A Week In Kansas City, MO On A $261,400 Household Income

Occupation: Senior customer success manager
Industry: Tech
Age: 33
Location: Kansas City, MO
Salary: $123,500 + bonus (which ranges from $20,000 to $40,000 per year).
Household Income/Finances Setup: $261,400. My husband T. is also in tech and makes $118,000. We do a yours-mine-ours approach to our finances. We have not merged everything, but have joint accounts for our house, travels, and a joint credit card. Both our names are on the house, even though T. was the one to put the downpayment on it as he was more established and owned his previous place. Annually we sit down and review our assets, debt, and goals financially. During this time I’ll typically bring up the conversation of if we want to merge our finances more (both of us have been fine with how we do it currently). The majority of the time now we’re 50/50 on splitting things, but since I do make more with my bonuses, I’ve been more prone towards doing 60/40 on certain items.
Individual Assets: Savings: $16,500; checking: $900; 401(k)/rollover: $105,000; investments $3,900. T.’s 401(k): $373,557.58; T.’s savings: $9,000; T.’s investments: $2,400.
Joint Assets: Home equity: $125,000; car value (both our cars are paid off): ~$14,000; savings: $29,000.
Debt: HELOC: $13,900; home loan: $233,286; coding school: $3,000.
Paycheck Amount (Every Two Weeks): $2,808.34
Pronouns: She/her

Monthly Expenses

Housing Costs: Mortgage: $2,114.97 (split 60/40 — 60 on me). We own a three-bed/2.5-bath home.
Loan Payments: HELOC: $500; coding school: $146.
Utilities & Streaming: $250 (average total of my share for internet, Hulu TV, Max, Apple TV, and Netflix).
Cell Phone: $45
Family Spotify: $13
Apple Storage: $2.99
Google Storage: $1.99
Chewy: $139.91 (every five weeks)
Dog Vet Supplement Plan: $64.95 (I cover).
Pet Insurance: $50 (T. pays).
Peloton: $22 (my half).
Gym Membership: $76
ACLU Donation: $25
Planned Parenthood Donation: $15
Joint Savings: $500 (me); $300 (T.).
Individual Savings: $250
Individual Travel Account: $200

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, I was sent to a private collegiate high school. The majority of my peers and the community I lived in were wealthy or upper-middle class. In my mind there was no other option but to attend college after high school. I ended up attending an out-of-state public university and received my bachelor’s. From the beginning my parents stated they would cover half of my college and I would be responsible for the other half. Anything past four years or a graduate degree I would be on my own. I have three younger siblings and they offered this for all of us. I took out public and private student loans to cover my half of school. I walked away with around $83,000 total ($30,000 in federal loans and $53,000 in private loans).

Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent(s)/guardian(s) educate you about finances?
My mom had me open my first bank account at the age of eight after my First Communion (Catholic school kid) and before college my parents helped me get my own credit card to begin building credit. There were conversations around how and why to use a credit card and to be mindful of always paying it off every month. Outside of that, not much else was discussed regarding finances. This led to a lot of trial and errors in my 20s.

What was your first job and why did you get it?
I began babysitting at the age of 12 almost every weekend. I got my first tax paying job my senior year of high school as a server. These jobs were so I could have my own fun money to spend out with friends, movies, shopping, etc.

Did you worry about money growing up?
Not really, there were moments where I would compare my life to other classmates, since being surrounded by wealth led to me wondering why we weren’t taking yearly Spring Break trips or why I didn’t get my own car at 16. We had everything we could need and more. My parents made sure we could do extracurriculars and have amazing experiences many other kids did not get to have, I realized that as I got older and away from the top 1% (or say 5%) bubble I grew up in.

Do you worry about money now?
Short term, currently no. I feel pretty confident with my emergency fund and our joint funds to cover any concerns. From a future perspective, yes. Whether we decide to have a child or two, I hear and see my friends talk about how heavy the expenses are and I am concerned about giving those potential children a well-rounded life. Additionally, I am always concerned about retirement savings. I’m currently in the mindset that I’m going to have to work forever at this point, while my husband T. reminds me it’s a joint effort and we’ll be okay.

At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net?
For me it was a gradual financial independence. I’d say at 22 years old for the most part, but my parents let me stay on their health insurance and covered my share of the phone plan until I was 26. I definitely have a financial safety net in my husband T., but I also know both our parents would help us out a bit or let us live with them if things were to become dire.

Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain.
In my mind yes: my parents gave me $3,000 to help with a downpayment on a new car in my mid 20s when I was broke, working two jobs, and my car died unexpectedly. I had not learned the financial literacy I know now. Additionally, when I turned 30 they surprised me and paid off the last of my private student loans, which was $35,000. It was completely unexpected and I cried when they told me.

9 a.m. — I’m slow this Monday. I get dressed in leggings and a sweatshirt (I’ve been working from home full time since COVID-19). I head downstairs to grab coffee and a splash of almond milk plus two clementines to start my work day.

10:30 am — The perks of work from home: I head back downstairs for more food. I grab Greek yogurt, granola, blackberries and blueberries.

12:45 p.m. — I make protein pancakes and eggs + egg whites for lunch. During that time I unload the dishwasher and quickly pop into my husband T.’s office to chat about house stuff. I have a plan to update the front yard because so many plants and weeds have created a not-so-nice-looking landscape. Granted we need to wait about a month till the weather warms up a bit more. Back to my office for meetings. 

3:30 p.m. — My last call ends 10 minutes early, woohoo. Since I work from home, during the work week I’ll usually take a break in the middle of the afternoon to walk our dog for 20-30 minutes. After our walk, I grab a clear protein+energy drink — my current obsession.

5:30 p.m. — I log out for the day and go for a solo 40-minute walk to reset and enjoy the nice weather. Afterwards, I feed our dog dinner and grab a Chomp Stick and skinny pop for myself. T. picks up some items at the grocery store we need: almond milk, Greek yogurt, and flaxseeds. $14.11

7:30 p.m. — I make dinner for T. and me — chicken parmesan and protein pasta. T. does the dishes. We hang downstairs and watch some TV till about 10 p.m. when I go upstairs to do my nighttime skincare routine (which is a lot): double cleanse with Clean It Zero balm and La Roche-Posay purifying foaming cleanser, TIRTIR Milky toner, La Roche-Posay Retinol, COSRX eye cream, Clarins multi-active nuit cream, and Torriden lip essence. Afterwards I read (Rage Becomes Her: The Power of Women’s Anger by Soraya Chemaly) for 45 minutes before going to sleep.

7:30 a.m. — I wake up and scroll and read my newsletters and social media for 30 minutes (this is pretty typical in the morning for me). Get ready for the day and do my morning skincare (toner, vitamin C serum, eye cream, moisturizer, and sunscreen). I throw in my laundry while reheating leftover protein pancakes. I also grab my coffee before heading upstairs to my office to start my workday.

12 p.m. — I’m going to do Girl Lunch today. I grab a Chomp Stick, Skinny Pop, protein bar and clear protein drink to keep me going. During that time I also fold laundry and load and run the dishwasher (#multitasking). 

3 p.m. — I take a 30-minute walk break with the dog. During this time, I catch up on the phone with my dad on his new transition to retirement life.

5 p.m. — I log out of work for the day. I eat one more Chomp Stick and I hop on the Peloton bike for a 30-minute ride and 10 minutes of stretching. I need to run errands as we have a snowstorm with high winds coming in tonight and tomorrow. When I get in my car the empty light is on so I stop for gas right by our house before heading to the grocery store. $45.31

6:30 p.m. — I hit up Trader Joe’s for some items for a dinner I’m making tomorrow. Chicken broth, a lemon, vegetable soup, Italian dressing, baby carrots, frozen vegetable fried rice, TJ’s mac and cheese, and protein bars. I also grab a blank card for a friend who won a big award for her work. Have definitely come shopping hungry as I buy a few extra items we really don’t need. While I’m at the store, T. makes a frozen pepperoni pizza for us, so I come home to dinner ready. So hungry! Afterward we watch some TV before I head upstairs around 10 p.m. to do my nighttime skincare routine and about 45 minutes of reading my book before bed. $28.25

7:45 a.m. — Slow start again. Morning routine, skincare, and I get dressed in leggings and a sweater. I make protein pancakes, eggs and egg whites, and grab my coffee with almond milk.

10 a.m. — I check my credit card. I do this daily so I am aware of my spending. I’ve previously been in some credit card debt before and I refuse to let this happen again. I see my card has been charged for our dog’s food from Chewy. We have this sent to us every five weeks. Our dog is on a special vet-approved food, which makes this pricey. In the last three years it’s gone up over $30, thanks to inflation. We’ve switched his food in the past (four times in one year), so switching now when he’s almost 10 years old doesn’t feel right. Sigh. 

12:30 p.m. — I snack on a protein bar and I decide to take 15 minutes to vacuum up my office and downstairs a bit. We have a German Shepherd dog that typically requires regular vacuuming of our home. Fur is always everywhere, so pretty much this is just managing it. I’m still full from breakfast so I only grab a clear protein energy drink for the time being.

4:30 p.m. — Well I’m finally done with meetings for the day. I missed my afternoon walk with our dog but T. took him, since it was too cold to walk him this morning. I decide to make a cup of Trader Joe’s vegetable soup. I also grab skinny pop and clementines as I am now starving. Man, my eating is off this week — I’m working on trying to eat more high-protein meals and I may have had too big of a breakfast this morning. After resting, I jump on the Peloton for a 15-minute ride, 20 minutes of upper body work and five minutes of core work.

7:30 p.m. — I whip up a favorite for this year so far: lemon garlic butter chicken thighs, green beans and potatoes. T and I watch some TV before I head upstairs around 9:30 p.m. to go blow dry my hair, do my night time skincare routine, 45-minutes of reading and bed by 11:30 p.m.

7:30 a.m. — I wake up and scroll on my phone for 15 minutes before getting out of bed to get ready for the day. I do my morning routine with my skincare and I throw on a Target long-sleeve shirt and leggings. After that I head downstairs, let the dog out back, unload the clean dishes that T. washed last night, reheat leftover protein pancakes for breakfast, and pour myself a cup of coffee — thanks to T., who got our coffee ready when he went downstairs earlier to take out our trash for pickup. I have an 8:30 a.m. meeting this morning, so I need to be on it today.

11:30 a.m. — I’m starving and I’m already ready for lunch. I reheat leftovers from last night, grab a clear protein drink, and refill my coffee.

2:45 p.m. — I sign off work to walk the dog for 25 minutes. Thankfully it’s finally starting to warm back up a bit. On my way back to my office I grab a protein bar and Skinny Pop. It’s Thursday and I am so ready for it to be the weekend.

4:30 p.m. — I decide to clock out early to go run errands. I make a return at Nordstrom Rack and wander around a bit but find nothing of interest. I’ve put on weight the last couple of years and with working from home I’ve struggled with dressing my body as well as finding confidence in what my style actually is. I head to Sephora to grab some face sunscreen since I’m almost out. I grab my usual Supergoop! Glowscreen and decide to try a new one, too: Innisfree Daily UV Defense Sunscreen. This new one is half the price so if I really like it could lower my skincare costs (at least that’s my rationale). $61.10

6:30 p.m. — I reheat leftover chicken parmesan and protein pasta. T. has a rec sport game tonight so we’re not eating together. After dinner I put on Is it Cake? and color in one of my coloring books. This has been a good way for me to stay off my phone and decompress from the political landscape in 2025. I need a bit of a break in the evenings since I take in most of the news with my newsletters in the morning. After that break, I take our dog out for a 30-minute walk. Afterwards, I double cleanse my face and decide to do some selfcare: whiten my teeth and a face mask. I use my Caudalie’s Instant Detox Mask since I’m breaking out and about to get my period. T. gets home around 9:45 p.m. as I’m doing my night time skincare routine and we catch up.

7:30 a.m. — I get out of bed right away, no scrolling today. I do my morning routine and go downstairs to make protein pancakes and coffee. I have meetings that start at 8 a.m. In between meetings I go downstairs to refill my water bottle, put away my dirty dishes, and grab snacks (a protein bar and clear energy drink). It’s a busy Friday with a few escalations from clients. Yay…

1:15 p.m. — I finish up a 35-minute Peloton ride and go downstairs to reheat the last of the garlic lemon chicken high and green beans and grab a bag of Skinny Pop. We have plans this evening so my workout needed to be during lunch. I typically will just work through my lunch.

4:30 p.m. — I grab another protein drink while getting ready to go out this evening. I throw on a plain black long-sleeve shirt and dark jeans, with brown boots. Before our event tonight, T. is picking up beer from his favorite brewery. To celebrate the weekend, I buy us a round of drinks — an IPA for T. and a seltzer for me. Afterwards we go pick up our season ticket holder scarves for KC Current (a women’s professional soccer league). $16.34

6:45 p.m. — After the season ticket holder event, we decide to hit up one of my favorite Mexican food places. We each get two margaritas, and we split some salsa and queso fundido. For our main meal, I get two tacos a la carte and T. gets a burrito. I was SUPER hungry, and definitely feel like I ate a bit too much. T. pays. We both take turns paying for drinks and meals from our own individual accounts.

8 a.m. — Our dog is whining for us to get up so I roll out of bed and go downstairs to let him out while making myself a cup of coffee. I eventually do a 20-minute leg strength class, five minutes of core and 10 minutes of stretching. Before getting ready for the day. I am meeting a friend for brunch.

10:45 a.m. — I meet up with one of my best friends, A., and we grab breakfast at a local place nearby. We split a homemade blueberry pop-tart (which the waiter comps) and a slice of their pistachio and cherry French toast. For the main, I try their lavender latte with skim milk and avocado toast. A. gets her usual turkey and avocado Benedict with a honey-bee latte. We split the bill evenly. I over-tip because our waitress was awesome ($24.94 + $10 tip). $34.94

12:30 p.m. — As we walk out, we window shop and talk about gift giving for our partners. T. and I have our third wedding anniversary coming up and neither of us are big gift people. Instead, we will usually look at doing an experience together, like a trip, sports event, concert, or going to a new restaurant. A. and I decide to stop in a local jewelry store. I end up picking up a new pair of KC Current earrings and A. convinces me about a purse that’s similar to something I’ve been eyeing on Etsy for a while. $100.71

3:30 p.m. — T. and I are at my college friend’s co-ed baby shower. I’m so excited for them: they’ve been through a lot to get here — IVF, PCOS, a surgery — and now she’s due in about two months. I snack on some Sour Paatch Kids and drink a White Claw while we mingle. On our way out of the party I grab a bag of goldfish for the road.

6:45 p.m. — I’ve been craving our favorite sushi place all week, so T. and I decide that is what’s for dinner tonight. On the weekends we don’t usually cook dinners. We each get a large Sapporo, I get a cup of clear soup, and we share multiple sushi rolls. We talk about Japan and planning for T.’s 40th birthday there next year. Since T. paid for dinner last night, tonight is on me. $109.75

9:30 a.m. — It’s Daylight Savings and I end up sleeping in later than expected (T. got up with our dog this morning). I place a grocery order pickup at Target and double check to see that everything went through. I order granola, Kodiak pancake mix, paper towels, ground beef, protein bars, broccoli, a red onion, grape tomatoes, a couple of potatoes, green beans, zucchini, a lemon, paprika, strawberries, clementines, garlic, sesame seed oil, and dog treats. I make myself a cup of coffee and reheat some leftover protein pancakes for breakfast. $82.62

1 p.m. — I walk 10 minutes to a coffee shop by our house to meet up with two of our neighbors who have become friends. We are planning to throw another mutual neighbor friend of ours a joint baby shower. We catch up about our love for our dogs and begin brainstorming, planning, and budgeting for the shower. I get an iced coffee with oat milk and had almost $4 to use towards it, so I just pay the difference. $2.32

2:45 p.m. — After coffee, I drive to pick up our groceries and a new faucet for our half bath. The faucet has stopped working and after researching online the best option is a plumber and replacement. I go to Lowe’s on the way to Target. I grab a new black matte faucet and a matching towel holder. Once back at the house, I rush around quickly and T. helps me unload everything. I grab a protein bar and clear protein drink. I’m meeting up with a newer friend at a park to walk around and catch up. She’s new to the area, 22, and family on my mom’s side. I sometimes feel my age when spending time with her but she’s always so sweet. $135.11

6:30 p.m. — I spend two hours at the park, while we catch up on life. I give her some advice and I’m so proud to hear how engaged she’s gotten in the community here. I’ve invited her to join our kickball team this spring and it seems like she’ll be in. On the way home, I pick up a bag of frozen French fries because T. is making us burgers and salad. $4.78

7 p.m. — Since I brought up kickball I decide to sign up for the spring season now so I don’t forget. Unfortunately, like everything else in this economy, the league’s pricing has gone up. T. finishes making dinner and we sit down to eat: homemade burgers, salad and French fries. T. is an introvert and needed a recharge day at home, so he mostly hung out watching TV inside and walking our dog. I can tell he’s feeling energized. We decide to watch the Love Is Blind reunion. Afterwards, I do my typical evening routine, wash face, night-time skincare, and I cut my reading short to just 25 minutes before sleep.  $65

“Fun fact: I’ve been tracking my purchases monthly for a while now — since I first began reading Refinery29’s Money Diaries. Seeing this diary written out I do have some buyer’s remorse on the new purse and I definitely didn’t need two face sunscreens — though as a social person who works from home, I don’t feel guilty when I meet up with someone for a coffee or meal so to me I see that as an experience and quality time with the people I care about. Overall, while I do want to curb my spending, I was pretty proud of myself for the week and will continue to work on impulse buys.”