A Week In Tampa On A $154,000 Joint Income

Housing costs: $400 (this includes utilities and monthly maintenance like lawn service).
Loan payments: $0
Personal trainer: $600
AMC pass: $24
Massage: $400 (this is every other week, absolute important splurge for myself).
Disney+ and Hulu bundle: $11.33
Ollie dog food: $155
Dog grooming service: $100
Cleaning service: $150 (every two weeks).

Was there an expectation for you to attend higher education? Did you participate in any form of higher education? If yes, how did you pay for it?
There was not an expectation but a lot of my friends did because the job market wasn’t great when I graduated, and at the time, getting a master’s degree sounded like it would be a better use of time and create more opportunity to find a better job. So I applied for a master’s program four months after I graduated undergrad. My parents have always been strong believers in education. They paid for my tuition for both my undergraduate degree and my master’s degree.

Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent(s)/guardian(s) educate you about finances?
Growing up we were pretty frugal. I had a very small monthly allowance but my parents always made sure we had good food on the table. They never taught me to budget but because I had a small allowance, I budgeted anything I wanted in advance so I had the money for it.

What was your first job and why did you get it?
My first job was working at the college cafeteria — it worked out because I lived in the dorm and did not own a car. It was the most convenient job to earn some extra cash.

Did you worry about money growing up?
I didn’t, in the sense that I never had to contribute to help out the family. Definitely not as much as now, especially after becoming a homeowner.

Do you worry about money now?
Yes, every couple of months something big comes up — A/C breaks out of nowhere, fridge needs replacing, dog suddenly needs surgery and ongoing rehab sessions. I do feel like even though I put money away every paycheck, it gets taken out for these “emergencies” that happen very frequently.

At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net?
When I graduated college. I was very lucky that my parents saved for my college education and gave me a monthly stipend for living expenses. I had part-time jobs for extra stuff, like if I needed a new phone or if I wanted to go on a trip with friends. I haven’t built a strong enough safety net yet.

Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain.
My parents gifted us a little house so I don’t have a mortgage. It needs constant upgrade and repair but it’s our home. Honestly cannot imagine how anyone can live with a mortgage these days, since on top of that the expenses for insurance and property tax are incredibly high.