Industry: Media
Age: 41
Location: New York
Salary: $103,000
Real estate: Roth IRA: $5,150.38; high performance savings: $12,000. savings: $3,200; check: $2,000; 401(k): $63,622.70; HSAs: $4,271
Debt: Credit card balance $500.
Payment amount (2x month): $2,577.40
Pronouns: She/her
Monthly Expenses
Housing costs: $2,250
WiFi: $60
Phone: $75
Verizon: $60
LinkedIn Premium: $30
CHANI Application: $11
Netflix: $7.61
Amazon Prime: $15
Adobe: $32.65
Duotrope: $5
Literary Node: $5
NYT: $18.34
Okocat: $23.74 (pellet litter).
Was there an expectation to attend higher education? Did you participate in any form of higher education? If so, how did you pay for it?
Yes. My parents didn’t go to college and struggled financially – they saw college as the way to upward mobility, especially my mother. As a result, I took out student loans at 18 to attend a private university. They were forgiven just last year.
Growing up, what kind of money conversations did you have? Did your parents/guardians educate you about finances?
My role growing up was to excel in school, which is important, but not the whole picture. I believe that financial literacy education should play a greater role in public education — both in school and at home.
What was your first job and why did you get it?
I babysat, tutored, and worked as a camp counselor throughout high school, partly to make ends meet but also to build my college applications.
Were you worried about money growing up?
I grew up lower-middle class in an affluent suburb. My parents did everything they could to prepare me and my brother for a better life, but money was always a big concern for them — and often a source of contention. I’ve always been aware of how much things cost, and spending caused feelings of worry and guilt.
Are you worried about money now?
Like many who live in an expensive city, I know I need to save more. I’m probably behind for my age, financially, but I’m cautiously optimistic about my ability to continue to build financial security and gain strength.
At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and have a financial safety net?
I became financially responsible for myself when I graduated college at 22. Any financial safety net I may or may not have would be of my own making.
Do you have or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If so, please explain.
No, I’ve been working on improving my investment knowledge, including passive income generation ideas, but it’s really in the early stages. I have not inherited any income, but I am open to it if Martha Stewart wants to claim me as a dependent.
