Welcome to Money Diaries, where we're tackling what might be the last taboo facing modern working women: money. We're asking millennial women how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period — and we're tracking every last dollar. (Thanks, New York mag, for the inspiration.)
Today, a web editor in New York City, putting down a security deposit for a new apartment.
Industry: Digital Media/Editorial
Age: 22
Location: NYC
Salary: $32,000, plus freelance work
Paycheck Amount (2x a month): ~$1,200
Roommates: 1
Monthly Expenses:
Rent: $760
Loan Payments: They haven’t kicked in yet; I just graduated in May and don’t have to begin making payments for six months. My parents also offered to make my loan payments until I have a more permanent/higher-paying job.
Utilities: $25 for internet, around $40 for electricity
Transportation: Monthly Metrocard, $116
Phone Bill: Still on family plan, all paid for by my parents
Health Insurance: Still on parents’ insurance
Savings: I opened a Mutual Funds account several years ago and make deposits whenever I come into extra cash. (There’s around $8,000 in there currently.)
Day 1
9 a.m. — Grab a coffee at Starbucks to fuel up for a morning of apartment hunting. $3
1 p.m. —Weekly Whole Foods trip for groceries. Splurged on Halo Top ice cream. Also pick up zucchini, hummus, mozzarella, popcorn, granola, fruit, and some other things. $31
3 p.m. — Found a new apartment through Craigslist! Paid the security deposit. Will be moving to Park Slope with two roommates. $200
7 p.m. — Made caprese salad for dinner from my WF haul.
Daily Total: $234
Day 2
9 a.m. — Cereal for breakfast at home. I’m not a huge breakfast person, but my commute is pretty long right now, so if I don’t eat before work, I show up super hangry. Honey Nut Cheerios are the solution.
1 p.m. — Brought my own lunch to work, but some coworkers invited me to join them in the cafeteria, so I paid $5 for a sandwich. Seems worth it to socialize at my new job! $5
7 p.m. — Mac 'n' cheese for dinner. It’s Kraft-style, but since it’s from Whole Foods, it’s healthy, right?
Daily Total: $5
Day 3
10 a.m. — Have breakfast at the office since I slept through my alarm and didn’t eat at home. They have fruit, peanut butter, coffee, and some other snacks, so I don’t have to spend any money.
12 p.m. — Office coffee #2. The Starbucks around the corner is tempting, but I can’t justify spending money on lattes when they’re free at work.
2 p.m. — Brought my lunch to work; some frozen Trader Joe’s meal I found in the back of my freezer, supplemented with snacks from work.
7 p.m. — It’s unreasonably hot, so I pop into Starbucks mid-commute for an iced tea. $3
8 p.m. — Stop by Trader Joe’s to grab something for dinner. Craving Kung Pao cauliflower I got there last week. $5
Daily Total: $8
See the rest of the story at Business Insider