My friend Janine, who teaches yoga and something called “Happiness Coaching” via her Practically Janine instagram handle and Your Yoga Dream website, recently had a story about something called the $75,000 Rule. Essentially, the concept is that in most of America, a $75,000 gross annual income is enough to live reasonably comfortably. Below that line, and you’re on the struggle bus a bit more, above that line and you may find things a bit easier.
I really wanted to argue with the conclusion. But in pondering my own experiences (MLGB and I lived on less than $75k for quite a while in our marriage) I really can’t. Sure, you can make it on less than that. With good budgeting, very careful expenditures, and a lot of self control, you can even get ahead and thrive. Or you can rack up a bunch of credit card debt and go totally broke.
Being over that number doesn’t magically free oneself from the laws of gravity either, it just makes it a little easier to breathe. Like the difference between running at 7,000 feet, and running at sea level.
Anyway, it’s a provocative topic.