A Week In Brooklyn On A $85,000 Salary

Occupation: Global health project manager
Industry: Medical/nonprofit
Age: 38
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Salary: $85,000
Assets: HYSA: $55,000; checking: $9,000 (this is more than I’d normally keep here but I’m planning a few travel bookings and big-ticket birthday presents for folks); savings: $7,000; retirement: $71,000.
Debt: $0, baby!
Paycheck amount (2x/month): $2,295
Pronouns: She/her

Monthly Expenses

Housing costs: $1,000. I live with my husband in a one-bedroom rental. We just got married and moved in together a few months ago. We’ll likely move to a bigger place when his lease is up, which will increase my housing costs significantly.
Loan payments: $0
All other monthly expenses: $400. My work covers my health insurance and my phone bill. All other monthly expenses are via my husband. Since moving in together we maintain his gym membership (with me as a free guest), his utilities and streaming services. This $400 is something I insist on chipping in.

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?
There was definitely an expectation that I attend college, from me and my parents. It was never even given a second thought. I always really loved school and got decent grades so it was just presented as the inevitable next step. My parents helped pay for a huge chunk of it — probably about a third. Other than that I got some scholarships, paid some myself, and took on loans.

Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent(s)/guardian(s) educate you about finances?
My parents did a pretty good job teaching us about finances. My mother took my siblings and I down to the bank to open up savings accounts when we were really little, and it was a weekly errand to deposit something — even if it was just a few dollars. Of course we loved this errand because we always got lollipops. When my dad was paying bills, he’d lay everything out on his office desk and encourage us to watch and ask questions. They both also firmly encouraged me to sign up for a 401(k) as soon as I was able, and to always contribute at least what my employer would match.

What was your first job and why did you get it?
My first job was retail. As soon as I turned 14, I worked at a little craft shop in my town center. I did this because it was just expected. The mentality was: You’re old enough, you have free time, go get a job. I put most of my paychecks into savings, keeping a little each week for mall outings or McDonald’s hangouts with friends.

Did you worry about money growing up?
I wouldn’t call it “worry” but I was always conscious of money. I was lucky enough to grow up in an environment where we never questioned the roof over our head or where our next meal was coming from, but we didn’t get the newest fad toys, shoes etc. or frequent vacations.

Do you worry about money now?
Again, I wouldn’t call it “worry.” I have enough of a safety net (both monetarily and social network-wise) that I know I will be okay. That said, NYC is expensive and I am always aware of costs and relative value of things, and am constantly weighing short-term versus long-term financial decisions.

At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net?
I became financially responsible for myself gradually. I had to start paying my own phone bill at age 18, for example, but I lived with my parents rent-free after college for a few years. I became fully financially responsible for myself at age 24, when I moved out of my parents’ house. I do have a safety net, both from my own nest egg and from knowing I could rely on family members if needed.

Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain.
No.

8:30 a.m. — I wake up at 8:30 a.m. for a work-from-home day. I’m fairly sure I won’t be on any video calls today so I throw on a baggy T-shirt and sweat pants, and literally don’t even brush my hair. I make breakfast: microwave oatmeal with frozen cherries added in, with a half-pot of coffee. This coffee is Peet’s because I stocked up while it was on sale but most of the time it’s Folgers or store-brand — whatever is cheapest. After staring out the window for a few minutes to prepare myself, I jump into my workday. The morning consists of updating deliverables trackers and (politely) nudging folks for status updates on some items.

2 p.m. — I break for lunch. When I check my phone I see a text from my friend, T., who is having some marital issues and contemplating a separation from his husband. He doesn’t feel like chatting but we text back and forth for a bit. He lives in Connecticut and we toss out a few ideas for a little weekend away, though we don’t finalize anything. I send him a Florist’s Choice bouquet to brighten his day ($50). For lunch I see I have a tiny scoop of pasta salad (not the mayo-based kind, ew) and a bit of soup in the fridge, so I microwave them together and see what happens. It’s…not bad, but I probably wouldn’t do that again. I wash it down with the last of some homemade cucumber water that I had in the fridge. After lunch I’m back at work — spreadsheets, spreadsheets, spreadsheets, plus one meeting with my boss, which is mercifully off camera. $50

6 p.m. — I sign off work and rush to dinner with my sister-in-law, C. C. is in town from Chicago on her way to the Adirondacks for a yoga retreat. She and I got really close when she was in NYC for grad school so it’s great to see her again. We decide on Westville in the Upper West Side since it’s near where she’s staying. My subway ride up is uneventful and to pass the time I listen to an episode of Aria Code podcast. At Westville, we both get the “not-too-sweet” peach iced tea. She gets the fish sandwich and I get the market plate — literally just a heaping plate of four different vegetable sides, done perfectly. She invites me out to a concert but it starts at something like 10 p.m. and I am too old for that. Dinner is my treat. $76.04

6 p.m. — Round-trip subway to UWS. When I get home, I text T. to see how he’s doing and to rave about the book he recommended I read, Yellowface by R.F. Kuang. I just started and can’t put it down! Before bed, I take a quick shower and do my “skincare routine”, which is putting a bit of Pond’s Cold Cream on my face. $5.80

8 a.m. — I start the day a bit earlier because I’m gonna try to sign off early to go to a HIIT class later. Same breakfast as yesterday, except this time I add a tiny spoonful of vanilla protein powder to the oatmeal. While my oatmeal is in the microwave, I text T. a few corny GIFs. I also text my husband, H., to see what he wants for dinner. He’s been down in Tampa for work training for the past two weeks so I’m really excited to have him home. I spend the morning editing a massive report that is due to one of our funders soon. It’s days like these when I love my sit-stand desk; I alternate to keep my butt (and myself) from falling asleep.

1 p.m. — I break for lunch, which is a veggie burger, a banana and a can of Olipop cherry vanilla that I took from my office fridge when I was there last week (I’m technically “hybrid” but since my boss is always traveling, we are very loose in our interpretation of that). I heard back from H. that he wants pasta and rosé for dinner. I look in our cabinets and figure I can make something from what we already have, so I just have to get the wine. There’s a fancy wine shop on our block and a decidedly not-fancy liquor store a few blocks away. Every once in a while, I like trying a fancy new wine, but for tonight I’m sticking with a run-of-the-mill rosé. $11.49

5 p.m. — I am close enough to finishing my edits that I feel okay jumping off early to head to the HITT class. I used to have a membership but lost interest in going often, so now I do an occasional drop-in class and just hit (no pun intended) up H.’s gym for workouts most days. Drop-in price is $35, which feels high but I know is pretty average for my area. I use a credit from a few weeks ago when I had to cancel last-minute when I tested positive for COVID-19.

8 p.m. — H. is home! We have a nice dinner — I manage to scrounge up a delicious pantry dish with linguine, sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts and a ton of garlic. He has a big glass of rosé as he tells me about his travails in Tampa. I have about half a glass; H. and I are going to start trying to conceive next month so I’m practicing moderation. Since I’m 38 and he’s 47, it’s gonna be a tough road ahead and I want to do what I can to feel my best. After dinner we go to bed early — for no particular reason ;)

9:30 a.m. — I sleep in because it’s Saturday. Usually H. is up way before me but he’s still snoring so I grab some running clothes and sneak out of the bedroom to avoid waking him. I have some water, stretch, then head out for a 2-mile (ish) jog and come home ravenous. I take a quick shower and make an omelet. I’m not in the mood for coffee today so I make myself a cup of Daydream tea from Brooklyn Tea. I love that shop; they have an amazing selection and excellent customer service, and it is so fun to ask questions and smell all the different varieties. After breakfast I head to Mr. Beet since my kitchen is sorely lacking in fresh produce. I get apples, cauliflower, blueberries, limes, sweet potatoes and kale. $14.18

1:30 p.m. — I get back home right as H. is suiting up for a bike ride. He’s one of those people who does laps around Prospect Park like he’s in the Tour de France. I take some inventory of household supplies and place a Target order for pickup. I avoid going in to shop as much as possible. It always seems like everything I need is under lock and key and I don’t like having to wait five minutes for someone so I can get some mouthwash! I order bleach, laundry detergent, dish soap, Windex, conditioner and Black Girl Sunscreen Make it Pop lip gloss. I’m not a lip gloss girly but I love having an SPF option for my lips that isn’t a waxy balm. I don’t really eat lunch, I just snack on some things — blueberries, a bit of cheese, toast with butter, and carrot juice. $49.35

7 p.m. — Dinner with H. is leftovers from last night — both the pasta and the wine. We got into the habit of streaming a full album while making and eating dinner (embarrassingly, I got this idea from And Just Like That...). Tonight’s album is The Shepherd’s Dog by Iron & Wine since I’m going to his show next week. After, we start Severance, which has been recommended fervently to each of us. Neither of us gets into it so we switch to regular TV and hate-watch an episode of Undercover Boss. It gets me so riled up at the end of each episode when the “benevolent” CEO grants his employees some gift — a car, $20,000, a vacation, whatever. How about you pay your employees a living wage?!? I head to bed and read about 100 pages of Yellowface before H. joins me.

8 a.m. — Up early because I want to beat the Sunday crowd at the grocery store. H. is up but not hungry so I make myself an egg sandwich and both of us some Daydream tea. We record a quick silly video singing “Good Morning Sunshine” to send to T. I head to Key Foods to get some stuff for the upcoming week: oats, cereal, ice cream, veggie burgers, bread, cheese, pasta, BBQ sauce, tomatoes, bell peppers, regular potatoes and ground beef. I also pick up a Sunday Times. When I get home I make another cup of tea and dig into the paper. $55.93

1 p.m. — Most Sundays I meet my friend B. at Prospect Park and walk her dog, S., with her. We’ve missed a bunch of weeks this summer because of travel schedules, both work and personal. We get lost in conversation until we both realize we’re starving, so we find a nearby bodega for a chopped cheese, which we split, and some Cokes ($19.40, split). $9.70

4 p.m. — H. and I were invited to his buddy D.’s wedding in October in Phoenix, so we book plane tickets. I pay for the plane tickets and H. will get the hotel and rental car. After the tickets are booked, I get ready for the week ahead since I’ll be in the office a few days: laundry, meal prep, figuring out outfits. I take a long shower before dinner. $589

8 p.m. — We have a frozen veggie pizza for dinner and play a game of gin rummy. We got really into card games during lockdown and still play some game or other a few days a week. As I always do on Sundays, I head to bed to do the NYT mag crossword. H. catches up on some work emails and joins me much later — I’m sound asleep and don’t even hear him come in.

8 a.m. — I’m going to the office today so have to make myself somewhat presentable. I put on big-girl clothes and pin my hair back. Then I make some coffee and eat yogurt with frozen cherries. I take my time and have a second cup of coffee before heading to work. My office is only about a 35-minute walk and the weather is gorgeous. I listen to an episode of Democracy Now! podcast while I walk. There’s a good handful of folks in the office when I get there so I honestly don’t get much done for the first hour or so. But then I get down to business and finish those report edits!

1:30 p.m. — Lunch in the break room is a ham sandwich and baby carrots that I brought from home. Sunday Me clearly wasn’t looking out for Monday Me — it’s a bummer of a lunch. I get some hot cocoa from the office machine to at least have something tasty. My coworker N. usually has a good snack drawer so I make a note to visit her in a few hours. Before returning to my desk, I get T. on the phone and suggest some ideas for an overnight. He’s not interested in my beach idea but doesn’t immediately shoot down the idea of a casino. We agree to revisit next week.

6:30 p.m. — I leave work and meet up with H. We go to his gym for a short stint. Just 30 or so minutes to get the blood going. I do some mat work and machines and he does the elliptical. We get home, shower together (saves water!) and pick an album as we start dinner. We listen to Moment of Truth by Gang Starr as we make and eat a whole roasted cauliflower with tahini sauce. We congratulate ourselves for being healthy, then promptly devour a pint of ice cream while watching The Wire. I’ve never seen it; H. has but is more than willing to rewatch. We get two episodes in. I’m into it but I definitely wouldn’t be able to watch it every day. H. stays up and calls his sister C. I go to bed early again to read more Yellowface. I’m gonna be sad when I’m finished with it.

7 a.m. — I’m up before my alarm and decide to make the most of it. I go for a short jog (about a mile) and do some bench-assisted triceps dips while out. Once home, I shower, do my “skincare” and make breakfast: scrambled eggs and bell peppers with lots of salt, pepper and cumin. I brew a whole pot of coffee, since H. will want some when he’s up soon. I don’t feel like going into the office but I want to go somewhere so I pack the rest of my coffee and a protein bar and walk to the local library to get there right as it opens at 9 a.m. My team is planning to submit a grant application so I spend the morning reading through the RFP (request for proposals) and outlining what will be needed.

1 p.m. — My protein bar ain’t cutting it and I am so hungry I can’t concentrate. I contemplate buying a sandwich from somewhere near the library but convince myself to just go home for lunch. I cook a veggie burger with tomato, mustard and cheese. H. is working from home so we chat a bit before I head up to some coworking space in our building to join a department meeting.

6:30 p.m. — While I was upstairs working, H. went out and bought some nonalcoholic AF drinks for us to try. We go up to the roof to try them and watch the setting sun. We bring up a Bluetooth speaker and instead of an album we turn on an old “summer party” playlist we made a few years back. We sip our fake Palomas, dance and chat. Before we know it, it’s almost 9 p.m. and we haven’t eaten. H. orders some pizza and garlic knots (he pays), and we go downstairs to our apartment to eat. By the time we get and eat the pizza, it’s almost 10:30 p.m. so we wind down and go to bed. 

8 a.m. — I head to midtown for my regular dental checkup and cleaning. I like my dentist but I do NOT like trekking to midtown. It was super convenient when I used to work in the area but now that I work either from home or a Brooklyn office, I really need to get a new dentist. I’m home and logged into work by just a bit after 10 a.m. Since my teeth are feeling so fresh and clean I try not to eat or drink coffee. $5.80

12:30 p.m. — I make it a few hours before I get too hangry to concentrate, so I break for lunch. I drink some cold brew from the fridge and make another veggie burger with tomato, mustard and cheese. While I’m on break, I walk to UPS to ship some Drinkmate CO2 cartridge returns (prepaid label).

6:30 p.m. — I wrap up work, get dressed and meet up with B. and our other friend R. for dinner and the Iron & Wine concert. We meet at the Sixpoint taproom at City Point, near where the show will be. They split the white nachos and have a few beers each, while I get fish tacos and sip on one hard cider. Usually when going out with friends we’ll split evenly but since they’re drinking more than me, we each get our own check. Mine is $29 with tip. We are having such a fun time we stay until past 8 p.m., and end up missing some of the opening act. Before Iron & Wine takes the stage, I go to the bar to get a Liquid Death water. For some reason the bartender gives it to me for free, so I give her a $3 tip. After the show, B. and R. hop on the train and I decide to walk home. Even though it’s a trek, it’s such a nice night out and I want the fresh air. H. is asleep by the time I get home. I shower and am in bed by a little after midnight. $32