Income

Gross annual salary ($)

Your offer letter / W-2 number, before tax + benefits.

State + local tax rate (%)

Roughly 0% (TX/FL/WA) to 10%+ (CA/NY/OR). Use 5% if unsure.

Housing

Monthly rent ($)

Studio/1BR in a major city: $1,500–$3,500+. Smaller city/suburb: $700–$1,500.

Utilities + internet ($/mo)

Electric + gas + water + internet typically $80–$200/mo.

Renter's insurance ($/mo)

~$15–$30/mo. Get it. It costs less than not having it once.

Commute & transportation

Car payment ($/mo)

0 if you don't own. Otherwise typical $300–$600 for a used car, $500–$900 new.

Car insurance ($/mo)

$100–$300 depending on age, state, driving record.

Gas / transit / parking ($/mo)

Car owner: $150–$400. Transit: $80–$140. Walk/bike: $0–$30.

Health, food, basics

Health insurance premium ($/mo)

Employer plan: $0–$200. ACA marketplace at 25-yr-old earning $50K: $200–$400 post-subsidy.

Phone ($/mo)

Most plans $40–$80.

Groceries + household ($/mo)

Solo cooking: $300–$500. Mix of cooking + takeout: $500–$800.

Going out / discretionary ($/mo)

Bars, restaurants, streaming, gym, dating, weekend trips.

Savings target (the most important line)

Roth IRA contribution ($/mo)

Max in 2026 = $7,000/yr = $583/mo. Even $100/mo at 22 → mid-six-figures at 65.

401(k) contribution (% of salary)

If your employer offers a match, contribute at least to the match. That's a 50% guaranteed return.

Emergency-fund saving ($/mo)

Goal: 3–6 months of expenses in a high-yield savings account.

Student loans / debts (if any)

Student loan payment ($/mo)

College grad: federal IBR for $50K loan ≈ $200–$400/mo. Trade-school grad: often $0 or much lower.

Other debt payments ($/mo)

Credit card minimums, personal loans, etc. Try to keep this at $0.

YOUR MONTHLY BUDGET

Gross monthly salary$0

Federal + FICA tax (estimated)$0

State + local tax$0

401(k) pre-tax contribution$0

Net take-home (monthly)$0

All living expenses$0

Savings (Roth + emergency)$0

Monthly surplus / (deficit)$0

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Where Your Take-Home Goes (% of net)

From the Money Reality First Job Edition. Combines Vol III (originally College grads) and Vol IV (originally post-HS non-college) into one volume covering the practical math of leaving home regardless of which secondary-education path you took. Both paths hit the same first apartment, the same first 1099, the same first health-insurance enrollment. Different starting points; same compounding battle.

Illustrative only. Federal + FICA tax estimate uses 2026 brackets (10% / 12% / 22% / 24% etc.) with the standard deduction and ~7.65% FICA; actual withholding depends on filing status, dependents, deductions. State tax varies widely. ACA marketplace subsidies depend on household income and state. Not tax or financial advice; consult a professional. Hand-built for the Money Reality reader.