Welcome to Spending Notes, where we do a weekly deep dive into how our readers spend their cash.
Today, a Personal Assistant who makes $60,000 a year in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S., lets us into his week’s expenses.
Occupation: Personal Assistant
Age: 29
Location: Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Salary: $60,000 (approx. $2,200 per pay period)
Day One
Being a personal assistant for a local bakery in Baltimore is by far one of the greatest jobs I have ever had. I get to help my favorite company grow and bring joy to others while doing so. For instance, today, I’m in a meeting with my boss and the HR team, and they are talking about gifting our employees with premium and fully customized cooking aprons from Shutterfly to keep their clothes free of stains when cooking at home. We can add our employees’ names and beautiful imagery to the wrinkle-free linen aprons with their favorite colors that they can easily wash with their other clothes. They have different styles so our expert chefs can gather new skills and make new food experiences in the kitchen while looking fabulous. I know they’re going to love this.
Total: $0
Day Two
I woke up with a terrible case of ringing in my ears due to tinnitus, and it’s not the first time this happens—I’ve had nausea due to tinnitus before—so I’m Googling natural supplements for this and found the official website for a company called Phytage Labs. My doctor had mentioned it to me at my last visit when I was struggling with my blood pressure due to weight gain. They specialize in producing supplements to support nerve control, hypertension, inflammation, and prostate health, among other ailments. I’m ordering a bottle of Tinnitus 911 capsules—they have some great product reviews on Facebook.
Total: $72.54
Day Three
The boss came to work a bit late today due to a family emergency, so I just gave him a briefing of everything he missed during the morning. After meeting with the boss, I head out for lunch and meet my friend T. at our favorite taco place near downtown. We just finished chatting, and now I’m headed back to the bakery to keep the work going.
Total: $12.45
Day Four
It’s Thursday, and I’m getting ready for a night out at a local pub after work. My three best friends from college called me earlier this week to hang out. I’m headed there right now with a good sweater because it’s pretty windy. I arrive at the pub, and everyone’s cheering for me and laughing. We have a great time and head back to our homes.
Total: $54.76
Day Five
Today, I’m at my local coffee shop buying breakfast before work. The scrambled egg sandwich was so delicious; I’m stuffed. I get in my car and notice it’s almost out of gas, so I’m stopping at a gas station before reaching the office. The sky is getting cloudy, so that must mean it’s going to be a chilly day at the office. Good thing I kept my jacket in my car overnight.
Total: $33.54
Day Six
Saturday is finally here, and I can’t wait for tonight when I get to go to a local stand-up show. One of my favorite local comedians has a gig downtown. I finish cleaning my house and end up cooking a roll of sushi as a reward and self-care. Making sushi is pretty therapeutic to me and a great way to prepare for a fun night.
Total: $34.12
Day Seven
Sunday’s here, and I’m ready to relax for a bit. The show was great last night, but I’m pretty tired from the whole week. So today is a great day to unwind with a glass of wine, a great TV show, and a bit of online shopping. I need a new pair of shoes for work because my old ones are starting to look a little, well, old.
Total: $42.65
Total for the week: $250.06