A Week In Los Angeles On A $154,000 Joint Income

Occupation: Student/law clerk
Industry: Law
Age: 29
Location: Los Angeles
Salary: $24,000
Joint income: $154,000 — my husband, J., and I combined all finances when we got married.
Assets: Investments (which we treat as savings): $759,000 (joint); cars’ worth: $12,000 (me: $10,000; J.: $2,000); retirement: $65,000 (me), $265,000 (J.); jewelry: $7,000. We pay all bills out of a joint checking account.
Debt: $0
Paycheck amount (2x/month): $500 from main law job, $200 from other gigs (tutoring etc.), $250 house- and pet-sitting. J.’s paycheck: $5,417 (twice a month).
Pronouns: She/her

Joint Monthly Expenses

Housing costs: $0, because I live with my aunt. J. and I got married right before he left for deployment (and did not live together prior). We’ll move in together when he’s back, but we don’t have the details yet on where and under what circumstances (buy/rent/etc) that will be.
Loan payments: $0

Note: J.’s expenses are minimal while he’s deployed. He’s in the military and does mainly IT and systems work.
Gym membership: $179
Horse expenses: $560
Gas: $240
Cell Phone: $45
Internet: $96

Annual Expenses

Health insurance: $175 (taken out of J.’s paycheck).
School fees: $5,581 (this includes tuition, books, etc.).
Streaming/Patreon: $72.72
Savings: We both max out our IRAs yearly in a lump sum.

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 was always a studious kid and enjoyed learning, plus both of my parents have college degrees. I received a bachelor’s and certificate right after high school that were fully funded through grants and scholarships. I was able to live with family and my parents covered living expenses. After college I worked for a couple years to build up savings to support myself in law school. Tuition has been mostly covered by scholarships but a good number of unexpected expenses have still come up (how do publishers think it’s okay to charge $300 for a book you need for 10 weeks?).

Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent(s)/guardian(s) educate you about finances?
We did not talk about money in my house and it was definitely a feast or famine mentality. Occasionally the credit card would be declined at the grocery store and my mother would discuss the importance of not spending beyond our means. Several times throughout my childhood, I became aware that we had borrowed money from friends or lent money to family that wouldn’t be paid back. At the same time, my siblings and I had lots of after-school activities, new clothes each year, and we’d travel frequently. This uncertainty has definitely shaped my money anxieties as an adult.

What was your first job and why did you get it?
I started pet-sitting for neighbors and family friends when I was around 14. I loved the independence and felt very important! In retrospect, it was a great way to start building towards financial independence as an adult but the money didn’t play a big role in my enjoying the work.

Did you worry about money growing up?
Constantly. I was conscious of being a burden on my parents with my private school and after-school sports and lessons. My little brothers had fewer extracurriculars and I was convinced I was the reason the credit card would be declined or my parents would fight about money. Looking back, “my” spending definitely wasn’t the breaking point but as a kid I felt a lot of guilt and anxiety about my contribution to the family money troubles.

Do you worry about money now?
Yes and no. My husband, J., has a good, reliable job and I have an offer for $105,000 per year once I pass the bar. However, we want children and would love to buy a house and I worry about the feasibility in such a high cost of living city. If we were to move to a more affordable town, I worry about finding a job that would pay as much and be as fulfilling.

At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net?
I became financially responsible for myself at 24 when I finished my certificate program. I worked full-time and covered all of my recurring expenses, however my parents would occasionally pay for a flight home or load up the fridge when they came to visit. J. is definitely my financial safety net (for which I am so, so grateful) and his mother would help us if something really dire happened.

Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain.
No inheritances on my side but J. received about $10,000 when a distant relative passed while he was in college. This was the start of his investment nest egg. Now, I live with my aunt who insists that I don’t need to pay rent because I help out enough by running errands for her and managing some of her rental property. This is a game-changer in terms of keeping expenses low while I’m in school/my husband is overseas.

5:55 a.m. — I wake up and start the day with my Pilates class. I started at this studio to build strength after a car accident and it’s become my entire personality. It’s like my own little crossover episode of Real Housewives and Cheers. I’m billed $179 per month, which is tough to justify but it keeps me strong and the endorphins are worth it.

7:15 a.m. — 2% cappuccino from the adorable local cafe. This is free through my Amex Uber credit. I love this cafe — everything is pink and organic — and I spend altogether too much time chatting with the baristas.

8 a.m. — Pony time! I get to the barn, change in my back seat, and tack up my adorable horse, R. He was given to me by a friend who had some rough life changes in the last year. We’re really starting to hit our stride together (oooof, sorry for the pun). We go for a nice gallop and then I tuck him in with the rest of his breakfast.

9:45 a.m. — Get home and take a five-minute shower and get ready for work. I’ve been working for this firm for about six months and love my coworkers and my clients. However, it’s across the city so the miles on my car have been...not great. Cue up The National on shuffle and get going. Eat a banana in the car.

2:30 p.m. — Wake up from my email-writing, brief-drafting, government office-calling haze and help myself to an Americano and peanut butter cups from the office kitchen and an apple I brought from home. I’ve been trying to take off a few honeymoon pounds before we start trying for a baby (and for #vanity) but I need my afternoon chocolate to not be a total monster. Get back to work and head out around 5 p.m.

5:45 p.m. — Stop at Whole Foods on the way home to get groceries. Pick up coffee, grass-fed half and half, breakfast bars (RX — IYKYK), ground turkey, cauliflower rice, non-fat Greek yogurt, frozen cherries, frozen blueberries, acorn squash, and lots of greens. And chocolate. $76.24

6:30 p.m. — Pop dinner (squash and brussels sprouts) in the oven and go for a walk around the neighborhood and FaceTime my husband, J. He’s deployed for six months on the other side of the world and a little bit of undivided attention is necessary for me to feel loved and okay. We talk about his work drama and my anxiety over an upcoming ethics test I have to take to qualify for admission for the bar. Also, we touch base on when we want to start trying for a baby — after I pass the bar? When he gets home? When I qualify for maternity leave?

9:30 p.m. — Research adding a retinol to my very minimal skincare regimen... I’m nervous about a reaction so I end up getting a cheap bottle from The Ordinary to try it out before committing to a clean brand. Order placed, I shower, take care of my teeth and face, and pass out. $12.46

5:55 a.m. — Wake up, splash water on my face, grab my laptop, and head out the door to work out. The ladies in the class are awesome and we definitely laugh, sweat, and suffer together. After class, I start my “study hall” Friday. Same cafe, same cappuccino in hand, I open my laptop and start on my reading for next week.

8:15 a.m. — Take a little stretch break and the barista offers me another cap, on the house. How do I say no to that? This cafe doesn’t accept cash so I ask if I can tip via card and he says not to worry. Part of me feels guilty, but I’m here so much that I promise myself I’ll tip extra next time.

11 a.m. — Okay, that much espresso was a mistake. I get home and am a jittery, anxiety-filled mess. Pace around the house, chat with my aunt, and consider doing a caffeine detox. (Spoiler alert: This won’t happen.) After I’ve calmed down a little, I make a big salad, do some light housework and drive across town to take R. out for a spin. I notice that he’s a little sore on one leg and give him a nice cold hose. Hopefully he just played a little too hard. I would not love a vet bill right now.

2 p.m. — Take a break from studying (yay, law school) to talk with J. He’s on a boys’ trip to a nearby city while he and his coworkers have some blocked-out time off and he’s still awake and going strong at 6 a.m. I’m so, so happy he’s having fun but as he tells me about all the clubbing, I start to get a little snippy thinking about how much he’s spending. I manage to get the anxiety voice under control. We’re doing fine financially and I don’t need to micromanage his discretionary spending.

6 p.m. — Meet my friend to walk some dogs and catch up on her dating life. She’s having a Hot Girl Summer in October and I live for her crazy tales of the LA dating scene. The dogs belong to a client who I’ve been housesitting for for about three years: it’s two gentle giants and a Pomeranian who rules over the two others with his tiny, iron fist. We stop for a hot tea ($2.25 + $1 tip) and walk and chat until it’s dark out. $3.25

8:45 p.m. — When I get home, I have Girl Dinner of Greek yogurt, frozen cherries, some chips, and a simple salad. I take an everything shower, send a nice text to J., and spend a few minutes updating the finances spreadsheet. I fall asleep reading the NYT Style section and window shopping on Net-A-Porter.

7:20 a.m. — Wake up, splash water, head to Pilates. One of my classmates asks if the teacher is pregnant, which she is, but it feels super weird to share the news on her behalf. I’m in my head from weird dreams last night and am working off the funk. Luckily the teacher is BRUTAL and I sweat it out.

9:30 a.m. — Get home, shower off and do some life admin and make brunch: coffee with lots of cream, eggs with greens, and an Olipop. Have a wonderful talk with J. about our goals for the next year and what we want to do housing-wise when he gets back.

1:30 p.m. — Drive over to the barn and take out the four-legged critter. Luckily, he’s all better today and we have a lovely ride and I get to catch up with the barn gals. One just went engagement ring shopping with her boyfriend and we spend an hour trying to parse his recent behavior for clues to when he’ll propose. When I get home I laze around for a bit, then make stir-fry with turkey, the cauliflower rice and the rest of the greens. I eat it with a low-carb tortilla I discover in the back of the pantry. After I clean up, I sit down with another cup of coffee to do some heads-down school work.

4 p.m. — Have another cup of coffee and some chocolate to push through the last of the work and finally get around to washing my cashmere sweaters.

5:30 p.m. — Pop dinner in the oven — squash and green beans (what can I say, I’m a creature of habit). I spend a few minutes lining up tutoring sessions for next week. Go on a little stroll while dinner cooks to finish up my steps for the day.

7 p.m. — Eat dinner — delish — and rot on the couch for the rest of the night watching The Sopranos. Take a shower, do the dishes and pass out.

7:15 a.m. — I lie in bed scrolling until my alarm goes off and it’s time for a Keurig coffee with half and half. I occasionally do serving work with a catering company I worked for pre-pandemic and we have a brunch reunion gig today. I put on a skirt and silk blouse, grab a couple of protein bars and hit the road with a second cup of coffee.

8:45 a.m. — The parking validation code is not working and nobody from the venue is around to help us out. We (myself and the other servers) end up paying to park and hope to get reimbursed later. $16

1:45 p.m. — The gig flies by. It’s a 50-year reunion for a local college and it’s super sweet seeing all the folks catch up and laugh about old times. We take it in shifts eating our staff meal — more coffee, eggs, veggie sausage, and mini pastries. Nothing is brilliant but it does the job. Say goodbye to everyone and stop by the grocery store to get lettuce, frozen fruit, bananas, beans, dried fruit, squash, coffee, and an iced coffee and ginger ale to enjoy while doing chores this afternoon. $56.31

2:15 p.m. — Fill up the car for the week on the way home. Ouch! My car, which is a 2016 crossover, is getting progressively worse gas mileage. My wonderful mechanic said there’s nothing wrong, it’s just the way of things, but it’s making me seriously consider buying an EV as soon as I have a more steady paycheck. $62.72

2:30 p.m. — Once I’m home I put on workout clothes, put the groceries away, and have a long FaceTime catchup with J. He’s been questioning his next career move and is feeling a lot of guilt about the lifestyle of his current job. However, lately his work is going great, he’s been receiving a lot of on-the-job training, and has been offered a promotion if he signs another contract. It’s great to hear him happy and fired up! We also look at some Zillow listings and discuss what our family might look like.

4:45 p.m. — I drive over for another dog walking job — this time two littles. They only get walked for around 20 minutes so it’s a quick check-in and back home for $40. I spend the rest of the evening eating dinner (salad with mushrooms, avocado, and feta) and scrolling the internet. At some point I peel myself off the couch, brush my teeth, and crawl in bed, still in my sweats.

5:55 a.m. — Up before the sun for Pilates. I throw on an Outdoor Voices tank with lululemon bottoms, put my hair in a claw, and am out the door with a Keurig coffee in hand in under 10 minutes. One of the upsides to these early classes is watching the sun rise outside the windows. The hour flies by and I’m home and showered by 8 a.m.

9 a.m. — Stop by Trader Joe’s on the way to work and snag some beautiful fall flowers for the office. This is one of the little splurges that spark joy. Get into the office around 9:20 a.m., turn on Chappell Roan and have breakfast — an Americano with creamer, peanut butter cup, a boiled egg, and two ginger candies from my desk (#balance). Head-down document review for the rest of the morning. $12.86

2 p.m. — All hands and we get Chipotle! I have a sofritas bowl with veggies and guac (high roller) and save half for later...which ends up being an hour later. Have a cup of half-caf coffee around 3 p.m. with the rest of my bowl and more ginger. Draft a PowerPoint and work on some research. Around 4 p.m., the catering company for the firm event starts setting up. We have our annual party for clients and friends tonight! I keep working, slipping in my headphones to focus with the hustle and bustle. Around 5:30 p.m. I put on a little red dress and some Tod’s black leather sandals.

11 p.m. — The party is a success! End up chatting with a lot of clients I’ve only met via email or Zoom. And the food is incredible — mushroom tarts, charcuterie, mini lox pancakes, and CAKE. Get home, take off makeup, and pass out.

6:45 a.m. — I grudgingly get up to the alarm and do some light tidying around the house. After answering some school emails, I throw on a lululemon sweatshirt, tights, and sports bra (I promise I own other clothing) and head to Starbucks to get some school work done. I order a coffee with whole milk on the side with a gift card I had from a survey.

11:30 a.m. — I take a break to head to Pilates, across the street. My favorite teacher kicks my butt. Then it’s off to the barn where I take R. for a long trail ride and let him have some grass.

2 p.m. — I stop on the way home for a cappuccino (I know, I know) and pull out my laptop for a few hours’ school work. Around 5 p.m. I head home, pop dinner in the oven (acorn squash, brussels sprouts, and fruit for dessert). I watch a couple episodes of Gossip Girl and turn in around 9 p.m. $6.25

6:15 a.m. — I wake up, drink coffee number one, and check my email. I throw on jeans and a sweater with suede booties and take coffee number two with me. I get to school around 8 a.m. and do some reading before class, while munching on a half muffin and Cheetos from the student lounge.

12:30 p.m. — For lunch I enjoy a hard-boiled egg and leftover squash while I work on some reading for next week. One of my tutoring students stops by while I’m reading and I help her with a few problems.

3:45 p.m. — I finish up class for the day and drive straight to the barn, with a Waterloo from my locker to keep me company. The pony and I take a long walk and chat with some of the barn girlies until around 5 p.m.

4 p.m. — I work for a couple more hours then take a little walk around the condo complex to wind down. A salad for dinner with leftover brussels sprouts, an everything shower, a long FaceTime with J. and I’m off to bed around 10 p.m.