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 manufacturing specialist who makes $70,000 per year and spends some of her money this week on a pet deposit.
Occupation: Manufacturing Specialist
Industry: Biotech
Age: 22
Location: Bay Area, CA
Salary: $70,000
Net Worth: ~$16,900 ($6,000 in savings, $9,000 in stocks, $800 in 401(k), and $1,100 in a share certificate (which gives an extremely high interest rate but I can’t touch the money for a certain period of time). I also have $10,000 worth of company stock that will vest over a period of four years.)
Debt: $0
Paycheck Amount (2x/month): $1,926
Pronouns: She/her
Monthly Expenses
Rent: $1,850 for a one-bedroom apartment
Gas: $50
Internet: $50
Utilities: $40-$50
Cell Phone: $15 (I’m still on the family plan, which is split between me, my parents, and two of my aunts and uncles)
401(k): $330
Savings: $500
Car Fund: $500
Stocks: $125
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. As immigrants who never went to college, my parents deeply prioritized my education. My high school was a college-prep school, so not only was there an expectation to get into a college, but a nationally ranked one. Even though I was eligible for need- and merit-based scholarships, my parents paid for my college tuition, something I’m immensely grateful for. Their sacrifice is one I think about quite a lot and serves as a baseline of sorts for a lot of my financial decisions.
Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent/guardian(s) educate you about finances?
I never really had the finance sit-down. I knew I had a savings account from a very young age (where my birthday and Tet money went), but I didn’t have access to it until I got my first job. The importance of having savings was ingrained in me but never the specifics. All of my knowledge about savings, budgeting, stocks, and retirement was through my own research or conversations with friends.
What was your first job and why did you get it?
I got my lifeguard certification junior year of high school and my water safety instructor certification a year later. I wanted to have some spending money as well as save for college. I continued lifeguarding and teaching swim lessons all the way through college, which paid my rent and helped with the transition into my current job.
Did you worry about money growing up?
Yes and no. My parents were always conscious about spending money but we weren’t poor. They complained about the bills and gas prices, but we never went hungry or had trouble paying the bills. My entire family is very frugal and a lot of my financial habits come from observing my parents and aunties.
Do you worry about money now?
Yes and no. I have a solid savings account and I know I can pull money out of stocks if I have an emergency. I am saving up quite aggressively for a car down payment so I’m taking a harder look at my finances and seeing which areas I need to improve on. I also spend about half of my monthly income on rent and utilities which is not the best situation. I love my space and I love the little home I’ve made for myself but this is something that’s always nagging in the back of my mind. I’m lucky that I’m young and have opportunities to grow and time to figure things out, but I want to set myself up to be as financially stable as possible now so I don’t have to worry too much as I get older. If it means making smart decisions, I need to be proactive about it.
At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net?
I became financially responsible for myself at 21 when I graduated college.
Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain.
No.
Day One
6:30 a.m. — My alarm goes off. I resist the urge to hit snooze and cuddle with my cat for a bit while scrolling through emails. I’ve been trying to get into work earlier but my cat adds time to my morning routine, so it’s a work in progress. I make some coffee before getting ready and feeding her. She’s a little clingy in the morning so I make my getaway while she’s eating.
7:15 a.m. — I drop off the one-time pet deposit fee for my apartment on my way out and head to work. I arrive around 7:30, which is an improvement from my 8 a.m. arrival the past two weeks. My job has fairly flexible start times; as long as I show up and get my eight hours in, I’m good. $500
9:25 a.m. — I get a call from my landlord that my work request for my clogged tub has been fulfilled. I breathe a sigh of relief and cancel my Drano order from Target. Target’s been so busy so lately it’s faster to order ahead and pick it up at the store.
12:15 p.m. — I get an email notification from the Legion of Honor museum. I am meeting a friend for lunch on Sunday so I text her about the Guo Pei exhibit. She’s interested, so I buy us both tickets and she Venmos me back for hers. $21
4:45 p.m. — I stop by the gym after work. My job offers an onsite gym so I’ve been taking full advantage of that. I use this time to decompress and think about what to do for the rest of the day.
6:30 p.m. — I heat up some leftovers, feed my cat, and paint my nails. It’s a nice way to decompress and doing my nails myself has saved me soooo much money.
10:30 p.m. — I’m in bed with my cat. I usually go to sleep at 11:30, which leaves me exhausted the next day, so being in bed this early is huge for me. Let’s see how consistent I am this week.
Daily Total: $521
Day Two
6:30 a.m. — I wake up and cuddle my cat. She hates being picked up but is very willing to accept face and belly scratches. I roll out of bed, make my coffee, and head out the door.
12:15 p.m. — I have a lunch meeting with my supervisor and our team. She orders lunch for us. I take some leftovers for Thursday’s dinner. I need to go grocery shopping but I have three company lunch events this week so there’s no point in meal prepping. Thank goodness for the Trader Joe’s freezer aisle.
1:30 p.m. — My mom sends me a pair of really cute corduroy pants from eBay. I’ve been on the lookout for a while and with fall approaching, I decide to buy them. During my transition from college to the workforce, I’ve been exclusively wearing jeans and joggers, so I’m hoping this addition to my wardrobe will last a while. $35.68
5:30 p.m. — I have a barbecue tomorrow so I need to buy ingredients to make a salad. Lucky’s doesn’t have the things I want and everything is so expensive, so I drive to Safeway for some arugula and fresh herbs ($11.47). Neither store has prosciutto or fresh mozzarella so I drive to Trader Joe’s. I also picked up some eggs, a loaf of bread, and granola bars. My total comes out to $29.23 and I also got $30 cash back. My bank doesn’t have a branch near me so the only time I can get cash is during my grocery runs. $40.70
7:30 p.m. — I make some rice and have it with a couple of fried eggs and soy sauce. I add some frozen peas and have dinner with my cat. I pack my BBQ things and get ready for bed so I can wake up early tomorrow for work.
Daily Total: $76.38
Day Three
5:45 a.m. — I need to get to work early so I can leave early for my barbecue. This is too early for me. A lot of people on my team get to work at 6, so I’m honestly right on time.
9 a.m. — I have my daily meeting and scroll through my Amazon cart. I bought a scratch pad for my cat last week but she’s been ignoring it, so I’m hoping catnip will entice her to use it. I also get some more cat food because I’m running low. $35.64
11 a.m. — My job offers weekly lunches so my friend and I get in line for some food. Today’s lunch is enchilada casserole.
5:30 p.m. — I head home quickly to feed my cat and get my things for the BBQ.
11:15 p.m. — BBQ is a success! I’m exhausted and I smell like smoke, but I had so much fun catching up with college friends. I need to do this more often but also not because I don’t get into bed until 12. Tomorrow’s going to be brutal.
Daily Total: $35.64
Day Four
7:15 a.m. — I roll out of bed and immediately feed my cat. I also make myself a large serving of coffee with an extra scoop of grounds. Thank goodness for my flexible arrival time.
9 a.m. — There is a company meeting and outing today, so it’s a half day and I’ll be out early!
9:30 a.m. — My goodness, the meeting is long and 90% of the things they’re talking about don’t pertain to me or my teammates. There’s an option to attend virtually so I throw on some headphones and try to run some tests for the software while listening in.
2 p.m. — After the meeting, I meet some people outside my department and get some arcade games in. The bar is fully stocked and I don’t drink, but the bartenders are super cool and make me a delicious mocktail.
5 p.m. — We are back at 4:30 and most of my coworkers go home so the gym is nice and empty. It’s leg day again, so I spend half an hour on the treadmill for my hot girl walk. I also do some dead hangs and mobility to warm down.
6:45 p.m. — I am in desperate need of groceries so I stop by Trader Joe’s. I buy my staples (ravioli, bananas, chicken, breakfast sausage, green beans, brown sugar oat milk creamer, orange juice, a watermelon, a marinated skirt steak, lettuce, and some garlic) and then stock up on pantry items like cooking wine, harissa, and several cans of whole roasted tomatoes. I also get four jars of pesto rosso, which I fell in love with in the spring but haven’t seen around lately. Groceries will last me about two weeks and the pantry items are good for a while so I don’t cringe too hard when I see how much they cost. $87.56
7:45 p.m. — I run home and immediately feed my cat. She gives me major side eye until I give her cuddles and some treats. I reheat leftovers for dinner.
9:30 — I shower and get ready for bed. I’m out by 10:30.
Daily Total: $87.56
Day Five
6:30 a.m. — Payday! My paycheck earlier this month covered rent and utilities so I immediately move $500 to savings and $500 to my car fund. That leaves me with money to pay off my credit card and have some fun money left over, though not as much because my pet deposit took out a chunk. Any extra fun money at the end of this month will also go towards the car fund. I am saving up for a down payment for a new car, preferably a hybrid because my 10-year-old car, god bless her, has terrible fuel economy and is bound to break down.
7:30 a.m. — I actually leave the house on time and head to work. It’s the same old, running tests, trying to figure out which parts of the software aren’t working, and troubleshooting hardware. Since I got in early, I get to leave early, which is lovely.
5:30 p.m. — After the gym, I stop by Target to return some nail polishes and a pack of string lights.
6:30 p.m. — I need to clean, but also marinate my chicken for dinner. I should have done this yesterday but an hour is better than nothing. I zest and juice a lemon, add harissa paste and molasses, and let the chicken sit while I tidy up. Laundry gets done first which is $1.75 for a cycle. This should be free because I’m paying rent but beats $5.50 from my laundromat in college. I also vacuum, wipe down counters, and clean my bathroom. $1.75
7:10 p.m. — My timer for laundry goes off and I bring it back to my apartment. I like to air dry my clothes so I set up my drying rack on the balcony and go to town.
7:15 p.m. — I finish laying out my clothes and feed my cat. Chicken is about done so I cook it up and make some orzo for a one-pot chicken dinner. I also cook up green beans with garlic and soy sauce for the rest of the week.
8 p.m. — We finish eating. I wash the dishes while my cat sits on the counter and stares at me. She wants cuddles so I try to get her to use the new scratch pad I bought her. She ignores it and runs to my room. I shower early to go to bed early.
10 p.m. — I’m exhausted and the lights are out by 10:15.
Daily Total: $1.75
Day Six
5:20 a.m. — I’m working overtime this Saturday because car fund! The earlier I get in, the sooner I can leave and still enjoy my day. My work brings us lunch on Saturdays so I rush out the door just before 6.
8 a.m. — Surprisingly, there isn’t much to do. None of the software is working so I half-heartedly run some tests and poke around on the internet. I download a book I’ve been meaning to read, which makes the time fly.
11:30 a.m. — Lunchtime! I’m already halfway through Six Crimson Cranes and it’s so good.
2:30 p.m. — I’m freeeee!!! I also finish my book and make a note in my calendar for when the sequel drops. I drive back home and cuddle with my cat for a bit before taking a quick nap.
7 p.m. — I wake up and throw on some clothes while phoning my favorite sushi restaurant. I order a chirashi bowl and some inari, my favorite. I feed my cat and head out to grab dinner.
7:20 p.m. — Sushi is delicious, as usual, and I enjoy it with an episode of She-Hulk. My cat cuddles with me and I kick myself for not ordering some tuna to share with her. $35.21
9:30 p.m. — I hop into the shower.
10:30 p.m. — I’m clean, exhausted, and in bed. I cuddle my cat for a bit before I pass out.
Daily Total: $35.21
Day Seven
7 a.m. — I wake up to feed my cat breakfast. I cuddle her for a bit and set up her food before crawling back in bed for a couple more hours of sleep.
9:15 a.m. — I wake up for real this time and make coffee. I load up my BART card as I brush my teeth and then change and drive to the station. Parking is free so I head onto the platform and just barely make my train. Our tickets are for 12:15 p.m., but I’m taking public transportation so I give myself a two-hour buffer. $11
12:15 p.m. — I meet up with my friend, B., who I haven’t seen in months. We catch up as we tour the Legion of Honor, which is gorgeous! I take so many photos of all the dresses my phone runs out of storage. Oh well. That’s a problem I can sort out on BART. She also takes photos and we add them to a shared album.
4:15 p.m. — We are feeling peckish so we look for some grub. On the way to get food, we detour at a dessert cafe. We share a dessert and then stop by an Indian place to grab lunch. We split everything, but B. has a family dinner so I take the leftovers home. We make plans to do this again and I head to the BART station. $31.65
5:15 p.m. — BART is repairing their tracks so I have to keep switching trains. I actually end up missing my stop so I get off at the next station and wait for twenty minutes.
7:20 p.m. — I’m finally home. Normally it’s a 35-minute ride, but between switching trains and missing my stop, it’s a two-hour ride. I immediately feed my cat before unpacking my leftovers.
8 p.m. — We are both fed. I look over my budget and look at high-yield savings accounts. I make note of a few I like and bookmark them so I can sleep on it. I also look at my savings to stock ratio. I should probably have more in savings but with the market so low right now, I decide to wait it out and sell some shares when it rises again and put that money into savings. I put a note into my Google Calendar for November to revisit my conundrum.
9 p.m. — I shower and call my mom as I get ready for bed. Lights out by 10.
Daily Total: $42.65
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