Industry: Healthcare
Age: 36
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Salary: $44,985
Net Worth: -$45,382.18 ($6,599.82 in savings, minus debt)
Debt: $51,982 (student loans: $51,239; personal loan: $550; credit card: $194)
Paycheck Amount (4x/month; 2x/month; 1x/month for both side gigs): $305 (agency one); $203 (agency two); $200 (side gig one); $100 (side gig two)
Pronouns: She/her
Monthly Expenses
Monthly Housing Costs: $650 (I rent a room from a friend’s townhouse. I have a floor to myself.)
Monthly Loan Payments: $100 a month on personal loan, $100 towards credit card.
All Other Monthly Expenses:
Amazon: $7.61 (discounted)
Classpass: $61
Renter’s Insurance: $9
Life Insurance: $75
Emergency Savings: $40
Patreon: $25
YNAB: $16.32
Tidal: $10.99
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?
There was, but there was never any serious discussions about what that would entail. I felt like I was figuring things out on my own. I went to college and took out lots of loans and some grants. I switched universities after my first year, and ended up having to pay out-of-state tuition, despite being a state resident.
Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent(s)/guardian(s) educate you about finances?
There were very few conversations about money. My mother would show us how to save money with coupons, but that was the extent.
What was your first job and why did you get it?
My first job was working at a fast-food restaurant. I worked for the summer because I wanted to pay for my class ring (which was $144).
Did you worry about money growing up?
I was constantly worried about money growing up. I feel like when I was a child, my worldview was shattered when my mother told me that we were poor. I didn’t ever experience dire poverty — I always had clothes, even if they were secondhand or tattered, and I never went hungry. But I was ashamed of asking for things that weren’t necessities.
Do you worry about money now?
I still worry about money now, although it’s not as bad as it used to be. I have been slowly working on building my emergency fund, and looking into getting into a new career field that could potentially be high paying.
At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net?
I moved out when I went to college. My parents would send me a few hundred dollars if I asked for it, but I always hated (and still do) asking for money. Currently if things were that bad, I could move home.
Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain.
I make videos on the side, and if I don’t make any videos for the month, I still get residual income of a few hundred a month.