Gen Zers can't always afford to have fun. Here's how I budget my $80,000 salary to save for a house and still enjoy my 20s.

Fri, 04/19/2024 - 05:20

Left: Emma Sandke sitting at an outdoor table with a glass in front of her. Right: Emma Sandke in front of a city skyline. — Emma Sandke started to take budgeting seriously after starting her first job after college.
Courtesy of Emma Sandke

Emma Sandke, 24, is a data analyst living in Boston.
She budgets every dollar she spends, including on non-essential, fun activities.
She says it's harder for people in their 20s now to afford fun, compared to older generations.

This as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with Emma Sandke, 24, from Boston, about how she's budgeting her finances in her 20s. The following has been edited for length and clarity.