Confessions of a middle class FTM

I grew up poor, but I've always been pretty smart with money and slowly managed to climb my way out of poverty over the years. I now make around $80k in a decent cost-of-living area in New England.

On paper, I thought this would feel different. But after utilities, fixed bills, and loans, I am left with about $300 a month in discretionary money. And that $300 isn't even for fun stuff; it has to cover gas and basic personal hygiene products and maybe a LITTLE bit of "fun".

When I was younger, I truly believed that if I worked hard enough, a day would come where I wouldn't have to constantly stress about money. Instead, I find myself opening my Notes app every single month to micromanage every dollar of that $300.

I actually just finished paying off a loan, which should have given me some breathing room. But that relief is already short-lived because as soon as our baby starts daycare, every bit of that extra cash will be wiped out. Then it is right back to strict penny-pinching.

Before the usual Reddit advice comes in: I love my job and don't want to leave. My earning potential here is pretty much capped (maybe one promotion left), but finding a similar role with equivalent pay without moving is basically impossible, and relocating isn't an option for us.

I guess it just hurts a little bit. You do everything you were supposed to do to build a stable life, and you still end up counting pennies at the end of the month. Is this what the rest of my life is going to look like?