A Week In Norristown, PA On A $180,000 Joint Income
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This week: An office manager working in construction who makes $70,000 per year and spends some of it on a short bob cut.
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This diary was written in 2026.
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Occupation: Office manager
Industry: Construction
Age: 40
Location: Norristown, PA
Salary: $70,000
Joint Income/Financial Setup: $180,000. My husband and I have a joint checking account, HYSA, and cash back credit card. We also have our own personal checking, savings, and our own credit cards. We mostly use the joint credit card for expenses and bills to get cash back when we can. My husband contributes $686 a week to the joint checking, and I transfer $950 twice a month, sometimes more. My husband contributes more since he makes more than me, but since I have fewer bills than he does, I end up contributing extra.
Assets:
High-Yield Savings Account: $30,200
Combined retirement accounts: $172,230 (total across all of our accounts) Joint checking: $1,876.46
Debt:
New car: $18,300
My husband’s student loans: $12,000
Joint credit card: $2,734
Paycheck Amount (bi-weekly): $2,074, after 401(k)
Pronouns: She/her
Monthly Expenses
Housing Costs: $2,300 (my husband and I rent a two-bedroom single-family home)
Electricity: ~$200 for the warmer temps
Internet: $99
Gas: $225
Water: $70
Loan Payments:
Car payment: $368
Husband’s student loans: $500 (sometimes he pays more if he can)
Other:
Car insurance: $221
Cell phone: $225
Subscriptions: HBO Max: $20; Netflix: $19; Apple TV: $14; Reddit: $7; Spotify: $13; Peacock: $8.50; Amazon Prime: $16
Pet supplies: $130
Husband’s Personal Expenses:
Gym memberships & personal trainer: $350
My Personal Expenses:
Apple Music: $12
Clothing subscription: $98
Savings contribution: $700
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?
Yes — my parents did not go to college, so there was an expectation. However, it was not strictly required that I go to college. I went to art school for undergrad, where I received several academic and housing scholarships, took out $15,000 in student loans, and my parents helped with off-campus housing expenses. I also went to graduate school, which my full-time job paid for 60% of, and the rest I paid for through $12,000 in loans.
Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent(s) educate you about finances?
My parents didn’t really educate me about finances. My parents did set me up with a checking account when I got my first job at 16. Then at 18 they set me up with my first credit card (which I still use!) that I used for college expenses, and my dad paid it off while I was in school. Otherwise, I learned on my own how to budget my money.
What was your first job and why did you get it?
My first job was at TJ Maxx, the chain retail store, at the age of 16. I got it to earn extra money to buy things for myself. My mom was a stay-at-home parent, and my dad was our primary income source. When I would come home from college for the summer, I would go back to TJ Maxx and work to save money for college expenses.
Did you worry about money growing up?
A little bit. I knew that my dad made a good amount of money for me, my brothers, and mom, but since he works in the construction world, there were times we couldn’t afford certain larger purchases. As I got older, I became more mindful of the costs of the things I requested from my parents. We would bargain shop a lot with coupons or find deals.
Do you worry about money now?
I think everyone worries about money to a small degree. I struggled through my late 20s and early 30s living solo on a small paycheck, and worried about money A LOT. I reached a point where I had no money, maxed out my credit card, and had to move back in with my parents. But now, I feel comfortably stable about being able to pay for monthly expenses, contribute to savings, and also be able to enjoy a few luxuries in life.
At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net?
When I was 24 years old, I moved out of my parents’ house after returning home from undergrad and was fully financially on my own. Now at the age of 40, my husband and I do have a financial safety net. His parents were in the medical field, and his dad made a very decent living. If something were to happen, I know my in-laws would step in to help. My husband and I also have four months of expenses saved in the event one (or both of us) lost our jobs.
Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain.
I received inherited income from my grandmother. Before she passed away, my mom had power of attorney and gifted $10,000 to each of my grandmother’s six grandkids. She passed right after I graduated with my bachelor’s degree, so I used most of the money to buy my first car, which I had for 18 years.
Day One: Saturday
6:00 a.m. — My alarm goes off and I take my daily birth control pill. I lay in bed a little bit longer as I didn’t sleep well last night and tossed and turned from 2:30 a.m. onwards. My husband, B., was also up around 2:30 and had gotten back in bed around 4:30. Both of us are out of bed by 6:30 and B. makes some coffee for us while I feed the cat breakfast. I take my coffee with oat milk and B. likes his black. I then turn on the TV to catch up on my weekly shows. We love food, so we have been watching Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy.
7:15 a.m. — B. makes breakfast for me — scrambled eggs and an English muffin with peanut butter. He’s going for a bike ride soon, so he’s not having breakfast now. B. also cooks most of our meals since he used to be a professional chef — lucky me! I cook dinner on Wednesdays and Sundays.
10:35 a.m. — B. goes to the grocery store since I have to leave soon for my hair appointment. He gets kombucha, apples, bananas, carrots, greens, cucumber, oat milk (for me), chicken, ground turkey, chicken sausage, yogurt, macaroni and cheese, granola bars, Chex Mix and Fritos (for me), seltzer, and stuff for dinner (basil, mirepoix, ground meatloaf mix, ricotta, marinara). We use a shared grocery list app on our phones, and earlier I added items I need and most of our staples. Before shopping, we go on the GIANT grocery store app and clip any coupons. At the store, B. scans his reward card for $1 in grocery dollars, then with the coupons and discounts, he saves us an additional $14.72. $110.54
11:00 a.m. — I quickly eat a leftover slice of pizza from dinner last night before I jump in my car to head to my haircut and color appointment, which is at 12:15 p.m. I get my hair done about once every three months. On the way, I stop to get gas ($46.96), then I pop by FedEx to drop off packages for work. (I had prepaid labels on them already). $46.96
3:15 p.m. — I’m done with my hair appointment. I get highlights and a women’s cut. I went blonder this time since summer is approaching and got a cute, short bob cut. I’ve been with my stylist for a long time, so I give her and the shampoo girls a nice tip. $285
4:40 p.m. — I get back home and B. has washed our towels and the bedsheets! He has dinner in the oven, which is a fancy pasta dinner of stuffed shells. He bought this Italian pasta, Pastificio Di Martino, after watching an episode of Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy last week, so he’s using the large shells — conchiglioni rigati from Campania, Italy. I pour myself a glass of white wine and sit outside on an Adirondack chair, enjoying the warm weather until dinner is ready.
Daily Total: $442.50
Day Two: Sunday
7:00 a.m. — B. makes breakfast for us. He makes a frittata with broccoli, peppers, goat’s cheese, and basil, with fancy olive oil drizzled on top. B. and I were both up at 4 a.m. this morning for no reason.
8:45 a.m. — We leave the house for the day to head to the shore to spend some time with my in-laws. They just came back from being in Florida for six months. On the way, we pick up Starbucks. I get an iced grande caramel macchiato and B. gets an iced coffee. We also pop by my friend’s house to check in on their cats. $10.07
10:45 a.m. — We make it to the shore! (Tolls cost us $9.60 to get here). We catch up with my in-laws for an hour — we help bring up the flowers and soil for the deck planters that my mother-in-law purchased. There’s not much at the house to eat yet, so B. and I go to Chipotle and get chicken bowls ($25.96). $35.56
5:00 p.m. — We sit down to eat dinner that B. has cooked. He always cooks for everyone when we are at the shore house. We leave right after dinner to head home since it takes us an hour and 45 minutes to get home. We take the cheaper toll route home ($8.37), otherwise, it would cost us $18! $8.37
7:00 p.m. — When we get home, I feed the cat his wet food and we prepare for work the next day. I notice that the cat’s dry food is low, so I order it separately from his recurring order. $31.73
Daily Total: $85.73
Day Three: Monday
6:00 a.m. — My alarm goes off and I take my pill. I really don’t want to get out of bed and go to work. I hit the snooze button at least three more times and then finally get out of bed at 6:30. I shower and get ready for work to be out the door by 7:40.
8:00 — I make coffee at the office. I brought my own oat milk and leave it in the work fridge. I don’t usually eat breakfast during the week, but I end up eating the snack I brought.
11 a.m. — Today has been a chaotic mess at work. I spent the morning rescheduling meetings; there was a homeless guy outside the building bothering people, a spam number kept calling the office number (which I answer), and then the clothing company across the hall accidentally had 30 boxes delivered using our office suite number. I had to meet the FedEx driver and get him access to the loading dock, which caused me to miss my boss’s messages regarding the rescheduled meetings. When I finally checked the FedEx packages, I realized every box was actually for the company across the hall. Needless to say, I wasn’t thrilled with them.
1:45 p.m. — I finally sit down to eat lunch. I brought a salad I made from home: greens, carrots, cucumber, hummus, chicken, a boiled egg, and some homemade dressing.
5:40 p.m. — Home from work and B. has dinner almost ready. He cooked sausage, broccoli, and macaroni and cheese. After dinner, I drive over to my friend D.’s house, which is nearby, to return her tree trimmer that we borrowed. I also stop at Walgreens to pick up my prescription refill. $18.31
Daily Total: $18.31
Day Four: Tuesday
6:00 a.m. — As usual, my alarm goes off and I take my pill. I carry on with my usual morning routine.
8 a.m. — I arrive at the office, but no breakfast for me. I just have a coffee with oat milk.
11:30 a.m. — My coworker says she’s going to order from Wawa for lunch and asks if I want anything, so I order a breaded chicken Caesar wrap. I didn’t have time to pack lunch this morning, so this works out nicely.
11:50 a.m. — The order arrives and I eat lunch in the kitchen. I Venmo my coworker $10 for lunch.
12:15 p.m. — I’m back at my desk working because there’s so much to do. This Thursday we are having a baby shower for another colleague who’s having a baby girl. I handle most of the internal and external events for my company, so I’m pretty much on my own planning and preparing for this shower. $10
Details
5:00 p.m. — On my way home from work, I stop at the grocery store to pick up some ingredients to make a few appetizers for the baby shower at work on Thursday. I only have a $200 budget for food and decorations for 20 people, so I decide to make a few dishes (in addition to ordering some things) to get more bang for my buck. The theme is ‘garden picnic’, so I decide to make deviled eggs, pasta salad, and a veggie tray. I pick up 1.5 dozen eggs, baby carrots, cucumber, peppers, orzo, feta, red onion, cherry tomatoes, hummus, lemonade, lemons, and a $25 Starbucks gift card for the game prize. They don’t have a few items I want, so I will have to go to the GIANT near work tomorrow. $52.83 (Expensed)
5:45 p.m. — I’m back home and B. has dinner cooking because he’s a great husband and he gets home before me most days. He’s making a ground turkey bowl with brown rice. After dinner, B. insists on boiling and peeling the eggs for the deviled eggs I want to make for the baby shower — such a good guy I got here!
7:00 p.m. — I pour myself a glass of wine after doing a few things around the house and put on Top Chef to relax. B. scheduled a swim lesson with a trainer for this Saturday, which he had to prepay for ($50). He’s training for a race that involves swimming, running, and biking. $50
Daily Total: $60
Day Five: Wednesday
6:00 a.m. — Same alarm time and same routine for getting ready for work. No, I still don’t eat breakfast and I always make coffee at work.
11:45 a.m. — I order lunch from Grubhub and get a poke bowl. $21.30
12:30 p.m. — It arrives and I sit at the work kitchen table with my coworker and we eat our lunches.
1:00 p.m. — After lunch, I head to the GIANT near work to get a few things for the baby shower that I couldn’t get last night. They have Martinelli’s Sparkling Blush and frozen raspberries that I need. $21.06 (expensed)
5:25 p.m. — I’m home from work and B. has already ordered Mexican takeout for dinner. Today is usually my day to make dinner, but I have to make deviled eggs and pasta salad for tomorrow, which is why we decided to order takeout. A. orders three chicken tacos, I get a massive burrito, and we split a churro. $53.28
6:25 p.m. — As I wrap up eating my burrito, B. brings in a FedEx package and just looks at me. I know what it is. My birthday is in a week’s time and he was teasing me on Sunday that he finally bought my birthday gift. I immediately open it and it’s a Kindle Scribe! I’ve been reading more lately since I joined the book club at work. I can also use it when traveling to keep notes on my crochet and knit patterns, too. After all that excitement, I start making the pasta salad and deviled eggs.
Daily Total: $74.58
Day Six: Thursday
6:00 a.m. — My alarm goes off and it’s hard to get out of bed this morning. I get up a little earlier than usual since I have to pack everything I’m bringing to work for the baby shower, which is today!
8:00 a.m — I arrive at work and make my coffee with oat milk as usual. No breakfast for me, but I do have a mini blueberry muffin that my coworker brings in.
12:15 p.m. — I run out around lunch to pick up the tomato pie, the pretzel nugget tray, and a last-minute BJ’s Wholesale Club order for work. The pretzels and BJ’s order are prepaid with the company card, but I have to pay cash for the tomato pie. It’s the best in our area! $20 (Expensed)
1:05 p.m. — On my way back to the office, I stop and get gas in my car as my tank is really low. Gas has been high lately — it’s $4.51 per gallon at the Liberty Gas Station I go to, which is low for my area. $51
1:20 p.m. — I get back to the office and a coworker helps me unload everything. I also eat the salad I packed for lunch as I’m starving.
2 p.m. — I start setting up for the baby shower.
6:30 p.m. — The work baby shower was a hit! I’m exhausted, though. I’m finally home, waiting for B. to finish dinner. While waiting for dinner, I buy a case for my new Amazon Scribe ($24.47).
8:00 p.m. — I relax for the rest of the night until bedtime. (B. also got gas in his car today after work ($31.58)).
Daily Total: $107.05
Day Seven: Friday
6:00 a.m. — I’m alive! My alarm goes off as usual and I start a new pack of pills.
7:30 a.m. — I leave for work around 7:30 and say goodbye to B. and our cat. B. works remotely on Fridays — lucky him! On my way, I treat myself to some Starbucks. I get my usual grande caramel macchiato with oat milk and a bacon/gouda sandwich, too. $11.66
12:25 p.m. — Since this weekend will be Memorial Day Weekend, my work gives us a half day, in addition to Monday off — yay! I finish a few things, then check to see who is left in the office before locking the doors.
1:00 p.m. — I get home and B. is still on the couch where I left him, attempting to work. I brought him a couple slices of leftover tomato pie. I order some sushi for lunch since we don’t have much in the house. I’m really hungry, so I get a shrimp tempura roll, salmon roll, gyoza, and shrimp shumai. $40
2:45 p.m. — B. goes to the grocery store to get stuff to make pulled BBQ chicken for my parents’ Memorial Day Party and a few items for us to get through the weekend: hot dogs, buns, potato salad, kombucha, mac and cheese, bananas, kiwis, Chex Mix, onions, four packs of chicken, chicken stock, Sweet Baby Ray’s, and frozen pizzas ($109.26). While he’s gone, I preorder cannolis to bring to a housewarming we are attending on Saturday. $109.26
5:40 p.m. — B. makes the frozen pizzas for dinner. I pour myself a glass of wine.
7:00 p.m. — After dinner, I order yarn to fix my aunt’s crochet blanket I made her a couple of years ago ($19.06). Her puppy put a hole in one of the granny squares, which damaged mostly the yellow rows. Of course, I don’t have any of that yarn left. I end up finding it on an online website and then have to pay almost $10 for shipping. So much for fixing it before I see my aunt on Sunday! $19.06
Daily Total: $179.98
The Breakdown
Conclusion:
This was a unique week that included events and purchases that aren’t standard in an average week for me. I did spend more than usual, but a few expenses were reimbursed from work. After writing this Money Diary, I realized that most of our purchases are food-related. It doesn’t surprise me because my husband and I love food, and he used to be a chef and loves cooking. I do want to order less takeout for lunch in the future, though. I used to have better habits when it came to bringing lunch to work, so I would like to get back to that. I had a lot of fun writing this Money Diary and would definitely do it again!
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