She works hard for her money.
A 26-year-old content creator has managed to buy three homes on a $52,000 salary — and still has enough money to potentially buy a fourth.
Unlike most Gen Zers, Charlie Sanderson from Manchester, UK lives on a tight budget — only allowing herself a modest $63 monthly allowance on non-essential things, like eating out and movie tickets.
But the TikTokker isn’t only good at budgeting — she also has various side hustles working nights and weekends doing surveys, market research, and secret shopping.
By juggling all these jobs, Sanderson reached her $12,700 savings goal for this year alone.
Her total savings? Over $25,000.
In a now-viral video — which already has over 500,000 views — Sanderson explained how she gets by on such a tight budget.
She only spent a little over $10 in January, as she explained — in overlay text — that she socialized a ton over Christmas and had enough treats, so she didn’t feel compelled to spend frivolously.
February was a bit more fun for the Gen Zer — as it included a movie theater date and a Wagamama splurge, but still all under the $63 mark.
By March, Sanderson had spent just $54.36 — sticking to her plan but indulging in a few pizza and wine nights.
“I’ve done a little bit of everything that’s important to me and spread it out over different months,” Sanderson wrote in the last slide of her video.
Considering Gen Z is drowning in personal debt, it doesn’t come as a surprise that this intense budgeting strategy isn’t for everyone.
Some online commenters questioned whether Sanderson was sacrificing too much for her savings goal.
“Can’t take money with ya when ya gone,” one commenter wrote.
“Babe I beg you live a little, life is short you don’t need 4 houses” another quipped.
“This makes me sad, you only get one life. Budgeting is great but everything could be done tomorrow, have fun,” they commented beneath Sanderson’s video.
However, others praised her “amazing self-control” and “discipline.”
“My whole wage is non-essential. I couldn’t live like this it’s crazy. well do you though, if that’s what works for you,” someone joked.
“Wow you’re so disciplined! I would have spent 50 on a meal out. my spending budget is everything else after i pay rent/bills/saving,” another person shared.
In another video, Sanderson shared more details on how she breaks up her salary to afford all that she does.
Each month, she first puts $1,402 into a joint account, “which covers everything from mortgages, tax insurance, groceries,” the 26-year-old explained in the follow-up video.
“If it’s a shared bill, it comes out of the joint account and it’s covered by the $1,402 she puts aside each month.”
She has her budget for non-essential purchases — and then she usually puts around $254 into her stocks and shares ISA (the UK’s version of an IRA account).
Sanderson said she stashes away $1,402 into another cash ISA account — which is her “fourth house deposit fund.”
Lastly, she spends about $12 on her monthly phone bill and $12 on her gym membership.
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