Reply To: Canceled Netflix, meal prepped all month, Saved $94. Rent went up $30
I get the frustration, but calling budgeting “gaslighting” oversimplifies the issue. Cutting small expenses alone was never meant to solve structural problems like rent increases or income stagnation.
Budgeting is about control over what *is* controllable, not fixing every financial pressure in isolation. A $94 saving won’t cancel a $300 rent hike—but it can still matter over time when combined with income growth and smarter financial decisions.
The real issue isn’t budging the advice itself, but when it’s presented as a complete solution instead of one piece of a bigger system.
Both things can be true: costs are rising, and financial discipline still has value.
