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:
Anna
How old are you?
30
Where do you live?
Colorado Springs, CO
What is your highest level of education?
Master’s
Are you single or married?
Single
If you are married, do you and your spouse have joint or separate finances?
N/A
Do you have any children or dependents? If yes, please explain.
No
What is your current monthly rent / mortgage?
100
Has Covid-19 impacted you financially in any way?
No
What is your current occupation? If not currently employed, please say “Not Employed”
Social Worker
What is your yearly salary (or approximate yearly compensation) for your current occupation?
$40,000-$50,000
If you are currently employed, do you like your job? Why or why not?
Yes! The social work field is rewarding but also emotionally taxing. I have learned a healthy work-life balance and strong boundaries with clients are important to thrive in this field. I have worked for the same organization for 5 years now so I feel comfortable in my current job and my co workers have become like family.
Do you have a second job or side hustle? If Yes, please explain.
Yes. I wake up at 4am everyday to teach English (online) to foreign students. I have had this side hustle for almost 2 years now.
If you have a second job or side hustle, about how much money do you make monthly from your second job / side hustle?
$900/month
Do you budget on a consistent basis? If so, please explain how you currently budget:
Yes. I have been budgeting for about 3 years now and I use a zero-based budget system so I know exactly where every dollar is going. I make time to budget multiple times a month for every pay check (bi-monthly for my primary job) and weekly for my side hustle.
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?
In 2018 I had about $40,000 in credit card, personal loan, and student loan debt. I became debt free in August 2020.
Do you have any student loan debt currently?
No
If yes, about how much student loan debt do you have?
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?
820
Are you currently saving for retirement?
Yes
If yes, about how much do you have saved for retirement?
$30,000
What does an ideal retirement look like for you?
Working part-time (if I wanted to), traveling, and volunteering.
What’s your biggest purchase of 2020 so far?
My masters degree (tuition from 2020).
Biggest purchase of your life?
Tuition
What do you spend money on that brings you joy?
I enjoy spending money on experiences and traveling. I also have a weakness for chick fil a and I can safely say that brings me joy.
What are your short term money goals, if any? ( < 1 year)
Over the next 12 months the goal is to build a $10,000 emergency fund and save up for a down payment for a house ($20,000). Now that I have my masters degree I plan to apply for a much higher paying job in the field. So another short term goal is to secure a higher paying job over the next 6 months.
What are your long term money goals, if any? ( > 1 year)
After I have purchased my townhome/condo I plan to pay it off over 10-15 years. A new car is also something I will need in the next 5 years so I’d like to cash flow the cost of a new car.
What is your #1 financial concern right now?
Saving enough for retirement
What financial victory/success are you most proud of?
I am most proud of the fact that I aggressively paid off $40,000 of debt over the past 2 years. Aside from this, I have learned a new way of dealing with and managing money.
Anything we didn’t ask about you that you want to include?
You may notice that the rent amount I pay is so low, this is because for the past 4 years I have lived at home with my parents while working full-time and completing my masters degree part-time. I have decided to give my parents $100/month for rent (although they did not ask for this) for the past 4 years which makes me feel better about them allowing me to live in their house. This arrangement of living at home (although not ideal) has given me the opportunity to pay out of pocket for 50% of my tuition and pay off the other 50% of student loan debt and other debt aggressively. My next goal is to save for a townhome for the next 10 months or so, and have my own place by this time next year. So this arrangement is also allowing me to save aggressively for a home deposit.
