It’s Per$onal is an anonymous blog series designed to shed light on the intricate details of the personal finances and lifestyles of women.
Name:
Lillian
How old are you?
30
Where do you live?
Philadelphia (for now)
What is your highest level of education?
Bachelor’s
Are you single or married?
Engaged
If you are married, do you and your spouse have joint or separate finances?
Separate
Do you have any children or dependents? If yes, please explain.
No
What is your current monthly rent / mortgage?
$0
Has Covid-19 impacted you financially in any way?
N/A
What is your current occupation? If not currently employed, please say “Not Employed”
Software engineer
What is your yearly salary (or approximate yearly compensation) for your current occupation?
70,000
If you are currently employed, do you like your job? Why or why not?
I love the flexibility my job allows me and I love the problem solving aspect of being an engineer. I’ve been at my company since I graduated college in a few different positions and it feels like the time is coming for me to get some experience elsewhere (but I haven’t begun a search yet).
Do you have a second job or side hustle? If Yes, please explain.
Not anymore but I worked at a yoga studio part time last year and early this year (until COVID hit) while I was paying off my student loans.
If you have a second job or side hustle, about how much money do you make monthly from your second job / side hustle?
N/A
Do you budget on a consistent basis? If so, please explain how you currently budget:
Not really. I make a savings goals each month and as long as all my expenses stay under what they need to for me to hit my savings goal, I don’t worry about what exactly I’m spending in different categories.
Are you debt-free?
Yes
If you are debt free, how much debt have you paid off and how long did it take you to pay it all off?
I paid off $60k of debt in 11 months! June 27, 2020 was my debt free date. Overall I probably paid about $80k in 6 years (all student loans ?). I’ve never had any credit card, car, or other debt.
Do you have any student loan debt currently?
N/A
What is your monthly student loan payment amount?
N/A
Do you have any credit card debt?
No
If Yes, about how much credit card debt do you have currently?
N/A
Do you have any other kinds of debt? If Yes, please explain:
N/A
Do you know what your credit score is?
Yes
If Yes, what is your credit score?
740ish
Are you currently saving for retirement?
Yes
If yes, about how much do you have saved for retirement?
Just under $40k
What does an ideal retirement look like for you?
Definitely before 65! I’d like a small, paid-off house on a big piece of land with chickens, goats and a veggie garden. I’d like to live near water or mountains and have enough money to travel.
What’s your biggest purchase of 2020 so far?
iPhone 11! I hadn’t updated my phone in almost 5 years and debt freedom meant I could splurge!
Biggest purchase of your life?
My college degree
What do you spend money on that brings you joy?
I splurge on grocery shopping at cute, organic (read: expensive) markets and books.
What are your short term money goals, if any? ( < 1 year)
Finish saving up my emergency fund ($10k, I have half saved now and will have the rest by the end of the year)
What are your long term money goals, if any? ( > 1 year)
Save for a house. I’d love to be able to purchase a home with all cash.
What is your #1 financial concern right now?
I haven’t gotten used to not having debt. Money still stresses me out a lot even though I feel like I’m doing all the “right” things. I’m hoping to find a good balance between being responsible and having a good time.
What financial victory/success are you most proud of?
Achieving debt freedom. It was HARD and required a lot of short term sacrifice but I know it is going to pay off.
Anything we didn’t ask about you that you want to include?
Right now my housing costs are $0 because my fiancé and I moved out of our apartment in Philly, converted a camper and are on a road trip! We will spend the holidays with my family in Philly and then likely head out again for a few months at the beginning of 2021.
I am working remotely for the foreseeable future and he is taking the year off of teaching. Our original plan for this fall was to be in Vietnam where he was supposed to have a teaching job but we couldn’t get visas because of COVID.
We hope to head to Vietnam next fall!
It’s Per$onal is an anonymous blog series designed to shed light on the intricate details of the personal finances and lifestyles of women.
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