[peacemaker]

Honestly, I missed the rent subsidy part which makes it a bit easier. Still, thanks for the breakdown! I guess I waste a lot of money or something because I somehow manage to spend a lot more here! Although saying that, I prefer to put a lot more away towards savings and retirement and like to travel a lot too.

[ChuckMcM]

This.

Frictionless spending is your enemy. Oh that is a great book, click click click, $10 just whooshed out of your wallet into your kindle. There are so many good movies out this summer, blam blam blam another $50 - $60 GONE. Oh god I can't start my day without some caffiene pick up a vente latte half and half for me would you? Another $6 gone. It goes on and on. And it adds up.

[peacemaker]

I've gotten more careful with this since moving here because you're right, it can disappear so quickly. It's especially bad at my workplace because everyone goes to lunch together every day and that'll set you back $7-10 a day easily.

I started using mint.com to track my spending and the main issue in SF is rent. Followed closely by food costs. I was living in the mid-west briefly, earning only a few $K less than here yet saved so much more money and never had to worry about the minor spending adding up.