the tbdmoney blog

Money questions, answered in plain text.

The questions people actually google, with the number that matters, the number everyone quotes instead, and the source under both. Written by the team building tbd, the budget that texts you.

Chapters

  1. rent8 min

    How much rent can I afford on $80k? $2,000, 37% of take-home

    The 30% rule says $2,000 on $80k, and the landlord screen clears $2,222. Take-home is about $5,426, so $2,000 is 37% of what lands, before state tax.
  2. budgeting8 min

    The 50/30/20 rule on $60k: $2,100, $1,260, $840 a month

    On $60,000, take-home is about $4,200 a month: $2,100 needs, $1,260 wants, $840 savings. Typical rent alone takes $1,962 of the needs line.
  3. fraud8 min

    What is provisional credit? The bank has 10 business days

    Under Regulation E, a bank has 10 business days to resolve a debit card dispute or put the money back provisionally. Here is when it can be reversed.
  4. subscriptions8 min

    How to find all my subscriptions? 90 days, 3 searches, 1 list

    People guess $86 a month on subscriptions and the itemized average is $219. Pull 90 days, run 3 email searches, check the phone, write one list.
  5. salary8 min

    $80k a year is how much a month after taxes? About $5,426

    A single filer on $80,000 takes home $5,426 a month in 2026 after federal tax and FICA. Here is the bracket math, the biweekly check, and what 6% does.
  6. salary8 min

    What is a good salary at 25? Enough for $1,000 and the match

    There is no age-25 median, and the household median is $83,730. A good salary at 25 is one whose take-home covers rent, the first $1,000, and the match.
  7. rent7 min

    How much rent can I afford on $100k? $2,500, 38% of take-home

    The 30% rule says $2,500 on a $100k salary. Take-home is $6,598 a month, so that rent is 38% of what lands. Here is the leftover math, city by city.
  8. savings8 min

    How much should I have saved at 35? 2x salary vs $135,000

    Median net worth is $135,000 for the 35 to 44 bracket, against $39,000 under 35, and Fidelity's guideline puts 35 near 2x salary. Here is why it jumps.
  9. salary8 min

    Is $150k a good salary? 1.8x the median household income

    $150,000 is 1.8x the 2024 median household income of $83,730 and about $9,480 a month after federal tax. Here is where it stops feeling like it.
  10. subscriptions8 min

    Average subscription cost per month: $219, and $377 for Gen Z

    People guess $86 a month on subscriptions, but itemized from statements the average is $219, and $377 for Gen Z. Here is where the $133 gap hides.
  11. emergency fund9 min

    How much emergency fund on a $50k salary? Not $25,000

    Six months of a $50k salary is $25,000. Six months of fixed costs on $3,530 take-home is $15,720 in the worked month below. Start at $1,000.
  12. rent8 min

    The 3x rent rule: what landlords check, and what it misses

    Landlords want gross income of at least 3x the rent, so $60,000 clears $1,667. That is 33% of gross and 40% of take-home. Here is the table and the gap.
  13. rent8 min

    Is 40% of income on rent too much? What the leftover says

    Rent at 40% of gross is 47 to 51% of take-home at typical salaries. Half of U.S. renters are already over the 30% line. Here is when 40% works.
  14. salary8 min

    $70k a year is how much a month after taxes? About $4,830

    On a $70,000 salary, 2026 federal tax and FICA leave about $4,830 a month. State tax and a 6% 401(k) take it lower, and here is the math.
  15. subscriptions8 min

    Subscription charging after you cancelled? The 60-day rule

    Ask the merchant first, then the card issuer: a credit card gives you 60 days from the statement to dispute in writing. Debit is tighter.
  16. paycheck9 min

    How much of my paycheck should I save? Start at 6% and $1,000

    The percentage comes last. Start with the employer match, usually 50% on the first 6% of pay, then $1,000, then a goal with a name and a date.
  17. rent8 min

    How much rent can I afford on $50k? The rule says $1,250

    The 30% rule says $1,250 on a $50,000 salary. Landlords screen at $1,389. The typical U.S. rent of $1,962 is 56% of your take-home.
  18. fraud8 min

    Unauthorized charge on your debit card? Report it in 2 days

    Report an unauthorized debit card charge within 2 business days and your liability is capped at $50. After 60 days it can be unlimited. Here is the clock.
  19. salary8 min

    Is $80k a good salary in 2026? $3,730 under the median

    $80,000 is $3,730 under the 2024 median household income of $83,730, and many households have two earners. Take-home is about $5,426 a month.
  20. savings7 min

    How much should I have saved at 30? 1x salary vs $39,000

    Fidelity says 1x your salary by 30. The Fed says the median household under 35 has $39,000 in net worth. Here is the gap and what closes it.
  21. salary8 min

    $60k a year is $4,200 a month after taxes. Here is the math

    A single filer on $60,000 keeps about $4,200 a month after federal tax and FICA in 2026, $1,938 per biweekly check. Here is the step-by-step math.
  22. rent7 min

    How much rent can I afford on $60k? Start with $1,500

    On $60k, the 30% rule says $1,500 rent. Compare the landlord screen, estimated take-home, and what remains after bills before choosing a lease.
  23. subscriptions7 min

    How much do people spend on subscriptions? $219, not $86

    People guess they spend $86 a month on subscriptions. Itemized from real statements, the average is $219, and Gen Z runs $377. Here is where the gap hides.
  24. rent8 min

    How much rent can I afford? The 30% rule vs your take-home

    The 30% rule says $1,625 on a $65k salary. Take-home says that is 36% of what lands. Here is the number that actually decides it, with the math.
  25. emergency fund7 min

    How much should an emergency fund be? Start with one number

    Three to six months of expenses is the standard answer, but only 47% of Americans can cover a $1,000 surprise. Start at $1,000, then one month of fixed costs.
  26. savings8 min

    How much should I have saved at 25? The median, not the rule

    The median net worth under 35 is about $39,000, and most of it belongs to people in their early 30s. At 25, a few thousand dollars and no card debt is ahead.
  27. fraud8 min

    How to dispute a charge you don't recognize: the exact script

    Lock the card, check the merchant name, and call with a script. Debit disputes get an answer or provisional credit in 10 business days; credit cards get 60.
  28. salary7 min

    Is $100k a good salary in 2026? Where it is, and is not

    $100k beats the $83,730 median household income and nets about $6,600 a month before state tax. It is worth $91,868 in Oklahoma City, far less in Manhattan.
  29. subscriptions7 min

    The subscription audit: 7 questions, 5 minutes, 90 days

    A 5-minute subscription audit that finds the $133 a month most people miss: 90 days of statements, price raises, card credits, last use, then the statement.
  30. paycheck8 min

    Where your paycheck should go first: the 6-step payday order

    Minimums, dated bills, the first $1,000 of emergency fund, the employer match, one named goal, then the guilt-free number: the 6-step payday order.