A Week In Tri-Cities, WA On A $81,000 Salary

Occupation: Teacher
Industry: Education
Age: 29
Location: Tri-Cities, WA
Salary: $81,000
Assets: I have a HYSA where I am saving for a house. I opened this account in February 2024 and it currently has $8,172.68 in it.
Debt: $76,160. I owe $58,000 in student loans for my undergrad and graduate degrees. I’m hoping loan forgiveness will be possible for me in the next few years (I just finished my sixth year in teaching). I have a personal loan with a balance of $9,745.78 and a loan against the equity in my car with a balance of $8,414.24. I took out these loans in January 2024 to pay off the last three credit cards I had and to help me save money on interest.
Paycheck amount (monthly): $5,000
Pronouns: She/her

Monthly Expenses

Housing costs: $545. I live with my sister, E., her boyfriend, A., and my two nephews. This amount covers rent, utilities, internet and Spectrum TV.
Student loans: $101.52
Personal loan: $251
Car equity loan: $400 (I'm snowballing this loan to pay it off faster).
“Allowance:” $1,500. When I get paid at the end of the month, I deposit $1,500 into my checking account and that money sits there until I pay off my Chase Sapphire card on the 26th of each month. If I have any money left over, it stays in that account and becomes buffer money for the following months. For example, at the end of June I deposited the normal $1,500 but there was already about $435 in there from earlier in the year so if something came up, I could use that money.
Car insurance: $86.32
Storage unit: $152 (I used to have my own fully furnished place but I moved back in with my sister to save money so all my stuff is stored).
Cell phone: $84
Hulu & Netflix: $37
Gym: $30
Apple storage: $2
Car wash subscription: $40
HYSA: $1,400-$1,600 (depending on how many extra hours I work in the month).

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 was not necessarily an expectation as no one in my family had ever gone before but I was always very academically motivated and my mom supported me. When, as a senior, I wavered in my college mindset my mom supported me but did tell me that if I didn’t go to school I would need to get a job and help out with bills, which seemed fair. I ultimately did opt to go to a four-year university and got my first year covered entirely with scholarships and grants. I had to get loans for my remaining three years. Three years later, I needed my master’s in teaching so I paid for that with loans as well. When both my sister and I went to university and grad school, my parents were not in a position financially to help us and I never let on to my mom when/if I struggled. My parents are now in a much better place financially and have expressed a desire to give us money to pay off the loans. As we are teachers, we want to see if loan forgiveness is an option for us so we are waiting until then to accept their offer if we still have a balance.

Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent(s)/guardian(s) educate you about finances?
I overheard and had lots of conversations about money, primarily because we didn’t have it, but not until I was older. I grew up knowing that we didn’t have much money (not having coats or proper shoes in winter came up a few times) — my mom was a single mom of three kids — but we also had our own home so I didn’t think it was that bad. We always had food and A/C so it took me a while to realize that my mom was strategically overdrafting her accounts to cover the mortgage or electric bill (because the overdraft fee was less than the late/shut-off fees). Once my mom met my stepdad, things got a little better. I do not feel like I was educated on finances at all.

What was your first job and why did you get it?
My first job was at Baskin Robbins my senior year of high school. I got the job because I wanted to have spending money and to save for a car. My boss let me stay on when I moved away for school and I would work on all my breaks from school up until my senior year of college. I did have unofficial jobs while I was a kid — picking fruit in the fields and working at taco stands at our local flea market — but I was paid very little, in cash, and that was all spending money for me.

Did you worry about money growing up?
Honestly, no. Again, my mom didn’t let on how precarious our situation was. She thought she might lose our house once and when she told us about it, she framed it as an exciting opportunity for us to live with our cousins at our aunt’s house so although we were bummed to leave our house, we were excited. She ended up finding a solution so that never happened but it was touch-and-go for a while. My mom’s brothers have always supported us, too, and there were a couple times my uncles would take us clothes shopping but I thought that was a treat, I never realized it was because my mom couldn’t. When I turned 15, my family pooled the money for my quinceañera and that’s when I realized money was tight, but by that time my mom had married my stepdad and we were not struggling as much.

Do you worry about money now?
Yes and no. I worry that I waited too long to get serious about owning a home and that I will have a hard time finding a house when I am ready to buy. Otherwise no, not really. I am really fortunate to count on support from my family and to have a really stable job with strong union protection. I know that if there is anything fun that my nephews (3 and 4 months) or my little sisters (16 and 11) want, I can cover it, and I can afford the things I need and want (within reason).

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 18 when I went away to school. I got a work-study job and took over paying my cell phone bill and anything else I needed. Every now and then my parents, brother and uncle would send me money but it wasn’t something I counted on. I know that if I REALLY needed financial help, my parents and my uncles would help me, but that would be a last resort.

Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain.
No.

5:15 a.m. — Good morning! Even though it’s summer break and I am not working right now, today I am up early because I start my STEM Institute course. I love summer break but I also love a routine and after four weeks off I am ready to not lie around all day. I’m up way too early but I want to make sure I have plenty of time since I’ve never been to the campus before and I’m worried I’ll get lost. I do the Daily Tens and scroll for a little while to ease into my morning.

6:10 a.m. — I straighten my hair, take my morning meds and then turn on Sex and the City while I do my makeup. Since I don’t need to be on campus until 9 a.m., I take my time and actually watch the show (normally I just listen). Afterwards I pack the lunch I made last night, plus some snacks, and make sure I have everything I need in my backpack. I warm up two Jimmy Dean croissant, egg white and turkey sausage sandwiches for breakfast and eat while I watch more TV and review the campus map.

7:30 a.m. — I change into my business-casual outfit. My sister did this institute last summer and told me the dress code isn’t enforced but I don’t want to risk it on day one. I got new slacks that are stretchy and have no button or zipper and they are amazing! I make a mental note to order another pair next month because these are going to be my go-to pants for work. Once I’m dressed, it’s still too early to leave so I color for a while.

8:20 a.m. — I drive to the laboratory campus. It’s about a 20-minute drive and then I have to find the specific building I need to get to. It ends up being pretty easy and I was nervous for nothing. I get badged and then meet up with our institute facilitators. One of them was my professor on my master’s program four years ago and it’s nice to catch up. The morning session is made up of a campus tour (got ALL my steps in for the day) and an overview of the institute, as well as how they are going to pay us. We also get goody bags!

12 p.m. — Lunchtime! There is a summer market on campus today with vendors and food trucks but I stay and eat my packed lunch. I have some cod, asparagus and chickpea veggie salad with a raspberry rose Poppi. I save my snacks for the afternoon session because I know I’ll get sleepy.

3:15 p.m. — Time to go home — day one went well! Once I get home I change into sweats and a T-shirt, start a load of laundry, then hang out in the living room with my sister and two nephews.

5:30 p.m. — My brother-in-law comes home with dinner. His job is hosting a conference this week and he gets to bring leftovers home. Today he brought tamales, rice, beans and salsas. We eat and catch up on our days while a baseball game plays in the background.

6:30 p.m. — Shower and change into clean PJs.

8:30 p.m. — We have a doughnut for dessert and then I head to my room to either read or watch TV in bed.

11 p.m. — I wake up and realize I did neither and just fell asleep with the light on. I switch off the light and promptly fall asleep again.

5:45 a.m. — I let myself sleep a little later today since I had so much free time yesterday. I do my usual morning routine and watch TV. And of course do the Daily Tens.

7:45 a.m. — I warm up two breakfast sandwiches and eat while watching TV. I am tempted to get coffee on my way but I am really trying to save up for a house and I know little things add up so I make myself a hot coffee to take with me (I also have a fun weekend coming up so…lol). I make and pack my lunch and then head out.

12 p.m. — Lunchtime! We had a small tour of one of the labs on campus this morning, which was really cool but not as much walking as yesterday. For lunch I have some tuna salad in a wrap, a nectarine, a piña colada yogurt drink and a banana.

3:30 p.m. — Once I get home I change into gym clothes and dump my clean laundry from yesterday on my bed so I’ll be forced to put it away. I take a break but eventually drive to the gym and walk on the treadmill for 50 minutes.

5:25 p.m. — Back from the gym, I start on dinner and lunch for tomorrow. For dinner I cook up some asparagus I need to use before it goes bad and some Annie’s white cheddar mac and cheese. I know I’m going to be hungry later but this is what sounds good. I hang out with my sister and nephews while we eat; afterwards I wash all the dishes and then go shower.

8:30 p.m. — After my shower I read a couple chapters of my book and then have a bowl of Fruity Pebbles because I did in fact get hungry. I begrudgingly put away my laundry and I’m in bed by 10:30 p.m.

6:15 a.m. — I let myself sleep in because I really didn’t need to get up so early the last couple of days. I do my normal morning routine, get dressed and eat my breakfast sandwich. My sister made me oatmeal today and put it in my to-go mug so I take it with me when I leave at 8:30 a.m.

12 p.m. — Lunch today is the fish, quinoa and asparagus I made last night. I also have a jello parfait cup. It’s day two of my period — aka the day my cramps are the worst — and they’re making me nauseous. I eat all my jello but only a few bites of lunch. All my snacks make it back home since I have no appetite.

3:30 p.m. — When I get home I take some Tylenol and lie down to see if my cramps will subside. After a while they do and I can feel that I’m hungry.

5:05 p.m. — I change my clothes and drive to one of my favorite food places in town to meet a couple of my friends for trivia. This place has trivia each week and a bunch of different food trucks every day. We arrive early to grab a table and I get a corn dog drizzled with honey and a Coke. $10.32

6:55 p.m. — We get an intermission and I go check out the ice cream truck. I get a waffle cone with a scoop of strawberry and pistachio. $7.60

7:45 p.m. — We didn’t come in last! We actually got all the points in the final round but we hadn’t done that well in the beginning. I stop at a sushi truck I’ve been eyeing and order two rolls to take home. $28.70

8:15 p.m. — On the way home I stop at Target super quick to restock on deodorant. $15.75

8:35 p.m. — When I get home I have half of each roll and save the rest for lunch tomorrow. It is so good! Definitely going to have to try more rolls if we go back next week. I chat with my family for a bit and then shower and just hang out the rest of the night.

6:45 a.m. — I sleep in today because it’s a WFH half-day. I wake up slowly, fix my hair a little, brush my teeth and wash my face, then find some breakfast. I make coffee, warm up my last breakfast sandwich and grab a doughnut with sprinkles from the fresh box my brother-in-law left on the table. I eat and color until it’s time to join the Zoom at 8 a.m.

12 p.m. — Done with work for the day. I move to the kitchen table to finish up my asynchronous assignments for the week and to eat my leftover sushi.

1:30 p.m. — I finish my assignments and read my book for a while. Around 3:30 p.m. I lie down and nap for about an hour and a half and when I wake up I read some more.

7 p.m. — I’m finally hungry for dinner so I get up and make myself an egg scramble with lots of onion and tomatoes, one of my favorite simple dinners. After I eat, I hang out in the living room with my sister and nephews while we watch the Dodgers game. My brother sends me an invite to play Monopoly Go! and I quickly get engrossed in the game.

10:30 p.m. — My brother-in-law worked late but he’s home now and takes the baby to bed so my sister and I play a quick game of Yahtzee before bed. I lose by 10 points! Afterwards I shower and stay up to finish my book. I switch off the lights around 12:30 a.m.

7:30 a.m. — Good morning! I get up right before my alarm and quickly do the Daily Tens (8/10!). I do my normal morning routine and change into stretchy pants, a big T-shirt and my New Balance sneakers. I’m going to the farmers’ market this morning and taking my nephew with me. While my sister and BIL get him dressed and ready, I fill up his water bottle, add some sweet tea Mio drops into it and grab him a Little Bites pack.

9 a.m. — We pick up my mom, brother and little sister on the way. We walk the market twice before I decide what to get. I settle on three heirloom tomatoes from one stand, which were the only things I was actually looking for ($3), and a loaf of raisin walnut bread and some jalapeño bagels from another stand ($13.90). $16.90

10 a.m. — Back at my mom’s house we toast some of the raisin walnut bread and have it with butter — it’s delicious! I play more Monopoly Go! while I wait for my other (and last) sister to be ready.

10:30 a.m. — My nephew, mom, two little sisters and I load up and drive to my favorite movie theater. They are showing The Lion King to celebrate the film’s 30th anniversary and my nephew is finally old enough to sit through a movie. I get the tickets and my mom pays for the snacks. $58.75

12:45 p.m. — After the movie I drop off my mom and sisters at home and I drive through the car wash. It’s free today because I have the monthly subscription.

3 p.m. — My nephew wants BBQ wings for lunch and I really can’t say no to him. I’m also feeling hungry since I haven’t had a real meal yet today so I order two all-in bundles from Wingstop. With all the wings and tenders, all four of us (me, nephew, sister and BIL) eat comfortably and we have tons of leftovers. $50.07

4 p.m. — For the rest of the afternoon I hang out and start a new book. My little sister comes over to swim in the pool with my nephew. I try to sit outside with them but it’s 105 degrees out so I retreat to the A/C.

9 p.m. — We’re hungry for a late dinner so I warm up the leftover wings and my BIL orders a couple pizzas. One of the pizzas shows up wrong so Pizza Hut sends us the correct one, too. We have TONS of leftovers, yay. After dinner I set my little sister up in my room because she’s going to spend the night, then I shower. When I come out of the shower she’s fast asleep so I try to keep quiet and just read my book. I fall asleep just before midnight.

8 a.m. — Good morning! I wake up excited because I’m getting brunch with my friends today. At one point we were all on the same team at the same school so we had planning and lunch together every day. Now we’re all spread apart and don’t get to see each other as often. I do my normal morning routine, change into a cuter-than-usual outfit and then get my little sister ready to go home (my BIL will drop her off at my mom’s place).

10:35 a.m. — My sister and I head to brunch and meet up with our friends. Since we don’t get together super often this is definitely a splurge meal. I order a veggie scramble with steak, two espresso martinis and a mimosa flight. We have so much fun catching up. I read the A Court of Thorns and Roses series three years ago and I finally got them all to read it this summer so we swap thoughts and theories. One of our favorite servers is the one helping us out so I tip a little more than I normally would. $102.40

2:30 p.m. — We’re not ready to stop hanging out yet so my friend S. who hasn’t been drinking drives us down the street to one of our favorite bars. I stopped drinking a couple hours ago at this point but I feel tipsy so I stick to water here.

5:30 p.m. — My friends are ready to go to another bar but I am tired and bow out. I get dropped off at my car and I drive home. I eat a few slices of the leftover pizza, make myself a liquid IV and pop a couple Tylenol since I feel a headache coming on. I’m really too old to be day drinking. I spend the rest of the evening hanging out in bed, watching SATC. I fall asleep by 10 p.m.

7:30 a.m. — I wake up and feel pretty okay! I toast some of the bread I got at the farmers’ market and have it with some jam. While I eat I place a Walmart pickup order for some groceries for the week. I get spaghetti noodles and two bottles of sauce, white bread, eggs, lactose-free milk, bananas, a watermelon, beef chorizo, instant coffee, frozen breakfast sandwiches, heavy cream, shredded Italian blend cheese, a bag of potatoes, a bag of green salad and some whipped cream cheese. $67.07

11 a.m. — My sister is going to make breakfast so I take the baby and put him to sleep. After my sister eats she takes the baby and I have a bowl with the potatoes, salsa and eggs she made. Afterwards I retreat to my bed and watch Scream.

2:20 p.m. — My order is ready for pickup so I drive over to Walmart. Since I’m already out I stop at Jamba on the way home and get a medium Apple ’N Greens smoothie and a Belgian waffle. $13.26

2:50 p.m. — Back at home I unload the groceries and put them away, throw out some garbage, then get back in bed with my smoothie. I watch the new episode of House of the Dragon I missed yesterday.

4:30 p.m. — I emerge from my cave to share thoughts on the episode with my sister and BIL and I play with my nephew while my sister makes dinner. She makes udon noodles with chicken and broccoli, delicious! After dinner I take a shower and then read for a while. I get to bed early since it’s back to my STEM Institute tomorrow.