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A Week In New York City On A $124,000 Salary
Welcome to Money Diaries where we are tackling the ever-present taboo that is money. We're asking real people how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period — and we're tracking every last dollar. Today: a consultant who makes $124,000 per year and who spends some of her money this week on a check leaf she thought she wouldn't have to buy again. If you'd like to submit your own Money Diary, you can do so via our online form. We pay $150 for each published diary. Apologies but we're not able to reply to every email. Occupation: Consultant Industry: IT Age: 26 Location: NYC Salary: $124,000 Assets: Liquid: ~$25,000 cash across HYSA and CMA (brokerage-hosted cash management account). I have these separated into buckets: emergency fund (which is the biggest), vacation, taxes, etc. ~$325,000 in long-term investments across pre- and post-retirement accounts, which includes $170,000 in a taxable brokerage, $34,000 in a Roth IRA, $1,000 in a rollover IRA, $110,000 in a 401(k), and $14,000 in a HSA. I contribute to a company ESPP but recently I sold a bunch of shares in order to diversify my portfolio internationally and beef up my cash. I own no properties. Debt: None, other than a revolving credit card balance which I manage and pay off regularly. Paycheck Amount (Biweekly): $2,400 (but fluctuates depending on what is being expensed during that pay period). Pronouns: She/her Monthly Expenses Housing Costs: Currently I live in an apartment with one roommate. It's $1,952.49 for my portion of the rent, including a flat fee for the transaction. We split shared apartment items such as cleaning supplies, big furniture, and utilities — it's approximately $100-$130 per person for variable utilities split in a two-person apartment. Renter's Insurance was paid upfront for the year and split. Loan Payments: $0. I had $100,000 of student loans which I paid off. Phone Bill: $30 (my portion of a legacy family plan). House Supplies: $50. This is a budget for shared apartment items like cleaning and pantry items that my roommate and I share. Gym: $108. Subscriptions: $35. ~$20 of this is for Patreon personal development subscriptions. The rest is Apple music and Crunchyroll Fan. For these, I cycle subscriptions because I don't want to pay for too many at once. I also utilize free ad-based services like Tubi. Liquid Savings: $500. I have different savings buckets and reassess what I allocate every quarter depending on how my priorities change but I'm always contributing to my emergency fund. Investments: $500. This fluctuates depending on what I have leftover after debt, expenses, and savings. However I will contribute post-tax either to my brokerage or to my Roth IRA. Annual Expenses Botanic Garden Membership: $75 for the year for multiple gardens. Easily worth the initial outlay and it supports the garden. Renter's Insurance: $150 for a one-year quote (paid upfront because it was a better deal). Was there an expectation for you to attend higher education? Did you participate in any form of higher education? If yes, how did you pay for it? Absolutely, this was a non-negotiable cultural and familial expectation. I am a second-generation immigrant; I earned my bachelor's in science. I am fortunate enough for my parents to have covered $100,000 of my total tuition, which amounted to two years. I was accountable for the last two years, which was another $100,000 of federal and private loans. Once I graduated, tackling those pesky high-interest private loans was top priority. I took full advantage of the six-month no-interest grace period for new graduates and the extended COVID-19 interest pause. I lived at home, worked, and adopted a super-aggressive payoff strategy. I told myself I would do nothing but work until I paid off these loans and sacrificed my social life for the most part. Having my priorities straight was essential to success. Through all four years of college, I worked part-time jobs to cover my lifestyle and food expenses. I am not one to regret over things that cannot be changed (and that's on growth), but if I could go back I would attend a different university and I would be much more strategic with my first two years. Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent(s)/guardian(s) educate you about finances? Put simply, money was tight growing up. Growing up, my upbringing was not easy for many reasons — but everyday I am so grateful that my parents had good financial habits, especially since I was a big natural spender as a kid. They instilled solid habits early on (bank accounts, credit cards in high school, being frugal, etc.) but they approached money talks very differently. One parent shielded us from it completely, while the other laid everything out in excruciating detail. My sibling and I witnessed and overheard many arguments about money. I'm ultimately grateful for hearing the hard truth about our situation, but it instilled early fear around money. I was raised to live below my means, prioritize getting 'good jobs', and to adopt a sustainable lifestyle that helps the planet, not harms it. My family composts, recycles, reuses, reduces, and has never lived the life of overconsumption that is normalized today. I say this because only when I became independent did I fully see that a lot of people don't care about this, which is so sad to me. All of these remain constant in my lifestyle today, no matter what my income is. I have a core memory related to this question: fighting with one of my parents over my 401(k) contribution at my first job as a kid that offered a 401(k). I wanted to contribute less and keep more cash; they pushed for 10%, which was them settling with me. They won, begrudgingly for me (thankfully, they were the only people in the world as stubborn as me). Looking back I learned that money wasn't disappearing — it was being stored for future me to thrive. This was definitely the first seed that was planted that made me the saver I am today. Another big money lesson is related to mindset. Over time, I developed a mindset where money felt more important than anything else: not out of greed, but out of survival and insecurity. I truly believed that my mental health could take the hit if it meant making financial progress or securing financial opportunity, because I could recover from anything due to my strength and resilience. That belief served me for a while… Until it didn't. I eventually learned (the very hard way) that mental health is the foundation. What was your first job and why did you get it? My first job was as a waitress at a small local restaurant as soon as I was of age. I was looking to make some cash to cover my own spending and anything fun I wanted instead of solely relying on my parents. Did you worry about money growing up? Absolutely. I mentioned money was a contentious topic. Another unexpected contributor to money concerns was school. My parents made a lot of sacrifices in order to get us into a great school. But I was constantly made aware and was self-conscious of how different our socioeconomic status was to others. We lived in a strong school district which was full of super rich families. And I mean rich. McMansion rich. Luxury cars at 16 once they got their driver's permit, an array of designer bags to school everyday rich. We were in different worlds in more ways than just money. But I do remember stepping into someone's McMansion for the first time in my life and being flabbergasted by how someone would have such tall ceilings and that much space, though I kept it off my face. Hopefully. Probably not. Now this is all kind of funny because luxury couldn't impress me less. Do you worry about money now? Ever since an income stream went really wrong, yes, although I try not to. It's a pattern I'm trying to break. I'm a natural over-analyzer and worrier, and I've lived through enough hardship to know that nothing is guaranteed. No matter how lucrative or promising any person's success is, historical success does not guarantee future wins. The mighty rise and the mighty fall and the arrogant and apathetic tend to get eaten up for breakfast. Consulting and tech has been super unstable as well. My company has had more than 10 rounds of layoffs (and counting) which fuelled money fears, but I've focused on gratitude and an abundance mindset around the fact that I still have my job and have the ability to control my miscellaneous expenses. At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net? I have two answers. Mid-college, once I was responsible for my tuition, and then two years ago, after I started living on my own. The gap in between I was living at home. But reaching full independence involved a lot of personal work. It took a few years of confronting and changing my self-centered financial habits and systematically cutting out things I relied on them for. Yes I do now, to the second question. When I was living at home I couldn't invest in emergency savings and also pay down my student loan debt. So I prioritized building that bucket after I moved out. Recently I finally had a fully-funded emergency savings pot. Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain. No inherited income, but I did have a passive income stream… that I didn't fully understand. It was promising at first, but it blew up fast. The aftermath was as ugly as it was situationally inevitable and holistically necessary for my growth. I went through a breakup, lost my entire friend group (a toxic one, so definitely for the best) and my best friend, and ended up in massive debt. The emotional fallout was tough, but the financial one was the most difficult. What came after sent me into the lowest period of my life thus far. I had made good money early on for a short time in exchange for years of deep suffering, constant fear, and borderline financial ruin. This period shattered my old beliefs. I confronted how fragile mental health actually is, how it should never be taken for granted, and how without it, other things pale in comparison. Because my mental health did recover… Five years later, this year, when I finally let go of some of the last residual trauma. I still carry the scars from that time, but I came out of it as such a wise and realized version of me, with stronger habits and a clearer sense of self. Day One: Thursday 7 a.m. — Day one of a new project so I'm up bright and early. I was placed on this project with just one day's notice, but that's the nature of consulting. Still it's rough because starting today I'm adjusting to an entirely new routine, which means my sleep is taking a heavy hit — so yes I woke up on the wrong side of the bed today. Still, I am excited for the opportunity to build a normalized routine again. 7:11 a.m. — My day starts with a simple morning routine and breakfast. I make my favorite iced coffee at home (condensed milk, espresso from my Breville Bambino Plus, milk. My take on Vietnamese coffee. 10/10) and eat a half-meal of just an egg fry. I put on makeup, spray some perfume, and I start my commute, apprehensive about entering the rush hour commute. $2.90 (Expensed) 8:45 a.m. — Special entry for this train ride because wow. It's a line I usually never have to take and all of the rush-hour crowds and their moms are out. If there's one thing I hate it's being shoved in a metal tube like a can of sardines with no personal space. No amount of my love of big city living will change this. I occupy myself with some music. My choice for this morning is Frank Ocean's 'Super Rich Kids'. Every time I listen to this song I low-key feel like the main character in a movie. 9 a.m. —- I get to the office I'll be at for the next month. I get my badge, meet the office managers, and get a tour of the office. I'm surprised by how intimate the office is, size wise, and how impressive the amenities are. This role is in finance so I'm excited to see how this industry works behind the curtain. 10 a.m. — I'm oriented to the office for the most part. I have a desk! I spend some time looking at the place. I find that this office has an array of drinks, snacks, and optional building amenities that no one else seems to care about. I'm talking about the big brand stuff — the cold brew, Gatorades, all of the flavors of seltzer, sodas, you name it. Every random type of potato chip and tiny milk chocolate bites that I will definitely grab way too many of while I'm in this office. I love to explore a new place and note my favorite corners. 12 p.m. — A big plus about this project is that I get a full lunch hour, and I use it. This office is in Midtown Manhattan so I decided earlier on to spend my lunch break outside. I buy lunch out at the salad bowl place next door to the office. Honestly I'm not that impressed, but food is food. Because it's my first day, I didn't want to meal prep while also adjusting to a very different sleep schedule. I'm big on making my life as easy as possible for 'future-me' both physically and mentally. So I enjoy half of my lunch at a local park and sit in the sun. $16.65 5:15 p.m. — My first day comes and goes. It was a fairly light day. Another big plus of this project is that I get to leave the office at a set time. Having set hours like this is pretty rare for consulting so I'm cheery and enjoying this while it lasts. I leave my building and stop by Trader Joe's. I track my expenses weekly and last week was super expensive for take-out spend because I neglected grocery shopping and didn't have as much time or energy to cook. Eager to do better, I pick up some essentials and good-to-haves. I focus on my grocery list: just necessities that contribute to big recipes (easy breakfasts and my next weekly meal prep). I'm proud of myself as I leave the store because I didn't pick up any of those delicious novelty temptation snacks waiting for you at each corner. $30.65 6:05 p.m. — I take the train back home and am absolutely bombarded by rush hour traffic. As I hinted at, I'm an introvert and rush hour on the train is particularly overstimulating for me. By the time I get back I am drained. I'm supposed to meal prep but I throw my stuff down, change, and leave the house. $2.90 (Expensed) 6:30 p.m. — Whenever I feel drained I opt for a quick reset in nature. My go-to is the nearest botanical garden if it's open, followed by Prospect or Central Park — whichever is closer. I spend some time walking around and soaking in the rolling meadows, trees with so much life in them, and picturesque views, feeling my battery recharge almost immediately. I paid for the annual membership already, so no cost to enter. 7:15 p.m. — The rest of the evening is a full reset. I find a recipe for a replica Sweetgreen Harvest Bowl which tastes phenomenal. It takes some time to prepare each of the individual pieces (marinate and cook the veggies, sweet potatoes, chicken) but it's well worth it. This is my lunch for the week. I spend some time preparing for tomorrow today (what I call PTT). I choose my outfit for tomorrow (Artizia pants, Cotton On T-shirt, Everlane blazer) and pack my purse (Freja Paloma). Then I shower, journal, and spend the rest of the night turning in early (aka, I stay in bed and watch The Apothecary Diaries. Don't @ me!) Daily Total: $47.30 Day Two: Friday 8 a.m. — Today is Friday! Make no mistake: I snoozed my alarm twice. Clearly I'm still trying to adjust to the new schedule. I'm one of those people who wishes I was a morning person but totally accepts the fact that I'm not. Miss me with the 5 a.m. days! I get out of bed, wash my face with my standard routine (face wash — this one is Vanicream, super gentle and simple — and sunscreen. Usually I use Banana Boat which ran out so I have a Supergoop to finish up), and make a quick breakfast. I whip up a parfait of sorts with honey Greek yogurt, frozen mango and berries, and apple-flavored granola. Of course I make my iced coffee because no morning is complete without it. This project is in the office five days a week so I have to commute today. $2.90 (Expensed) 9 a.m. — I'm stirring in my seat in the office because I'm a bit anxious. I need to leave the office early today to see my dentist and see my accountant to start my taxes. They are back home (where my parents live), which means they are not quickly accessible to me, but the commute is worth it to me because I trust them, and I am not willing to undergo a hunt to replace them. This means I have to take some time off for the afternoon and leave work. My company-side team lead is cool with it but I still need to give the client-side office manager a heads up. I am a bit stressed about this because it's a brand new project and this is my first week. 11:30 a.m. — Everything works out with leaving early today! I heave a sigh of relief. I also get some great news from the client office manager that Fridays are super slow so I can leave early and WFH on Friday afternoons. Yay for me! It's so nice to hear, because who wants to be in an office at 5 p.m. on a Friday? 12 p.m. — I leave the office with some office snacks in hand. I don't reach for Gatorade and Doritos on a regular basis but there is something magical about eating them for free — it makes them so much more appealing. I take the train out of New York and then a bus. $12.10 1:30 p.m. — After the train and bus I have to take an Uber to get from the bus station to my parents' place. $12.98 2 p.m. — I make it back to Mom and Dad's. I have some time before I have to leave for the dentist. so I tour the house, making sure everything is intact (you know, no broken ceilings, leaks, robbers, squatters, or giant bugs that'll sneak up on me at night). I water my mom's plants and put away some dishes. 2:30 p.m. — After giving the house an OK I leave. Driving after being in the city used to be a weird adjustment but I've gotten used to it (though I hate driving). The dentist visit goes smoothly. Then comes the accountant visit. I've been asked why I don't just do my own taxes since mine aren't complex and the answer is because of that passive income hustle experience. One major part of the aforementioned aftermath was the total nightmare that was tax time. I had promised myself, as a motivator to push through, that once I got through this I would outsource my taxes to an accountant. It's been WORTH IT, plus I adore my accountant. After some confusion with this year's taxes, we get it done — it turns out I have some extra tasks to complete when I'm back in New York. 5 p.m. — I'm finally done with appointments and my mouth is slightly numb. I spent a little more time than needed staring at the lopsidedness in the mirror of the car, but all of it is done and I feel great. I go back to my parents' place to unwind. I'm working on enjoying the moment, so I choose to not rush to leave. I end up reflecting on how different life is here versus in the city. This is a quiet home in a quiet neighborhood. It's a house — not a tiny pre-war New York apartment. As I eat a bowl of strawberry cereal I ruminate over how I actually love living in a walking city. (Side note: Remember PTT, my principle of planning for tomorrow today? Yeah, well, past-me knew that I would probably be back at my parents' soon and left future-me one of my favorite childhood breakfasts: strawberry cereal — the one from Special K which now only has a quarter of a strawberry in it, but who's counting? The amount of self-love I feel in this moment is incredible.) 6 p.m. — When I'm ready I book another Uber to get to the bus station for my commute back. As I start the journey I lament about not being able to stay all weekend, but know that it is necessary and no one else is here anyway so there's no point in staying. I may have a bill for the dentist so I make a mental note to check, but do not know if I do yet. $15.92 7:30 p.m. — One bus and train later and I'm back in New York. I'm exhausted when I get back and turn in for the day to prepare for tomorrow. I take a hot shower while blasting Kendrick Lamar and SZA ('30 For 30'!!). Later I dread the thought of cooking dinner; I don't like to cook but I need to survive, which is why I meal prep like anyone's business. I end up making air-fried roasted veggies with some light seasonings (highly recommend an air fryer compared to an oven, saves on gas!) and enjoy some smoky vanilla black tea for the night. $12.10 Daily Total: $53.10 Day Three: Saturday 9:30 a.m. — It's the weekend and I couldn't be more excited. For one I don't need to wake up at the buttcrack of dawn today. As I lay in bed I do a body scan and realize I need R&R after the back-to-back changes to routine, so I make today about slow movement and feeling good. I start my day by recharging before the cleaning bug hits me. Honestly I love a good deep clean. It's restorative. I believe my outer world reflects my inner world so I keep my environment organized and clean. It helps me stay grounded when my space reflects the peace that I want out of life. I should be getting ready to leave but instead I find myself throwing my bedsheets in the washer, fluffing out my duvet, wiping down my desk and kitchen surfaces, and sweeping. 10 a.m. — Recently I realized I need to enjoy life more and change things up for the better. I resolved to learn to enjoy cooking by mastering the basics and finding a few staple dishes. Most times when I say I don't like a certain activity it's because I'm bad at it. Today I tried to make three-ingredient (or so) pancakes with some of my sourdough starter. I add frozen mixed berries AND chocolate chips because otherwise it wouldn't be a breakfast pancake (duh). It was a huge success! 10:50 a.m. — I leave the apartment and pay for the train to take me to my first mystery destination. It's sunny with a breeze that brings the weather to a brisk spring vibe. I opted for my favorite Pirouette skirt from Popflex (absolutely addicted to this brand!) and a large white knit sweater that I got from a Brooklyn stoop sale. $2.90 11:15 a.m. — I get some personal work done at a new cafe I've never tried. There's broad windows, lightwashed stone architecture, and nature everywhere. I choose a tiny nook that's encased by the largest Monstera leaves I've ever seen. Then I buy a specialty iced coffee (dulce de leche!?) and enjoy the warmth of the sun. I have some finance tracking and net worth tracking to review (my favorite time of the month!), as well as general end of month retrospecting, shadow work, personal finance writing, and all of those little tasks that built up from my tax session. I spend a lot of time in this place, get a lot done, and bookmark this spot to return to later. Nothing feels as fulfilling as getting a lot of stuff done and the reward/post-glow of being productive (yes, I'm a Capricorn). $6.53 1:20 p.m. — I leave once I begin to feel brain-fried. I walk around until I stumble by a pier near the water that outlooks the New York skyline and spend some time enjoying the views. Rather impulsively, I stop by an ice cream place that I've never been to and enjoy a blue jasmine passionfruit swirl (!?) ice cream cone. Buying overpriced ice cream is one of those things I'd never normally do, but I received a discount and today is a day where I'm doing meaningful things for myself I wouldn't normally do. It's so delicious and I choose to sit down in front of the water and enjoy it in the moment instead of rushing to the next destination which was worth a lot more than the ice cream alone. 10/10. $5 2:25 p.m. — My day is not over yet — I am spending most of it outside. Personally I am so sad to see the 'death of free spaces' happening everywhere, but particularly in New York. I work really hard during the week and in general, so I really value having time to reset in solitude, in nature, and ultimately to not have to pay to vibe and exist. But it's not about the money — it's about the experience. I end up stopping by one of the New York Libraries and end up admiring the architecture instead of checking out a book. Support your local library! 4 p.m. — I stop by another coffee shop with a friend and buy a coffee. No surprise there. I love exploring new coffee shops as a major coffeeholic. I look for unique aesthetics but also a good working vibe and comfort factor and most of all, delicious and quality coffee. There's a lot of spots in the city that sell terrible quality coffee and charge you for $10 just because the aesthetic is great, which is wild to me. All of the coffee spots I go to are locally owned and ethically sourced so I enjoy it guilt-free, sort of. $8 7 p.m. — I take a train back to my apartment ($2.90). I realize that my roommate and I are low on quite a few things, starting with kitchen stuff. I have some time so I pick up some oil and vinegar from the nearby store and split the cost ($10 for my share). $12.90 9 p.m. — Once I'm home I have to set my bed back up. I do my skincare routine which I keep simple (double cleanse with Josie Maran oil cleanser and Vanicream cleanser, sometimes I apply chemical exfoliant toner, then Laneige water mask and lip balm), brush and floss my teeth, and read my book of choice for the month. I'm reading Can't Hurt Me by David Goggins which is a page-turning read. I watch another anime — this time it is a romcom because I'm in a mood and the protagonist is relatable af (Kaichou wa Maid-sama, anyone? Where are my OGs?!). I watch this much longer than I should and end up falling asleep after midnight. No regrets. Daily Total: $35.33 Day Four: Sunday 9 a.m. — Wake up naturally today and lounge in bed for awhile. I bought a new duvet cover this month which has been incredible. It's the Quince sateen duvet cover in the clay color and it's breathable and comfortable. For some reason the first thing I remember to do is to finalize some plans with other people, so I pay for an event I am going to attend next weekend from my phone. Then I sign up for next month's Meetup club. It's a career networking event that I adore, and it's a lot less stuffy than your average networking event. I leave my bedroom at last and wash up via my morning routine and then prepare my breakfast. Of course I make my standard coffee and then I prepare an avocado toast with brioche bread, hummus, and an egg on top, plus various Trader Joe's seasonings. $10 2 p.m. — I take the train and a transfer to get to a different part of the city for a workout class (I prepaid for it through a ClassPass trial for $5). This one is a lifting-based strength class called Liftonic and I surprisingly love it. For the rest of the day I walk around the city as if I have the biggest wedgie because I'm that sore, but it's a growing pain. $10.80 5 p.m. — I get home to refresh and get ready to meet friends for a comedy show at one of my favorite local bars. I put on a pair of straight-leg jeans and a cute tank top with a light optional layer on top. This comedy show features a local millennial comic speaking to us for an hour about her experiences growing up broke in New York and she really bonds with the audience. The entire show is themed around the Asian immigrant experience and it's a riot. We have a lot of fun and I spend extra time here alone afterwards to unwind. I order my favorite things: a specialty hot dog with ketchup, mustard, and jalapenos and a basket of fries with the skin on and garlic aioli on the side. Then I whip out my laptop to free-write and read. $26 Daily Total: $46.80 Day Five: Monday 8 a.m. — Back to the grind! Picked out my work outfit last night. This time I'm wearing an Australian merino wool grey cardigan from Quince, heavyweight black pants from Aritzia, and a teal high-neck tank top from Old Navy. Then I start my commute to work. I'm blindsided by train delays and a packed train, which dampens my start to the day. I enjoy maple oatmeal when I get to the office, since I didn't have time to eat. $2.90 (Expensed) 10 a.m. — I randomly remember that I still need to pay my accountant and I quickly get that done. $150 12 p.m. — During lunch I head outside with my food in hand. Today I packed some fresh fruit (blackberries, strawberries, and green grapes) with the idea of sitting at a local park. I get a random craving for a pumpkin spice chai which is pretty tragic for me, because it's spring in New York (if I could, I would splurge on the best at-home coffee and tea setup). I settle in with my book and spend half an hour by the water reading and watching a family of ducks wander across the pond. 5 p.m. — After work I head to the bank; I try to keep cash on hand constantly in singles to give to people in need as I navigate the city. Plus I need to get a single check in order to pay a specific tax — they throw in an envelope which makes my life easier but I leave mildly confused about why a single temp check costs something. $31.50 6 p.m. — I deal with some tax and money stuff I've been putting off. But I have a happy hour later, so I figure now is a better time than any to rip off the bandaid. I spent the past year saving for tax time, anticipating and dreading a huge bill due because of NYC taxes. To my pleasant surprise it was much better than I anticipated, but I still owe. I use the money I had 'left' to max out my Roth IRA in 2024. $1,600 7 p.m. — I head to a bar after work for a small social/happy hour. I'm buzzing over the happy news I got about what I owe for tax season. I get a mojito that had so much muddled mint it made my soul happy. I unexpectedly make a new connection at this social and we bond — and debate — over Gilmore Girls. We agree vehemently that it's great but she's shocked by how I stopped watching mid-way and refuse to pick it up again. In my defense, this is when Rory starts to go downhill. Little does this girl know that I have some of the biggest hot takes (or so I'm told) when it comes to media and I own them. I just don't see a point in agonizing over a series of Rory's bad choices so I don't, and it'll pain me to watch it happen. Still, I have a good time with this girl and she happily confirms all of the spoilers I thought I knew. $8 10 p.m. — I take the train back to my home area and wrap up my day there. I spend some time on a walk and jump on a phone call with a friend and others. $2.90 (Expensed) Daily Total: $1,789.50 Day Six: Tuesday 8:45 a.m. — I head out on my work commute, more frazzled than usual because my phone died overnight and I am running behind schedule. I didn't have time to eat breakfast but bless past-me, she made espresso ahead of time so that I only had to put the ingredients of my favorite coffee together. Then to my massive annoyance, the train makes an emergency stop and I am stuck for 20 more minutes. I'm big on reputation and commitment; if I said I would be somewhere I want to follow through on that and it stresses me out when I don't. $2.90 (Expensed) 10:30 a.m. — The start to my morning was rough. I'm so tired I can't keep my eyes open — but breakfast is served at the office, which is a pick-me-up. It's late, but I enjoy a hearty bagel that's as big as my mouth. Without going into details on the client, I'm texting a friend who is super excited about the fact that I am surrounded by an ecosystem of super successful (and eccentric) partners as well as 'men in finance'. I think she wants me to have a meet-cute. There's a weird mythologizing of this world that I don't really get, especially after some of the things I've overheard while being here. 12 p.m. — I am productive through the morning and spend my lunch break outside. For whatever reason I'm not hungry and decide to get a coffee instead as a treat. I enjoy a butterscotch latte with a few regrets (it was too milky for my tastes — a classic flat white is usually my go-to here). I enjoy it nonetheless and sit outside in a beautiful area to people watch. $8.71 3:30 p.m. — It's terribly slow in the office and sitting at my desk watching paint dry feels horrible. I have ADHD and tend to get stir-crazy so I get up and explore the building. I find a lower floor which has a nice decked-out lounge. A coffee corner, pool tables, TVs, areas to sit, a gym (!?), luxurious shower/bathroom, and my favorite, the reading corner. I realize it makes sense given that most people have to work super late and early days, sometimes weekends. But I swear, the book nook is like a dream. It's nothing spectacular, it's literally a single book shelf with a coffee table and a lounging chair in the corner of the lounge with the cutest little details like a fur rug and rose quartz coasters. But it's in a private nook, cordoned off by a giant pillar of the wall. The lounge chair is deep and the back is to the pillar, so it's private, and the books available are top notch. I find Viola Davis' Finding Me and a book about military strategy tactics by Jocko Willink which grabs my attention. Yes, the introvert in me is in heaven right now. 5 p.m. — I take the train to Manhattan from my office to meet someone for wine tonight. Along the way there's this antique bookstore that claims to sell rare books — I finally relent and stop by. $2.90 (Expensed) 6 p.m. — I meet a new friend (hopefully) at a new wine bar that opened up recently. We met at that career event I attended. We really hit it off there and bonded over our shared experiences so we agreed to meet and continue the conversation. Part of the event was all about sharing our personal stories and how we got to where we are, and the two of us shared similar stories of what we've survived, such as family and culture dynamics and abusive relationships. Individually we told snippets of our story from a place of how far we've come and grown and we both had a moment after we speak. We met eyes and we both just got each other — so I'm happy to have an opportunity to talk with her again, but I just want to get to know her more as a person. We're blown away by the place and the intentional decor, by the super kind barista who gave us way too many samples of wine, and we share laughs about how to eat this giant artichoke. When we're done, I commute back to my home area. $44.90 Daily Total: $53.61 Day Seven: Wednesday 8 a.m. — Morning commute to the office after my morning routine. This time I woke up before my alarm! From the last two days I have learned quite a few ways to create a pleasant morning. Like, there is a certain time I should start my commute to barely miss the commute crowd. I've also learned to prep my lunch and coffee the night before to help minimize the impulsive snack purchases for coffee in the morning. I opt to eat oatmeal in the office with a glass of chamomile tea. Today it's a rare perfect weather day so I try out my new maxi skirt from Quince — it's a pretty sage color and has tiers. I pair it with a basic white long sleeve and a Quince merino wool pullover (clearly I am a Quince girlie) and head out. $2.90 (Expensed) 11 a.m. — While I'm at work, my roommate texts to let me know they've done a big restock of home and kitchen essentials. We were low on everything, including toilet paper, paper towels, hand soap, and trash bags, among others. They've got everything we need this time, since they are working from home, and we split the cost. $36.71 12 p.m. — I make a good chunk of cash selling my Freja Paloma tote that I no longer want. It's just too bulky for my personal tastes — it suits me perfectly but I feel like I'm knocking into other people on the train with it. Plus I want a tote that is one pound lighter at least, so that I can stuff it full and not feel like my shoulder is coming off by the end of the day. So I make a quick escape to meet up with the person to sell it. I'm so relieved to have the item gone because it was taking up space, and clutter is a pet peeve of mine — that's why every quarter I do a massive spring clean. Thankfully the buyer agreed to meet me near my office so that I can return to work. 5 p.m. — I take a train from work to end my working day, but not without grabbing a muffin as my commuting snack. $2.90 (Expensed) 7 p.m. — I decide to try another new workout class (pre-paid earlier this month through Classpass trial for $5); this one is some hybrid of cardio and HIIT which makes me regret all of my life choices after I leave that sweaty room. There's this one girl who is jumping from station to station in cute workout gear; she's breaking a sweat but she doesn't look too pressed at all in terms of exertion. I admire her physical stamina after the class and think about what I can do to bring myself to a level similar to that. Then I grab a quick dinner with a friend at a local cafe that specializes in Jamaican food. $14.35 8:20 p.m. — I jump on a phone call with my parents, who I haven't talked to for a while. We catch up and stay on the phone for an hour — they tell me more about the hot weather in the area they're in currently (out of state) and we talk about the most random things, from new perfumes my mom was looking at as a treat for herself to new recipes I should or shouldn't cook. Little does my mom know that I secretly bookmark the perfumes she lists so that I can buy her one for her birthday coming up soon. (Spoiler alert: Outside of this weekly review, future-me surprises mom on her birthday with a large sized perfume and she cries happy tears.) She's my person (Grey's Anatomy!) and my favorite human in this world. She's also just the best person I've ever known — ethics, morals, a heart of gold, good intentions, you name it. She's the one who instilled a highly sustainable lifestyle into me. Every time I don't recycle or waste something needlessly, I think about her. I make a cup of my favorite honey lemon ginger tea and curl up with a book beforehand. $22 The Breakdown Conclusion 'As I look at this a few weeks later, I can think of so many ways my situation has changed. This project ended, my routine is different again because I'm not commuting into the office everyday, and I'm apartment hunting. I enjoyed this exercise because I'm working on coming out of my shell and sharing more of my story. I've already been tracking my expenses for a few years now so this is nothing new. I have a personalized finance dashboard where I track every expense as well as monthly and annual reviews and an onslaught of other features. Looking at how I've done historically and visually seeing my progress has been the biggest motivator to keep making the tough choices with my money. I'm not surprised by my food and drink spending, and recently I've resolved to cut it in half. I can afford it but I refuse to accept it. I hope to pour that money into health, experiences, and my future. This reflection and apartment hunting made me realize that I want to be more free and less bound by stuff so I've been on a spring cleaning rampage. and I've sold at least $700 in items in my effort to spring clean. By cutting out spending and physical clutter where I don't need it, I hope I can free up mental and physical energy to pursue things that really matter. But I love to write and really enjoyed this exercise, and am curious personally as to how I could continue to do stuff like this, such as blogging — if people would want to dive into that with me, of course.'
Refinery29
4 days ago
- Business
- Refinery29
A Week In Northern California On A $53,100 Salary
Welcome to Money Diaries where we are tackling the ever-present taboo that is money. We're asking real people how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period — and we're tracking every last dollar. Today: a junior specialist who makes $53,100 per year and who spends some of her money this week on books and guava jam for toast. If you'd like to submit your own Money Diary, you can do so via our online form. We pay $150 for each published diary. Apologies but we're not able to reply to every email. Occupation: Junior specialist Industry: Academia Age: 22 Location: Northern California Salary: $53,100 Assets: $10,000 in government bonds (a gift from my grandmother for graduating); $12,000 in an investment account; $6,000 in a checking account. Debt: $17,000 in federal student loans. Paycheck Amount (monthly): $3,200 Pronouns: She/her Monthly Expenses Housing Costs: $500 (I share a room in a two-bed apartment). Loan Payments: $119 Health insurance: $36 (deducted from paycheck). Union Duties: $64 (deducted from paycheck). Gym: $45 Utilities: $40 Spotify: $5 (still on the student plan because of my school email). 401(k) Contribution: $350 (deducted from paycheck). Was there an expectation for you to attend higher education? Did you participate in any form of higher education? If yes, how did you pay for it? Coming from a middle-class immigrant family, there was definitely an expectation to go to college and to a degree, graduate school, as that's what my parents have done. Given my interests, I would have pursued higher education even if money was an issue, which thankfully it was not. I'm lucky enough to have had enough financial aid to cover most of my tuition, and my parents covered anything left over, as well as housing and living expenses. Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent(s)/guardian(s) educate you about finances? There was definitely a sense of frugality when I was younger. My parents didn't have as much of a financial safety net as they do now and I remember being told that even a dollar had immense value. My mom, being an accountant, is financially literate and taught me about budgeting, taxes, retirement and investment accounts. What was your first job and why did you get it? I am currently working my first job as a junior specialist. I had actually planned on attending a master's program before I met my current boss who persuaded me to join his lab. Since I'm planning on pursuing a PhD, it made more sense to work in my current position where I can learn more applicable, hands-on skills for research compared to classes in a MS program. Did you worry about money growing up? I have to admit I was quite sheltered as a kid and never had to worry about food or basic necessities. Do you worry about money now? I don't worry too much about money. Though my salary isn't terribly high for NorCal, I don't mind living with a roommate or eating pasta most nights so my spending is comfortably within what I can afford. At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net? 22. I have an investment account on top of a retirement account that my work handles. I've got a bit of money saved up in case of troubles, which frequently comes up with my 12–year-old death-trap car that I've already spent half its value on in repairs. Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain. My parents pay for my phone bills and auto insurance. In return, I pay a tithe of 10% every month, which likely balances out. Day One: Saturday 7 a.m. — Wake up. I've scheduled a call with my best friend from college who, unfortunately, lives on the other side of the country in the icy lands of NYC. She typically wakes up around 10 a.m., so the time difference is actually a boon for our different sleep schedules. Best way to start the day. 9 a.m. — S. (my bf) comes over. We planned to walk downtown (only a mile away) but I spotted an estate sale sign yesterday, so we head over. The yard is so full of people, it looks like a pool party. We decide that we have better things to do than stand around waiting to tour a house. A friend, R., told me about a book sale going on in Sacramento today, so we're off to the state capitol in search of adventure. 11 a.m. — The book sale is glorious — a warehouse of books (and not the overpicked selection of weird art books that are normally left at used book sales, either). There are a good amount of semi-popular authors, some of which were on my to-read list. I would never have left, but my depressingly small Nat Geo tote fills up in a very short amount of time (vampire books can get a bit chunky). $6 12 p.m. — We met up with R. and her friend K. at the sale — and since we are in Sac., the country's brunch capitol, we end up at Kau Kau, a Hawaiian soul food restaurant. A couple slices of taro toast with guava jam and a couple stories of adulterous professors later, I am sated in both mind and body. S. and I drive back home, while R. and K. browse the antique shops next door. I do not want to be cursed by strange dolls, so I don't dare buy any vintage items here. Sac. is somewhat close to where the Donner party died, after all. $22 4 p.m. — I played basketball yesterday and am now a certified convert. S. humors me with a game, but it's clear v. early on that the height difference and skill makes for a terrible matchup. He is now handicapped by having to sing the alphabet song while playing. I get bored and ask to go on a run. We get a couple miles in before deciding to double back before it gets dark. The Strava gods are happy with my new year's resolution progress: 6 miles done, only four more to go before the week is out. 6 p.m. — I have perhaps overbooked myself this quarter: I've agreed to play tennis with B., so we are buying rackets at Big 5. I desperately want to buy the youth rackets to fit my small raccoon hands, but am dissuaded. We compromise and I buy a women's racket in purple, my favorite color. Choosing sports equipment based on color may not have been the smartest choice, but I reason that the dopamine boost I get from seeing the racket should counteract any decrease in athletic ability caused by an ill-fitting grip. $33 7 p.m. — It is a long weekend so my roommate is out for a couple days. I take full advantage by asking S. to sleep over. I never want to sleep alone again. Daily Total: $61 Day Two: Sunday 7:30 a.m. — It is the weekend but I am apparently a morning bird now. I putter around and read some books. Spend half an hour deciding what to wear (the pressure to dress well when hanging out with girlfriends is real). The result: black, ankle length dress with purple and yellow flowers with a square neckline (and a slit up the side that's just a tad too high for comfort), paired with beige invisible stockings, and brown boots. 10:30 a.m. — I walk downtown (~1.5 mi) as the sun's out and I want to enjoy the day before it gets blisteringly hot and intolerable. I get there before the rest so I people watch and play a bit of Wordle (my streak is spotty and unstable). We get breakfast at a hole in the wall bakery (a cinnamon sugar bagel with cream cheese). $4.50 11 a.m. — Walk over to the farmers' market (the main attraction in this sleepy college town) where the fresh produce is divine, if out of budget ($4/lb for apples is robbery). In the end, I am tempted to indulge in a marzipan tart. $7 12:30 p.m. — I say goodbye to the girls as they head over to the lab to study and work (finals week — I'm glad to have graduated) and I walk back to my apartment to run some errands. I drive to the car wash ($3) then take the highway (unnecessary but it's a free dryer) to the Trader Joe's where I stock up on bland essentials — cabbage, carrots, etc ($19.70). I've been thinking about making my own coffee as I've been going to the coffee house nearly every day. End up at Target, staring at the 6 foot tall shelves where I think I can see the sugar-free vanilla syrup in the back, but at 5'1 there's simply no way I can reach. Daydream about having S. back to marvel at his ability to grab out of reach items on shelves. Alas, I make do with caramel syrup instead, along with basic groceries like pasta, soy milk, etc. *sigh* ($18.33). $41.03 5 p.m. — Even though I've graduated, I've been trying to finish a textbook, so I study for a bit before heading to bed with an awful brain-rot rom-com (not going to include the name because I feel bad calling the author out like that). Total: $52.53 Day Three: Monday 7 a.m. — Make my morning coffee and a PB&J. One of the things I splurge on is my assortment of exotic jams. Today's special is elderberry jam from France, which I've never seen before nor heard of outside of fantasy novels. Very bright and tart. Go for a morning walk before biking to work. 9 a.m. — I'm actually on time today, since we have a lab meeting. Today's outfit is a black mock-neck with beige floral print jeans — I'm trying to break out of the bland, dark-colored tech-bro style that our computational biology lab has fallen into, but it is oh so hard when you're a messy eater and hate bleaching your clothes. 11 a.m. — Meeting finished on time! Thank god the conference room is all booked up — if the next group hadn't shown up to shoo us out, we might've ended up staying another hour. I grab lunch with some labmates H. and R. I have oatmeal (again) — I've been trying to learn how to cook better food with a new year's resolution to try a new NYT Cooking recipe every week, but my cooking skills have yet to improve. Oh well. 5 p.m. — Leave work and I make plans to bake cookies for S. with labmates. Unfortunately, we are all programmers and not bench scientists (who are well-versed in the art of following lab protocols, aka recipes, to a T), so we'll see how well it goes. Baking turns out to be a logistical nightmare. Apparently you need not only white sugar and baking soda, but ALSO brown sugar and baking powder. 6 p.m. — Light run with B. I ran a half marathon (on a whim) the other day, so I let B. decide the pace and distance today. Normally I am a menace, pushing to go faster and farther, but today I am all washed out and mellow as a slug. We end the run with a stop at Trader Joe's to pick up some baking ingredients as well as some pizza dough and cheese. The Galentines Bakeathon is looking to be scrumptious! $30.76 8 p.m. — Even though I have a job and a degree, I still feel like a student given that I work in the same school, and feel that same old guilt at having free time, so I do a bit more work before crashing at 10 p.m. Guess the only part of me that's aging is my sleep schedule. Total: $30.76 Day Four: Tuesday 7:30 a.m. — I wake up and read for a bit before starting my day. Lately I've been obsessed with books about hackers so I'm reading Countdown to Zero Day. Bit depressing to find out how vulnerable our power grids and water systems are, but I vow to be extra vigilant about computer security from now on. I put on a caramel turtleneck and jeans with a beige colored fleece, sending a picture to my friend, who agrees with my assessment that turtlenecks look like a jester's ruff, but she follows it up with 'but it looks cute!', so turtleneck it is. Plus it's 38 o F out and my thin Californian blood is close to freezing. 9:30 a.m. — Thought I was late to work but am the first one in today! 12 p.m. — More oatmeal for lunch. I need to learn how to cook something (anything!) else. Craving coffee afterwards, so I grab a cup of (school subsidized) coconut iced coffee and a strawberry yogurt muffin, which turns out to be the best muffin I've ever had in my life. $5.06 4 p.m. — Had a human genetics meeting earlier today. Was a bit bored and may have hid in the back and tried to do a bit of work. But the room was dark so who's to say anyone was paying attention really. Walking back to my bike, I discover that amid the NIH budget cuts and precarious school budgeting for the next year, there is a new addition in front of Veihmeyer hall: a gorgeous wooden hammock and most amazingly, it is unoccupied. I skip over for a brief break from life. Listening to the best indie bands of the 21st century (Peach Pit, Backseat Lovers) while lying on a hammock is what life is all about. This is it: peak happiness. 6 p.m. — Testing out the rockwall with my friends Z. and W. Z. nearly sliced her finger off today so she is not climbing. W. has unlocked a fear of heights. We decide to play squash instead. I cannot hit the ball if my life depended on it. Squash balls defy the laws of physics. There must be some sort of spooky action happening here, some form of entanglement teleportation magic, because my hand eye coordination could not possibly be this bad. Oh well, it is what it is. W. is feeling unwell so Z. and I hit the stair masters for a bit of competition. Winner is treated to a free burger at In-N-Out. I win — the running has finally come in handy. I drive W. back home and head over to grab burgers with Z. Free burger, so no money is spent here! 8 p.m. — Another Trader Joe's stop — I must spend at least 10% of my paycheck here. Standard groceries haul (frozen vegetables, bread, PB&J). Oh no, I'm still eating like a college student. If I'm going to be in grad school next year, there's no point in revamping my life to that of a working adult. $17.86 Total: $22.92 Day Five: Wednesday 7 a.m. — Wake up with pink eye, which sounds awful but is actually a blessing in disguise because pink eye is a valid excuse to work from home. I loll around in bed and read The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. In the same vein as people drinking coffee for an energy boost, I sometimes read strange books to tune my mood (a bit like the Tea Magic Personal Brewer that gives different emotion buffs in The Sims). Breakfast is a peanut butter + jelly + banana sandwich with a matcha latte. 9 a.m. — Go for a short walk before work. I've found that without a bit of sunlight in the morning, I'll be a half-asleep zombie for the rest of the day, so I've been taking myself out for walks in the morning, before and after lunch, and in the evenings. I might be part Dalmatian. 11 a.m. — Come home and grind away at the terminal until my alarm goes off. I have a meeting with a professor about doing rotations next year. It's only semi productive since the NIH budget cuts have really chipped away at confidence in funding. One of the (dangerous) perks of working from home is the thermos of caramel/matcha latte that I periodically refill until my caffeine levels reach critical levels and I cut myself off. I can almost trick myself into believing that I'm working at Google with unlimited coffee on tap. I grab a quick lunch of leftover pasta before heading back to work. 2 p.m. — After staring at the screen for several hours, my eyes need a break, so I attempt to walk to the strawberry stand on the outskirts of town that a coworker told me about. The sidewalk ends before I get there so I turn back, but not before checking out a quaint little music store that sells sheet music in the same style that record stores sell vinyls. 3:30 p.m. — I work work work until my legs start itching for a run, so I do a nice 3-mile loop. For dinner, I have cereal and a turnip cake that my friend made me three months ago, which I left in my parent's freezer and have only just retrieved on my trip home last week. I read for a few hours before calling it a night. Total: $0 Day Six: Thursday 7:30 a.m. — Start the day with more Hitchhiker's Guide — I thought it was such a strange book at first but it's really growing on me. Grab my morning coffee and a PB&J before going on a short walk. 9 a.m. — I love my 15-minute bike ride commute (perks of working at a uni in a college town!). Get some work done until I'm stumped, so I go out for a coffee. I've found that on at least half of my walks I'll think of a solution to any problem I have, or it might just be the double shot latte jump starting my brain. $5.50 12:30 p.m. — Grab lunch with my labmates before we rush back to lab for a meeting at 1 p.m. A graduating student is practicing his presentation for job interviews. It's a good snapshot of what people do throughout their PhD, especially since I'm going to grad school next year. 5 p.m. — Finally finished! I was about to bounce out of my chair after sitting so long. I head home and decide to treat myself to fresh fruit along the way so I stop at Save Mart and grab their bogo strawberries. I demolish an entire pack once I get home. Oops. $7.65 7 p.m. — I've scheduled a call with my bff and decide to also walk to Trader Joe's because I've been craving cereal. I'm tricked into also buying meatballs, oat milk, and cinnamon-coated almonds. $23.08 9 p.m. — Finally get home where I do a bit more work before showering and going to bed. Total: $36.23 Day Seven: Friday 8 a.m. — I'm getting out of bed later and later it seems, slowly losing the momentum and drive that I had as a student, though my diet hasn't changed. Espresso and an oatmeal mug cake for breakfast. 9 a.m. — Head to work. It's a Friday, and everyone's feeling the end of week lethargy. We chat about the Star Wars Hotel that closed a few years ago and do a leetcode question. 12:30 p.m. — The only thing I'm getting done today is a meeting with some members of NOAA, who I'm working with as part of a virtual internship. It's interesting but somewhat draining. My battery is depleted by the end so I head to Peet's for a coffee — they have a special strawberry latte that I almost whispered to the barista out of embarrassment of uttering such a cheesy name. Strawberry coffee sounds a little strange now that I think about it. Will classify as a weird but surprisingly good food. $6.60 2 p.m. — Heading out for a late lunch with coworkers. We get crepes at an on campus dining hall — I have cheese, pesto, tomato crepe. I could definitely make this myself. I once again vow to learn how to cook better and healthier. $10.72 4 p.m. — Head home early as I'm not getting much done. I had some studying planned but my head is out of the game. I decompress by doing some origami, following a diagram from a textbook I checked out more than a year ago. Some of the folds require a level of mental gymnastics that I cannot accomplish at the moment. Mental relaxation break failed. 5:10 p.m. — S. arrives for a moment together before he needs to leave for the weekend. I drive him to the train station. It's dark and rainy, people are milling about on every street corner, and the train horn sounds right as I turn into the parking lot. Recipe for disaster, especially with my subpar driving skills, but S. makes it on time and I do not crash into any poor, unsuspecting pedestrians. I'll count that as a win. 6 p.m. – I come home and immediately curl up in bed with a book (Hackers by Steven Levy). I have a weakness for books about hacking (which, imo, is the modern-day superpower) and books by Wired journalists, so this book is a double whammy for me. Mmm, so good! Conclusion 'Since getting my first job, I've definitely been eating out more and indulging in shopping trips — but living on a college diet of pure carbs (pasta, oatmeal, bread) and frozen food is no way to live, so I think a little lifestyle creep is acceptable. That said, after seeing how much I actually spend each week, it is a little concerning — I think I'll be cutting down on the number of coffee and tennis rackets I buy. Overall, I mostly eat out on campus, which tends to be about half the price restaurants would charge, and date nights with S. usually involve cooking together, so I think my spending is well within what my wallet can handle.'
Refinery29
6 days ago
- Business
- Refinery29
A Week In San Francisco Bay Area On A $91,000 Salary
Welcome to Money Diaries where we are tackling the ever-present taboo that is money. We're asking real people how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period — and we're tracking every last dollar. Today: a grant writer who makes $91,000 per year and who spends some of her money this week on 'Risk it for the brisket' baseball caps. If you'd like to submit your own Money Diary, you can do so via our online form. We pay $150 for each published diary. Apologies but we're not able to reply to every email. Occupation: Grant writer Industry: Higher education Age: 24 Location: San Francisco Bay Area Salary: $91,000 Assets: Checking: $14,000 (this is used for recurring bills as well as any spending throughout the month); Roth IRA: $27,000; brokerage account: $24,000 Debt: $0 Paycheck Amount (2x/month): $2,400 after deductions. Pronouns: She/her Monthly Expenses Housing Costs: I live with two other young women in a three-bed, two-bath apartment. Our total rent is $4,895 per month, of which I pay $1,800. This does not include utilities (which are included below). Loan Payments: $0 Gym Membership: $205 Horse Boarding: $630 Internet: $10 (my third). Electricity: $25 (my third). Utilities: $100 (my third). Netflix: $19 Amazon Music: $12 Amazon Prime: $15 Was there an expectation for you to attend higher education? Did you participate in any form of higher education? If yes, how did you pay for it? Education was a very high priority in my family. My parents are both highly educated and there was always an expectation to earn a four-year degree. There was also an expectation to attend graduate school at some point, although there was less of an emphasis on a graduate degree than on a bachelor's degree. I have a bachelor's and master's degree, both in public policy. Because of how much my parents prioritized and valued higher education, they paid the full cost of attendance for me to attend college and graduate school. Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent(s)/guardian(s) educate you about finances? Growing up, my parents emphasized the importance of saving money. They always reminded us that although we were comfortable financially, money was typically spent either on the essentials or put away in savings to be used on something meaningful later on. Along those lines, they also instilled in me the importance of using my money to give back to my community or to those in need, if I was in a position where I was financially able to. My parents often discussed with my sister and me which local organizations they donated money to and made sure we understood the value of donating extra money (and saving it) rather than spending it on luxury vacations, expensive cars, etc. My parents also educated me about finances — essentially all my financial knowledge comes from them. They helped me open my first checking account and credit card, and they explained how different accounts work, how to be smart about credit card usage, and so on. My dad also helped me open my brokerage and Roth IRA accounts and still sits down with me usually once a year to discuss investment strategy and help me invest money into both accounts. What was your first job and why did you get it? I worked at a summer camp teaching children and teenagers how to ride horses during the summer after my senior year of high school and before I started college. I had volunteered at the camp during several summers prior, and I finally reached the age where I transitioned into a paid staff member (18+) instead of a volunteer (15-17 years old). I wanted to have some spending money saved up by the time I started college. Even though my parents generously paid the cost of attendance, it was my responsibility to pay for transportation, entertainment, food that didn't come from the dining halls, etc — anything that wasn't captured in the cost of attendance. Did you worry about money growing up? No, growing up I was always under the impression that we had enough money to cover the necessities, plus more. I understood that my parents were smart about saving and had enough money put away that if any financial emergencies arose, we would be able to handle them. Do you worry about money now? Yes, I live in an extremely high cost-of-living area and don't make enough where I am able to pay all my expenses and save a good amount of money each month (which I consider to be very important, given what my parents taught me and how they saved money when I was growing up). I track all my expenses and try to budget but regardless, every month I barely save any money and don't have much room for unexpected and unplanned expenses. I've had a lot of unexpected or unplanned expenses come up recently, such as vet bills for my horse and medical bills for myself, but I don't have extra income each month to be paying for these expenses. Significant yearly raises and large bonuses at my job are very rare, so I know that there is almost no chance that I will be making more money all of a sudden. I am constantly worrying about what I'll do if I get hit with even more unexpected expenses, because I will not be able to pay for them and really want to avoid going into debt. At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net? I would say that I became almost fully financially responsible for myself around the time that I got my first career job (about a year and a half ago) and started paying my housing costs. Throughout college, my parents generously paid my housing costs, and in the half-year between graduating college and getting my first full-time job, I was living in a condo owned by my parents, so I didn't pay rent. Since I got my first full-time job, I've paid for everything myself except my phone bill (I'm on a family plan) and car insurance (which my parents pay for to ensure that I always have coverage). I know that if I lost my job, my parents would help with some basic living expenses (although I'd be expected to find a job in the interim, or use my savings to cover things like paying for my horse), so I do have a financial safety net, although I always do my best not to rely/fall back on that. Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain. No. Day One: Monday 6:15 a.m. — On the days that I work from the office, I always wake up early to take care of my horse before work. I eat a quick breakfast, gather everything for my work day, and make it to the ranch by 7 a.m. to get my horse exercised and feed her grain and supplements. On this particular morning, I lunge her instead of ride for her daily exercise, since I was out of town over the weekend and hadn't ridden her in a few days. 8:30 a.m. — I arrive at work around 8:30 a.m. and spend about an hour going through emails and preparing for our weekly team meeting. After our team meeting, I have a pretty typical day of writing stewardship reports and working on grant applications. Around lunchtime, I walk with a coworker to a coffee shop nearby and discuss some work-related topics on the way, and she generously buys me a smoothie to enjoy on our walk back to the office. I leave work around 4:45 p.m. to get to the gym. 5:30 p.m. — I arrive at the gym for a workout class. I pay a monthly membership for an unlimited number of classes. I do CrossFit, and I always try to make it to one of the later afternoon classes. Class was pretty typical today — a mixture of running, lifting, and skill work. Each class is approximately one hour, so we wrap up around 6:30 p.m. I stick around to stretch and roll out, and socialize with other gym members, before I leave the gym around 7 p.m. 7:30 p.m. — I play in an outdoor sand volleyball league on Monday evenings on a team with several other young adults. Today we have a game at 7:30 p.m. It's warm out tonight, and still light when we started playing, which was a nice change from the darker and colder games that we'd been playing most of the winter. We don't play very well tonight, only winning one of three sets in our game, but it was nice to be able to enjoy the warmer evening by being outdoors. These games typically last about an hour, so I leave around 8:30 p.m. 9 p.m. — On my way home, I stop by the ranch again to feed my horse some extra hay — she's fed in the morning and afternoon by the feeders at the ranch, but I always stop by to give her a little extra at night so she doesn't go for too long of a period of time without eating. Horses are evolutionarily and biologically wired to be grazing almost constantly (before they were domesticated, they were constantly eating the grasses and other plants in the areas in which they lived and roamed), so I make sure that my horse has access to food as often as possible. Once I get home, around 9 p.m., I eat a quick dinner, shower, pack my lunch for tomorrow, and go to bed. 6:15 a.m. — I work from the office Monday through Wednesday, so I'm up early again to take care of my horse before work. I follow the same morning routine — eat a quick breakfast, gather everything I need for work and the gym, and head out the door to arrive at the ranch a little before 7 a.m. This morning, I do ride my horse, and we have a good ride before I have to leave for work. 8:30 a.m. — I arrive at work around 8:30 a.m., my typical start time. Today also is a typical workday, and it looks similar to Monday, although we don't have a team meeting in the morning. I have no meetings on my schedule today, and several of my coworkers who I usually eat lunch with are out sick or on vacation, so I just spend the day working on my stewardship reports and grant applications before leaving around 4:30 p.m. for the gym. 5:30 p.m. — Traffic is usually quite bad on Tuesdays, so it takes me about 45 minutes to drive to the gym, even though it's only about 10 miles from my office. I participate in both the 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. classes tonight — the 5:30 p.m. class was a specialty class where I was able to work on some particular CrossFit skills and movements that I need more practice with, and the 6:30 p.m. class was the workout of the day. It's a tough one, with lots of lifting and cardio. I stick around for a short amount of time to stretch and roll before leaving to go home. 8 p.m. — I stop at Costco to get gas after I leave the gym. Gas is really expensive in the Bay Area, and Costco always has the cheapest gas in the area, so I try not to buy gas from anywhere else. $48.27 9 p.m. — On my way home, I stop at the ranch to feed my horse and also to pick up dinner from an Asian fusion restaurant near my apartment. I order through DoorDash (for pickup), and because I have a gift card from a while ago as well as several promotions from DoorDash, I get my dinner for free. Once I get back home, I eat dinner, shower, pack my lunch for tomorrow, and go to bed. Daily Total: $48.27 Day Three: Wednesday 6:15 a.m. — Same morning routine as the previous two days — wake up early, eat breakfast, and ride my horse. Nothing unusual or exciting happened this morning (which is always a good thing with horses!) so I head to work as soon as I'm done riding. 8:30 a.m. — Today is a busy day, with four hour-long meetings on my calendar. I have my first meeting at 10 a.m. — a weekly one-on-one with my boss. We talk about the projects that I'm currently working on and she gives me several more projects to work on. After we finish our meeting, I go out for coffee with the newest hire on our team. We walk to a new coffee shop that just opened close to the office, and I try a cherry blossom latte (covered by my work). It was quite good. When I return to the office, I eat a quick lunch of leftovers from last night and get back to work before my afternoon meetings. I have two afternoon meetings with larger groups of colleagues, and use the last hour of my day to continue writing my reports until I leave for the gym around 4:30 p.m. 5:20 p.m. — I arrive at the gym shortly before my CrossFit class. It was another fun workout with lots of heavy lifting. I only stay for one class tonight and head home around 6:45 p.m. 7:15 p.m. — On my way home, I stop at the grocery store for a much-needed grocery trip. Since I've been out of town for the last two weekends, I haven't been grocery shopping in a while, and my fridge and pantry were empty. My grocery bill typically isn't quite this high, but because I have almost no food at home, I spend more than usual tonight. My cart is filled with a variety of items, including chicken, ground turkey, eggs, milk, cheese, lots of vegetables, yogurt, cottage cheese, and some other snacking foods. I buy enough food to make meals later this week and also next week, so I hopefully won't have to go back to the store for another two weeks. $161.14 8:15 p.m. — After leaving the grocery store, I go to the ranch to feed my horse her nighttime hay before going home. Once I get home, I throw a frozen dinner in the microwave (I'm too tired to cook anything that I bought tonight), put my groceries away, and clean up my kitchen. Once everything is tidied up, I shower and go to sleep. Daily Total: $161.14 Day Four: Thursday 7:30 a.m. — I finally get to sleep in today — I work from home on Thursday and Friday, so I often ride my horse in the afternoon, not the morning. I eat breakfast and start work earlier, shortly before 8 a.m., and work on my typical stewardship reports and other pieces of writing. Again, today is another typical workday without too many meetings or other things, so I'm able to be productive and wrap up several reports. 3 p.m. — I log off work early today because my horse has a chiropractor appointment. Yes, it sounds ridiculous, but horses do get chiropractic care, and they often benefit from it. I'd been noticing some stiffness in my horse's neck while we were riding so I scheduled this appointment to try to make her feel better. The appointment is quick (they'll send me a bill for this in due course), so I have time to take her out for her daily exercise before going to the gym. Since I am a little short on time, I lunge her again today instead of riding. 4:30 p.m. — I forgot my gym clothes so I have to drive home to grab them before going to the gym. I make it just in time for 5:30 p.m. class, which is another specialty class, this time focused on Olympic lifting. I also stay for the 6:30 p.m. class, which is an endurance class, so 45 minutes of cardio. I used to run competitively, so I really enjoy these classes. I hang around socializing for a while before heading home. 8 p.m. — On my way home, I stop, as usual, at the ranch to feed my horse. In addition to giving her extra hay, I take her out of her stall to let her graze on some of the fresh grass for about half an hour. Since she's not in a pasture right now, she doesn't have access to fresh grass, so I try to let her graze for about half an hour several times a week. Once she's had her fill, I bring her back to her stall and head home to make myself dinner, shower, and go to sleep. Daily Total: $0 Day Five: Friday 7:30 a.m. — I get to sleep in again since I'm working from home again. My morning routine is the same on Thursdays and Fridays, usually — a quick breakfast before starting work around 8 a.m. It's a light day at work because I finished several projects yesterday. I work on addressing edits to a few reports that my supervisor looked at and returned to me as well as wrapping up any outstanding tasks for several other reports. 12:30 p.m. — I decide to take my horse out in the early afternoon since I have a light day at work. Before I leave for the ranch, I check my personal email and see that the vet clinic has already sent me a bill for her appointment yesterday, so I pay that before going to ride. I try to make things quick today, since it's the middle of the work day. Once I'm done riding, I head home to finish up my work day. $349 4 p.m. — Traffic isn't as bad on Fridays so I leave around 4 p.m. to make it to 4:30 p.m. class at the gym. Friday is usually the last day of each week that I work out, and I take both weekend days off from a CrossFit workout, so I do both the 4:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. classes tonight. The first is another workout with heavy lifting and some cardio, and the second is another specialty class, again focused on Olympic lifting. This week of programming included a lot of lifting! 6:45 p.m. — I leave the gym and go back to the ranch to spend some more time with my horse. Since I took her out for a short ride earlier in the day, I decided to take her out for about 45 minutes to let her graze again. She's pretty focused on the food in front of her during this time, so I spend this time going through my personal email inboxes on my phone while keeping an eye on her. 8:30 p.m. — Earlier today, I realized that I had forgotten a couple items at the store last night (I should've made a shopping list, knowing it was going to be a large grocery haul). I stop at the grocery store on my way home to pick up strawberries, blackberries, cilantro, and frozen vegetables. Once I get home, I put my groceries away, do a little more cleaning in the kitchen, shower, and to go sleep. $27.70 Daily Total: $376.70 Day Six: Saturday 10 a.m. — My friend M. and I had made plans several days ago to go shopping on Saturday; the stores that we want to shop at are about 45 minutes away. He picks me up around 10 a.m. and we stop at Starbucks on the way. He pays for my drink. 12 p.m. — The first store that we stop at doesn't have what I need — I wanted to buy a new pair of riding boots, but this store didn't have a style that I liked in my size. Probably a good thing, considering that everything here was very expensive. 1 p.m. — The next store we stop at is so I can buy some food for my horse. I buy three bags of alfalfa cubes for $61.77 (to supplement her daily hay) as well as matching baseball caps for my sister and me — which I didn't plan to buy, but they caught my eye ($20). Buying bags of food is not too regular of an occurrence, as I don't give my horse too much extra in addition to her hay, so thankfully I don't spend that much money each month on extra food for her. M. buys a new grill at this store. $81.77 2 p.m. — M. and I stop at Panera Bread for lunch, and I cover both our meals since he paid for my Starbucks earlier in the day and also is driving his car. We both ordered from their you-pick-two menu. Panera is always my go-to when I need a fast but relatively healthy meal. $37.59 3:30 p.m. — We go to one more store to see if they had any shoes that I wanted to buy. I find a pair of nice riding boots, and they are on sale! I also decide to buy a new jacket for the colder winter days at the ranch, which I was not intending to buy, but it was on sale and looked like it would be very warm, so I decided to go for it. M. also buys a new pair of boots and several shirts. We both decide that we've spent enough money for the day, so we start our drive home. $144.84 5 p.m. — I finally make it to the ranch to take my horse out. I decide that she can use a day off (I usually give her one day off each week) so I take her for a long walk around the ranch instead of riding or lunging today. I also run into one of my friends at the ranch, who's helping take care of some other horses, so I help her finish up her horse chores before it's dark out. 8 p.m. — I'm finally done with everything horse related that I needed to get done today, so I stop by a friend's house for dinner. He cooked a delicious chicken pasta dish, which we eat and then hang out catching up for a while. I leave around 10:30 p.m. to go home, shower, and go to sleep. Daily Total: $264.20 Day Seven: Sunday 9 a.m. — Sundays are always a slow day for me. After I wake up and eat breakfast, I spend most of the morning going through my email inboxes that are not related to work and responding to emails that I missed during the week. I also spend some time cleaning my bathroom, vacuuming my room, and organizing my desk in my bedroom. 2 p.m. — I head over to the ranch to get my horse out. It's colder and windy today, which sometimes makes the horses act up, so I decide to lunge her today instead of riding. She's well-behaved, and I let her graze for about half an hour before putting her back in her stall. Someone else I know from the ranch had asked earlier in the day if I could fit a horse for hoof boots, so I do that quickly before I leave. 5 p.m. — On my way home, I stop at Target for shampoo, conditioner, and laundry detergent. These household items have become so expensive, so I don't like buying them until it's absolutely necessary, but I was running very low on all three, so it was time to spend the money. I'm trying to be smart about spending money only on the essentials, so this is one of the few times where I did not leave Target with ten times as much stuff as I intended to buy... $30.29 6 p.m. — Once I get home, I start meal prepping for the week and use up about half of the groceries that I bought earlier in the week. I make breaded chicken, a southwestern quinoa salad dish, a potato and vegetable dish, and egg bites. I planned to make banana bread but my bananas did not ripen quickly enough, so that will have to wait until next week. Meal prepping always takes me several hours, so by the time I am done and clean up the kitchen, it is time to shower, pack my food for work tomorrow, and get into bed. Daily Total: $30.29 The Breakdown Conclusion 'I'm surprised that I managed to keep my spending under $1,000, given that I paid vet bills and went shopping for myself (which I almost never do — maybe a few times per year). I'm also surprised at my food and drink spending. I made my semi-weekly grocery run (plus one extra small grocery run to buy a few things that I forgot) and bought food at a restaurant once, yet food and drink still made up nearly 25% of my weekly spending! I am pleased that there were a few days where I spent $0 or only made one purchase, which I think is pretty typical during an average week and also makes me feel confident that I am not spending money every day on impulse purchases or frivolous things. Writing this diary really opened my eyes to just how expensive the Bay Area is (see: food and drink spending) but also actually made me feel somewhat better about my spending habits and financial situation.' Money Diaries are meant to reflect an individual's experience and do not necessarily reflect Refinery29's point of view. Refinery29 in no way encourages illegal activity or harmful behavior. The first step to getting your financial life in order is tracking what you spend — to try on your own, check out our guide to managing your money every day. For more Money Diaries, click here. Do you have a Money Diary you'd like to share? Submit it with us here. Have questions about how to submit or our publishing process? Read our Money Diaries FAQ doc here or email us here.
Refinery29
23-05-2025
- Business
- Refinery29
A Week In Jersey City, NJ On A $270,000 Household Income
Welcome to Money Diaries where we are tackling the ever-present taboo that is money. We're asking real people how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period — and we're tracking every last dollar. Today: a speech language pathologist (assistant director) who has a $270,000 household income and who spends some of her money this week on oversized luggage. If you'd like to submit your own Money Diary, you can do so via our online form. We pay $150 for each published diary. Apologies but we're not able to reply to every email. Occupation: Speech language pathologist — assistant director Industry: Nonprofit Age: 35 Location: Jersey City, NJ Salary: $93,500 plus about $15,000 from private clients (but this number varies). Household Income/Finances Setup: $270,000. My fiancé E. and I live together, but finances are separate. We split rent evenly and he pays for weekly groceries and more daily expenses. He makes about $50,000 more than me (for the purposes of this diary I've used a ballpark household income). Assets: Checking: $8,583; HYSA: $17,137; CDs: $44,356; various investment/brokerage accounts: $20,300; pension from an old job: $68,000; IRA: $25,679; 401(k) from current job: $7,699; HSA: $965. Debt: Credit card: $3,212 (higher than usual due to a recent trip — I will pay it off this week). Paycheck Amount (2x/month): $2,244.18, plus about $425 from private clients (though this varies). Pronouns: She/her Monthly Expenses Housing Costs: My half of $3,550 rent. Loan Payments: $0 Verizon: $85 (split with E.). PSEG: ~$120 (split with E.). Hulu & Spotify: $21 E-ZPass: ~$250 Simple Practice: $49 401(k): I contribute 15% per paycheck, with a 3% match from my employer. I also max out an IRA annually. Dog Food: $75 (every six weeks). Other Expenses Car Insurance: $443 every six months. Website & Domain: ~$115 for private practice (annually). Liability Insurance: $75 (annually). ASHA Membership: $250 (annually). Healthcare: This is fully covered via my employer, a perk of my job. Was there an expectation for you to attend higher education? Did you participate in any form of higher education? If yes, how did you pay for it? Yes, but I was an eager student. I went to a private undergrad college for two years and transferred to a public state school that had a speech pathology program for two and a half years. My parents paid about $20,000 and I took out loans for the rest. I went to grad school at a CUNY school. I paid as I went and had a small amount of grad school loans that I paid off quickly. Most of my loans were from the two years taking gen ed classes at the private school. Live and learn. Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent(s)/guardian(s) educate you about finances? My mom was very open with me about money, and her perceived lack of it. She always showed me the bills from my ballet classes, because they couldn't really afford them. In college, she helped me fill out the FAFSA and applications for loans, but just to show me how to do it and how much they were able to help with financially. It felt like she was shaming me at the time, but I think she meant to equip me with more than she knew. I recently learned that she did not do this with my younger brother, which is strange. What was your first job and why did you get it? I worked at a camp every summer when I was about 14. I started assisting ballet classes to help towards tuition when I was about 15. I babysat my whole block through high school. I always felt like I wanted to hustle to try to have spending money. Did you worry about money growing up? Very much. My mom handled the finances and my parents fought about money constantly. I was the oldest, and my mom would often complain to me that my (dyslexic) dad refused to go back to college after he finished his associate's degree, or that he didn't have the drive to get a better paying job. In retrospect, that wasn't appropriate of her to say to her child. She made more money than him, but he worked very hard, too. We lived in a very wealthy area, so I thought we were downright poor. In reality, we were very much middle class. When I transferred to the state school, I finally realized how lucky I was to have what I did growing up. Do you worry about money now? Yes. I want children soon and we live in a VHCOL area. I am proud of myself for what I've saved, and so happy with the life I've created, but I know I'm behind many financial benchmarks. My salary has fluctuated as I've switched between settings. Working for a nonprofit means I'm making less than I would in other settings in NY/NJ at this point in my career, so I offset it with my private clients. Since I love my job so much, it feels more than worth it for quality of life (but… Talk to me when I'm nearing retirement, and we will see if I still feel that way). At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net? I lived at home in grad school, so probably when I moved out at age 24. When I was in grad school, my mom started showing early signs of dementia. Even though I was financially dependent on them, I became a young caregiver while living at home. My parents have relied on me for many things since I was about 22, and we have helped each other out in different ways. For example, she abruptly stopped buying groceries reliably while I was living there, so I took over that role and expense. My dad would gladly take me in if I needed somewhere to stay, though he has fairly tight finances himself. My fiancé E. and I are each other's safety net as well. (Of note: This is a different partner from my prior Money Diary. I was also engaged in the last diary, but we called it off before the wedding after he was caught cheating for the second time. I couldn't be happier with E. Thank goodness I got out of the last situation relatively unscathed, trust issues notwithstanding). Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain. My parents gave me their old car my junior year of college. They contributed $20,000 towards college. When my grandparents died, I received $5,000 which also went towards college. Day One: Sunday 9:45 a.m. — I wake up on the couch after a rotten night's sleep. E. is sick, and since I gave the cold to him and he slept on the couch while I was sick, I figured it was my turn. 10 a.m. — Hop in the shower, walk the dog, tiptoe into the bedroom but still wake E. I get dressed while we chat; he still feels like garbage, woof. 10:30 a.m. — Head out for the hour drive up to my mom's nursing home. I eat a banana that I threw in my bag. It costs $26.56 in tolls (covered by my E-ZPass) and this is going AROUND the route that would include congestion pricing, which would increase the total by another $27, round trip. Let us not forget that congestion pricing is really just a toll on New Jersey. 11:30 a.m. — Meet up with my mom's friend who is joining for the visit. Mom has had dementia for 12 years; we placed her in a nursing home in August and it has been the hardest thing I've ever done. She was tired today but we had a decent visit. 3 p.m. — On my way home I go to the grocery store to grab some items for the week. This is usually E.'s weekly task but again, I am a martyr. I grab toilet paper, salmon, lemons, cumin, pretzel sticks, asparagus, coffee creamer, cheese, and a few other things. $76.34 4:30 p.m. — Home and ready to crash out for a bit and have a sandwich. But first, a dog walk. I chat on the phone with my dad — he is a few months post radiation/chemo for cancer in the base of his tongue. He has a terrible ulcer and is in a lot of pain, but this weekend has seemed to be feeling a bit better. 7 p.m. — Make dinner and hang from afar with E. in hopes he joins the world of the living soon. 9 p.m. — Throw in laundry. 11p.m. — Realize I have forgotten aforementioned laundry. Run to the basement and grab it. 11:30 p.m. — Asleep on the other couch, not the one I slept on last night. We call this the dog couch — it is smellier but softer! Daily Total: $76.34 Day Two: Monday 6:50 a.m. — Awake and better rested. Dog couch > human couch for night time. Morning routine of CeraVe face wash, vitamin C lotion and SPF, some concealer, blush and mascara. 8:30 a.m. — Get into work, make oatmeal, and chat with some coworkers as I'm gearing up for the day. I have the unicorn dream job and I feel so lucky to be working where I do. As a speech language pathologist, so many jobs are just about billing insurance so that your employer can make money on your back. Our intervention model is different from 1:1 speech therapy, but I still get to use my skills. I work with adults who have a very specific type of communication disorder and I don't want to dox myself, so we will leave it at that. 10 a.m. — I get the news that my brother matched for his residency! He finds out where on Friday. As the elder daughter who basically taught him to read, I feel so proud. Salad and pretzels from home for lunch, plus dipping into the office chocolate stash. 4:00 p.m. — I usually head out around this time twice a week to see two clients, but my first one canceled. I use the time to vacuum my car with a new car vacuum. It is a gift from a client and I have been so excited to play with the attachments. I speak with my dad on the drive, and try to encourage him/remind him to time his meds around his meals. I also grab gas. $27 5:30 p.m. — Client session. My private practice is all pediatrics. I have a terrific set of clients, I currently only see four per week. 7 p.m. — Desperate search for parking, finally home. E is feeling way better and cooks! Here's hoping any germs die in the oven. 9 p.m. — I walk the dog, exercise in my room, and finally chill out a bit. 11 p.m. — In bed. E and I are sharing a bed for the first time in a while since we have both been sick, and it's comforting that the band's back together. Daily Total: $27 Day Three: Tuesday 6:45 a.m. — Wake up feeling groggy. My dog awaits me on the couch for cuddles and coffee. I get my butt into gear and do my morning routine, quickly kiss E. and head out the door. 8:30 a.m. — Oatmeal for breakfast. Very busy day at work today. We have an intake/tour with a woman and her husband — the woman reminds me a lot of my mom and it leaves me in a weird headspace. I don't have a moment to process it because my day is pretty hectic, so it just sort of lingers in my brain. 12:30 p.m. — Leftovers and salad for lunch. 5:45 p.m. — I speak to my dad on the drive home. Feeling cautiously optimistic about his status. I rush home, and I'm just there long enough to change. E. got us tickets to a wine class for beginners. 6:30 p.m. — Swipe on the PATH train (my Metrocard is prepaid). We make it on time and the class is awesome. The teacher explained all of the things to smell for and taste for when you're trying a new wine, and introduced the concept of how to select food and wine pairings. We taste based on things like salt and butter, we tried wines with different flavors. I feel like I learned more from this than any other wine tasting I've been to. We even get to take notes! We get one of the bottles of wine on the way out and I pay. $14.80 8:30 p.m. — We head to a ramen spot in the West Village and I eat until I'm uncomfortable, but luckily the walk to the PATH station makes me feel better. E pays. 10:30 p.m. — I tend to do the dog's night walks and now that E. is better our normal routine is resumed. Shower, bedtime routine, and pass out hard after a very busy, jam packed day. I see that my monthly charge for my electronic medical record (that I use for the private practice) went through which went up considerably recently. It is now $49 instead of the usual $29. I contemplate getting rid of it, but I appreciate how much easier it makes my life so that will be tabled for another time. Daily Total: $14.80 Day Four: Wednesday 6:45 a.m. — This morning I woke up feeling much more well rested; it sounds like E. did not have such luck. Dog cuddles, coffee, etc. 8:30 a.m. — Productive day at work: We hold an education program for people who are new to having the communication disorder that we treat. A big chunk of today was preparing for that, and even though it's a lot of administrative stuff, there's some nice satisfaction in checking that off the list. 12:30 p.m. — Lunch is random produce from home cut up, and turkey slices. A coworker always yells at me about my lack of protein and she usually isn't wrong. When I say random produce, I mean I'm the lady who brings a full cucumber, tomato, and bell pepper into the office and cut it up throughout the week to force veggies on myself. 4:00 p.m. — Leave work — my first client canceled. It's the same one who canceled on Monday. They're having some health issues in the family so I end up with a free hour, and I sit at a park and do a little bit of life admin, like checking emails, which is made way better by doing it in the sun on a park bench. 5:30 p.m. — Head to my client. Oh no, the mom forgot to warn her kid that I was coming! I walk into a precarious situation with a cranky 7-year-old. We muster through with lots of choices and reinforcers (aka games), I'm not above it when the going gets tough. 6:40 p.m. — I meet up with a coworker friend. She is thinking of moving to my old neighborhood so we are working our way through all the good bars/restaurants, so she can make an informed decision. We stumble upon trivia night and decide to go for it. After fighting for our lives, we end up fourth out of eight teams and I feel proud. I get two beers and we split some apps. $36 9:45 p.m. — Home and chat with E. I take the dog out, shower, and collapse to bed. Daily Total: $36 Day Five: Thursday 6:45 a.m. — Up and at 'em. Why am I always running late — how does this happen? Turkey sandwich for breakfast. 8:30 a.m. — Another busy day at work today: a new client intake process, run my sessions and a big team meeting at the end of the day. Lunch was some more random produce and leftovers. I head out an hour early for a doctor's appointment. 5 p.m. — I head to a specialist — my obgyn wants me to see someone who specializes in higher risk pregnancies since I have hypertension. (We had a family planning appointment a few weeks ago.) This guy is… Something. He tells me it's 'sexy' that I'm a speech therapist, fist bumps me multiple times, and taps his watch when telling me that I need to get moving on having a baby since I'm 35. I promise you don't need to remind me, I am super aware doc, thanks. Didn't love that. He recommends changing a med I'm on and sends me to get an echo with a cardiologist. How fun. No copay, but I'll get a bill in the mail. 6:45 p.m. — Home and tell E. all about the doctor and his strange behavior. I throw together a dinner of things in the pantry — cauliflower, frozen shrimp, pasta and pesto. 9 p.m. — Call my dad. He's doing okay but still not eating solid food. I attempt a dog walk but it is pouring and the gal is not having it. She's giving, 'I hope we aren't out here on my account.' I relax the rest of the night and head to bed around 11 p.m. Daily Total: $0 Day Six: Friday 8:15 a.m. — I wake up to four texts and two frantic emails from my dad. We go on a family trip to Cancun tomorrow — my brother, his wife, my dad, me and E. It was supposed to be a celebration of dad's cancer recovery, but it's bittersweet that things aren't where we would have hoped and he will be bringing a suitcase of Boost instead of enjoying the food. He is an anxious guy at baseline and hasn't traveled much recently since he was caring for my mom for the last 12 years. Dude needs this trip, and maybe a sedative. 8:25 p.m. — WFH Friday means sleeping until the last possible moment! This is an amazing perk of my job. SLPs are never able to work from home unless they provide remote services (which isn't fun, imo). However because my role is more administrative, I have one day that I don't see any patients, and it can be remote, depending on the tasks at hand. Walk the dog, drink some coffee and jump into the work day. 11:30 a.m. — I finally pause to eat some leftovers from last night. 12:00 p.m. — My brother just found out he matched with his top choice for residency!!! I'm so proud of him! He went back to school many years after graduating and made some huge sacrifices, and worked his tail off! Proud older sister! I chat with my boss over the phone about a few things. Then I take a quick break to pack a bit. 1 p.m. — Back to work for a few more hours. 5:15 p.m. — Wrap up and take the dog for a long stroll. We stop to get a six pack of IPAs. $18.66 6:30 p.m. — I continue packing and prepping with a beer. E. gets home and we begin to get pumped for the trip. Leftovers for dinner to try and clear out the fridge. 10 p.m. — Watch TV and unwind while E. finishes packing. I watch Interior Design Masters on Netflix, a charming British competition. With both of my parents having health issues, my media intake is usually mindless and conflict free these days. I read some of my book (Harlem Rhapsody by Victoria Christopher Murray) and head to bed around 11:15 p.m. Daily Total: $18.66 Day Seven: Saturday 8:15 a.m. — I wake up and get ready to go! Take out the dog and make sure all her stuff is set for the dog walker who will be picking her up to stay over for the week (the dog walker will be $85 per night paid at the end of the trip). 9:05 a.m. — We head out to make the journey to JFK: PATH to LIRR to bus (air train isn't running from Jamaica) to air train to terminal. Woof. I buy the tickets on LIRR for us both, everything else was prepaid Metrocards. $16.50 10:45 a.m. — We make it, just to find out that our giant shared bag we intended to check is 16 pounds overweight. Not even close! $150 fee — I cover it, just because I whipped out my card faster than E. $150 11:30 a.m. — Through TSA pre-check and unite with my family at the gate (my anxious dad has been there for a while). Our flight is delayed about an hour so we hang out. I get an açaí bowl and coffee. $18.71 1:00 p.m. — Boarding begins! I get a glass of wine and E. gets whiskey on the flight (E. pays). I read for most of the flight. My dad is in a lot of discomfort with all the travel. Hoping he can relax when we arrive. 6 p.m. — It took us a while to get off the runway; we make it in about two and a half hours late, go through customs, wait for our bags and head to the transport shuttle to the resort. (The flight was $405 per person and our room was about $3000. This was all pre-paid and split between me and E.) It's all inclusive and a splurge in honor of dad. I've done all inclusive once before in my 20s, but it wasn't nearly this nice. Shuttle to the hotel is $75 but covered by my dad. 7 p.m. — We get to the resort to learn that my dad booked the wrong hotel building within the resort, so we get a shuttle to all unite and get his room moved to the right building. Check in takes forever and I am hangry. I feel myself becoming the villain. 9:00 p.m. — Finally settled into the room, and head out to get food from the hotel bar. It's a gorgeous building; we walk around the pool and smell the salty air. Music is playing and I morph back from a hangry villain into a grateful muggle. We have a drink with my brother and his wife but we are all wiped out. Up to the room. E. and I hang on the porch for a little, and I collapse into bed. Daily Total: $185.21 The Breakdown Conclusion 'In my last diary, I remember seeing so many comments about how much I overfilled my schedule. (One person commented that 'something's going to give' if I kept myself so busy, and it ended up being my relationship — I don't regret ending that relationship, but that commenter was ultimately correct.) After tracking everything for a week, my biggest takeaway is that I very much continue to overfill my schedule, five years later! It was a hectic week, but I can't say this isn't a typical week in most ways. I think it was much more family focused than most weeks, between my brother's residency and the family trip. My parents' health tends to consume all of my free headspace most weeks, but this was a particularly family-heavy week, for better or worse. I worry it is misleading that the trip to Mexico was prepaid, but it is what it is. Otherwise, it was a pretty normal spending week. Transportation is always such a huge part of my spending — mainly because of tolls, but since I spend so much time in my car around the NYC Metro Area, I guess that's to be expected.'
Refinery29
21-05-2025
- Business
- Refinery29
A Week In Philadelphia On Unemployment
Welcome to Money Diaries where we are tackling the ever-present taboo that is money. We're asking real people how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period — and we're tracking every last dollar. Today: a franchise manager who is currently on unemployment and who spends some of her money this week on an apple pie-flavored sleep supplement. If you'd like to submit your own Money Diary, you can do so via our online form. We pay $150 for each published diary. Apologies but we're not able to reply to every email. Occupation: Franchise manager (formerly a finance director) Industry: Fitness (formerly real estate) Age: 37 Location: Philadelphia, PA Salary: $0 (previously $225,000). I was laid off in January but I got a few months of severance (equaling ~$50,000). I'm getting unemployment ($605 a week; capped at about $13,000 a year) and I work a part-time organizing job where I make $20 an hour. The hours are minimal and that money just gets deducted from my weekly unemployment amount. I'll net just over $60,000 for the year if I use up all my unemployment. In terms of the franchise I manage, I don't officially own it yet and the business isn't generating money — with classes only running Saturdays, there's just not enough to it yet. Once I have a full studio, I'll pay myself something nominal for running the front desk and what not and in a year or so I should be able to take some of the profits out of the business for myself. Joint income: I'm married, and my husband T. has a severe medical condition so he can't have a traditional job. He has his own consulting business but he hasn't made much money in a few years, so we live entirely on my income. We decided that we would share all of our money from when we got married because you never know what could happen. And that's also how both of our parents did it, so we didn't know otherwise. He's in a position where he has a sizeable inheritance but I'm able to make more money in the short term, so we figured it would balance out. This has worked out for us so far and now that I'm not working, I know he can pick up the slack. Once the business is up and running, I'll be able to pay myself for operating the studio. And hopefully after a year or so, I'll be able to make at least as much as my previous salary. Assets: T. and I own our house and have ~$100,000 of equity in it. We bought it less than three years ago and only put 5% down. We have a brokerage account ($364,000); a roll-over 401(k) ($154,000); IRA ($14,000); HSA ($3,000); and an emergency fund ($40,000). Most of what's in the brokerage account came from RSUs that were part of my total compensation package from my previous two jobs. When I got laid off in January, we took all the steps necessary to secure our assets in the most effective way possible (and moved everything to one platform) so that we had enough for this bridge period until we were both making money again — and it became even more important to ensure that we had enough money for the future since we're both building companies and won't be able to rely on things like company sponsored health insurance or 401(k) matching. Since we're using all the money we have right now to live on, we're not actively investing into any assets. Debt: Mortgage: $450,000; four-year car lease: $30,000; 0% interest credit card: $4,000 (to be paid over the next two years). Unemployment Amount (weekly): $605 gross (previously $5,751.28 net, biweekly). Pronouns: She/her Monthly Expenses When I got laid off, we went through all of our expenses and cut out as much as we could that we could live without. Previously, when I was working full time, I used to contribute ~$2,000 a month to my 401(k) (up to the max amount) and $1,000 a month to either an IRA or brokerage account, depending on the time of year and whether we were maxed out on the IRA. We had a nice savings cushion so we stopped contributing to that account and just let it earn interest. I'd like to get back to investing in the market once we're in the financial position to do that again. Housing Costs: $3,500 for mortgage — this includes interest payments, real estate and property taxes, and mortgage insurance, but not any one-time payments like trash and sewer ($600 a year). Electric/Gas: $264 (we're on a leveled plan). Water: $55 Loan Payments: $750 car payments (this includes annual maintenance); $273 on that 0% interest credit card. Phones & Wifi: $249 (for both our cell phones). Gym Membership: $79 (for both of us). NYT Subscription: $6 CRM Subscription: $289 Streaming: $65 for Hulu, Peacock, Netflix, AppleTV+ and Max (however this is covered by various rewards programs so we pay basically nothing out of pocket). Annual Expenses Amex Platinum: $695 — but we get more than that back in rewards. Prime: $139 (which also includes Grubhub+). Was there an expectation for you to attend higher education? Did you participate in any form of higher education? If yes, how did you pay for it? Yes, the expectation was there from when I was a little kid. And it wasn't just any college — it had to be a good one. So I went to college and got my MBA (the MBA was all me, there were no expectations at that point). Luckily, I got some financial aid in college, so about half of my tuition was covered. My mom paid for some of it and the rest I took out loans for. I paid off those loans by 2020. For my MBA, I had to pay for the whole thing myself. I owned an apartment in NYC that I sold right around the time that I finished my MBA and used the proceeds from that sale to pay off my loans. Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent(s)/guardian(s) educate you about finances? My dad died when I was 14 years old so we talked a lot about money after that — how he didn't have a separate life insurance policy so we only received a little bit from his job, how when my parents bought the house we lived in they made sure that the mortgage could be covered with a single salary, how my mom was going to stay at her job for the rest of her life because she had a pension, job security and health insurance for when she retired. She could only rely on herself so she had to do what was best for her and my and my brother. We never really talked about financial instruments or how to invest or even opportunities for making more money beyond just a salary from a single job. My parents and I immigrated to the US when I was 3 (my brother is younger and was born here) and so anything beyond a job and a savings account was unknown to them. What was your first job and why did you get it? My first job was doing admin work when I was 14 years old. I made minimum wage, which at the time was around $5 in NYC. I had to work early in order to buy things for myself that my mom couldn't buy for me. I made ~$1000 working in the summer and that was a lot of money to me at the time. I worked every summer from when I was old enough to work and worked after school in high school. My mom made sure I had the essentials but anything beyond that was up to me. That included nicer clothes or lunch when I didn't want to eat what she made. Did you worry about money growing up? I'm sure my parents did, but I didn't feel it. I just knew what I could and couldn't have. And I learned not to ask for the things that I couldn't have. I never felt like I didn't know where my next meal would come from or that I wouldn't have a place to live. But we didn't go on fancy vacations or spend frivolously. My parents (and later just my mom) did the best they could with what we did have. Do you worry about money now? Yes. All the time. Especially since I was laid off. I've spent a lot of time unlearning the things that I was taught as a kid in order to earn more money in the long run and have a more abundant mindset. I was doing much better but it's been harder since I got laid off. And now with launching a business, there's a fine balance that I need to find between investing in the right areas in order to make more in the long run versus saving because my income now entirely depends on how much money I can generate on my own. I have both good days and bad days and they range anywhere from needing to save literally every penny at my worst to thinking I can go on a two-week vacation to some exotic land because #YOLO, at my best. I never really worried about having money to pay for housing, food, or a car but I worried about saving enough and enjoying money. I still feel like I'm in a place where I know what I can't have and don't even ask for it or think about it. I guess some things are harder to unlearn than others. Right now, I'm just trying to focus on growing the business and making sure that it's successful. At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net? As soon as I graduated from college and had a job. Even in college, I had to pay for everything on my own that wasn't covered by my loans. And once I moved out, I had to pay for literally everything (I think my cell phone was the only thing that my mom kept paying for because we were on a family plan — but as soon as I got married, I was told to go start my own family plan). Even now, there's no one who can help me with my day-to-day expenses, but I would never be homeless — and in the absolute worst case scenario, I'd be able to move in with my mom or my in-laws. Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain. My grandparents gave me $10,000 when I graduated from college to help pay off my loans and the little bit of money that my mom received from when my dad died was used to pay for college (I don't even know how much it was). But besides that, I've never been given a large chunk of money. Day One: Saturday 7 a.m — My alarm goes off and I get out of bed right away. I have to get to my fitness class (we rent a space from Urban Movement Arts on Chestnut Street and it's a dance cardio class) and today I'm taking a local train into the city. I'm also going to NYC for a few days for my niece's birthday after class, so I can't drive. We only have one car and I leave it for my husband. I don't mind taking trains — I actually kind of prefer it to driving sometimes. But the train is not on my schedule so I know I'll end up being there an hour early. 9 a.m. — I arrive at the studio. It's a room that we rent on Saturday mornings to have class (I'm using it as a temp space until I can build my own studio). The speaker isn't in the room so I go searching for it. Luckily I find it easily and roll it over to the studio. With the rest of my 45 minutes before we begin, I send a few emails and call my accountant. I get ready to check people in — both classes are almost full, so I know it's going to be a fun day. 10:24 a.m. — My instructor's microphone dies so I run out in the middle of class to buy batteries. Luckily there's a deli right next to the studio so it only takes a few minutes. She finishes the class without a mic and between classes when we try to change the batteries, but it turns out the problem is with something else. The next class is done without a mic, but she's a total pro and manages to get through it without missing a beat. $7.11 12:30 p.m. — I'm finished with classes for the day and I have some time to kill before heading to NYC for my niece's birthday. I walk about 10 minutes in the opposite direction from the train to lululemon to hand them some postcards to hopefully get more people into class (I'm working on a partnership with them) and check out some empty buildings to see if those are possible lease options for my studio. I pass by the farmers' market in Rittenhouse Square and grab a carrot cake. I'm starving at this point and this seemed like the easiest thing I could eat as I walked to the train station while dragging a suitcase. $5 3:14 p.m. — I get to NYC and take the subway to my mom's house, out in Brooklyn. My mom meets me at the train station so that I don't have to take the bus. $2.90 5 p.m. — My mom makes me an early dinner since I haven't eaten much all day. Every time I come home, my mom takes care of most my meals, which I'm so thankful for (not only because I hate cooking — more on that later — but also because when I come home to the house that I grew up in, I tend to resort to little kid mode and can't seem to get past doing anything in the kitchen). I spend the night hanging out with the family. My mom has a two-family house and my brother lives in the other unit so we can all hang out together. I get to play games with my niece — she's mostly just climbing all over me, but it's super fun. By the end of the day I'm exhausted so I take a shower (I've been sweaty since the 10 a.m. fitness class) and go to bed early. Daily Total: $15.01 Day Two: Sunday 9 a.m. — I sleep in because I haven't been getting much sleep lately. When I wake up, I kind of just lay around for a bit before I'm ready to get up. I go downstairs and my mom makes breakfast for the whole family. She's making crepes using a family recipe. I eat them with coffee. I don't usually eat sweets for breakfast but I make an exception this time. Once I'm done eating, I open my laptop and finalize some things for my accountant. Once I'm done, I move on to figuring out what to do about health insurance. For the last few months I've had a subsidy from my old job but that's about to run out so I need to figure out what other options there are. I search on the marketplace and it is both overwhelming from the quantity of options and underwhelming with good ones. I try to figure out what options are best, but ultimately give up. I'll save it for another day. 2:16 p.m. — My mom and I head out to the play gym where we'll be celebrating my niece's birthday. My brother and the kids already left. When we get there, I help finish setting up. The adult food is sushi so I get to eat lunch there. I also have some ice cream cake. My brother told me to give my niece an experience that we can do together as a birthday gift. But she wasn't feeling well yesterday and there's no other time during my current trip to NYC so her gift will have to wait ($154 saved, for now). We'll go to see Bluey's house the next time I get to the city, which will probably be in mid April. 8 p.m. — I order my ready-to-eat meals from Home Appetit in Philly for the following week. I hate cooking and I find that ordering these meals doesn't cost that much more than a combo of buying groceries and cooking and eating out, so this saves me a massive headache. Despite not having an income, it's super important to me to keep eating healthy because I know this is the better decision in the long run. I order sesame chicken cutlets, beef kabobs, turkey tacos, a kale Caesar Salad and some veggie sides. The meals are fully balanced so I feel good about eating them. My meals will be delivered to me on Monday afternoon and even though I won't be there, they'll be waiting for me in the fridge when I get home. $165 Daily Total: $165 Day Three: Monday 9 a.m. — I sleep in again because my body needs rest. When I get downstairs, my brother is already there. We both do some work — he has a mobile car-washing business and I'm following up with clients from the weekend and reaching out to new contacts. I make a list of things that I need to make sure that I follow up on this week. I run my weekly KPIs and upload photos from the weekend's class so that the marketing team can use them, if they need to. 10:56 a.m. — My brother and I go get breakfast at the local deli. We both order bacon, egg and cheese bagels. I pay for his bagel. We typically take turns buying each other breakfast depending on who initiates the ask. We don't keep track of who pays which time and how much we've each paid. $15.85 2:45 p.m. — I head over to the gym to get a workout. I try to workout five days a week and it's pretty easy at home but gets really tough when I travel. Luckily, there's a small gym walking distance from my mom's house and I bought a 10-pack of sessions forever ago that I'm still using. The sessions never expire, which is great, because I usually only go once each time I visit. 3:55 p.m. — My workout is done and it was a lot tougher than I thought it was going to be — I ended up doing more than usual so I decide to get a protein shake at the gym. I haven't eaten since breakfast so I'm hungry and want to make sure that I recover well. I'm not great at making sure that I get enough protein in general so I'm proud of myself for doing this. The shake is good and I immediately feel it go to my legs. $9 5:45 p.m. — My brother and I go to pick up my niece from daycare and stop by Starbucks. He wanted to go, so he pays. He gets a lavender latte and I get a hot tea. It's cold and balmy out so the warmth of the tea makes me feel really soothed. He has a gift card that he uses and pays $4.38 out of pocket for our drinks. I think the system just naturally came to be — and I'm not sure either one of us is actively aware of it (I only realized what we do as I was writing this diary and trying to explain why/when we each pay for what). I go upstairs and watch my niece while my brother makes her dinner. I also get to hang with my nephew (he's still a baby so we mostly just stare at each other). I go downstairs and eat dinner while my brother does bath time. Then I go back up for story time before bed. 8 p.m. — Aunt duties are over so I switch my focus over to my clients. I follow up with newcomers on a special offer so that they continue coming to class (I usually get one or two people who buy right away once I send this one out). I also spend some time coming up with a theme schedule for the next few months and I send it over to my instructor to get her okay on timing. Themes require some extra work because there is new choreography to learn so I want to make sure that it's not too aggressive of a schedule. I scroll through Instagram to see if there are any other partnerships or influencers that I'd like to engage with to help spread the word (attempting not to get distracted). The studio Instagram is run centrally so I use my personal account to scroll but at this point I've hacked the algorithm to give me relevant content. Daily Total: $24.85 Day Four: Tuesday 8 a.m. — My body has recovered so I'm up earlier than the past few days. I go downstairs and my mom is working from home today so she makes me an omelet (I'm fully aware of how ridiculous it sounds that my mom is making me breakfast. But as previously mentioned, I absolutely hate cooking. I'm also super thankful and grateful that she does this for me. And she knows it). My mom and I hang out alone for a while just chitchatting. She's telling me about the new coffee machine that she has — she doesn't like the flavors of coffee that she bought. I help her find what she's looking for and call Nespresso to see if it's possible to exchange the ones she bought for different flavors. They tell me they can't do an exchange but they'll send some new flavors as a courtesy anyway. I hang up and she thanks me. These are the kinds of things that I can do for her. We all have our strengths, and I know what mine are. Cooking isn't it. 10:55 a.m. — I borrow my mom's car (she doesn't need it while she's working) and drive to my best friend's house. My mom has an electric car and solar panels on the house so my ride is essentially free for everyone. My best friend just had a baby so I get to meet the baby for the first time. I bought the baby a gift when she was first born so I don't bring anything this time, but my mom got her some clothes so I bring them with me. The baby spent some time in the NICU so she's still teeny when I meet her. My friend and her husband are both on leave so we all hang out for a while. 1:23 p.m. — We all go out to lunch while the baby is sleeping. We take a very short detour so they can show me the outside of the house that they're buying. I'm super excited for them. We get to the sandwich place and she pays for my lunch. Depending on the situation, we'll either take turns paying or split the check. This isn't something we keep track of. I offer to venmo her but she refuses. We take a walk after we eat and head back to their house. 3 p.m. — I leave to drive back to my mom's house and call T. as I'm driving home. We only chat for a little because he's working — it's so hard to find time to talk when I travel to see my family that I'll take the few minutes we have. I try to drop the car off at the train station (the closest station is around one mile from my mom's house) for my stepdad to drive home after he's done with work (I could walk from the station), but I can't find parking anywhere close enough for him, so I just drive home. It's a nice day out so he doesn't mind taking the bus. I do some work when I get home. 6 p.m. — I take my niece to the playground because it's a gorgeous day out. We have fun going down the slide and through some play bridges. I put her on the swings and she's hysterically laughing. I try my hand at the monkey bars and did pretty well. I wish there were adult playgrounds around. 7:12 p.m. — The monthly cost for my CRM that I use to help run the business is taken out of my account. It's expensive (and not the best) but it saves me a lot of time because it automatically reaches out to new leads. Otherwise, I'd spend most of my day just waiting for leads to come in so that I can reach out right away. It also helps categorize members so that I can be proactive in making sure that everyone is taken care of and gets the attention that they need. 11 p.m. — I say goodbye to my mom — she's working from the office tomorrow and leaves the house before I'll be awake (she starts work at like 7 a.m. so that she can be done earlier in the day). Daily Total: $0 Day Five: Wednesday 8 a.m. — My alarm goes off and I get out of bed right away. I go back to Philly today so I need to get myself together. I pack up my stuff and clean up the guest room. I have some time to kill before I have to leave, so I end up walking over to the gym. I get a quick workout in and head back to the house before I head over to the train. 11:41 a.m. — On my way, I make a pitstop to have lunch with another friend who also just had a baby. She's on the way to Penn Station so this is a super easy commute on the subway. My stepdad is working from home today and quickly drops me off at the train station. I would have walked, but it's tough dragging my suitcase the entire way. I get to her apartment, leave my stuff and we take a short walk in the neighborhood while the baby sleeps. $2.90 1:29 p.m. — We get lunch. I order a burger and she has a chicken sandwich. We both get coffees. We split the bill evenly and add a 20% tip. We take another little walk while the baby is still sleeping. Now that it's getting warmer outside, I want to spend as much time outside as possible, before it gets too hot. We head back upstairs and I grab my stuff and head over to the Amtrak station. On the train, I spend the hour and a half trip working and making sure that I reach out to all my new clients so that I have enough people in class this coming weekend. $37.23 5:36 p.m. — Once I get to Philly, I meet a realtor to show me a potential space for my studio. Luckily it's right near the train station, so I walk. I love the space and leave things where he'll let me know next steps. I walk back to the train station to hop on my local train to get home. I fill up my Septa Web Card. The cost of each trip changes depending on the time of day and where I get off so I typically just bulk load. This should last me about a month since I don't go into the city all that often. $25 7:15 p.m. — I make (heat up, really) dinner from the meals that I ordered and I tell T. all about the space that I saw. We also talk about my trip to NYC in general. He tells me more about his weekend and everything he's got going on. We talk through logistics for tomorrow since I'll need the car for large chunks of the day. I unpack (it's mostly dirty clothes so this is a super quick and easy process). Daily Total: $65.13 Day Six: Thursday 8 a.m. — My alarm goes off because I have a hair appointment to get my highlighting done. It's been about three months since my last appointment and my roots have grown in enough where it's time for a touch up. I drive to my appointment. My colorist is amazing — it took me a while to find her. She totally understands what I'm looking for and I've asked her to change things up a few times over the years. We chit chat as she does my hair — I tell her about the studio and she tells me about her daughter. She blows out my hair so that it'll last all day for a shoot I have today (more on that later). I pay for my color and the blow out and tip 20%. There's also a credit card fee. $284.05 12:33 p.m. — I get home and spend some time working and catching on things. Now that I don't have a traditional 9-5, my days are structured completely differently. I have blocks of time where I'm super focused and productive. I also have more downtime, but I spend that time reading, learning, or thinking (or time with family and friends, when I'm able to). I actually prefer to spend my days like this because I find it to be much healthier and I'm way more productive. And the best part is that I don't have any more meetings that could have been emails — not only do I have way fewer meetings, but each one is actually useful. Since I'm running a franchise and not founding a completely new business, there's a lot that I can leverage from the business, rather than having to figure it all out myself. I'm sure a lot of this will change once I'm ready to build out the full studio, but for now, I'm enjoying it. 3:52 p.m. — I'm doing a photoshoot today in order to update my personal brand, as part of my new business. It's all part of the fresh start that I'm creating. I paid the photographer in advance and parking in the neighborhood is free. I arrive early so I sit in the car for a little while and then walk over to the studio. We have an hour and take tons of different looks on different colored backgrounds. I use clothes that I already had and do my own makeup to save some money. The shoot is so much fun and she makes me feel like an absolute rock star. I can't wait to see the finished product. 6:17 p.m. — I eat dinner from the meals that I previously ordered (mac and cheese and green beans with pork). The meal is delicious and I'm so happy that I don't have to cook after a long day. I spend the night doing some work and T. and I hang out, just talking and watching Superior Donuts (which we randomly discovered on SamsungTV when it started playing as we turned on the TV. The show is hilarious — I'm surprised it didn't do well on a regular channel). I relish these nights where T. and I just chill — some days one or both of us is working late or sometimes we're on completely different sleep/awake schedules. So these nights are the best. Daily Total: $284.05 Day Seven: Friday 10:19 a.m. — T. and I are going to Dallas next week to visit some friends and we're going to a wine and food festival at the arboretum one night while we're there. We went to the arboretum last time we were there and it's absolutely gorgeous, so I'm excited to go back. The tickets aren't cheap but since we're staying with our friends and don't have any other big plans, I justify the splurge in my head. I venmo my friend for both of our tickets. $318 1:08 p.m. — I get my proofs back from the photographer. She sends me a full gallery and I get to pick 15 photos that will get edited. There are so many to pick from that I actually really like (and some look like they don't even need any editing), so I'm even more excited to see the final product. I take a pass at picking my initial 15, knowing that I'll come back to it again a few times before I finalize the ones I want. 1:58 p.m. — I run out of aluminum foil, so I order more from Amazon. For some reason I don't remember aluminum foil being this expensive and I put it on subscribe and save so that I can save an extra 10% (which is only like $1 but my previous splurge put me into a place where I now need to save every penny). Maybe this up and down within a few hours will put me in neutral for a while. I buy the big roll because on a per foot basis it's cheaper (and fits nicely into my drawer) so that it lasts me a really long time. $11.01 4:15 p.m. — I call a friend who works in commercial real estate to talk to her about the space that I saw. She works in office space, not retail, but it's way more comparable than residential so her advice is definitely welcome. We catch up on life things (she and her husband are renovating their house) and then we talk about the space. I explain what I saw and what I like and don't like about it. She tells me some things to look out for and what's important to put into an letter of intent for the landlord. She even offers to read over the document once it's complete and give me feedback (which is incredibly nice of her). We talk for just over an hour — I love catching up with her and so appreciate all the advice she gave me. 6:04 p.m. — T. asks me to buy him a sleep supplement so I head over to GNC after I get my workout in. This is later than I like to get to the gym but I'd rather go now than miss going at all today. The sleep supplement is apple pie flavored and honestly smells (and kinda tastes) like moonshine minus the alcohol. I'm not a fan. Most supplements are fruity so this flavor is a little weird to me but he claims that it works wonders. I haven't tried it since the one sip that I took when he first got it. $52.99 8 p.m. — I spend some time reviewing the insurance marketplace again to see if I can get inspired. I don't — but I find out that I have another month before I need to make a decision, which is quite literally the best news I could have gotten. This means we can save a lot of money next month on health insurance, and I can delay making this really hard decision for another few weeks. I go into my bank account and happily schedule payment for next week to pay our current carrier. 9:30 p.m. — I spend about 45 minutes cleaning the booty bands that we'll need for class tomorrow while watching Grey's Anatomy (yes, I'm still watching — I caught up during COVID-19 when everything was on hiatus and now I have to see it through). This has become somewhat of a weekly ritual since I added the booty bands to class. It definitely makes the toning section more challenging than just using body weight. I can't wait until I have a real studio — then we'll use actual dumbbells for more variety in the toning section and I won't need to carry the bands around with me each week. Once I'm done, I get ready for bed and spend the night hanging out with T. before bed. I got to bed excited for tomorrow's class. Daily Total: $382 The Breakdown Conclusion 'Besides the couple of one-off expenses, I think I did pretty well attempting to keep expenses down in general. It always surprises me how much money is spent on food (whether it's me paying for it or others): I don't feel like I go to particularly fancy places (although I also recognize that I'm not eating packaged ramen day in and day out) so in my head it should be less. Food has always been a challenge for me because we never ate out growing up but now that I get to make my own decisions, I want to eat higher-quality food that's good for me while also having variety. And now there's the added challenge of figuring out where the appropriate place is to spend money and where to save since I don't make nearly as much now as I did before. I'm still trying to balance what's okay to splurge on and what feels wasteful. I do feel incredibly lucky that so many of my meals were covered this week. Going to NYC always means spending more money than I would at home (but it's also because I get to spend more time with friends and family) so this week wasn't as expensive as some other ones have been.'
