I started my career 3 years ago at a small company in my hometown. I was offered $50,000 with cheap health benefits and I jumped at the chance.

Before long I moved into my own apartment, a downtown loft that was expensive for the market but a great place for a young single guy to lure back unsuspecting young, single girls.

Around this time, in a way I still don't understand, I became more financially mature in 2 big ways:

1. I became a "saver" after 5 years as an unrepentant "spender."

2. I learned how to keep a budget.

I'll write more about these later, but I created my first budget then and I've been a budget evangelist (rare at my age) since.

Generally speaking, here's where I'm at right now:

Rent: 1,600
Auto: 480
Groceries: 300
Gasoline: 80
Utilities: 275
Shopping: 200
Entertainment: 300
Miscellaneous: 200
Debt Reduction: 350
Savings: 1050

Rent
I live in a moderately expensive market but I also rent a condo that is too nice and too expensive. There's a long story about this but suffice to say that I don't see myself renewing my lease in October unless I get this reduced. Not out of the question in this RE market.

Savings
Right now this is liquid in a savings account.

I also contribute 4% pretax income to my companies 401k with a 100% match. That puts my total savings (inc. match) at $19,000/yr.

When I relocated in 2008 I burned thru most of the savings I had at that point. It was painful but worthwhile: My income increased from $55k in the midwest to $83k here.

So there you have it.