A Week In Los Angeles, CA, On A $51,500 Salary

How are your 2021 New Year's Resolutions going? Are you staying strong? Have you lapsed on a few? Talk to us about your goal-setting, both this year and in the past, here.

Today: an elementary school teacher who makes $51,500 per year and spends some of her money this week on Bridgerton.

Occupation: Elementary School Teacher
Industry: Education
Age: 52
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Salary: $51,500 (it was more last year but I took a 10% pay cut due to the pandemic)
Net Worth: $3,700 ($4,000 in savings. It was $5,000 but I had to move some money over to pay rent this month. My new year's resolution was to save to $5,000 by the end of 2020. One day to go and I backslid. Plus, about $400 in Acorns. Minus debt. My husband and I don't share finances. I was really badly burned in my divorce (all the assets were in my ex's name), so I have a hard time trusting men when it comes to money. I also owe bankruptcy money, more on that below, but I think of it as a monthly expense.)
Debt: $700 car loan to pay off a brake emergency
Paycheck Amount (biweekly): $1,633
Pronouns: She/her

Monthly Expenses
Rent: $1,400 (I split the rent with my husband, paying slightly more because my daughter lives with us. He pays $1200. I would love to own a home/condo but have no idea where I would come up with my portion of a downpayment. Rent is basically taking money and setting it on fire, but housing costs here are extreme compared to what I take home. It is a vicious circle. We pay enough rent that we should be paying it as a mortgage, but we don't have enough for a down payment for a house. Anyone had a crystal ball with the lottery numbers? If so, please hit me up.)
Car Payment: $341
Bankruptcy Payment: $288 (I owed over $100,000 but through chapter 13, my lawyer was able to negotiate for me to pay this amount every month for five years. I have 10 months left.)
Dental Insurance: $60 (taken pre-tax)
Health Insurance: $80 (taken pre-tax).
Internet: $75
Pet Expenses: $100
Gas: $15
Amazon Prime, Spotify/Hulu, Disney Plus, Netflix: $45

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?
It was always presumed that I would go to college. My parents both went and I was very fortunate that they paid in full for me to attend a four-year university and also one semester of graduate school. I attended school out of state, but teach in California. Some of my credits didn't transfer, so for the last two years, I have completed a certification program for California. I paid for it out of pocket, one class at a time. It cost around $12,000. I would love to get a master's (maybe in writing for children) but the thought of taking on so much debt gives me hives — plus not sure anyone would actually loan me money, given my bankruptcy situation.

Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent/guardian(s) educate you about finances?
We didn't really talk about money growing up. My family was well off, especially in the small town where I grew up. We had a vacation home and took nice vacations. I knew my parents argued about money, but they didn't do it in front of us too much. I always got a new dress for a dance and they paid to put three children through school.

What was your first job and why did you get it?
My first job was babysitting. We spent the summers in a lake town and I advertised my services to parents who were vacationing and wanted a night out. I didn't need the money for anything, but I wanted to work. I had a newspaper delivery service, babysitting, and a lemonade stand at the soccer games at the school next to my house. I guess I was always a little business-minded. I worked at a clothing store in the mall in high school, at a restaurant, a camp, and a gym in college — all the typical jobs people my age did to make money.

Did you worry about money growing up?
I did not worry about money growing up. We had everything we needed and then some.

Do you worry about money now?
I worry about money every single day, multiple times a day — whether it is while I am at the grocery store, calculating to see if I have enough to cover our cart, or late at night when I think about how I will probably still be teaching at 70 because I have no retirement savings, no pension, and no backup plan.

At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net?
I guess I became financially independent when I got my first job post-graduate school. Then I got married so my husband (now my ex) was that, even though he was extremely controlling about the finances. He used to make me go over the credit card statement each month line item by line item and tell him what I spent it on. When we split up, I hadn't worked outside of the home in years. He had cleaned out our checking account and I needed money to hire an attorney. My sister loaned me the money, for which I will be forever grateful. I paid her back when our house sold. Now I think if I were in trouble, I could look to my current husband. But it would be a giant financial burden on him if he had to support us all.

Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain.
I received $10,000 when my grandmother passed away. I used it to help pay for the downpayment of the house I used to live in. That money was used to pay back my sister after the house sold.

6 a.m. — The day begins at oh-dark-thirty with a rapid COVID test. In spite of all our precautions, my daughter, F., tested positive, then three days later so did my husband, K. He has been quarantining separately from us (he was hoping to escape it) and wants me to get tested. If I test positive, he will move back in, but not if I'm negative. The swab is a brain scraper. Tears streaming down my face, I drive away. Ten minutes later I get the test results: Negative. Husband has to stay away ten more days. $185

6:15 a.m. — Stress order two breakfast burritos with egg, sausage, and potatoes after I get my results — one for me and one for the COVID kid. It had been seven days for me plus two negative COVID tests, so I put on my mask and pick up a curbside order, fairly confident that this won't turn into a super spreader event. Burritos are $15 and I tip the guys $5. $20

6:30 a.m. — Stop for coffee from Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf (so much better than Starbucks!!!). I have a gift card so the coffee is FREE — whoopee. Usually, I try to hoard gift cards, but today calls for someone else making the coffee.

11:30 a.m. — I have a $15 credit from Amazon and I need dishwasher pods. After COVID took down my household, I am trying not to go to grocery stores for a while. The dishwasher pods are $17.16, so thank you Amazon for that credit! $2.16

1:30 p.m. — Order Diet Coke and Smart Water. Plus bottle charge. Plus delivery fee. Plus tip. Thank you Amazon Fresh. I am way too devoted to all things Amazon. When the pandemic is over, I vow to return to supporting small businesses because they need it and JB certainly does not. $30.90

5 p.m. — Order Thai food for myself and my daughter to share, plus food to drop off for the main man in quarantine. Food is $50 and I tip $12. There is always someone struggling more than I am, so I try to stay cognizant of that. I also drop off meds, disinfectant wipes, a package of chicken apple sausage, granola, the tea kettle from the house, tea, a pint of ice cream from the freezer, and some ugly fruit strips from the cupboard for my husband. Can't let him starve. We then head home and watch all eight episodes of Bridgerton. Wow is this yummy! Almost makes up for not having another season of You this year. $62

8 p.m. — Log on to Instacart and put frozen peaches, frozen pineapple, frozen strawberries, frozen raspberries, frozen blueberries, frozen pizza, and pineapple juice into my cart. F. has been drinking a lot of smoothies during quarantine. Total comes to an eye-watering $83. I decide that isn't happening. Funds are low and I found out right before the holidays that I am losing my job at the end of the school year. Log out of Instacart without purchasing anything and go to sleep. The dog is sleeping on my husband's side of the bed.

7:13 a.m. — The dog wakes me up by sitting on my chest, peering down at me, and whining. Sigh. I have to get up and walk him. This is usually K.'s job, but quarantine... Throw on a face mask and walk him around the block. Head to the Coffee Bean for another free coffee. Thirty dollars left on the card. I should ration it, but knowing me, I probably won't. Hand wash and sanitize the coffee and myself, then sit on the couch and check my bank balance. I do this every day to take my balance's temperature. Sad to say that it isn't looking "healthy" at the moment.

11 a.m. — So obsessed with Bridgerton I decide to buy the first book in the series. Pull the trigger at Amazon, hoping that I don't really like it — if I do, there are eight more in the series. More books equal more money. One of the hardest things for me about COVID is not visiting book stores. I am a real book addict. I miss looking at books, touching books, smelling books, everything about books. Virtual browsing just isn't the same thing. $7.46

11:30 a.m. — Eat a lunch of salt and vinegar chips, crackers, chocolate-covered peanuts, and EmergenC. In spite of myself, I do not eat a healthy meal. Give the leftover Thai to F. — the sacrifices parents make for their kids — even if the kid is 20! Revisit Instacart and am relieved to see they are out of pineapple juice. Nope. Close it out with my bank balance intact.

1 p.m. — After taking the dog for a walk, I notice my masks are starting to smell. I wash them religiously but apparently, that is not enough. Check out a sale at MASQD. Not only is it a woman-owned and operated business, but I recently saw a pic of J. Lo wearing one. She and I are the same age so subconsciously and through osmosis I think if she is wearing them (and she is gorgeous, fit, and amazing) then maybe I too can be gorgeous, fit, and amazing...instead of tired, grey-haired, and in need of a waxing. Oh, how I miss you, pre-pandemic beauty treatments! They are having a huge sale so I buy two, one with leopard print and one with sparkles. If nothing else, my kiddos will love them if I ever get back to teaching in person. F. and I share them so I don't feel too, too bad about spending the money. $29.60

2:30 p.m. — Hop on two calls, first an interview. They like me enough to ask me to do a demo lesson. Yikes, it has been years since I have had to do one of those! This one especially will be a challenge because I don't know the kids, and it is over Zoom. Zoom is hard enough when you do know the kids because between TikTok and technology issues, it is hard to keep them focused. My stress level skyrockets. When I hang up, I immediately call my boss. She is so awesome with her time and supportive with her comments. I make a mental note to send her a bottle of wine.

4:40 p.m. — Decide to stress eat my feelings. Place an order for cupcakes and a vegan brownie for F. She is dairy-free, so I am always on the lookout for good vegan options. Curbside pick up for the win. $10

Daily Total: $47.06

6:30 a.m. — Mask on, dog walk, coffee ordered through the app with the gift card. Pick it up and drink it while everyone else is asleep. Eat dry Honey Nut Cheerios out of the box for breakfast and feed some to the dog. I need to start writing report cards but can't seem to motivate. Losing my job right before the holidays, plus F. and K. having COVID has really gotten me feeling down.

10 a.m. — I also really miss my family. They all live together in another state. I haven't seen my mom since January of last year. I log on to the Garrett Popcorn website and send her a box of Frango mints. I know this will make her day brighter. $19

12 p.m. — Eat a lunch of a turkey hot dog, baby carrots, and veggie sticks. Make the same lunch for F. and the dog, though he doesn't get the veggie sticks.

6 p.m. — After a day spent thinking about work, but not actually working, I make tater tot bowls for myself and F. for dinner. Money is tight so we are using up what is in the house. Eggs, turkey sausage, tater tots (both regs and sweet potato), spinach, and hot sauce. Easy and satisfying. Drink a passionfruit La Croix from the fridge. Watch some TV and text with the hubby to hear about his symptoms. Apparently his hands tingle...who knew??? Tell him I love him, pop two Zzzquil to quiet my racing brain, and read until I fall asleep.

6 a.m. — The dog is getting up earlier each day. After a mask and a walk, it's coffee time. The gift card balance is getting precariously low, but I can't seem to stop.

10 a.m. — Make a piece of walnut bread toast with almond butter for breakfast. Slice and plop some strawberries on top. Eat it with an Emergen-C chaser. Make a mental note to order some more. Do some light cleaning — I feel like since COVID came home, all I do is wipe down surfaces. Notice we are out of garbage bags, and randomly I am out of hair ties.

10:30 a.m. — Hop on Amazon and order vanilla and lilac-scented garbage bags and black hair ties. After I check out, I fall down the rabbit hole of Amazon. There are so many amazing things there, like car holders for condiments. Who knew??? When I come up for air, I realize we are out of tissues. Sigh. I know MD readers will probably be displeased by my reliance on Amazon, but during COVID, a girl's got to do what a girl's got to do. I am hoping if we've learned anything this year, it is to go easier on each other and ourselves. $17.99

11:31 a.m. — Order tissue boxes on Amazon. Say a silent prayer that it is all sent in one box. Apologize to the gods of recycling. $9.60

12 p.m. — Lunch is frozen pizza. Unfortunately for me, I let it cook too long and it is fairly black on the top. I choose to eat it anyway because, as they say, bad pizza is still pizza. F. looks at it and laughs. She chooses vegan mac and cheese from the freezer. Check-in with K. who says he wants orange juice. I tell him I will look for it and let him know. Still trying to avoid the grocery store at all costs.

4:30 p.m. — Find out someone I know died of a COVID-related health issue. Donate to the GoFundMe for his family. Wish it could be more. $20

7 p.m. — Cook a breaded chicken breast with broccoli and sweet potato for dinner. Split it with F. If I say so myself, it kicked ass. Usually, I undercook the chicken but not this time. Say a prayer of gratitude that even though financially at times it is a struggle, we are pretty well off compared to other people. I've read horrific articles about the hospitals in L.A. during this crisis, as well as moms who can't pay their rent. It makes me so sad. I wish I could do more. I sometimes joke I have an overdeveloped empathy gene, but maybe it is the truth.

7 a.m. — Walk dog, get coffee. Repeat. By now it is clear this is a habit. I am trying to tell myself that when the gift card runs out, I will stop. We shall see.

8 a.m. — After showering, I look in my sock drawer and realize I am down to two pairs. Look on the Uniqlo website and order three white pairs. F. swears by these socks and she is the coolest person I know, so I take a page from my daughter's playbook and order some. Almost positive she will be "borrowing" them from me. $12.90

11 a.m. — Have a brunch-like meal at home. Make fried rice with a chicken breast, frozen peas and carrots, coconut aminos, hot sesame chili oil, an egg, and brown rice from the freezer. I like this meal because it is tasty and a crowd-pleaser. Check-in with K. He had a rough night with body aches. I am worried about him because nobody seems to get this disease in the same way. F., however, seems to be almost over it.

3 p.m. — Decide to take the dog to the dog park so he can run free. We live in an apartment and I always feel guilty that he doesn't socialize more with other dogs or have his own backyard. The park is like a giant backyard. Notice that my gas tank is about half-full so I top it off. I never want to be below half a tank in case of an earthquake or other natural disaster. $10

6 p.m. — Dinner is pancakes and fruit. F. wanted pancakes so I obliged.

8 p.m. — K. wants orange juice. I drive through Starbucks and pick him up a couple of mini bottles. Drive over to where he is quarantining and drop them off. Blow him kisses through the car window. $4.99

7 a.m. — Mask up, walk the dog, skip the coffee. It seems like a lot of work this morning. Make a piece of sourdough toast with Nutella and strawberries on it. Yes, I am aware that I eat like an eight-year-old. Please pass the dinosaur chicken nuggets.

9 a.m. — Spend most of the day watching Netflix and Hulu with F. She discovered Shonda Rhimes during COVID and sucked me into watching all of Grey's Anatomy, all of Private Practice, all of Station 19, and now we are on season seven of Scandal. Kerry Washington has such amazing chemistry with both of her leading men, plus she is drop-dead gorgeous to boot. Can't decide if I am team Olitz or team Olake. In any event, if I were to ever run into any of these actors from these shows, I would totally have a fangirl moment and tell them that they saved me during COVID. It's L.A., it could happen! In between episodes, I check in with K. He is still feeling under the weather.

12 p.m. — Eat leftover fried rice for lunch. I also consume an ice cream sandwich and a Diet Coke. That is one habit I would really like to break this year, but I just can't quit it. Look longingly at my bike, but we aren't really supposed to be riding currently. Give a deep sigh. I ordered the bike in May, like everyone else, and it didn't come until October. I rode it pretty often until the second stay-at-home order came out. I now walk about three miles a day, but I miss my turquoise beauty.

3 p.m. — Spend a large part of the afternoon commiserating with my fellow teachers via text message. The school closing announcement was very sad. We have all had a hard time processing it. When I finally stop texting, I watch a holiday video the kids sent to us. I have a good cry. The pandemic really sucks.

5:30 p.m. — Cook another chicken breast for dinner, this time with purple potatoes and roasted carrots. Split the meal with F. Eat some mint chip ice cream (is there any other kind?), text K. for a while, then read. Decide to take a bubble bath and use up the rest of my bubble bath.

7:30 p.m. — Use a portion of a gift card we were gifted from the Parent Association to buy new bubble bath....from Amazon...

7:31 p.m. — Use another portion of the gift card to order and send some to my mom. She is in her 70s and I really miss her. I haven't hugged her in almost a year. I don't know when I am going to see her again. I think I am sending her comfort things and small luxuries because I can't be with her. I have an overdeveloped guilt gene as well — even though this is not my fault, I still feel bad that I can't be with her. I am very thankful that the rest of my family is there to take care of her.

6 a.m. — Yes, the coffee habit reigns supreme. Order on the app while walking the dog. Not sure if this is brilliant or a new low, but I have coffee waiting when we make it around the block.

8 a.m. — Back at home, unearth a scone from the freezer. It is almond with raspberry jam from this awesome place on the westside of town called Milo and Olive. Pop it in the toaster oven and hover over it — can't have a repeat of the frozen pizza incident. Eat it while scrolling through the sites I visit every morning: the news, People Magazine, Refinery29, Revolve, and Shopbop. I have no social media, just don't see the point, but I find other ways to get in my time sucks.

10 a.m. — I sit down and finally conquer the report cards. It is so hard to grade students virtually. It is hard for them to learn. They have technology and attention challenges. As hard as everyone is trying, I know that is a challenge and I feel for each one of them. I try to grade with empathy. Even so, if you never turn in the homework, it's going to count against you.

1 p.m.— Take a break to channel my inner Olivia Pope and have popcorn and a smooth blended with EmergenC for lunch. She has wine I am aware, but wine and report cards don't mix. I also have to start thinking about what I am doing the first week back — four days to figure it out. Zoom learning is hard, and so is zoom teaching. I was hoping this break would be rejuvenating but too many feelings have made that a challenge.

2 p.m. — A work friend texts to say she can't get into Bridgerton. I want to text back and ask what is wrong with her, but instead, I tell her to skip to episode six. If you know, you know.

6 p.m. — Too tired to do much of anything, so I order two pizzas. One is for F. and me to split and one to drop off to K. Four more days of separation. I am totally over this. I try to stay positive and reflect on all the good things that happened in 2020, but it is hard not to worry about 2021. $16