A Week In Chicago, IL, On A $115,000 Salary

Occupation: Content Marketing Manager
Industry: Healthcare
Age: 31
Location: Chicago, IL
Salary: $115,000
Net Worth: ~$62,000 (savings: $15,000, checking: $300, 401(k): $29,000, Roth IRA: $12,000, brokerage: $2,600, HSA: $700, Coinbase (Bitcoin & Ethereum, lol): $45, car value: ~$3,800 minus debt.)
Debt: $611 (the amount I owe on a new iPhone. It's on a no-interest Apple Card.)
Paycheck Amount (2x/month): $2,700
Pronouns: She/her

Monthly Expenses
Rent: $1,000 (my half of rent, split equally with my partner, H. This is for a two-bedroom, one-bath apartment in a small building, plus a private two-car garage)
Apple Card: $40 (to pay off my iPhone)
Utilities: ~$60 for gas and electric (my work gives a $50 stipend for internet each month that covers our full bill)
Health/Vision/Dental Insurance: $0 (work covers my portion of the plan)
Pet Insurance: $20
401(k): $1,726, plus $288 in employer match
Savings: $1,000
Roth IRA: $500
HSA: $300
Streaming Services: $8 (H. and I split HBO Max, and I use the accounts of various friends/family for the rest)
Climbing Gym: $85
Donations: $150 (recurring donations to Planned Parenthood, NAACP, a local abortion fund, and a podcast Patreon)
Nuuly: $95, but I'll pause it some months
New York Times: $18
Storage Unit: $52 for my half, split with H.
Apple/Google Storage: $4

Annual Expenses
Phone: $224 (I use Mint Mobile, so I pay this in bulk once a year for 10 GB of data per month.)
New York Times Cooking: $40
Credit Card Annual Fees: $95 for Chase, $125 for Amex (total fee is $250 but this one is split with H.)

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?
Yes, my parents didn't really talk about options outside of going to university, but I think they would've been okay with me taking a different path if I had really pushed for it. I ended up going to school in Canada where education is significantly cheaper, even as an international student. I had scholarships to cover a third of it and my parents fastidiously saved from when I was born to be able to cover the rest of my tuition. If I had gone to a more expensive school or not received a scholarship, I would've had to take out loans to cover the difference. I am incredibly grateful to my parents for setting me up to graduate without loans and very much understand my privilege in having this as an option.

Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent/guardian(s) educate you about finances?
We received a small allowance growing up (like $5 a week) that my mom would make us split — half to charity, half as fun money. I also remember her teaching me how to balance a checkbook, and she opened a joint credit card for me (that I was only allowed to put books on) as I went off to college so I could start building credit. I remember when I started working at Starbucks in high school, she recommended opening a 401(k) through the company, which I scoffed at because I was a dumb teenager and thought that cute shirts from Hollister were a much more sound investment in my future than taking advantage of the power of compound interest.

What was your first job and why did you get it?
As I entered preteen years, my dad got laid off and my parents stopped our $5/week allowance and encouraged us to start working for pocket money. I started babysitting when I was 12 and got my first “real” job lifeguarding at the age of 15, before transitioning into the much more lucrative service industry (thanks, tips). I worked 20-25 hours a week through high school and college.

Did you worry about money growing up?
Not really, as we were solidly middle class, but I remember crying when I found out my dad got laid off since he was the sole breadwinner for my family at the time. He wasn't unemployed for long and we fortunately already lived frugally, so our lifestyles didn't change all that much. My mom went back to work shortly after as well. My parents always had the money for us to do sports and go to camp over the summer and we never wanted for anything. With that said, I did grow up in a wealthy area so there was a pretty visible difference between our lifestyle and that of many of my peers. I was aware of that disparity from a young age.

Do you worry about money now?
Yes and no. I feel secure in my job and with the amount that I'm putting into savings and retirement, but I don't want to work for the next 35 years and worry that I'm not saving enough to make that happen. H. and I also want to buy a house and, despite making a combined $240,000, it's difficult to find something in an area we want to live in that won't make us house-poor. Basically, the housing market sucks now, especially for those without existing equity.

At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net?
I became financially responsible for myself about six months after graduating from college. I lived at home with my parents immediately after university and worked as a bartender while I figured out what I wanted to do next. I ended up buying tickets somewhat on a whim to move to Vietnam and teach English, which is when I started covering all my expenses (except healthcare; I was on my parents' plan until I turned 26). My parents would absolutely let me move back in if I ever needed it.

Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain.
Yes, when I graduated from college, my parents gave me $12,000 — it was money they received when I was born and at my birthdays that they put into bonds and let interest work its magic. I was absolutely blown away and incredibly grateful when I received it as I had no idea it existed. I used it to supplement my income while I traveled and lived abroad for close to four years after graduating. The personal finance geek in me kind of wishes I had invested it, but I also wouldn't trade my experiences abroad for anything. I also expect to receive some sort of small inheritance when my parents pass away, as they both have done very well for themselves later in their careers. However, I don't know how much we will be receiving (and hope it's many, many, many years down the road before I have to think about it), so I don't factor that into my lifestyle or budget now.

7:30 a.m. — Ew Monday. I'm usually pretty good at getting out of bed when my alarm goes off, but I'm suffering today. My parents have been in town for four days, and this weekend was full of way more activities and social time than I'm used to, so I'm dragging a bit. I take my medication, then meditate while wearing my LED face mask that skin-care YouTube influenced me to buy. Take a body shower and work through my AM skin-care routine: rose water spritz, Aveeno hydrating serum, and Supergoop sunscreen. Makeup is more or less the same thing I've been doing since high school: darkening my blonde brows with Glossier Boy Brow, L'Oreal winged eyeliner, and Saie mascara and cheek tint. It's cold out, so I put on a thrifted gray Calvin Klein henley and ripped black jeans.

9 a.m. — I eat cheese, carrots, and half an apple for breakfast. My toxic trait is that I'm deeply not a breakfast person, so my breakfasts are always some weird mashup that horrifies everyone around me. Eat while reading through industry newsletters — I work in health tech, and a lot of my job revolves around staying up to date about what people are talking about in the industry.

11 a.m. — Take a quick break to write up a grocery list for my partner, H. He has the day off so has time to restock our empty fridge. I usually handle the cooking/grocery shopping because it brings me great amounts of joy, but my parents are coming over for dinner and I don't have time to shop after work today.

12:30 p.m. — Break for lunch! I scrounge in our fridge and make an open-faced sandwich of goat cheese, garden tomatoes and basil, and capers with a balsamic glaze drizzle. Eat chips, salsa, and the other half of the apple from breakfast on the side. Acquiesce to the demands of Small Feline Queen, D., and give her some treats. I eat while reading my current Libby book, NSFW. I also see that my monthly NYT subscription gets charged to my card ($18, reflected in monthly expenses).

1 p.m. — H. gets back with the groceries — we get lettuce, kale, onions, garlic, shallots, blackberries, strawberries, tomatoes, radishes, peppers, mint, dill, cilantro, parsley, feta cheese, vegan cheese, parmesan, three kinds of bread, regular pasta, GF pasta, La Croix, orange juice, milk, artichoke hearts, eggs, chips, yogurt-covered cranberries, pickles, banana peppers, lemons, limes, black bean tamales, and laundry detergent (whew). Inflation sucks so it's $119 for my half. Help him unload groceries, then start my afternoon of meetings. $119

3:30 p.m. — Finish up the day with my bi-annual performance review. Get that sweet, sweet validation that I'm good at my job and the usual feedback that I should talk more, which makes my inner shy child cringe.

4:30 p.m. — I wrap up work and squeeze in a quick Pilates workout through an app called Open. I got a free month from a friend and am really liking it (and debating paying the $150 annual subscription when my trial ends).

5 p.m. — My parents head over from their Airbnb bearing gifts — hummus, giardiniera, and baklava from my favorite Middle Eastern market. We hang out while I make dinner: a pickled blackberry panzanella and roasted artichoke and lemon-parmesan pasta. My mom's gluten-free and H. is dairy-free, so the process involves portions of varying sizes in basically every bowl in our kitchen.

7:30 p.m. — I drive my parents back to their Airbnb and say goodbye — they fly out early tomorrow morning so this is the last time I'll see them. I then drive out towards the airport to meet up with my friend, K. He's in town for a single night from Paris and I rarely get to see him, so I rally my poor tired self. We go to a brewery near his hotel, and I have a beer, eat some cheese curds (because K. wanted the most American food possible), and catch up with him for a few hours until the brewery closes. $32

11:30 p.m. — Get home to H. in the middle of a hypochondriac's nightmare: He got results from a recent blood test back, and one of his levels was low. This led to a Google, and as we all know, never Google your symptoms. (“Oh, you have a headache? It'll be your last.”) I try to calm him down and tell him to wait to hear back from the doctor tomorrow before jumping to conclusions. Go to bed much later than I'd prefer and pass out immediately.

7:30 a.m. — My alarm rouses me from the world's deepest sleep. I wake up, annoy D. who is on Bird Watch 2022™ on the other side of the bed, and say good morning to H., who inexplicably has been up for an hour. I meditate, then head to the bathroom for a full shower. Same skin-care and makeup routine as yesterday, then blow dry my hair and run a straightener through particularly unruly portions. It's still chilly out, so I put on a thrifted Madewell striped rugby shirt and jeans.

9 a.m. — Make breakfast — black bean tamales with Cholula and strawberries (again, I'm sorry for my crimes against breakfast), and sit down to read the news. H. gets a call from his doctor saying everything is fine, so the medical crisis is avoided for today. Dive into my full day of meetings because who needs time to actually write? Certainly not a content person.

12:30 p.m. — Short break for lunch! I eat leftover blackberry panzanella with feta (and re-toast the bread bits in the oven because soggy bread is gross). Eat and finish NSFW (love and hate the ending). H. heads to Target for new deodorant, eye drops, paper towels, and other odds and ends. $44, split. $22

3:30 p.m. — Finally done with meetings and feeling very tired from not getting my preferred nine hours of sleep last night. Lay down on the couch for a quick nap that turns into a full hour… oops. Wake up and respond to a few emails that came through during my “break.” Walk over to the climbing gym for an outdoor yoga class. It feels awesome on my tech worker body after taking most of last week off because of my parents' visit.

6:45 p.m. — Swing by the grocery store because we somehow used an entire block of parmesan last night. I buy another block and some two-bite Oreo brownies because I love myself. Total is $11, so $5.50 for my half. Now's a good place to note that H. and I use a shared credit card for all our joint purchases — groceries, dinners out, pet stuff, and trips all go on this card. We pay off the total twice a month, both paying half. I head home, give D. some love, and make dinner. H. is at band practice, so I make my favorite salad for myself: farro, tomatoes, parmesan, radishes, mint, parsley, and spring mix, tossed in lemon juice and olive oil. $5.50

8:30 p.m. — I clean up after dinner and lie on the couch to watch House of the Dragon.

10 p.m. — Get a late-night burst of energy, so I debate buying new jeans, then try on every pair of jeans I own to convince myself I actually don't need a new pair of jeans. It works… for now. H. gets home, we hang out for a bit, and I do my nightly skin-care routine: One Love Organics oil and face washes, retinol, and Youth to the People Dream Mask. Asleep by 11:30.

7:30 a.m. — Wake up. Put on my LED mask and do a 10-minute meditation. My meditation is interrupted by the demands of a very talkative cat. I hop in the shower, then complete my same morning routine — skin care, makeup, brush out hair — while listening to the newest episode of the greatest podcast in the world, Maintenance Phase. Outfit today is a black H&M sweater vest (that H. calls a "muscle sweater"), flared jeans, and a potentially excessive amount of silver jewelry.

8:45 a.m. — Head out to my “office,” a.k.a. a camping chair on our balcony, and start reading industry news while eating the same breakfast from yesterday. Have a blissfully meeting-free morning, so I spend time making edits to various assets and planning out my next week.

12 p.m. — Break for lunch, which is a sub-style sandwich with cheese, hummus, mustard, balsamic glaze, tomatoes, pickles, peppers, giardiniera, and lettuce, served with chips and strawberries. I eat while listening to a workshop on our upcoming compensation review. It involves a lot of bands and percentages, so I can't tell if I'm getting a raise or not. They say managers will schedule comp discussions in the next few weeks if we are getting a raise, so decide to address things the millennial way and stalk my manager's calendar until I have answers.

1 p.m. — See my paycheck hit a day early, so I take some time to pay off any balances on my credit cards, and H. does the same on our joint card. H.'s sister, N., also Venmos me for a rafting trip we're doing in West Virginia next month (I booked the Airbnb and rafting guide), so I put that money towards my credit cards as well.

2 p.m. — Last meeting of the day is done! After we wrap up, I realize that I may have *slightly* overscheduled myself tonight, so I try to figure out the best way to get from our apartment to a haircut to dinner to a comedy club, all in different neighborhoods of the city. I decide the only way it's going to happen is driving, and pray to the generally vengeful Chicago traffic and parking gods for mercy.

3:15 p.m. — Wrap up my last pressing work task for the day, and do a quick Pilates workout on Open since I won't have time to get to the gym tonight. Change into a short black dress, black combat boots, and an oversized olive green leather shacket, then head out to my hair appointment.

6 p.m. — Hair is done and giving Brigitte Bardot vibes. Total is $100 and I tip $25. It's expensive, especially since I don't dye my hair, but I love my stylist and can get away with only three cuts a year, so I don't mind spending a bit extra. I look at the clock…. and I'm already 15 minutes late to dinner. Race over to the restaurant and arrive half an hour late. Luckily, my friend is with her two friends so she wasn't sitting alone, but I still hate being late, especially since this is a new friendship and I want to come across as reliable. $125

7:30 p.m. — Finish up an awesome Italian dinner. We order a bottle of white wine (I just have one glass since I'm driving), focaccia, fried octopus and shrimp, ravioli, truffle risotto, and rabbit for the non-pescetarians, AKA everyone but me. It's fun hanging out with a group of friends again. I moved to Chicago a few months ago and have been slowly but surely making new friends here. Dinner is split four ways — it's $68 for my portion, and I tip $15. $83

7:45 p.m. — I drive everyone over to the comedy club and we get there just in time for the start of the show. It's my first time seeing a sketch comedy/improv show, and it's way more fun than I expected it to be. I drink a small glass of white wine from the bottle my friend orders, which she generously offers to pay for.

10:30 p.m. — The show wraps up and we head out. They take a Lyft home since they live together and I pay my dues to the Chicago parking gods to get out of the garage I parked in. Get home and catch up with H. for a while. He sold my old desk chair on Facebook Marketplace while I was out, so he Venmos me the $90 he got from the buyer. Nightly routine and I pass out. $24

7 a.m. — Wake up early for some ungodly reason. Hang out in bed with H. and D. until my alarm goes off, then it's body shower and morning routine time. Put on kick flare Levis, a cropped white tank top, and an oversized black sweatshirt, and sit on the couch to meditate before work.

9 a.m. — Tamales, strawberries, and industry news on the balcony — my mornings are nothing if not predictable. H. leaves to head to a junkyard. We're restoring a 1970s camper, so he's hoping to find period-appropriate seats to replace the original bench seat that was in there. I start writing a few blogs to get ahead of what's looking like a busy week next week.

12:30 p.m. — Lunch! I make pita stuffed with hummus, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, olives, and balsamic glaze. Eat with a side of chips and salsa and an apple, while reading Song of Achilles. My friend who recommended it did not tell me about the queer storyline, and I am so here for it.

1 p.m. — I settle back into an afternoon of meetings. I get a notification that two items of clothing I sold have been delivered and accepted, so I see $40 land in my Poshmark account.

4:30 p.m. — I send my last email of the day and walk over to the climbing gym with H. It's been over a week since I last climbed, and my muscles are feeling it. I still manage to complete a project that has been vexing me for the last few weeks.

6:30 p.m. — Head back home, shower, and get ready for dinner. I organize a restaurant club with some friends from the internet, and this is our second meetup! Change into kick flare Levis, a drapey black shirt, and lace-up sandals, and bike over to the restaurant. We order a set menu and enjoy veggie spring rolls, pea shoots, kung pao tofu, lo mein, and sweet and sour tofu. I also get two drinks — a Negroni-style cocktail with mezcal and a glass of pinot blanc. I put the whole dinner on my credit card to get those sweet, sweet points, and everyone Venmos me. My share comes out to $74, but I paid a $50 deposit last week so just owe $24 tonight. $24

10:30 p.m. — Bike back home and immediately get ready for bed. Lay around talking to H. for a while, and we decide to try an order from TooGoodToGo. It's an app that basically lets restaurants sell leftover food for super cheap to avoid food waste. We order from a bakery and will pick up our surprise bag tomorrow. I also see that my monthly payment to my Apple Card went through ($40, reflected in monthly expenses). Lights out and am out as soon as my head hits the pillow. $3.99

7 a.m. — Wake up from a series of terrible nightmares squished into a tight little ball of terror. Take a second to remind myself that I'm not actually getting chased by demon zombies. H. is still asleep, which is unusual, so I put on my LED mask and meditate in bed. H.'s awake when I'm done, so we get into the shower and then I do my normal morning routine. Get dressed in a loose black t-shirt and high-waisted black jean shorts and spend some time playing with D., who has the mega-zoomies.

9 a.m. — I have a blissfully meeting-free morning today, so after eating my normal tamale breakfast, I head out to get a blood test that I've been putting off for a few weeks. I have an autoimmune thyroid condition and just had to adjust my medication so the test is to make sure that my levels are where they should be. Parking is $1.25. $1.25

10:30 a.m. — Blood test is done, and I pop across the street to re-up my face oil cleanser at a very cute natural beauty store. I get a 10% discount since it's my first time there. Get sucked into their perfume section and walk out smelling like a perfume counter exploded. Head home and catch up on emails. $42

12:30 p.m. — Is lunch the best meal of the day? I'd argue yes. Heat up leftover kung pao tofu, rice, and spring rolls, and eat with a side of carrots from my mom's garden. Dive into more Song of Achilles while I'm eating.

4 p.m. — Finish my meetings and work and log out — it's the weekend! I kick off my celebrations by sitting on the couch and finishing Song of Achilles. Completely, totally obsessed and also never thought I would find myself stanning ancient Greek heroes, but here we are.

6 p.m. — H. and I head out to pick up our TooGoodToGo order at a bakery one neighborhood over. For $3.99, we get a chocolate croissant, plain croissant, chocolate muffin, and a cinnamon roll. I'm immediately a fan and plan to place another order later this weekend.

7 p.m. — My introvert self is completely socialized out from this week, so I make dinner at home for H. and me. We have my favorite salad from Salad Freak: toasted sourdough bread cubes, tomatoes, lettuce, beets, pickled onions, hard-boiled eggs, feta, and lots of herbs on an aioli base. H. cleans up after dinner while I make myself a mezcal margarita. We head to the couch, take a hit of our vape pen, and spend the rest of the night watching The Rings of Power.

10:30 p.m. — Head to bed and read my next library book, Birds of California. Lights out — night!

8:30 a.m. — Wake up to the oppressive weight of a busy weekend on my chest… just kidding, it's a 10-pound cat letting me know that once again, her automatic food bowl has delivered her meal on time. Feel truly #blessed to be privy to this knowledge. Lay in bed for a while doing some cat petting and phone scrolling, then meditate.

10 a.m. — Oops, spent a little too long with the aforementioned cat petting and phone scrolling, so I shovel a chocolate croissant in my mouth and quickly package up a black silk dress that I sold on Poshmark. I Sweaty Girl Power Walk to the post office to drop the dress off and sneak into outdoor yoga only five minutes late.

11:30 a.m. — I fall backward during my headstand and kick the instructor in the groin on the way down, so I wrap up yoga with him awkwardly telling me I did a great job and me awkwardly apologizing for kicking him in the balls without using the word “balls” because it doesn't feel very namast-slay of me. I leave class mourning the end of my yoga career/considering moving gyms and/or cities.

12 p.m. — Get home, share the ball story with H. much to his delight, and make us a quick lunch of pasta salad with peppers, onions, banana peppers, olives, spinach, feta, and a homemade Italian dressing. I take a full shower, blowdry and wave my hair, and put on makeup. My outfit today is kick flare Levis (why do I own other pants at this point?), an open-back mockneck t-shirt, usual silver jewelry stacks, and thrifted chunky studded Steve Madden loafers that I am deeply in love with. We catch a bus to the L station and head downtown to meet up with some of H.'s friends and their toddler who are visiting from out of town ($2.25 on my Ventra card). $2.25

3:30 p.m. — We walk down to Lake Michigan because it seems like a place a young child would enjoy. We are, in fact, correct, and there is much delight about all the ships, including one that looks like a pirate ship. Toddler tells H. that he's Captain Hook, which makes young me who had a massive crush on Hook feel extremely validated in all of my life choices that brought me to this point. We stop at a tavern along the pier for drinks — H. and I buy the first round. We start walking back with drinks to-go and stop at a fountain for toddler playtime. I volunteer to go in with her claiming I won't get wet (spoiler alert: I get wet). $18

6:30 p.m. — The group and my wet jeans make it to our reservation at a very trendy and very delicious sushi restaurant. We order edamame, two seaweed salads, two salmon and avocado rolls, a bottle of unfiltered sake, a tasting platter of various rolls and sashimi, a beef bibimbap-esque dish for H., and a vegetarian mixed sushi platter for me. Dessert is a black sesame cheesecake and Japanese-style pancakes. We split the bill 50/50 and my budgeting app sheds a few digital tears. $150 for H. and me, split in half. $75

9 p.m. — H. and I attempt to catch the train home, only to miss it by about 10 seconds. We wait for another 20 minutes for the next one to come, then miss our bus on the other end by two minutes ($2.25). We start walking back, and pitstop into a pub. I order an IPA for myself and a High Life for H. ($10 with a $2 tip, split in half). Finish drinks, make it home, listen as D. tells us about her day, and read more of Birds of California before bed. $8.25

9 a.m. — Wake up to the sounds of H. making what could possibly be the world's noisiest breakfast in the kitchen. Realizing I'm awake, D. jumps on the bed and adds to the cacophony. Meds, meditation, and phone scroll for a little bit before I work up the motivation to get out of bed and put on workout clothes. Do a 30-minute pilates class on Open in the living room and roll my sweaty body over to the table for a tamale breakfast.

10:30 a.m. — H.'s parents let us know that they're heading in from the suburbs, as H. needs his dad's help fixing the car. Head to the bathroom, body shower, do my normal skin-care and makeup routine, and pull on a baggy white t-shirt, loose jeans, and very jazzy black-and-white clay earrings.

12:30 p.m. — H.'s parents show up bearing a box of treats and two loaves of bread as well as tomatoes from a farm stand, cans of refried beans, and tostada shells. H. and his dad head to the garage and his mom and I drive over to a nearby farmers' market, where we battle the crowds to get more tomatoes, Swiss chard, lemonade, plums, blueberries, parsley, goat cheese, feta cheese, grapes, soppressata, and a huge watermelon. It comes out to $52 total, put on our joint card. $26

2 p.m. — We get home, unload everything, confirm H. and his dad are still alive, and I prep lunch for us. I make a platter of sliced tomatoes, baguette, goat cheese, basil, soppressata, and plums, and bring out oil and balsamic vinegar for dipping. H.'s mom and I sit around for a few hours eating and she tells me stories from her childhood in rural Europe. It's so fascinating to hear how different her childhood was and how they transitioned to living in Chicago. H. and his dad come in from the garage so I add more food to the platter for them to munch on.

5 p.m. — H.'s parents leave, and we immediately get ready to head out to meet up with G.'s friends again for dinner. On the way to the restaurant, I hop on TooGoodToGo and get a surprise bag from an amazing bakery in the neighborhood that will be ready for pickup tomorrow ($5.99). I get two drinks — a mezcal and lime cocktail and an IPA, H. gets a CBD seltzer, and we order spring rolls and potstickers for the table. Dinner is mind-blowingly good Yibin-style noodles for me and a hamburger for H. We split the check with his friends ($64 for my portion). $69.99

9 p.m. — We walk over to a nearby brewery for another drink. We order a round that his friends pay for. After our drinks, we take them over to the L station, say goodbye, and make sure they catch their train. We walk back to the car, stopping in Target along the way to grab Hey Humans deodorant, mouthwash, and batteries ($21 split). On the way home, we decide to never spend money again. I love living in Chicago, but guests always (and understandably) want to check out the food scene when they visit, so it's been an expensive few weeks for us with back-to-back visitors. My restaurant budget for the month is basically just the crying face emoji. $10.50

11 p.m. — Home, in bed, and finishing Birds of California, which was pretty meh for me, before lights out.