A Week In New York, NY On A $93,800 Salary

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Occupation: Consulting Senior Analyst
Industry: Consulting
Age: 23
Location: New York, NY
Salary: $93,800
Paycheck Amount (2x/month): $2,240
Gender Identity: Woman

Monthly Expenses
Rent: $1,600 (I live with two roommates)
Loans: $0
All-Access Equinox Membership: $215 (deducted from my paycheck pre-tax)
Dental Insurance: $22.50 (deducted from paycheck pre-tax)
Health Insurance: $59.64 (deducted from paycheck pre-tax)
Vision Insurance: $5.36 (deducted from paycheck pre-tax)
Internet: $53.27 (split three ways)
Heating and Electric: $50 - 200 (split three ways, varies per month by usage)
401k Contribution: $600 (I contribute 8% and have a 6% match)
Other Investments: ~$500 per month to an investment account or my Roth IRA in a very unsystematic manner
Cell Phone: $0 (On my family's plan)
Netflix, Spotify, and Hulu Subscriptions: $0 (I use my parent's accounts)

7:20 a.m. — I see a text from my friend K. as I turn off my alarm. He is one of my best friends, and we've been hooking up on and off for a few months. I texted him yesterday hoping to clear the air and discuss where we stand, with an invitation to talk about it more in person when he returns from his two-week work trip. I don't really know what I want, but I know I don't want to lose his friendship and I care about him a lot.

7:50 a.m. — I get out of bed and get dressed for the day. I laid out my work outfit last night, so this part is easy. I also pack a bag for the gym and put on some moisturizer and makeup. Today, I'm using Ole Henriksen moisturizer and The Ordinary under-eye Caffeine Serum and I top it off with a light layer of Clinique powder and Revlon mascara.

8:15 a.m. — I'm already running behind schedule to get to work, but I'm not super concerned. I try to get in by 9, but my manager usually isn't in until closer to 10. I prepare my usual breakfast spread of oatmeal with TJ's almond butter, mixed berries, flax and chia seeds, and honey. I'm a creature of habit when it comes to breakfast. I also mix up two scoops of greens powder from 1stPhorm. I started taking this supplement daily about four months ago, and it's had a great effect on overall bloating and digestion.

8:57 a.m. — I leave for the subway, almost 20 minutes behind schedule. I swipe in with my prepaid MetroCard and head to work.

9:10 a.m. — Halfway through the ride, I submit an order for an almond milk latte with sugar-free Cinnamon Dolce Syrup from Starbucks. I usually don't drink Starbucks, but a couple months back I accidentally loaded $25 onto a prepaid card, so I'm trying to use it up. I prefer smaller chains, like Gregory's or La Colombe, or local coffee shops.

11:50 a.m. — I submit an order for a salad at Chop't. I don't get much of a lunch break at work, so ordering ahead saves time. I customize my salad with kale, tofu, feta, lots of veggies, and a lemon herb dressing. $16.27

12:15 p.m. — On the way to pick up my salad, I stop at a locksmith to drop off a key to be duplicated. I lost mine jumping around at a bar celebrating a college basketball win during March Madness. I wait at Chop't for over 15 minutes for my salad, and the manager informs me that they will give me a refund (score!). I pick up my key on the way back to the office and pay for the duplicate in cash. $3

2:35 p.m. — I remember I brought half of a leftover Coconut Almond Butter Perfect Bar to work. I hope this will tide me over so I'm not starving during my workout.

6:42 p.m. — The rest of the afternoon at work is busy with meetings and setting up a plan for the week with my manager. I'm a consultant, and we have a little over two weeks before our three-month project wraps up, so we need to align on deliverables to be finalized by the end of the week. I head to the gym on the way to the subway and lift for about an hour. I've been lifting three times a week for a little over a year and a half and always look forward to this time to unwind after a busy day.

8 p.m. — I swipe into the subway and head home. During the ride, I catch up on a Bachelor podcast (my guilty pleasure).

8:32 p.m. — I heat up my meal-prepped meal of the week — it's a quasi-burrito bowl with a base of quinoa and spinach, topped with sautéed peppers, onions, tomatoes, and ground chicken with taco seasoning. I garnish with some pre-made guacamole, cilantro, and hot sauce. I ordered my groceries on Sunday using Foodkick and prepped the meal yesterday. Ordering groceries has been a game changer so far, and yesterday they even threw in a six-pack of Baked by Melissa cupcakes for free.

9:34 p.m. — My friend T. who lives in SF calls me and we catch up for 40 minutes before I shower and get ready for bed. We worked together for five months on my previous project in Hartford, CT and got really close. We talk about work, travel plans, and boys. I'm so thankful to have a work wife, as I was skeptical I'd be able to make genuine friends jumping from project to project. I really want to visit her in SF in the fall and make a mental note to look at plane tickets next month.

10:41 p.m. — I set my alarm for 5:50 and get into bed. I dread getting up early to exercise, but I have plans after work with a high school friend that I need to prioritize.

5:50 a.m. — First alarm goes off, and I snooze it.

6 a.m. — Out of bed. I get dressed for the gym and pack up my bag for work. As I'm getting ready, I look out the window and see the most gorgeous sunrise. I snap a picture and upload it to my Instagram story with the caption “Worth the early wake up?” Sometimes I'm hella basic, but that's okay.

6:12 a.m. — I prepare the same breakfast as yesterday and eat it while scrolling through various things on my phone.

6:38 a.m. — I leave for the gym. Today I'm doing a HIIT workout I found on Laura Novotny's Instagram page, and saved a while back. On Mondays and Fridays I usually do strength workouts provided by my personal trainer, but I like to switch it up on Wednesdays with something different. I used to work with my trainer in person, but I save a ton of money by having him send me workouts via email and catching up over the phone twice a month.

8:15 a.m. — I'm showered and dressed for the day, so I head to the subway. I swipe in with my prepaid MetroCard and head downtown. Using Ritual, an app recommended by my manager, I place an order for a coffee from Gregory's. This month, Gregory's coffee is on sale for $1. $1.09

11:21 a.m. — By the time my morning calls end, I'm already hungry for lunch. This always happens when I work out in the morning. I think about ordering something online, but get distracted when an email comes through.

12:02 p.m. — My stomach is growling in full-force now, signaling that it's time for me to leave and get lunch. I walk to Just Salad which is usually a little less crowded than the other fast casual options. I order a custom salad with mixed greens, pickled onions, carrots, cucumbers, edamame, cashews, and tofu. The miso ginger dressing I get on the salad is yummy. As I eat I fill out an application for an open position managing the blog of the Women in Digital group in my company. I am looking for additional ways to get involved, as this is a consideration for my upcoming promotion discussions this summer. $12.99

5:05 p.m. — In a not that shocking twist of fate, I'm hungry again before the end of the day. Luckily, I packed a Peanut Butter Perfect Bar. I'll munch on that for a bit, before my 5:30 all-hands meeting. I look forward to this bi-weekly team meeting, as it's one of the only times I get to interact with people who are not on my project, but work for the same client. My current team is just my manager and myself, so it's a lot of heads down work and long one-on-one meetings.

7:15 p.m. — I am running a bit behind schedule to meet up with my friend D. from middle school at her parents' new apartment. She lives on the West Coast and is only in town for a few days, and I'm so excited to reconnect. I take the subway uptown and walk to the apartment.

7:45 p.m. — I arrive at D.'s gorgeous building and her mom pours me a glass of much needed wine. They reheat pizza and salad for us to eat and we pop cookies in the oven for dessert. I am smiling ear to ear by the end of the night — it feels so nostalgic to be eating pizza with my childhood friend, just like we did almost every Friday growing up.

9:40 p.m. — I'm exhausted and ready to get some rest. I walk the 18 minutes back to my apartment, as it's not too chilly out. I shower and put one some retinol face cream from Indeed Labs before passing out. I say a little prayer that this gets rid of the pesky pimples on my cheeks and chin.

6 a.m. — I wake up and turn off my alarm. Another early morning in the gym. My whole body is sore from yesterday, so I know today will be an easy one. As I'm getting ready, I check the mirror and marvel that my skin is clear! It's amazing what sleep and good products can do.

6:15 a.m. — I eat the same breakfast, as per usual, and walk to the gym.

7:50 a.m. — After a quick 35 minutes on the elliptical while watching TV, I shower and get ready for work. I'm in a bit of a funk today and I'm not sure why.

8:22 a.m. — I take the subway to the office. I resolve that today I am not allowed to buy coffee.

1:44 p.m. — It's an insanely busy morning working on reports for my client, and I miss my usual lunch time by a mile. As I head out, I Snapchat a group of friends of selfie with the caption “Have you ever cried a little bit because a spreadsheet was too confusing? No? Just me?” Two friends respond that they have and I feel understood. I walk to Dig Inn and get a bowl with mixed greens, tofu, potato salad, and green beans. It's an odd combination, but pretty tasty. I realize I've eaten tofu for lunch almost every day this week, which is out of character. Oh well! I guess I'll be more cognizant of my protein sources moving forward. $11.32

5:55 p.m. — The rest of the afternoon is equally busy, but everyone in the office seems to have started filing out about an hour ago due to the holiday tomorrow. I resolved that I needed to leave before 6 today, as I am cooking a few dishes for a Passover Seder my friend is hosting. I send out some emails to make my to-do list a bit lighter and head out.

6:30 p.m. — I whip up a side dish of carrots in a lemon honey glaze and some hard-boiled eggs for the Seder. I'm exhausted, but excited to share my religion with some of my gentile friends.

7:39 p.m. — The Seder begins. 15 of us are cramped in my friend K.'s apartment drinking boxed TJ's wine and laughing through our assigned reading portions in the Passover Haggadah. K. can't really cook, but managed to successfully sous vide a brisket for all of us as the main dish for the meal. I don't really eat red meat, but I make an exception to try this. It was soooo tender and yummy.

9:40 p.m. — Most of my friends are staying to drink and hang (and maybe go out) but I haven't packed yet for my trip tomorrow morning, so I go home early and set an alarm for 7:30. I Snapchat back and forth for a bit before bed with a new guy, N., that I've hung out with a few times. We met on Hinge, and I think we're vibing pretty well. I hope I can see him next week.

10:40 p.m. — Lights out.

7 a.m. — I wake up before my alarm and lay in bed relaxing for a bit too long.

7:30 a.m. — I start getting a little bit anxious about the fact that I need to clean my apartment and pack before 10, so I get out of bed. I eat my normal breakfast while finishing The Perfect Date on Netflix. My friends love Noah Centineo, so we had to watch it even though it's a stupid rom-com.

10:15 a.m. — As I'm packing, I reward myself with a handful of chocolate covered almonds. I unload and reload the dishwasher, clean my room, and pack before ordering an Uber to the airport. I'm on my way with my parents to visit my younger brother at college. He knows they're coming, but I'm a surprise! He's not the most emotional kid, so I hope he's at least a little excited about the surprise. I get to the airport much earlier than expected. I give the driver a tip because he was nice and didn't try to talk to me. $43.56

11:10 a.m. — As I was in the car, I realized my friend, K. (realizing now that all of my male friends have names that start with K. lol), is also at the same terminal for his flight home. We don't have much time to hang because his flight is earlier than mine, so I walk him to his gate and we part ways with a hug.

11:20 a.m. — My flight is during lunch, so I pick up some clearly overpriced food. There's a nice looking salad bar, and I supplement the salad with my flying guilty pleasure – dried apples from Peeled. I brace myself for the bill at checkout. $22.74

2:30 p.m. — My flight lands and I offer to drive my parents the hour and a half from the airport. I hate sitting in the car for long car rides because I get carsick. We make a couple of pit stops on the way to our hotel — one of which is to pick up a bottle of wine. My dad pays.

6:34 p.m. — We hang around the hotel a bit and crack open the bottle of wine before dinner. Our reservation is at 8, but we want to get there a little early because my brother is throwing a party at his house tonight. We pick him up at his house and I hide in the backseat — his face when he sees me is priceless!

10:16 p.m. — We drop my brother back at his house after a lovely dinner. The table shared fried cauliflower and Brussels sprouts with a spicy Asian sauce and a bottle of wine, and I ordered a goat cheese salad and a fish dish. It was delish! I love going back to my favorite spots in town from my college days. My dad generously paid for the meal. I know I'm approaching the age where it will soon be my turn to pay for these things, but I'm not quite financially there yet.

9:17 a.m. — I wake up and head to the hotel's gym. It's a huge facility which I'm happy about because I can get my full lift in. I'm starving afterwards, but need to wait for my mom and dad to shower and get ready before we can grab food. I sneak a few pieces of cantaloupe from a fruit plate that the concierge left in our room to tide me over.

12:10 p.m. — I take my parents to one of my favorite breakfast taco places. My dad and I each get two tacos and I get a coffee to go with it. I pay. I forgot how amazing these little guys are. $19.14

1:15 p.m. — We walk around an outdoor art park near the restaurant for a bit before dropping off my dad. He and my brother are spending the afternoon playing golf. I'm a little disappointed because I wanted to spend more time together as a family.

2:30 p.m. — My mom and I walk around the college campus and stop in at a college paraphernalia store and a boutique. I take a million pictures of the buildings because I'm nostalgic AF. I also buy myself a blouse and a t-shirt commemorating March Madness. $113.67

3:43 p.m. — Next stop is a vineyard about 35 minutes away from school. I drive my mom and I out there, and she pays for a round of rosé for each of us. It's a gorgeous sunny day. I love being able to get away from the hustle and bustle and relax in such a beautiful setting.

6:25 p.m. — My mom and I meet the boys, including my brother's friend, for a drink at the hotel bar. This trip has involved a lot more drinking than expected.

8:30 p.m. — For our last night in town, I made a reservation at a highly-recommended French restaurant that I've never been to. The food is insane. I order scallops to start with halibut as my main. Everything is so buttery and rich. I make a note to remind my parents to book this place for my brother's graduation. We'll have to book at least 10 months in advance.

10:45 p.m. — I crawl back into my very uncomfortable pull-out couch and fall asleep. I'm having so much fun, but am looking forward to being back in my comfortable bed.

8:35 a.m. — My dad wakes me to ask if I want to go to the gym. I'm exhausted, so I say no. While my parents are gone I get ready for the day and pack up my bag.

10:03 a.m. — I take a walk/hike around the hotel's property and golf course with my dad. It's a gorgeous day, so it's a little sad to know I'll be inside for most of it.

11 a.m. — We eat a buffet brunch at the hotel before heading to the airport. I feel a little out of place because everyone else in the restaurant seems to have come from church, and I'm wearing muddy sneakers from the hike. The food is yummy and I indulge in a crepe and cheese cubes.

12:50 p.m. — While we wait to board our flight, my mom helps me pick out my groceries for the week. She's used a similar service, so she's familiar with what they offer. I know I have dinner plans on at least two nights this week, so I don't want to overload on groceries. I buy kombucha, blackberries, strawberries, pomegranate seeds, pre-made quinoa and sweet potato stew, Perfect Bars, turkey and kale meatballs, and a cauliflower rice meal kit with Brussels sprouts. I haven't tried any of their pre-made items before, but I'll be busy at work this week, so I think it'll be an additional time-saver. $55.43

2:45 p.m. — We land back in NY and I say goodbye to my parents at the gate. I know I'll see them soon because I have an upcoming dentist appointment near their house. I order an Uber back to my apartment. My stomach feels really unsettled and the driver's jerking and braking does not help at all. Luckily, it's a short ride. $40.36

4:23 p.m. — I list an old pair of jeans that are in good shape on Poshmark. I've never done this before, so I'm hoping I make a sale eventually. If it doesn't work out after a few months, I'll donate them to Goodwill.

6 p.m. — I lay around all afternoon watching TV and drinking water, since I'm not feeling great. I also make sure to take my greens from 1stPhorm. I think they help a bit. For dinner, I prepare the last serving of the burrito bowl I cooked on Monday.

7:43 p.m. — My food delivery arrives and I unpack it and put it in the fridge. While I'm in the kitchen, I grab some applesauce and popcorn to snack on. I eat this while I watch the Beyoncé Netflix documentary, which is incredible.

9 p.m. — My roommate calls my name and asks her if I want to watch Game of Thrones in the living room. I'm torn between finishing the documentary and watching Thrones, but decide I would rather not have the episode spoiled at work or on social media tomorrow. It's not the most eventful episode, but I'm happy with a few of the things that happen and I'm excited about the upcoming fight scene next week.

10:35 p.m. — I read for 15 minutes before heading to bed. I haven't been great about reading recently, even though my book is good. I'm currently reading Bad Blood, which is a non-fiction account of the Theranos scandal.

7:07 a.m. — I wake up before my alarm and slowly get out of bed. I pack up my gym clothes and pick out an outfit for the day. I usually do those things at night, but Sundays are tough.

7:20 a.m. — I'm ahead of schedule today! My skin is still cooperating, so getting ready is easy. I apply Drunk Elephant LaLa Retro moisturizer as well as my usual powder and mascara.

8:03 a.m. — I make breakfast — oatmeal with blackberries, pomegranate seeds, strawberries, almond butter, chia and flax seeds, and honey accompanied by my greens powder.

8:22 a.m. — I leave for the subway, still ahead of schedule, and swipe in with my prepaid MetroCard.

8:40 a.m. — The subway stalls between stops and it looks like I will not be getting in early today.

9:04 a.m. — I walk into the office and see my manager surprisingly beat me today. I think this is the second time in our two-ish months that this has happened.

10:31 a.m. — I am craving Sweetgreen, so I make sure to order online. The last time I didn't, the wait was 45 minutes. I get the Rustic Tomato Salad with some modifications – I remove the chicken and quinoa and add tofu. I have meetings at 12 and 1, so I set the pickup time to 12:15, which should leave me enough time to run to Duane Reade. $13.34

11:36 a.m. — My friend, M., texts me to ask if I've RSVPed to an upcoming party a girl from our college is hosting. I haven't yet, but offer to Venmo on behalf of both of us to secure our spots ($76 total). The $38 price tag includes a couple free drinks at a cool rooftop bar in SoHo that I've never been to. $38.00

12:08 p.m. — My call runs over, so I decide to pick up my salad before running errands. It's an absolute mob scene at Sweetgreen. Apparently, their system is broken and they're running 10 minutes behind on online deliveries. My name is called at 12:22 PM. I decide I don't have time to make a pit stop before I head back to my desk.

1:29 p.m. — My birthday is coming up in a little over a month and I have been thinking about what I want to do to celebrate. I shoot out a text to 20 friends to gauge interest in a big pre-fixe Italian dinner. I think it'll be on the pricier side, so I want to make sure my friends aren't spending beyond their comfort level. I recently listened to a podcast on personal finance and it has influenced how I think about social spending pressures. Fortunately, positive responses start rolling in.

6:27 p.m. — It's a slow day, so I head out of work on the earlier side. I stop at Duane Reade on the way to the gym and buy Paul Mitchell Awapuhi shampoo and cotton balls. $21.85

7:36 p.m. — I cut my gym visit a little bit short because I am exhausted and head home on the subway.

8:04 p.m. — I heat up two turkey meatballs and sauté the cauliflower rice kit. I add in some vegan pesto to the rice to jazz it up a bit. As I eat, I watch an episode of New Girl with my two roommates and my roommate's boyfriend. When I'm done with my healthy meal, I naturally have to snack on popcorn and chocolate covered almonds.

9:23 p.m. — I take a shower and get in bed to write this entry and reflect on this week's spending. This wasn't a typical week of spending due to the weekend travel. I think I likely would have spent significantly less on clothing and transportation and more on food and drinks had I been in the city with friends. I realize how lucky I am that my parents have helped me to pay for so many aspects of my life and I try not to take that for granted.