imo you should run your own affairs like a business. Have a balance sheet and an income vs expenses sheet. Aim to consistently run a surplus.
As you go through life if you are running a surplus you can increase your income to expense ratio (should be greater than 1 of course), through investments and other means. Ratios are more important than absolute numbers as it's all relative. I can tell you there are people on hige incomes that spend above their means. The numbers should look after themselves in the long run if you're not stuck in the rut of paying interest on bad debt.
