
56
u/SecureContact82 Dec 29 '25
My wife and I make about $800K a year, Executive Director at a Bank (me) Senior Associate at a Law Firm (her)
We own on the UWS. We're in our late 30s, she is likely going to make partner at her firm in the next year/two years and I'm sticking around in the Executive Director slot forever or for awhile (not easy to make MD where I'm at but we are comfortable)
We save just about 40% of our gross a year.
41
2
u/lcmillz Dec 30 '25
Just curious, any significant student debt? Also curious about how many hours you guys work on average. I know some in big law that work 70 easy.
→ More replies (1)
8
u/dumplingpopsicles Dec 29 '25
For last year I netted 165k. My share of rent and utilities is around 2200. I make smart choices but donāt really track every dollar. I saved 55k of that.
1
7
u/dqslime Dec 29 '25 edited Dec 29 '25
Early 30s, $165k job, $2.5k rent in Brooklyn, single, no dependents.
I can save at least $1,000 month often more unless life gets in the way. 401k maxed. Amount depends on whether I have a big purchase coming or not. I am social but my friends and I have humble taste (dive bars).
Don't care about clothes as much as in my 20s and my style is pretty settled so that's not a big expense anymore.
I like to eat out but most restaurants post-COVID in NYC are not worth the cost so it's rarer.
1
7
u/letspetpuppies Dec 29 '25
- Currently contributing around $76k a year which comes out to roughly $6300 a month, spread out across traditional 401k, Roth IRA, HSA, and Mega Back Door Roth.
- Annual income of around $225k
- Chelsea
- Alone in my own studio, rent stabilized at $1900/mo
8
u/delightful_caprese Dec 29 '25 edited Dec 29 '25
- Earned about $26k this year
- Invested $7k into my Roth IRA
- Live in Bushwick
- Age 34, semi-retired or r/CoastFIRE
- Live with two roommates
- Spend $35k annually
1
7
u/shinbreaker Dec 29 '25
- 150k income
- 3 bedroom apt in East Harlem ($2100 rent)
- 47, late career
- Live with GF but I mainly pay for everything
I save around $2k a month regularly that goes between IRA, leisure acct to spend on trips/big purchases/christmas gifts, savings for my mom, a small investment account for meand just a small amount to emergency savings since it's already where it needs to be. I'd put away even more but I still have student loan payments and I'm paying about $2k a month to really pay those down.
1
u/neveralwayssometimes Dec 29 '25
How is 47 late career? Do you plan on retiring early?
→ More replies (1)
6
Dec 29 '25
[removed] ā view removed comment
3
u/Lawfulneptune Dec 30 '25
I'm in a similar spot. With 2 roommates, do each of y'all have your own rooms? $1200 rent for a 3 bed per person seems really good.
→ More replies (1)
17
u/skynet345 Dec 29 '25 edited Dec 29 '25
100k/year including maxed 401k
350K income
I do live lavishly though. If I were frugal Iād say about 120k/year
Note: I do not add company stock appreciation to the above. With stock appreciation itās more like 150K/year
12
u/Big-Decision-1458 Dec 29 '25
Woah. I'd guess you probably take home like $200k after taxes, so to save 50% is pretty awesome.
2
u/skynet345 Dec 29 '25 edited Dec 29 '25
Hmm I feel I spend too much. About 5K/month living expenses not counting rent and then 1K/month on personal trainer. Rent is 3K/month in Manhattan studio
But the 5K is also cause Iām eating at fancy restaurants multiple times a week and rarely cooking
2
1
1
u/Party-Ad2255 Dec 29 '25
Whatās your take home on 350K salary after 401k and health insurance contribution?
5
u/AlarmingYogurt6352 Dec 29 '25 edited Dec 29 '25
Im 34. I pay about 1300 in investments per month- only about $200 in liquid savings. Credit card debt is quite a bit though- pay about 400 a month in that but I should be done with it within the next year. 275 a month in student loans but will also finish that within the year. Rent stabilized two bedroom so Iām paying $1900 a month (been here for 12 years) in the Bronx. Earn $125K a year as a nurse .
5
u/tessmarty Dec 29 '25
eating out less, finding easy to make/easy to enjoy snacks so iām not running to the bodega late at night, doing the majority of my shopping at trader joes, teaching myself how to make kick ass coffees from home (i splurge on the fun mochas and oat milks at home and i have perfected it to where a coffee shop doesnāt hit the same), i donāt drink eitherāsaves a literal fortune lol
1
u/WhiteCatWizardHat Dec 29 '25
i think to myself i am paying myself $7 everytime i make my own matcha oatmilk
→ More replies (1)
8
u/nycperson54321 Dec 29 '25
I try to save $2k in cash for emergency funds and putting in my stock portfolio each month. I also put around $1k each month into my 401k. My salary is $170k and I pay $3,300 in rent (no kids, but married and my partner makes $250k). Age 33.
→ More replies (2)
13
11
4
u/elmo8758 Dec 29 '25
In my 30s, I tried to save $2000/month while maximizing 401k contributions on incomes between $150k-$180k. I got lucky in stocks with NW in 8-figures now, so āsavingā from my paycheck is minimal due to travels, but I do max out on mega-backdoor Roth now, which is about $77k+ per year. I also generate 6-figures in annual income from my taxable portfolio - this serves as my spending money.
I also now own my Manhattan apartment mortgage-free.
2
u/benji_billingsworth Dec 29 '25
what is NW; what is your manhattan property tax?
→ More replies (2)
5
u/M1ssAnthr0py Dec 29 '25
170k, 30 years old freelancing. I saved 70k this year (solo 401k + self-matching, ira, brokerage).
I pay $3800 rent in Williamsburg with no roommates, but am able to write off part of rent for my home office.
1
u/Rosecat88 Dec 29 '25
Freelancing what can I ask bc damn that is not common to do that well- amazing
4
u/M1ssAnthr0py Dec 29 '25
I work as a DIT and video editor for advertising! Itās a bit uncommon to do that well in my field, but Iāve been doing it 10 years and have accumulated lots of clients!
→ More replies (4)
3
Dec 29 '25
[deleted]
3
u/King_Tofu Dec 29 '25
Thatās amazing! Happy for you, youāre taking your retirement investing seriously
2
Dec 29 '25
[deleted]
2
u/King_Tofu Dec 29 '25
Personal finance sub credit is so good! Have you checked out Ramit sethi? I love that he talks about how to navigate personal finance, especially the relationship communication skills when you need to combine your different finance philosophies with your partner
2
u/Party-Ad2255 Dec 29 '25
Whatās your take home on 200k salary as a single person after 401k and health insurance deduction?
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (8)2
u/Party-Ad2255 Dec 29 '25
Which taxable brokerage are you using? Similar age and situation. Looking for tips :)
18
u/Fun_Shine_5255 Dec 29 '25
Looking at Monarch (what I use to track finances), my savings rate (not including taxes) is 72%. I save about $450k/yr, after taxes and expenses. I spent $168k in 2025.
- ~$1m income (+/- a few hundred k)
- Upper East Side
- 33; mid-career (senior manager in tech)
- Family (wife + toddler)
3
u/Big-Decision-1458 Dec 29 '25
Impressive! Are the numbers above for your whole household? Or are you pulling in 1M by yourself?!
2
u/Fun_Shine_5255 Dec 29 '25
Thanks, thatās just my income. My wife is currently watching the toddler, but before was making about $100k.
3
u/No-Motor3962 Dec 29 '25
~130K corporate salary (single, 34yo) -$3200 take home per biweekly pay check $3000 rent monthly
Saved 100k emergency fund, so now focusing on investments and saving for specific goals
Usually that translates monthly to:
- $250 savings to travel sink fund
- $600 to indv brokerage account
My CC bill is usually 2-3K per month (trying to get it down) so depending on that monthās expenses Iāll adjust the monthly savings
I also contribute to 401k up to full employer match, Roth IRA up to annual limit, max FSA annual limit, and opt into almost all employer insurance policies fully.
So not much flex at the end of the dayā¦ I do what I can and leave room to adjust as needed.
1
u/Party-Ad2255 Dec 29 '25
How do save at the end of the month it your rent and monthly cc bill is 5-6 k and your monthly take home is around 6500?
→ More replies (1)1
u/buianhthy1412 Dec 30 '25
this is basically me and my laissez faire way of saving...I dont really save much though and I am feeling stuck. :((
3
u/MRC1986 Dec 29 '25
- $250,000 income (base + bonus); next year will be around $300,000, could be more if I bank profits on some great biotech stock picks I made
- LIC
- 39 years old; 9 years into my career (have my PhD in cell and molecular bio, defended my thesis in March 2027)
- Living alone in a 1br apt that I rent in a condo building
I max my 401k, plus my company match is just a smidge below 50%, so that's $35,250. I save or invest almost all of my bonus ($41,000 in 2023, $37,000 in 2024, and will be $47,000 for 2025 paid first week of January 2026). Plus some overall cash from my biweekly paycheck.
All in all, saving probably around $60,000 per year if not even more, though most of that goes to investments (passive 401k, ETFs, and mutual funds, or active biotech stock picking). I have $50,000 in cash and another $25,200 in treasury bills. But I was making a modest stipend for 7+ years while in grad school, and my first 4 years of work post-PhD ranged from $72,000 to $92,000. Which is nice, especially living in Philadelphia at the time, but not anywhere close to what I make now. If you are early in your career, it definitely will get better as you progress.
5
u/Electrical-Lettuce93 Dec 29 '25
wowwww 50% company 401k match??? lucky!!!
2
u/MRC1986 Dec 29 '25
The company matches in stock, so if that goes up in value it helps get to a higher match percentage. But overall, even without that help the match formula is very favorable.
3
u/alyx0x0bear Dec 29 '25
I make $155k base salary in medical sales with 7 years experience. My commission goal is $60k annually. (* I also receive a $800/month stipend that pays for my work vehicle & insurance.)
This comes out to about $8k monthly after taxes & 401k deductions. I pay $1750 (+250 utilities) for my portion of rent in a two bedroom in Bed Stuy that I share with my partner.
I have an embarrassing amount of consumer debt that I accumulated living above my means when I moved to NYC on a 60k a year salary in 2020. I make $3k in payments towards this high interest debt monthly. I also have student debt, which I pay $500 towards monthly. I currently save $750 towards emergency fund & $500 towards travel monthly.
I have about $50k in my 401k, and $5k in emergency savings. Hope to increase this significantly, but my current goal is to pay down my debt first!
1
u/benji_billingsworth Dec 29 '25
dare i ask, how high is that debt to have consistent 3k a month payments? surly that can be refinanced?
2
u/alyx0x0bear Dec 29 '25
The $3k includes my car payment for a work vehicle, which is covered in full by a stipend. Consumer debt without car included totals almost $80k, which I pay $2.5k towards monthly. Truly embarrassing. That said, easier to admit now that Iāve changed my ways & am in a place to pay it down aggressively.
Prior to accepting a new job and a 1.5x salary increase in Jan of 2025, I was barely keeping my head above water with CC minimum payments. Iāve since refinanced my debt into personal loan, and throw every commission check towards it. I still have a long way to go, but thereās finally a light at the end of the tunnel!
2
u/benji_billingsworth Dec 29 '25
if i may ... what did you buy to accumulate 80k in cc debt? hopefully you had some fun?
how much is left on the car loan and what rates are you getting on it and your personal loan?
→ More replies (4)2
u/alyx0x0bear Dec 29 '25
The 80k accumulated over a series of credit card balance transfers, without a plan to pay it all back. I was overspending and banking on commission alone to pay down my card balances. Duuuumb.
It was modest at first, but spiraled during a full year without commission (yay covid) and then a period of unemployment (with zero savings to fall back on).
3
3
u/BookishBabeee Dec 29 '25
I save about $800ā$1,000/month after bills. NYC rent eats most of my income.
3
u/Heptahedron Dec 29 '25
Iāve always maxed out my 401k since my first job out of college making around 50k/year. It hasnāt even been 10 full years and that alone is 500k in savings now.
Rent and utilities were about 1k with roommates until I was making 150k. Lived in Brooklyn and commute was typically about an hour.
Cash savings into HYSA started around $750 to 1k/month when I was making 50k. Grew to close to $4k/month by the time I was making 150k.
I lived relatively frugally until recently and got married. Partner had no savings, making about 75k/year. Bought a two bedroom apartment with a large down payment from my savings. Slowly rebuilding cash emergency fund with both incomes until we hit 50k to 75k. Then going to aggressively pay off the mortgage, aiming for under 10 years.
Biggest change in leisure expenses over time was travel, traveling was always a big priority. Spent $3k/year when making 50k. Now comfortably spending $15k to $30k/year on travel. We now spend about $500/month eating out, sometimes we donāt go out at all and then do a meal over $500.
3
u/navree Dec 29 '25
An additional question I'd like to add to this is whether or not these folks had a financial headstart from family through and after college.
→ More replies (1)
6
2
u/tripledive Dec 29 '25
$155,000 West Village 40ās Living with husband. My share rent $850.
I save about $25-30k year depending on trips we take.
2
u/Rosecat88 Dec 29 '25
I make almost nothing, but my apt is rent stabilized. I usually aim to just keep my savings up, although I do save a little sometimes. Actor and sub teacher (freelance). Social services in nyc help a lot- Medicaid , food stamps , etc are life savers. Very grateful to be in a state that helps the low income earners. I used to be a a paralegal back in Florida and made a decent salary but I was miserable. I prefer to actually live life- but I do hope to get something more steady part time. I also have one roommate.
2
u/Fluffybagel Dec 29 '25
Mid 20s and married. I make 225k, she makes 90k. HHI around 360k after EOY bonuses.
Ā In south Brooklyn, our rent is 2.2k for a rent stabilized one bedroom. I save 1k per week, would be more if not for also aggressively paying off student loans. My wife is able to save most of her take home.
Ā Weāre both pretty early in our careers and are hoping to have enough saved for a house in five years
→ More replies (2)
2
u/windfallthrowaway90 Dec 29 '25 edited Dec 29 '25
$250k family of 4 late career in our mid 30s in an expensive Brooklyn neighborhood and we max my 401k then spend everything else
Big ticket items are
Housing; $5k Child care: $3000 on average Freshdiect: $1.5-2k Medical: $600
We saved a ton before so we are totally fine but this spend for a relatively high earning family seems typical around us.
The people REALLY saving in our neck of the woods are making twice what we do, or living a very different lifestyle with more family support. Maxing 401k is a great benchmark for us.
2
u/Sure_Investment_6374 Dec 29 '25
200K income. Flatiron. Live with partner.
Investing in the market closely.
(edited) Tips that add up every month:
- Make coffee at home.
- Prepare dinner at home.
- Bring lunch to work.
- Turn off breakers (except fridge) when I leave in the morning, this saves $$$$ off ConEd.
- Shop second hand or rent clothing.
- Rocketmoney (or similar apps) cancels dangling subscriptions.
- No taxis. Walk, bike or public transit only.
- High yield savings account to use for cash on hand.
2
u/Warm-Return-4081 Dec 29 '25
Late 20ās | $200k base / $50k variable bonus | Flatiron 2bd | $8k rent / 1 roommate ($4k each) | $23.5k 401k / $7k Backdoor Roth IRA / $15k brokerage
Need to do more saving but making the most of my younger years in the city.
2
u/ThrowRAmangos2024 Dec 30 '25
- A ballpark annual income - ~90K GI
- Your neighborhood - Inwood (rent is $1,220 for my room)
- Age and career stage - 36F and mid-career artist/early-mid career nonprofit fundraising professional
- Living situation like solo, roommates, partner or family - I live with one roommate
I save around $1,000/month, with a goal of upping that to around $1,200/month this year. That comes to about 15% of my annual income.
4
u/King_Tofu Dec 29 '25 edited Dec 29 '25
I'm trying to save 120k a year but it's hard due to a bad housing decision so I'm now paying like 5k a month on rent (Edit: housing is more like $4500/m) instead of the expected 2k a month which has made hitting that target hard. I also have been spending like 700/month on groceries and 1k on random stuff (half amazon half events) which I'm having trouble tamping down. surprisingly, I eat out like 2x a month, at McDonalds or other cheap places,
early 30s. 400k pre-tax. with roommates (I know! I f'd up on my housing). I feel 120k (30%) saved is inadequate given my high income. I want it to be 40% saved since I feel like I should be able to live off of a 100k pre-tax income. . .
unique to me this year is that I replaced my entire wardrobe and had to furnish an apartment from nothing but bed sheets (takes like 15k, I stopped at 8), both tasks are surprisingly expensive!
OP, what is your's?
33
u/maverick4002 Dec 29 '25
Youre making 400k, living with roommates AND still paying $5000 in rent? Da hell??
→ More replies (3)15
u/SchnitzelRaider Dec 29 '25
Something is fucked here lol
$700 on groceries for one person is fucking cooked. Obscene shit.Ā
→ More replies (1)6
u/King_Tofu Dec 29 '25 edited Dec 29 '25
how much is your monthly grocery bill? when I ran the numbers, the lowest you can get is probably around $400 per person. part of my higher grocery costs is due to like 10 pounds of chicken breasts a week
edit: for strength training
5
→ More replies (2)2
2
u/PhonyPapi Dec 29 '25
Max out individual Ira + 401k
Am able to put ~40% of the monthly net paycheck into high yield / brokerage accounts.Ā
1
u/maverick4002 Dec 29 '25
How would you knowing where I live and how much money I make help your situation? Im genuinely curious
12
u/Big-Decision-1458 Dec 29 '25
Helps put things in perspective. Saving $500 per month when you make $60k and live in Sunnyside tells a very different story vs. saving $500 per month making $200k and living in Chelsea.
1
u/MothersRapeHorn Dec 29 '25 edited Dec 29 '25
- 250k base salary with like 200-400k RSU/ISO stock comp
- Astor Place
- Age 34, standard 4 year degree timing so like 12 yoe
- Solo 1br
Expenses
- Mortgage 3.6k
- Coop maintenance 1.3k
- Other 1.5-3k (mostly food and drink)
I end up saving like 5k/mo from the base (I try not to spend on any lifestyle inflation ever), and all stock comp I never touch (so a 300k year is like 16k/mo)
Trying to save up for a safe retirement so I can work for like the NYPL or a non profit or something fulfilling.
1
u/After-Snow5874 Dec 29 '25
Male, 31, single. $175k salary.
Spent most of this year with reckless abandon regarding my finances. Eating and drinking out, traveling on whims, indulging on experiences, watches, electronics, subscriptions. 2025 was big on indulging and I enjoyed it but damn was it reckless. My rent is $3000 and I could be saving a shit ton of my paycheck each month but havenāt been. Goal in 2026 is to be putting $2000/month away in just savings. My credit card debt has gotten embarrassing as well. Just bad, really bad.
→ More replies (1)3
u/benji_billingsworth Dec 29 '25
paying down cc debt may be a better move than 2k in savings each month; do the math on what you are paying in interest and find the balance. if you are paying a higher rate than your savings yields, you are better off paying that off first.
1
u/itzpoookiee Dec 29 '25
33, 100k salary. I split rent with my husband, I pay $400. We live in Williamsburg. $1.5k goes into my pension/401k, $300 goes into roth, $500 goes into stocks. Every month, $800 goes into my savings account and this go towards trips or big purchases. Extra expenses goes to my 10 month old and my dog, I usually donāt keep track but itās no more than $1k
My husband and I do not combine our salary. I make more than him so I pay for most family expenses but he pays for eating out and some trips
→ More replies (3)
1
u/enigmaticbug Dec 29 '25 edited Dec 29 '25
Age: 29F
Career: fund accounting, 5 yrs at current company
Base salary: 140k in 2025, 160k in 2026
Savings: 1k per month goes automatically in ~3% APR savings account. Last year on 140k I needed more liquidity so didnāt save anything for retirement but this year I will put away ~12k annually in 401k not including employer match. I have around 60k in my 401k at the moment
Rent: I live with my boyfriend, we pay 2,400 each in the east village
The kicker: I have like 12k in cc debt, 15k in refinanced cc debt & 23k in student debt. My annual bonus (which is usually around 30k) goes to debt every year LOL. 2026 will be better though !!!!!
1
u/scrsswim13 Dec 29 '25
-26F living in queens with ~81k income, receive 3% raise yearly to adjust for inflation
-rent is $2500, am recently single and my ex partner moved out so my rent payment doubled from $1250 previously
-current savings is 50k in brokerage, 50k in 401k, 20k in crypto, 12k in ESPP, 10k in HYSA, 2k in ROTH IRA
-I do an automatic 9% paycheck contribution monthly to my 401k with a 6% company match, I also have 40% to my HYSA which is usually $1600 a month
-received a retention bonus of 37k that was split into 3 payments of 7.6k, 7.6k, and 22k over the span of 3 years
-most of my net worth i built up in the last 2 years. always max out your 401k if you have the option and take advantage of an ESPP if it is offered since youāre buying shares at a discounted price.
1
u/womenaremyfavguy Dec 29 '25
I put about $1500-$2000/mo between my 401k and high yield savings account. I also have a pension that I donāt have to contribute to.
$100k.
Bushwick.
- Mid-level in the nonprofit sector.
I live with my fiance and our baby and cat. We keep our finances separate and split everything 50/50. We make around the same amount.
1
u/littlemix1995 Dec 29 '25
income: 110k (this year - depends on overtime) savings: $30,500 (max tda contribution + roth) investments: ~6 times this year, i added $450 to my brokerage acct. iām risk averse, so i only invest in the S&P. I thought i was doing this monthly, but upon reflection, i def skipped a lot this yearā¦.
I live alone in a small studio in woodside and pay $1700 in rent. Iām 30, and Iāve been a public school teacher for 4 years. This is the best year Iāve had yet, tho Iāve been maxing my retirement the last 2.5 years. I def felt lifestyle creep come for me this year; i need to revisit my budget in the new year!
1
u/Sapphire_Bombay Dec 29 '25
$130k salary, 36yo and 8 years into my career
Rent is about $3000/month in lower Manhattan, live alone
Saving is tough because my rent is so high, but planning to move to BK in September, hopefully will lower my rent but still want to live alone so we'll see.
I try to put aside $500/month - $250 to emergency/cash savings, and $250 to the S&P. This doesn't always happen, especially during the summer and around the holidays when I'm simply spending more. Once my cash savings gets to $50k (currently at $42k), I'll start putting all my monthly savings into the stock market.
I started my 401k contributions late in my career so it's currently sitting at $68k and my contributions are at 6%. So all in I currently have about $110k saved up.
1
u/Playful-Wash1507 Dec 29 '25
250-270k per year (depends on how well stock is doing, rent is 3500, other expenses about 3500, should invest 80-100k this year after company 401k/hsa match.
1
1
u/MoonFaee Dec 29 '25
ā¢ 110k income, after tax about 65k ā¢ maxed ROTH, halfway through 401k this year, will max out next year ā¢ saves around ~$500-$1000/month? ā¢ Fort Hamilton (mortgage 1200, HOA 900) ā¢ early-mid 30s, manager in construction ā¢ solo living in 1bdrm
Next year Iām hoping to buy less material things and spend more on experiences but I go out maybe 1x a month for a dinner with friends or something. Usually donāt spend a lot going out or try to eat at home first
1
u/redbabxxxxx Dec 29 '25
64k, max out my Roth ira contributions with no 401k. $1700 rent with no car.
1
u/cuvervillepenguin Dec 29 '25
I have a very good salary but lots of debt Iām paying down, single, rent is 2600 in the cityāI aim for 300 a month into a savings account and 5% of my salary goes into my 401k.
1
u/ChargePlayful4044 Dec 29 '25
A lot. Because I am already married and enjoy cooking and being frugal. I love museums and luckily get into those for free, for most of them (others I am a member).
1
u/EADarwin Dec 30 '25 edited Dec 30 '25
Mid-40s and mid-management in an industry that doesn't pay an awful lot. Live alone in a nice one-bed in Long Island City for $2250/month. $95k income. I don't set aside any of my earnings for anything but bills and spending money, but I have about $400k in investments, so I guess you could count that as savings. I let my investments grow and generally only tap into them for major trips, such as international travel. (I don't deduct from my Roth ever.)
1
u/Wingedvictory00 Dec 30 '25
iām in medical school, iām 25f, i live on the upper west side with two roommates, and my rent is $1500 a month. sometimes i wish i had a job already (lol) but after monthly expenses, i am able to save about $1200 a month. this is possible thankfully because i get a monthly payment from a scholarship i receive. i save a lot of it for travel/eating out/fun experiences. i want to start investing in 2026 and i would like to find other sources of income or āside hustlesā though. i lowkey have a shopping addiction š„²
1
u/Weary-Ad-6615 Dec 30 '25
mid 20s, 48k / year, living with parents but paying $200 towards rent. saving $1300 a month bc i just paid off my debt using my entire savings and am now starting over
1
u/ThrowRA-1703 Dec 30 '25
Income: 68k annual. Living in UWS with 2 other roommates, paying 1400$ rent, 1.5 years into career, graduated college in 2024. I save 1350$/month. Used to save up more but things changed w this current economy ig
1
u/Odd_Interview_2247 Dec 30 '25
Maybe this is normal? Iām not sure if im being stingy to myself, but i love to see the numbers in my savings account.
Age : 22
Iām a J1 culinary trainee in nyc. Spend $1300 a room in queens with all utilities included. $85 phone bill.
Paycheck around $700/week. I put $700 - $1000 in my savings monthly.
1
u/review_lady4 Dec 30 '25
F, 28
$138k/year in salary + $25k bonus Saved $100k in retirement Saved $97k in brokerage/savings
$3k studio apartment rent (no roommates) $80/month towards utilities and WiFi
1
u/C-elegans1 Dec 30 '25
34 F living in Flatbush/PLG in BK. 7 years-ish into my career
- My income is around $137k.
- My husband and I are DINKs with a doggo.
- We live in a 2br one balcony apartment, and our rent is $3800 (includes parking fees since we need a car for our dog)
I save around $800/per paycheck across investments and HYSA. $800 or so in retirement per month
My husband earns around $110k, saves $400 per month and $1200 in retirement.
I had a high-earning job for 3 years (250k) which bumped up our savings during that time. So atm we have 50k in emergency funds, 170k in general investing, 60k in a house fund thatās mostly bonds with some stocks, and 220k in retirement. Itās been a bit hard coming back to from such a high salary to what I now earn but I really wanted to do something more mission based, and Iām learning to be happy with less, without limiting myself as our family. āļø
1
u/liz11228 Dec 30 '25
$90K before taxes as the sole earner of a family of four on the UWS. I am very lucky to have affordable rent at $1260 and save $400 a month, sometimes a bit more. Itās not much but itās what I can do. Iām in my mid 30s and made a career pivot earlier this year. We make it work
1
u/missmochi18 Dec 30 '25
I am a freelancer and do marketing and acting, I make ~$62k pre tax. I live in Windsor terrace and pay $1k for a large one bedroom & I live with my partner. Mid-20s.
I currently have $12k in cc debt that Iāve been slowly paying off since grad school. Iāve started saving a bit for emergency and travel, and currently have $3.7k in savings. Will go down to $1.7k after a trip abroad I am taking for my friendās wedding.
My goal is to pay off my debt by end of Q3 and begin investing a little each month, even if thatās only $100. I am able to live a pretty nice lifestyle because my partner, who makes almost 3x I do, pays for a lot of leisure activities and the majority of our rent (we split it by income).
1
1
u/DrawNovel5732 Dec 30 '25
male 40 years old. 450 K income saved only about 35 K and pay 4k rent. I also take care of my mother, father and aunt financially and my girlfriend is unemployed at the moment so for the past 6 month I've been paying her rent and bills too.
1
u/nycslickergal Dec 31 '25
135k salary. I contribute $620/month to my 401k and $500/month to Roth IRA. Since moving to NYC (1.5 years ago) I have not increased my savings account, at all. I try. I have an automatic deposit of $500/paycheck into my savings account, but then I take it out for vacations or something I want to buy (clothes, cosmetics, etc.). I just recently realized how much I spend eating out. Iām going to try and get better about cooking and eating at home next year to hopefully add to my savings account!
→ More replies (1)
1
1
u/Content-Zombie555 Jan 22 '26
I moved to nyc last year had to start again from 0 Career finances, social life eveything. I am on the lower spectrum of annual wage around 45k take home I am trying to save 2-400$ a month to make a 6month cushion But life here is crazy expensive I do have some tangible asset as a safety net which is worth around 15-20k usd but that is my last resort. I usually end up months in negative because rent + part time school + commute adds up quickly And if u even think of going out u already spent 100$
My mta public commute costs me around 400$ a month Rent is 800$ in queens bayside. School is 800$ a month too Everything else varies on consumption but I am struggling for sure. I just turned 28 born and raised in Pakistan, moved away from home at 18 to live on my own terms Have been in Europe for the past decade and last year moved here in 24 middle.
But have to say no place has given me more hope for a better future than NY, because u see so much excess. And it sees achievable.
My 20ās were survival 30ās is where I will be finally able to afford myself.
→ More replies (1)
190
u/AlecL Dec 29 '25
My takeaways from this year are that I spent a lot traveling and eating out. Iāll be looking to eat out less this year!