Food Diary: What a 53-Year-Old Medical Device Sales Rep Eats on $380K in Honolulu, Hawaii

Welcome to The Receipt, a series documenting how Bon Appétit readers eat and what they spend doing it. Each food diary follows one anonymous reader’s week of expenses related to groceries, restaurant meals, coffee runs, and every bite in between. In this time of rising food costs, The Receipt reveals how folks—from different cities, with different incomes, on different schedules—are figuring out their food budgets.

In today’s Receipt, we follow a 53-year-old medical device sales rep who makes $380,000 in Honolulu, Hawaii. Keep reading for her receipts.

The finances

What are your pronouns? She/her

What is your occupation? I’m a medical device sales rep. It’s a sales job that requires you to have a strong clinical knowledge of surgical procedures. I attend surgeries in operating rooms throughout the day and train doctors and nurses to use my equipment, troubleshoot, and provide guidance on how to get the best possible outcomes for patients. Every day is different and I have some flexibility in my schedule. I like to think of my week as a Tetris game where I fit in different tasks to get the optimal use of my time. The work is rewarding but can be very stressful.

How old are you? 53

What city and state do you live in? Honolulu, Hawaii

What is your annual salary, if you have one? It varies. Last year it was $380,000. Some years, it’s $225,000.

How much is one paycheck, after taxes? It varies. On average, $12,000.

How often are you paid? Monthly

How much money do you have in savings? I have a nice 401K and stocks from my company, but I am closer to retirement than the average bear.

What are your approximate fixed monthly expenses beyond food? (i.e. rent, subscriptions, bills)

• Mortgage: $3,300
• Sewer/Water: $200
• Electricity: $600
• Tuition: $3,100
• Cable/Wifi: $220
• Home/Car insurance: $300
• Pet insurance: $45
• Streaming services: $40
• Pressed juice: $10
• Charitable donations: $30
• Tesla Connect: $11
• Spotify family plan: $20
• Bottled water: $40
• Total: $7,916

This list makes me feel like a real adult.

The diet

Do you follow a certain diet or have dietary restrictions? Nope, but I try to eat a balanced diet. Everything in moderation, right?

What are the grocery staples you always buy, if any? Milk, eggs, half and half, Kerrygold butter, sour cream, bread, cheese, orange juice, fruit, chocolate.

How often in a week do you dine out versus cook at home? I dine out two to three times a week. I like my cooking so I try to do it as often as I can.

How often in a week did you dine out while growing up? At least once a week. We tried new restaurants frequently.

How often in a week did your parents or guardians cook at home? My mom would always cook. I was picky and didn’t appreciate food until I grew up. I remember she would make a peanut butter and Spam sandwich, which I’m considering reviving.

The expenses

• Week’s total: $571.48
• Restaurants and cafés total: $311.73
• Groceries total: $259.75
• Most-expensive meal or purchase: Dinner at Izakaya Matsuri, $151.85
• Least-expensive meal or purchase: Furikake, $1.50
• Number of restaurant and café meals: 7
• Number of grocery trips: 4

The diary

Monday

4:17 a.m. Cats run across the bed and it wakes me before the sun is up. My first thought is coffee. And then work. I upgraded the beans in our De’Longhi espresso machine over the weekend from Peet’s to a Vergnano 1882 Italian espresso, so I’m excited to try it. (Previously purchased, $39/2.2lb)