A Week In Suburban Detroit On A $104,000 Salary

Occupation: Supply Chain Management
Industry: Automotive
Age: 41
Location: Suburban Detroit, MI
Salary: $104,000 + profit sharing bonus (generally $30,000/year)
Paycheck Amount (Biweekly): $2,400

Monthly Expenses
Mortgage: $1,700 ($850 for my half. I live with my husband, T., and we try to split all payments 50/50. He makes roughly the same amount of money as I do. We keep savings separate as well.)
Loans: $0 (My car is paid off, and I have my parents to thank for my undergraduate degree.)
Water/Sewage/Trash: $120 ($60 for my half)
Gas/Electric: $160 ($80 for my half)
DirecTV: $155 ($78 for my half)
Cleaning Service: $150 ($75 for my half)
Cell Phone: $155 for mine
Netflix: 10.99 (I pay)
Savings: In 2019 I will contribute $19,000 to my 401(k) (and my company will match 50% up to 4%) and $6,000 into my Roth IRA. I also contribute as I can to my investment account, where I purchase shares of individual stocks and mutual funds.

Annual Expenses
Costco Membership: $120 ($60 for my half)
Auto Insurance: $1,200
Giving: I try to contribute $2,000 to $3,000 per year to a few causes that are close to my heart. I also volunteer my time monthly to one of these causes.

6:15 a.m. — Good morning! Up at 6:15 to ease into my day. Typically my husband, T., is out the door by 6, so I tend to use this time to putz around and get my head right for my day. I make coffee and then feed and brush my sweet kitty. Chill for a bit and meditate on the Simple Abundance daily message and mentally prepare for the day ahead. One of my January goals is 10,000 steps a day and that's not so easy with a desk job, so I hop on the treadmill for a quick 20-minute walk/jog. Shower, primp, grab my lunch that I made last night (sad salad is what I call it), and I'm out the door! I listen to a podcast during my short drive to work. My favorites are mostly true crime (duh), with Crime Junkie being my current favorite. I hit the ground running at work. It's very busy, and we are expediting some trial material, so I make calls to suppliers for most of the morning to get an idea of timing to pull everything together.

12 p.m. — Sad salad at my desk during lunchtime. I sneak in some Amazon shopping, too, and restock some essential supplements. I swear by vitamin D in the winter, so I reorder those along with omegas, some Quest bars on sale, and a new set of silverware because our old set has mysteriously dwindled. $185.63

5:30 p.m. — Time to go, and it's Chipotle Friday (get excited!), I swing by to pick up a to-go order of two double chicken salad bowls with queso and guac on the side. They know me here — I'm kind of a big deal. Dinner at home with T. He enjoys a Two Hearted Ale with his Chipotle, but I'm doing Dry January so I stick with a seltzer water. Calling it an early night because I have a busy day tomorrow! $24.05

7 a.m. — It's a Girl's Day this Saturday...and first, I'm meeting my friend for a workout. We each purchased a Groupon for this boot-camp style workout a few weeks back, and it's time to give it a try. Here goes nothing!

10 a.m. — Holy cannoli, that was killer. It was kind of like CrossFit lite, and there may be repercussions in my future from those deadlifts and wall balls. I tried CrossFit a few years ago and did not fare well. My friend and I stop at a local coffee shop for a post-workout tea and chat about our plan for the evening: dinner and a comedy show! One of the Instagram accounts I follow, Girl With No Job (Claudia Oshry), is in town, and I'm looking forward to her show! $3

7 p.m. — Dinner was just okay — we went to a French restaurant, and it did not live up to the hype, but I may have ordered the wrong thing. My friend and I shared a seafood mélange and tempura cauliflower. Dry January = cheaper eating out ($34.09 for my half with tip.) I pay my friend for my ticket ($53). The show is really good! Claudia Oshry is super funny and also a very talented singer, which you probably already know if you follow her. However, this evening is brought to you by feeling old — she's a youngin', and the audience is too. $87.09

10 p.m. — After the show, we walk in the frigid cold and visit a few old haunts. We both used to live in Royal Oak, a trendy young suburb, and we loved our time there! That's where I purchased my first house on my own, and it definitely holds a special place for me. Memories! We end the evening like any good night out should — Leo's Coney Island for chili cheese fries. It's a different experience stone sober, but I'm here for it! $6

9 a.m. — Welp — as expected, damage was done at the CrossFit lite boot camp. My lower back is all kinds of seized up, and I'm concerned. So clearly, it's a couch day for me, as my saint of a hubs does some meal prep for the week. I move from the oversized chair with a heating pad to the couch to snuggle with the kitty and my husband. We're rewatching The Sopranos from season one while we eat Italian takeout from Maggiano's — delicious penne and lasagna along with sourdough, because I want all the carbs. Hubs' treat! The only thing that would perfect this meal would be a glass of cabernet, but it wouldn't be prudent, so I'm not gonna do it. To bed early with some magnesium and ZzzQuil. Sorry 10,000 steps, not going to happen today.

6:30 a.m. — OMG, Monday after the worst night of sleep ever. (My back was hella bothering me.) I'm on the struggle bus. I hobble to the kitchen to start the coffee and feed the kitty, but no brushes today because momma's no bueno. I text my boss that I'll be in late, sit on the heating pad, and try to muster the will to live. I do a whole series of stretching, foam rolling, and even walking to try and loosen up my lower back. I stop at CVS on my way to work for a ThermaCare heat wrap and a bag of peanut M&M's. $11.89

1 p.m. — Totally should have called in sick, but I am hoping to take at least a half day this Friday because we have friends coming into town to stay with us, and I need the time to get our house in order and prepare some food. At least the day is busy at work and that distracts from the back pain, along with the ThermaCare wrap, which helps immensely.

4:30 p.m. — I am leaving early due to pain, and mercifully T. has offered to make dinner. Filet and veggies FTW! Every couple months, we purchase a beef tenderloin at Costco, and T. slices it into filets and bags two per Ziploc so we have easy dinners about once a week. It comes out to like $5-6 per filet which is a steal for a nice cut of beef. After dinner, it's Sopranos and scrolling through social media. I take my magnesium (and a muscle relaxer), and it's off to dreamland. I sleep like a baby.

6 a.m. — Officially making a chiro appointment — this is a little scary. My new a.m. routine includes a heating pad and wallowing in self-pity. I read my daily Simple Abundance in an attempt to gain some perspective. I end up getting my treadmill time in, and moving does help!

8 a.m. — Workin' it! We're busy with new product launches today, so that makes the time go. T.'s daughter is at college and recently switched from a more specialized major to business/marketing. I am really happy for her because my business undergrad degree afforded me a lot of different opportunities, and I think it's a degree that can be used for many careers. I'm still not sure what I want to be when I grow up, but I am happy for now. The rest of the work day flies buy in a flurry of material certifications.

6 p.m. — It's my free evening because T. has a work dinner. I stop at a health food store on the way home and purchase some CBD balm for my back. (That's cannabidiol oil — $47.99 for a small amount.) Michigan just passed legalized recreational use for marijuana, and although it may not be available for some time as the industry ramps up, medicinal marijuana has been legal for years here. I personally have not used cannabis products since college, but the merits of the plant cannot be overlooked. I have started investing fairly seriously in the industry via stocks (CGC and MJ are two that I own.) Get home, CBD it up, and scavenge for dinner, which ends up being Trader Joe's frozen turkey meatballs and some steamed broccoli with parmesan couscous on the side. $47.99

6 a.m. — Getting back to my normal morning routine. I'm feeling better, but I still vow to make that chiro appointment. I have flex dollars from last year that I need to use by March, so I'd like to get in with a chiropractor now to prepare for the next time I decide to jump into a new workout routine.

8 a.m. — Work is productive, but I have a new neighbor in a nearby cubicle, which has been an experience. He is constantly talking about non-work topics with zero regard for those around him. And equally as irritating to me, he is a heavy smoker and the smell is positively nauseating. On goes my oil diffuser and in go the headphones. Pandora “Sunday Funday Brunch,” take me away! This is just one example of why I have been a diligent saver — I'm looking forward to my Act Two, when I get to step away from the 8-to-5 grind for something part-time (hopefully my same job, but with part-time hours). For now, I told myself I would work full-time at least through the current presidential administration.

1 p.m. — Run out for some errands. First, I fill my car with gas ($34.50) — I always try to fill up on Wednesdays for the best price! Then I make a stop at Old Navy for some new t-shirts ($41.63) to wear underneath sweaters. (Old Navy Luxe black short sleeve tees are my go-to.) Next, Ulta for some products — my dermatologist recently suggested that I look into a prescription for Tretinoin, but I think I will start with an OTC retinoid. I settle on Strivectin and add on a Kate Somerville bundle leftover from holidays ($189.94). (I love the ExfoliKate!) $266.07

2:30 p.m. — My afternoon is crazy busy arranging deliveries of various parts. I work until about 7, and then finally wave the white flag. I get home to see that I have a Stitch Fix delivery, yes! I had requested “athleisure” items, and excitedly unbox everything. I am immediately disappointed with the cost of what I received — $258 for five items (including the 25% discount for keeping all five). I think not. I am out the $20 styling fee, but this is all going back. $20

8 p.m. — Dinner is leftover Italian and The Sopranos. I fall asleep on the couch watching, which is typical.

6 a.m. — Lots to fit in today! My back is feeling much better, so I get my morning routine underway, including treadmill time and a few free weight exercises for good measure. I'm making a mental list of all the preparation items to get underway for our guests' arrival. Off to work while listing to my podcasts.

12 p.m. — Lunch is a sad salad inhaled at desk, and then I run to the grocery to pick up items to make white chicken chili, a breakfast casserole, and brownies to have on hand this weekend. Drop items at home, and I'm back to work. $98.35

1:30 p.m. — Back at it for the afternoon. I take a break to browse Facebook and see a GoFundMe page for a sweet family from my hometown who had a medical emergency while on vacation. It sounds scary, and I send up a prayer for all involved. $100

7 p.m. — It's bowling league night! I don't really have time for this tonight, but I committed and I always end up having a great time despite my lack of bowling skills. Dinner at the bowling alley is tater tots with ranch dressing — the bomb. It's $21 total for bowling and tots. When I get home, I clean the bathroom. This is living! $21

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