Crazy for me to be almost "worth" 100K. Super proud but I don't really have anyone to share it with.
I hope it's okay to share, happy to delete if not. Sharing here because I don't really have anyone to share it with and not feel awkward about it.
I (31F) started my budgeting journey in December 2023, and added my first salary & expenses in January 2024. I was always a bit uncomfortable with money, from being very careful as a student, to not really paying too much attention once I had my first "real" job and was feeling a bit more comfortable - while still not being truly financially comfortable.
It hasn't been smooth sailing to use YNAB & to budget, in the beginning I spent some months ignoring the app & having to come back to it and manually categorize hundreds of transactions. I started using the app because I realized buying an apartment was actually feasible for me where I live with my income (which wasn't the case before), so my main goal became to save for a down payment for an apartment.
What's made the biggest difference in increasing the amount I've been saving is first, changing jobs for a much better paying one (including great benefits & bonus structure, and although it is at risk from AI so we'll see how that goes), and moving in with my boyfriend in August 2025 and sharing costs (proportionally, I cover 60% of the fixed costs as I make more). I've also started my investing journey this year, after years of being afraid to do it & having a mental wall to overcome.
It's crazy to me to see this number, and while I haven't reached the amount needed for a downpayment yet, I should be able to this year or the next.