Guides: Where Did My Money Go?: Reality Check

Reality Check

Texas Reality Check
Choose a Texas city you want to live in and calculate the average monthly expenses - see how much money will be left for you to put into savings.

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After taking this reality check compare it to the annual salary of your occupation. Does your lifestyle match what you expect to make working in the industry you are exploring?
Texas Labor Market Information: Wages by Profession
Find entry-level hourly wage in Texas and more narrowly by metropolitan area.
Cost of living: how far will your salary go in another city?
CNN Money Calculator compares the current salary in the city you currently live in with another city.

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Note the difference in grocery and utility bills, cost of housing, transportation, and healthcare.
Money Geek: Cost of Living Calculator
See how far your salary with go in another city.

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Money Geek uses the cost of living data from the Council of Community and Economic Research, Employment data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and demographic data from the U.S. Census Bureau.