This article was last updated on April 16, 2022
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Welcome toMoney Diaries , where we’re tackling what might be the last taboo facing modern working women: money. We’re asking millennials how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period — and we’re tracking every last dollar.
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Today: a senior director working in technology who makes $250,000 per year ($400,000 combined with her husband) and spends some of her money this week on a new passport.
Occupation: Senior Director
Industry: Technology
Age: 30
Location: New York, NY
My Salary: $220,000 plus ~$30,000 bonus
My Husband’s Salary: ~$150,000 (with overtime)
My Paycheck Amount (2x/month): $5,124
My Husband’s Paycheck Amount (Biweekly): It varies, but it’s usually around $2,500.
Monthly Expenses
Rent: $2,000 for our one-bedroom in Manhattan. We spent SO LONG looking for this rent-controlled spot — it’s literally a steal for how big it is. It’s definitely not perfect, and it’s super loud over a busy avenue, but I can’t complain one bit with the cost!
Mortgage For Rental Property: $2,500
Student Loans: $0 (I worked my ass off to get a scholarship, and my husband paid his off a few years ago.)
MetroCard: $50
Spotify Family Plan: $15 (My sis, BFF, and bro are also on the plan.)
Gym: $99 (My husband’s work comps his gym membership.)
Phone: $50 (I pay my dad for our share of the family plan.)
Netflix: $50
Cable: $180 (We have cable for sports, ugh)
Amazon Subscribe & Save: $30 monthly plus $150 every three months for vitamins and skincare
Retirement: I max out at $5,000/year in my IRA, and my husband puts his max allotment of 18% into his pension every year. We also are trying to save $100,000 this year, which is a super lofty goal, but we want to buy Manhattan real estate soon.
Annual Expenses
Amazon Prime: $99
Car, Renters & Home Insurance: $2,000
Thrive Market: $50 (It’s SO much cheaper for organic foods.)
Day One
6 a.m. — Alarm goes off, and I awake from a coma. I check texts and emails from bed and answer a few time-sensitive Slacks. Then I groggily throw my workout clothes on, brush my teeth, down a glass of water and a probiotic, and I’m out the door to the gym. I try to find a new Spotify playlist on the short walk over and stumble upon a ’90s hip-hop one. Just what I need this morning. I do a 20-minute warm-up on the StairMaster then and a brutal but fun full-body HIIT workout.
7:20 a.m. — Stayed a little longer than I meant to, as usual. This is my me time, and sometimes I lose track of time. I speed walk home and pop into the bodega under my apartment — I ran out of bananas this week and need them for my morning smoothie! I also buy more almond milk (running low), and peanut butter cups for my husband, B., as a treat for when he gets home. It’s the little things that matter! $15.33
8 a.m. — Once I’m showered and moisturized, I make my go-to morning smoothie: spinach, almond milk, two scoops of collagen powder, a banana, and a small spoonful of coconut oil. So good! I down it as I put on my light makeup: powder, mascara, brows, and a bit of blush. Today is a no-wash day, so I brush my hair and flat iron it a bit to look presentable. Then I throw on some low-heeled booties, jeans, and a blouse, and I’m out the door. I have exactly four minutes to make it to the stop before I miss the bus. I love cutting it close.
8:15 a.m. — My team has been at the office late all week preparing for a huge release we have coming up, so I stop at a cute coffee shop by the office to get some croissants and a few coffees for the crew to show a little appreciation. I make sure to get my other fellow celiac coworker a GF muffin. I expense it. On the elevator ride up to the office, I try to answer a Slack while balancing coffees, and it’s almost a nightmare. I remind myself to put the phone away and do a quick 30 seconds of relaxed breathing. We have a crazy day ahead. ($35 expensed)
11:55 a.m. — I have five minutes between meetings to eat. I’m usually able to eat my breakfast at 10:15, but today there were fires to put out left and right. I grab my breakfast from the fridge: two hard-boiled eggs, chicken sausage, and sautéed peppers I brought from home. I don’t even have the patience to wait for the microwave and practically swallow it whole as I refill my water bottle. After I eat, I chitchat with a coworker for a minute about a project we’re working on. Off to more meetings!
2:15 p.m. — Another break between meetings — this time I have a full 30 minutes, which means it’s lunchtime. I grab my prepped salad out of the fridge, which I made with a protein salad mix, candied pecans from Trader Joe’s, butternut squash, cranberries, and some Applegate turkey meat I cut up and threw in, tossed with lemon-turmeric dressing. I thought it would be weird, but it’s actually so good! The greens feel like weeds though. I’ll stick to spring mix. After lunch, I head into the handicap bathroom for my three minutes of quiet time. This is a new thing I am trying: I set a timer on my watch, close my eyes, and try to meditate. Sometimes I end up scrolling on Instagram or just thinking of my huge to-do list instead, but I try and calm my breath at least. Work in progress, right? I text B. a fun Bitmoji, grab some mouthwash in the bathroom, and head off to my next meeting.
5 p.m. — In the middle of a meeting, I realize my sister’s birthday is next week and I haven’t gotten her anything yet! She is so tough to shop for, so I typically go for a sentimental gift or an activity together. I start browsing for show tickets, and remember that Mean Girls is on Broadway. We used to love Regina George! I get us two tickets for the premium seating up front. We have a small family, so I feel okay spending a chunk of money on her birthday present. It’s literally one of the few I have to buy all year. $250
8:30 p.m. — Finally leave work. I thoroughly enjoy my 25-minute walk home — I get to listen to half a podcast and decompress. I get a text from B. asking me to pick up orange juice, shampoo, and hand soap on the way home. Every time I go to Duane Reade, I just don’t understand where the money goes. We try to buy everything for our home in bulk from Boxed (SO MUCH CHEAPER), but the choices of shampoo are limited. Plus those bottles are giant — it’s like a workout just to lather. $27.22
8:45 p.m. — Dinner time! B. already ate, so he sits with me while I finish the rest of a meal I prepped: salsa verde/tomatillo tri-tip roast that I cooked in the Crock-Pot on Sunday, rice, and roasted broccoli. I douse it with Sriracha. We catch up on our days and then move to the couch to cuddle and watch an episode of The Sinner. It’s soooo good! I want to binge-watch, but B. is exhausted from working last night, so he heads to bed. I catch up on a few emails and work on a presentation for next week. At around 10:30, I fall asleep at the keyboard and then force myself to do my nighttime routine and head to bed.
Daily Total: $292.55
Day Two
6 a.m. — Alarm goes off, and I groggily stumble out of bed and trip over the blankets in the process. I try so hard not to wake B., but the sound of me trying to avoid face-planting into the wall startles him awake. Oops. Typical morning routine — I throw on my workout clothes and check my emails while brushing my teeth. There’s nothing that can’t wait a few hours. I used to respond to everything right away, but it’s not worth it anymore. I go for a 4.5 mile run outside and listen to some throwback jams.
7:30 a.m. — It’s Friday, which is my YOLO Day. I meal prep for Monday through Thursday, and Friday is the day I eat out/order in for lunch and dinner. I also let myself buy coffee on Fridays if I am really feeling it. I like nitro cold brew, which is ridiculously expensive for the tiny cups they serve it in, but I have it once or twice a month and it always feels like such a treat! Today I savor every sip on my endorphin-filled walk back to my apartment. $4.50
8:15 a.m. — Shower, moisturize, and apply a daily serum. I use a new brand called Tula, and I seriously LOVE it. It smells good and makes my skin glow, and the Subscribe & Save lets me save a decent amount every few months. While I let my hair air dry, I make my spinach smoothie (never gets old) and sip it while doing my makeup. I am hungry this morning, so I also make myself two pieces of gluten-free toast with butter. (Our fridge is getting pretty empty.) My hair is half-dry already, so I finish it off with my blowdryer. After a recommendation from a coworker, I splurged on a pricey blowdryer last month, and it was worth every penny. My hair dries in eight minutes flat, and I have long hair! I go over some ends with my straightener, get dressed, and head out the door.
9:30 a.m. — After a good power-hour of work at my desk, I preorder my Sweetgreen salad for lunch. I have another day of back-to-backs and love that it will be ready exactly at 12:15 and I won’t need to wait in line. I make my own salad with steelhead and my favorite spicy dressing. Already looking forward to lunch! $15
10:20 a.m. — Head to the kitchen for a snack and fill up my water bottle.
12:15 p.m. — Hope the walk to Sweetgreen to pick up my lunch will help re-energize me. It doesn’t. I get that second coffee from the office machine and drink it black. Then I power through the afternoon because I want to leave early today.
3:30 p.m. — I get an email that an order I placed on Saks Off Fifth this week was declined. I absolutely hate talking on the phone, especially if I have to be on hold, but there’s a 50% off deal on the whole site that ends today, so I want to take advantage of it. I call and it surprisingly goes pretty fast — they apologize for the issue and give me free overnight shipping! Even better. The sweet guy on the line even compliments me for my choices (jeans, a cashmere cardigan, and a few new white tees, lol). I have been on the hunt for a high-waisted, mid-wash pair of jeans, so I’m hoping these fit! $220
5:30 p.m. — After powering through the afternoon, I’m feeling really good about where things stand for our release next week. B. and I head for a date night at a new cute Mexican spot that opened near our apartment. We get chips and guac, I get two carnitas tacos and one chorizo, and he gets four carnitas and one pescado. That man eats so much. I share half my chorizo with him because I don’t love it. Back home, we crash on the couch and watch more of The Sinner. B. is working this weekend, so I enjoy my time with him. $62
Daily Total: $301.50
Day Three
8:15 a.m. — B. left for work already, so I ease into the morning, scrolling on Insta/reading the news/ looking up recipes in bed. Get up, down some water, brush my teeth, and make a grocery list for after the gym. Since I have more time, I walk the extra few blocks to a different gym location. This one is bigger and all around nicer, plus it’s closer to Trader Joe’s. I do another HIIT body session with way too many squats and some treadmill incline sprints, and finish it up with some upper body work. My new music Friday playlist this week is FIRE.
10 a.m. — After the gym, I change into dry athleisure and eat an Rxbar. Then I stop for a cold brew — I need all the energy I can for my Trader Joe’s shopping trip. No one is their best self in there. This week I buy: spinach, mixed greens, bananas, apples, berries, mushrooms, bell peppers, two shallots, sweet potatoes, chicken breast, ground turkey, Applegate herbed turkey cold cuts, salsa verde, peanut butter chocolate pretzels (for B.), two dozen eggs, Kerrygold butter, canned tomatoes, canned sauce, chicken broth, Rxbars, and dried mangos. Can’t help but grab a bag of Scandinavian Swimmers while I’m in line either. They’re so good! I manage to make it home with the shopping cart and two bags on each shoulder! (I bring the slightly embarrassing but oh-so-functional grocery cart to haul all the food 10 blocks back to my apartment.) Workout part two, done. $168
11 a.m. — After a shower, I make myself brunch while I catch up with my BFF who lives across the country. We talk about my upcoming visit in a few weeks. (It’s a work trip that I’m extending.) I make two sunny-side up eggs, chicken apple sausage, sautéed spinach, and a side of gluten-free toast. Once I’m done, I get to work meal-prepping, and first up is the chicken cacciatore. I sauté peppers and mushrooms in pan and then assemble the chicken, tomatoes, sauce, and seasoning in the slow cooker. Then I add veggies and put it in the fridge. I’m going to turn it on tomorrow morning so it’s ready by dinner time. I throw rice in the rice cooker and start browning turkey in a pan with taco seasoning. Once that’s done, I chop some veggies for salads for the week (cucumbers, more peppers, and cherry tomatoes) and Tupperware it. This is five dinners and four lunches! All in a day’s work.
2 p.m. — I set up shop on the couch with my Scandinavian gummies and watch To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before on Netflix. I thought it would be cheesy, but it’s so cute. I really enjoy it. While I watch, I casually check email and scroll the ‘gram a bit. Nothing urgent, thank god.
5 p.m. — Head out to shop for birthday cards and gifts for a few friends, including one whose birthday dinner is tonight. I head to Walgreens to buy two birthday cards, tissue paper, and a gift bag for the super soft sweater I bought for tonight’s birthday girl. I then head down to Soho to shop for my other friend’s birthday gift. I find the cutest embroidered pineapple t-shirt at Madewell that screams my friend, so I buy it for her along with cute socks. $95
6 p.m. — Time to start getting ready! I haven’t seen this friend much recently, so I am excited. I curl my hair, pull on my favorite black jeans and slinky black tank, and take a selfie and send it to B. I am going to be the awkward seventh wheel tonight since B. is at work. I take an Uber to the restaurant. $12.50
10 p.m. — This group doesn’t get together often, but we love a good birthday celebration. We order several pitchers of sangria, tons of paella, and lots of bacon-y appetizers, and the couples share tons of delicious stuff I can’t have. Having celiac sucks, but I drown my sorrows over my lack of croquettes in sangria. One of the girls brought cupcakes for dessert from my friend’s favorite bakery and even brought me a GF one — so sweet! We all split the bill and cover my friend’s tab. I Venmo my other friend for my portion of the cupcakes. $182
10:30 p.m. — We hang out after dinner, but I can barely keep my eyes open. I call an Uber to head home. It’s surge fare, which makes me rage-y. I chug two glasses of water when I get home — I barely drink, and I know I am going to be hurting tomorrow. Fall asleep watching Friends. $16
Daily Total: $473.50
Day Four
8 a.m. — B. and I cuddle for a bit, and then I get up while he takes a long nap. I clean up around the apartment, turn on the slow cooker, and work for a bit.
10 a.m. — I head to our favorite coffee shop and buy B. a large cold brew. I’m starving, but we’re going out to brunch in a few hours and I don’t want to spoil my appetite. I eat an apple with peanut butter to hold me over. $3.53
12:30 p.m. — We have another birthday brunch today! Everyone we know has birthdays within a two-week period, so it’s a little crazy. I shower, get ready, and wake B. up. Our bathroom is so small that it’s impossible to fit two people in there (#NYCLIVING), so I try to time it right. That’s one good thing about having different schedules! G. takes exactly 12 minutes to get ready — so annoying, and he looks amazing. We call an Uber and head to Battery Park. $17
2 p.m. — This place has gluten-free eggs Benedict, so I happily slurp up the hollandaise. We split the bill, and then I give my friend the present I got her. Turns out, she just bought the Madewell shirt herself (I have good taste, what can I say), but she has the gift receipt and can buy something else. We both laugh about it because the pineapple is so her! $58
2:30 p.m. — Uber home and chill on the couch watching football. B. and I are both exhausted, and the smell of the slow cooker is making us hungry again. $14.22
5 p.m. — We go for a run outside. Our tradition is to always run together once a weekend — it’s one of our favorite things to do together. We cover five miles and enjoy pointing out all the new buildings popping up on the other side of the Hudson. We talk about where we want to buy — we’ve been saving for a down payment for years now, but can’t decide if we want to stay in the city or go out further into the ‘burbs. We don’t have kids yet, so we’re in no rush…plus we both love our short commutes too much to leave yet.
6 p.m. — The chicken cacciatore is ready, and we eat it over rice while we watch more football. After a shower and more snuggles, we head to bed early.
Daily Total: $92.75
Day Five
6 a.m. — Rise and shine. Big day today, so I head into work super early.
6:20 a.m. — Do a quick 21-minute BBG workout in the living room and hope my downstairs neighbors don’t hear me jumping around. Then I shower, blow dry my hair, and pick out my “power outfit”: a peplum sweater tank, black jeans, and black heels.
7:45 a.m. — Today is worthy of a mid-week coffee. I need the nitro! $5
1 p.m. — Break for lunch amidst craziness. I eat my prepped taco bowl salad with rice, lettuce, taco seasoning, ground turkey, Sriracha, and salsa verde at my desk while I read over release notes.
7 p.m. — A busy and long but exciting day! The presentation went great, so we head out to drinks to celebrate. I have soda water and lime — it’s the best because no one asks why you’re not drinking. Sometimes I just don’t really want a drink. After a couple rounds, I pay the tab (expensing it to work), and head home early. My team is probably going to stay out late tonight, so I make a mental note to move our meeting back to 10 a.m. tomorrow. ($250 expensed)
Daily Total: $5
Day Six
4:43 a.m. — I am heading to Boston for a day to do a presentation, so I’m up early to catch a flight. I jump in the shower for a quick rinse, put on makeup, fix my hair, and head out. I just have my tote because I’m not even staying the night. No matter the traffic, I am always shocked at the cost of an Uber to LGA. ($120 expensed)
6:30 a.m. — Spend $18 on runny tasteless eggs and bacon at an airport restaurant. Why is it so expensive and never good? At least this is expensed. I thank myself for bringing snacks for later. ($18 expensed)
12:30 p.m. — The team takes me out to lunch to celebrate a good meeting before I head back to the airport.
4:30 p.m. — Back in NYC. Can’t wait to head home and be on my couch. This is peak traffic time, so the ride takes upwards of two hours. At least the ridiculous Uber cost is expensed? ($120 expensed)
Daily Total: $0
Day Seven
6 a.m. — I sleep nine hours and wake up feeling phenomenal. Throw on workout clothes, down a glass of water, and head to Barry’s Bootcamp. I got a five-pack as a gift for my birthday, and I’m trying to spread them out so I can enjoy them for longer. I love Barry’s, but it’s so expensive, especially when I know I can get in a good workout on my own for free. Today is my favorite instructor’s class — if you’re in NYC, take Dan’s class. His playlists are amazing, and he is really hard — my legs are shaking when I walk out of there!
8 a.m. — After a shower, I get ready, make my standard green smoothie, and ride a Citi Bike to work. $3.25
10 a.m. — Grab a coffee and some fruit from the office kitchen to hold me over until lunch. I forgot to bring snacks, but need to wait until 12 to eat my lunch or I’ll be starving later.
3 p.m. — I get a reminder on my calendar that my passport is expiring next month. I am planning a trip to Europe for our wedding anniversary, so I need to renew it. (I haven’t decided where yet, but I have flight alerts up for Vienna, Geneva, and Berlin.) I fill out the paperwork online and pay the exorbitant fee to renew. $265
Daily Total: $268.25
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