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:
debtboard confessional!
How old are you?
30
Where do you live? City and State (or Country if outside the U.S.)
Brooklyn, NY
What is your highest level of education?
Master’s
Are you single or married?
single, live with bf
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 total monthly rent / mortgage for your household?
1250
Has Covid-19 impacted you financially in any way?
not really – I did pause my debt payoff and loaded up on cash savings. I moved in with my boyfriend this year and since he lost his freelance jobs (and just eats so much more than I do) I did end up increasing my grocery budget (about $120 per month to $300). I also treat him/us to a lot more delivery food!
What is your current occupation? If not currently employed, please say “Not Employed”
mid-career journalist
What is your yearly salary (or approximate yearly compensation) for your current occupation?
~$100,000
If you are currently employed, do you like your job? Why or why not?
yes! I just changed jobs but it’s similar work for more money
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 enter daily expenses and update my overall financial picture a few minutes every day. I reevaluate/edit my goals every time I hit a new milestone.
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?
Started with $60,000 in 2015, made minimum payments, some lump sum payments between 2016-2018, ended up with a $53,000 balance that I paid off in full in April 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?
I pay off my credit card every month, so I never carry a balance into the next pay period
Do you have any other kinds of debt? If Yes, please explain:
No
Do you know what your credit score is?
Yes
If Yes, what is your credit score?
802
Are you currently saving for retirement?
Yes
If yes, about how much do you have saved for retirement?
About 30k in a Rollover IRA from previous jobs. I paused contributions while working on baby steps 2 and 3, so I’m restarting 401k contributions starting this month – 6% in my 401k to start. I’ll contribute the full Roth contribution for 2020 (deadline is April 2021 for 2020 contributions).
What does an ideal retirement look like for you?
hmmm – probably a lot of travel, volunteer work, classes, hanging with my nephews/nieces and potential kids/grandkids
What’s your biggest purchase of 2020?
collectively all of the things I needed to furnish my apartment
Biggest purchase of your life?
ha! grad school
What do you spend money on that brings you joy?
What are your short term money goals, if any? ( < 1 year)
dog, car
What are your long term money goals, if any? ( > 1 year)
baby fund, down payment, retirement
What is your #1 financial concern right now?
Wow, I don’t have any?! I’ve gotten to the point where I’ve build up a solid emergency fund and it’s given me a huge sense of security. I do wonder whether it’s big enough – I may reevaluate that in a few months. I am extremely fortunate.
What financial victory/success are you most proud of?
paying off my student loan debt!
Anything we didn’t ask about you that you want to include?
N/A
