A Week In Milwaukee On A $85,000 Salary

Occupation: Data analyst
Industry: Transportation
Age: 30
Location: Milwaukee
Salary: $85,000
Assets: checking: $9,398; HYSA: $500; regular savings: $50; total investments: $32,835 (Roth IRA: $1,215; 401(k): $7,120; previous job 401(k): $24,500).
Debt: $5,500 (credit card balance).
Paycheck amount (2x/month): $2,221
Pronouns: She/her

Monthly Expenses

Housing costs: $1,395 rent. I live alone in a loft apartment. My rent started off at $1,300 but it’s steadily increased over the last couple years. I feel lucky; other friends of mine in the Milwaukee area have had their rent spike by $200-$300 per month within the last year or so.
Loan payments: $0
Energy bill: ~$40 (fluctuates depending on the season but this is the average in spring/summer months).
Water: ~$21
Gas: included in rent.
Car insurance: $57.52
Renter’s insurance: $11.95
Gym membership 1: $57 (this is a local gym I really like).
Gym membership 2: $21.99 (I use Planet Fitness when I travel).
Vitamins/supplements: $50
Phone bill: $40
Internet: $59.99
Apple Music: $16.99
iCloud storage: $2.99
Amazon Prime: Family plan.
401(k): $187.09
HSA: $38.46
Nonprofit donations: $200

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, absolutely. One of the biggest lessons I remember my grandfather instilling in us was getting a good education. My family is part of the African Diaspora and, growing up, my older family members always highlighted working hard and continuing to learn as much as we could. I attended a local university and graduated in a dual degree program. My parents helped a ton with funding my education so by the time I graduated, I only had about $45,000 of debt left. I was able to pay it off within three years (my sister also paid off her loans in a similar amount of time, thanks to my parents allowing us to stay with them rent-free after graduation).

Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent/guardian(s) educate you about finances?
I had a few money conversations growing up. I remember my mom showing me how to balance a checkbook and my dad taking me and my sister to open up our first savings accounts around age 10. My parents didn’t give us specific advice on money. They usually emphasized finding a higher paying job after college. I asked my mom much later how they handled their finances and they didn’t budget so I could see why the advice stayed pretty generic. But I’m still immensely grateful for them and how we grew up.

What was your first job and why did you get it?
My first job was at Kmart one summer when I was around 17. I wanted extra spending money for books when the school year started that fall.

Did you worry about money growing up?
I didn’t worry too much, from what I recall. We usually took a vacation somewhere every year and traveled to see family. We had food on the table every meal. If there were major money issues, my parents didn’t let us kids know about it.

Do you worry about money now?
Sometimes. It’s starting to sink in that my parents are getting older. I worry about them sometimes and how to best take care of them as they age. My sister and I both have decent jobs and I’ve since grown in my knowledge of personal finances but there’s just a nagging feeling I have about money at times.

At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net?
It was around age 26. That was the year I officially moved out of my parents’ house. I started paying for most of my other expenses around 23/24 (switched to my own health plan, paid for my car insurance, gas, food etc.) but I don’t think I could say I was fully financially responsible until I moved out. If I needed a place to stay or financial assistance, I could probably ask my parents for a loan or stay with them (or with my sister) temporarily.

Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain.
When my grandfather passed away, I received about $1,500.

7:30 a.m. — I wake up after snoozing my alarm no less than four times, make my bed, do my morning routine (brush teeth, wash and moisturize face, shower). Today’s outfit is a black dress with white polka dots. Accessories are a black belt around the waist with a gold latch and a matching necklace.

8 a.m. — I take my morning vitamins (pomegranate extract, omega-3 fish oil, iron, echinacea, a multivitamin and a brain health nootropic), make my green juice and prep my lunch. I started taking tons of supplements after I went plant-based during lockdown. During that time I began having so many issues with my health due to various vitamin deficiencies. I’ve since reintroduced meat into my diet but I never stopped taking the supplements.

8:20 a.m. — I finish packing an overnight bag since I’m staying with my sister, M., in downtown Chicago tonight.

8:30 a.m. — Commuting to the office today. I dial into an important department meeting on the way and I’m paranoid the entire time about whether my background noise is audible on the call. No one pings me via IM so I’m assuming it’s fine. I still double-check my mute button about 20 times though. I stop for a breakfast sandwich (turkey sausage and egg on an English muffin) and a hash brown. $10.03

9:30 a.m. — As I step into the office building, I realize I forgot to put my hair down. It’s so hot outside (mid 90s today) that I had my hair up during my commute. Quickly go to the restroom to style my hair.

9:45 a.m. — Found a conference room to work in. One of our offshore consultants pings me that he’ll be out of the office the same week that our upcoming project is going live. We’ve had so many issues pop up with this project so his comment makes me very nervous.

11:30 a.m. — Three meetings down, three to go! As much as it’s a hassle to commute to the office, it’s always nice to catch up with colleagues in person.

12:30 p.m. — Prepping for an afternoon meeting and my computer prompts me to install some software. Having this time to breathe makes me realize how tired I am. I grab an Americano from the café for a caffeine boost. $2.18

2:21 p.m. — I get up to pee and grab some sparkling water from the machine in the café before my next meeting (it’s free). I see a text from a guy, C., that I’ve been dating for a couple months. I asked him earlier if we could talk sometime this week. It’s not that he’s a bad guy but I feel like he and I aren’t a great match energy-wise. When we talk, I’m going to cancel our pending date and see if he’s interested in just friendship (he mentioned being okay with this in the past).

3:24 p.m. — Done with my scheduled meetings for the day and realize I’m pretty hungry. Head to the cafeteria to finish up some work and eat the lunch I prepped (an enchilada bowl with ground turkey, steamed rice and broccoli). I finally invested in a rice cooker after hearing about it for so long! This week was my first time using it. So so worth it.

4:22 p.m. — My brain is so tired right now. Heading out to make the train downtown. I’ll log back on for work when I’m on the train.

5:08 p.m. — Well. I missed my train. The app said the train would be delayed for a couple minutes and I took those two minutes for granted, apparently. The next train is in 20 minutes so I walk to Starbucks for another caffeine boost. I’m in the mood to try something new so I ask the barista to make whatever he usually drinks himself. A melon burst refresher it is! It’s pretty good. I pay using my preloaded Starbucks app. I also grab my train ticket ahead of time. $3.75

6:15 p.m. — M. picks me up from the train station and we head to the PGA store since she wants to buy some gear before an upcoming game she has. This place is huge. I take a walk around to explore and notice that we’re the only minorities here. Not sure why I’m surprised by that.

6:38 p.m. — I use all my willpower to keep myself from buying a new golf hat I spotted. Let’s be honest, cute outfits are half the reason I started playing golf in the first place. After M. purchases her gear, we head to the range to hit a few balls.

9:47 p.m. — M. and I get back to her place kind of late. I brought some of my prepped meals (enchilada bowls) and eat while we catch up on life. We reflect on the effect that our religious (and repressive) upbringing has had on our lives at this point. I’m so glad she and I have these conversations; they definitely help keep me sane at times.

11:30 p.m. — I invested in a massage gun at the beginning of this year. It’s worked wonders on my muscles. I don’t feel like a stiff piece of cardboard anymore, it’s great. I do the massage gun, get ready for bed, remove my makeup, moisturize my face and wrap my hair. I have a coffee date in the morning and debate taking a shower tonight but figure I’ll go for a morning stroll and then shower afterwards.

7:15 a.m. — Wake up and doomscroll for 15 minutes. I realize this is putting me in a weird and negative headspace. I get up to brush teeth, wash/moisturize face, put my hair up.

7:45 a.m. — I’m technically off today but I log on to update a couple files for work.

8 a.m. — Take my vitamins, make my green juice and then warm up with the massage gun before heading out on a 30-minute walk.

8:30 a.m. — I return from my walk and get ready for my coffee date with R. My outfit today is a new yellow summer dress with floral print. I really like the fit of it. I add a tan belt around my waist and black sandals.

9 a.m. — This is date #2 with R. I get to the café and we order coffee (I get an Americano, black). I debate making a lame coffee joke but I try to act relatively normal when getting to know people at first. So I decide against it. He pays for us. We walk through a park for the next hour and chat.

10:23 a.m. — I’m back at my sister’s place and am so tired. Opt for a power nap. My after-date thoughts about R. were that he’s cute, a gentleman and I like that he also has an active lifestyle, but we mutually agreed to take things slow and be friends. I didn’t get romantic vibes from him and as long as he isn’t looking for a FWB/situationship, he seems cool enough to genuinely befriend. Honestly, I feel like I’d have to change a lot of my life plans to accommodate him if we became a couple and I’m not sure I’d be willing to do that. I’m happy with where we landed.

12 p.m. — I heat up another one of my enchilada bowls while M. educates me on how to rent Divvy bikes and not get hit by cars when riding downtown.

12:15 p.m. — Head to a beach party with M. Overall, everyone has really cool vibes. There's one girl who knows M. and seems kind of judgmental? Is it judgmental to say that? I don’t know how to keep this interaction going so I take a walk along the shore. I try to coordinate a call with C. but he has a conflict.

12:37 p.m. — I come back to the party and start mingling with some other folks. One gal I meet mentions that every girl she knows seems to have a boyfriend who took a life-defining retreat in Colorado at some point. Wow. I realize I also have a past boyfriend who did that. What an odd but true observation.

2 p.m. — I say bye to M. and walk to a local coffee shop. Ooh, the blueberry rooibos tea sounds amazing. I order that and do some journaling. $4.98

2:35 p.m. — Grab a Lyft to the train station. $6.07

2:40 p.m. — Pay my fare for the train. It's a pretty straightforward ride back. $3.75

4:15 p.m. — My train gets back safely. I stop to grab gas on my commute home. $28.20

4:45 p.m. — Arrive home from the city and opt for a nap. I’m at 15,000 steps today and I’m exhausted.

6:40 p.m. — I head over to my besties’ place for a movie night. Y. and V. are two of my favorite people. We’ve been friends since high school and I was over the moon when they got married a few years ago.

7:13 p.m. — Pull up and notice Y. is grilling some food outside. He has fully embraced the dad life and makes a dad joke about grilling (as per usual). The three of us catch up and then watch the TV series we’ve been following. The show takes an unexpected and pretty disappointing turn. What a way to end things. We talk about it for a bit, then I head out.

10 p.m. — Arrive home and log into work for a bit before plopping into bed.

8 a.m. — Wake up and log into work. Only one meeting scheduled today (yay!).

11 a.m. — Take an impromptu work call on my way to a brunch date. There’s a lot of uncertainty in my current job due to a recent restructuring so a coworker and I discuss some details of that.

12 p.m. — Time for brunch! The guy, T., grabbed us a table. This is our first date. We end up talking for two hours and I genuinely feel like we could have continued. I was a bit surprised since we almost didn’t meet (legit thought he was going to ghost me). So far it seems like he’s cute, ambitious, a solid conversationalist and also an active person. Totally up for another date with him. He pays for us.

2 p.m. — I finish up work at a nearby Starbucks (use my preloaded funds on the app). I opt for a tall dragon fruit refresher today.

4 p.m. — Log off a bit early to head to the golf course for a late afternoon tee time with a buddy of mine. I just started getting into golf a couple years ago. It’s been a fun adventure. The friend I’m golfing with, G., was actually the one to introduce it to me while we were dating. It’s been over a year since we were together and we decided to stay in touch (our hangouts are sporadic). We golf nine holes, put on some music and have a beer. It's fun. $35

7:15 p.m. — Head to the grocery store with G. to pick up stuff for dinner. Grab steak, potatoes and mixed salad. He pays.

8:42 p.m. — G. grills the steaks and cooks for us at his place. It’s been a while since we’ve seen each other so we catch up on life and eat dinner together. I forgot how good of a cook he is.

10:37 p.m. — Afterward we take his cute pup, E., out for a walk.

11:49 p.m. — I do my massage gun while he streams a couple shows and then we head to bed. We made an arrangement (I guess you’d call it that?) to have cuddle sessions every now and again when we’re both free. This is pretty new for us (only our second time doing it). Since I’m not in an exclusive relationship, I’m down for it and would stop if things got too weird. We don’t have sex; we just both like and miss cuddling sometimes.

9 a.m. — I turn off my alarm thinking it’s 8 a.m. but it’s actually 9 a.m. G. asks me what time I have to leave and if I want to join him for his morning yoga. We snuggle for a bit more and then he makes us some coffee.

9:30 a.m. — I get dressed since I have pickleball at 10 a.m. I make my morning green juice and offer some to G. We ask each other if we want to make this a regular thing or not. He says he’s down; I’m not fully sure yet. I enjoy cuddling with him but our conversations remind me of some challenges we had when we were together. Also, I was surprised when he confided that he has residual feelings for me (I don’t have romantic feelings for him). It seems that he’s dating other people (and I obviously am, too) so this whole cuddling thing might be a terrible, terrible idea. I give all the pets to his pup, E., before heading out.

10:06 a.m. — I get to the venue and it’s relatively empty. I run into a guy who is also there for pickleball but apparently we both got the date wrong? We find another guy who’s also there to play. I guess we all lucked out by showing up on the wrong day. We do singles play, tournament-style.

12:30 p.m. — On the commute home after playing pickleball. I lost most of my games unfortunately (definitely need to practice more). I debate grabbing brunch somewhere but decide against it.

6 p.m. — Oh. My. Goodness. I knew I was tired from the last few days but I didn’t realize I was “accidental nap for five hours” tired. I get up, lazily order takeout from DoorDash and take my garbage/recycling out. $31.50

6:15 p.m. — I remember that I was supposed to call a friend to see if we wanted to take a trip overseas this winter. I take a walk around my neighborhood and give them a call.

9 p.m. — I receive a text from C. about our pending date next week. Since we weren’t able to have our call a few days ago, I wasn’t able to cancel. I don’t know when we’ll be able to actually talk since we have completely different work schedules (he’s literally at work right now) so I let him know my feelings via text. Since we dated for a couple months, I preferred to talk on the phone to have better closure and make sure we were on the same page, but I’d rather not prolong this. I’m positive I don’t feel the same way that he feels about me and I’d rather not lead him on.

10:30 p.m. — I’m doomscrolling and see an article that lists Milwaukee as one of the top skylines in the world. No idea how that happened but I fully support it. These Instagram targeted ads are too good. I surrender to the urge and splurge on a set of different perfume scents. $40.99

11 p.m. — I accidentally fall asleep on the couch.

8 a.m. — I wake up to a text from my sister. She’s asking if we want to talk in the morning today. We move our call to tomorrow.

9:30 a.m. — Hop in the shower, do my skincare/haircare routines and head out with green juice in tow. I’m set for a shopping date with one of my girlfriends. She’s learning how to play tennis and we’re buying her first round of gear together. I stop by a local church service before we meet and see a few acquaintances.

11:45 a.m. — We make it to the store and try out a few rackets and balls. I have a racket already but I grab another and more balls in case any friends want to play a spontaneous game together. $14.99

1:20 p.m. — I pick up a chicken burrito from Chipotle on my way back home. Then I go for a walk by the lake to get the rest of my steps in. $12.98

5 p.m. — I get a text from a guy I haven’t heard from in a while, H. We had been texting for two or three months and only had a couple calls (we haven’t met in person yet; we live a couple hours away from each other) so last week I asked him what he was looking for. I’m fine with texting buddies or new friends but I kind of liked him so I wanted to see where he was. Based on going MIA after my question and then a minimal response, I’m betting he’s not interested in or available for dating. He’s a cool guy though, so I’m open to just friendship or networking.

8 p.m. — I log on to work for a bit to prep for the week, then head to bed.

7 a.m. — Happy morning! I wake up, do my usual routine and head down to take my vitamins. Make my green juice and take a walk in my neighborhood. One thought that pops into my head is a fact about getting sunlight within the first 30 minutes of waking up (it helps regulate the circadian rhythm). I used to love hearing those kinds of helpful tips on the Andrew Huberman podcast before he got canceled. Have a mini mourn sesh for that loss.

7:45 a.m. — Pleasant surprise! I get a message from T. (the brunch guy). He asks me how my weekend went and makes a funny quip about a topic we talked about when we met up. He’s so hilarious. He had me laughing until I was crying at brunch. I definitely want to see where this goes.

8 a.m. — Who doesn’t love Monday morning meetings? I log on and we’re in session. It’s an interdepartmental call with tons of people on it. I have a couple projects going live soon so I give some clarification for those projects. We realize I missed testing a scenario during the user testing phase so I log into our sandbox system after the call to complete. Everything is working fine (sigh of relief).

10:05 a.m. — I get pinged to hop on a call and help with a mass data import. When our company goes through restructuring, it can make things complicated to update the data in all areas of the system. The team I’m working with and I finish the import without any major issues.

11:57 a.m. — I forgot to meal prep this weekend so I order in for lunch. As I chow down, I debate what I’m going to do about G. (the cuddle guy). He texted me last night asking if I'm down for another cuddle sesh this weekend. I wanted to wait 24 hours to give it some thought before responding. I already have some plans with friends but could make it work if I genuinely wanted to. I highly doubt I’d reschedule with him if I decline this weekend. The problem I’m having is that I want to say yes but I feel like the right/healthy answer is no. Geez Louise… This is one of the many reasons why I’m in therapy. $31.99

5 p.m. — I finish up with work, log off and change into workout clothes.

5:30 p.m. — At the gym with one of my friends, L., who made the decision to undergo a massive health transformation. It’s like she’s a completely different person and our friend group is so proud and supportive of the decisions she’s been making for her life (she’s so happy and healthy; it’s hard not to be). L. and I hit some weights and catch up on life for a bit.

7:30 p.m. — Drive home and put on a business marketing podcast. So good.

10 p.m. — Do my massage gun, prep for tomorrow and head to bed.

8 a.m. — Wake up and start work. Not many meetings today; mainly deep work items to do.

12 p.m. — Head out for a walk and then make a breakfast sandwich for lunch (two over easy eggs, 100g of egg whites, and deli turkey on some keto bread).

1 p.m. — Log back onto work and focus on prepping data in Excel and creating training videos.

5 p.m. — Log off work for the day.

5:35 p.m. — Head to the park and grab gas for my car on the way. $37.15

6 p.m. — Not sure why but I’m in a poopy mood for some reason. At the park now and on a walk. When I have low moments, I’m trying to get better at taking care of myself and not just make a series of poor decisions due to mood. It’s definitely a work in progress.

7:15 p.m. — I head to the gym after my walk to get a workout in. I don’t feel like working out right now but it always makes me feel better afterward. I get a call from my sister and we chat for a bit.

8:30 p.m. — I heat up some leftovers at home and log into work to finish up a data import I didn’t get to earlier today. I’m having issues with power query in Excel. I need to merge two tables together but in a very specific way. I’ve done it in the past (forever ago) so I know it’s possible, but I can’t remember what steps I took and I’m getting frustrated.

9:11 p.m. — I get an unexpected call from G. He’s on his way home from playing nine holes with one of his buddies. Apparently he wanted to brag about his score improvement compared to our game last week. He updates me on some life stuff and a weird dream he had. We end up talking until 1 a.m. It’s not looking likely that we’ll meet to cuddle this weekend but that’s probably for the best. Starting to sense a relationship vibe between us and that’s way too much.

1:10 a.m. — I fall asleep shortly after our call.