Redditor makes $19K per year, spends $100/month for tumblr...

[minority_finance_mo]

The original thread was about surviving on a low income, and the following was a top comment:

Hi there, I make about 19k a year as well and I do live on my own.
Monthly I spend about:
Rent -- $435
Phone -- $100
Internet -- $25
Utilities (water/heat/electric) -- $40
Bus pass -- $50
Groceries -- $300 Edit:
Netflix -- $8
And ideally the rest goes to savings (although that hasn't been the case lately as I've been traveling a lot and replacing things that have gotten worn out/broken).
So I bring home around $1100-$1300/mo and spend about $960/mo on bills. If I got in a tough spot (reduced hours, unexpected expenses, whatever) I could cancel my internet and trim my grocery budget way back (I do a lot of cooking with good quality ingredients but I'm not above living on ramen if I have to). I definitely live a pretty frugal lifestyle (I almost never eat out and I don't go out to bars or anything like that unless I'm traveling and I budgeted for it) but it's not a hardship or anything.

A bunch of commenters mentioned his high phone bill and he explained how he was using ~7GB per month on mostly tumblr at work... So you're paying 10% of your net income... for gifs... at work... and posting on a financial independence forum... I must be from another planet, because that makes no sense to me...

http://www.reddit.com/r/Frugal/comments/34ndxw/i_make_around_195k_a_year_before_taxes_ive_never/cqwh9qk?context=10000

[Halfar]

To be fair frugal isn't necessarily a FI forum, just frugality. Half the posts in there are "how do I d/buy reficulously expensive underglaze thing frugally.

[mohawkbrah]

jokes on him he should get unlimited data usage

[Sid Hoffman]

The other way to look at this is that he only spends about $83/month on entertainment.  I say $83 because his current phone bill is $100 and a more budget-oriented smartphone plan should be about $25/month.  Netflix is also on there at $8/month.  So $75+8 = $83.  I know so many people who can drop $83 on a nice dinner for two and a movie with snacks, so for the guy to only spend that much per month is actually pretty good.  I'm no fan of dumblr, but if that's how he gets entertained, then so be it.

[The Money Monk]

The other way to look at this is that he only spends about $83/month on entertainment.  I say $83 because his current phone bill is $100 and a more budget-oriented smartphone plan should be about $25/month.  Netflix is also on there at $8/month.  So $75+8 = $83.  I know so many people who can drop $83 on a nice dinner for two and a movie with snacks, so for the guy to only spend that much per month is actually pretty good.  I'm no fan of dumblr, but if that's how he gets entertained, then so be it.

Yeah he manages to spend less than he earns while bringing in less tan $1200 a month. We all have stuff we spend money on that isn't essential, I say this guy is doing pretty damn good.

I do think he could find some ways to bring that down though. I mean hell, Metro PCS has an unlimited 4G data plan for $60. That's $40 right there.

EDIT: also if his location makes it feasible, using a bike instead of the bus would save him $50 a month. That would add up fast.