I have been dreaming of maxing out retirement benefits at my full time job for about 6 months now.

For me that means $3174.60 a month or $38,215.20 a year toward retirement.

How you ask?

Well my union/state contract mandates 11% away each month toward retirement: $678.33 a month.

I can max out my 401K fund for $1458 a month, $17,500 a year.

The state has a second retirement savings vehicle state employees can use, the 457, that I can put away up to $1458 a month. For me the 457 would be $1100 a month to ensure that I had enough monthly to live on or $13,200 a year.

My take home would be $2260.81 a month broken down into the following sending categories:

Rent (estimate depends lease at that time) 790.00
Water/sewer/garbage estimate 65.00
Spending money: 200.00
Electric: 40
Gas for house: 30
Cell bill (2): 160
IRA: 10
Groceries: 290
Household: 10
Gas for car (Prius): 125
Car payment (0%): 326
Internet: 85 (estimate. Getting rid of cable means I’d like to watch a few favorite shows each week so need high speed/lots of download size. Must use current company because I use a microcell tower in my apartment to get cell phone coverage as I do not have a land line. The tower only works on AT&T internet. The use of the cell tower boosts the cell coverage to 5 bars and costs nothing extra to run.)
Netflix: 15
Audible.com: 15
Student Loan: 270. (Interest rate locked in at 1.25%. I am not in any hurry to pay this off because 5 more years of limited payments and the balance is forgiven through the federal loan forgiveness program)
Mom (assistance): 150
Emergency savings: 50

I would need to save a few things ahead of time to prepare for the year of living like this:
Car insurance for a year: 1400
Renters Insurance for a year: 350
Contact/Glasses: 720
Clothing: 1000 (estimate)
Personal HSA Savings: 200
Gym yearly membership: 100
All that totals $3770.00

Plus, I have my emergency fund.

And I earn between $150-700 dollars a month in the house and pet sitting business. Usually I have that money accrue in a savings account for the entire year but if I could use that during any month I needed after I save the business expenses I need for the following year, about $800.

I wonder if I have the strength to live this close to the bone for 12 months.

I know I could adjust my retirement savings at any time to get more money if I needed it.

What do you guys think?