A Week In Central Florida On A $41,000 Salary

Occupation: Library assistant
Industry: Local government/library services
Age: 32
Location: Central Florida
Salary: $41,000
Assets: Checking: $306; savings: $671.69; HYSA: $3,010.66; FRS: about $25,000. I’m married but we keep our finances separate. My husband, C., pays the rent, utilities, and his debt (car payment and student loans). I pay the remaining bills, my own debt, all daily spending, and savings. He contributes to savings when no unexpected big items like vet or medical bills occur. This works for us a lot better than trying to split everything down the middle. We should probably figure out how to combine finances at some point but just haven’t gotten around to it.
Debt: Car: about $10,000; student loans: $4,000.
Paycheck amount (biweekly): $1,208
Pronouns: She/her

Housing costs: $0 (C. pays. This includes water, sewer, trash, cable, and internet).
Loan payments: Car payment: $340 (over halfway done!); student loans: $84.61.
Car insurance: $200 (I pay the six-month policy in full, then set aside the “monthly” in savings).
Phone: $75 (covers both lines).
Kindle Unlimited: $11.99
Peacock: $8.99
Microsoft: $6.99
Apple storage: $2.99
AppleCare: $12.99
Spotify: $12.99
Disney+: $0 (included with phone plan).
Amazon Prime: $0 (Mom shares her Prime with me).
Savings: $300

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?
I always expected it of myself, more because it was always pushed as what you needed to do after high school in order to get a good job. Neither of my parents completed college. I had a hard time visualizing what my adult life would look like but had dreams of being a librarian, which I assumed meant college. I also knew from an early age my parents did not have anything saved for this or any knowledge of the costs/financial aid, so I would need to figure out financing it on my own. I received the Pell Grant for my undergrad, which covered the majority of my tuition. I went to the local community college for the first two years. My dad covered the small amount not covered by the grant and textbooks. For the last two years I saved money by living at home, making the hour commute to campus and working reduced hours during the semester at my part-time job. I ended up only having to take out loans for three semesters, which kept my debt very low. I keep thinking at some point I need to go to grad school for my MLIS (master of library and information science) but have been hesitant to take on more debt.

Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent(s)/guardian(s) educate you about finances?
Not many. My parents gave me the basics of the importance of saving. Once I had a job, they took me to open a checking and savings account. I grew up comfortably middle-class but as I got older I realized we were definitely spending outside our means. Most of my financial knowledge has been self-taught as an adult, which makes me feel like I’m constantly playing catch-up.

What was your first job and why did you get it?
McDonald’s. My dad made it clear when I turned 16 that I should have a part-time job. McDonald’s was the only place I could find that would hire me. I also volunteered at my local library. I did this to qualify for grant money but it also gave me experience in what would end up being my career field as an adult.

Did you worry about money growing up?
Not really. My needs were always provided for. Shortly after starting college, my parents divorced and my mom, sister, and I had to move into a small apartment. From that point on money became an ever-present source of anxiety as we came together to make ends meet.

Do you worry about money now?
Yes. Constantly. I feel like I don’t make enough. My husband makes about the same amount I do. I am constantly budgeting, to a point that I think is not always healthy. We’ve had a few major life events that set us back financially, so I’m only just now feeling like I’m in a place to start doing all the things I should have done years ago.

At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net?
I became responsible for all my own bills at 22, but I lived at home off and on until I was 25. I contributed to the household bills but didn’t have to pay rent. I feel very privileged to have had that time because I would not have been able to afford living on my own. I know that my mom doesn’t have much but that if something happened, she would do everything in her power to help me. My dad is also someone I could go to if I needed financial help, but only in an emergency. My husband’s family has also helped when they could. I’m very thankful to have that. It’s made the very tight times feel less dire.

Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain.
I have sporadically received money for specific things. My dad helped with my first two years of college. Both of my parents contributed to my wedding. My grandma gave me money to put towards my wedding dress and a car as a wedding gift when mine broke down. I received some money when my grandma later passed, which helped me clear credit card debt I had accrued because of my husband’s medical bills when he had cancer and also his poor spending habits. I know I have some kind of inheritance, but don’t know any details.

6 a.m. — My husband, C., takes the dog out while I do the other morning things. Coffee, feed the dog and cat, put on my makeup. I’m trying out planning my work outfits for the week, so getting dressed requires no thought. Coffee is Dunkin’ dark roast. We generally only buy what’s on sale, so I was excited to see this marked down. Breakfast is peanut butter toast. All of this is to the lovely tune of my dog losing his shit over the carpet cleaner we borrowed from a friend. He thinks it’s some kind of creature that can be scared off by crazed corgi barks.

7:30 a.m. — I head into work. My commute is about 30 minutes, which is the perfect amount of time to listen to a podcast. Today it’s Book Talk, which always gives me interesting recommendations.

11 a.m. — I spend the morning working on performance evaluations until it’s time for a break. It’s still weird to think I’m a supervisor, even though it’s been a few years. I used to be the kind of person who would almost have a panic attack over making a phone call. It gives me a confidence boost to think how much I’ve grown since my first job. For a snack I have some honey-roasted pistachios previously purchased from Ross. Ross is always a good place to look for grocery items. I’ve been able to find some great stuff marked down.

1 p.m. — Lunch is leftover French onion soup, chicken and rice. I found the recipe on Instagram, which can be hit or miss. This is really good, though, and inexpensive. I love the caramelized onions. I’m thinking it will become part of the regular rotation. I start reading my library hold that just came in, We Used To Live Here by Marcus Kliewer. I’m not sure I love it, but I want to know what happens enough that I keep going.

5 p.m. — Time to head home! I listen to another podcast, this time Currently Reading (I swear I listen to non-book things, too). Normally I call my dad on my drive home, but he’s on a cruise.

5:30 p.m. — I walk the dog, shower, set up the coffee for tomorrow, and throw together one of my regular low-effort dinners: an egg rice bowl. Sticky rice, soft scrambled eggs, green onions, mango, avocado, furikake, fried onions, and spicy mayo. I have some kimchi so I throw that in as well. C. gets home just in time to eat.

7 p.m. — My friend J. comes over. We’re watching the last two episodes of Maxton Hall, a German soapy romance that we’re obsessed with. We’ll have to figure out what to watch now that we’re done. I stopped drinking earlier this year for physical/mental health reasons (sober six months!) and have been trying different seltzers and mocktails as fun drinks. I thought I had some TÖST Rosé, which is alcohol-free, but I’m out. I grab a lemon Pellegrino instead. J has a pineapple Spindrift. While we’re watching our show, C. goes out to get gas for my car. I give him my card. I do all my purchasing on credit cards and pay them off each month, but this has led to overspending when I don’t strictly stick to my budget. I know it’s a problem I need to fix, but it feels like every month some unexpected expense comes up that derails me. $37.68

9 p.m. — After J. heads home, I get ready for bed. I don’t have the most detailed skincare routine but I am religious about it. The dog gets walked again and the cat is brought in from the porch (I think he would live out there if he could). We watch some TV and I read a little. I left the book I started at work, so I read a bit of The Beautiful Mystery by Louise Penny.

6:10 a.m. — I hit the snooze button and don’t get up until 6:10 a.m. Feed the pets, coffee, peanut butter toast. C. gets up shortly after me to walk the dog. I use the last of the Dunkin’, which means I get to start the weekend with the Starbucks Fall Blend I got on sale last grocery trip. Very excited! We watch a little YouTube. I am not very outdoorsy but for some reason I really enjoy watching a guy solo camp in the Alaskan wilderness. Could never be me. I regularly wear sweaters in the Florida summer, though this year has been hot enough that even I have been getting overheated.

8 a.m. — I get a late start to work. Finish the episode of Currently Reading on the way. So glad it’s Friday. I’m ready for a few days to sleep in.

9 a.m. — The mornings are a little quieter now that school is in session. I have time to get some random tasks done. I like the ebb and flow of working with the public. I briefly worked an office job after college and hated it. I need a combination of solo work and the public. I also like seeing the tangible good I can do in someone’s life, which I get a lot of in this kind of work.

11 a.m. — Break time! I have a Kind bar and more honey-roasted pistachios. I check my bank account and see that my AppleCare has withdrawn (included in monthly expenses). I decide on a whim to do a trial of New York Magazine ($1) and cancel my Spotify subscription to compensate. We’ll see how long I last with all those ads. $1

1 p.m. — Lunchtime! I finish off the chicken and rice. I decided I didn’t want to read any more of We Used To Live Here. I’m just not in the mood and know someone else will be happy to get their hold early. Louise Penny is at home, so I start a book I got on Kindle for cheap.

5 p.m. — I stop by Publix for dinner and get some provisions to bring to a friend’s later: sushi, SmartPop!, Coke Zero, garlic bread for dinner tomorrow, and some Tillamook ice cream sandwiches. I tell myself the ice cream is for when my period starts, but I’ll probably finish them off well before then. By the time I get home it’s pouring and I’m soaked. The dog refuses to go past the front walkway. I admit defeat and head back inside. $48.07

7:30 p.m. — Head to friend’s house. C. is running a tabletop game campaign. It’s not really my thing but I’m giving it a try because he’s excited about it. Everyone catches up for a bit while we play.

10:30 p.m. — Home finally. I’m so tired! Everything is set up for tomorrow so all I have to do is walk the dog and get ready for bed. We watch some YouTube and cuddle until I pass out.

7:30 a.m. — Saturday means I get to wake up a little later. We have a lazy morning drinking some delicious Starbucks Fall Blend coffees. I slowly get ready for an afternoon out with my mom. I change a few times because it’s already so hot I can’t figure out what will be the least annoying thing to put on my body. I settle for a long dress and tennis shoes, but bring my second choice along in case I change my mind (I continue to be indecisive in all things).

10 a.m. — I walk across the apartment complex to my mom’s place. A few years ago our apartment building caught fire. We lost almost everything and had to find a new place to live just two months after moving in. My mom’s complex had an opening so here we are. Our unit has had a lot of problems but I love being so close.

10:30 a.m. — We need sustenance before anything. Our regular local place is closed so we go to First Watch. I get the bacon brussels sprout hash and morning meditation juice. Mom gets the eggs benedict. We share a pumpkin pancake. Everything is delicious and I’m comfortably stuffed. Mom treats.

11:30 a.m. — We go to the mall so my mom can return a few things, then Plato’s Closet so she can sell some clothes. While we wait I go through the clearance section and pick up some things for me and C. ($78.65). We stop by Target on the way home. I get a few organizational items: dog food, nail polish, and two Halloween mugs ($56.04). $134.69

3:30 p.m. — C. got a lot done while I was gone. The apartment is clean and he even shampooed the carpet! I show him my spoils and we watch TV.

5:30 p.m. — I throw together a ready-made lasagne and garlic bread. Mom comes back over for dinner and The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. We watch a few episodes and are both thoroughly sucked in.

10 p.m. — I walk Mom home, then skincare, PJs, and an ice cream sandwich before bed.

7:30 a.m. — I roll out of bed to take the dog out. I need to shower but decide to have coffee and breakfast first. C. is working from home today so he sleeps a little longer. I read a little of The Beautiful Mystery until he gets up.

8:30 a.m. — I make my favorite weekend breakfast: fried potatoes and scrambled eggs. I take my time with the potatoes until they’re super crispy. Delicious!

9:30 a.m. — Shower, repaint my nails, makeup. I watch some planner setup videos on YouTube to get inspired for my new planner.

11:30 a.m. — Time for some lunch! Lunch on the weekend is always tough for me because I never want to cook. I make some extra crispy southwestern taquitos (they taste just like Chili’s southwestern eggrolls!) and listen to the Watch What Crappens recap of Mormon Wives.

12:30 p.m. — I’m going to a fall sip and stroll at the antique mall with my mom and sister. I pick my mom up since she drove yesterday.

1 p.m. — The antique mall is so cute! They have different mocktail stations throughout and lots of interesting stuff. I love spending a Saturday just looking around. I find a Christmas gift for a friend (I start early) and a gold unicorn balloon animal that is so weird but so irresistible ($12). On our way home, we stop at an outdoor thrift market. I find a vintage drinking glass ($5) and my mom gets my sister and me each a loaf of pumpkin sourdough. $17

3 p.m. — After two days out and about I’m ready for some time to rot and recharge. I camp out on the couch for a few hours with SmartPop! and a Spindrift.

6 p.m. — C. is finished with work and gets started on dinner: salmon, more potatoes (because we need to buy groceries but have tons of potatoes), and a slice each of the pumpkin sourdough. I’m craving ice cream but don’t have any more. Such is life.

8 p.m. — We go to Publix for more ice cream. $12

9:30 p.m. — Time for bed. I pick out my work clothes for tomorrow, do skincare, and get in bed. No reading tonight. I pass out quickly.

6 a.m. — I don’t want to get up, but I do. C. keeps the apartment so cold I have to resist dressing heavier than I actually need to. He walks the dog while I feed everybody. Makeup, coffee, peanut butter toast, some morning YouTube.

7:30 a.m. — Today’s commute podcast is National Park After Dark. It covers true crime and paranormal stories involving national parks.

1:30 p.m. — Lunch is a little later than normal, which is fine by me. I have leftover salmon and potatoes and some pineapple. I place my pickup order — mangos, pineapple, bread, some snacks, sausage, and cereal — at Publix for the way home. I do pretty much all my grocery shopping via pickup orders. I like that I can add and drop items to make sure I stay in budget and that I can’t impulse buy while I shop. I’ll place the Target order tomorrow for C. to pick up. If all goes to plan, this will cover us for the next two-ish weeks. $72.09

2:30 p.m. — Back to work. Lighter staff in the afternoon so I’m at the front desk for the rest of the day. I love getting to chat with regulars.

5:30 p.m. — Pick up the groceries on my way home. Give the dog a quick walk before I put everything away. Now it’s time to make dinner! I’m trying to use up some of my older stuff so I decide to make veggie quesadillas and guacamole. Because I’m lazy I bake them instead of pan frying. They turn out light, crispy, and satisfying.

7 p.m. — C. gets home a little late. We go for an evening walk after he eats, then relax the rest of the night.

6 a.m. — Today is C’s day off so he probably won’t be up before I leave. I get up, get ready and pop a bagel I forgot I had in the oven. The dog has morning zoomies and is running all over the place.

7:20 a.m. — I place the Target grocery order before leaving for work. This is the big one. Among other things I’m getting seltzer water, a ton of produce, coconut milk, pumpkin purée, various frozen Bibigo items for quick dinners, and some household items like soap and freezer bags. $123.13

11 a.m. — Short break. I’m trying to snack less so I don’t eat anything, just drink water. I feel like I’m in a reading slump. Nothing is really grabbing me. I can’t focus. Instead of reading I scroll Instagram and add items to my wish list of Christmas gifts for others. I’m going to try to have all my gifts purchased before December.

1 p.m. — My leftover quesadillas are delicious! I start reading Things You Save In A Fire by Katherine Center. It’s moving a lot faster than my other reads. Maybe a rom-com was what I needed. I go outside to call C. to see how the Target pickup went, and to read. I make it maybe 20 minutes before the muggy heat sends me back inside. I’m hoping the weather cools soon so I can go on walks on my breaks again. Inside I check my Kindle wish list for any deals and see that a memoir I’ve been wanting to read is on sale so I download it ($2.99). Before heading back to work, I check my bank account and see that my student loan payment has withdrawn (covered in expenses). $2.99

5:30 p.m. — When I get home C. is almost finished making caesar salads for dinner. C. was a chef for the majority of our relationship. He still does it as a second job off and on. He makes the dressing from scratch. It’s so good. I have a hard time finding restaurants that make it as good. He makes enough to take for lunch tomorrow. C. tries the new seltzer water I got him — cranberry citrus — and declares it his new favorite.

7:30 p.m. — We decide to try the new Netflix show, The Perfect Couple. It’s good but I feel like it would have been better suited for earlier in the summer.

7 a.m. — Wednesdays I go in late, so I get to sleep in a little. I have coffee on the porch. I bought a new mug that looks like a pumpkin but it’s kind of hard to drink out of. Sigh. I take the dog for the first of many walks.

8 a.m. — Breakfast is a little more involved than other work days. I toast some of the pumpkin sourdough with a little butter and make scrambled eggs with tomatoes, shallots, and feta. C.’s schedule changed recently so he goes in at 9 a.m. every day now. It’s nice getting to have a leisurely morning together in the middle of the week.

8:30 a.m. — I do my morning bank account check. Kindle Unlimited has withdrawn (covered in expenses). This is one of those subscriptions I almost never pause. I just read so much it always makes more sense than buying individual books. 

10:15 a.m. — I take the dog out one more time before work. We run into the maintenance man, who stops to give him some back scratches. Sometimes I feel like a failure, like I should be making more money and living in a house with a yard at this point in my life. I try to think about all the things I love in my current home. I have nice neighbors and friendly maintenance staff. My porch is facing trees so I get to watch the birds and other wildlife in the morning. I live across the street from a nice park, and I’m walking distance from my mom. I’m blessed in a lot of ways that have nothing to do with my finances.

10:30 a.m. — Time to head to work. Another perk of Wednesdays is not having to deal with the morning school traffic. I’ve been feeling really sluggish these past few days and dream about getting back in my PJs. Podcast of the commute: Bad on Paper.

11 a.m. — Driving did not improve how I feel. My eyes feel heavy and I have that vague feeling of wanting to throw up. Is my period about to start? Am I getting sick? Who knows. Today is going to be a long day.

12 p.m. — I get a notification that my therapy copay finally withdrew. Not the best timing but I’ll make it work. $60

1 p.m. — A patron lets us know there’s candy stuck to a chair in the newspaper area. Great. I end up scraping Nerds off a chair. It’s weirdly satisfying when I get them all.

3 p.m. — Wednesdays are the worst break-wise because I have to go at either 3 p.m. or 4 p.m. Both options are terrible. Today is 3 p.m., which is the worst of the two. I’m not really hungry and now I’m going to have to eat something tonight when I get home so I don’t wake up starving. I have leftover caesar salad and a Waterloo blackberry lemonade I found in the fridge. I read a bit more of Things You Save In A Fire.

4 p.m. — The rest of the night is pretty uneventful, which in a library is good. No building issues, no patron issues. I work on next month’s schedule and do a little shelving.

6 p.m. — We have a children’s program so there’s a little flurry of activity. I was pretty awkward around kids before I worked in libraries. Now I’m a little better. I’m probably never going to be a children’s librarian, but I can do basic small talk and help them find a book. Progress.

8:30 p.m. — When I get home C. is making quesadillas. His are different than mine but equally as good. I eat a little bit of one and save the rest for lunch tomorrow.

9 p.m. — I do skincare and change. We fold laundry together in the bedroom and go to bed by 10 p.m.