A Week In Central Wisconsin On A $110,800 Joint Income

Occupation: Elementary school teacher
Industry: Education
Age: 23
Location: Central Wisconsin
Salary: $45,100
Joint Income/Financial Setup: $110,800 (my husband M. works in accounting with a salary of $65,700). All our accounts are joint, and we pay all expenses jointly.
Assets: Checking: ~$4,000 (depending on the time of month); emergency fund: $20,342.86; CD: $16,000; M.’s 401(k): ~$2,000; joint stock account: $13,476.93; Roth IRAs: ~$56,000 combined.
Debt: $0
Paycheck Amount (Biweekly): After taxes and insurance are taken out, my paycheck is about $1,300 every other week; M.’s is about $1,800.
Pronouns: She/her

Monthly Expenses

Housing Costs: $1,300 for our one-bedroom apartment.
Loan Payments: $0
Streaming Services: $29.99 (HBO, Hulu, Disney+).
Utilities: ~$120
Car Insurance: $210.39 (for two cars).
Charity Donations: $275
Phone Bill: $89 (paid to M.’s dad for our part of the family plan).
ROTH IRA Contributions: $475 each, $950 total.

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. It was always expected that my siblings and I would either go to college or trade school. I attended an in-state university and my parents paid for all my expenses. My husband M. went to the same college, and he paid for his education through scholarships, jobs, and with a little help from his parents.

Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent(s) educate you about finances?
My parents had a lot of conversations with my siblings and me about saving money, living frugally, investing, and planning for retirement. My parents really emphasized good money management habits. As soon as I got my first job, I started contributing to my Roth IRA.

What was your first job and why did you get it?
My first job (besides babysitting local families with my sisters) was as a stocker at a supermarket. I got the job to save money; I was 17 and wanted to have some personal savings before going to college. My parents also encouraged me to get the job so I could contribute to a Roth IRA and so that I could gain work experience.

Did you worry about money growing up?
No, I always felt very financially secure.

Do you worry about money now?
No, I think we are in a good place with our finances and I know we live frugally.

At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net?
M. and I got married a few months after graduating from college, and so I never lived in an apartment alone or had to support myself on my own income. I guess I would say I became financially responsible once I graduated from college, but I lived with my parents until I got married.

Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain.
My parents paid for my college in full and helped me buy my car. M.’s parents helped him with some college expenses and also helped him buy his truck. My grandparents contributed heavily to my Roth IRA (I don’t know the exact amount) once I had earned income as a teenager, and they also gifted me the majority of what is in our stock account over the years. M.’s grandparents have a trust set up for each of their grandchildren, so my husband will receive $200,000 from that at some point, but not until his own parents pass away. So hopefully we are far into retirement before we have access to it.

6 a.m. — I wake up to my alarm and get out of bed. I hear my husband, M., showering in our bathroom. I get dressed and wash my face before heading to the kitchen to make breakfast. Today we’re having scrambled eggs and pancakes (I usually make a big batch of pancakes, muffins, or waffles one afternoon a week and then reheat them each morning for us).

6:40 a.m. — We head out to work. M. drops me off at the school I teach at. Most days we’re able to drive to work together because we work similar schedules, which gives us some more time together and also saves gas money.

7:10 a.m. — I arrive at school. I love teaching, and over the weekends I always look forward to seeing my students again. Today they all want to give me a hug and tell me what they did over the last couple days. The majority of my students come from immigrant families and very low income households. Many have parents who are undocumented or are undocumented themselves, so the last year has been uncertain and difficult for a lot of their families. I’m so impressed by these kids’ resilience and kindness despite the circumstances.

10:30 a.m. — After a morning of reading and writing, I sit down to plan. A lot of the students in our school are far below grade level on reading, and my class is certainly no exception. I put together reading groups, books, and activities for our reading block for the next few days. It’s hard for me to place a couple of the students in a group because they are still learning their letter sounds, but I finally decided to put them with my lowest group and see how it goes. I figure that I can have the rest of the group play a reading game during part of the time so that I can give just those two students specific help with letter sounds.

12 p.m. — I eat the lunch I packed: grapes, a cookie, and a homemade yogurt parfait. One of the office staff stops by to tell me that the mother of a student in another class was in an accident. The school is raising money for some gas and food gift cards to the family. I text M. and he says we should definitely contribute. I write a check. $50

3:45 p.m. — M. and I stop at one of our town’s parks on the way home to fish at the dock and play tennis on the public court. It’s a beautiful evening, and I’m sad that we have to leave by 5 p.m. today (we have friends coming over at 6 p.m.).

6 p.m. — We have pasta and meatballs with our friends and play games. It’s so fun (as always) to hang out with them! After they leave, M. reads a spy novel he checked out last week and I text with a high school friend and some of my sisters. My high school friend, S., and I talk about the state of the nation and the idiocy going on around us. Tonight she tells me that some of her church’s members are staying home from mass and church events because there have been deportations outside other churches in her area. It makes me feel sick and helpless, and S. suggests that I join her and her mom next month for a march in support of immigrant rights.

8 p.m. — M. and I watch part of The Italian Job, say prayers, and go to bed around 9:30 p.m.

6 a.m. — I wake up, make breakfast (eggs and pancakes again), and get ready. Today I am leaving school as soon as my class is dismissed for the day so that I can go to a doctor’s appointment, so M. is not dropping me off.

7:05 a.m. — I get to school and get myself organized for the day. When the first bell rings, some of the students that I had in my class last year stop by to say hi :) It makes me so happy to hear from them.

2:45 p.m. — The day goes by fast! I quickly pack up and drive to my doctor’s office. When I check in, I see that the charges for an appointment I had last month are showing up on my account, so I pay for that ($171). $171

5 p.m. — I drive to the homeless shelter where M. and I volunteer to serve dinner every month. It’s good to see the familiar faces of the residents, and I feel ashamed of myself when I witness their optimism and gratitude (I think feeling ashamed is probably not the best reaction, but I do think it is good to realize that so many people have basic needs that aren’t met while I'm so privileged in a million ways). Many of them are elderly, walk with difficulty, or have severe dental problems, and I’m reminded of how fortunate I am that I can go to a doctor for help without worrying about the cost. We eat chicken casserole, mashed potatoes, and brownies with the residents and other volunteers once we’re done serving, and then head home.

7:15 p.m. — I pack our lunches for tomorrow and watch the news with M. We discuss our mutual dislike for a certain cabinet member and wonder about where our country is headed next. 

6 a.m. — I wake up and make (the same) breakfast. The sunrise is coming through our apartment windows, and it is glorious. The Midwest change-of-seasons sunrises and sunsets are absolutely beautiful, and they always improve my mood immensely. M. and I drive to work with the windows down, letting the cool air fill the car as we sing along to my choice of music, a sappy Sinatra playlist.

10:30 a.m. — The first part of the day goes by well. My students are really understanding this unit of math, and I’m so happy. I eat my lunch (yogurt, grapes, chips, and cheese) while looking over their quizzes. My mom texts and asks if M. and I want to meet her and my dad for dinner tomorrow night. My parents live rurally about an hour and a half away from us, so it’s easy to meet them in a town about halfway between our homes.

3:30 p.m. — After school, I walk to a little park not far from M.’s work. It’s nice to move around a little and be out in the beautiful weather, and it’s easier for him to pick me up here anyway.

5 p.m. — Once we get home, I bake some pumpkin bread and cookies (I LOVE baking and cooking, but especially baking!). We go to daily mass at a little church not far from our place. The priest there preaches about loving our neighbors and trusting in God’s plan. After the final hymn, I kneel silently for a while, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere. 

6 p.m. — M. and I have fish and rice for dinner and go on a walk. When we come back, I pack our lunches while he sets up some card games for us to play. We talk about our families while we play. We are driving south to see his family (they live about two hours away) this weekend.

8 p.m. — I call one of my sisters while I watch the sunset from our deck. The clouds are becoming darker and heavier, and I see that there is rain in the forecast for tomorrow. I head inside to shower.

9 p.m. — We say prayers and go to bed.

5:45 a.m. — I wake up a little early to wind and rain. When I open the blinds, I see that our parking lot is totally flooded. The storm sewers are literally overflowing!

6:45 a.m. — M. picks me up at the door of the apartment lobby in his truck so that I don’t have to get drenched. The streets on the way to school resemble small rivers, and most cars are driving with their hazards on.

7:20 a.m. — I get to school later than usual, and half my students are missing at the time of the tardy bell. As the weather improves throughout the morning, they start showing up.

12 p.m. — I eat lunch (pumpkin bread, blueberries and yogurt, chips) while reading the news and texting one of my sisters. After lunch, I take my class out for recess. The grass is soaking wet even though the rain has passed, so we tell the kids to stay on the asphalt and woodchips. Suddenly, one of my students calls my name and points at the sky excitedly. I look up, expecting to see an airplane, but it is a huge rainbow, the kind you generally see in photographs or picture books. The other kids have noticed it too by now, and are yelling and pointing in delight. I’m amazed at how bright and clear it is, and a little lump rises in my throat. It is just such a magical moment. We don’t go inside until the rainbow goes away, so we end up staying on the playground for five extra minutes.

3:45 p.m. — After school, I walk to the park again. M. picks me up, and we stop by the store on our way home. We get apples, blackberries, flour, pasta, squash, green beans, fish, meatballs, bread, chicken, hotdogs, toothpaste, and ice cream. $62.43

5 p.m. — After we unload the groceries, we get in the car and drive to meet my parents: we all go out to dinner at a place nearby that does pizza by the slice. My mom tells us all the latest news from her large extended family. Her parents are coming to Wisconsin next week, so we make plans to spend next weekend at my parents’ place so we can see them. They live on a few acres bordering a river and have a huge barn that they’ve recently converted into a gym, so it’s a really fun place to visit. We pay for our slices of pizza. $11.21

8 p.m. — On the way home, M. and I have a little argument about something we disagree on politically. We end up “agreeing to disagree” and riding in silence most of the way. We’ve made a lot of progress since the beginning of our relationship on how we manage conflict but sometimes it’s still difficult.

9 p.m. — We say prayers, make lunches, and pack our suitcases for our visit to M.’s family tomorrow. We always move on from arguments quickly, and we’re both in a good mood by the time I get out of the shower. Even though it’s a little later than usual, we both struggle to fall asleep. I roll over to give M. a hug, and he pulls me close.

6 a.m. — It’s the last day of the school week, and we’re driving down to M.’s parents’ house right after work. We have a quick breakfast and drive through another amazing sunrise to work.

10:30 a.m. — During my planning period, I text with M.’s mom. She and I have a really close relationship, and I’m looking forward to seeing her tonight. She updates me on which family and friends will be there this weekend.

12 p.m. — I have a peanut butter and banana sandwich for lunch, along with a Snickerdoodle and some yogurt. The kids are a little antsy today — it’s usually like that on Fridays — and we decide as a grade level to give them 10 extra minutes of recess since it’s a Friday. I play tag with about half my class, and we all have a blast.

3 p.m. — M. picks me up from school and we head to his parents’ house. When we get there, I see M’s five-year-old nephew C. playing in the front yard. M. is godfather to C., and they have a special bond. C. runs to give us a big hug just as M’s brother Z. (C.’s dad) comes out to greet us. Z.’s wife, D., is here too, and she’s holding their new baby daughter, P.! It’s so good to see Z.’s family again; they live in the same town as M.’s parents so we generally get to hang out with them every time we visit. We haven’t seen them in about a month, and it’s amazing how much P. has grown!

6 p.m. — We have a fun night with M.’s family. His younger brother, K., who’s still at home, entertains us with high school drama, and everyone is in a good mood. After a dinner of Italian subs, we go for a walk around the neighborhood. I talk to D. about how her life is going with an infant and a new part-time job.

7:30 p.m. — Z.’s family says a long Midwestern goodbye and heads home for the night. I go to our room to take a shower, and when I come out, the TV is blaring the news and M. and his dad are talking about taxes.  M.’s mom is sitting with them and I know she absolutely hates it when people talk about politics, even if there is no disagreement involved. I suggest we bake something. She readily agrees and pulls out a few new recipes she’s found. We decide to try mini banana cream pies. It’s an absolute disaster but super fun.

9 p.m. — M. and I head to bed. I fall asleep almost immediately.

6:30 a.m. — I wake up to the delicious smell of coffee cake. M.’s mom makes this absolutely scrumptious coffee cake whenever we’re here because it’s M.’s favorite. M. takes a shower and I go downstairs to hang out with his parents. They ask me about my class and update me on their family and friends. M. and K. join us for coffee cake and scrambled eggs, and then M.’s mom and I go out to work in her garden for a little bit. The final vegetables of the year are ready to be harvested, and we pick some good tomatoes and green beans.

10 a.m. — We meet Z.’s family at the park! There’s a little river that runs through the park, and we go fishing. M. patiently shows C. how to put a hotdog on the hook for bait. C. doesn’t catch anything, but his dad lets him “help” reel in a fish on his pole. It’s catch and release, and C. cries because he wants to keep the fish as a pet.

12:30 a.m. — M. fills up on the way back to his parents’ house. $47.91

1 p.m. — We get home and eat turkey panini and fruit salad for lunch. C. tries to convince us to feed his baby sister cantaloupe. I think he does know that babies that young can’t eat normal food, but he likes the attention and laughs that he gets.

3:00 p.m. — M.’s family is very close with another family that lives about a half-hour away, and they’re coming over for dinner tonight. I help M.’s mom prep appetizers and sides, but our guests are bringing pizza and drinks, which is really nice.

3:45 p.m. — M. and I drive to the local church for a 4 p.m. vigil mass. The church is a beautiful Romanesque building, and the music is incredible. The parish is taking up a collection for the starvation victims in Gaza. I wish I had brought my purse. I lean over and whisper to M. that we should give something; I know he has cash in his wallet. M. gives me the look that means “absolutely not”. The basket is getting closer to us. M. doesn’t look my way and the basket passes us. I feel myself getting pretty angry. I know I’m being stupid, and that I should just give online, but M is emphatically against it because he thinks the money won’t actually go to the people that are starving. I’ve looked it up and I think if we give to the right organization, we don’t have to worry about that. I was hoping that a collection through church would change his mind, but I guess there’s no such luck.

5 p.m. — After church, I give M. the silent treatment for about five minutes before his sad face gets to me. I try to explain to him that this is a cause that’s important to me, but he says he replies that we need to keep our focus on having a fun weekend with family and friends and not worry about this now.

6 p.m. — The doorbell rings, and M.’s family friends spill into the kitchen. They bring pizza, cannoli, martinis, and some weird tropical-flavored wine. I’m excited to see them again! They have four adult children around our ages. The eldest is married and recently gave birth, and the other three are guys around the ages of M. and his brothers. A couple of them bring their girlfriends. We have a blast eating dinner and playing games.

8:30 p.m. — After dinner, the families with kids head home, the parents go sit on the deck, and the rest of us go down to the basement to watch a movie. A couple of M.’s friends are pretty sloshed at this point and an intense debate over which movie to watch ensues. Somehow, our options get narrowed down to Cars 2 or Goodfellas (???). I have to take a bathroom break right before the “official vote” and when I return somehow we’re watching The Princess Bride. I love this movie, so I’m thrilled. It’s even funnier when drunk people are trying to say the lines with the actors.

10:30 p.m. — The movie ends and I’m so tired. M.’s family friends hash out designated drivers and say good night. I shower and fall asleep immediately.

7:15 a.m. — I wake up later than usual and quietly leave the room. My mother-in-law is awake, and we go for a walk. We have a great time talking about friends and family. She always had a good advice; in some ways, we’re very similar people. She also says she’d like to join me for the march I’m  planning on going to with S. and her mom!

10 a.m. — We spend the morning hiking and the afternoon swimming in M.’s family’s pool for the last time before they close it for the season. We have leftover pizza and cannoli for lunch.

4:30 p.m. — We pack up and leave. It’s a great day to drive with the windows down, and I feel a lot better about things after talking to M.’s mom. We stop by Culver’s on the way home. I get a milkshake and M. gets a burger and fries. $19.52

6:30 p.m. — We arrive home. I’m feeling strangely energized, so I clean the bathroom, put in a load of laundry, and pack lunches for tomorrow. It must be contagious, because M. starts vacuuming and organizing our shoe shelf. When we finish the chores, we eat ice cream and watch Finding Nemo, laughing and reminiscing about how scared we were of it as kids. I feel so lucky to be married to my best friend. I almost fall asleep on the couch but manage to wait until we get to bed.

Weekly Total $$ Spent: $362.07
Food & Drink: $93.16
Entertainment: $0.00
Home & Health: $171.00
Clothes & Beauty $0.00
Transportation $47.91
Other $50.00

“I think we did a good job spending within our budget this week. We don’t eat out very frequently (I love to bake and cook), and our grocery bill was around what it usually is. I was surprised that I only logged filling up on gas once (usually we fill up twice). The doctor’s bills are obviously unavoidable, but it’s not fun to see that expense and know that there are more coming. Recording my week made me realize how lucky I am to live near family and friends, and what an important part of my life they are. It also helped me reflect on my relationship and the disagreement M. and I had about donating. My parents always donated money to causes they believed in, but I never saw them disagree about where to donate, so this is new territory for me.”

“A few days after I finished recording my diary, M. and I had another conversation about donating to a Gaza aid fund. I reiterated that it was something I felt strongly about and really wanted to do, and he agreed that we could, so I donated online to a charity that provides families there with food and medical aid. I am happy that I brought it up again and that he changed his opinion when he saw how important it was to me.”