A Week In Chicago, IL On A $55,000 Budget

Occupation: Program coordinator/freelance marketer
Industry: Higher Education & Freelance Marketing
Age: 24
Location: Chicago, IL
Salary: $55,000 plus whatever I make freelancing each month
Joint Income/Financial Setup: I live with my partner, N., but we do not share finances and we split our expenses pretty evenly.
Assets: $22,100 ($2,800 in checking account; $1,400 in savings account; $6,000 in a HYSA; $2,900 in Roth IRA; $600 in an HSA; $8,400 in 403(b))
Debt: $16,557 in private student loans; $19,643 in federal student loans (all from undergrad)
Paycheck Amount (Bi-weekly (full-time job); monthly (freelance)): $1,488 (full-time job); $550-900 (freelance)
Pronouns: she/her

Monthly Expenses

Housing Costs: $1,200 for my share (this cost includes water, sewer, trash, wifi, and heating gas)
Loan Payments: Private Student Loans: $250 (I pay extra every month); Federal Student Loans: $114.48. Electricity: ~$40 (differs by season, split evenly with N.) Gas: ~$30 (split evenly with N.) Renter's Insurance: $14.67 Streaming services, Apple Music, and iCloud storage: $0 (my mom pays for us). Classpass: $55 Canva Pro: $15 Substack subscription: $5 Health Insurance (pre-tax): $117.76 Dental Insurance (pre-tax): $7.36 Vision Insurance (pre-tax): $10.24 HSA Contribution (pre-tax): $47.84 Transit Pass (pre-tax): $75401(3)(b) Contribution: $211.54 Savings: $500-1,000 a month.

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?
There wasn't really an expectation from my parents, but it was understood that that would be my path from an early age. I graduated valedictorian in high school and took my studies very seriously. I did go to a private liberal arts college in Utah, where I got a lot of scholarships. For my first three years, I had to take out federal AND private loans for what scholarships did not cover. For the last year, scholarships covered mostly all my costs, and I paid out of savings for the small remainder of what was left. I supported myself financially throughout college, and I am responsible for paying my student loan debt off by myself, and I had known this was going to be the case my whole life.

Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent(s) educate you about finances?
I don't recall hearing or having many financial conversations when I was really young. When I was about 10, my dad tried to teach me about money through people like Tony Robbins, but I HATED when he made me listen to him or read books on money (why was I being forced to read The Richest Man in Babylon this young? And I DID do it because I am nothing if not persistent). My parents split up when I was in middle school, and that was when I became very aware of money. My mom didn't have a job because my dad wanted to “take care of the family,” so she had to work minimum-wage jobs to care for us up until the past few years. My dad didn't make a lot of money at this time (he is an entrepreneurial doctor), so he wasn't providing much more than the bare minimum. My four siblings and I had homes, beds to sleep in, and food to eat, thanks to governmental assistance, but weren't given money for new clothes or spending money — and we'd sometimes struggle with heating our house in the winter. I am the eldest daughter, so I was brought into a lot of these conversations and was made very aware of our financial situation as a teenager.

What was your first job and why did you get it?
When I was 12, I started babysitting. I babysat the same family for five summers throughout middle school and high school. I got it to pay for my own clothes, fun experiences, and gas. I also tutored when I was in high school. I had short stints at Pizza Hut and a local chain restaurant (I hate the food and restaurant industry). My first "real" job that I kept for a long time was at a local pharmacy as a delivery driver.

Did you worry about money growing up?
When I was very young, no. I had a very comfortable childhood — we went on family vacations, I went on multiple shopping sprees a year, and I engaged in many extra-curricular activities. After my parents' divorce, yes! I stopped myself from doing extracurricular activities because I didn't want to ask my parents for money and I worked a lot as a teenager. I wanted to have fun money to go out with my best friends, and I saved up a lot of money to move out for college. I think all my parents provided for that was the cost of my first plane ticket to Utah.

Do you worry about money now?
Yes and no. I definitely am aware of lifestyle creep, but I've been quietly letting myself indulge in the luxury of making more money than I ever have before. I am smart and cognizant of how I spend my money. If something comes up, I usually have the money to cover it. I know I will not be able to afford to buy a house, or retire young, or even comfortably have children on the salary I have now in Chicago, but I have high hopes for myself and I know I will only grow in my career. Also, I sometimes do have the Gen Z view of having no hope for the future of our economy… I barely even expect to be able to ever buy a house or retire. I used to have a lot of money anxiety, and I'm honestly proud of where I'm at now — even if it's sort of fatalistic. I try not to think too much about the future while also saving what I can. I'm working hard, and I'm going to enjoy my life now! Sorry if this is problematic!

At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net?
Even though I pay for mostly everything by myself, my mom covers streaming services and still pays for my phone bill and iCloud storage. When I visit home, my mom, dad, or grandma pretty much cover anything I need when I'm with them. If I'm alone, I pay. If I'm with my younger sisters, I often cover their expenses, as well. I know if I were to need it, I could always move back home and in with my mom, dad, or grandma.

Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain.
When I graduated high school, I got a lot of money from extended family and friends (I'm not sure how much), and $1,000 from my grandfather when I graduated college that I used to buy my car in Utah (which I have since sold, and lost money on by the way… I'm still angry about that). Other than those monetary gifts, no.

6:15 a.m. — I finally wake up after snoozing my alarm a few times (I've gotten into a bad habit of this; I haven't been sleeping well recently) and drag myself out of bed. My day always starts in the bathroom brushing my teeth and doing my skincare (CosRX snail mucin, Vanicream moisturizer, and Innisfree sunscreen).

6:30 a.m. — I make my morning coffee (iced hazelnut oatmilk lattes every morning using my Gemini Express), feed my cat, R., roll out my yoga mat for a 10 minute morning flow, and then get ready for the day.

7:15 a.m. — Breakfast time. This morning, I'm having egg whites and spinach, chicken sausage, and a piece of buttered toast. I have some version of this pretty much every morning.

7:40 a.m. — I head out the door after saying bye to R. I take the bus to work this morning. It's free every time I tap into public transit because I pay for the unlimited monthly CTA pass (included in expenses above).

8:00 a.m. — Once I arrive at work, I put my lunch in the fridge and set myself up for the day. In the morning, I spend some time planning my day, responding to emails, and getting organized. This morning I'm drinking a blood orange kombucha I brought from home.

10:40 a.m. — I spend the morning working on content planning and creation. I wear a lot of different hats in my full-time position, so I'm always doing something different. I also take a break to eat the ripest, most delicious farmers' market peach.

12:00 p.m. — Lunch break. I eat what I brought from home (it's a beef bowl lol) and then go on my lunchtime walk. I spend some of it researching a potential therapist. I haven't been in a few years, and feel like I really need to be back in therapy. My anxiety has gotten, and is getting, exponentially worse as I get older. I don't want to pay for it at all, though, which is why I've been putting off finding a new one. I try calling the office of a therapist that looks somewhat promising, but they don't answer. I leave a voicemail.

3:30 p.m. — My afternoon consists of more caption writing and creative ideation. I break to chat with a colleague about how her daughter's college move-in day went. I love talking to my colleagues, which doesn't happen that often. I'm almost always one of a few people in-office. I eat two chocolate caramels, then start to wrap up the workday.

4:00 p.m. — I leave work and walk home. I either like to walk to or from work. I prefer walking home FROM work, and now that it's not as hot outside, I can finally do that. I call my mom on the walk home after I try the therapist's office once again (they don't answer).

4:30 p.m. — Home! I do my dishes from this morning, scoop litter, and get dressed. My best friend, M., and I have plans tonight that we've been wanting to do since last summer and I'm very excited! Before she gets to my house, I spend some time doing some of my freelance tasks. Today, I am doing community management and posting on socials.

5:00 p.m. — M. comes over and we start our trek to the restaurant. It takes a long time because we are using public transportation and it's quite far north. We just chat the whole way about life updates. On our walk to the restaurant, we get stuck behind a HUGE group of people wearing all white. They end up situating themselves in the grass across from the restaurant, and the rest of our night is spent trying to figure out what is going on. We discover that it's some sort of all white “dinner party” that you have to pay $100 to go to even though you have to bring your own chairs, table, food, cups, etc. Weird?!

7:00 p.m. — M. and I eat our food, listen to the live band that's playing, talk some more, and watch the sunset over the lake. It's a beautiful night, and quite chilly. I'm excited for fall because fall in Chicago rules. We split cheese curds, and I get the blackened shrimp tacos. $36.78

8:30 p.m. — We finally catch the bus home and laugh the whole way. It was a silly night for some reason. I arrive home to my boyfriend, N., putting our new dining table and chairs together. We just moved in together last month, so we're still getting settled and buying new furniture. Previously (and in my last Money Diary) I lived with my best friend M. All three of us moved to Chicago together — we are besties!

10:00 p.m. — I shower, do my skincare (double cleanse with Dr. Hauschka soothing cleansing milk and Drunk Elephant jelly cleanser, Vanicream moisturizer, Cetaphil eye cream), and fall asleep watching The White Lotus on my phone.

6:20 a.m. — I wake up after snoozing my alarms multiple times (again). R. is very obsessed with me this morning and follows me around, watching everything I do. He has a bowl of food, so he just wants my attention. I make sure to give him some! He's the cutest.

7:40 a.m. — After my morning routine, I take the bus to work. I arrive at work about 10 minutes later — this was one of my smoothest commutes in a while!

9:00 a.m. — I was not very hungry this morning and I only had a small bowl of chia seed pudding, so I get hungry around this time. I eat the Mid-Day Square I brought from home to hopefully hold me over until lunch.

11:30 a.m. — I spend my morning doing administrative tasks and grant searching. I get hungry and take my break for lunch. I eat (the same lunch as yesterday), go outside, and read a little bit of my current book (I am re-reading Normal People by Sally Rooney). I also book a massage for next week because M. (bff) got me a gift card for my birthday that I still haven't used.

4:00 p.m. — The afternoon DRAGS ON, but it's finally time to go. We had summer Fridays, and this was the first Friday back to normal hours. Rough. I am a firm believer that it should be company policy everywhere that work should end early on Fridays. I eat a peach at some point and I call my sister, A., on the walk home. She's a freshman in college, and just moved in yesterday.

5:30 p.m. — After doing some chores, putting a load of laundry in, and eating a snack (almonds, cheese, cranberries), I go on a walk. It ends up being a lot longer than expected because I call my grandma and we talk about her life in her 20s. It was a very sweet conversation. I end up at Trader Joe's and buy myself pork dumplings, ravioli, a Chomps stick, bacon and egg gummies, and white cheddar popcorn. I talk to my mom and sister on the walk home. $13.70

8:00 p.m. — I spend my evening eating the pork dumplings and watching The Summer I Turned Pretty. N. wants to watch The White Lotus with me but I end up falling asleep at 9:30. I feel like something is wrong with me because I can't stay awake past 10 p.m.

7:45 a.m. — I wake up before my alarm and lay in bed for a while. I try not to do this, but I am SO TIRED. I feel delusional getting up and doing my morning routine.

8:30 a.m. — I realize what time it is and start quickly getting ready. I eat some chia seed pudding, drink a coffee, get dressed, and pack my bag. I head to the bus stop around 9:15.

9:30 a.m. — Time for concrete beach mat pilates! I signed up for the class and paid the $5 ticket fee a few weeks ago. It's a fun class and it's hotter outside than I was expecting. The instructor partnered with a chiropractic place that was giving complimentary massages after the workout. I get a quick five-minute massage and a voucher to come in for a free session, so I schedule that for Tuesday. I make a mental note to move the one I booked yesterday to a later date.

11:00 a.m. — I get off my bus stop and walk to the farmers' market. I grab a breakfast sandwich because I am craving one so bad… I can't help it. $18.54

12:30 p.m. — I shower and get ready for my afternoon plans. Before we leave, I lounge around, reading (Ducks, Newburyport by Lucy Ellmann is my current at-home read), scrolling on my phone, drinking another latte, moving my massage appointment, and facetiming A. I also buy some new sheets for the fall/winter. I decide on a red and cream striped duvet cover, brown sheets, and brown pillow cases. I hope they're comfy — I rarely ever treat myself to a purchase like this. $127.37

3:00 p.m. — N. and I head out for the afternoon. Our friend P. is having her birthday party, frat boy themed. I am wearing N.'s Dolphins jersey for the occasion. We uber there because we are already running late. $5.00

5:30 p.m. — I spend the afternoon hanging out with my friends, laughing, and having a good time. We don't leave P.'s house.

9:30 p.m. — At around this time, everyone starts to leave the party. N. and I head home on the bus. Once we get home, he makes me ravioli and I fall asleep around 11:30.

10:00 a.m. — I wake up to my alarm going off. I knew I was going to sleep in because I've been so tired recently, but I still wanted to wake up relatively early because I don't like to waste my weekends sleeping.

10:30 a.m. — I pretty much throw myself up out of bed, get dressed in sweats, and start cleaning the house. I clean the kitchen, floors, and even get out my window squeegee to clean the windows from the outside. It feels great to have a clean house. I eat breakfast at some point in this time frame (egg whites, spinach, toast, and chicken sausage).

1:00 p.m. — Once I finish cleaning, N. and I head out for a lunch date. We take the train to a pizza spot where we get the monthly special pizza (ricotta, pickled red onions, chorizo verde, jalapeno, and potatoes). It was so good! $23.35

3:00 p.m. — When we get home, we lounge around, half-napping with R. on the bed. I watch a little bit of YouTube vlogs.

4:00 p.m. — I get up, put on shoes, and head out on a walk. I walk to a nearby park and spend about an hour reading and finishing Normal People. I listen to music while I read, and it's a wonderful time. The weather is absolutely perfect today. I stop at Target on the way home and get some kombucha and an Olipop. $14.37

5:30 p.m. — Once I get home, I set up the house for the evening. I light a candle, do some dishes, and pack my bag for work tomorrow. N. went out to get us groceries for Sunday night dinner. $30.66

7:30 p.m. — After I take a shower, I sit on the couch and watch The White Lotus while N. makes us dinner. We've been watching it for a few weeks and want to finish it tonight.

9:30 p.m. — Late dinner because N. had to keep taking breaks to do his Fantasy Football draft (lol). We eat and then finish the show. Both of our reactions were “… that's it?” I brush my teeth and fall asleep around 11:30.

6:15 a.m. — I wake up and let myself scroll for a few minutes. I do my morning routine, and I'm out the door at 7:40 this morning. I take the bus to work.

8:00 a.m. — Once at work, I take a few minutes to settle in and then immediately start helping a colleague set up for a session that is going on today in her Center.

11:30 a.m. — I spend my morning doing admin work, planning for the week, scheduling posts on socials, and attending a meeting. I eat a donut that someone brought in for our office intern's first day of classes (jelly-filled, of course).

12:00 p.m. — Lunch time! Today is the first day of classes at our university and, to celebrate, we are having a faculty and staff lunch. Today's menu is Greek food: chicken gyros, potatoes, salad, and baklava.

2:15 p.m. — I've been trying to import data into a new software we are using and the system is giving me SUCH a hard time. I get myself Dunkin' as a treat. They have a new cereal milk latte that I try despite knowing it's going to give me a stomachache. It tastes like dessert. I save the other half for tomorrow morning (this might be gross, but I'm not known for listening to food/drink rules). $6.68

4:15 p.m. — Home from work. I have a 4:45 pm biweekly Monday meeting that I just like to be home for.

5:45 p.m. — My meeting ends and I heat up leftovers to eat for dinner (meatloaf and potatoes). N. has a virtual appointment so I leave to give him some privacy. I facetime A. while sitting in the park. Her first day of classes is tomorrow so we just chat about how she's feeling. I love my sisters!

8:30 p.m. — I read my book for a little bit while N. finishes building the dining room chairs, but then he asks for my help. We try to build this one chair for two HOURS and we can't get it! We give up and vow to work on it later.

11:30 p.m. — I'm in bed after my shower and skincare. I fall asleep watching YouTube.

6:30 a.m. — I am UP!!! I am still so tired... I can't seem to wake up on time (I try to wake up at 5:45). Morning routine, breakfast, feed R., out the door. I walk to work this morning because I feel like I need some time to myself.

8:15 a.m. — I arrive at work. This morning, I do admin work, edit some email copy, and work on the data import I was working on yesterday. I also take a minute to pay my student loans (included in monthly expenses).

12:00 p.m. — I take my lunch break. I eat leftover pizza from Sunday and go to my favorite spot outside to read my book for a bit. It's right by a fountain and lots of older people are always here as well — reading, meeting up with their friends, or just enjoying their time. They make me happy to be around.

4:00 p.m. — This afternoon, I process an invoice and spend the rest of my time working on more projects related to the new software implementation. By new, I mean it's a few months old and this transition is taking much longer than anticipated. That's okay, though — I sometimes enjoy tedious work. I leave work and take the bus to the place I'm getting my massage today.

5:45 p.m. — After a long bus ride and a FAKE massage appointment, I wait for the bus home. I'm mad they told me I get a free massage today — they just took X-rays of me. I should've known it was too good to be true… I reschedule my original massage AGAIN while waiting for the bus home.

7:30 p.m. — I spend alllll night doing freelance work while lying in bed with R. For dinner, I eat leftover meatloaf with some rice and sweet potatoes. I also drink the Olipop I bought on Sunday.

10:30 p.m. — After I shower and get ready for bed, I watch Boogie Nights on my laptop. It's such a fun movie and VERY entertaining.

6:30 a.m. — I wake up later without stressing because Wednesday is my WFH day. I get up, do my morning routine, read in bed, make coffee, and journal.

7:30 a.m. — When N. leaves for work, I walk outside with him and head to the farmers' market in my neighborhood. There, I buy apricots (I like to get fruit at the farmers' market to snack on), tomatoes (because they are so perfect right now), a raspberry rose croissant (looked too good to pass up), and a loaf of sourdough. I eat half of my croissant on a park bench, letting the sun shine in my face, and then head back home. $26.75

10:30 a.m. — After a few hours of work, I take a break to order two books I want to read soon. I'm really good about not buying new books until I read all of my current ones. I am trying to start a personal library, which is basically just a fun way to say I collect books. I do read all of them, though! $24.89

12:00 p.m. — I take another little break to make lunch. I eat slices of the loaf I bought this morning with cottage cheese and sliced tomatoes on top. Sooooo good! I eat while I work. Today I'm working on planning a social media promotional campaign for an event, doing grant research, and problem-solving with a vendor.

1:30 p.m. — Now I take my “lunch break.” When I WFH, I like my lunch break to be some sort of movement. Today, I follow a pilates video on YouTube.

4:00 p.m. — Once I finish my work for the day, I head out for a walk and to read in the park (my favorite activity, if you can't tell). I stay for about an hour.

6:00 p.m. — After eating dinner (ravioli and chicken sausage), I take a quick nap with R. curled up next to me. I wake up abruptly 20 minutes later and quickly get ready to go to a nearby bar for a The Summer I Turned Pretty watch party with my friends. I stop at Walgreens on the way to buy a bag of chips (for me) and peach rings (for my friend). $6.95

7:15 p.m. — I grab a table at the bar and wait for my friends to arrive. The episode starts at 7:30 and we have a blast. Normally, this is not the type of media I enjoy consuming, but I'm addicted to this show. We snack on the free popcorn the bar has and eat snacks we brought (the bar doesn't serve food). I don't get anything because I don't really drink, and I do feel bad about it. I like to give my money to local places if I'm going to them.

8:45 p.m. — I bus back home with my friend. Once I get home, I take a quick shower and pretty much go right to bed. I want to be well-rested for the rest of my week.

This week was pretty normal for me to be honest. I spend most of my money on food and drink — both groceries and going out to eat. I already track my spending and I'm very aware of it, but it's always fun to do it journal-entry style! I COULD spend less money going out to eat... but will I? Maybe in the winter when it's too cold in Chicago to leave my house...