Chicago Theatre - Night | Photo by Pixabay
In this month’s Money Journal, Celia is organized and disciplined yet enjoys her life “to the Max”
Welcome to Money Journal, a monthly Paypath series that examines how Americans really handle their finances.
Our participants keep a journal of their earnings, spending, and savings (if any), then share what it’s like to live in their shoes over the course of a week.
This month we meet Celia, a Senior Marketing Specialist living in Chicago:
I live in Wicker Park — an artsy neighborhood in Chicago — and work in the office one day a week. The rest of the time, I work from home out of our cozy living room! My standard working day is nothing thrilling other than my morning runs. But on the weekend, I go for a long training run, hit the gym, then wander through the Wicker Park Farmers Market in the warm weather. Or when it’s freezing here in the Windy City we shop at the Chicago Market Co-op.
My boyfriend Max and I often go on weekend getaways; sometimes we’ll fly to another state so that I can run a half-marathon or a 10K — my favorite is Vermont’s Covered Bridges half-marathon. Travel is our passion so we make sure to go on international vacations at least once a year.
I’m really lucky to live with my boyfriend, Max. Before he asked me to move in (to his 2 bedroom apartment), I lived with three roommates and two cats. It was a mess. The rent here is fantastic — he’s had the lease for years. Max earns more than me, so he covers much of the overhead and the car.
There’s not much more about me to share except that I grew up in a single-parent family with limited resources and little financial stability. We basically lived paycheck to paycheck.
As a result, I’m constantly reading up on personal finance and financial literacy — a classic like Robert T. Kiyosaki’s Rich Dad Poor Dad was enormously helpful to me. I consistently stay on top of my monthly spending plan — I refuse to call it a budget because that feels like I’m living in scarcity mode. Instead, I invest in my future, hoping to break the negative financial patterns that are part of my family’s history.
Occupation: Senior Marketing Specialist
Age: 32
Location: Chicago
Salary: $75K
Monthly Pay (Net): $5,300 (after taxes)
Monthly Expenses
Rent: $1,500 ($3,000/Boyfriend pays half)
Student Loans: $400
Savings: $800
Retirement Contributions: $500
Groceries: $400
Utilities: Electricity & Internet: $90
Phone: $85
Dining Out: $250
Entertainment Expenses: $250
Gym: $70
Travel Fund: $300
Clothing and Personal Care: $100
Subscriptions: $50
Miscellaneous Spending: $150
Total Monthly Expenses: $4,945
Income After Expenses: $355
***
And here’s my money journal for the week:
Monday
7.00 am: Stretch, Run 3 quick miles – Cereal, Greek yogurt + fruit for breakfast
8.30 am: Start time for work is 9am – Mondays are crazy-busy so I use this time to plan out my week
1.00 pm: Lunch – Oven-baked salmon with green beans
4.30 pm: Take a break from work – Go for a small grocery run to Olivia’s Market – Pick up some flowers to brighten the room – Total: $48
5.00 pm: Back to work to see if there is anything urgent – Usually, I can log off by 6 pm if there’s nothing pressing
7.00 pm: Go to the gym for my Tower Pilates class tonight
8.00 pm: Back home, shower, thank goodness the gym is close by
8.20 pm: Max is home! We have delish chicken udon I made last night. (I knew I’d be zonked – 1st day of the week and all that)
9 pm: Max and I crash out and watch Time Cut on Netflix
11.00 pm: Time for bed
Today’s Total: $48
Tuesday
7.00 am: Day Off Running – Go for an “Awe Walk” – Really appreciate my awesome city
8.00 am: Lazy breakfast with Max – Talking – Just so nice
9.00 am: Work! Big call at noon – Must prep
1.00 pm: Lunch – Dash around the corner and grab a salad – Total $16
5.30 pm: Log Off Work – Hit the gym – Shower and get ready to meet Max for Dinner
7:30 pm: Lilac Tiger Restaurant – Who can resist the Sichuan Calimari? Few bottles of Singha – Plus, Tuesdays are tacos night – Only $93! So I picked up the tab – We’re stuffed – Max’s friends dropped by the Tiger and we had So. Much. Fun. – Total: $93
11.00 pm: Home – Ugh – I’m fried – Totally forgot I have to go into the office tomorrow! I meant to be home by 9:30 – But Max’s friends were just so hilarious – Fell asleep the instant my head hit the pillow
Today’s Total: $109
Wednesday
7.00 am: Get up – Speed work – My favorite – not. But I always feel fabulous after those runs. Shower. Max is working from home today so he’s still sleeping – Be sure to grab my Owala Water Bottle on the way out the door.
8.45 am: Arrive at the office. Awesome to see the team! There are bagels, coffee and fruit. A fantastic way to get geared up for a busy-busy day. Meetings-meetings-meetings, projects and calls. Such great energy.
12.30 pm: Our lunch order arrives – A Green Goddess Cobb Salad with Chicken for me – I finish every last morsel – I was starving – Total: $21
1.00 pm: Back to work as really busy these few weeks
5.00 pm: Had back-to-back meetings so my brain is a bit overloaded – A few colleagues ask me to join them for drinks – I decide not – I have a run tomorrow and I’ve got a lot brewing in my mind about a project that dropped in my lap today
6.00 pm: Home! Max is there and has dinner on the table. His specialty – Linguine with walnut pesto and asparagus – chef’s kiss. Oh, man. What a guy. After dinner we place our FreshDirect order – Food for next week – Total: $85 (my portion)
8:00 pm: Time to veg – I scroll around on my phone catching up with friends on Instagram – Then I drop into Tell Me Lies’ tangled web of tension and intrigue! I cannot get enough.
10.30 pm: Not even 10 minutes into our 3rd episode, I nod off – Out like a light.
Today’s Total: $106
Thursday
7.00 am: No running today – I woke up at 3 am thinking about that special project they pulled me into yesterday. I prep my green tea, oatmeal, fruit, and eat breakfast at my desk. I work on the project for 2 hours straight. Max gives me a kiss as he heads off to work.
9.00 pm: Start regular work – I’m buzzing with ideas.
12.30 pm: Lunch is leftovers – Max’s fettucine. Even more delish the second day – Guess it had time to marinate!
2.00: Take a walk and swing by the local Free People shop – I’ve had my eye on a cute maxi dress – I try it on, it fits, it’s gorgeous, and it’s on sale ($148 → $109.99)! Mom’s hosting a brunch on Sunday, I’ll wear it there – Total: $110
2.30 pm: Back to work – I power straight through to the EOD – Then jump on the project. I’m obsessed!
7.30 pm: Max arrives home with take-out. I tear myself away from the project – Power down and we eat voraciously – Talk outrageously – And laugh so hard.
10.00 pm: I’m sick of screens and don’t want to watch TV so I meditate – Open Educated – Tara Westover’s amazing book about growing up in a survivalist family.
11.00 pm: Night-night.
Today’s Total: $110
Friday
7.00 am: Run 5 miles – Once I’ve cooled down, I swing by a neighborhood cafe and pick up our “Friday Reward Breakfast”. I’ll explain: Every Friday morning – because Max and I have worked hard all week – we get to eat the most indulgent and sugary pastries – chocolate-almond croissants, chocolate chip muffins, whatever we want. Yum.
Plus, I get an extravagant cappuccino with 3 shots of espresso. What a reward for all our hard work! – Total: $21
9.00 am: Start working – Okay. The coffee gives me a burst of energy – And I’m off.
12.45 pm: Pick up lunch – Soup and salad – Total: $16
1.00 pm: I stretch – Meditate for 15-20 mins – Then I eat – I’ve earned it!
6.00 pm: It’s Friday – Work is always crazy on Fridays – So many last-minute requests & wrapping things up – Prepping for next week – But I love the pace.
I’m always so happy with the work – I shut down my work laptop & put it away for the weekend.
Although? There is that obsessive project – Perhaps I’ll take a peek at it tomorrow? Maybe. But I’ll think about that tomorrow, Scarlett.
7.15 pm: Max is home with a nice Aussie Pinot Noir – We sip wine and whip up a romantic meal. Max takes care of the Cajun-spiced sirloin and I prep a salad and roast the sweet potatoes. Sweet.
9.00 pm: The dishes are in the dishwasher – We move the party to the bedroom…
Today’s Total: $37
Saturday
9.30 am: Weekend sleep in – Long training run – 9 miles – Stretch, warm up & cool down – Buy water and energy bar – Total: $7
11.45 am: Back home – Shower – Make breakfast – Nova Scotia eggs and bagels
1.00 pm: Tucked up in bed reading Educated – Fascinating. I’m tearing through this book – I guess it’s because I can relate to growing up in a family where resources are scarce – Those struggles. Also, I love Tara’s resilience – Makes me feel there’s hope for me yet.
2.00 pm: Took a nap – To be expected after that long week. Woke up and read Educated straight through to the end! Incredible.
7.00 pm: I stumble out of our bedroom – What a journey that book was – Max says let’s go out to eat – We stop into our local bistro – I pay the tip – Total: $25
9.15 pm: Home – Catching up on movies we’ve missed – Only Murders In The Building? Or, Little Women? Max caves and we watch Little Women – Timmy Chalamet is divine.
10:30? 11:30 pm? – Who knows? I fall asleeeeeep – zzzz’s
Today’s Total: $32
Sunday
10.00: Sleep in – No running today – Light breakfast
11.30 am: I go to Olivia’s Market and pick up some expensive chocolates and flowers for my mom – Max pulls up out front and we drive to her house for a family brunch.
3.30 pm: What a lovely three-hour catch-up – My dress was a hit – My niece is a peach! Little sweetie – Just beginning to talk. Oh, and I got a couple of “those questions” – Are you and Max thinking about having kids? He’s such a solid guy . . . OMG – Will you just stoppitt? (I thought that, didn’t say it) – Other than that, it was a marvelous afternoon – Total: $35
4.00 pm: On our way home we go shopping at the New Balance store in Lincoln Park – I buy a new pair of running shoes (current pair is breaking down) – Total: $165
6.00 pm: Home – Still stuffed from Mom’s brunch – We graze on almond butter on toast & sliced apples
7.00 pm: I make salmon and roasted root vegetables for dinner – Max cracks open a bottle of Summerhouse Sauvignon Blanc – We toast – And life is good
11.00 pm: Go to bed earlier because Monday is always busy.
Today’s Total: $200
Weekly Subtotal: $642
***
What I learned –
Wow, I learned so much from writing down what I spent and how I spent it. Overall, I think I’m pretty disciplined when it comes to my monthly budget, though I really need to hit the gym more than twice a week. I don’t want my membership fees to go to waste—talk about guilt.
In terms of work-life balance, I feel like I’ve got it just where I want it. As for meals, we ate out twice, had take-out once, and enjoyed Sunday brunch. On the flip side, we cooked our own meals for four nights. Not a bad ratio!”
And then there’s mom and the family. I didn’t realize it until I analyzed my spending this week, but going to my mom’s is stressful. I actually bought that maxi dress as a way to bribe myself to show up at the brunch feeling confident and to show off how successful I’ve become. Then on the way home, I splurged on those new running shoes. Between the dress and the shoes, that’s $275 I didn’t really need to spend.
Although… the dress will last and serve as a capsule, so it’s not a total loss. And I desperately needed new kicks. It’s smart to invest in quality footwear for my feet, joints, and posture. I’d rather spend on that than risk injury by wearing worn-out shoes.
I’m sure I could save more if I were stricter, but I don’t want to put too much pressure on myself. I’m incredibly grateful to Max — he makes it possible for me to pay down my student loans, save for the future, and travel the world together. We have a wonderful life.
As for marriage and babies, we’re not there yet. Right now, we’re just enjoying our journey . . . to the Max! 😉
