I understand how you feel. It was a thrilling moment when I opened it. credit card statement or Check loan balance and look at the numbers refuse to be upset. For too many of us, debt is no big deal. problem to be solved. It feels like a life sentence. But what if the answer is not? I’m going to take it off dollar by dollar.?What will happen if we burn everything down? start over?
Meet Bradley, known online as: ”Bradley on a budget” This content creator isn’t just avoiding avocado toast Or you can skip the oat milk latte. he turned thrift into an art form. Chilling and extreme performance art. In a recent video titled “How much money did you save this year by being super frugal?Bradley revealed that he saved an amazing $201,369, which is about 85.9% of his total income.
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You think it’s impossible, right? I agree. First, Mr. Bradley will have earned $234,479 in 2025. While his financial transparency is admirable, his income level is unrealistic for most Americans. In 2025, Average personal income At $53,010, Bradley was roughly in the top 4% of American earners. Living to the extreme becomes much easier when you have the luxury of having money in the bank.
Mr. Bradley’s method may sound extreme, but there is something worth noting here. Through sheer discipline and a willingness to live differently than most people, he was able to save over $200,000 in one year. His approach won’t work for everyone, and to be honest, it probably shouldn’t. Still, this proves an important point. You have more control over your money than you think.
Here’s how Bradley did it and shares the specific habits that helped him save nearly 90% of his income.
The moment that changed everything
Bradley’s story didn’t start with an impressive income. It started in a place many of us are familiar with. severe financial stress. After graduation American Culinary InstituteAlthough he earned an honorary degree and diploma, he also inherited $130,000 in student loan debt. His first job out of the lab paid $12 an hour.
“My student loan payments were almost half of my monthly income. I had two choices: accept defeat and make this my life forever, or improve my situation,” he said. people.
He chose the latter. Going into what he describes as “survival mode,” Bradley stripped his life down to the bare essentials. He had no financial mentors or wealthy parents to bail him out. Instead, he decided that financial freedom was more valuable than his current comfort.
Years later, that survival mode evolved into a lifestyle choice. In 2025, my living expenses were only $33,100 even though I earned $234,000 from various sources.
For context, the average American household Spend approximately $6,545 per monthThat comes out to about $78,535 per year. Of course the numbers reflect that. home income. If there are two earning adults in the household, that comes out to about $3,272 per month per person, or $39,268 per year. That’s still higher than Mr. Bradley’s annual expenses of $33,100, or about $2,758 per month. And wouldn’t you like it if you could save even $500 a month?
(For transparency, we use half of the median household income to approximate personal income in the U.S., data shows.) US Bureau of Labor Statistics. )
Step 1: A disciplined approach to groceries
Food costs are one of the largest household expenses for families and individuals alike, and Americans spend about Food and alcohol costs account for 13.7% of total expenditures. For individuals, that’s $5,406 per year, or $451 per month.
In total, Bradley spent just $2,940 on food in 2025.
That works out to about $245 per month, or about $60 per week. How on earth does he manage that? Dinner at a nice restaurant can easily exceed the cost per person.
The answer is simple. Bradley follows a strict routine, cooking all his meals at home and eating the same simple meals every day. By eliminating variety, we reduce food waste and impulse buying. He knows exactly what he needs and buys only that, eating every simple bite.
Aren’t you a graduate of culinary school? yes. His diet may seem boring to most people, but Bradley sees it differently. For him, food is fuel, and the money he saves tastes better than any fancy restaurant meal. In fact, he avoids eating out altogether, calling it “expensive and stupid” if you’re trying to save as aggressively as he does. that’s right.
Step 2: Minimize car costs
Anyone who drives a car knows how quickly car expenses can add up, from monthly payments and insurance to registration fees and the occasional ticket. Bradley avoids most of that by driving an old car he’s already paid off and carefully maintaining. In 2025, his total car-related expenses, including oil changes, registration, and taillight repairs, totaled just $264.
Insurance was a necessary evil, and Bradley paid $1,014 a year, or about $85 a month. He says he saves money by opting for a six-month bundle instead of paying monthly premiums. He also spent about $780 on gas. For comparison, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimate The average person spends about $2,148 on gas each year, or about $179 a month. Of course, this number varies greatly depending on where you live.
Mr. Bradley spent a total of $2,058 on auto-related expenses. By driving a paid car and only using it when necessary, I am able to keep my transportation costs low.
Step 3: Want to travel the world with money?
If you have 90% of your income in the bank, you might think that you spend your weekends in a dark room eating beans straight from the can. However, Bradley actually traveled quite a bit in 2025, taking a total of five trips, including a week in London.
Shocker? He spent $1,854 on all five trips.
Pause. Reality check. In 2025, Bradley is also a certified social media superstar, is frugal, and 1.5 million followers on TikTok. Without a detailed breakdown of flights, accommodations, and daily expenses, it’s hard to tell what was a frugal trip and what was a paid opportunity, such as a speaking event he gave (he was paid, but booked his flight and accommodation at his own expense).
While Bradley’s travel advice is harder to scale than a grocery budget, the principles still hold true. You can book an earlier or later flight each time the algorithm flashes. Travel in the off-season. Pack snacks. Stay in a hostel or at least don’t use the hotel minibar. It’s not revolutionary, but it’s effective.
Living within your means is a reminder that you don’t have to limit your lifestyle.
Step 4: Ultimate Utility savings
This is where Bradley loses the most. To keep his annual electricity bill under $600 (about $49 a month), he lives like a doomsday prepper without stocking up on canned beans.
He unplugs everything when not in use. That’s right, if I’m leaving town for a while, I’ll remove the refrigerator and everything inside. He washes his hair in the sink so he doesn’t have to heat up a shower’s worth of water. And he refuses to turn on the heat in the winter or the air conditioner in the summer.
“I think it’s amazing,” he said. “Basically, I live in the dark.”
Although this extreme “survival mode” is not realistic for everyone, it does highlight his dedication to achieving financial security even at the expense of his own physical comfort, especially considering that Bradley lives alone.
Other costs
Let’s fill in the remaining expenses for Bradley.
- Gym: His biggest annual expense was his gym membership, which cost him just $120 a year, or $10 a month. Because he “refused to pay any more.””
- Haircut: Six times throughout the year for a total of $130, or about $22 per cut.
- internet: $552 per year or $46 per month.
- Home inspection:And I almost bought a house this year! ” he shared, and the home inspection cost $695.
- Friends, Fun, and Dates: That’s $567 per year, or about $47.25 per month, or about $12 per week.
- Gift: A great place to spend your extra money. $1,080 per year. Bradley revealed that he bought his mother tickets to see Coldplay, paid for his sister’s nails and replaced his mother’s fireplace door for Christmas.
- Donation: “I started donating earlier this year to improve my relationship with money,” he said, adding that his donations totaled $1,248 over the year.
- tax: “I owed $8,219 in taxes for the 2024 season.”
- rent: like most americansBradley’s biggest expense was rent, which totaled $9,800 a year, or about $816 a month. This is a real accomplishment considering he lives in New York City.
Step 5: Side hustles and smart savings
Bradley’s remarkable work ethic and approach to lifestyle may be his strongest attributes. Remember the top 4% of income earners? Bradley isn’t just saving money. He’s also hustling. he manages 10 diverse revenue streams including content creation, brand partnerships, financial coaching, and more.
Despite his large income, he refuses to make unnecessary upgrades to his apartment, buy a new car, or eat in fancy restaurants, avoiding a “deteriorating lifestyle.”
A breakdown of Bradley’s annual expenses. Photo credit: Bing
A quick analysis of Bradley’s 2025 finances shows that his exceptionally high savings rate, representing approximately 86% of his income, reflects strong financial discipline and cost-effective management.
His biggest fixed expense, rent, remains well below what he can afford, perhaps because he carefully designed it or because he chose a place where most people don’t live. His home inspection fees also suggest he’s paying attention to real estate and looking for smart investments.
The numbers clearly tell the story. Bradley keeps his fixed costs low, spending money only on what’s really important and saving the rest. There’s no fancy apartment, no new car, no sneaking into a more expensive lifestyle just because you can afford it. It’s a discipline, sure, but it’s also a strategy, the kind that builds wealth rather than just making money.
It’s not deprivation. It’s free.
It would be easy to dismiss Bradley’s lifestyle of cold apartments and repetitive meals as miserable. But Bradley truly believes the sacrifices are worth it, and he lights up when talking about his bank account.
“For me, ‘treating myself’ means watching my bank account grow,” he says.
It’s simple and simple: gratitude. For example, when temptation strikes in mid-July, when the apartment feels like a stone oven and the air conditioner sits there teasing him, he remembers what it was like to be underwater. A sleepless night. Every time the bill arrived, he felt a pain in the pit of his stomach. The debt made him feel small. A bowl of oatmeal tastes great in comparison.
Create your own financial peace
Bradley knows his approach isn’t for everyone. He is single, extremely focused, and willing to live like a monk to achieve his financial goals. He admitted that if he had a partner or children, he would go back. After all, who wouldn’t want to explain to their spouse why the refrigerator was unplugged again?
The point here is not to live in the dark or eat the same food every day. It’s about knowing exactly where your money is going. Bradley can bring spending to the dollar. Even if someone offered us $100 on the spot, most of us wouldn’t be able to do that. We swipe, tap, subscribe, and assume everything will be fine. Usually not.
Let’s start by questioning normalized expenses. I have a gym membership that I haven’t used since February. The streaming service you forgot existed until you were charged for it. A new car when the car you’re currently driving is running well. Choose one category that will benefit you the most, such as groceries, transportation, or housing, and get serious about it. It’s not tragic. Just intentionally.
You don’t have to save 86% of your income or completely change your lifestyle. But wouldn’t it be great to save 10% or 20% of your income and know where your money is actually going?