A Week In Atlanta, GA, On A $160,000 Salary

Occupation: Attorney
Industry: Legal
Age: 31
Location: Atlanta, GA
Salary: $160,000 + $15,000–$20,000 year-end bonus
Net Worth: $133,030 ($16,000 in high-yield savings, $500,000 total home value, $108,000 in a brokerage account, $43,000 in my 401(k), $4,000 in checking, $2,000 in my and my fiancé's joint account minus debt. My fiancé, B., and I have a joint checking account where we direct deposit each of our halves of the mortgage, bills, and recurring payments for shared expenses like Hulu. We contribute equally to the account for these bills, but we take turns throwing more money in the joint account if it dips low. B. receives veteran benefits from the military (about $48,000 a year) and is on the GI bill for school, so on months when he is waiting for payments, he may also use the joint account for things like groceries. He does not have any other income as he is in school full time. We pay for all personal expenses, date nights, etc. from our own checking accounts.)
Debt: $539,970 ($60,770 in student loans, $477,000 mortgage, $2,200 in a 0% interest Affirm loan for furniture)
Paycheck Amount (2x/month): $4,017
Pronouns: She/her

Monthly Expenses
Mortgage: $1,224.50 (For my half of the mortgage of a five-bed, three-bath home that I share with my fiancé, two dogs, and three cats. The total is $2,449. We opted for me to purchase the house on my own because he is still in school, but we split the mortgage equally. His daughter stays with us every other weekend and over the summer. I also currently have a friend renting out our basement, so she can familiarize herself with Atlanta before renting. She also has a cat and dog. She pays $600 a month but will only live here for a few months, so I don't count this towards income.)
Student Loans: $400 (currently on pause)
Affirm Payment: $98.25 (my half)
Electric: $175 (my half)
Gas: $100 (my half)
Internet: $85 (I pay in full)
Phone Plan: $0 (Still on my mom's)
Car Insurance: $126.50 (my half)
Disability Insurance: $64.50 (supplemental to that which is provided by work)
Dental Insurance: $17.99
Medical Insurance: $96 (pre-tax from check)
401(k): $838.76 (pre-tax from check)
FSA: $237.50 (pre-tax from check)
ButcherBox: $159
Planet Fitness: $10
Barre3 Unlimited Membership: $140
Hulu & HBO: $50
Security System: $12.50 (my half)
Peloton Membership: $20 (my half)
Netflix: $9 (my half)
Spotify: $15.99 (I pay for a family plan that B. and my mom use)
Amazon Prime: $0 (B. pays with student discount)
Patreon: $15
iCloud storage: $2.99
Book of the Month: $17.99
Tanning Membership: $7.50 (currently paying to keep my account frozen)
Medical Spa Membership: $50
Savings: $2,000

Annual Expenses
Functional Medicine Membership: $1,800

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, although it was probably more self-imposed than anything. My dad was a college professor, so I always just assumed I would go to college. From a very young age, I would spend days daydreaming about which university I would attend. My mom was always hard on me about my grades and would be disappointed if I got anything less than a perfect score while my brother was coasting by on Cs and Ds without comment, which was frustrating. I chose a private Catholic university. I received substantial scholarships, which cut down on the amount my parents paid for my education (their divorce required they split our college costs equally). Looking back, I wish I would have advocated for myself and pushed for more scholarships or gone somewhere that offered a full ride. My mom spent most of my college years taking my dad back to court to get him to pay her for the expense, and I hate that I contributed to that stress. I did work in the service industry all through college to cover groceries, going-out money, and bills, but my parents split my rent. I received full-tuition scholarships in both grad school and law school and was able to support myself with the stipends that came along with those as well as working part-time. My mom continued to send me a few hundred dollars a month until I graduated from law school.

Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent/guardian(s) educate you about finances?
I don't recall having conversations about finances as a kid. My parents divorced when I was eight. Aside from my dad's drinking, I know a lot of their arguments were about my dad's unwillingness to spend money on things for my brother and me and how he would give my mom a hard time for doing so. My dad was incredibly frugal when it came to the basics (he would always buy food from the clearance shelf, wore multiple sweaters instead of turning the heat up, and bought everything secondhand), but would splurge on items like antiques. My mom loved to spoil us (still does, honestly) and overcompensated for our dad. We went to Catholic school and did not grow up wealthy like most of our classmates, but we never wanted for anything. Somehow my mom always made it work, but we did not have conversations about the importance of saving, and it took me a long time to learn that skill (something I'm still working on). I didn't even have a credit card until I moved across the country alone for grad school.

What was your first job and why did you get it?
I got my first job at the beginning of my junior year of high school working at a grocery store. I was eager to start working so that I could take some of the pressure off my mom, because she was covering most of our expenses herself, and my brother was involved in costly activities like travel basketball. I worked throughout high school and college to have spending money and in college to pay for bills.

Did you worry about money growing up?
When my parents separated, we moved into the basement apartment of my mom's childhood home while her parents renovated the upstairs and eventually moved back in. The basement apartment was tiny (I slept in a walk-in closet) and flooded when it rained, but I knew we had to stay there until the divorce was finalized, and my mom could save up enough money to buy a house. The process took several years, and I recall there not being many houses in her budget in the nearest decent school district, but we eventually found a place. I don't think I was ever worried about us going without, but there were certain activities I wanted to do or things I wanted that I never would have asked for because I felt too bad about the cost.

Do you worry about money now?
On occasion. I know I am very fortunate to have ended up in a high-earning career and have been afforded many luxuries and opportunities that I wouldn't have otherwise had. While studying for the bar exam, I was not working and racked up credit card debt in the months before I started my job. I then easily paid off my debt with my year-end bonus and did something similar the next year with credit card debt from lots of traveling. I have since reined it in but do worry about budgeting for larger expenses such as our upcoming wedding, getting a larger car, and childcare expenses if we do decide to have children together.

At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net?
I did not become truly financially responsible for myself until I graduated from law school at 27. Prior to that, my mom was sending me a few hundred dollars monthly to cover a portion of rent or bills. My mom would absolutely still step in were I to need help for any reason (she still tries to give me money all the time) and I feel very lucky to have her.

Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain.
As mentioned, I did receive a monthly allowance from my mom until I finished law school. I also received $5,000 from my grandma's estate when she died during my last year of high school. My dad passed away at the end of 2020 and, although he was not the most financially responsible himself, there was money left by his mother in a trust for which he was the beneficiary that was then passed down equally to my brother and me. I inherited about $140,000 from that, which is sitting in a brokerage account. I may inherit additional money when we are able to sell his house and close out his estate.

7:30 a.m. — B. and I were up late cleaning our house and getting ready to leave town to meet with our wedding vendors in Savannah. We wake up together earlier than usual for a Sunday, let the dogs out, and feed them breakfast before brewing coffee. We busy ourselves with more cleaning and packing to leave. B. runs out to grab dog food, and I shower, finally brush my teeth (what's the point before the first cup of coffee?), do quick skin care, and use my Dyson Airwrap to get my hair dry ASAP. B. calls to ask if I want Starbucks. I text him my order but when he gets to Starbucks, it's closed. The one by our house has been unpredictable with the staffing issues presented by COVID.

12 p.m. — We drive to intercept our friends who spent the week in the mountains with family. We don't have many local friends, so we take advantage when friends pass through town, even if it's just for a couple of hours. We give them an in-person tour of our house and introduce them to our two littermate puppies. We order pizzas for pickup from a local spot (our friends pay as a thanks for driving them to the airport later), and the boys get them. They also grab juice for mimosas (B. pays), and we pop a couple of bottles of champagne while eating pizza and catching up.

4 p.m. — We crate our pups and load up our luggage to get our friends to the airport in time. Our roommate, K., will be moving into her own place in a few weeks. We love traveling with our dogs, but we figured we'd take advantage of one of the last times we have the luxury of leaving them at home with a free petsitter. K. travels a lot for work, so we also watch her cat and dog when she's out of town, so it works out. Luckily, all of the dogs love each other. We drop our friends off and talk about how grateful we are for their company. We then hit the road for Savannah, which is a three-hour drive from the airport. We stop once for gas (B. pays), and I run in to get a water bottle ($1.95). I'm trying to finish the book Quit Like a Woman before the library steals it back from my Kindle App, so I spend most of the drive reading. I take out my laptop to work for the last 30 minutes. $1.95

8:15 p.m. — We finally arrive in Savannah! It's a super boring drive, and apparently even worse in the dark, so B. is thrilled to be off the road. We check into our hotel (prepaid), drop our luggage, quickly freshen up, and head to dinner at one of our favorites. We start with crab soup and a cocktail, then B. has the surf and turf, and I get the sea bass. We're torn between ordering a glass of wine each or splitting a bottle. I have a sauvignon blanc, and B. has a cab. The bartenders are hilarious, and we wonder if they're a little drunk as they keep pushing us to do shots. We decline but end with espresso martinis. (B. pays). We then head to our favorite speakeasy for two Old Fashioneds for B., and an Old Fashioned and a New York sour for me. We haven't been to Savannah in almost a year, but the bartenders remember us, and B. and I talk about how excited we are to be in town. I pay for drinks. $95.20

11:45 p.m. — We are wiped out from the long day of cleaning, seeing friends, and traveling, and we know we have a long day tomorrow, so it's lights out when we get to the hotel.

7:45 a.m. — I wake up, do my Breathwrk breathing exercise from bed, then shower. I start work while B. sleeps. I'm trying to knock out as much as I can before our wedding vendor appointments today, so I work quietly for a couple of hours. I sneak downstairs for free coffee from the lobby and refill my water bottle.

9:30 a.m. — B. is finally up and eager to get breakfast, but I'm trying to wrap something up for a filing deadline today. He decides to blowdry my hair for me while I work to cut down on prep time. Once I finish, we walk around the corner and grab breakfast. We each have a coffee, and I order a sausage, banana pepper, and onion omelet while he has pancakes, eggs, hashbrowns, and bacon. We treat it as a working breakfast, so I'm on my computer the whole time, while he reads for school. We head back to the hotel where I wrap up work and complete the day's Wordle. $47.63

1 p.m. — We drive to our wedding venue to meet our wedding planner in person for the first time. We love the space even more than we did when we toured it last March, and it's exciting to visualize how it might look on our day. We map out where all of the seating and vendors will be stationed and start to look through textiles, which somehow makes it feel very "real." B. sneaks out to try and call his friend whose band will be playing the first half of the reception so they can check out the audio equipment.

2:30 p.m. — Our wedding planner wants to grab lunch before our next meeting. Most places close between 3 and 5, but we find a sushi spot open all day. Our planner and I each have a tuna tataki roll, and B. orders salmon nigiri and chicken wings. I have a glass of sauvignon blanc, and B. orders sake that he makes us both try. The wedding planner and I agree that we don't hate it but aren't fans either. B. and I thought we would see the design board and start getting an idea of decor for the wedding, but we don't. It's disappointing, but we talk through some other ideas that have us excited. I cover the bill ($68.72 + $14 tip). $82.72

3:45 p.m. — We rush to our rehearsal dinner tasting, but realize we have a few minutes so we pop into a bar across the street. I order a blood orange margarita, B. orders a beer. B. pays. We joke about needing to get a little buzzed to be able to eat all the food that's being prepared for us. I end up not finishing my drink by the time we have to leave, but in Savannah you can take drinks to go, so I swap it over to a plastic cup, and we run across the street. We absolutely adore the rehearsal dinner space, love the Frank Sinatra radio playing, and die over the four-course meal we try. The event coordinator makes great conversation and we are so excited for our wedding weekend after chatting with her and enjoying the incredible food.

6 p.m. — We leave the rehearsal dinner tasting incredibly full but happy. We walk across town to a cash-only bar where Jimmy Carter used to go and have a couple of rounds of cider and shots. B. pays. Someone has their dog sitting on a barstool and we, of course, talk about how we wish we would have brought our dogs. This happens every time we travel. We stop in another place that looks fun and have a few more drinks ($72 + $15 tip) and chat with an older couple from upstate New York, a woman from Germany, and a competitive speed skater. We stop in one more place and listen to live music. B. pays. We grab a slice of pizza on our way home, which we eat while watching/making fun of Twilight, then fool around and go to bed ($8+ $4 tip). $99

7:30 a.m. — Up early again to get work done before we have to head out for wedding appointments. B. sleeps until we're getting ready to leave.

12 p.m. — We drive to our caterer and have another tasting for our reception food. We sample several appetizers, our two main dishes, and the vegan stir fry the chef made to accommodate some of our guests. We end up scrapping the mashed potato bar we wanted in favor of a dual pasta bar. Our other entrées — shrimp and grits and beef and risotto — are delicious and served in great little portion cups that will allow people to mingle, dance, and party all night, which is what we want because we aren't having a seated dinner. We'll also be having a late-night food truck at the wedding so we aren't too worried about having a ton of food catered.

2 p.m. — After our tasting, we drive to our ceremony location so that we can check for outlets for the DJ. I also time my walk down the aisle so I can set it to music. Once we're in front of the fountain where the ceremony will be held, B. has us practice what style of kiss we should do. We also drive by the different Airbnbs that we and our friends and family have booked so that everyone can get a sense of where they'll be that weekend. Luckily, Savannah is super walkable because we have people all over the place.

4 p.m. — We stop in a dog bakery and load up on treats. One of our dogs has anxiety and loves tearing things up when we aren't around, so we get CBD treats to try on her but did not realize they were going to be so expensive! We stop for a couple of margaritas, chips and salsa, and split a chicken quesadilla (B. pays). We get the updated quote from our caterer and realize the pasta station is the same price as the mashed potato bar so we won't be out any more money — win! We stop into the cash-only bar again for a round before deciding on dinner. B. pays. B. loves to pay for things when he can, but since we do have such unequal incomes, I cover larger expenses like the wedding deposits, and he lets me know if he ever needs help with money. $106.90

6 p.m. — We decide to try a famous Savannah restaurant that you usually can't get into without reservations, but since it's a weekday, we figure it's worth a shot. We're given a spot at the bar right away and get incredible service. We try the shrimp-and-grit cakes, mac-and-cheese poppers, and goat cheese fritters for appetizers, then I have a Caesar salad, and B. has crab soup. We also split a filet with asparagus and twice-baked mashed potatoes. We each have a cocktail with appetizers and glass of wine with dinner ($190.31 + $40 tip). We head back to the speakeasy because our wedding planner told us their bartenders can be hired for the wedding. We chat about that and sample drinks, plus their famous bubble shots ($76.10 + $18 tip). We stop by one other speakeasy, where the bartender can also be hired for weddings, and ask him to make us his best prohibition-themed cocktails because our wedding is 1920s inspired. We each have two and B. pays before we head back to the hotel. $324.31

8 a.m. — Up to pack and get ready to leave. We stop once for gas (B. pays), and I run in for water and pistachios and cashews. $14.90

1:45 p.m. — We make it home and stop for groceries on the way in. We get rotisserie chicken, hummus and veggies, steel-cut oats, vegetables to make savory oatmeal, and B. grabs mac and cheese and chocolate chip cookies. We eat lunch, I get back to work after being on the road all morning, and then take a quick nap because we are wiped. $37.50

6 p.m. — We have a concert tonight that we both are too tired for, but our roommate bought tickets months ago, so we are going to tough it out. We get ready, I drive us into the city, and we stop off for dinner. We were going for tacos, but come across a Korean BBQ place and decide to give it a shot. I have spicy garlic shrimp, and B. and I split a Korean rice bowl with chicken. B. pays to make up the difference because K. bought the concert tickets. I pay for parking at dinner and for street parking when we get to the show. We make it just in time for the headliner. Overall I'm glad we went. Man, are concerts cheaper when you aren't drinking! Home by 11 and in bed. $9.30

7:45 a.m. — Up a little later than usual because we were out late, but time to get back into a routine! I shower, do my skin-care "routine" (face wash, clarifying serum with jade roller, moisturizer), do my waking Breathwrk, do a 10-minute stretch on the Peloton app, and write. I was a writer before law school, and I've just recently tiptoed back into that world. It has me feeling more inspired than I have in years. I make steel-cut oats (soaked in chicken broth overnight) with zucchini, mushroom, yellow onion, and hot sauce. I start on work while I eat. Eventually, I'll have to return to the office three days a week, but for now, it's totally discretionary so I'm enjoying being home. When I'm finished eating, I have a smoothie.

11 a.m. — Continue working with breaks for interviews. Our firm has recently lost a few attorneys, so we are busy trying to re-up our numbers. It's an exciting time but can be a lot to take time away from the workday to conduct interviews. We all circle up and give our thoughts when the interview is done.

12 p.m. — I break for a lunch of rotisserie chicken, green beans, and a hearts of palm pasta minestrone soup. I feed the chicken skin to the dogs, who are thrilled. I get back to work and break again for more interviews and interview feedback. I decide to order a wedding planner off Amazon now that we are getting into the more specific details, so we can keep all of our contracts, swatches, etc. in one place. I make peppermint tea while I keep working. $28.08

4 p.m. — I take a break to go for a walk. I'm used to doing HIIT workouts four to five times a week but was advised to slow down and let my body rest while I troubleshoot my health issues with my doctor. I'm just supposed to walk, do low-impact workouts like barre or pilates, and I just recently got the go-ahead to work in strength training again. It seems counterintuitive to be taking it so easy, but I have come to enjoy listening to podcasts or audiobooks on my walks. I do more work when I return.

6:30 p.m. — I have the first meeting of a mentoring circle for female attorneys tonight so I log off and get changed and ready for that. I drive into town and park in the garage (validated by the restaurant). I order mussels and a side salad. It's refreshing to engage in such an open dialogue with other women in the profession. We chat about everything from career and networking goals to romantic relationships to whether or not we want kids. Most of my friends moved away after law school, so I hope this can be a place to build personal and professional relationships. $31.58

9 p.m. — I get home and watch TV with B. I do my Breathwrk sleep exercise and then fall asleep.

6:20 a.m. — B. and I wake up early. He handles the dogs while I change into workout clothes and gather up my equipment to take a Barre3 class from home. The tiny movements in barre are shockingly effective and I'm sweating by the end of the 45-minute class. After class, I do my morning Breathwrk and 10-minute Peloton stretch before heading downstairs to our infrared sauna. I purchased the sauna from my gym during COVID but haven't been able to use it much since K. moved in downstairs. On days she's traveling, I try to take advantage. I do some writing and read It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover. After, I rinse off and put on quick makeup (Dr. Jart's color corrector, Tarte concealer, Tula undereye brightener, Anastasia brow gel, mascara).

8 a.m. — I take my supplements, mix up a smoothie, and drive to my functional medicine doctor to refill my supplements ($241.43 with 10% discount because I have a membership. I stop at Whole Foods for a quick grocery haul. I get chicken thighs, limes, basmati rice, salsa, coconut aminos, black beans, tomatoes, sunflower sprouts, yellow potatoes, sweet onion, red onion, baby spinach, romaine hearts, cucumber, bell peppers, shredded carrots, radish, green onion, and avocado ($81.61 with Amazon Prime discount). Whole Foods didn't have everything I need, so I swing by Sprouts for cilantro, jalapeños, and chicken breast for B. to grill this weekend ($16.83). $339.87

9 a.m. — Unpack groceries at home and start on work. We have more interviews today and another filing deadline, so it's hectic juggling everything.

12 p.m. — I take a break for lunch and make rotisserie chicken, green beans, and hearts of palm pasta chicken noodle soup. I feed the chicken skin to the dogs again and prep the chicken thighs I bought with a lemon-pepper marinade. More meetings and interviews in the afternoon.

6 p.m. — I wrap up work for the time being and head out for a walk. I do a Rebecca Louise 10-minute ab workout when I get home. B. left earlier in the afternoon to pick up his daughter, T., for the weekend, and they make it home right after I finish my ab workout. B. preps chicken, asparagus, and baby potatoes for dinner while I prep ground turkey with homemade taco seasoning for taco bowls this weekend and chicken sausage to add to my savory oatmeal. I also make my second smoothie of the day and finish it before dinner.

8:30 p.m. — After dinner, we try to settle on a movie. I am not a big kids' movie person but I'm trying to come around to it. We settle on Homeward Bound and B. and I are crying within the first five minutes. About an hour in, I take out my work computer and finalize some documents. We put T. to bed, then B. and I fool around before watching Love is Blind and going to bed.

6:45 a.m. — We wake up to let the dogs out. They slept in T.'s room last night, but she's a pre-teen and could sleep all day if we let her, so we know we have to free the dogs at some point. B. encourages me to go back to sleep. My cat climbs into bed, and we settle in for a few more hours of fitful sleep.

9 a.m. — I'm up for real this time. I do my morning Breathwrk, shower, and do a 10-minute Peloton stretch. I head downstairs to make savory oatmeal (again soaked overnight in chicken broth) with chicken sausage, zucchini, mushroom, and onion. I read while eating breakfast (It Ends With Us) and complete my simple makeup routine. I take my supplements and make my first smoothie of the day before heading out.

11 a.m. — My brows are in desperate need of a wax, so I head into town for an appointment ($15 + $3 tip). Since I'm right by Trader Joe's, and this is the closest one to our house, I decide to stop in. One of my friends swears by the Tiktok green goddess salad so I get ingredients for that. Green onions, green cabbage, basil, cucumber, chives, lemons, garlic, shallot, green apples, and green tea. Heavy on the green theme ($20.22). I then run to Kroger to get stuff for T. and B. that wasn't at Trader Joe's. I get Red Bulls, tortillas, and milk ($9.40). The self-checkout line is ridiculous, but I tough it out. I've been meaning to buy B. a nice whiskey so I stop for that and decide to buy K. a bottle of Veuve as a moving-out gift ($152.42). $200.04

12:30 p.m. — I stop by the mall to return clothes from Abercrombie. I've been loving all the stuff Abercrombie has put out lately, but I've resolved to only buy clothes secondhand aside from wedding-related items this year. I'm so sick of buying fast fashion and only wearing it once or not at all. I faltered by placing an Abercrombie order for my birthday, but I'm making it right by returning it! $76.72 back to my card.

1 p.m. — I'm back home and snack on a turkey-jalapeño stick. T. and I arrange some fake succulents in the planters in our living room because I am apparently the only human on earth who can't keep a real succulent alive. My wedding planner book arrives, so we start flipping through it and I read more of It Ends With Us.

2 p.m. — I take a quick nap before getting up to prep peppers and onions for my taco bowls as well as a small batch of guacamole while B. and T. watch Jungle Cruise. After I'm done, we go outside to enjoy the warm weather. B. makes me play street hockey with him for a minute before I take a break to start reading Caste for a book club. We play a game of Pig on the neighborhood basketball hoop and our neighbor comes out with the cutest puppy. B. and I talk about shifting around some of our finances and prioritize hiring a cleaner so we can enjoy our weekends instead of stressing about cleaning every room of this house, especially with K. moving out and us having to take back over the downstairs. It's too big a house for us to maintain, which is a ridiculous problem to have but here we are.

4:30 p.m. — I head out for a long walk to the grocery store (I love grocery stores can you tell?) while listening to Brené Brown's Unlocking Us podcast, which was recommended by a friend. It's not really my style, but I'm trying to get into more meaningful content rather than consuming reality TV, then listening to a podcast on the same thing. I buy raspberries and rice cakes ($14.72). Encanto is on when I get back. I sit in the living room and do a 10-minute Rebecca Louise abs workout. I text our neighbor about Girl Scout Cookies, and she sends her daughter to get our order. We order for us and B.'s mom ($46). The neighbor then runs back and delivers the cookies to us right then. I sit on the deck and do some writing to supervise B.'s daughter and her friends while they try to build a fire in the backyard. $60.72

6:30 p.m. — I make another smoothie and venture into the backyard where the girls have actually managed to get a fire going. They get bored because we aren't making s'mores, and B. and I are stuck out there until we burn through the twigs in the yard. After that, we make dinner. I have a taco bowl and everyone else has tacos. The girls ask to play Cards Against Humanity: Family Edition. We play a few rounds, and it's hilarious to see what kids find funny. I've never really been around kids, so I'm still getting used to stepping into a stepparent role, especially for an 11-year-old, but we have a good time. I continue reading Caste on the couch with the dogs while B. and T. finish Jungle Cruise. After we put T. to bed, we put on Love is Blind, and I have to force B. to turn it off after episode two or he'll stay up all night.