I’m in my early-30s with a $2 million net worth – how do other high-earning employees fit fun into the budget?

When I was in my early 30s, I started having kids. But a good number of my friends weren’t yet parents at the time, and they were definitely focused on going out and enjoying themselves at that stage of life.

But this Reddit poster is wondering how much money people in a similar boat to them spend on fun. They’re a high earner in their early 30s with a $2 million net worth, and they want to know how much money to allocate to leisure.

Based on this, I can’t help but wonder whether the poster has trouble spending their money. And if so, I think some intervention may be in order.

It’s okay to enjoy your success

My husband and I are very serious about meeting our savings goals. Each year, we allocate a decent chunk of our money to retirement savings, and we also contribute money toward our kids’ college funds.

But we also manage to have fun on occasion, whether it means spending money on concert tickets, sporting events, restaurant meals, or even the occasional vacation. We also sometimes throw money at things that make our life more convenient, like takeout meals during weeks when work is busy and a house cleaner.

To be clear, we purposely keep our primary expenses, like housing and transportation, as low as possible to free up money in our budget for these things and save at what we feel is a decent rate. But we definitely don’t deny ourselves enjoyment just because we’re working toward big financial goals.

It seems as if this poster isn’t comfortable with the idea of spending money on fun. Or maybe they’re okay with it and are genuinely curious about what other people do with their money.

But what I’d say is that with a $2 million net worth at such a young age, this poster clearly has room in their budget for fun. And they should get on board with the idea of spending some of their money. If they refuse to spend and instead aim to save every penny, they might sorely regret it when they’re older.

A financial advisor can help strike a balance

I’ve met plenty of people who have a hard time spending money on anything despite having lots of it. And I can admit that I sometimes have feelings of guilt when I splurge to see a band I really like, knowing that money could do a lot if I were to save or invest it instead.

But the way I see it, it’s important to strike a balance. And if the poster above is having a hard time doing that, then I’d recommend that they talk to a financial advisor.

A financial advisor can help them create a budget that leaves them with plenty of room for fun while allowing them to meet their long-term goals. And once the poster sees that the occasional splurge won’t throw their financial plans off course, they may have an easier time kicking back and enjoying life a bit more.