After years in low-paying retail, a Reddit user recently landed a software development job with a $105,000 salary. But instead of feeling relief or success, they’re overwhelmed by financial anxiety.
More Money, More Worries
“Just hit $105K salary (software dev, finally escaped retail hell) and I thought I’d feel… rich? Or at least comfortable?” the poster wrote in the r/MiddleClassFinance subreddit. “Instead, I’m lying awake at 2 a.m. doing mental math about whether I can afford the $6 fancy coffee tomorrow.”
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They explained that their old life on a $45,000 salary came with simplicity. “I lived in a sh*tty studio, ate ramen, had like $200 leftover each month but somehow felt fine??” Now, with more income, they shop at Whole Foods, rent a one-bedroom apartment, and save $1,500 a month. Yet every expense feels heavier. “Now I’m stressed about every purchase over $50.”
“I think I’m experiencing some twisted version of lifestyle inflation,” they added. “When I made $45K I’d buy a $15 shirt without thinking. Now I make $105K and I spent 20 minutes last night researching if a $40 sweater was ‘worth it.'”
This sentiment hit home for many commenters who said they've experienced the same thing.
“When I was making less, I mentally felt ‘whatever’ since the progress I was going to make on lower income was minimal,” one person shared.
“Before I made enough to save anything, there was no point thinking about money that much. Now my spending habits can make thousands of dollars of a difference in my annual savings and I am thinking of everything in terms of how it impacts my retirement,” another added.
Another person said, “My higher-paying job is miserable so now every dollar has inherently more value to it. Each one represents endured suffering and relatively few things seem worth the cost.”
Others blamed the problem on lifestyle creep and expectations. “At $50K, spending $100 on a fancy keyboard was a way to feel like I could spend money. At $110K, spending $100 on a fancy keyboard I don’t really need is just opportunity cost,” a commenter explained.
One philosophical reply suggested this is a predictable psychological trap. “Kierkegaard coined the term ‘angst’ to describe how it feels when you know that your choices have future consequences, but you don't know exactly which choice will result lead to which consequence,” they wrote. In essence, when one is broke, their options are limited. When they’re making six figures, there are more forks in the road.
See Also: Are you rich? Here’s what Americans think you need to be considered wealthy.
Several commenters pointed out that a six-figure salary today doesn’t go as far as it once did. “$100K now is more like $60K pre-COVID,” one person wrote. Another broke down their expenses on a $160,000 salary and still had less than $1,200 a month left after taxes, healthcare, housing, and child support. “I should be swimming in cash like Scrooge McDuck.”
And when it comes to groceries? Whole Foods got roasted. “Shopping at Whole Foods is kind of a waste unless you have certain health requirements,” one person noted. “There's a reason they call it Whole Paycheck.”
The original poster may not feel wealthy, but many agreed their habits show long-term thinking.
Read Next: Can you guess how many retire with a $5,000,000 nest egg? The percentage may shock you.
Image: Shutterstock
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