{"id":4601,"date":"2026-01-28T11:00:16","date_gmt":"2026-01-28T12:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/baldheadedgirls.com\/?p=4601"},"modified":"2026-01-29T14:57:28","modified_gmt":"2026-01-29T14:57:28","slug":"a-week-in-chicago-il-on-a-55000-salary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/baldheadedgirls.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/28\/a-week-in-chicago-il-on-a-55000-salary\/","title":{"rendered":"A Week In Chicago, IL On A $55,000 Salary"},"content":{"rendered":"

Welcome to <\/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.<\/em><\/p>\n

This week a Program coordinator\/freelance marketer working in Higher Education & Freelance Marketing who makes $55,000 per year and spends it on \u201cMy \u2018fall bedding\u2019\u2026 such a luxurious purchase to me\u201d.<\/em><\/p>\n

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

Editor\u2019s note: After a short hiatus, we\u2019re back once a week! Thank you for your patience. We\u2019ll be honoring Money Diary submissions we received during our break by publishing them in the coming weeks. There\u2019s more to come soon \u2014 stay tuned.<\/strong><\/p>\n

This Money Diary was written in the summer of 2025. <\/em><\/p>\n

Occupation:<\/strong> Program coordinator\/freelance marketer
Industry:<\/strong> Higher Education & Freelance Marketing
Age:<\/strong> 24
Location:<\/strong> Chicago, IL
Salary:<\/strong> $55,000 plus whatever I make freelancing each month
Joint Income\/Financial Setup:<\/strong> I live with my partner, N., but we do not share finances and we split our expenses pretty evenly.
Assets:<\/strong> $22,100 ($2,800 in checking account; $1,400 in savings account; $6,000 in a HYSA; $2,900 in Roth IRA; $600 in an HSA; $8,400 in 403(b))
Debt:<\/strong> $16,557 in private student loans; $19,643 in federal student loans (all from undergrad)
Paycheck Amount (Bi-weekly (full-time job); monthly (freelance)):<\/strong> $1,488 (full-time job); $550-900 (freelance)
Pronouns:<\/strong> she\/her<\/p>\n

Monthly Expenses<\/strong><\/p>\n

Housing Costs:<\/strong> $1,200 for my share (this cost includes water, sewer, trash, wifi, and heating gas)
Loan Payments:<\/strong> Private Student Loans: $250 (I pay extra every month); Federal Student Loans: $114.48. Electricity: ~$40 (differs by season, split evenly with N.) Gas: ~$30 (split evenly with N.) Renter\u2019s Insurance: $14.67 Streaming services, Apple Music, and iCloud storage: $0 (my mom pays for us). Classpass: $55 Canva Pro: $15 Substack subscription: $5 Health Insurance (pre-tax): $117.76 Dental Insurance (pre-tax): $7.36 Vision Insurance (pre-tax): $10.24 HSA Contribution (pre-tax): $47.84 Transit Pass (pre-tax): $75 401(3)(b) Contribution: $211.54 Savings: $500-1,000 a month.<\/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>
There wasn\u2019t really an expectation from my parents, but it was understood that that would be my path from an early age. I graduated valedictorian in high school and took my studies very seriously. I did go to a private liberal arts college in Utah, where I got a lot of scholarships. For my first three years, I had to take out federal AND private loans for what scholarships did not cover. For the last year, scholarships covered mostly all my costs, and I paid out of savings for the small remainder of what was left. I supported myself financially throughout college, and I am responsible for paying my student loan debt off by myself, and I had known this was going to be the case my whole life.<\/p>\n

Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent(s) educate you about finances?<\/strong>
I don\u2019t recall hearing or having many financial conversations when I was really young. When I was about 10, my dad tried to teach me about money through people like Tony Robbins, but I HATED when he made me listen to him or read books on money (why was I being forced to read The Richest Man in Babylon<\/em> this young? And I DID do it because I am nothing if not persistent). My parents split up when I was in middle school, and that was when I became very aware of money. My mom didn\u2019t have a job because my dad wanted to \u201ctake care of the family,\u201d so she had to work minimum-wage jobs to care for us up until the past few years. My dad didn\u2019t make a lot of money at this time (he is an entrepreneurial doctor), so he wasn\u2019t providing much more than the bare minimum. My four siblings and I had homes, beds to sleep in, and food to eat, thanks to governmental assistance, but weren\u2019t given money for new clothes or spending money \u2014 and we\u2019d sometimes struggle with heating our house in the winter. I am the eldest daughter<\/a>, so I was brought into a lot of these conversations and was made very aware of our financial situation as a teenager.<\/p>\n

What was your first job and why did you get it?<\/strong>
When I was 12, I started babysitting. I babysat the same family for five summers throughout middle school and high school. I got it to pay for my own clothes, fun experiences, and gas. I also tutored when I was in high school. I had short stints at Pizza Hut and a local chain restaurant (I hate the food and restaurant industry). My first \u201creal\u201d job that I kept for a long time was at a local pharmacy as a delivery driver.<\/p>\n

Did you worry about money growing up?<\/strong>
When I was very young, no. I had a very comfortable childhood \u2014 we went on family vacations, I went on multiple shopping sprees a year, and I engaged in many extra-curricular activities. After my parents\u2019 divorce, yes! I stopped myself from doing extracurricular activities because I didn\u2019t want to ask my parents for money and I worked a lot as a teenager. I wanted to have fun money to go out with my best friends, and I saved up a lot of money to move out for college. I think all my parents provided for that was the cost of my first plane ticket to Utah.<\/p>\n

Do you worry about money now?<\/strong>
Yes and no. I definitely am aware of lifestyle creep, but I\u2019ve been quietly letting myself indulge in the luxury of making more money than I ever have before. I am smart and cognizant of how I spend my money. If something comes up, I usually have the money to cover it. I know I will not be able to afford to buy a house, or retire young, or even comfortably have children on the salary I have now in Chicago, but I have high hopes for myself and I know I will only grow in my career. Also, I sometimes do have the Gen Z view of having no hope for the future of our economy\u2026 I barely even expect to be able to ever buy a house or retire. I used to have a lot of money anxiety, and I\u2019m honestly proud of where I\u2019m at now \u2014 even if it\u2019s sort of fatalistic. I try not to think too much about the future while also saving what I can. I\u2019m working hard, and I\u2019m going to enjoy my life now! Sorry if this is problematic!<\/p>\n

At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net?<\/strong>
Even though I pay for mostly everything by myself, my mom covers streaming services and still pays for my phone bill and iCloud storage. When I visit home, my mom, dad, or grandma pretty much cover anything I need when I\u2019m with them. If I\u2019m alone, I pay. If I\u2019m with my younger sisters, I often cover their expenses, as well. I know if I were to need it, I could always move back home and in with my mom, dad, or grandma. <\/p>\n

Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain.<\/strong>
When I graduated high school, I got a lot of money from extended family and friends (I\u2019m not sure how much), and $1,000 from my grandfather when I graduated college that I used to buy my car in Utah (which I have since sold, and lost money on by the way\u2026 I\u2019m still angry about that). Other than those monetary gifts, no. <\/p>\n

Day One: Thursday<\/h3>\n

6:15 a.m. \u2014 I finally wake up after snoozing my alarm a few times (I\u2019ve gotten into a bad habit of this; I haven\u2019t been sleeping well recently) and drag myself out of bed. My day always starts in the bathroom brushing my teeth and doing my skincare (CosRX snail mucin, Vanicream moisturizer, and Innisfree sunscreen). <\/p>\n

6:30 a.m. \u2014 I make my morning coffee (iced hazelnut oatmilk lattes every morning using my Gemini Express), feed my cat, R., roll out my yoga mat for a 10 minute morning flow, and then get ready for the day. <\/p>\n

7:15 a.m. \u2014 Breakfast time. This morning, I\u2019m having egg whites and spinach, chicken sausage, and a piece of buttered toast. I have some version of this pretty much every morning. <\/p>\n

7:40 a.m. \u2014 I head out the door after saying bye to R. I take the bus to work this morning. It\u2019s free every time I tap into public transit because I pay for the unlimited monthly CTA pass (included in expenses above).<\/p>\n

8:00 a.m. \u2014 Once I arrive at work, I put my lunch in the fridge and set myself up for the day. In the morning, I spend some time planning my day, responding to emails, and getting organized. This morning I\u2019m drinking a blood orange kombucha I brought from home.<\/p>\n

10:40 a.m. \u2014 I spend the morning working on content planning and creation. I wear a lot of different hats in my full-time position, so I\u2019m always doing something different. I also take a break to eat the ripest, most delicious farmers\u2019 market peach.<\/p>\n

12:00 p.m. \u2014 Lunch break. I eat what I brought from home (it\u2019s a beef bowl lol) and then go on my lunchtime walk. I spend some of it researching a potential therapist. I haven\u2019t been in a few years, and feel like I really need to be back in therapy. My anxiety has gotten, and is getting, exponentially worse as I get older. I don\u2019t want to pay for it at all, though, which is why I\u2019ve been putting off finding a new one. I try calling the office of a therapist that looks somewhat promising, but they don\u2019t answer. I leave a voicemail.<\/p>\n

3:30 p.m. \u2014 My afternoon consists of more caption writing and creative ideation. I break to chat with a colleague about how her daughter\u2019s college move-in day went. I love talking to my colleagues, which doesn\u2019t happen that often. I\u2019m almost always one of a few people in-office. I eat two chocolate caramels, then start to wrap up the workday.<\/p>\n

4:00 p.m. \u2014 I leave work and walk home. I either like to walk to or from work. I prefer walking home FROM work, and now that it\u2019s not as hot outside, I can finally do that. I call my mom on the walk home after I try the therapist\u2019s office once again (they don\u2019t answer).<\/p>\n

4:30 p.m. \u2014 Home! I do my dishes from this morning, scoop litter, and get dressed. My best friend, M., and I have plans tonight that we\u2019ve been wanting to do since last summer and I\u2019m very excited! Before she gets to my house, I spend some time doing some of my freelance tasks. Today, I am doing community management and posting on socials. <\/p>\n

5:00 p.m. \u2014 M. comes over and we start our trek to the restaurant. It takes a long time because we are using public transportation and it\u2019s quite far north. We just chat the whole way about life updates. On our walk to the restaurant, we get stuck behind a HUGE group of people wearing all white. They end up situating themselves in the grass across from the restaurant, and the rest of our night is spent trying to figure out what is going on. We discover that it\u2019s some sort of all white \u201cdinner party\u201d that you have to pay $100 to go to even though you have to bring your own chairs, table, food, cups, etc. Weird?!<\/p>\n

7:00 p.m. \u2014 M. and I eat our food, listen to the live band that\u2019s playing, talk some more, and watch the sunset over the lake. It\u2019s a beautiful night, and quite chilly. I\u2019m excited for fall because fall in Chicago rules. We split cheese curds, and I get the blackened shrimp tacos. $36.78<\/strong><\/p>\n

8:30 p.m. \u2014 We finally catch the bus home and laugh the whole way. It was a silly night for some reason. I arrive home to my boyfriend, N., putting our new dining table and chairs together. We just moved in together last month, so we\u2019re still getting settled and buying new furniture. Previously (and in my last Money Diary) I lived with my best friend M. All three of us moved to Chicago together \u2014 we are besties!<\/p>\n

10:00 p.m. \u2014 I shower, do my skincare (double cleanse with Dr. Hauschka soothing cleansing milk and Drunk Elephant jelly cleanser, Vanicream moisturizer, Cetaphil eye cream), and fall asleep watching The White Lotus<\/em> on my phone.<\/p>\n

Daily Total: $36.78<\/strong><\/p>\n

DashDividers_1_500x100<\/title><\/div>\n<h3>Day Two: Friday<\/h3>\n<p>6:20 a.m. \u2014 I wake up after snoozing my alarms multiple times (again). R. is very obsessed with me this morning and follows me around, watching everything I do. He has a bowl of food, so he just wants my attention. I make sure to give him some! He\u2019s the cutest. <\/p>\n<p>7:40 a.m. \u2014 After my morning routine, I take the bus to work. I arrive at work about 10 minutes later \u2014 this was one of my smoothest commutes in a while! <\/p>\n<p>9:00 a.m. \u2014 I was not very hungry this morning and I only had a small bowl of chia seed pudding, so I get hungry around this time. I eat the Mid-Day Square I brought from home to hopefully hold me over until lunch.<\/p>\n<p>11:30 a.m. \u2014 I spend my morning doing administrative tasks and grant searching. I get hungry and take my break for lunch. I eat (the same lunch as yesterday), go outside, and read a little bit of my current book (I am re-reading <em>Normal People<\/em> by Sally Rooney). I also book a massage for next week because M. (bff) got me a gift card for my birthday that I still haven\u2019t used.<\/p>\n<p>4:00 p.m. \u2014 The afternoon DRAGS ON, but it\u2019s finally time to go. We had summer Fridays, and this was the first Friday back to normal hours. Rough. I am a firm believer that it should be company policy everywhere that work should end early on Fridays. I eat a peach at some point and I call my sister, A., on the walk home. She\u2019s a freshman in college, and just moved in yesterday.<\/p>\n<p>5:30 p.m. \u2014 After doing some chores, putting a load of laundry in, and eating a snack (almonds, cheese, cranberries), I go on a walk. It ends up being a lot longer than expected because I call my grandma and we talk about her life in her 20s. It was a very sweet conversation. I end up at Trader Joe\u2019s and buy myself pork dumplings, ravioli, a Chomps stick, bacon and egg gummies, and white cheddar popcorn. I talk to my mom and sister on the walk home. <strong>$13.70<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>8:00 p.m. \u2014 I spend my evening eating the pork dumplings and watching <em>The Summer I Turned Pretty<\/em>. N. wants to watch <em>The White Lotus<\/em> with me but I end up falling asleep at 9:30. I feel like something is wrong with me because I can\u2019t stay awake past 10 p.m. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Daily Total: $13.70<\/strong><\/p>\n<div><title>DashDividers_1_500x100<\/title><\/div>\n<h3>Day Three: Saturday<\/h3>\n<p>7:45 a.m. \u2014 I wake up before my alarm and lay in bed for a while. I try not to do this, but I am SO TIRED. I feel delusional getting up and doing my morning routine.<\/p>\n<p>8:30 a.m. \u2014 I realize what time it is and start quickly getting ready. I eat some chia seed pudding, drink a coffee, get dressed, and pack my bag. I head to the bus stop around 9:15. <\/p>\n<p>9:30 a.m. \u2014 Time for concrete beach mat pilates! I signed up for the class and paid the $5 ticket fee a few weeks ago. It\u2019s a fun class and it\u2019s hotter outside than I was expecting. The instructor partnered with a chiropractic place that was giving complimentary massages after the workout. I get a quick five-minute massage and a voucher to come in for a free session, so I schedule that for Tuesday. I make a mental note to move the one I booked yesterday to a later date. <\/p>\n<p>11:00 a.m. \u2014 I get off my bus stop and walk to the farmers\u2019 market. I grab a breakfast sandwich because I am craving one so bad\u2026 I can\u2019t help it. <strong>$18.54<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>12:30 p.m. \u2014 I shower and get ready for my afternoon plans. Before we leave, I lounge around, reading (<em>Ducks, Newburyport<\/em> by Lucy Ellmann is my current at-home read), scrolling on my phone, drinking another latte, moving my massage appointment, and facetiming A. I also buy some new sheets for the fall\/winter. I decide on a red and cream striped duvet cover, brown sheets, and brown pillow cases. I hope they\u2019re comfy \u2014 I rarely ever treat myself to a purchase like this. <strong>$127.37<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>3:00 p.m. \u2014 N. and I head out for the afternoon. Our friend P. is having her birthday party, frat boy themed. I am wearing N.\u2019s Dolphins jersey for the occasion. We uber there because we are already running late. <strong>$5.00<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>5:30 p.m. \u2014 I spend the afternoon hanging out with my friends, laughing, and having a good time. We don\u2019t leave P.\u2019s house.<\/p>\n<p>9:30 p.m. \u2014 At around this time, everyone starts to leave the party. N. and I head home on the bus. Once we get home, he makes me ravioli and I fall asleep around 11:30. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Daily Total: $150.91<\/strong><\/p>\n<div><title>DashDividers_1_500x100<\/title><\/div>\n<h3>Day Four: Sunday<\/h3>\n<p>10:00 a.m. \u2014 I wake up to my alarm going off. I knew I was going to sleep in because I\u2019ve been so tired recently, but I still wanted to wake up relatively early because I don\u2019t like to waste my weekends sleeping. <\/p>\n<p>10:30 a.m. \u2014 I pretty much throw myself up out of bed, get dressed in sweats, and start cleaning the house. I clean the kitchen, floors, and even get out my window squeegee to clean the windows from the outside. It feels great to have a clean house. I eat breakfast at some point in this time frame (egg whites, spinach, toast, and chicken sausage). <\/p>\n<p>1:00 p.m. \u2014 Once I finish cleaning, N. and I head out for a lunch date. We take the train to a pizza spot where we get the monthly special pizza (ricotta, pickled red onions, chorizo verde, jalapeno, and potatoes). It was so good! <strong>$23.35<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>3:00 p.m. \u2014 When we get home, we lounge around, half-napping with R. on the bed. I watch a little bit of YouTube vlogs. <\/p>\n<p>4:00 p.m. \u2014 I get up, put on shoes, and head out on a walk. I walk to a nearby park and spend about an hour reading and finishing <em>Normal People<\/em>. I listen to music while I read, and it\u2019s a wonderful time. The weather is absolutely perfect today. I stop at Target on the way home and get some kombucha and an Olipop. <strong>$14.37<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>5:30 p.m. \u2014 Once I get home, I set up the house for the evening. I light a candle, do some dishes, and pack my bag for work tomorrow. N. went out to get us groceries for Sunday night dinner. <strong>$30.66<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>7:30 p.m. \u2014 After I take a shower, I sit on the couch and watch <em>The White Lotus<\/em> while N. makes us dinner. We\u2019ve been watching it for a few weeks and want to finish it tonight. <\/p>\n<p>9:30 p.m. \u2014 Late dinner because N. had to keep taking breaks to do his Fantasy Football draft (lol). We eat and then finish the show. Both of our reactions were \u201c\u2026 that\u2019s it?\u201d I brush my teeth and fall asleep around 11:30. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Daily Total: $68.38<\/strong><\/p>\n<div><title>DashDividers_1_500x100<\/title><\/div>\n<h3>Day Five: Monday<\/h3>\n<p>6:15 a.m. \u2014 I wake up and let myself scroll for a few minutes. I do my morning routine, and I\u2019m out the door at 7:40 this morning. I take the bus to work.<\/p>\n<p>8:00 a.m. \u2014 Once at work, I take a few minutes to settle in and then immediately start helping a colleague set up for a session that is going on today in her Center. <\/p>\n<p>11:30 a.m. \u2014 I spend my morning doing admin work, planning for the week, scheduling posts on socials, and attending a meeting. I eat a donut that someone brought in for our office intern\u2019s first day of classes (jelly-filled, of course). <\/p>\n<p>12:00 p.m. \u2014 Lunch time! Today is the first day of classes at our university and, to celebrate, we are having a faculty and staff lunch. Today\u2019s menu is Greek food: chicken gyros, potatoes, salad, and baklava. <\/p>\n<p>2:15 p.m. \u2014 I\u2019ve been trying to import data into a new software we are using and the system is giving me SUCH a hard time. I get myself Dunkin\u2019 as a treat. They have a new cereal milk latte that I try despite knowing it\u2019s going to give me a stomachache. It tastes like dessert. I save the other half for tomorrow morning (this might be gross, but I\u2019m not known for listening to food\/drink rules). <strong>$6.68<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>4:15 p.m. \u2014 Home from work. I have a 4:45 pm biweekly Monday meeting that I just like to be home for. <\/p>\n<p>5:45 p.m. \u2014 My meeting ends and I heat up leftovers to eat for dinner (meatloaf and potatoes). N. has a virtual appointment so I leave to give him some privacy. I facetime A. while sitting in the park. Her first day of classes is tomorrow so we just chat about how she\u2019s feeling. I love my sisters!<\/p>\n<p>8:30 p.m. \u2014 I read my book for a little bit while N. finishes building the dining room chairs, but then he asks for my help. We try to build this one chair for two HOURS and we can\u2019t get it! We give up and vow to work on it later. <\/p>\n<p>11:30 p.m. \u2014 I\u2019m in bed after my shower and skincare. I fall asleep watching YouTube. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Daily Total: $6.68<\/strong><\/p>\n<div><title>DashDividers_1_500x100<\/title><\/div>\n<h3>Day Six: Tuesday<\/h3>\n<p>6:30 a.m. \u2014 I am UP!!! I am still so tired\u2026 I can\u2019t seem to wake up on time (I try to wake up at 5:45). Morning routine, breakfast, feed R., out the door. I walk to work this morning because I feel like I need some time to myself. <\/p>\n<p>8:15 a.m. \u2014 I arrive at work. This morning, I do admin work, edit some email copy, and work on the data import I was working on yesterday. I also take a minute to pay my student loans (included in monthly expenses). <\/p>\n<p>12:00 p.m. \u2014 I take my lunch break. I eat leftover pizza from Sunday and go to my favorite spot outside to read my book for a bit. It\u2019s right by a fountain and lots of older people are always here as well \u2014 reading, meeting up with their friends, or just enjoying their time. They make me happy to be around.<\/p>\n<p>4:00 p.m. \u2014 This afternoon, I process an invoice and spend the rest of my time working on more projects related to the new software implementation. By new, I mean it\u2019s a few months old and this transition is taking much longer than anticipated. That\u2019s okay, though \u2014 I sometimes enjoy tedious work. I leave work and take the bus to the place I\u2019m getting my massage today.<\/p>\n<p>5:45 p.m. \u2014 After a long bus ride and a FAKE massage appointment, I wait for the bus home. I\u2019m mad they told me I get a free massage today \u2014 they just took X-rays of me. I should\u2019ve known it was too good to be true\u2026 I reschedule my original massage AGAIN while waiting for the bus home.<\/p>\n<p>7:30 p.m. \u2014 I spend alllll night doing freelance work while lying in bed with R. For dinner, I eat leftover meatloaf with some rice and sweet potatoes. I also drink the Olipop I bought on Sunday. <\/p>\n<p>10:30 p.m. \u2014 After I shower and get ready for bed, I watch <em>Boogie Nights<\/em> on my laptop. It\u2019s such a fun movie and VERY entertaining. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Daily Total: $0.00<\/strong><\/p>\n<div><title>DashDividers_1_500x100<\/title><\/div>\n<h3>Day Seven: Wednesday<\/h3>\n<p>6:30 a.m. \u2014 I wake up later without stressing because Wednesday is my WFH day. I get up, do my morning routine, read in bed, make coffee, and journal. <\/p>\n<p>7:30 a.m. \u2014 When N. leaves for work, I walk outside with him and head to the farmers\u2019 market in my neighborhood. There, I buy apricots (I like to get fruit at the farmers\u2019 market to snack on), tomatoes (because they are so perfect right now), a raspberry rose croissant (looked too good to pass up), and a loaf of sourdough. I eat half of my croissant on a park bench, letting the sun shine in my face, and then head back home. <strong>$26.75<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>10:30 a.m. \u2014 After a few hours of work, I take a break to order two books I want to read soon. I\u2019m really good about not buying new books until I read all of my current ones. I am trying to start a personal library, which is basically just a fun way to say I collect books. I do read all of them, though! <strong>$24.89<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>12:00 p.m. \u2014 I take another little break to make lunch. I eat slices of the loaf I bought this morning with cottage cheese and sliced tomatoes on top. Sooooo good! I eat while I work. Today I\u2019m working on planning a social media promotional campaign for an event, doing grant research, and problem-solving with a vendor. <\/p>\n<p>1:30 p.m. \u2014 Now I take my \u201clunch break.\u201d When I WFH, I like my lunch break to be some sort of movement. Today, I follow a pilates video on YouTube. <\/p>\n<p>4:00 p.m. \u2014 Once I finish my work for the day, I head out for a walk and to read in the park (my favorite activity, if you can\u2019t tell). I stay for about an hour.<\/p>\n<p>6:00 p.m. \u2014 After eating dinner (ravioli and chicken sausage), I take a quick nap with R. curled up next to me. I wake up abruptly 20 minutes later and quickly get ready to go to a nearby bar for a <em>The Summer I Turned Pretty<\/em> watch party with my friends. I stop at Walgreens on the way to buy a bag of chips (for me) and peach rings (for my friend). <strong>$6.95<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>7:15 p.m. \u2014 I grab a table at the bar and wait for my friends to arrive. The episode starts at 7:30 and we have a blast. Normally, this is not the type of media I enjoy consuming, but I\u2019m addicted to this show. We snack on the free popcorn the bar has and eat snacks we brought (the bar doesn\u2019t serve food). I don\u2019t get anything because I don\u2019t really drink, and I do feel bad about it. I like to give my money to local places if I\u2019m going to them.<\/p>\n<p>8:45 p.m. \u2014 I bus back home with my friend. Once I get home, I take a quick shower and pretty much go right to bed. I want to be well-rested for the rest of my week.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Daily Total: $58.59<\/strong><\/p>\n<div><title>DashDividers_1_500x100<\/title><\/div>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/baldheadedgirls.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/11955850.png\"><\/figure>\n<h3>Conclusion <\/h3>\n<p>This week was pretty normal for me to be honest. I spend most of my money on food and drink \u2014 both groceries and going out to eat. I already track my spending and I\u2019m very aware of it, but it\u2019s always fun to do it journal-entry style! I COULD spend less money going out to eat\u2026 but will I? Maybe in the winter when it\u2019s too cold in Chicago to leave my house\u2026<\/p>\n<p><em>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<p>The first step to getting your financial life in order is tracking what you spend \u2014 to try on your own, check out <a href=\"http:\/\/www.refinery29.com\/budgeting-tools-spending-diary\">our guide to managing your money every day<\/a>. For more Money Diaries, click <a href=\"http:\/\/www.refinery29.com\/money-diary\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Do you have a Money Diary you\u2019d like to share? Submit it with us <a href=\"https:\/\/you.refinery29.com\/submit-money-diary\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Have questions about how to submit or our publishing process? Read our Money Diaries FAQ doc <a href=\"https:\/\/www.refinery29.com\/images\/9888575.pdf\">here<\/a> or email us <a href=\"mailto:moneydiary@refinery29.com\">here.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.refinery29.com\/en-us\/2020\/02\/8946067\/money-diaries-editor-ask-me-anything?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss_linkback1\">We Are The Money Diaries Team \u2014 Ask Us Anything<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>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. This week a Program coordinator\/freelance marketer working in Higher Education & Freelance Marketing who makes $55,000 per year and spends…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4603,"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\/4601"}],"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=4601"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/baldheadedgirls.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4601\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4604,"href":"http:\/\/baldheadedgirls.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4601\/revisions\/4604"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/baldheadedgirls.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4603"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/baldheadedgirls.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4601"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/baldheadedgirls.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4601"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/baldheadedgirls.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4601"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}