{"id":4895,"date":"2026-02-18T11:00:54","date_gmt":"2026-02-18T12:00:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/baldheadedgirls.com\/?p=4895"},"modified":"2026-02-19T14:56:53","modified_gmt":"2026-02-19T14:56:53","slug":"a-week-in-chicago-il-on-a-167000-salary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/baldheadedgirls.com\/index.php\/2026\/02\/18\/a-week-in-chicago-il-on-a-167000-salary\/","title":{"rendered":"A Week In Chicago, IL On A $167,000 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

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.<\/em><\/strong> <\/em><\/p>\n

This week: a marketing manager on $167,000 and who spends some of her money on some knitting yarn.<\/em><\/p>\n

This Money Diary was written in the summer of 2025.<\/em> This is a follow-up diary. You can read the original diary <\/em>here<\/em><\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Occupation:<\/strong> Marketing manager
Industry:<\/strong> Life sciences
Age:<\/strong> 31
Location:<\/strong> Chicago, IL
Salary:<\/strong> $167,295 ($143,295 base + $24,000 bonus)
Joint Income\/Financial Setup:<\/strong> Our joint income is around ~$240,000 (+\/- $10k).\u00a0My husband, F., is a freelance director of photography and has recently gone back to school to facilitate a career change to healthcare.\u00a0\u00a0Shortly after my first Money Diary<\/a> we made the decision to combine our finances. It was a little challenging at first, but at the end of the day, we are a team, and we make financial decisions together. Combining finances has given us a clear picture of where we stand as a family and has allowed us to meet big financial goals like completely paying off our student loans last year. The way we manage our finances is that we plan our monthly budget off of my net income, and all money F. brings in goes into our liquid savings account.\u00a0At the end of every month, we review our spending and sort everything into a spreadsheet with categories to track our spending habits and make sure we\u2019re staying on top of our financial goals.
Assets<\/strong>
Home value:<\/strong> $275,000
Car value:<\/strong> $20,000
Combined retirement accounts & investments:<\/strong> $250,848.52
Checking account:<\/strong> $1,785
Savings account:<\/strong> $66,612.60
Debt:<\/strong> $172,600 (home loan)
Paycheck Amount (2x\/month):<\/strong> $3,252 (my husband\u2019s varies)
Pronouns:<\/strong> She\/her<\/p>\n

Monthly Expenses<\/strong>
Housing Costs:<\/strong> $1,742.64 ($1,368 mortgage + $374 HOA).
Loan Payments:<\/strong> $0 (we paid off student loans last year)<\/p>\n

All Other Monthly Expenses<\/strong>
Paycheck deductions (per paycheck):
Health\/Life Insurance:<\/strong> $273
Investments:<\/strong> $1460<\/p>\n

Recurring expenses<\/strong>
Utilities:<\/strong> $100
Subscriptions:<\/strong> $70
Gym membership for two:<\/strong> $154
Car insurance:<\/strong> $111
Mint mobile (2x lines):<\/strong> $53
Dog medication:<\/strong> $55<\/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 was an expectation to attend college and get my bachelor\u2019s degree. However, I strayed away from getting a degree in anything that would require higher education because I was afraid of having to take on additional debt. I paid for undergrad with a combination of student loans, settlement money from a childhood injury, and some support from my parents. My husband F. is currently pursuing a career change with plans to go to med school. Seeing him in school definitely has me toying with going back and getting an MBA. My company has tuition reimbursement programs I\u2019m looking into.<\/p>\n

Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent(s) educate you about finances?<\/strong>
I did not receive a lot of education around money growing up. My parents made a handful of bad financial decisions and got into a lot of business debt owning their own small business. Tax-advantage accounts and employer 401(k)s were totally foreign to me when I first started working, but I think we\u2019ve done a good job building an investment portfolio given our financial backgrounds. My husband and I have done a lot to improve our financial literacy as adults and discuss our finances often.<\/p>\n

What was your first job and why did you get it?<\/strong>
My first job out of college was working as a marketing coordinator at a PR agency. I got the job because I studied communications during college and snagged a paid internship between my junior and senior years. I worked as an intern until I graduated and was offered a full-time position. I was incredibly grateful to have a job lined up on day one of post-grad. My starting salary was $38k, which is wild to think about now! At the time, I was extremely careful with how I spent my money and even managed to save some on this salary.<\/p>\n

Did you worry about money growing up?<\/strong>
Yes \u2014\u00a0looking back it is very clear to me that my parents were striving for a life that their careers could not afford. I grew up with a lot of insecurity around money, and feared that my peers would find out about my parents\u2019 financial struggles and think less of me. Growing up this way definitely pushed me to strive for financial security and success as an adult.<\/p>\n

Do you worry about money now?<\/strong>
No \u2014\u00a0I am very aware that we live a life that exceeded either of our expectations and feel confident in our current financial position and trajectory. Additionally, combining our accounts pushed me to take my emotions out of finances. I also know that I\u2019m incredibly privileged to be able to think of money as a tool that allows us to live a comfortable life.<\/p>\n

At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net?<\/strong>
I became financially responsible for myself the day I graduated college. My husband and I have built a financial safety net for ourselves through paying off loans, liquid savings, purchasing property, and investing in retirement accounts. We\u2019ve been able to do all of this by living within our means through our 20s, and by prioritizing spending on long-term investments. <\/p>\n

Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain.<\/strong>
Yes. This past year we received a $10k gift from my grandfather. His health has declined and he is living with my parents, and sold all of his properties. The grandchildren all received a financial gift from the property sales. <\/p>\n

Day One: Monday <\/h3>\n

8:00 a.m. \u2014 The temps have dropped so we are finally sleeping with the windows open but it means we had a noisier-than-usual night and didn\u2019t get great sleep. My husband, F., makes coffee while I browse white-noise machines. I notice that they are HSA\/FSA eligible so make a note to come back for my purchase.\u00a0<\/p>\n

8:30 a.m. \u2014 I boot up my computer for the week and check in with co-workers before I get ready to take the dog, P., around the block. I listen to my audiobook, Darling Girls<\/em>, while I walk P. around the block. I love listening to audiobooks and love that you get 10 hours of listening included in your monthly Spotify Premium subscription!\u00a0<\/p>\n

9:00 a.m. \u2014 I join my weekly round robin all-hands call as F. heads out for a job. My co-worker has the updates for my team this week so I just listen in while all teams give their updates and priorities for the week.\u00a0<\/p>\n

9:30 a.m. \u2014 Next meeting of the morning! I hop on a call with all the product marketers on my team and we discuss what we\u2019re working on this week. For me, it\u2019s a few housekeeping tasks and a little bit of planning for future projects. I just wrapped up managing a big project and my manager is on paternity leave for the next two weeks, so it\u2019ll probably be a pretty slow week for me work-wise.\u00a0<\/p>\n

10:00 a.m. \u2014 It\u2019s time for breakfast! I take a break and listen to my audio book while I make myself eggs, toast, and a fruit bowl.<\/p>\n

10:15 a.m. \u2014 My co-worker calls me asking for help with something. We also catch up and chat about what\u2019s been going on in our lives since we last connected, and I eat my breakfast.\u00a0<\/p>\n

10:30 a.m. \u2014 I spend the rest of the morning working on the task my co-worker and I chatted about.\u00a0<\/p>\n

1:00 p.m. \u2014 I break for lunch and whip up a quick bowl of tuna salad. While I\u2019m on my lunch break I scroll through Ravelry looking for a pattern to use up some extra yarn I have from a baby sweater project. A year ago, I really got into knitting and haven\u2019t stopped since I picked up knitting needles for the first time. I purchase a small neck scarf pattern called the My Jose Scarf<\/a>. I cast on the project and knit a few stitches before logging back in for work.\u00a0$8.20<\/strong><\/p>\n

3:00 p.m \u2014 Work is slowing down for the day so I decide to get a head start on dinner. F. and I have evening commitments so I\u2019m hoping this will get dinner on the table faster. Dinner tonight is Pasta Alla Norma Sorta<\/a> from NYT Cooking. F. comes home from his job and we catch up for a few minutes in the kitchen.<\/p>\n

4:45 p.m. \u2014 I check my emails and Teams messages before riding my bike to group tennis lessons from 5-6 (I prepaid for the session a few weeks ago but it\u2019s typically $259 for 8x 60-minute lessons). I started taking tennis lessons last March and have fallen completely in love with the sport! I\u2019m still very much a beginner tennis player, but I\u2019ve signed up for my first ladies\u2019 tennis league this fall. Expectations of winning are low, but I\u2019m still planning on having fun!<\/p>\n

6:15 p.m. \u2014 Back from tennis and F. is already settled into his online chemistry class. I check emails and Teams once more before logging off for the day and taking a shower. I\u2019m grateful my past self did all the dinner prep. All that\u2019s left to do is heat and assemble. I finish listening to my audiobook while I get dinner together.\u00a0<\/p>\n

7:30 p.m. \u2014 F. has a break from his online class so we eat dinner together for a few minutes. F. recently decided on a career change and is finishing up some pre-reqs on online community college. The plan is to take the MCAT after this and then apply for med school (big life change)! After dinner, I clean up the kitchen, and walk P. once more before relaxing with my knitting project and watching reality TV for the rest of the evening.\u00a0<\/p>\n

10:00 p.m. \u2014 We get ready for bed and read for a little while before falling asleep. F. is reading his chemistry textbook and I\u2019m reading Fates and Furies<\/em> by Lauren Groff.<\/p>\n

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

Day Two: Tuesday <\/h3>\n

6:30 a.m. \u2014 We wake up early today since F. has a job, so he needs to head out the door early this morning. F. makes coffee as I work through the NYT Games for the day. The Wordle really stumps me!<\/p>\n

8:00 a.m. \u2014 I check in on my emails and check off a task for the day. F. heads out the door and I follow behind with P. I call my mom and catch up while I walk the dog. My mom lets me know that they are coming up to Chicago for Thanksgiving and this puts me in a good mood. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday and I love to host!<\/p>\n

9:00 a.m. \u2014 I\u2019m back online for work for the rest of the morning. I get a CC alert that $20 has been reloaded on the city street parking account. F. must have arrived at his job (this is a work expense and we will get reimbursed from the client). I take a quick break to make breakfast and eat in front of my computer while responding to emails.<\/p>\n

12:00 p.m. \u2014 During my lunch break I go to the public tennis courts near our condo and practice my serve for a while. As a beginner tennis player, serves are 100% the hardest skill to learn!<\/p>\n

1:00 p.m. \u2014 On the way home from the courts I stop at my neighborhood market and grab a bell pepper, turkey, iceberg lettuce, olives, mozzarella, and black olives to make a chopped salad for lunch.\u00a0$22.05<\/strong><\/p>\n

1:15 p.m. \u2014 When I get home I throw together my lunch salad and settle in for work for the rest of the afternoon. F. gets home from his job around 3 p.m. and makes salad with the ingredients I bought.\u00a0<\/p>\n

4:00 p.m. \u2014 I get an email that my tennis league didn\u2019t have enough people sign up for the bracket and is being cancelled and refunded. I end up signing up for Gladiator Tennis, which I\u2019ve heard of players using for league play. After my serve practice, I\u2019m feeling hopeful I won\u2019t totally embarrass myself and sign up for the beginner\/intermediate league. $35<\/strong><\/p>\n

6:00 p.m. \u2014 The rest of the afternoon was spent working from the couch. I got my period and was majorly knocked down by cramps and PMS. F is already in class so I peel myself off the couch to walk P. around the block.\u00a0<\/p>\n

7:30 p.m. \u2014 Dinner is leftovers from yesterday. F. eats while he\u2019s in online class and I eat while watching TV. I feel a little guilty about being so lazy this evening while F. is being productive in school.\u00a0<\/p>\n

8:30 p.m. \u2014 F. wraps up class early so we walk P. around the neighborhood one more time, and then come home and wind down watching PBS before getting ready for bed.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Daily Total: $57.05<\/strong><\/p>\n

Day Three: Wednesday <\/h3>\n

8:00 a.m. \u2014 We wake up and F. makes coffee while I play the NYT Games for the day and work on a few rows of knitting. F. talks about going to the gym this morning and I tell him I might come, too.<\/p>\n

9:00 a.m. \u2014 I log onto my computer to get started on work for the day. The last week of August is usually my slowest week of the year, so there isn\u2019t a whole lot I need to be doing for the rest of the week. As a \u201chigh earner\u201d with a WFH job, I feel a lot of guilt\/shame around slow periods. November through July is generally very busy and then it slows down for a few months.\u00a0<\/p>\n

10:00 a.m. \u2014 We take P. around the block and then head to the gym. I put on a spooky podcast when I get to the gym and do a leg workout.\u00a0<\/p>\n

11:15 a.m. \u2014 F. makes eggs, toast, and fruit for us for breakfast when we get home and I do a little bit of work on my laptop.\u00a0<\/p>\n

12:30 p.m. \u2014 I hop on a call to discuss landing pages that are being built for an upcoming campaign I\u2019m managing. I often work with and project manage the digital and content teams and feel grateful that they\u2019re a nice bunch of people to work with. We all give feedback and talk through some options for the Q4 campaign I\u2019m leading.<\/p>\n

1:30 p.m. \u2014 After my meeting, I take a quick little snack break and have some honey roasted almonds and remind myself to drink a glass of water. F. sees I\u2019m up from my desk and also takes a study\/snack break. We talk about going to Key West for his spring break in March. We\u2019ve never been to Key West and we\u2019ve never taken a spring break before. I send F. a few links to the Key West Historic Inns once I\u2019m back at my desk.<\/p>\n

3:15 p.m. \u2014 Work is wrapping for the day and\u00a0I get a jump start on dinner since F. and I will be out for the evening. Tonight\u2019s dinner is chicken and rice from NYTimes Cooking<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

3:30 p.m. \u2014 While the chicken and rice is in the oven, I take P. out for a walk and clean up the kitchen a bit. F. and I sit down for an early dinner before getting ready to head out. After dinner, F. drops me off at tennis on his way to night class. One night a week he\u2019s in person for a lab.<\/p>\n

6:00 p.m. \u2014 After tennis, my friend and I grab a drink at a wine bar in our neighborhood and cheers to playing well during class! $28.25<\/strong><\/p>\n

7:30 p.m. \u2014 I enjoy a nice late summer walk home through the neighborhood. August is the sweetest month of all and I always feel such a warm, fuzzy feeling walking around this time of year. I\u2019m sure the wine was helping perpetuate this feeling!<\/p>\n

8:15 p.m. \u2014 Home from tennis and I take an \u2018everything shower\u2019 before making a yogurt bowl and chilling with my knitting project while watching Southern Charm<\/em>. I was turned on to Southern Charm<\/em> after watching the latest season of The White Lotus<\/em>. F. gets home around 9:30 p.m. and he fills me in on his first day of in-person class, and we hang out for a bit before getting ready for bed.<\/p>\n

Daily Total: $28.25<\/strong><\/p>\n

Day Four: Thursday<\/h3>\n

7:30 a.m. \u2014 I wake up and get ready quickly for my first meeting of the day.\u00a0<\/p>\n

8:00 a.m. \u2014 I meet with a colleague in Europe and we discuss projects we\u2019re collaborating on. F. makes coffee in the kitchen and we drink our coffee together after I wrap up my meeting.\u00a0<\/p>\n

8:30 a.m. \u2014 F. asks if I ordered the sound machine yet (I haven\u2019t). We decide on an old school fan-based sound machine. I get started on a little bit of work and message with one of my coworkers about a final report for a project we\u2019re wrapping up. $60.63<\/strong><\/p>\n

10:00 a.m. \u2014 F. gets ready for the gym and I get ready to take the dog\u00a0on a walk. I walk F. to the gym and then stop at a local cafe for a breakfast sandwich before heading home and getting back to work.\u00a0$14.79<\/strong><\/p>\n

12:30 p.m. \u2014 F. has been working on his chemistry homework all morning. Weirdly, the chem textbook does not come with an answer guide to check your work, so he purchases a used solutions manual to help him with studying.\u00a0$27.44<\/strong><\/p>\n

1:00 p.m. \u2014 I have my weekly check-ins with two of my co-workers. We all agree it\u2019s been such a slow week but also nice to come up for air after our busy season this summer.\u00a0<\/p>\n

3:00 p.m. \u2014 I have a psychiatrist appointment to check in on the anxiety medication I\u2019m taking. I had a really scary panic attack where I ended up in the emergency room earlier this year so I have 100% been prioritizing my mental health. Anxiety is something I\u2019ve struggled with since I was a kid and this year I feel like I\u2019m finally taking the steps for treatment. Because I\u2019ve hit my out of pocket max for the year, my co-pay is $0.\u00a0<\/p>\n

3:45 p.m. \u2014 I stop for gas and at Whole Foods on my way home to pick up magnesium glycate (recommended by my psych for sleep) and a very balanced snack of cheese balls and a protein drink. I also grab some sugar that\u2019ll I need for the baking project I\u2019m working on this weekend. $73.25<\/strong><\/p>\n

5:30 p.m. \u2014 I wrap up work for the week and throw together a quick dinner of rice leftovers, broccoli, and shrimp from the freezer for F. and I to have before he has class, and I head out for my evening activity.\u00a0<\/p>\n

6:30 p.m. \u2014 Every Thursday, my local knitting shop has a \u2018knit circle\u2019. This is the shop where I learned to knit a year ago and I really enjoy the community space they\u2019ve built. I haven\u2019t been to knit night all summer so I make sure to bring a few of my finished objects to share. Vibes are great and I promise to myself I\u2019ll be back again next week.\u00a0<\/p>\n

8:30 p.m. \u2014 Home and snacking on the rest of the cheese balls while I watch TV and knit and F. finishes with his online class. Once he\u2019s done, we catch up and get ready for bed.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Daily Total: $176.11<\/strong><\/p>\n

Day Five: Friday <\/h3>\n

8:00 a.m. \u2014 I have the day off so F. and I wake up a little later. I don\u2019t know if it\u2019s a placebo, but I did sleep a lot better last night after taking the magnesium! F. and I have sex before getting out of bed and making coffee.\u00a0<\/p>\n

10:00 a.m. \u2014 F. and I meet up with one of my friends to play some two-on-one. We play for about an hour and a half and it\u2019s so much fun. I love the endorphins I get from playing tennis.\u00a0<\/p>\n

12:00 p.m. \u2014 Home from tennis and we have some breakfast. After knit night, I\u2019m feeling inspired to order the boucle yarn I need to start a pattern I bought months ago. I also buy an extra skein of yarn for the scarf project I\u2019m working on since it looks like I\u2019m going to lose a game of yarn chicken.\u00a0$165.15<\/strong><\/p>\n

1:30 p.m. \u2014 I shower and get ready to go to therapy. I go every other week, and to be honest, I find talk therapy a little bit tedious and exhausting but I go on the recommendation of my psychiatrist. I have to take the train because F. is about to head out of town for the weekend for a film festival. F. will be staying at his parents\u2019 place and any expenses incurred, i.e. meals, etc., this weekend are business write-offs.\u00a0<\/p>\n

2:00 p.m. \u2014 Once I get to the office I realize I messed up the dates and I actually don\u2019t have therapy until next week \u2014 whoops! Instead of therapy, I take a long walk through the neighborhood and stop at a few shops. I pick up three birthday cards and a baby card at Hazel \u2014\u00a0they have the best selection of cards.\u00a0$25.91<\/strong><\/p>\n

2:30 p.m. \u2014 I make a few more shopping stops on my way home. Next stop is a local apothecary to pick up Ilia Limitless Lash Mascara. I also stop at the running store to pick up energy snacks for some of the tennis meetups and matches I have. Last stop is the grocery store to pick up a few ingredients for lunch, and baking ingredients to do a practice run of my friend\u2019s wedding cake I\u2019m making in September.\u00a0$77.62<\/strong><\/p>\n

5:00 p.m. \u2014 After the impromptu shopping afternoon, I come home and made a Costco frozen pizza. While the oven pre-heats and the pizza cooks I eat the broccoli leftovers from last night. I relax on the couch for a while before taking P. on a long walk. F. ended up taking the toll roads to Michigan since the holiday weekend traffic was looking bad.\u00a0$17.10<\/strong> (tolls). <\/strong><\/p>\n

6:30 p.m. \u2014 I spend a majority of the evening working on a practice cake for my friend\u2019s wedding next month. The recipe I\u2019m using is Claire Saffitz\u2019s confetti cake \u2014\u00a0it\u2019s such a good recipe and is my go-to for the foster care birthday cakes I make volunteering.\u00a0<\/p>\n

9:30 p.m. \u2014 Cake baking goes well but at this point I\u2019ve made two failed attempts at marshmallow buttercream. I clean up the kitchen and decide that frosting the cake is a tomorrow task. I relax and watch TV while knitting the rest of the evening.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Daily Total: $285.78<\/strong><\/p>\n

Day Six: Saturday <\/h3>\n

8:00 a.m. \u2014 P. wakes me up with a wet nose in the face and we snuggle in bed while I do the NYTimes Games. After this I get up and make a latte \u2014still using the Breville Espresso Maker! While I drink my coffee, I crack open the holy grail cake cookbook, The Cake Bible<\/em> by Rose Levy Beranbaum and scour the buttercream recipes until I find one that sounds like it will go well with the confetti cake.\u00a0<\/p>\n

9:00 a.m. \u2014 I have a 10 a.m. tennis meet-up so I take P. around the block and make a quick breaky of scrambled eggs and fruit. Then I get ready and put a backpack together with my racket, waterbottle, knitting, and a book. I\u2019m not going to go home right away after tennis.\u00a0<\/p>\n

9:50 a.m. \u2014 I hop on my bike and arrive a few minutes early, hoping to snag a court, which I do! My tennis partner and I warm up and play a set. I lose 2-6, but still have fun and felt good about my serves.\u00a0<\/p>\n

11:30 a.m. \u2014 First stop of the day after tennis is Loba. I get a housemade melon soda and a strawberry sourdough muffin. I settle in at a table to work on my knitting and start listening to a new audiobook, Don\u2019t Let Him In<\/em>. Coincidentally, the two gals next to me were also knitting and we share a moment talking about what we\u2019re working on. The knitting community is alive and well in Chicago! $14.15<\/strong><\/p>\n

12:30 p.m. \u2014 Next stop is Paulina Meat Market to grab an Italian sub. I\u2019m back on my bike headed towards the lake to enjoy my sandwich, and a little more knitting while I listen to the audiobook.\u00a0$13.78<\/strong><\/p>\n

2:00 p.m. \u2014 I don\u2019t have enough butter in the fridge to do the meringue buttercream recipe so I stop at the local market on the way home and buy more butter. It kills me to buy butter at this price so I make a mental note to stock up at Costco next time. $6.64<\/strong><\/p>\n

2:15 p.m. \u2014 P. greets me at the door and I get straight to work prepping all the ingredients for the butter cream. All goes well with the new buttercream recipe and I finish up with the cake project for the weekend.\u00a0<\/p>\n

4:30 p.m. \u2014 I take P. for a long walk to the river before the sun goes down. When I get home, I take a shower, clean up the kitchen and make tacos for dinner.\u00a0<\/p>\n

7:30 p.m. \u2014 I try a slice of the cake I made and it\u2019s heavenly \u2014 can\u2019t wait to bring some to my friend tomorrow morning! The rest of the night is spent working on my knitting project and watching Southern Charm<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Daily Total:\u00a0$34.57<\/strong><\/p>\n

Day Seven: Sunday<\/h3>\n

8:00 a.m. \u2014 P. wakes me up again and we snuggle in bed while I play the daily NYTimes Games. <\/p>\n

8:30 a.m. \u2014 I make a latte and watch Sunday Morning<\/em> while working on some knitting. After this, I walk P., have some breakfast, and get ready to meet up with a friend for tennis.\u00a0<\/p>\n

10:00 a.m. \u2014\u00a0We don\u2019t have to wait long for an open court, thankfully! My friend and I have a nice long warm-up and then play a match. I get my a** handed to me and lose 6-0, 6-0. I still have fun and score a few points and remind myself the only way to get better is to keep playing!<\/p>\n

12:00 p.m. \u2014\u00a0After tennis, I go home, take a shower, and get the laundry for the week started. Our condo building doesn\u2019t have in-unit hook-ups, so we\u2019re still using coin-operated in the basement. It\u2019s not glamorous but it gets the job done.\u00a0$4.50<\/strong><\/p>\n

1:30 p.m. \u2014 F. is home from his weekend away and I\u2019m starving for lunch! We go on a long walk through the neighborhood and get sandwiches and Diet Cokes at L&M, which we eat in the park and catch each other up on our weekends.\u00a0$37.42<\/strong><\/p>\n

3:30 p.m. \u2014\u00a0When we get home from lunch we have some of the cake I made yesterday. F. gives his best Paul Hollywood critique. The rest of the afternoon is spent working on knitting projects and watching TV. I\u2019m pretty tired from the two hours of tennis. F. takes a nap and works on his chemistry homework for a bit.\u00a0<\/p>\n

6:00 p.m. \u2014 F. and I walk P. around the block. When we get home we open a bottle of wine and have the tacos from yesterday for dinner. We chat for a bit before F. resumes his chem homework and I get back to knitting.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Daily Total: $41.92<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/figure>\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

We Are The Money Diaries Team \u2014 Ask Us Anything<\/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. If you\u2019d like to submit your own Money Diary, you can do so via our online form. We pay $150…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4897,"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\/4895"}],"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=4895"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/baldheadedgirls.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4895\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4898,"href":"http:\/\/baldheadedgirls.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4895\/revisions\/4898"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/baldheadedgirls.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4897"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/baldheadedgirls.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4895"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/baldheadedgirls.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4895"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/baldheadedgirls.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4895"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}