How old are you?
28
Where do you live? City and State (or Country if outside the U.S.)
San Diego CA
Do you like where you currently live? Why or why not?
I love it! It’s a high cost of living but my friends and family are all here. Plenty to do and see but enough space and ocean to get some quiet time.
Do you have any hobbies? What are they?
I love reading, running, and hanging out with my dog!
What is your highest level of education?
Master’s
Where did you go to school? What did you study?
Speech Pathology
Are you currently employed?
Yes
What is your current occupation?
Speech Pathologist
Do you like your current occupation / job? Why or why not?
Overall I like my job. The day to day can get bleh, but it’s stable income and I don’t have to worry about layoffs. I also don’t really promote, just small salary increases with experience. It’s kind of nice that there isn’t pressure to move up or get out.
What is your yearly salary (or approximate yearly compensation)? Feel free to include any bonuses or other compensation perks you may receive this year.
110k
Have you ever been promoted at work? What position(s) were you promoted to?
I promoted from a clinical fellow to a junior slp, and now am a senior slp.
Have you ever negotiated your salary? If so, how did that go / what was the outcome?
Nope
Do you have a second job or side hustle? If yes, what is it and what do you do?
Yes, I PRN as an SLP for a private practice in addition to my full time gig.
If you have a second job or side hustle, about how much money do you make *monthly* from your second job / side hustle?
800-1200 depending on how much I work
What is your relationship status?
Married
Do you and your partner have joint or separate finances?
1 shared joint account, and separate savings
What is your *monthly* rent / mortgage for your household?
4500
Do you have any children / dependents? If yes, how many?
No
Do you have any pets? If yes, what kind?
Yep, a dog!
About how much do you spend on groceries *each week*?
$200
Are you debt free?
No
How much *cash* savings do you have currently?
$10,000 +
Are you currently investing/saving for your retirement?
Yes
About how much money do you have invested/saved for retirement? Are you satisfied with this number?
$130k. I am satisfied with this. I originally wanted 100k by 30 but am now hoping to get to $200k!
What’s been your favorite purchase this year?
PRK eye surgery!
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to your younger self?
Stay the course – I felt like my path to where I am now seemed really shaky at the time, but looking back it all came together!
What current goals do you have? (ex. Health goals, Fitness, Money, Career, Travel, etc.)
Health: go to a dermatologist this year, go to therapy (and don’t worry about the $$)
Fitness: workout 3x a week or more
Money: max 401k, cashflow our home reno project
Career: Quit second job by the end of this year (!)
Travel: visit South America!
Splurge: buy my first designer bag!
What are you currently struggling with, if anything?
Anxiety and burnout.
What accomplishments of yours are you most proud of?
Learning a second language! Running a marathon.
What makes you imperfect?
My anxiety for sure! And my difficulty letting things go.
It’s Personal is an anonymous blog series about the personal lives and finances of women.