Welcome to Spending Notes, where we do a weekly deep dive into how our readers spend their cash.
Today: a writer who makes $48,000 per year.
Occupation: Writer
Age: 27
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Salary: $48,000 ($3,173 per month)
Day One
Today is my first day in my new home here in Toronto. I’m a remote writer, so I can work from anywhere. Definitely a perk while unpacking. I order a pizza to pick at while writing copy for clients. At one point, I’m researching a home decor company with what must be the best canvas wall art Canada has to offer. The new house is great, but the walls are painfully bare. I can’t go too far down that rabbit hole during the workday, so I make a note to look through their offerings later. I write a few thousand more words, then log off for the night. I finish my last slice of pizza, then pull up that same decor company on my phone. It’s awesome that they have stock photos available as well as custom options! I’ll have to order some of those for the house.
Total: $32
Day Two
My work for today is less exciting, writing for a technology website, which is not my forte. Work is work, though, so I’m not complaining. I whip up a pasta salad over my lunch break, then move on to a few more pieces of copy once I’ve eaten. After work, I pull out my tablet and set out to answer a nagging question. How much does new carpet cost? Luckily, they make it easy to find out the carpet cost you should anticipate. Plus, you can order free samples of a few different types of carpet to find the color and texture that looks best before you buy. I found a few nice colors and ordered a set of samples.
Total: $0
Day Three
My assignment load is low today, so I’m doing a bit of multi-tasking between projects. This means the dishes are done, some meal prep is completed, and I did a bit of tidying throughout the downstairs portion of the house. After work, I enjoy one of my pre-planned meals, then head back to the wall decor website I was browsing earlier this week. First, I spend a few minutes browsing their stock photo selections. Then, I choose a few favorite photos that might work for some custom canvas prints. Next, I order two 8 x 8 prints, for now, to brighten up my living room workspace. Later, I’ll pick out a few more. The hallway and other high-traffic areas will be next, I think, plus a few for the bedroom. I think the canvas will look good against the hardwood!
Total: $57
Day Four
I woke up with a bit of an upset stomach this morning, but nothing I can’t work through. I’m not feeling very hungry come lunchtime, though, so I decide to do some TikTok browsing, which leads to online shopping. Who knew these influencers could make bedroom organization so appealing? So, after work, I decide to check out with a few of these organizers. After all, what better time to fill every square foot of the house with new storage and organization than when it’s a brand new home?
Total: $79
Day Five
Funnily enough, I’m writing copy for a flooring company and professional installer today. In this case, they’re listing their durable, stain-resistant new carpet for purchase. The current carpet in the house is covered with stains, so I’ll be ordering so much carpet once the samples arrive, and I can choose the best carpet material, color, and other factors that work best for the home. After I’m done for the day, I head to the local pub to enjoy a few drinks. Nothing like celebrating Friday, right?
Total: $22
Day Six
Today’s mainly dedicated to working around the house. There’s no professional carpet installer coming just yet, and my canvas wall art won’t be here for a few more days. In the meantime, I’m setting up some more effective storage in the basement and generally tidying up. Then, I run to the drugstore and a few local shops on my list of errands. All in all, a reasonably productive day!
Total: $59
Day Seven
This would be an unproductive day if it weren’t for the most exciting part of my week: a FaceTime date with my fiancee. She’s stationed overseas for a few more months, so I take her on a tour of our new home, albeit virtually—a great end to the week.
Total: $0
Total for the week: $249
