A Week In Louisiana On A $20,000 Salary

What are your most pressing money questions right now? The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many of us to rethink and reprioritize our finances. Is there a burning money-related issue that’s come up in the past few months? Is there something you've always wondered but have been too embarrassed to ask? Submit them here or send us an email at moneyquestions@refinery29.com.

Today: a retail worker/freelance publicist who makes $20,000 per year and spends some of her money this week on a Bad Bunny cup.

Occupation: Scanning Coordinator/Freelance Publicist
Industry: Retail
Age: 24
Location: Louisiana
Salary: $20,000
Net Worth: I have a savings account with my bank, a Roth IRA account that I set up on my own, a 401k that I'm unsure of the amount, a certificate of deposit that someone set up for me before I was born and then never put any money in again, and a savings account that pulls from my checking account twice a month, same as my Roth IRA.
Debt: ~$1,200 of medical bills, vet bills, and credit card debt
Paycheck Amount (1x/week): ~$380
Pronouns: She/her

Monthly Expenses
Housing: I live with my mom and my sister and own our house. I recently paid off the rest of the mortgage, which was a $1,400 payment.
Car Loan: $250
Apple Music: $9.99
Health Insuance: $10
Albert Savings Account: $100
Roth IRA: $100
Car Insurance: $100
Acting Classes: $200 (this varies because sometimes my acting coach has to film and can't make class or sometimes I have my own things going on and can't make class)
Entrepreneurs Membership: $25
Apple Storage: $0.99
Security App: $1.99

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 kind of was an expectation for me to go to college. I went to college and was the first person in my family to attend and graduate from a four-year university. I enjoyed my time in college and had some really great experiences, but now that I'm out in the real world it seems that places that are hiring don't care too much for your college education. I was in the top 10 in my class in high school so I had scholarships and grants and such so I didn't really pay for college except for books. I lived at home so I didn't pay rent or for a meal plan. I drove a used car then so I didn't have a car loan.

Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent/guardian(s) educate you about finances?
We didn't have conversations about money per se, but my mom was a single mother and she only worked part-time so we grew up living a very frugal lifestyle and we learned how to save too. When I got my first job, I started saving and kept on saving and hustling so I could have nice things or things I wanted.

What was your first job and why did you get it?
My first job is actually still my current job, just in a different department (FML) but I got it to pay my car insurance which in the beginning was literally taking my entire check. Tears.

Did you worry about money growing up?
Yes.

Do you worry about money now?
All the time. I hate it here.

At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net?
Well, I moved out on my own at 23 but I came back home because things didn't go as planned as they so often don't. I do have a financial safety net, a nest egg, a rainy day fund if you will.

Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain.
I sure wish I did. If anyone wants to leave me some inheritance, please do.

3:30 a.m. — This is what time I wake up. Bruh. I have to be at work at 4 a.m. Monday through Friday. I am not a morning person at all, but I've been forced to be one for almost two years now. Sigh. Some mornings I just take my headwrap off and don't even do my hair if it looks okay enough from the night before. I usually bring breakfast with me or eat a granola bar or something because eating in the morning usually makes me feel yuck.

4 a.m. — I clock in for work at this time. Then I go to the back of the store and get ready to hang tags. Yes, like price tags. It's extremely redundant and a lot of times I want to tear my hair out in patches, but it pays the bills for now. I guess I should mention that I have worked throughout the entirety of this pandemic as has my entire family. And, well, I'm tired, but grateful to still be employed. Before I clock in though, I have to go harass my manager, he's my work bestie and we get together and joke around whenever he works. I also do my Duolingo lessons at work because why not, I want to learn Spanish.

9:30 a.m. — I'm leaving work early to go to therapy. This is the first time in MONTHS due to the pandemic. I've been doing "telehealth" calls for the last three months, which was basically my therapist telling me that she refilled my prescription. -_- My new therapist is a man, which I'm not a fan of because men are EW. I have to run home and change real quick because it's hot as hell in Southern Louisiana and I can't be out here wearing pants.

10:30 a.m. — Let me find out that this podunk clinic charged me for those three 30-second "telehealth" calls and my $25 appointment turns out to be $100. I'm screaming. However, the therapist is okay and diagnoses me with major depression and PTSD. One of my dogs killed another one in front of me a few months ago and it was traumatizing to say the least. $100

11:30 a.m. — I have to go to my other job literally right after this and there's squat to eat at home. So I get Cane's and get my fries extra crispy because that's the only way to get them. Everything is straight out the grease and I'm sure if the cops saw me, they'd think I was texting and driving but really I'm just trying to drive and eat scalding chicken and fries. I suppose I'm not as multitalented as I thought. $8

11:45 a.m. — I stop at the gas station where all the fishermen and shrimpers go because their gas is usually a little cheaper and it's on the way home. $18

1 p.m. — Time to get started at my other job. I work at a small business in town doing social media and office work and basically whatever else the owner asks me to do. I come twice a week for 2.5 hours each time.

5:30 p.m. — Since the start of the pandemic, I try to go for a run five or six times a week. At first, I started doing it because I wanted my lungs to be strong in case I happened to get the virus, but now it's just kind of a habit that also happens to make me want to barf because it's so hot outside.

8 p.m. — This is real life what time I go to bed. Like I'm someone's grandmother. Sometimes, if I'm very exhausted, I'll go to bed earlier, like 7:30. This is not how I imagined things at 24 years old. LOL.

3:30 a.m. — I'm waking up at this ungodly hour again. AGAIN! Y'all I have a whole college degree, there's no reason I should be working in retail still. I cry, but I also pull my tail out of bed so I can make this (weak) money.

8:30 a.m. — I'm hungry so I buy some snacks. Here's the catch though, our company gave us gift cards to thank us for working during the pandemic (as if we had a choice) so even though this cost $3, it doesn't come out of my actual account. One cheer for that.

9 a.m. — I have an obsession with Bad Bunny and his music. I make the mistake of scrolling Bad Bunny merch on Etsy during my break so I end up buying a Bad Bunny cup that I don't need but I'm going to buy anyway. $18

1 p.m. — I'm crying. Back to my second job again. My schedule is all out of whack because I'm filming a short film this week. Oh, yall didn't know I was an actress?! Sure am. I also just got the news that another film I was set to work on got canceled, so I'll be in the corner mending my crushed heart.

4 p.m. — I try to get my runs in later in the day because it's still hot as the dickens but at least there's a little more shade. I still want to throw up every time I hit that pavement and sometimes I'm so tired from waking up so early that I don't even think I'll make it but I always do. My body is determined for that exercise I guess.

4:30 p.m. — I have a call with my accountability partner. We're coming up with tasks to do to help grow/market our businesses. I have a degree in PR and I'm trying really hard to get my own firm off the ground.

5:30 p.m. — I visit with my aunt because she's about to move. Some relatives we haven't seen in years are also there, and we visit with them too even though I don't really want to be around people because of the virus.

7 p.m. — I call my co-star and we run lines to prepare for tomorrow's shoot. The bulk of my lines and scenes are tomorrow so I'm prepared AF. I'm super excited because acting is what I've wanted to do since I was a kid and now I'm actually booking things on my own and paving my own way in the entertainment industry.

9 p.m. — This is way later than I usually stay up on a weeknight. I do get to sleep in a little bitty bit tomorrow, so it's fine, I suppose.

5:35 a.m. — I get to sleep in today. Thank god. I get up, get my wardrobe, do my "makeup," which is just me mixing a little foundation with moisturizer and putting on mascara. Then I start my hour and a half drive to get to set. We filmed Tuesday at an actual studio, but today we're filming at a crew member's home.

8 a.m. — We meet at our designated spot and are shuttled to set. We sit and wait for a bit while the crew gets everything in order to shoot. I get mic-ed up while this happens. My mic goes on me on a stretchy band under my shirt, it's almost like a waist trainer, and I know it's going to roll up and make me sweat like a hog due to the fact that we'll be filming outside and it feels like 105 and my outfit consists of jeans. I cry.

9:30 a.m. — We start filming and even though we are in the shade, it's so hot. I'm sweating bullets and so is the whole crew. The camera guy literally has to hold an umbrella over his camera to keep it from overheating. All in all, this scene takes about an hour and a half.

11:30 a.m. — It's time for my next scene so I have to give up the wonderful cool air of the house and go out to the sidewalk where the sun has complete access to my skin. I don't have any speaking lines in this scene.

1 p.m. — The studio buys us lunch. Thank god for booking paid gigs with catered food.

2 p.m. — I start my drive back home. I'm so tired so it feels like such work to keep my eyes open. People are literally speeding around me in a cloud of dust, but I got a ticket on this route before for speeding so I won't go a hair over 60 MPH. The other drivers can be mad about it.

3:20 p.m. — There's this restaurant I've been wanting to try out — it's Vietnamese food and their fruit teas are so good. The food is not very good and I'm disappointed. $11

9 p.m. — I have another early day tomorrow so I'm going to hit the sheets.

7 a.m. — It's time to get up. I'm filming something different today so I have to prep myself for that. I'm tired.

7:45 a.m. — I have to be on location at 8:30, but I want to stop and get donuts first because I'm never in town when this donut place is open and this place is heavenly. Of course, the line is out the door, but I'm going to get some donuts even if I'm late. $4

8:20 a.m. — I show up on location. They're filming the previous shot. I meet everyone who will be in this particular scene with me. We're downtown so there are a few early morning stragglers. One of them is a lady with a microphone, who is sweating bullets, yelling bible passages to no one. Louisiana is a weird place.

9 a.m. — Time to go home.

10 a.m. — I do some work on my business and contemplate bringing back my true-crime podcast that I took a hiatus from.

12:30 p.m. — I have lunch with my dad (po'boys) and he pays.

4 p.m. — I'm trying to finish a workbook on branding so I can have my business on point and start making some shmoney. I'm also applying for jobs. It's literally so exhausting, it drains the life from me.

9 p.m. — I don't have to be up early tomorrow but I'm dead inside. I'm so tired from this week that I'm just going to hit the sheets right now! I don't feel any remorse about it either, goodnight.

10 a.m. — I finally get to sleep in a little bit. I drag out of bed and eat a bag of cookies for breakfast and then take my antidepressant. I take it every day for the record, we don't skip in this house.

12:30 p.m. — I've been writing since breakfast. I have two articles to turn in for my publication. I wrote on my manifest list at the beginning of the year that I wanted to be paid to be a writer for someone and someone offered me a job on her blog a few weeks ago. I'm writing about relationships for her, not that I'm an expert.

3:30 p.m. — My friend who lives in Dallas is here so I meet her for a socially distant visit. I visit her and her dad for about an hour. Her dad got on my nerves but I missed her.

4:45 p.m. — I haven't bought groceries this week yet because I've been so busy. So this is my first chance. This costs me $40, but I used the gift card that the company gave me so it's free :) This is pretty helpful to my bank account.

8 p.m. — Time for bed again so I can start this foolery all over again. I can't wait to be doing something I like full-time. Hopefully, my acting career will take off soon. Because that is the ultimate goal, to have my own PR firm and be an A-list actress. I'm claiming it, y'all remember this.

3:30 a.m. — Bruh. Why did I wake up and our AC wasn't working. Like Louisiana isn't equivalent to Satan's armpit at this time of year. Actually, that's year-round. Thankfully, we have a cousin that knows how to fix ACs.

4 a.m. — I clock in and go heat up my breakfast and get to work. I usually listen to audiobooks for the first three hours I'm at work because the public isn't allowed in until 7. I'm currently listening to The Turn of the Key. It's pretty good. I like scary stuff.

11 a.m. — I leave work early because I have friends visiting from out of town and we're going to get sushi.

3:30 p.m. — Please tell me why we just got to the restaurant and I've only eaten an apple since breakfast. My stomach has nearly disintegrated itself. I'm always the first one places because I have a pet peeve about being late. My friends do not hold those same opinions. Usually, I don't spend this much on food unless it's groceries but we get the all-you-can-eat, and I tip because I don't suck. $46

8 p.m. — A girl I know is a bodybuilder and she offers fitness and nutrition packages. I decide to buy one and then I hit the hay. $140

3:30 a.m. — Cries. Off to work I go.

11:30 a.m. — I'm leaving work early again because I'm the worst, but I'm so tired and I want to sit and relax and eat lunch before I go to my other job.

1 p.m. — My other boss is trying to teach me this new software. I just want a nap. I'm learning it, and I'm also kind of working on my own stuff in between. All is fair in love and making that shmoney.

5:30 p.m. — I'm going for my run even though it is so hot I could throw up. The sun is relentless, I'd fight it if I could. Truly. But let me get this wack cardio in.

8 p.m. — I'm trying to go to sleep, but a group I volunteer with keeps messaging me. I also have to back up my computer because it just informed me that a fan isn't working and it could crap out at any minute, I'm screaming on the inside. I subscribe to a backup thing so I won't lose YEARS of pictures, emo writings, and stuff for my business. But let me hit the sheets because I have to start it all again tomorrow. $6