{"id":1142,"date":"2025-06-18T11:00:37","date_gmt":"2025-06-18T11:00:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/baldheadedgirls.com\/?p=1142"},"modified":"2025-06-19T15:32:00","modified_gmt":"2025-06-19T15:32:00","slug":"a-week-in-minneapolis-on-a-69000-salary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/baldheadedgirls.com\/index.php\/2025\/06\/18\/a-week-in-minneapolis-on-a-69000-salary\/","title":{"rendered":"A Week In Minneapolis On A $69,000 Salary"},"content":{"rendered":"

Welcome to<\/em> <\/em>Money Diaries<\/a> where we are tackling the ever-present taboo that is money. We\u2019re asking real people how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period \u2014 and we\u2019re tracking every last dollar.<\/p>\n

Today: a youth librarian who makes $69,000 per year and who spends some of her money this week on flowers for a friend.<\/em><\/p>\n

If you\u2019d like to submit your own Money Diary, you can do so via our <\/em>online form<\/em><\/a>. We pay $150 for each published diary. Apologies but we\u2019re not able to reply to every email.<\/em><\/p>\n

Occupation:<\/strong> Youth librarian
Industry:<\/strong> Public library
Age:<\/strong> 30
Location:<\/strong> Minneapolis
Salary:<\/strong> $69,000
Assets:<\/strong> Checking account: $1,538.88; HYSA (emergency fund): $6,878.57; HYSA (long-term savings): $20,126.77; HYSA (travel): $5,006.99; home equity: $38,650; 403(b): ~$15,000, plus ~$6,250 from previous employers (I really need to combine these old accounts\u2026)
Debt:<\/strong> $1,989.59 left in student loans! $181,000 remaining on my mortgage, with a 6.75% interest rate.
Paycheck Amount (every 2 weeks):<\/strong> $1,940
Pronouns:<\/strong> She\/her<\/p>\n

Monthly Expenses<\/strong>

Housing Costs:<\/strong> $1,800, which includes mortgage, insurance, and taxes. Technically, my mortgage is $1,586.41, but I pay extra every month to lower my principal. I purchased my house in October of 2023, so my interest rate is much higher than I would like \u2014 I\u2019m hoping to refinance when rates improve.
Loan Payments:<\/strong> $190 to my remaining student loans.
Internet: <\/strong>$40
Hulu\/Disney+\/Max Bundle:<\/strong> $31.79. My parents pay for Netflix and my brother pays for our Spotify family plan.
Human Rights Campaign: <\/strong>$5
Google One Storage: <\/strong>$1.99 \u2014 I pay for this with my Google Opinion Rewards money.
Utilities: <\/strong>$92.05 for trash and water, roughly $45 a month for electric, and gas varies depending on the month. This winter has been cold, so I\u2019ve been averaging ~ $150\/month.
Savings: <\/strong>I put $200 into my travel fund, $200 into my emergency fund, and 20% (~$390) into my long-term savings fund.
Car Insurance: <\/strong>$206 (every six months). <\/p>\n

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?
<\/strong>Absolutely, both my parents have undergraduate degrees and there was never a question that my brother and I would go to college. I did well academically in high school, and when I was in 9th grade, my father got laid off, so my family made significantly less money. This meant that I could get considerable financial aid, especially from private schools. Both my brother and I attended private universities out of state because they were financially better options for us. My parents paid some of my tuition and paid to rent most of my textbooks. I got some grants and loans in addition to the aid my school gave me and had an on-campus job that went towards tuition. I lived on campus all four years, so room and board were included with tuition. I was lucky enough to get a lot of financial aid in undergrad, so I left with about $19,000 of student debt. When I went to grad school in 2019, I won a few scholarships, which allowed me to take out only $6,000 in grad school loans. I paid those off a couple of years ago. I will also say, the pandemic helped a bit in that all my interest froze, so I was able to make an even bigger dent by paying off my loans through 2020 and 2021.<\/p>\n

Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent\/guardian(s) educate you about finances?
<\/strong>My parents instilled in my brother and me that saving was of the utmost importance. When we started getting allowance, it became a weekly ritual to go to the bank and deposit half of it. Our bank had special savings offers for kids, so I used my savings to get short-term bonds and CDs. My parents didn\u2019t focus as much on how we spent our money; we were allowed to spend the rest however we liked. After a rather unfortunate trip to Claire\u2019s resulted in me coming home with a handful of ring-watches that quickly lost their luster, I learned to be more thoughtful about how I spent my discretionary funds. During the recession, when my father lost his job, I knew that things were tighter, although I didn\u2019t feel much of a difference; my mom would still buy us treats at the Target food court, and if my parents ever worried about paying bills or getting food on the table, they didn\u2019t show it. That being said, my family had always been thriftier than my friends, and even before the recession, my parents were conscious of living below their means.<\/p>\n

What was your first job and why did you get it?
<\/strong>I was a cashier at T.J. Maxx in high school. My dad was tight with the manager since he shopped there all the time, and when we were younger, my brother and I would help her shelve things while my dad browsed. From elementary school, she would joke that she needed us on her team; on my 16th birthday, I brought in my resume. When my brother turned 16, he also started working there. Just like with my allowance, I saved a large chunk of my paychecks and used the rest for extra spending money. When I went to college, I used some of my savings primarily as fun money since my college wages went straight towards tuition. I remember feeling guilty that I had to ask every customer if they wanted to sign up for the T.J. Maxx credit card since my mom made sure we knew how detrimental credit cards could be if used irresponsibly.<\/p>\n

Did you worry about money growing up?
<\/strong>I don\u2019t remember worrying about money growing up. I always felt taken care of. Even when my dad lost his job, we had everything we needed. I had friends with bigger houses, who wore mall brands and got cars when they turned 16, but their families had always seemed flashier, so it didn\u2019t change how I viewed my family\u2019s finances.<\/p>\n

Do you worry about money now?
<\/strong>Honestly, not really. I\u2019ve always been a saver and anytime an emergency expense has come up, I\u2019ve had the funds to cover it. I also trust that if anything were to happen to me financially, my family would have my back. If I needed it, my parents and my brother would lend me money, let me move in, anything.<\/p>\n

At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net?
<\/strong>I would say that I became financially responsible after college. I did a service year that covered living costs and provided a small monthly stipend. When that ended, I juggled two part-time jobs while renting an apartment with roommates. My parents still cover my phone bill, though. My dad refuses to accept money for it from my brother or me. I think it makes him feel like he\u2019s still taking care of us.<\/p>\n

Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain.
<\/strong>Yes, my grandma passed away a couple of years ago, and my parents got some money in her will. They gave my brother and me $5,000 each. I put mine in my long-term savings fund. This was also around the time I moved back to the Midwest, and my parents gave me my dad\u2019s old car since I didn\u2019t have one and would need to drive to work. That car died a few months in, and they felt so bad that they offered to purchase my replacement. I found one on Facebook marketplace for $5,000, which they paid for.<\/p>\n

Day One: Thursday<\/strong><\/h3>\n

5:35 a.m. \u2014 I am up to go to the bathroom. Today is my late start, and last night was Afrodance, so I\u2019m not inclined to do a workout. Instead, I make the most of my morning by doing my Duolingo in bed. I\u2019m learning French because my brother and I recently purchased tickets to see the F1 qualifying in Monaco! Since I\u2019m already on my phone I do my NYT<\/em> games too. I\u2019m devastated when I don\u2019t get Connections. How could I not realize Slide, Mule, Mary Jane, and Flat were all shoes? I love shoes!<\/p>\n

9:30 a.m. \u2014 After breakfast, I finally finish the shirt I\u2019ve been making. I went all out on this one; I even made fabric buttons the Renaissance way. I try to sew on my buttons while watching Drive to Survive<\/em>, but I switch to YouTube because those races deserve my full attention. Since I\u2019ve finished my project, I decide to go to a local fabric store before work and pick out some denim for a pair of trouser jeans. I\u2019ve been on the hunt for years at this point, but since the thrift gods have not seen fit to bless me with that particular bounty, it\u2019s time to take matters into my own hands.<\/p>\n

10:15 a.m. \u2014 I swing by the U to drop off the snowshoes I borrowed for a cabin trip with friends last weekend (I paid when I picked them up so it\u2019s free). Time to head to the fabric store!<\/p>\n

11:30 a.m. \u2014 I love the fabric store \u2014 not only did I get a compliment on my outfit \u2014\u00a0I\u2019m wearing a thrifted pair of tan wide-leg flared trousers, my Oscalito ribbed black tank, a floral button down from the Kilo shop in Athens, and my dad\u2019s old brown felt fedora (there will be comments on this later, lol) plus a thrifted gray wool herringbone coat that I think of as my \u201cFantastic Beasts Coat\u201d because Newt Scamander would wear the shit out of it) \u2014 but I found my fabric! It\u2019s a nice heavy-weight dark wash. I\u2019m hoping it\u2019s 100% cotton, although the label doesn\u2019t specify anything beyond denim\u2026 I also take a moment to swing by the linen selection \u2014\u00a0I have a pants pattern that I think would look fantastic in a black linen. I stay strong and just buy my denim. $29.98<\/strong><\/p>\n

3:15 p.m. \u2014 After setting up my March Mathness book display, doing some program prep and ordering, and meeting with a community partner about our summer programming, it\u2019s finally time for lunch. Unfortunately, I left my lunch on the counter at home. Ugh! I hit up the Asian grocery store since I need curry paste and coconut milk for my chickpea curry anyway. I don\u2019t find lunch food, but I get a six-pack of Buldak ramen to keep in my locker for the next time I forget lunch. I also snag a Pandan Twist in the checkout lane because grocery shopping while hungry means I can buy whatever I want. $15.21<\/strong><\/p>\n

3:45 p.m. \u2014 I have a T Life code for a free chicken sandwich from Wendy\u2019s, so while in line at the grocery store, I frantically download the Wendy\u2019s app. I get a small fries to go with my sandwich. I manage to squeeze in a few pages of my book, Know Your Station<\/em> by Sarah Gailey and Liana Kangas, before my lunch ends. $3.03<\/strong><\/p>\n

4:20 p.m. \u2014 I get a message from my mom asking me to call her about my tax forms. I still file with my parents\u2019 accountant \u2014\u00a0I guess she\u2019s also my accountant, even though I no longer live in the same state. I brought most of my forms with me the last time I visited, but forgot my property tax information. I scan the doc I think she might need and email it, but also promise my mom I\u2019ll check my mortgage portal after my tween program wraps up.<\/p>\n

6:30 p.m. \u2014 All done with my program. I tried March Mammal Madness today. They weren\u2019t as into the brackets as I had hoped, but we had a lot of fun discussing different animal matchups and looking up the unusual creatures on the bracket. Who would have guessed a bandicoot just looks like a mouse, but pointier? One of the library youngsters hilariously joked that the fur on their coat made them look like a target on my safari excursion (I told you there would be comments about the hat; this was the second safari joke of the day). I log into my mortgage portal, immediately find my 1098, and send it to my mom for tomorrow\u2019s tax appointment.<\/p>\n

8:30 p.m. \u2014 Home! I toss my new fabric in the wash for a quick rinse, along with a silk skirt I thrifted years ago and a pair of my grandpa\u2019s army fatigues. I\u2019m hoping to dye both of them on my day off tomorrow. I get ready for bed and finish Know Your Station<\/em>. Fantastic! Also, I loved the author\u2019s note at the end. I turn off the lights and go to bed at 10:15 p.m.<\/p>\n

Daily Total: $48.22<\/strong><\/p>\n

Day Two: Friday<\/strong><\/h3>\n

5:20 a.m. \u2014 I am up again. Is this my body telling me it\u2019s ready for daylight savings? Regardless, my soul is not, and it\u2019s my day off, so I try to go back to bed.<\/p>\n

5:45 a.m. \u2014 I\u2019ve failed at sleep, so I do my Duolingo in bed. Once I finish my unit, I doze off a bit more before finally dragging myself out of bed for a workout at 7:30 a.m. I refuse to pay for a gym membership, so YouTube is my personal trainer. Today, I do an Afrobeats workout from And8 Fitness. It\u2019s not my favorite, but it gets my heart rate up.<\/p>\n

9:30 a.m. \u2014 After I\u2019ve stretched and eaten breakfast, I put on the wedding episode of Love is Blind Minneapolis <\/em>(I usually just watch recaps, but since this season is on my city, I\u2019m tuning in for the whole thing) and start the dyeing process. Thank god Sarah didn\u2019t marry Ben! And while I was completely gobsmacked, I\u2019m also glad Virginia said no to Devin. Trust your gut, girl! Though, I have to say, the people they cast on this season do not represent the Minneapolis that I know\u2026<\/p>\n

2 p.m. \u2014 Now that I\u2019ve showered, eaten, and hung up my freshly dyed skirt and pants, it\u2019s time to walk to the grocery store for the last few ingredients for my curry. I throw on my dad\u2019s old jeans, my mom\u2019s vintage white button-down, and some thrifted sneakers. It\u2019s a bit normcore for me, but my cobalt blue trench saves the day. Plus, my silver hoops and wash-and-go add a bit of flair. I pick up a couple of onions, a lime, spinach, and a small piece of ginger. I also swing by my neighborhood library to drop off Know Your Station<\/em>. It was due back yesterday, but I HAD to finish it. Librarians, we\u2019re just like you! $8.20<\/strong><\/p>\n

5:30 p.m. \u2014 After putting on some Broadway vinyl to sweep and vacuum, I make my curry. Once I\u2019ve eaten, I browse my patterns. I find some potential contenders for my jeans and realize I have the perfect pattern to make a matching vest!<\/p>\n

9:30 p.m. \u2014 I\u2019m wiped, so I do my nightly routine and crawl into bed.<\/p>\n

Daily Total: $8.20<\/strong><\/p>\n

Day Three: Saturday<\/strong><\/h3>\n

6 a.m. \u2014 Now that I have the idea for a matching set in mind, I wake up and browse buttons online. Duluth Trading Co has some that look very high quality, but I\u2019m not sure I want the matching set I make to advertise another company\u2026 Etsy has some beautiful options, but they\u2019re more ornate than I want. Jo-Anne\u2019s is going out of business \u2014 I browse their stock in hopes of a deal, but the reviews are mixed. No worries, I won\u2019t buy any today. It\u2019s just good to know what\u2019s out there.<\/p>\n

6:45 a.m. \u2014 After browsing, I get ready for work. Tonight is my friend E.\u2019s birthday party; it\u2019s Margaritaville<\/em>-themed, so the dress code is tropical. I end up in a Pinterest-inspired outfit that takes a few tries. Once I realize the bright contrast is what I like about the image, I end up in thrifted blue and yellow striped silk pants, and a bright purple silk shirt (also thrifted), plus a vintage navy blue vest on top for warmth that I\u2019ll remove for the party. My burgundy loafers help tie in the purple shirt. All in all, today\u2019s look screams corporate clown.<\/p>\n

12 p.m. \u2014 I finally eat the lunch I forgot on Thursday. It\u2019s nothing exciting: oatmeal with cinnamon and apples. I get my Duolingo in for the day while I eat.<\/p>\n

2:45 p.m. \u2014 One of my coworkers brought doughnuts! I have a cream-filled one to pep me up for the rest of the day.<\/p>\n

5:15 p.m. \u2014 I\u2019m running low on gas so I fill up before the party (the gas station by work usually has the best price). $19.67<\/strong><\/p>\n

5:30 p.m. \u2014 I run to the grocery store to pick up flowers for E. Since I\u2019m so close to home, I decide to pop in to arrange the flowers in a vase instead of bringing E. a bouquet she\u2019ll have to handle herself. $20.70<\/strong><\/p>\n

6 p.m. \u2014 I leave destruction in my wake as I scamper off with the freshly arranged flowers, wearing bright green flats which feel more tropical than my loafers. I feel a headache coming on, but I forget to take a Tylenol before I go.<\/p>\n

9:30 p.m. \u2014 Home after karaoke. I\u2019ve still got a bit of a headache and also frozen toes (I should have known better than to aim for tropical footwear at a Minnesotan garage party). I get ready for bed and set an alarm for 7 a.m. because there\u2019s nothing worse than waking up on daylight savings to find out that you\u2019re late for work.<\/p>\n

Daily Total: $40.37<\/strong><\/p>\n

Day Four: Sunday<\/strong><\/h3>\n

6:55 a.m. \u2014 I beat my alarm by five minutes! I\u2019m wearing my freshly dyed skirt, an embroidered T-shirt I picked up in Barcelona, my leather jacket that I thrifted because it looks like something a musketeer would wear (it has a slightly puffed sleeve and a high collar), and my round-toed moto boots. I remember an IG reel I saw recently and put my hair in a half-up, half-down with a ponytail on either side and I braid my bangs so they frame my face. I feel very cute and very me.<\/p>\n

1:15 p.m. \u2014 Duolingo over lunch. I also look through the community education spring catalogue. I will definitely be signing up for Afrodance again and maybe boxing. I was taking boxing before I moved back to the Midwest, and I felt so strong.<\/p>\n

2:15 p.m. \u2014 My first task back from lunch is to file an incident report. Everyone was okay; thankfully, it was just a computer that was damaged. Gotta love being in charge.<\/p>\n

5:30 p.m. \u2014 I get home and stuff my face with cheese and crackers while I call my brother since we haven\u2019t chatted in a while.<\/p>\n

6 p.m. \u2014 I get a Venmo request from my friend for my portion of the Airbnb and food from a recent cabin trip. I transfer money from my travel fund to my direct deposit and make the payment while I change to go for a walk. While we chat, I browse Facebook marketplace and finally reach out to a seller about a couch I\u2019ve been eyeing for months now. They want $3,800, but I don\u2019t want to pay over $2,000. I make my offer and they counter with $2,900 \u2014\u00a0CASH. That will not be happening, so I politely decline. My brother agrees that it just wasn\u2019t meant to be. $181<\/strong><\/p>\n

10:40 p.m. \u2014 My brother and I decide it\u2019s time for bed, so we hang up, and I do my nighttime routine.<\/p>\n

Daily Total: $181<\/strong><\/p>\n

Day Five: Monday<\/strong><\/h3>\n

7 a.m. \u2014 I wake up and make my grocery list in bed. I like to do my big shop for the week before work on Mondays. Then I get ready. Today, I put on a brown, black, and cream animal stripe dress with puffy sleeves and a matching belt, black loafers, and sheer black socks. I put on the Love is Blind<\/em> reunion while I make breakfast.<\/p>\n

9:05 a.m. \u2014 I lose track of time getting angry at the Love is Blind<\/em> reunion. Looks like I\u2019ll be hitting up the grocery store on my way home instead.<\/p>\n

1 p.m. \u2014 I got a lot of weeding (removing damaged or non-circulating books) done this morning! I\u2019m always surprised at the amount of damage done to easy nonfiction. I eat my lunch while watching Lyn Moore recaps on YouTube, then I do my Duolingo for the day. I also text my friend who is considering buying a house this spring\/summer. She asked me for info on down payment loans since I got a small one when I purchased my house. Sadly, the one I got doesn\u2019t cover her neighborhood but I tell her I\u2019ll do some research.<\/p>\n

6:25 p.m. \u2014 I make it to the grocery store, but because I\u2019m there after work, they don\u2019t have everything I need. I manage to get most of the things on my list: butter, milk, lettuce, taco seasoning, ground beef ( I wanted ground turkey but they were out), refried beans, kiwis, tomatoes, bread, and some things that weren\u2019t on my list: Reese\u2019s brownie mix, cinnamon Graham Crackers, chocolate almond milk, vegetable oil (for the brownies). I miss out on eggs, salsa, and mushrooms. Then I go home and eat some cinnamon Graham Crackers before Spanish class. $45.58<\/strong><\/p>\n

9:15 p.m. \u2014 Home from Spanish. This was probably my favorite class so far! We took time to just chat in Spanish today which was great. I hope the rest of our classes are more like this one!<\/p>\n

Daily Total: $45.58<\/strong><\/p>\n

Day Six: Tuesday<\/strong><\/h3>\n

6:50 a.m. \u2014 I wake up and lounge in bed scrolling FB marketplace for home decor and doing my Duolingo. <\/p>\n

8:40 a.m. \u2014 I finally get out of bed and make myself Nigerian pancakes (a slightly sweet, slightly spicy onion pancake) and bacon for breakfast. I use cassava flour instead of wheat flour since I\u2019m low on the latter, and I don\u2019t love the texture change.<\/p>\n

11 a.m. \u2014 After a slow morning drinking tea and cackling at Lyn Moore\u2019s reactions to the Twilight<\/em> series, I finally put on some leggings, sneakers, a sweatshirt, and my tan trench coat to walk to my doctor\u2019s office to drop off some library event flyers. They have a new parent group and wanted to share more free events with their participants.<\/p>\n

12 p.m. \u2014 Since I\u2019m already in workout gear, I do a quick 20-minute IsaWelly Pilates workout.<\/p>\n

6 p.m. \u2014 After showering, detangling my hair, watching more YouTube videos, baking brownies, and making taco meat, it\u2019s time to head out for trivia night. I bring the Reese\u2019s brownies with me, of course. My pirate shirt and freshly dyed fatigues make their debut! I pair them with my hoop earrings (because I\u2019m a pirate, duh!), a brown leather belt (thrifted), and my chunky brown clogs (thrifted). I feel like a little stowaway, ready for a life of adventure at sea. All I\u2019m missing is a cap to hide my identity \u2014 instead, I put my hair in pigtails to keep things cute and quirky.<\/p>\n

9 p.m. \u2014 Home sweet home! Somehow, we got second place tonight, even though everyone spent most of the game talking. Not sure how it happened, but I\u2019m pleased, because our newest winnings bring our gift card pool up to $90! Next week, we\u2019ll get pizza and pitchers for the table. I\u2019m not a beer fan, so I just drink water at trivia and sniff my friends\u2019 drinks when they\u2019re particularly interesting. I get ready for bed and start The Empress of Salt and Fortune<\/em>. I\u2019ve had it out from the library for weeks now, but today I saw a review that bumped it to the top of my TBR.<\/p>\n

Daily Total: $0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Day Seven: Wednesday<\/strong><\/h3>\n

7 a.m. \u2014 Up and at \u2019em! Today, I try out an old sweater vest from my dad\u2019s closet. I\u2019m inspired by a beepworld video I watched yesterday and pair it with a teal babydoll dress, burgundy tights, chunky clay earrings my friend made me, and boots. It\u2019s not my favorite outfit, and I\u2019m still not sold on this sweater vest, but I\u2019m glad I tried it.<\/p>\n

12 p.m. \u2014 I eat my curry for lunch and do my Duolingo.<\/p>\n

6:30 p.m. \u2014 I get home and throw together a taco salad for dinner. Then I change for Afrodance.<\/p>\n

7:15 p.m. \u2014 I leave for dance \u2014 somehow class always takes it out of me. You would think that five weeks in, it would be easier. I love that it\u2019s a challenge and our class is forming into a little community. I show off pictures of my pirate shirt and everyone oohs and ahs. I think registration is open, so I\u2019ll probably register for the next session tomorrow.<\/p>\n

8:45 p.m. \u2014 I get home and hop in the shower after downing a cup of chocolate almond milk. Before bed, I take a picture of my Aldi receipt for Google Opinion Rewards and get $0.11.<\/p>\n

Daily Total: $0<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Breakdown<\/strong><\/h3>\n
<\/figure>\n

Conclusion\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u201cThe weekly total is less than I thought it would be. While I was recording, I kept thinking it was a strange week, full of unusual expenses like the cabin trip, birthday flowers, and fabric. It was a bit of a relief to see that it still wasn\u2019t excessive, especially because the trip came out of my travel savings anyway. It was also a good reminder that while I like to do my research, I can still be a bit\u00a0 impulsive if I think it will get me a deal. I\u2019m thankful the FB marketplace seller wasn\u2019t willing to budge on the couch. In hindsight, I\u2019m not sure I wanted to spend that amount on it, I just thought it was cute and wanted to feel like I was getting it for half off. Overall, I\u2019m pleased with the way I spend my money, but it might be useful to go back to tracking my purchases more closely like I did in my early 20s (and like I have for this diary). There was absolutely a time when I would have known my weekly total off the top of my head because every cent would have been accounted for in my budget spreadsheet. As I\u2019ve gotten older I\u2019ve shifted towards more of a mental tally \u2014\u00a0like, \u2018This is roughly what groceries should cost me a week,\u2019 but I don\u2019t think as much about my other purchases. Now that I have one job that more than covers my bills, I\u2019ve gotten a bit lax with tracking my spending, but I think keeping a closer eye on things brings a good amount of perspective.\u201d<\/p>\n

Money Diaries are meant to reflect an individual\u2019s experience and do not necessarily reflect Refinery29\u2019s point of view. Refinery29 in no way encourages illegal activity or harmful behavior.<\/p>\n

The first step to getting your financial life in order is tracking what you spend \u2014 to try on your own, check out our guide to managing your money every day<\/a>. For more Money Diaries, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Do you have a Money Diary you\u2019d like to share? Submit it with us here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Have questions about how to submit or our publishing process? Read our Money Diaries FAQ doc here<\/a> or email us here.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?<\/strong><\/p>\n

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A Week In Washington, DC On A $120,500 Salary<\/a><\/p>\n

A Week In Central Oregon On A $68,000 Salary<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Welcome to Money Diaries where we are tackling the ever-present taboo that is money. We\u2019re asking real people how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period \u2014 and we\u2019re tracking every last dollar. Today: a youth librarian who makes $69,000 per year and who spends some of her money this week on flowers…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1144,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[15],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/baldheadedgirls.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1142"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/baldheadedgirls.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/baldheadedgirls.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/baldheadedgirls.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/baldheadedgirls.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1142"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/baldheadedgirls.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1142\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1145,"href":"http:\/\/baldheadedgirls.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1142\/revisions\/1145"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/baldheadedgirls.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1144"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/baldheadedgirls.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1142"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/baldheadedgirls.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1142"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/baldheadedgirls.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1142"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}