I landed a great job in tech, but between rent, groceries, and taxes, my paycheck doesn’t stretch nearly as far as I expected. I love the culture and the people, but the cost of living hit harder than I thought. For those of you who’ve been here a while, how do you budget and still have a life?

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Depends on your circumstances, where are you living, how much are you paying on rent and what your lifestyle is like?

It also depends on what you mean by 'have a life?' I've a wife, kids and a house I pay a mortgage for. My life is them and rarely time for myself with the exception of a few Guinness the weekend in the local with friends. Having a life, is for most people just as I explained above which I wouldn't change for the world.

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Are you in a junior role? Sometimes things just feel a bit more flush after the first or second promotion in a few years

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personally i would source from freelancing, anything on the side from a good skill you have can give you a lot of benefit, whether it’s helping others make websites, making books, or evening something practical like doing yard work for people, it’s a lot to establish but it helps

My husband and I together earn a relatively decent income and even we still struggle. We've been in Ireland for 3 years and recently had to move out of Dublin just to try and lower the rent costs a bit.

I think the key is to find activities that don't cost too much. There are a lot of walking/hiking groups and apps like meetup where you can find like minded people doing activities you enjoy. If you focus on these activities you'll probably get that sense of balance because you're doing what you love, and maybe even saving if it is free stuff.

Groceries can also end up costing you a lot if you're not selective.planning out your meals for the week and shopping in places where you know the deals are good. Like I love Tesco but if I do a like for like with Dunnes I find Dunnes to be better because of their vouchers.

We've also started shopping at Aldi a lot and that has helped loads too...they don't have everything but even doing what you can there and a top up of the rest at another store works.

Also, less takeout. That is insanely expensive. Plan meals. And snacks. And do home style take out vibes. Like frozen pizza or make a spice bag in your airfryer...ya know.

Anyway, hope this actually helps. All the best. 🙂

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