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:
Parker
How old are you?
26
Where do you live?
Charlotte, NC
What is your highest level of education?
Bachelor’s
Are you single or married?
Single
Do you have any children or dependents? If yes, please explain.
No
What is your current monthly rent / mortgage?
1065
What is your current occupation? If not currently employed, please say “Not Employed”
Business Development Manager
What is your yearly salary (or approximate yearly compensation) for your current occupation?
$100k – $120k
If you are currently employed, do you like your job? Why or why not?
I enjoy my job for the most part. I like how much ownership I get to have on my accounts and how I get to determine the strategy and approach we should take with each. I also have a lot of flexibility in terms of hours.
Pre COVID-19 I used to travel a couple of times a month but since March I’ve been home as we’ve really limited travel to only essential needs. I’m also compensated pretty well at my company.
We have an annual base salary, usually we have a bonus that for me is typically 10-15% of my base, and we have a 401k that double matches up to 5%, a good amount of PTO, and stock options we can contribute part of our salary to.
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’m typically in excel and have a plan for how my money will be allocated each pay period. After expenses like Student Loans, Mortgage, Car, etc. I allocate $850 per pay period for spend.
For me this includes everything from groceries and gas to a new pair of jeans.
Do you have any student loan debt currently?
Yes
If yes, about how much student loan debt do you have?
$22k
What is your monthly student loan payment amount?
$338 but I currently pay $500 a month to try and pay it off just a little quicker
Do you have any credit card debt?
Yes
If Yes, about how much credit card debt do you have currently?
$2,800. This is at 0% interest so I haven’t made paying off a priority but rather have just been allocating a little bit each month towards
Do you have any other kinds of debt? If Yes, please explain:
I have a car payment that I pay $700 a month towards as I look to pay it off quicker than the loan term
Do you know what your credit score is?
Yes
If Yes, what is your credit score?
751
Are you currently saving for retirement?
Yes
If yes, about how much do you have saved for retirement?
$55,000
What does an ideal retirement look like for you?
One that is stress free. Hopefully we’re in a location we both love. I really want to either have the house paid off or have a very manageable monthly payment so we don’t have to deal with that stressor.
I’d also want to have enough so that if we’re in good health we can travel and see the world. I never want anyone else to have to pay for our needs so I’d want to be able to cover any care or medical costs.
What’s your biggest purchase of 2020 so far?
Engagement Ring – $12,700. My gf and I will plan to take the next step in the next few months so had to buy a ring.
Biggest purchase of your life?
Probably the car I currently drive $38k. Looking back I don’t know if I would have buy it again. I’d have more freedom monthly without the car payment but it doesn’t overall inhibit my goals and I’ll likely pay off early.
What do you spend money on that brings you joy? Or, what do you tend to splurge on?
I like going to events and spending time with friends. I tend to splurge on concerts (hopefully can do this again soon) and going out for food or drinks with friends.
Travel is also something I like doing but I really only take one big trip a year and usually use Airline miles and hotel points to cover a portion of it.
What are your short term money goals, if any? ( < 1 year)
1) Pay off my credit card. I’m planning on having this done by March
2) Save $10k
What are your long term money goals, if any? ( > 1 year)
1) Pay off my car and student loans
2) Save $25k in an emergency fund
3) Invest money going towards student loans monthly
4) Save for downpayment on bigger house in next 3-4 years
What is your #1 financial concern right now?
Buying the ring definitely has depleted my savings a good bit. I really want to spend the next few months building that back up.
What financial victory/success are you most proud of?
Being able to pay for the ring in full and not have to finance it. I was adamant on not wanting to add more debt so being able to do this was a victory for sure.
Anything we didn’t ask about you that you want to include?
I also invest 5% of my salary each pay period through my company’s stock program. I know I need to get more diverse with my stock portfolio but for now this has been an easy way to invest with minimal knowledge.
I plan to learn more and diversify my portfolio more once I don’t have either a car payment or student loan payment.
“It’s Per$onal” is a blog series designed to shed light on the intricate details of the personal finances and lifestyles of women from all over the world.
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