I Live in Houston and Earn $285,000 Each Year. Here’s How I Budget.0

• as-told-to, bi-freelancer, budget, Business, contributor-2026, cost-of-living, Finance, houston, manseen-logan, Real Estate, salary, tess-martinelli, Texas
• June 1, 2026

This as-told-to essay is based on conversations with Morgan S., a 37-year-old strategy senior manager in Houston. It has been edited for length and clarity. I’m from Houston, and I love it. My monthly take-home pay from my corporate job is just under $10,000 after taxes. I feel very financially secure here and ahead of