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A Week In Oakland, CA, On A $40,000 Salary

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Photo: Getty Images.
Welcome to Money Diaries, where we're tackling what might be the last taboo facing modern working women: money. We're asking millennials how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period — and we're tracking every last dollar.
This week: an after-school director who makes $40,000 per year and spends some of it on watermelons.
Occupation: Elementary After-School Director
Industry: Nonprofit
Age: 24
Location: Oakland, CA
Salary: $40,000
Paycheck Amount (2x/month): $1,250
Monthly Expenses
Housing Costs: $650. I live in a huge house (for Bay Area standards) with two roommates, six blocks away from my job. My room is the smallest, so I pay the least in rent. We moved in a few months ago, and it is a big upgrade from my previous place.
Loan Payments: $125/month for student loans. I only have one interest-free loan left, so I just pay the minimum amount each month.
Gym Membership: $29.99/month (I get an educator's discount)
Donations: $300/month
Savings: $500-850/month
Spotify Family: $3/month
Transportation: Varies, but about $30 on Lyft. I don't own a car and usually get by on bike and mooching rides from friends
Netflix: $0; I mooch off a friend
Health: $0; covered by company
Phone Bill: $0; paid for by my parents
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