A Week Of Being Unemployed In New York, NY

Occupation: Unemployed
Industry: Fashion
Age: 30
Location: New York, NY
Salary: $0 (just left a job making $85,000)
Gender Identity: Cis Woman

Monthly Expenses
Monthly Housing Costs: $1,261 (for my half of a studio apartment, split with my boyfriend)
ConEd: $100 (my half)
Internet/Cable: $30.34 (I pay this in full, boyfriend covers Netflix)
Gym Membership: $85
Running Coach: $175
Spotify Premium: $9.99
Phone: $0 (thank you mom and dad — when I am working, I send them $50/month)
Monthly Unlimited NYC Metrocard: $127 (pre-tax, but since I just quit, I have one month left and then will be buying metrocards as needed)
Health/Dental/Vision: $0 right now (need to sign up for marketplace insurance until I find another full-time job with benefits.)
Savings: I have close to $30,000 in an investment account. I try not to check it too frequently as the stock market gives me anxiety. I will contribute regularly when I am gainfully employed.

5 a.m. — It's Marathon Sunday! My favorite day of the year. I am scheduled to take a 5:45 a.m. ferry from Manhattan to Staten Island, so I'm up early to get ready and walk over to the ferry with my dad and boyfriend, G.

6:40 a.m. — I make it to the Athlete's Village and they're handing out free water, bagels, Gatorade, and Dunkin' Donuts hats. I snag one of everything then make my way over my corral. I don't start for another couple hours so I bundle up and shut my eyes for a few.

8:30 a.m. — Some friends have found me, we all chat and warm up together. Soon enough my corral is open and I'm making my way to the base of Verrazano to start my 26.2 mile journey through New York. Since this isn't a running blog, I won't bore you with the details.

2 p.m. — Not my best race. Feeling disappointed. I had a big goal that I had been training for and I fell short. But I still finished so I am proud of that! I meet up with my family and we make our way down to Stone Street. Runners ride the subway for free on Marathon Sunday.

3:30 p.m. — All 11 of us sit down to eat. I get cheese fries and a flatbread but I'm feeling too exhausted and in need of a shower so I can barely eat. My parents and aunts split the bill, I am very grateful.

5 p.m. — Home, showered, in bed. Parents, G., and I have a celebratory glass of champagne. Sometime around 7, our FreshDirect arrives (we get basic stuff delivered weekly, about $50-70 depending on what we need, split evenly, paid for last week). We quickly unpack the La Croix, quinoa, sweet potatoes, carrots, onions, a bag of mixed veggies, pesto, a jar of spicy red sauce, a box of cookies, and tortillas. Then I'm passed out by 7:30.

7:30 a.m. — My alarm goes off. My legs are screaming but I did, in fact, get 12 hours of sleep, so I can't complain much. I quit a toxic job recently, Thursday was my last day, so this is a weird Monday morning for me. I get up and make some toast with peanut butter and a coffee for myself and my BF. He leaves for work around 8:30 and I take the dog out for a walk and wash a few dishes.

10 a.m. — I'm in a funk, didn't have a great race yesterday, not sure what to be doing on this first Monday not working. I have a project to do for a potential job and a few emails to send out to secure some interviews. I have been in the fashion industry for ten years now, but desperately feeling the need to change careers. Trying to figure out whether I just need a different job in fashion, or if its time to pursue other career paths.

1:30 p.m. — Been really in the zone on my project, but I'm starting to get hungry. I make a scrambled egg on a rice cake with Everything but the Bagel seasoning. Since I'm in the kitchen, I start to batch cook our weekly lunches. Typically we do this Sunday or Monday night, but I was a little busy yesterday and since I'm not working, I want to get this done so my boyfriend and I can have an evening without chores. I cook up a large pot of quinoa and roast some veggies and mix it all up with pesto. This will last us both about three days.

3:30 p.m. — I head to Chelsea for an appointment. My running-based physical therapist's office lets clients use the Normatec pants for free, so I have reserved an hour of blissful recovery. It is packed with runners wearing their medals, but with my poor performance yesterday, I opted to leave mine at home.

4:30 p.m. — While sitting in the Normatec pants, I get a call from a potential employer. He was very aggressive and cut me off a lot. But he seemed to be impressed with my resume and my work, and without even meeting in person has asked me to do a project. I don't get the best vibes after speaking with him, but the project doesn't sound too time-consuming and I would rather have an offer and decide not to take it then not even try.

6 p.m. — I am a new person — my legs are finally feeling close to normal! I head back home on the subway still using my pre-paid metro card. I have about two weeks left on this unlimited monthly card. I arrive home a few mins before G. and start to heat up dinner. We have veggie burgers with maple-roasted carrots and candied pecans I made a few days ago. After dinner, we work on our own projects next to each other until about 8, when we decide we need quality time together. We catch up about our days and the upcoming week and debrief my race. In bed by 11.

7 a.m. — G.'s alarm goes off. We fool around in bed until it's finally time to actually get up. I make him toast with peanut butter and start a pot of coffee for us. After he leaves, I walk the dog then spend an hour applying to some jobs on LinkedIn.

10 a.m. — While I am working on the second part of yesterday's project, I throw in two loads of laundry. Each load is $1.50, but I have money pre-loaded on to a card so it doesn't cost me anything today. Having a hard time getting this project going, so I make the bed, pick up around the kitchen, and fold the laundry.

12 p.m. — I scramble an egg on a rice cake with everything seasoning and a little pesto. I have that with a La Croix, then it's back to work on the project. I want to wrap up shortly because I have spent a lot of hours on a free project. I keep an eye on emails in case anything comes through (spoiler: no job offers today).

2 p.m. — I finally finish the project! I review both parts, send it to my mom and G. for reassurance, then send it out to the team. I send out a few more résumés, then decide to shower. G. and I have date night tonight and I want my hair to look sort of nice? It's difficult, I have a lot of hair.

5:30 p.m. — I spend the afternoon curling my hair, walking the dog, and doing a few small chores around the house. I make a rice cake with peanut butter to hold me over until dinner. G. comes home and since we have about an hour until our reservation, we listen to music, catch up about our days, and play Bananagrams.

7:30 p.m. — We head out to dinner. We take the subway to the Lower East Side to my favorite Italian restaurant. We split a bottle of red, a ricotta and honey crostini, a garlic and breadcrumb linguini for me, and G. gets a spicy shrimp and pasta dish. After, we share a Nutella sundae. Normally we split dinners like this, but G. sweetly picks up the $150 tab this time and I am very grateful.

10:30 p.m. — Back home, face washed, teeth brushed, in bed. Check my emails one more time and see the hiring manager from the project this morning has received my work, will review with the team, and follow up next week. I'm not sure if this is a good sign or a bad sign, but I try not to think about it. Pass out by 11.

7 a.m. — Alarm, same morning routine, breakfast for G., coffee for us, dog walk.

9 a.m. — Back to the job hunt grind. Today I am working on the small project from the call on Monday and applying to some new job postings on LinkedIn and Stylecareers while fielding more emails from previous applications and recruiters.

12 p.m. — The short project finished and sent off to the team. I make another rice cake with scrambled egg and everything seasoning. Then blackout eat a few cookies and a mini ice cream snickers. Balance.

2 p.m. — I finally decide to get out of my apartment and head to the gym. Before I go, I check my email and see the job from this morning's project has requested I come in for an in-person interview on Friday… the only problem is their office is a 90-minute drive away, no public transportation, and I have no access to a car. I knew they were based in NJ, but I had assumed they were close enough to reach by Path or NJ Transit. I know better than to assume anything, and now I am feeling very disappointed in myself for not researching this beforehand. Looks like I will have to pass on this… at least I have some more work for my portfolio? Feeling frustrated, I spend 30 minutes on the stairs and 30 minutes doing some weighted ab work then call it quits.

3 p.m. — On my way home, I stop at Duane Reade and pick up some detergent, dish soap, Clorox wipes, razors, and a birthday card for a friend I'm seeing on Friday. I split the household items with G. $45

4 p.m. — I answer a few more emails, take the dog for a walk, cook up some rice to snack on, take a body shower, and touch up the waves in my hair. While getting ready, I get a call from the NJ company, she confirms it's only accessible by car and for the first few months I would need to commute to the office five days a week before working remote. Unfortunately, it seems like the logistics won't work out, and I politely decline proceeding. Still unemployed. Feeling pangs of anxiety. Will I ever find another job? (Dramatic much?)

6 p.m. — I arrive home and we quickly get ready to go meet my friends in Chelsea. I haven't seen this group in a while. They are an incredible bunch of creatives — actor, musician, performer, dancer, talent agent — and it is refreshing to be around their energy. We meet at our go-to Mexican spot. I get two margaritas while it's still happy hour, then when we move to our table, and I get a mushroom quesadilla. $31.42

10:30 p.m. — We take the subway home and quickly get in bed. We're both exhausted. I don't think I've fully adjusted to losing that hour last weekend as I keep feeling like it's much later than it actually is.

8 a.m. — We are being a little lazy this morning and snooze through a few too many alarms. We finally get up, and I quickly make some coffee for G. in a to-go mug.

9 a.m. — I need to order FreshDirect for next week so I get cookies, La Croix, pasta, quinoa, rice, pesto, peanut butter, carrots, sweet potatoes, onion, and a bag of mixed veggies. It will be delivered on Sunday for a total of $75.70 — split with G. $37.85

10 a.m. — Check my emails, walk the dog, and get dressed in a black and white dress and leather moto jacket. I have an interview with a recruiter this morning so on my way uptown, I stop into FedEx and print off a bunch of copies of my résumé. $4.08

12 p.m. — The interview went well, the recruiter seemed to have a few potential opportunities for which I might be a good fit. She gave me some suggestions to update my résumé, which I plan to do later today. On my way out, someone calls with a potential freelance job, it sounds interesting, so I quickly shoot off my portfolio for her to forward along. I walk a few blocks and meet G. for an afternoon coffee, he pays. We walk west to a dog store to exchange a hoodie I got for my pup a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, I am out of the return period so we are stuck with the too-big hoodie. Oh well. Kiss G. goodbye as he heads back to work and I jump on the train back home.

2 p.m. — Once back home, I finally heat up the veggies and quinoa I prepped earlier this week and start on my résumé updates. Afterward, I send it out to the recruiter and answer a few emails. Looks like the phone call from earlier has turned into an interview on Monday with a very cool brand.

5:30 p.m. — I take a long warm shower and wash my hair. G. is getting a haircut after work, so I have a few extra minutes before I need to start dinner. I run out to Duane Reade to pick up a box of pasta and cheese, I have sauce from the grocery delivery on Sunday. $6.78

7 p.m. — G. comes home with the coolest bouquet of flowers! We have our pasta dinner, work on respective projects for a bit, cuddle in bed, and browse multimillion-dollar apartment listings (lol we can dream right?). We are planning to wake up early to workout tomorrow, but since we've historically been unsuccessful at this, I have very little faith in us. We vow to go to bed early, yet stay up a little too late fooling around. Whatever. Out by 12.

6 a.m. — Lol no. snooze.

7:30 a.m. — We both slept very poorly last night and decide to skip the morning workout (what a surprise). Will try again next week. We get up, make coffee and breakfast (peanut butter on toast for him, eggs on rice cake for me), and hang out til G. leaves. Once he's gone, I am way too cold to sit at my desk, so I grab my laptop, get back under the covers, and browse job postings from the warmth of my bed.

1 p.m. — Okay, this is getting ridiculous. I finally pry myself out of bed, walk the dog, and get out of the house. I need to get my friend a birthday gift since I am finally seeing her tonight (her birthday was a few weeks ago!). She is a really great gift giver so I am feeling the pressure. I walk over to 10 Corso Como. I find the best little purple glass jar that I think she will love. I get it gift wrapped there. $65.32

3 p.m. — I walk over to the gym and do 30 minutes on the stairs and 30 minutes of weight work, then head back home.

4 p.m. — My best friend, E., is opening a restaurant and tonight is friends and family! She has been working on this for years and I am beyond excited to finally see it come to life. I take a body shower, curl my hair, and get dressed up in a midi length black velvet slip dress, tights with a few crystals on them, giant hoop earrings by AREA, and long vintage fur coat. Totally extra, but totally appropriate for the evening. G. and I are going with my other best friend, D., and her boyfriend. D. and I decided earlier this week to go full glam this evening, so I do a full face of makeup. On our way to the restaurant, we pick up a small congratulatory bouquet for E. (G. pays) and I shockingly remember to bring D.'s birthday gift — already a successful evening.

11om — Wow, what a night. The food was incredible, the venue was perfect, and the whole evening was one to remember. Full, wine drunk, and in a cloud of happiness and pride, we finally roll out of the place and take a taxi home. All the food was free, but the four of us split the cost of a couple of bottles of wine and a hefty tip for our friends ($105). G. covers the $10 taxi ride home. I pass out the moment my head hits the pillow. $105

9 a.m. — Lazy Saturday morning over here. G. and I wake up slowly and lounge in bed until we get hungry for breakfast. I cook up our regular toast with peanut butter/eggs on a rice cake and make some coffee. After a long and leisurely breakfast, we walk the dog and change for the gym.

11 a.m. — At the gym, 30 minutes on the stairs and G. trains me for another 30 minutes. I know I'm going to be sore tomorrow. We head back home, shower up and head to Penn Station to see my parents.

2:20 p.m. — We get on a train out of the city using tickets we bought last week. My dad picks us up from the station and we head to their house. My mom has cooked an amazing dinner and they have supplied us with plenty of wine. We spend a few hours hanging out by the fire pit. Around 11, we take a train back to the city and get home close to 12:30. We have a big day tomorrow with G.'s brother, mother, niece, and nephew so we pass out immediately and set alarms for tomorrow morning