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.
How old are you?
22
Where do you live? City and State (or Country if outside the U.S.)
Toronto, Canada
Do you like where you currently live? Why or why not?
Yes – I still live in the same neighborhood I was born & raised in so it feels very comfortable and there’s a lot I love about Toronto.
But I can definitely say I don’t want to live here my whole life. I’ve always wanted to move to a different country to experience what other places are like, so I will probably be doing that in the next few years.
I’d also like to start a family in a few years and don’t really want to raise kids in Toronto.
What is your highest level of education?
Bachelor’s
Are you single / in a relationship / married?
Recently married
If you are in a relationship / married, do you and your partner have joint or separate finances?
Joint
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Do you have any children / dependents?
No
Do you have any pets?
A fish named Jupiter that my freshman year roommate bought me haha
Do you find it easy or hard to make friends?
I find it pretty easy to make friends, but hard to get to a “deeper” level with them where they actually feel like close friends if that makes sense.
Do you have any hobbies? Please explain.
Love journaling, exercising, walking, hiking, singing — I used to play guitar but haven’t in a long time so I want to get back into it!
Has Covid-19 impacted you financially in any way?
Yes — the first summer (2020) I was supposed to be working full-time hours for the summer but my hours got cut so I could only work part-time.
I also moved in with extended family because my roommate had to move back home and I couldn’t find another apartment for as cheap as I’d had with her (was only paying $750/month at the time which is unheard of for toronto)
About how much do you spend on groceries each week?
Around $120-$140 for both me and my husband (so I guess it would be equivalent to $60-$70 per person)
What is your total monthly rent / mortgage for your household?
1712
What is your current occupation? If not currently employed, please say “Not Employed”
Copywriter & marketing strategist for a consulting company, but I only work part-time because I’m still finishing up my degree
If you are currently employed, do you like your job? Why or why not?
Yes, but it’s definitely not what I want to do for the rest of my life.
It’s a really stable job and I have a great relationship with my boss and coworkers (I’ve been there for over 4 years) and while it is related to my degree, I’m not super passionate about the content itself
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What is your yearly salary (or approximate yearly compensation) for your current occupation?
It really fluctuates because I recently went from full-time to part-time schooling so I increased my work hours, but currently I make about $1600 per month (this doesn’t account for my husband’s pay which basically doubles our monthly income)
Do you have a second job or side hustle? If Yes, please explain.
Yes, I have a blog
If you have a second job or side hustle, about how much money do you make monthly from your second job / side hustle?
It fluctuates, but about $600/month right now
Have you ever been promoted at work? Please elaborate if so.
Yes. I started off as a social media manager/VA (meaning I would just literally respond to comments and DMs all day) but my role has evolved into much more copywriting and actual marketing strategy.
I have a lot more authority now in terms of what happens with the marketing and social accounts in the company
Have you ever negotiated your salary?
Yes without meaning to haha. A few years ago I was about to quit to look for a different job but my boss begged me to stay and offered me a pay increase from $16/hour to $20/hour
Are you debt-free?
No
If you are debt free, how much debt have you paid off and how long did it take you to pay it all off?
N/A
If you do have debt, what kinds of debt (i.e. credit cards, student loans, car) and how much debt do you have?
This is going to sound like a joke but it’s not — I have $356 in student loan debt.
I don’t need to pay back my student loans until Dec 2023 (which is when interest will start) so I have been actively saving throughout my degree and I didn’t need some of my loans but I chose to take them anyways and invest them for the duration of my degree.
So because of money I’m earning on my investments + the time I’ve had to save throughout my degree (especially when I was living with family) I literally am pretty much done saving and only have to save $356 more
Are you currently investing for retirement?
No
If yes, about how much do you have invested for retirement?
N/A
What’s been your favorite purchase of 2022 so far?
Plane tickets for my trip to Ethiopia 🙂
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to your younger self? (Doesn’t have to be money-related)
Don’t second guess yourself or give other people’s opinions too much weight, and go with your gut when it comes to big life decisions!
What are your money goals, if any?
Save up 6 months of expenses, pay off me & my husband’s student loans before they start acquiring interest (end of 2023), and start saving $$ for kids!
Also would love to buy an investment property before I’m 28. Just don’t know where
What is your #1 financial concern right now?
Honestly, that I won’t make as much money as I aspire to post-grad.
My husband and I are very entrepreneurial and we’re in the process of launching a business (on top of my blog which I’m trying to grow to be a more sustainable source of income) and I know how much I WANT us to make and how much I THINK we can make but don’t know how long it will actually take to get there
What financial victory/success are you most proud of?
The fact that I’ll be graduating college debt-free 🙂
What makes you imperfect?
I’m horrible at staying on top of cleaning/chores haha but I’m working on it
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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