I've tracked every dollar I spent for the past three years, and the 50/30/20 rule for budgeting keeps coming up as the gold standard. But with rent eating 40% of my income in a mid-sized city, following it strictly means almost nothing left for the 'wants' category. Is the 50/30/20 rule realistic for most people, or is it just a privileged framework that ignores how housing costs have spiraled? I think it's time we admit it needs a serious overhaul.