Welcome to Money Diaries, inspired by New York Magazine's Sex Diaries, where we're tackling what might be the last taboo facing modern working women: money. Eeach week, we'll take a look into how millennial women spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period — and we're tracking every last cent.
The first step to getting your financial life in order is tracking what you spend — to try on your own, check out our guide to managing your money every day.
First up, a designer who eats her feelings — and goes on back-to-back dates.
![opener_pizza_embed]()
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.
Location: Lives in Brooklyn; works in Midtown
Salary: $65,000
Age: 27
Monthly Expenses:
Loan Payments: $185.61
Rent, utilities, and internet: $1,373.89
$10.40 gym (monthly — I wish I could say I actually go regularly, but I don't)
$40.76 for gym annual fee
10 p.m. — I worked late and didn't feel like cooking or eating healthy, so I order in buffalo wings and a large pizza. $28.74
Total: $33.99
12:30 p.m. — It's a busy day at work, so I order Chop't. $13.13
8 p.m. — Leftover stir-fried greens from over the weekend, plus leftover pizza for dinner.
Total: $13.13
7:30 p.m. —I grab dinner with a friend. Ramen and a winter root vegetable dish from Ramen by Mew, on the cheap because there's a special —$5 for each bowl of ramen! $10.00
9 p.m. — Bought two cocktails at The Up & Up, one for me and one for my friend to celebrate her (belated) birthday. $34.49
Total: $54.49
1:30 p.m. — Leftover Chop't salad.
8 p.m. — Leftover pizza.
8:30 p.m. — I order a mini fabric steamer on Amazon because I got new curtains, and they're too long to steam in the shower. Plus not all clothes come out wrinkle-free after a shower steaming, so it'll definitely be useful for that. $29.99
9 p.m. — I've been pretty unhappy and inundated at my job lately, so I impulse buy a beauty treatment on Gilt City. Oops. $59.00
12 a.m. — A guy I'm seeing wants to hang out, so he sends me a Lyft. I wouldn't usually stay up so late on a school night, but I'm trying to make the most of any time I'm not at work, and he has his adorable dog, who he shares with his ex.
1 a.m. — We do some cocaine. I don't know how much drugs are supposed to cost, but I heard coke is pricey. I just did a line because it was offered, and I was drunk. The alcohol was free, too.
Total: $88.99
2 p.m. — DIY tacos leftover from a catered meeting for lunch.
8 p.m. — I order wings and a veggie burger for dinner. I used to not be able to get good buffalo wings when I lived on the Upper East Side, but I moved to Brooklyn in August, and I've been indulging. $16.16
Total: $16.16
5:30 p.m. — My friend's "buddy" gets back from vacation the next day, so he needs to buy condoms from CVS. I go with him and pick up some cleaning supplies and disposable razors. $31.86
6 p.m. — I grab 12 six-ounce cans of cat food and a toy for the kitten. $23.70
Total: $84.51
2 p.m. — We head over to brunch at Trix. He's really nice and just moved to Brooklyn from rural Virginia. He literally grew up on a farm, and I was his first date since moving to NYC. I don't think he knows that first dates aren't usually on a weekend. It was refreshing to not have to pretend to be less available than I actually am.
7:30 p.m. — I finally run out of pizza (my roommate's houseguest had some), so I heat up a Zhongzi (meat, peanut, shiitake filled sticky rice wrapped in banana leaf) that my grandma made and gave me the last time I visited home.
9 p.m. — Order a paperback copy of Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng on Amazon. $10.66
11 p.m. — Spontaneous first date beer at No Name Bar. Different guy. We had been talking for a while, but hadn't met up because his schedule is nuts. I usually wouldn't go out so late before a workday but I wasn't feeling ready for work yet so I decided to go. I think he may have been a little drunk already. The conversation was pleasant enough, but he mentioned that he's short-tempered , which is a deal breaker for me, so I doubt we're going to hang out again.
Total: $10.66
Food: $146.72
Home Supplies: $85.55
Entertainment: $69.66
Clothes: $0
Have a money diary you'd like to share? Email moneydiary@refinery29.com.
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
How Real Millennial Couples Co-Manage Their Money
Amazon Drops The Price On Prime This Weekend
The Secret Ways Successful People Network
The first step to getting your financial life in order is tracking what you spend — to try on your own, check out our guide to managing your money every day.
First up, a designer who eats her feelings — and goes on back-to-back dates.
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.Location: Lives in Brooklyn; works in Midtown
Salary: $65,000
Age: 27
Monthly Expenses:
Loan Payments: $185.61
Rent, utilities, and internet: $1,373.89
$10.40 gym (monthly — I wish I could say I actually go regularly, but I don't)
$40.76 for gym annual fee
Day One
8:30 a.m. — Bought a coffee and a pastry from Konditori. I get coffee there often because it's just across the street from me. $5.2510 p.m. — I worked late and didn't feel like cooking or eating healthy, so I order in buffalo wings and a large pizza. $28.74
Total: $33.99
Day Two
8:30 a.m. — Free latte from Konditori because I filled up my loyalty card! Yay.
12:30 p.m. — It's a busy day at work, so I order Chop't. $13.13
8 p.m. — Leftover stir-fried greens from over the weekend, plus leftover pizza for dinner.
Total: $13.13
Day Three
11 a.m. —Coffee and an avocado toast sandwich to eat for lunch from Hole in the Wall, the Australian coffee shop near my work. I should get the avocado toast for lunch more often. It's so cheap and good. $10.007:30 p.m. —I grab dinner with a friend. Ramen and a winter root vegetable dish from Ramen by Mew, on the cheap because there's a special —$5 for each bowl of ramen! $10.00
9 p.m. — Bought two cocktails at The Up & Up, one for me and one for my friend to celebrate her (belated) birthday. $34.49
Total: $54.49
Day Four
9:30 a.m. — Had a cup of the nasty free coffee at work.1:30 p.m. — Leftover Chop't salad.
8 p.m. — Leftover pizza.
8:30 p.m. — I order a mini fabric steamer on Amazon because I got new curtains, and they're too long to steam in the shower. Plus not all clothes come out wrinkle-free after a shower steaming, so it'll definitely be useful for that. $29.99
9 p.m. — I've been pretty unhappy and inundated at my job lately, so I impulse buy a beauty treatment on Gilt City. Oops. $59.00
12 a.m. — A guy I'm seeing wants to hang out, so he sends me a Lyft. I wouldn't usually stay up so late on a school night, but I'm trying to make the most of any time I'm not at work, and he has his adorable dog, who he shares with his ex.
1 a.m. — We do some cocaine. I don't know how much drugs are supposed to cost, but I heard coke is pricey. I just did a line because it was offered, and I was drunk. The alcohol was free, too.
Total: $88.99
Day Five
9:30 a.m. — Nasty office coffee again.2 p.m. — DIY tacos leftover from a catered meeting for lunch.
8 p.m. — I order wings and a veggie burger for dinner. I used to not be able to get good buffalo wings when I lived on the Upper East Side, but I moved to Brooklyn in August, and I've been indulging. $16.16
Total: $16.16
Day Six
4:30 p.m. — Sangria and pizza from Fornino with a guy friend who lives near me. $28.95
5:30 p.m. — My friend's "buddy" gets back from vacation the next day, so he needs to buy condoms from CVS. I go with him and pick up some cleaning supplies and disposable razors. $31.86
6 p.m. — I grab 12 six-ounce cans of cat food and a toy for the kitten. $23.70
Total: $84.51
Day Seven
12:30 pm — First date latte from Sweetleaf. Free.
2 p.m. — We head over to brunch at Trix. He's really nice and just moved to Brooklyn from rural Virginia. He literally grew up on a farm, and I was his first date since moving to NYC. I don't think he knows that first dates aren't usually on a weekend. It was refreshing to not have to pretend to be less available than I actually am.
7:30 p.m. — I finally run out of pizza (my roommate's houseguest had some), so I heat up a Zhongzi (meat, peanut, shiitake filled sticky rice wrapped in banana leaf) that my grandma made and gave me the last time I visited home.
9 p.m. — Order a paperback copy of Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng on Amazon. $10.66
11 p.m. — Spontaneous first date beer at No Name Bar. Different guy. We had been talking for a while, but hadn't met up because his schedule is nuts. I usually wouldn't go out so late before a workday but I wasn't feeling ready for work yet so I decided to go. I think he may have been a little drunk already. The conversation was pleasant enough, but he mentioned that he's short-tempered , which is a deal breaker for me, so I doubt we're going to hang out again.
Total: $10.66
Weekly Total: $301.93
The breakdown:Food: $146.72
Home Supplies: $85.55
Entertainment: $69.66
Clothes: $0
Have a money diary you'd like to share? Email moneydiary@refinery29.com.
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
How Real Millennial Couples Co-Manage Their Money
Amazon Drops The Price On Prime This Weekend
The Secret Ways Successful People Network