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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, we're looking at moms and their spending during the back-to-school rush. Per Deloitte, in the United States alone, back-to-school season is the second biggest shopping season of the year, "touching 29 million households and accounting for $27 billion in sales." Since women are usually responsible for household purchases, wherever they are in the country or in the world, we want to see what it's like for women with children of a variety of ages, in a variety of locations.
First up this week: a human resources manager who makes $48,222 per year, and spends some of it this week on loaves of rye bread and prescription drugs.
Editor's Note: All prices have been converted to the U.S. dollar using conversion figures at the time her diary was submitted. Some text has been adapted to American English.
Occupation: Human Resources Manager
Industry: Non-Profit
Age: 31
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Salary: $48,222/year
Paycheck (Biweekly): I'm on maternity leave and get $962 biweekly. My husband earns between $2,500 and $3,500 biweekly. We also receive a Canadian Child Tax Benefit of $735.76/month.
Industry: Non-Profit
Age: 31
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Salary: $48,222/year
Paycheck (Biweekly): I'm on maternity leave and get $962 biweekly. My husband earns between $2,500 and $3,500 biweekly. We also receive a Canadian Child Tax Benefit of $735.76/month.
Monthly Expenses
Housing Costs: $552.18 for an accelerated biweekly mortgage amount
Car Payment: $218.03 biweekly. No student loans, thank god. I worked two jobs in university and had scholarships.
Housing Costs: $552.18 for an accelerated biweekly mortgage amount
Car Payment: $218.03 biweekly. No student loans, thank god. I worked two jobs in university and had scholarships.
All Other Monthly Expenses
Line of Credit Interest: $130. We are paying off our LOC as fast as possible as the bank of Canada is likely raising interest rates again this fall.
Life Insurance: $58
Bank Fee: $4 for overdraft protection
Utilities: Typically, between $280 and $330 for electricity, water, gas, and city services. We have rain barrels and high efficiency bulbs to keep it as low as we can.
Phone Bills: $250/month for two cellphones
RESP Contribution: We put away $300/month for our children's education. They are currently 10 weeks old, 2.5 years old, and 5.5 years old. Right now, we have $11,000 saved.
Netflix: $10/month
Home & Auto Insurance: $255/month for our house and one car. My husband has a work vehicle that is paid for through his full-time job. He uses our personal vehicle for our small electrical/HVAC company.
Internet: $90/month
Gym Membership: Free for me and the kids through my work.
Line of Credit Interest: $130. We are paying off our LOC as fast as possible as the bank of Canada is likely raising interest rates again this fall.
Life Insurance: $58
Bank Fee: $4 for overdraft protection
Utilities: Typically, between $280 and $330 for electricity, water, gas, and city services. We have rain barrels and high efficiency bulbs to keep it as low as we can.
Phone Bills: $250/month for two cellphones
RESP Contribution: We put away $300/month for our children's education. They are currently 10 weeks old, 2.5 years old, and 5.5 years old. Right now, we have $11,000 saved.
Netflix: $10/month
Home & Auto Insurance: $255/month for our house and one car. My husband has a work vehicle that is paid for through his full-time job. He uses our personal vehicle for our small electrical/HVAC company.
Internet: $90/month
Gym Membership: Free for me and the kids through my work.
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