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:
Katie
How old are you?
30
Where do you live? City and State (or Country if outside the U.S.)
Cary, NC
What is your highest level of education?
Bachelor’s
Are you single or married?
Live with partner
If you are married, do you and your spouse have joint or separate finances?
Separate
Do you have any children or dependents? If yes, please explain.
No
What is your total monthly rent / mortgage for your household?
1790
Has Covid-19 impacted you financially in any way?
I work in grocery retail so… yes. During the pandemic (mid March to mid June) we got an extra $2 per hour for being essential workers (from our company).
However, we were scheduled to get our biannual raise in July, and since Covid affected the profitability of our company, our raises were put on hold.
We just received them effective 10/4 (so missed out on about $500 in increased salary). Overall for me the increase vs the decrease was about a wash.
What is your current occupation? If not currently employed, please say “Not Employed”
Grocery manager – manage a department with ~$2 million in annual sales within a grocery store. I am responsible for ordering and inventory, managing labor, shrink and other costs, and my team of employees.
What is your yearly salary (or approximate yearly compensation) for your current occupation?
68,020
If you are currently employed, do you like your job? Why or why not?
It’s okay. It’s very people focused and sometimes I think I might be better suited to a “behind the scenes” role.
Do you have a second job or side hustle? If Yes, please explain.
I dabble in a few different side hustles (Shipt, Fetch, online surveys, etc) but overall would not consider it a significant source of income.
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:
I mostly do a “cash flow” way of managing my money – I get paid weekly so I have money coming in each week. Each week my 401k 18% comes out, and I also have $250 that is direct deposited into my savings account (currently saving for a house down payment).
First/second paycheck of the month I pay off my credit cards (I put almost everything on credit cards to earn rewards points), and third/fourth paycheck goes toward my rent.
Anything left over after I pay my rent at the end of the month then also goes into my savings account. If I have a larger purchase coming up then I would hold off on making that transfer.
I live a relatively frugal life so do not have many expenses.
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?
$26,000 in student loans – I graduated in 2011 and moved back home to pay off my student loans, paid it all off in 2 years.
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?
0
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:
No
Do you know what your credit score is?
Yes
If Yes, what is your credit score?
792 (just opened 2 new credit cards for rewards hacking so that dropped it slightly)
Are you currently saving for retirement?
Yes
If yes, about how much do you have saved for retirement?
$103,000 – currently contributing 18% per paycheck, and I have a 3% employer match.
What does an ideal retirement look like for you?
My partner is significantly older than I am, so I would like to be able to retire early, hopefully in my 40s so I am able to travel and spend time with her.
I would like a house to be paid off so I have low living expenses. My parents live at the beach so I can see myself spending a lot of time there as they get older as well.
What’s your biggest purchase of 2020?
I don’t think I have made any significant purchases this year so far – but I would say the biggest line item so far is travel.
PreCOVID I took trips to New York City and Nashville and during COVID I have still been trying to explore some places closer to home.
Biggest purchase of your life?
Besides my college degree that I do not use at all….. my car – 2013 Corolla purchased in 2016 for $14,000 cash.
What do you spend money on that brings you joy?
What are your short term money goals, if any? ( < 1 year)
Currently my house down payment fund is my biggest savings goal. My goal is 55,000 and I am just about halfway there.
I would like to continue saving for that but I do not think it will be complete within the year.
I also would like to travel to Scotland next September and my goal is to become better versed in all things travel hacking so I can save money using points.
What are your long term money goals, if any? ( > 1 year)
Longer term – purchase a home and pay it off quickly
What is your #1 financial concern right now?
My partner recently disclosed that she has some debts which is going to impact us being able to purchase a home.
She does not want to merge finances or really for me to know anything about her finances, so my concern is about navigating that situation without being naggy or putting pressure on her, but also helping her to get on course to become debt free.
Luckily she has a high income so that will help.
What financial victory/success are you most proud of?
$100k net worth was probably my most recent financial victory (and then a second time after the COVID market crash!)
Anything we didn’t ask about you that you want to include?
n/a
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