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A Week In Brooklyn, NY, On A $46,000 Salary

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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.
Today: a development associate who makes $46,000 per year. This week, she spends some of her money on a bleach pen and a cross stitching class.
Occupation: Development Associate
Industry: Nonprofit
Age: 24
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Salary: $46,000
Paycheck (2x/month): $1,240
Monthly Expenses
Housing: $1,250. I live with three people, including a couple and another guy. We have an awesome set up in which my room and bathroom are on their own level.
Loan Payments: $80. I paid a chunk of my student loans while living at home after college, and commuted to school to save on housing.
All Other Monthly Expenses
Phone: $35. I have a really cheap plan and phone that suck and probably aren't worth the savings based on the headaches I get as a result.
Medical: $0. My job covers medical insurance, which I'm super grateful for as a nonprofit employee. I opted out of vision and dental insurance as they would have been a bit more. I had an eye exam recently and go to a dentist that charges less for cleanings than the insurance would have cost.
Netflix: $10. My mom and brother use my account.
Spotify: $10. I got suckered in after the student deal, and it used to be a huge help on my subway commute.
Savings: $200 ($100 from each paycheck). I have a Roth IRA that I occasionally transfer money into, but in general, I have a big sum of savings that I use for trips, emergencies, and when I go over my monthly budget, etc.
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