A Week In Central Oregon On A $68,000 Salary

A Note From Our Diarist: “Unfortunately, when I woke up in the morning after I got back from the trip mentioned below, I found my cat had passed away at some point throughout the night. We had gotten her to the vet before I left for my trip and started her on a steroid for her diarrhea, which gave her solid poops practically overnight. Her bloodwork, stool, and urinalysis results all came back normal, so I was honestly thinking we were on the upswing of her health. My petsitter had mentioned she seemed sad/lethargic a day and a half before I got back and had thrown up some kibble, but that wasn’t completely abnormal for her to do occasionally. She ended up using the litter box, so I figured I would be okay to take her to the vet when I got home if she still needed it. I’m still in shock at how quickly it happened and my life feels so empty without her. It’s been a month, and I’m still missing her so much. I know we had a lot of great memories and I provided her with the best care I could, but re-reading my diary brings up feelings of guilt associated with her caregiving and health issues being a burden for me at times. I’m working on forgiving myself, maintaining a relationship with her (in whatever form she may be in), and honoring her every day. Sending all my fellow pet parents out there love if they’ve also experienced this. It’s my first pet loss this close to me and it is so hard.

Occupation: Tax preparer
Industry: Public accounting
Age: 32
Location: Central Oregon
Salary: $68,000
Assets: 401(k): $7,131.17 (this is more than my contributions as the company I work at has a profit-sharing plan. I’ve only been eligible for this plan for a year, so excited to see growth in that); investment account: ~$187; HYSA: $1,458.29; savings: $265.31; checking: $97.58.
Debt: Student loans: $23,028; car lease: $10,120; credit cards: $2,805.19; IRS: ~$1,200ish (IRS); CareCredit: $1,770.25.
Paycheck Amount (1x/month): $4,100 + $125-$400 for freelance SEO content writing + $30-$300 from Rover (depending on amount of gigs).
Pronouns: She/her

Monthly Expenses

Housing Costs: $1,350 (I have two roommates and the master bedroom with a bathroom and garage. Utilities are included.)
Loan Payments: Student loans: $0 (they’re deferred); car lease: $440; CareCredit: $175 (18-month plan to pay off vet bills).
Cell Phone: $57
Gym: $147
Pets: $120 on average for supplements, treats, and/or my dog’s wet food through Chewy. Luckily, my pets don’t go through a bag of kibble every month. When I do need to buy kibble, it can bring the monthly total to $150-$200. Additionally,  I get wet food for my cat at local stores every week and litter once a month which equates to about $65. My dog F. gets walked once a week and that comes to $48.
Spotify: $11.99
Google: $1.99
iCloud Storage: $2.99
Netflix: $15.49
MentalPod Donation: $5
Car Insurance: $124.50
401(k): $135 (already taken out of paycheck amount).
Car Wash Membership: $21.99
Savings: $50
Health Insurance: $453 (this includes dental and vision). My job provides a monthly taxable $500 stipend to be used toward health insurance since they don’t offer it (the stipend is included in my salary amount above).

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?
I wouldn’t say there was an expectation from anyone except myself. I’m the only one out of my family to have attended college and throughout my academic life, I felt like school was something I enjoyed, and it seemed to come naturally to me. It felt good to have something to strive toward and somewhere to belong outside of my family. I could make a name for myself without their decisions and lifestyle doing that for me. I paid for it with work-study, federal Pell Grants (luckily), and federal student loans.

Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent(s)/guardian(s) educate you about finances?
We never talked about money. The only snippets I got from my parents were that they were often broke and didn’t have money to spare. We never went without food, clothing, electricity, or the basics, which I am grateful for, but I often felt like a burden asking for even $10 to go off campus for lunch occasionally or do something with friends.

What was your first job and why did you get it?
My first job was at a vegetable canning warehouse the summer of my junior year. I was 16 years old and wanted a way to make my own money so that I could buy things I wanted and not have to worry about asking my parents for money.

Did you worry about money growing up?
I did. My parents would often make it known to all of us that they were struggling, and they were often stressed. Looking back now, I’m curious to know how much of their income went toward going out to the bars most nights after work, but that’s a story for another time.

Do you worry about money now?
I definitely do. Both of my pets are seniors at this point and it’s a rarity for them to not have to go to the vet for some reason or another each month. I recently got a new car because my old car was costing me too much in repairs. I wanted something reliable that I wouldn’t have to worry about most maintenance for, but a new car is another high monthly payment. I am also aware I have little to nothing set aside for retirement or in savings when compared to a lot of other Money Diarists my age, which makes me feel behind.

At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net?
I became financially responsible for myself a little before my 18th birthday when I moved out of my parents’ house. I have my small savings account and a piece of gold jewelry I got from my grandma that I could likely sell for a decent amount if I needed to, but I wouldn’t want to.

Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain.
I got about $25,000 from a settlement in 2016 which has lasted me through now. I had to take care of a $6,000 fender bender at that time (I didn’t have the right insurance for a rental car), bought my old car for around $7,000, paid my grandma and friend back for helping me out when I needed it, and have used the remainder for bigger expenses throughout the past seven years. Looking back, I wish I had invested more of it in another way, but all in all, I’m proud of how long it’s lasted me.

4 a.m. — My cat, M., starts meowing like she wants to get out of my room (IFYKYK). I crack open the door and of course, she briefly exits only to come back in again. Why are cats like this?! I look at the clock and still have 45 minutes until I need to get up so I attempt to go back to sleep.

4:45 a.m. — I do end up falling back asleep but naturally, that extra time just makes me more tired. M. is meowing like it’s time for food, but today is a day where she first needs her Denamarin pill. The protocol for it is one hour before food or two hours after food with an hour before giving food again. I give it to her using a pill shooter and chase it down with a little bit of water from a syringe. She’s tolerant and sweet, so it’s typically only a few seconds of discomfort. I do my quick routine of sunscreen, filling my eyebrows, adding some concealer, and brushing my teeth.

5:30 a.m. — I walk my dog, F., for about 10 minutes since it’s dark and somewhat frigid outside. I’m going to have a dog walker come by around 1 p.m. today, since I plan on being at work all day. We get back to the house, and I still have about 20 minutes before I can feed them so I curl my hair and get dressed. I feed the pets their respective food, give F. a quarter of a Trazadone pill (for his separation anxiety) in butter and slap a cone on him before leaving. (Butter is a godsend for pets who have come to know Pill Pockets as pills.) I wipe M’s butt with some pet wet wipes before leaving because she lays the stinkiest shit promptly after breakfast. She’s on a hydrolyzed kibble but the wet food version has been out of stock nationally, so I’m mostly trying to avoid chicken products in hopes that will help. Her poop looks pretty watery so I plan on giving her some anti-diarrhea with her dinner later.

6:30 a.m. — I stop by a coffee shop for a quad shot Americano with a splash of oat milk. I’m not regularly a quad shot girlie, but I feel like I will need it today. ($5.50 with tip). I get to work and realize that I need to check if my upcoming online QuickBooks class has a required book. It does. I buy it since the class starts in less than two weeks. Luckily my work is reimbursing me for this since I need to improve my QuickBooks skills for various tax returns I work on. ($113, expensed). $5.50 

10 a.m. — The tax deadline is right around the corner so it’s a lot of go, go, go right now. I’m working through 1040s all day so it gets repetitive and a little mind-numbing. I try to remember that it’s only temporary and the rest of the season makes it worth it. We have shorter weeks outside of tax season which is perfect for the nicer weather. I make the time go faster by listening to a few podcasts, Mental Illness Happy Hour, Search Engine, Up Next, and Why Won’t You Date Me? I end up eating some Siggi’s non-dairy coconut yogurt with some homemade granola for breakfast, and string cheese for a snack.

12:35 p.m. — Fridays during tax season we have catered lunch, so today I go downstairs and have a gyro, one falafel ball, and a dolma. There’s also some fries topped with za’atar and feta cheese so I get a spoonful of those. I chat with some coworkers while we eat (it’s mostly a lot of silence because we’re all a little hangry). I head back upstairs after about 20 minutes and get back to work.

1:15 p.m. — I get an update from the dog walker. The pets are both happy to see her, judging by the pictures and videos. She got F. out on a decent walk before it started drizzling. I feel good knowing he gets some time out of the cone during my long day. I venmo her for the visit. $12

3 p.m. — Like clockwork, my brain is fried by 3 p.m., so I’ve made it a habit to leave a bit early on Fridays to get a workout in and just finish up my 10 billable hours at home in the evening. It works for me to clear my head a bit and shake up some of the stagnancy that naturally builds during the day (even with sit/stand desks both at work and home). At the gym I do a strength piece of deadlifts and then a quick workout of running, kettlebell swings, and burpees. It’s only 12 minutes, but I am promptly reminded of the fact I have been prioritizing weightlifting over cardio lately.

5:30 p.m. — I get home a little before 5 p.m. and greet the pets before giving them their respective dinners (M.’s with some anti-diarrhea). I take a quick body shower and moisturize, clean up their dishes, and then start making my dinner of Annie’s white cheddar mac and cheese, a chicken sausage, and greens. Back to work I go as I need to be wrapped up by 7:30 p.m. for a 30-minute Rover visit I have booked at 8 p.m.

9 p.m. — I get home from the Rover visit and am completely cooked. I had a previous booking with these pets so it went by fast and was easy. I agreed to check in on these two cats and a dog four more times this weekend — I know I’ve likely overbooked myself, but there’s just no way I can say no to extra money at the moment. I brush my teeth, scroll on my phone for a bit, do my Duolingo, and get to bed about 10 p.m.

4:58 a.m. — Guess who’s up and at ’em and ready for breakfast? I begrudgingly get up and grind up an anti-diarrhea pill to mix with M.’s wet food. I do this all in the dark because I plan on attempting to go back to sleep until my wake up time in an hour and a half.

7:03 a.m. —  My alarm goes off at 6:40 a.m., but I snooze it a couple of times. My body is physically exhausted from yesterday’s workout and likely the two workouts prior in the week. I quickly make my bed, give M. her Denamarin, clean the litter box, and notice she’s left what my old roommate would call a mushroom stamp on the heating pad (aka a poop stain). I take off the cover to wash later and wipe her butt with a wet wipe. I put on some sunscreen, brush my teeth, and slightly adjust my outfit but am still heavy on the Adam Sandler aesthetic. I take F. out on a ten minute stroll, feed him, and make myself some coffee to take with me to the Rover drop in at 8 a.m. I take out the trash and recycling (my new roommate is a 20-year-old dude who insists that his busy schedule involving trying to get his cannabis business started leaves no room for household chores, and I don’t have the energy or desire to mother him), put F.’s cone on, and head out.

9:20 a.m. — The drop-in went well, though the older dog did get into the trash where there were a bunch of empty cat food cans and I’m sure she must’ve cut her mouth at some point. She seemed okay, though I let the owners know and put the bins in the bathroom before I left. The coffee I made myself was very subpar and I need to grab lunch since I don’t have anything quick at home. I go to the store and grab a “double” La Colombe oat milk latte, a Perfect bar, a frozen vegan beef and broccoli dish, and some Forager creamer. I usually get Laird but their new containers are huge and like $7. I DON’T DRINK THAT MUCH CREAMER IN SEVEN TO 10 DAYS GOOD GOD!!!! ($16.46). I also head to the pet store nearby and get M. some wet food ($9.55 — all without chicken and all with pumpkin). $26.01

10:25 a.m. — Back to my desk at home with washed hair and feeling a little less grimy. The greasy hair effect needs to be seriously studied. I also put on a bit of concealer and fill my eyebrows to look a little more alive. I heat up a frozen English muffin sandwich, start a load of laundry, and sip on my La Colombe coffee — which is 100% double oat milk with no hint of coffee. The pets snooze in their donut beds next to me while I work on returns for the next couple of hours before I need to do my next Rover check in at 1 p.m. I eat half of the Perfect bar before heading out.

3:10 p.m. — Wow, I am ready to be sitting on the couch. I finish the Rover drop-in around 1:30 p.m., come home and eat the slightly depressing frozen lunch I bought earlier, and then take F. to a nearby off leash dog park for 30 minutes. After giving M. some brushes and attention when we get home, I’m back to my desk to hopefully finish the rest of my hours (I need a little under three at this point).

7:28 p.m. — The last Rover drop-in went smoothly and I was able to feed my pets before leaving. I stop at a local Mexican fast food spot before heading home as I’m ravenous and have no desire to cook the chicken I was planning on making. I get a fish taco, three chicken rolled tacos, and a half-order of super nachos with chicken. I get some salsa, onions, and pickled carrots from the salsa bar and head home. I eat about half of everything and get back to my desk to finish up the workday with about a half hour of importing client documents. Excited to zone out on the couch soon. $23 

8 p.m. — I end up doing my skincare routine of washing my face, spritzing with rose water since I don’t feel like doing a toner, and moisturizing. I add some retinol eye cream under my eyes. I get cozy in bed with my cat and F. goes to sleep on his bed as he’s not a fan of how much I move around at night. I scroll on TikTok and Instagram, then put my heated eye mask on for five minutes, and lights out around 9:40 p.m.

6:50 a.m. — Same morning routine as yesterday (including the 5 a.m. feeding time). Some would say to train her out of it, but during the week I’m up at that time anyway so there’s just no point. She’s a vocal cat regardless, so it’s just not an option to ignore her and go back to sleep when I have roommates and her litter box is in my bathroom. I have only one more of that same Rover gig this morning so I quickly walk F. and feed him and get myself coffee before heading out.

11:15 p.m. — It’s been a busy (and relaxing) morning. I make a chilaquiles-esque breakfast with the rest of the nachos and a couple of fried eggs and watch an episode of Love is Blind while the pets and I cuddle. I do some cleaning around the common areas since a new roommate (in addition to the 20-year-old roommate) is moving in today. I do a little more laundry, too, since it’s seemingly neverending with a dog that sheds and a cat that leaves poop everywhere. I take an Epsom salt bath to attempt to rid myself of some soreness though I am thinking I will do a yin yoga class this evening to help.

12:28 p.m. — You guys are going to think I’m kidding, but I do have another side gig doing freelance SEO content. I only have one 500 word article to write and then I plan on getting F. to another off-leash park around 2 p.m., which is about when the new roomie should be arriving so we can be out of his way. I don’t usually run myself this thin during the weekend, but I have an upcoming trip to the Midwest to see my grandma who I haven’t seen in three years. She basically raised me and my siblings and she’s really the only relative I’m close with out of my immediate family since most of them struggle with drug addiction. I’m trying to use side gigs to pay for pet care during that week, which will run about $300. With the Rover gig this month and the content paycheck next month, I’ve got it covered!

3:30 p.m. — I get my article done, take F. out to the park, eat some potstickers, and end up going to Whole Foods to grab some groceries for the week. I get ground chicken, an Amy’s frozen enchilada dish for lunch tomorrow, more Siggi’s yogurts, pasta, granola bars, tortillas, tofu, oranges, and some veggies ($46.17). I get home, feed the pets, and head to a yin yoga class ($9). $55.17

5:30 p.m. — I get home and quickly change since I’m meeting up with my friend A. and her husband to see Mickey 17. I eat a bean and cheese burrito with some greens before leaving since I don’t really want a dinner of popcorn. I do end up getting a blackberry cider though. They kindly pay for my movie ticket. I’ll get them back later. $10

9:30 p.m. — The movie was actually really enjoyable. I didn’t know anything about it besides some of the actors before watching, so I am pleased with the fact I liked it. It also was a little disturbing how close it seemed to reality lately. It’s hard to care about living my life when the world is in literal shambles. It’s way past my bedtime, so I promptly do my skincare routine, brush my teeth, and pass out. I don’t sleep well, likely because of the one cider, but also because the cannabis-entrepreneur roommate hasn’t grasped the fact that slamming doors when he gets home at 11 p.m. is not ideal for anyone. I make it a point to text him tomorrow morning because this is like the third time it’s happened.

4:40 a.m. — Up a few minutes before my alarm so I just get up. I know I’m going to be tired today and just accept it. Typical morning routine of M.’s pill, making my bed, and doing light makeup. However, I notice M. has gotten some watery poop outside of the litter box so I get to clean that up. I will likely get her back into the vet (she was there like four months ago for an ultrasound and x-rays of her abdomen to get a better look at the mass on her liver). It looked like it had grown since when we first discovered it, going from grape-sized to golf ball-sized. We’ve known about the mass since October 2024. She’s only six pounds and around 14 or 15 years old, so abdominal surgery is out of the question (and my budget). The vets and I agreed that doing palliative care would be the best option for her, so that’s what we’ve been doing. They prescribed me pro-pectalin for her diarrhea on a previous visit, but they said this is my last refill before I need to bring her in again. I’m not sure why they have to make me bring her in when the vet told me that the diarrhea is likely being caused by the mass. They didn’t solve it the first time, and I doubt they’re going to find a solution the second time. I don’t want to pay for it if they can’t guarantee a fix.

6:15 a.m. — Everything else goes normal this morning, though the cannabis-entrepreneur roommate didn’t shut the front door all the way last night so it was left cracked open. This is also not the first time it’s happened, nor is it the first time I’ve told him to make sure the door is shut, so I include that in the text about slamming other doors. I end up doing some housing browsing and commit to being out by June 1 because I’m not sure how much more of this I can take without absolutely losing my shit.

12:21 p.m. — Blah, the day has been super busy with preparing more returns — but we got a $10 Starbucks gift card for getting a record 153 returns through assembly last week. We’re a smaller firm of about 20 people so this is a big deal. Though it feels somewhat equivalent to a pizza party when what you really need is a raise. I eat the lunch I brought from home — my first Amy’s frozen anything and it’s pretty dang good — and then head home to walk F. I try to pay for a dog walker just once a week since I work from home two days a week and have the flexibility to go home the other two days.

5:30 p.m. — Work is long and exhausting but I need to suck it up to get gas and a couple groceries. I get gas first ($43.23), stepping into a pool of gasoline as I get out of my car. Apparently someone has no idea what they’re doing in the self-serve section. I get my car washed across the street after (included in monthly expenses). Then I go to the store for cheese and greens specifically, but also any other treasures I may come across. I also grab frozen potatoes, an Amy’s mac and cheese, a couple frozen breakfast sandwiches, and Cinnamon Toast Crunch, which the most elite cereal, no doubt about it ($20.53). $63.76

6:30 p.m. — Glad to be home finally, but now it’s pet time. I feed M., put groceries away, and then get F. out for a walk. It’s been super nice today but it’s cooled off significantly by this time. When we’re back I feed him and take a full shower. I’ve had a giant knot in my upper back the past couple of days so the hot water feels like a godsend. I cook up some ground chicken to eat for the week, giving in to tossing a couple pieces to the pets since M. won’t stop meowing. (I know I noted above that I avoid giving her wet food with chicken, but I’m not actually sure this is the cause of her diarrhea. I’d rather give her joy where I can.) My dinner ends up being an interesting smorgasbord of air-fried potatoes, greens, a bit of shredded cheddar cheese, chicken sausage, green onions, and a bit of ground chicken. I add some lemon, mustard, and ketchup. Honestly, it wasn’t bad despite how strange it sounds!

9 p.m. — I don’t want to be tired tomorrow so I make a true effort to get to bed as close to 9 p.m. as possible. I wear my heated eye mask for a few minutes before lights out.

5 a.m. — Routine is basically the same, though I opt to give M. her pill after breakfast today since I’ll be working from home. Get all the pets fed, F. walked, and coffee made for me. At my desk around 6:10 a.m. and diving in, though getting distracted frequently trying to decide if I should get an Airbnb and rent a car for a portion of my Midwest visit. I’m a little bummed that this is where I get to go after tax season and not somewhere warm and more riveting. I’m definitely excited to see my grandma and other family, but I would like to take the most advantage out of getting a break from my pets and work.

8:25 a.m. — I’m going through expenses from yesterday and notice that my car wash membership was charged ($21.99; listed in expenses), as well as my phone bill ($57; listed in expenses). I wrap up the return I’m working on and go make some breakfast of leftover chicken sausage, potatoes, greens, and a couple seven-minute eggs. I’m contemplating calling the vet to set up an appointment for M. so I can figure out another solution for the diarrhea issue, though I’m not confident they’re going to solve anything. I know they are doing their best — it’s just extremely frustrating throwing money at a recurrent issue with no real resolution (specifically when you don’t have the money to comfortably keep throwing). 

12 p.m. — We’re getting a couple days of 70-degree weather so I’m looking forward to taking F. outside. We get about 15 minutes in and then I start some rice to have with my lunch. I log back on at 12:30 p.m. and eventually make a bean, cheese, and rice burrito with salsa and greens. I eat at my desk and quickly skim a Money Diary. I can’t help but feel super bummed that these couple of nice days are happening while I have to work all day and then it’s back to cloudy and 50s.

2 p.m. — I ended up calling the vet earlier and leaving a message with the receptionist inquiring about what the course of action would be if I did bring M. in for an appointment. They called back twice, but each time I answered, there seemed to be an issue with one of our phones and I heard nothing. That’s okay — I’d rather not think about the stress of getting her to the vet and spending more money right now anyway. It’s so common for people to encourage you to get a pet to solve issues like depression or loneliness, but I feel like the financial reality and commitment of taking care of pets into their senior years is rarely considered. I’m not saying it’s not worth it, but it is something that I feel is skimmed over in many conversations.

4:15 p.m. — I’m done 15 minutes earlier than I thought I would be, so that’s a blessing. I sweep up some litter in my bathroom and room (a neverending story), and get F. out for a quick walk. He’s moving slow today; I’ve been telling myself he doesn’t need three walks being 14 years old, but he just gets so dang excited every time and will stand by the front door just staring at me if I even think about skipping a walk. We typically only get out for 10-15 minutes during the week, so they’re not super long. I feed the pets when we’re back and get ready for the gym.

7:20 p.m. — Lifting today felt good overall, though my right outer bicep has been hurting the past few days. It’s not when I do overhead movements like before when my left shoulder was injured, but it’s a weird, pinchy type feeling when my arm is extended out to the side. It’s most likely some sort of tendonitis which will be a huge bummer. Luckily I have an appointment with my chiropractor next week, so I will chat with him about it. The workout today was a snatch complex, regular snatches, and some tempo back squats. I take a body shower and make pesto pasta with ground chicken, mushrooms, parmesan cheese, and lots of lemon for dinner. Sooooooooo good. I have a piece of cinnamon raisin toast and a few chocolate chips for dessert. I do my Duolingo (I missed three days but I could replace my streak. I’m tired of this app right now but feel like I can’t give up a 150+ day streak). Lights out by 9:30 p.m.

5 a.m. — I lay in bed for about 10 minutes past my alarm. I accidentally left M.’s dry food out too late (moved it at 3:45 a.m. when I was up to pee) so she ate a little bit about an hour before I’m giving her the Denamarin pill. The pill should still do its job somewhat; it just has optimum absorption on a fasted stomach.

5:45 a.m. — I think about leaving F.’s cone off so that I can stay at work and not go home for lunch (to get the day over faster), but one of his back feet doesn’t look fully healed and I know 100% he will go for it. I have a dog door at the house so it would be doable to be at work all day, which is why F. needing to wear a cone makes everyone’s life harder. I’ve tried wrapping his feet instead, but, as you can imagine, a determined dog will not be deterred by that.

6:30 a.m. — I order a non-dairy chocolate cream cold brew from Starbucks to pick up on the way to work (using the gift card given on Monday). Spring is in the air today, so of course I’m wearing sandals and a jean jacket. The high today is about 70 and it’s the last nice day before at least a week of cloudy and rainy. I know I already said that, but dang it, I’m annoyed!! Here’s to hoping the morning flies by.

11:50 a.m. — I’m ahead of my billable hours because I’ve been working on scanning a ton of client documents. Our time rolls over every six minutes to the nearest tenth, so that’s equated to about a half an hour of extra time. I celebrate by eating my bean, cheese, and rice burrito brought from home while reading a Money Diary. I see that I got paid from my weekend Rover gig ($128). I leave to walk F. after I’m done eating.

3:05 p.m. — I decide to leave F.’s cone off for the rest of the afternoon, even though I’m sure he’ll lick his back foot raw. I’m still working through returns for the rest of the day, and I am hoping to be out of here by 5 p.m. I eat an orange and GoMacro bar to try to fight the afternoon sludge. I also end up booking a Rover walk for F. on Friday since my regular girl is busy that day ($16.65). I notice that my Netflix fee was charged on Saturday ($18; listed in expenses). $16.65

5:20 p.m. — I hit my billable hours at 4:45 p.m. which is much needed. I drop by the library to pick up a book I have on hold (Agatha of Little Neon). It’s one of many items I have in my screenshots folder on my phone — it’s nice to know I’ll never run out of books to read. I feed the pets (F. seemed to leave his feet alone!) when I get home and we all hang out in the backyard, soaking up the warmth. I brush them and play with them both a bit. M. and I have what I call our “grass game” where I move a piece of yellow wheat grass in front of her like a string toy and she claws after it. I’m glad she still has the desire to play. F. gets the zoomies as soon as I get out a toy for him and it goes on for a couple minutes, him stopping to dig when he gets a little tired in between sprints. These babies annoy the living hell out of me, but man, they are so special.

7 p.m. — I eat pesto pasta with ground chicken, greens, green onions, mushrooms, and lemon for dinner and have a blood orange Spindrift with it. I have enough time to catch up on a show (finally!) so I put on some Love is Blind. This season is kinda blah, but it’s definitely not lacking in shitty men (*cough* Dave *cough*).

8:30 p.m. — I clean up the kitchen, do my skincare routine, and brush my teeth. Scroll on Instagram for about 10 minutes, do my Duolingo, and lights out by 9 p.m.

5 a.m. — I didn’t sleep great last night because M. was meowing off and on and had a loud, stinky bout of diarrhea. It’s my dream to have the bathroom separate from my sleeping space and have her chill in her own area so I can get decent sleep. I’ll call the vet today and try to solidify a game plan for an upcoming visit. I want to get the diarrhea resolved before my trip, if possible. Same routine as Tuesday morning and I’m logged on by 6 a.m.

8 a.m. — M. threw up and had another bout of gas and diarrhea, so I make a vet appointment for Saturday afternoon. Her throwing up isn’t necessarily a red flag, as it happens occasionally, but the diarrhea really needs to get resolved for both of our sanity. I ask for an estimate on what they recommend (exam, senior wellness panel, and GI panel). The exam and senior panel alone are a little over $400 and the GI panel will range in cost based on what we choose to get sent out. I’m going to do it because I need this situation to improve, but I am not looking forward to spending another $600-$700 on a vet appointment. I do have CareCredit which is a saving grace (yes, I’m paying exactly what I need to every month to ensure I don’t accrue interest.) The 18-month option will only increase my monthly payment to about $175, so it’s doable, just frustrating. I eat a breakfast burrito with a veggie sausage patty, two eggs, cheese, salsa, and green onions.

11:38 a.m. — The weather is rainy and gross today so I’ll likely just skip F.’s lunchtime walk. He’s been moving slow on at least one of the three walks we go on lately so I’m going to stick to doing only two walks today, like I did yesterday. I’m feeling pretty blah with everything right now and am completely unmotivated to keep working, but that doesn’t matter because I need to!!! (Yay, capitalism!!!) I start draining some tofu so I can make a rice bowl for lunch. Also, since I had ordered an automatic feeder for M. from Amazon, but they’re having a hell of a time shipping it out on time (it’s been over three weeks with no confirmation it’s even been shipped yet), I decide to order one from Chewy. I wasn’t able to cancel the Amazon order because they said it was part of a promotion or something. This is why I hate ordering from Amazon. The quality sucks, the ethics are horrifying, and I really need to work on not supporting billionaires. $40.94

3 p.m. — I have a mini breakdown around lunch because I’m exhausted and tired of working. The world sucks right now and then the constant, cyclical nature of the issues I’m dealing with is the deranged cherry on top. I have been in therapy for about a year but stopped a few months ago because I know why I’m depressed — it’s not just about a mindshift change or medication for me. It’s living the reality that I don’t have very much support in my life, aside from a couple of friends. It’s been a goal of mine this year to build more community here, but obviously tax season is not the time for that.

4:15 p.m. — I finish up a little early, feed M., and get F. out for a walk. I feed him when we get back and then get ready to go to the gym. My shoulder is still bothering me which is making me sad because I don’t want to be injured. I’m still going to do the programming for the day as long as it doesn’t hurt while I’m doing it. It’s going to be a power clean and push press complex, clean and jerks, and 1 1/4 front squats (yes, those are a real and insufferable thing).

7:10 p.m. — Training went pretty well despite me being extremely exhausted and not in a good mood. I cry slightly on the drive home, just from pure overwhelm and thinking about family stuff. I’m okay by the time I pull into the driveway though. I take a quick body shower since I have a haircut tomorrow and she’ll be washing my hair. I’m ready to chop my hair off again, like short, short. I’ve been rocking a longer bob for awhile now but it’s time to go back to a French bob style with an undercut. GET THIS DAMN HAIR OFF MY NECK!!! (*Cue weird and specific sensory issues*)

8 p.m. — I have Amy’s mac and cheese for dinner mixed with some canned salmon and green onions and a salad on the side. I scroll Instagram, clean up, then head to my room to brush my teeth and do Duolingo. M. won’t stop meowing so I end up putting her in my walk-in closet (with access to her litter box in the bathroom) in hopes it will let me get some interrupted sleep. Only time will tell.

“This seems to encapsulate my normal week of spending pretty well. Food is definitely my highest expense, on top of basics like housing, pet care, and health insurance. I’m surprised at the low amount for the week here, but it’s likely because I was working a lot more than I am now, so I had less time to spend money. I guess being busy can be a good thing for saving money!”