Welcome to Money Diaries, where we're tackling what might be the last taboo facing modern working women: money. Each week, we ask a millennial woman how she spends her hard-earned money during a seven-day period — and we're tracking every last cent. (Thanks New York Mag for the inspiration.)
This week, a photo director eating Hale & Hearty for lunch and buying wine for the blizzard.
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Illustrated by Abbie Winters.
Location: Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Number of Roommates: 2
Salary: $40,000
Age: 28
Rent: $900
Utilities: $100
8 p.m.: Groceries to prep for the blizzard weekend: two boxes of mac 'n' cheese, some pasta sauce, orange juice, and lettuce. $19.45
8:15 p.m.: Must not forget wine. I get one bottle of red wine and two bottles of champers for mimosas.I bring the mimosa provisions over to a friend's place to camp out for the night. $39.10.
Total: $64.65
Total: $5
6 p.m.: I go to 4th Down, my local bar, for drinks and football watching. $20.
Late: Ramen for dinner, which I had laying around. $0
Total: $20
4 p.m.: Coffee break. I usually drink free office coffee, but sometimes you're in the mood for a latte. $4.30
7 p.m.: Red wine for The Bachelor viewing, plus groceries (salad dressing and blood oranges). $23.63
7:15 p.m.: Pick up shampoo, conditioner, hair ties, and nail polish remover at Walgreens. $44.80
8 p.m.: Dinner of pasta and salad, from blizzard weekend provisions. $0
Total: $81
1 p.m.: I'm at a shoot, so I order lunch from Building on Bond for myself and the team — art director, editorial director, exec editor, photographer, assistants, makeup artist, stylist, publicist, plus ETHAN HAWKE. Yep, the photo shoot was for Ethan Hawke. Charged to the company card. $0
7 p.m.: I get dinner and drinks with a coworker — a glass of wine and broccoli tacos at No. 7 in Fort Greene. $21.57
Total: $27.32
3 p.m.: Coffee break, a.k.a. chit-chat time with my fross (friend+boss). $3.54
6 p.m.: I have dinner with a writer, but he treats. I buy drinks for me, the writer, and Starlee Kine (!) for the interview/shoot. I get to expense the drinks, though, so I guess it doesn't count. $49
8 p.m.: I pay my phone bill (I'm on a family plan with my brother and some friends). $78.72
Total: $162.26 - $49 = $113.26
7 p.m.: My roommate shares his dinner with me (mac 'n' cheese) while we watch Fargo with some leftover Bachelor wine. $0
Total: $9.47![PhotoDirectorMoneyDiary]()
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
The Problem With Imposter Syndrome We Need To Talk About
Will This Finally Fix The Gender Wage Gap?
What To Do When Your Coworker Makes More Than You Do
This week, a photo director eating Hale & Hearty for lunch and buying wine for the blizzard.
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.Location: Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Number of Roommates: 2
Salary: $40,000
Age: 28
Rent: $900
Utilities: $100
Day One
Noon: Lunch at Hale & Hearty. I go to Hale & Hearty probably three times a week, either for soup or salad. Their soup is cheaper; salads are for like a "treat yourself" day. Their salads are so damn good, though. $6.10.8 p.m.: Groceries to prep for the blizzard weekend: two boxes of mac 'n' cheese, some pasta sauce, orange juice, and lettuce. $19.45
8:15 p.m.: Must not forget wine. I get one bottle of red wine and two bottles of champers for mimosas.I bring the mimosa provisions over to a friend's place to camp out for the night. $39.10.
Total: $64.65
Day Two:
Blizzard day. Snowed in with Blizzard Buddy who makes us egg sandwiches and coffee for breakfast. For dinner, I make salad; we order pizza and drink mimosas. I chip infor the delivery tip, because we were the assholes ordering delivery during a blizzard. Forever sorry, guy from Danny’s Pizza. $5Total: $5
Day Three:
Morning: Finally get home after being stuck at Blizzard Buddy's place.6 p.m.: I go to 4th Down, my local bar, for drinks and football watching. $20.
Late: Ramen for dinner, which I had laying around. $0
Total: $20
Day Four:
Noon: Lunch at Hale & Hearty again. $8.274 p.m.: Coffee break. I usually drink free office coffee, but sometimes you're in the mood for a latte. $4.30
7 p.m.: Red wine for The Bachelor viewing, plus groceries (salad dressing and blood oranges). $23.63
7:15 p.m.: Pick up shampoo, conditioner, hair ties, and nail polish remover at Walgreens. $44.80
8 p.m.: Dinner of pasta and salad, from blizzard weekend provisions. $0
Total: $81
Day Five:
9 a.m.: Coffee and a croissant from Building on Bond. $5.751 p.m.: I'm at a shoot, so I order lunch from Building on Bond for myself and the team — art director, editorial director, exec editor, photographer, assistants, makeup artist, stylist, publicist, plus ETHAN HAWKE. Yep, the photo shoot was for Ethan Hawke. Charged to the company card. $0
7 p.m.: I get dinner and drinks with a coworker — a glass of wine and broccoli tacos at No. 7 in Fort Greene. $21.57
Total: $27.32
Day Six:
9 a.m.: Refill my weekly MetroCard. $31. During the warmer months, I ride my bike, but I started getting weekly cards for winter and stuck with it. I know it costs a little more, but I prefer breaking it up by the week instead of paying a big chunk at once.3 p.m.: Coffee break, a.k.a. chit-chat time with my fross (friend+boss). $3.54
6 p.m.: I have dinner with a writer, but he treats. I buy drinks for me, the writer, and Starlee Kine (!) for the interview/shoot. I get to expense the drinks, though, so I guess it doesn't count. $49
8 p.m.: I pay my phone bill (I'm on a family plan with my brother and some friends). $78.72
Total: $162.26 - $49 = $113.26
Day Seven:
Noon: Egg salad sandwich and coffee at Starbucks. $9.477 p.m.: My roommate shares his dinner with me (mac 'n' cheese) while we watch Fargo with some leftover Bachelor wine. $0
Total: $9.47
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
The Problem With Imposter Syndrome We Need To Talk About
Will This Finally Fix The Gender Wage Gap?
What To Do When Your Coworker Makes More Than You Do