A Week In Manhattan On A $90,000 Salary

Occupation: Associate director, recruiting
Industry: Media/publishing
Age: 31
Location: Manhattan
Salary: $90,000
Assets: Roth IRA: $67,600; 401(k): $142,361; checking: $2,401; investments: $19,046; HSA: $2,134; HYSA: $24,705. I’m in a long-distance relationship with my partner so we keep our expenses completely separate. We’ll probably have a joint checking when we eventually move in together. 
Debt: Student loans: $14,203.61 (I wish SCOTUS had wiped this out...).
Paycheck amount (2x/month): $1,469 ($3,750 before taxes/retirement).
Pronouns: She/her

Housing costs: $1,240 — I live with a couple in a two-bedroom apartment that we rent. Our combined rent is $3,200. The apartment is rent-stabilized, which is incredible. I’ve lived in the same unit for five years now and the annual rent has only increased by about $250 in that time.
Loan payments: Student loans: $127.
Wi-fi: $20 per person.
Electric/gas: $30-$80/month per person depending on the time of year.
Gym: $25
Sisters account: $375. I have three sisters who I’m very close with and we are all very financially open with each other. My sisters and I have a shared checking account where we each contribute 5% of our annual salary. Any shared subscriptions are taken out of this account annually (e.g. Spotify Family, LastPass, Netflix, Hulu). We also use this account to pay for family vacations and other familial expenses. Our parents do not have much wealth and make hourly wages so this account also goes towards paying off any big debts they may have accrued and investing for their retirement.

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?
My parents came to the States in the 1970s, fleeing genocide in their country. After coming to the US with nothing, my parents strongly encouraged us to pursue higher education to learn things they never had the chance to and become “successful”/financially stable. All three of my sisters and I attended higher education. Our colleges ranged from state universities to private liberal arts colleges. We all paid for college ourselves and with the help of scholarships/grants. I’m the youngest and the only one left with debt from higher ed.

Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent(s)/guardian(s) educate you about finances?
My parents were extremely open about money. Since English is not my parents’ first language, my sisters and I often had to help my parents translate and mediate any medical/financial issues with providers. There really wasn’t any way to not have complete visibility into everything. I wouldn’t say that my parents consciously educated me on finances/money but because I had visibility early on into financial stress and thinking about how much money goes into supporting a household, I learned about money and how to be financially responsible from a very young age.

What was your first job and why did you get it?
I had two after-school jobs in high school to earn money for myself and to save for college. I worked at a coffee shop and an Italian restaurant where I made minimum wage. 

Did you worry about money growing up?
By the time I was born, my parents were more financially stable. We weren’t struggling or living paycheck to paycheck, but I was aware that money was something I needed to think about.

Do you worry about money now?
Yes. I’m thinking about the future and caring for my aging parents who don’t have much in their 401(k)s. I live in a high cost of living city with a very active social life. I’m trying to balance living in the now and being responsible for the future.

At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net?
I started working two jobs and saving up for college my junior year of high school. I got my first credit card my first year of college, at the behest of my eldest sister who thought I should start building up my credit, and worked two work-study jobs on campus. I’ve saved pretty heavily and now have a decent financial safety net. My sisters are also older than me and make much more/have larger safety nets, so I can always ask them for a loan if things ever get to that point.

Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain.
A family member recently passed away. I received $15,000 and used it to give myself a safety net cushion in my HYSA.

9 a.m. — I wake and start getting ready for work. My office is only a 20-minute walk from my apartment, which I remind myself to be grateful for every morning on the walk. I get to work and make myself a coffee at the office and start answering some emails. My office caters lunch every day of the week except Friday, which is a huge perk. I sometimes sneak some into a Tupperware if there are a lot of leftovers.

3 p.m. — I get a marketing email from a Pilates studio nearby where I did a free trial. They’re doing a special promotion where a month unlimited is discounted from $350 to $120. I really enjoyed my class so I jump at the offer. Normally, a single Pilates class ranges from $35 to $50, which I definitely cannot afford. I referred two other friends to the studio and got a $50 referral credit, so it only comes out to $70! $70

7:30 p.m. — Finish up the work day and meet up with my cousin and her boyfriend who are in town visiting and crashing on my couch. My sister, who also lives in NYC, meets us at an Ethiopian restaurant for dinner. It’s my cousin’s first time having it and she loves it. My sister and I treat her and her boyfriend to the meal, which is actually pretty affordable, coming out to around a total of $80, including tip. Afterwards, we hit up Levain, a bakery known for its ginormous delicious cookies, for an after-dinner treat. I buy two cookies for us to split for $15. $55

9:30 p.m. — We head back to my apartment. I make sure my cousin and her boyfriend have everything they need and then wind down.

10 a.m. — I wake up and make myself coffee at home. I work from home on Tuesdays and use the time to do my laundry. Laundromats in NYC can really add up, with my average being $10-$15 every two weeks for one person. A few years ago, I decided to take a chance on a used portable washing machine that hooks up to a sink/bathtub. It works pretty much like a standard washing machine and I was thrilled! Sadly, the one I bought years ago just broke, so I purchase a new one on Amazon for $330 and split the cost with my roommates. It’s saved us hundreds of dollars and also a ton of time by not having to go back and forth to the laundromat. We do have to hang-dry our laundry, but I don’t mind. The apartment is pretty hot so the laundry dries relatively quickly — laundry days do take up the entire kitchen and living room though! $110

11:30 a.m. — I run out between meetings to get some groceries for dinner this week. The closest grocery store to me is about an eight-minute walk, which again, I’m extremely grateful for. I decide on making a vegetable curry and salad for today’s lunch and the rest of the week’s dinner and throw in a couple of snacks to hold me over while I’m cooking. $45

6 p.m. — I head to an evening yoga class at my nearby studio, which is about a 10-minute walk from my apartment. I have a 30-class pack at the studio, which I bought for $600 earlier in the year, so each class is about $20. It’s a bit more than I’d like to spend on classes but I really love the teachers and the community at the studio. The studio is newer to the neighborhood and I want to support it so it stays in business, so I’m willing to pay.

7:30 p.m. — I head home and eat the dinner I made earlier in the day and call my parents, and then hop on FaceTime with my long-distance boyfriend.

9 a.m. — It’s a beautiful day and I got a ton of sleep! I’m feeling chipper on my walk to the office. I beeline to the coffee machine and also drink a glass of water. I’m chronically dehydrated. I chip away at some emails and stop by some people’s desks for a chat. Lunch arrives early today and there aren’t many people in the office, which means I will probably be able to snag some leftovers. My takings include mac and cheese, chicken, and brussels sprouts, which actually complements the vegetable curry I made yesterday.

5 p.m. — I come back to the apartment to drop off the leftovers and change into yoga clothes for the 6 p.m. class. My favorite instructor is teaching and I’m still riding on my full night’s sleep, so I am very much looking forward to class today. 

7 p.m. — I eat some of the vegetable curry I made with some of the leftovers. I doomscroll mindlessly on Instagram, do a face mask, and call my boyfriend.

9:30 a.m. — Office again today. I usually go in three times a week. Today’s lunch is pierogi, yum! It’s a popular lunch so no leftovers for me :(

5 p.m. — On my way home from the office, I stop by the grocery store to pick up some ingredients for a friend’s potluck I’m going to this weekend. I plan to bring an appetizer and a dessert — black sesame Rice Krispy treats. A sure crowd-pleaser! $12

5:45 p.m. — I drop the groceries off and rush to the gym, hoping to beat the after-work rush. I have a $25-a-month gym membership which I get discounted through work. I just started going to the gym this year so I’m still trying to figure out a routine for myself, but I find weight-lifting to be really empowering. The gym gets pretty crowded though, so there’s sometimes a wait for machines. I stop by the grocery store for a banana, which I eat on the walk to the gym, and an apple, which I save for my walk home, which is about 20 minutes. $3

7 p.m. — I’m SO hungry post-gym. I eat my apple on the walk home and listen to Charli xcx, feeling the post-gym adrenaline. I get home and scarf down the curry and my work leftovers while chatting with my roommates.

9:30 a.m. — It’s Friday, wahoo! I have a pretty light work day, which I’m thrilled about. The portable washing machine I ordered is scheduled to arrive today, too. Luckily, I work from home on Fridays, so I’ll be able to bring it right up and test it out.

11 a.m. — The portable washer arrives right as I’m eating lunch. Perfect timing! I tear off the packaging and set it up, praying that all the parts connect easily to my sink, otherwise I will have to FaceTime my dad or boyfriend to help me troubleshoot. Fortunately, everything seems to fit so I throw in a test load and am super happy when it comes out perfectly. I bring out the drying rack and finish up my laundry, since I couldn’t do it on Tuesday after the machine broke. While the laundry is drying, I start on my appetizer and black sesame Rice Krispy treats for my friend’s potluck tonight. I’m super grateful at how the day is unfolding, timing-wise. The apartment is super hot with the oven on, so my laundry dries relatively quickly and I’m able to put it away in just a few hours.

6 p.m. — I head to my friend’s apartment in Brooklyn for the potluck. Through work I allot money every month to go towards a transit card pre-tax, so I’m not sure how much the subway is actually costing me. I pay per ride — my apartment is central enough that I can mostly walk everywhere, so it doesn’t make sense for me to get a monthly transit card. The subway in NYC costs $2.90 a ride, so around $6 round trip. I make it to the potluck right on time and yap the night away with friends. $2.90

11 p.m. — I head back to my place, deciding to have an “early” night and not stay out. $2.90

10:30 a.m. — I sleep in then scroll mindlessly on my phone for another hour or so while I make myself coffee. While scrolling, I stumble upon these cute fish-shaped copper garlic graters that I decide to buy for me and my sisters as stocking stuffers for Christmas. They’re from a local boutique in Brooklyn so I plan to pick them up later next week and save on shipping costs. They’re pretty pricey at $20 a piece but they are adorable, hopefully good quality, and from a small business, so I decide to buy them. $120

2 p.m. — After eating a light lunch at home, I walk to the gym. I stop by the grocery store and get my routine banana for the walk over and apple for the walk home. $3

4:30 p.m. — On the walk home from the gym, I stop by the grocery store again to pick up some Spindrift Spiked seltzers. A couple of friends and I are going to see a DJ in Brooklyn later tonight and dancing is inevitable! I get home, shower, and sit in my bathrobe for hours, lavishing in wasting the day away. $25

6 p.m. — I start getting hungry so I finish off all the curry and leftovers. I FaceTime my boyfriend and begin to read a little of the book I borrowed from the library. One of my friends coordinates a book club and I am usually racing to finish the book on time. I'm hoping to break the cycle this time around.

9 p.m. — My friends start trickling in. My roommates join us while we’re drinking and chatting. We catch up on our weeks and the latest gossip.

10:45 p.m. — We start heading out and take the subway to Brooklyn to arrive at 11:30 p.m. The DJ that we are seeing doesn’t come on until 12:30 a.m. so we’ve timed it pretty well. My friend buys us a round of drinks at the bar. $2.90

1:30 a.m. — Several rounds of drinks later, I am danced out. My friends and I live pretty close to one another in Manhattan, so we decide to all head home together. We take the subway ($2.90) and then stop by McDonald’s on the walk home ($12). I get a large fry and six-piece chicken nugget, which I devour. Satisfied, I walk home and tuck myself into bed. $14.90

9:30 a.m. — I somehow wake up with only a slight headache and manage to drag myself to a 10 a.m. yoga class. I look forward to this class every week. It’s 105 minutes and a great way to start my week so I do my best to make it. I make myself some coffee and dump it in a to-go cup and rush out the door.

12 p.m. — I’m feeling refreshed after yoga and grateful I was able to make it! I walk to Chinatown to get some rice rolls, while sipping on the coffee I made earlier. The rice rolls are made fresh and are only $4.25 an order. I get two orders to go and eat one while sitting on a park bench enjoying the sun and brisk weather. $8.50

3 p.m. — After yoga, I come back to the apartment and shower. I lay about for a few hours and look up recipes for things to make this week. I text one of my sisters about recipe ideas and decide to try the viral Marry Me Chicken. I have some frozen chicken, which I take out to defrost, and spinach in the fridge, so I only need a few ingredients for it. I head to Trader Joe’s to pick up the ingredients and, of course, a few snacks for myself. $18

5 p.m. — Walking home from Trader Joe’s, I call one of my friends who lives in California. We’ve been playing phone tag so I’m happy when she picks up. I eat the second order of rice rolls once I get home while we’re chatting, and start prepping some ingredients for the recipe.

8 p.m. — The Marry Me Chicken lives up to the hype! It is delicious and I seared the chicken perfectly, which I’m very happy about. I pack up the leftovers, which I’ll eat throughout the week, and pick up the book club book. I read for a bit and call my boyfriend. Then I head to the living room where I watch some TV with my roommates and am in bed scrolling around 11 p.m.

Weekly Total $$ Spent: $493.10
Food & Drink: $181.50
Entertainment: $0.00
Home & Health: $300
Clothes & Beauty $0.00
Transportation $11.60
Other $0