A Week In Vermont On A $155,000 Joint Income

Welcome to Money Diaries where we are tackling the ever-present taboo that is money. We’re asking real people how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period — and we’re tracking every last dollar.

Today: a nonprofit director who has a joint income of $155,000 and spends some of her money this week on Birkenstock clogs.

Occupation: Program Director
Industry: Nonprofit
Age: 38
Location: Vermont
My Salary: $60,000
My Partner’s Salary: $95,000
Net Worth: ~$780,000 ($143,000 in my retirement accounts, $132,000 in partner’s retirement accounts, ~$380,000 in home equity (we own the house we live in as well as a small second house that we rent out), $42,000 in joint savings, $5,000 in personal savings, $9,000 in personal investments, $56,000 in joint investments and $12,000 in a 529 for our daughter).
Debt: $221,000 left of our mortgage for the house we live in.
My Paycheck Amount (biweekly): $1,474.12 plus $2,200 a month in additional various income streams.
My Partner’s Paycheck Amount (biweekly): $1,695
Rental Income (monthly): $1,100
Pronouns: She/her

Monthly Expenses
Mortgage: $2,162
Heat: $362
Electricity: $50 (we have solar panels so we don’t usually have to pay this in the summer).
Daycare: $816
Car Maintenance/Insurance: $467
Phone/Internet: $230
Streaming: $27

Annual Expenses
Chase Sapphire Preferred Annual Fee: $95

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?
I was definitely expected to attend college. My first semester I realized I could be doing something else and had a meltdown, but I stuck it out. To pay for school I had a bunch of scholarships, worked multiple jobs, was an RA and took out loans for the rest (about $60,000, which I paid off in six years or so). I also went to graduate school, which I paid for in cash while working full-time.

Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent/guardian(s) educate you about finances?
We were very middle class. I was given an allowance and expected to save 20% and give 10%. My parents split when I was young and ended up living very different financial lives. I was told to save and invest but mostly in ways that didn’t make sense until well into my adulthood.

What was your first job and why did you get it?
I babysat and worked retail in high school to pay for gas and clothes.

Did you worry about money growing up?
I absorbed the worry my mom had but we were always stable.

Do you worry about money now?
I don’t worry so much as compulsively plan.

At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net?
This was probably gradual after college. I paid for my own phone and living expenses in college. I bought my mom’s car when I graduated and lived with her for a few months while I started my job. Both my partner’s parents and my parents are our financial safety net.

Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain.
Over the course of the last 10 years, we’ve been given quite a lot. My mom gave my sibling and me $20,000 over the course of a few years when she came into money. My partner’s parents gave us $20,000 when they realized we really weren’t going to have a wedding, and my dad gave us $10,000 for the same reason. His parents also shared about $55,000 when they received a family inheritance. I had a family death recently and was left $30,000 in the will, which we have not yet received. We’ve used this money to establish an investment and emergency savings, refinance our house and pay off debt.

Day One

6 a.m. — Our 18-month-old, H., wakes up. My partner, N., gets her and brings her into bed. Then he takes care of the dogs and makes coffee, while I make sourdough toast and eggs for breakfast.

8 a.m. — I shower and give H. a bath. Then I play with H. for a bit until it’s time for me to leave for my pottery class.

10 a.m. — I go to my weekly pottery class. I paid for six weeks of classes upfront a few weeks ago ($350 total).

12 p.m. — Just before the bank closes, I go in to pay off our first mortgage! I bought a <500-square-foot house in 2013 for $65,000. We have less than $750 left of our mortgage so I’m paying it off in one lump sum today. We rent this house to a lovely single woman. $738

1 p.m. — N. takes H. to the dump and BJ’s and buys various groceries and OTC medications like Tums and Pepto-Bismol. $101.45

3:30 p.m. — H. and I head out to cross-country ski with my friend, F. I ski with H. on my back to give N. some child-free time. It’s a relatively flat course and fun to catch up with my friend. We stop at the local market for a red pepper, which H. ends up eating like an apple. $2.98

5:30 p.m. — Making dinner is the bane of my existence. I set up the Instant Pot to make yogurt for the week. Dinner is nachos with the rest of the red pepper, beans, onion, seasoning and lots of cheese.

7 p.m. — H. goes to bed. We spend an hour watching TV (currently loving Shrinking and Extraordinary Attorney Woo). N. puts away dinner and lets the dogs out. I take my meds and I’m asleep by 8:30.

Daily Total: $842.43

Day Two

7 a.m. — I’m awake. Ugh.

10:15 a.m. — We spend the morning at the local science museum (we have a membership, $100, previously purchased) and bump into some friends.

12 p.m. — We head home for lunch and a nap. While H. naps, I online shop. I buy two pairs of shoes: a pair of Brooks sneakers and a pair of Birkenstock clogs. $179.95

1 p.m. — I fold some laundry then browse the Sephora website since it’s my birthday munch. I get the Dior Lip Glow and a bunch of samples with my points. I take care of our plants and gather clippings for a new coworker who just moved and had to get rid of all her plants. $40

3 p.m. — I go to the grocery store to stock up before a visit from my mom. I get cheese, milk (cow + oat), eggs, veggies, sausage, ground beef and a few other necessities. $241.79

4 p.m. — I get gas on the way home. $38

5:30 p.m. — We have steak and cheese for dinner, then I prep smoothies (greens, frozen fruit, bananas, various health powders) and chicken tikka masala crock pot meal for tomorrow. Bedtime routine for everyone and we’re all asleep by 9.

Daily Total: $499.74

Day Three

6 a.m. — Up and moving and working early today. N. changes H.’s diaper and then brings her to me to nurse. He does the dogs and breakfast while I get ready. N. takes H. to her grandparents for the day and I head to the office. Breakfast is sourdough toast and an egg.

8 a.m. — At the office, I log into remote court proceedings. I do a lot of heads-down work and then have a meeting for my side gig. Lunch is leftovers.

3 p.m. — I lead a professional development class and then pack up.

5 p.m. — Pick up H. My mom is here by the time I get home.

6:30 p.m. — N. finishes making chicken tikka masala and we eat all together. H. is in bed by 7 and the adults watch TV until 8:30.

Daily Total: $0

Day Four

6 a.m. — Good morning! Breakfast, coffee, clothes, pack lunches. H. goes to daycare and I plan to work from home because of a weather warning for the day.

10:26 a.m. — This is where the week goes sideways. The power goes out at 10:26, four minutes before I’m supposed to be on a call. No power means no phone, so I brave the weather and head to the office. I make it to the office and spend the day there.

4:30 p.m. — I have a late training and still no power at home so I stay at the office. This ends up being a bad decision. I head home around 7:45 p.m. in horrible conditions. Poor N. gets so worried, he drives into town to wait for me where there’s cell service in case I need help.

8:30 p.m. — Finally home, I have a beer and leftovers and head to sleep at 9.

Daily Total: $0

Day Five

6 a.m. — I don’t work for my primary job on Wednesdays. Today and tomorrow I have a training for my side gig, which is why Mom is here to watch H. We still have no power so I drive to N.’s parents’ house for the day.

12 p.m. — I settle in for a long day of training.

4:30 p.m. — Done for the day! Each eight-hour training pays more than two weeks at my primary job so I take as many as I can.

5:30 p.m. — Dinner is ravioli with sausage, onion and tomato sauce with a side of roasted broccoli. We still have no power. Thankfully, we have a generator to keep our fridge/freezer cold. Bedtime is 8:30 as usual.

Daily Total: $0

Day Six

6 a.m. — I get up, get the baby and myself ready and drop her off at daycare.

8 a.m. — I go into the office for a half-day but there is no internet. No power at home, no internet at work and a virtual training this afternoon — really doing great this week. I frantically call the local library to reserve a conference room for basically the whole day and head back home to get all of my things. I fill up on gas on the way home. $37.59

10:30 a.m. — Just as I’m heading out, the power comes back on at home. I’m saved from a day in the library.

12 p.m. — I have my second day of training for my side gig, which I can thankfully take from home.

4:30 p.m. — I am pooped! I pick up H. from daycare and feed her. After dinner, I scroll Poshmark for baby clothes and make two offers that get accepted. I get her a few pairs of pants, a few shirts and a pair of sneakers. $130.96

Daily Total: $168.55

Day Seven

6 a.m. — TGIF! I take H. to daycare. We are planning our first plane trip vacation ever with a kiddo and I have a passport appointment today. I have to drive two hours to get there and my mom decides to join me. I get gas before I leave. $23.07

10:15 a.m. — I get to the passport office and breeze through the paperwork intake (I was so afraid of forgetting something again). I pay $220 for the book, card and expedited service. They tell me to come back at 3 to pick up my passport. $220

11 a.m. — I post up at a coffee shop with wi-fi and a latte. My computer is not connecting to any Outlook product. I touch base on a few things with my coworkers but today is basically a wash. I might as well take PTO for the day. $8

12:30 p.m. — We have lunch at a diner recommended by the passport office ladies. Mom and I share a corned beef hash skillet and sweet potato fries. $27.49

3:02 p.m. — I go back to the passport office and SUCCESS! Send a selfie to the fam and head home.

5 p.m. — N. and H. get home about the same time as we do. I make corned beef hash and eggs round two for dinner. We all fall asleep around 8:30.

Daily Total: $278.56

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