<prompt> Human: We seem to get a lot of extremes in this subreddit, and I feel like I fall more in the middle and this post might help others in similar situations.I graduated in 2010. It wasnt until the next year that I found gainful employment, and by then I was nearly 120,000 in debt. My starting salary was 40,000 in a high CoL metro area, so as many others out there I was pretty stressed about my fiscal future.It was clear my only hope was to buckle down, and for me the only way to make any sustainable changes was to make a lifestyle out of it. So budgeting became my ritual. All the stress, all of the frustration, all of the bad energy from envying debt-free grads was funneled into creating a budget and spreadsheet that worked for me.My debt was 3x my gross income for a while. It felt terrorizing, and hopefully this post helps others from feeling as overwhelmed. The advice I offer is basic, but important: Dont covet your friends finances, or try to keep up. This can be the hardest aspect. Surround yourself with people who are respectful of your situation. Its likely your 20s will be the most chaotic time in your life, so dont complicate it with stuff you dont need. Especially stuff thats going to get broken as you change positions or move around. No one is going to hand you a raise. Absolutely fight for your fair share. On that note - realize that what you get paid today affects your next job. Look for ways to add value and fight for every dollar you can get, because it can trickle down for the rest of your life. New employers often base offers on what you made in the past 10, 15, etc. Is being shy, or insecure, worth decades of lost income? Do not let yourself get comfortable. You want to spend 80 on cable because it will keep me from going crazy? Well too bad. You need to be a bit crazy, because youre in an insane situation. Being single is empowering. You get to spend all your money, time, and attention on yourself. Hone your skills or learn new ones at nights. Spend your money on books about investing, not dates. Right now, your situation is barely sustainable. You can be a better partner to someone later when you come with less baggage.By far the biggest thing thats helped me was growing my income for the past year I have made 60k. But that only works if you keep your expenses the same. I dont consider myself a very disciplined person, so avoiding lifestyle inflation continues to be the hardest part for me. That, and wanting to join friends on EVERY vacation and retreat, because it sucks to sit out on some of them.Just sit down, decide where you want to be, and try your best to stumble down the right path : Having an honest conversation with yourself is the first step. Then tracking expenses. Then budgeting. You can do it :Heres what my data looks like over the last 2 years - credit score, net worth, and spending as a of incomeAssistant: Some great advice in here. The only thing I would say is that while being single is indeed empowering you should not avoid relationships just because you are in debt. There are plenty of potential partners out there who would be understanding of your financial situation, regardless of what their own situation is. Additionally, sometimes having a supportive partner can make all the difference when times are tough and you feel like you are going to freak out.My own pro tip to add is that if you are going to spend money on some entertainment 1 do your research and find good deals and 2 find something that can be enjoyed multiple times like board games or exercise equipment.Human: Yup thats true, hopefully I didnt come off too cynical of relationships. I just think being single can provide a lot of freedom, which makes it easier to focus on a career and other goals in the shorter term.  <response>: No worries! You are definitely right that being single can free up a lot of time that can be used productively to further yourself as an individual. When you find the right partner you will know and anybody who doesnt understand your financial situation and wont support you in your goal to be more financially better off isnt worth your time. 