186. How To Stop Feeling Behind in Your Late 20s | Q&A on Money, Career & Life

Q&A on money, career, and life: how to stop feeling behind in life, how OCD showed up for me, my FIRE numbers, and so much more! I went through as many of your questions as I could from both of my Instagrams, and I tried to keep the answers tactical.

In this Q&A, I’m covering:

👉🏻 How to stop feeling behind financially and professionally in your late 20s

👉🏻 How OCD actually showed up in my daily life, and how I manage it now

👉🏻 How I knew California was my place, and how I chose my furniture

👉🏻 How to start lifting weights and why a trainer is worth it

👉🏻 What I paid for Botox and microneedling, and my FIRE & Coast FI numbers

👉🏻 How to cope with the sacrifices of saving money, plus a dating update and my take on prenups

This one is more casual than my usual episodes, so expect some rambling!!

Referenced in this episode:

👉🏻 10 Lessons I Learned This Year | Why 2026 Is My Best Year Yet — https://youtu.be/4Eflxre1FdI

👉🏻 The Cleaning System That Keeps My Apartment Spotless in 24/7 Without Constant Resets — https://youtu.be/UTAW61va4Kc

👉🏻 The Psychology Behind Decluttering: Why Tidying Up Transforms Your Life + Motivation to START!! — https://youtu.be/xRaZzDx55YQ

👉🏻 My mom’s photography shop (Lisa Allocca) — https://lisaallocca.com

GET THE PRODUCTIVITY PLANNER!

👉🏻 https://breakyourbudget.com/productivity-planner

Subscribe to the Beyond Your Budget Substack:

https://breakyourbudget.substack.com/

Personal Finance Starter Kit:

https://breakyourbudget.substack.com/p/your-personal-finance-starter-kit

BREAK YOUR BUDGET RESOURCES:

💸 Personal Finance Dashboard:

https://breakyourbudget.com/personal-finance-dashboard

💸 Basic Budgeting Template:

https://breakyourbudget.com/basic-budgeting-template

💸 FI/RE Template:

https://breakyourbudget.com/fire-template

💸 Rent vs. Buy Calculator:

https://breakyourbudget.com/rent-vs-buy-calculator

💳 TOOLS I USE:

💸 Rakuten Cash Back (cash back on purchases you're already making): https://shorturl.at/w0PcH

💸 SoFi HYSA (my fave high yield savings account): https://secure.money.com/pr/pa5344bfc4f2

💸Brokerage Account (the same one I use):

https://secure.money.com/pr/t456b3326b57

💸 Classpass (try it for a discounted first month): https://classpass.com/refer/UKLV6BN026

📚 MY BOOKS:

💸 Own Your Money:

https://breakyourbudget.com/own-your-money

💸 Own Your Career:

https://breakyourbudget.com/oyc-book

All Other Resources:

https://breakyourbudget.com/links

👩🏼‍💻 Inquiries: [email protected]

📸 Instagram (Break Your Budget): https://www.instagram.com/breakyourbudget/

📸 Instagram (Personal): https://www.instagram.com/michela_alloccaa

📲 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@breakyourbudget

💸 My ShopMy: https://shopmy.us/shop/michelaallocca

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 — Why I’m going off script for a casual Q&A (and recording in a studio)

02:00 — Why you are not behind at 27, and what to check before you panic

09:10 — How OCD actually showed up for me

13:50 — How I knew California was my place

16:30 — How to start lifting weights, and why a trainer is worth the money

21:00 — How I choose furniture that moves with me from home to home

27:15 — What I actually pay for Botox and microneedling

35:20 — My FIRE and Coast FI numbers

40:30 — How to cope with the sacrifices of saving money

42:30 — My dating update, and why staying with the wrong nice guy is the worst call