“I knew that dance was going to be super-hard financially so I started to think about other things I could do to make money. Some weeks are a hustle, but I’m determined to build a good base. And I’m lucky to be where I am.”  ~Lauren

You need to make enough money to live the way you want — it’s that basic.

Having a lot of money is the key to happiness for some people, but not for others. Money problems can cause a lot of stress, especially when your earnings and your lifestyle expectations don’t match up. The key is to decide on and own your lifestyle goals then make sure your work life lives up to them.

How to rule your work life

Sure, you can work in what you love — as long as you’re earning what you need. There are a few ways to figure out how much money you need to live happily.

Do that in four basic steps:

• Focus your career choices on matching your income to your lifestyle.

This one seems obvious, but it’s so often ignored. If you want a more expensive lifestyle, you need a work life that gives you enough income to do that. You might have to pursue a career that pays more, which may even influence the kind of education you get after finishing high school. If you don’t mind living simply and cutting back on expenses, you have more flexibility in the kind of job you take and education you pursue. Instead of college or grad school, for example, you might be able to consider other alternatives — like vocational school, professional certifications or a 2-year degree — to save on long-term student debt.

• See also: Continuing your education, Student loans

• Get the most from your paycheck.

When you’re evaluating a job offer, you want to look at things like income, but also whether your employer offers a retirement plan, such as a 401(k), which allows you to put pre-tax money away for retirement in an account that helps it grow. In addition to retirement and matching, see if your employer offers health insurance options and flexible spending accounts, which can help you keep medical costs affordable. If your employer offers free life insurance, take that, too.

• See also: 401(k), Health insurance, Flexible spending accounts, Life insurance

• Think about non-financial benefits.

A short commute, a casual work environment, paid holidays and vacation, money for education or professional development, work-from-home options, gym memberships — these are all quality-of-life benefits that can help you feel happier at work. When you’re looking for a job, ask about all the added perks and benefits that might be offered to you as an employee. Evaluate these alongside your salary to pick the job that best suits your bank account and your personal style.

• See also: Evaluating a job offer

• Join useful career networks and look for new opportunities.

Your first few jobs help set the tone for your entire career, but they are places where you should have worthwhile experiences and room to grow. Outside of work, there are professional associations, local networking groups in your career field and lots of other opportunities to meet with professionals in your field. We recommend working with one of these professional organizations or with your university to find a mentor — someone you can talk to and bounce ideas off of to help you grow. If you have time, look for volunteer and other extra-curricular opportunities to keep your network and your experience growing.

Words to know

Unsure about something you read? Many of the financial terms you came across in this article are defined in our financial glossary. A-Z Glossary

Revisit this Essential during these Life Events

These life events are great chances for you to look at your lifestyle expectations and your earning and make sure they synch up:

• Leaving school
• Evaluating a job offer
• Starting a job
• Leaving a job
• Working for yourself

Next up: Have an emergency fund

You've mastered this lesson, so now it's time to learn about having an emergency fund.