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:
C.J.
How old are you?
25
Where do you live?
Arizona
What is your highest level of education?
Master’s
Are you single or married?
Single, living with my long term boyfriend. We’ve discussed getting married in the next couple of years.
If you are married, do you and your spouse have joint or separate finances?
Joint
Do you have any children or dependents? If yes, please explain.
N/A
What is your total monthly rent / mortgage for your household?
475
Has Covid-19 impacted you financially in any way?
No. I’m actually doing a lot better than before as I graduated from my master program and started working full time in June.
What is your current occupation? If not currently employed, please say “Not Employed”
I work in a specialized role in healthcare.
What is your yearly salary (or approximate yearly compensation) for your current occupation?
$80,000
If you are currently employed, do you like your job? Why or why not?
Yes. I have a lot of autonomy and get to help support families through some of their worst moments.
Do you have a second job or side hustle? If Yes, please explain.
No
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:
Yes, I have a general spreadsheet with our budget and I follow our day-to-day spending via Mint. My SO and I have a joint account for all our shared expenses and separate accounts for everything else. I make about twice as what he makes. I contribute 66% of our shared spending and he contributes 33%. All individual spending and savings are managed by ourselves and we don’t monitor each other’s personal spending.
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
Do you have any student loan debt currently?
Yes
If yes, about how much student loan debt do you have?
$75,000 (started with $103,000)
What is your monthly student loan payment amount?
400
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?
764
Are you currently saving for retirement?
Yes
If yes, about how much do you have saved for retirement?
~$7,000
What does an ideal retirement look like for you?
Lots of traveling and spending time with my family.
What’s your biggest purchase of 2020 so far?
Moving cross country.
Biggest purchase of your life?
My education.
What do you spend money on that brings you joy?
Food/eating out with friends. Books.
What are your short term money goals, if any? ( < 1 year)
Pay $17,500 to my student loans. Contribute 5% to my 401K. Buy $3,000 of VTI.
What are your long term money goals, if any? ( > 1 year)
Get emergency fund to 6 months of expenses. $10,000 in investments. Save for a wedding. Pay off my student loans.
What is your #1 financial concern right now?
Paying down debt.
What financial victory/success are you most proud of?
Securing my current job and negotiating a higher starting salary.
Anything we didn’t ask about you that you want to include?
N/A
