Budgeting/spending as income increases?

[macmars45]

When H gets an increase (bonus or raise) we bump up fun money and increase our charitable giving. Also we throw more at debt/retirement/big purchases.

[Poppy]

I am another who doesn't really budget in the traditional sense. We do a retrospective every year to make sure we're aligned and that we're achieving our big picture goals, and to analyze our spending.

I'm pretty frugal in general but we've definitely experienced lifestyle inflation as income increases, and I'm ok with that since we're meeting our long term goals. And we have agreed to spend more money on things that are good for us. So our spending on exercise (expensive sport and more recently an exercise bike for home) has a lower bar. The personal training you mention would definitely fit in that category. This policy also applies to H's profession-adjacent hobby that makes him better at his job and opens some job possibilities.

[Deleted]

This thread has been really helpful. Thanks to everyone who shared.

We have no debt, no kids, and a rapidly rising income, so are starting to look in this direction ourselves. We had already identified increasing retirement savings and charitable giving, as well as a badly needed kitchen and bath remodel, but werent really sure what to do after that. Oh, and i am definitely hiring a cleaning person. I am so over cleaning, fighting about cleaning, feeling bad because things arent clean enough...