Welcome to Money Diaries, where we're tackling what might be the last taboo facing modern working women: money. Each week, we ask a millennial woman how she spends her hard-earned money during a seven-day period — and we're tracking every last cent. (Thanks, New York Mag, for the inspiration.)
This week, a fashion editor is hopping to over 25 shows for Fashion Week.
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Industry: Fashion
Location: Manhattan, New York City
Number of Roommates: 2
Salary: $65,000
Age: 25
Monthly Expenses:
Rent: $1,325
Utilities (Electricity, etc.): $80
Transportation: $116.50 (Monthly MTA)
Phone Bill: N/A (On parents' plan)
Equinox Membership: $160
Kim Kardashian West App: $2.99
9:40 a.m.: I take an Uber to work. $14.86
1:30 p.m.: Tuna sandwich and chai tea at Blue Spoon. $14.50
2:30 p.m.: I take a cab to the Brother Vellies show and Yeezy. A coworker pays.
6:15 p.m.: Subway back to work. $3, because I forgot my Metro Card. Ugh.
6:45 p.m.: Subway to a free Beyoncé dance class at New York Sports Club for a NYFW event with Adidas.
8:00 p.m.: Avocado toast and water for dinner at the event (free).
8:15 p.m.: Cab home for $10.30. Since it was a work event, I expense this.
Total: $37.42 ($47.72, minus $10.30)
11:50 a.m.: Uber to Tanya Taylor's presentation in Soho. $11.97 (expensed)
12:45 p.m.: Walk to the Jason Wu show, since it's only a few blocks away.
2:00 p.m.: Subway back to work.
2:30 p.m.: Late lunch: Avocado toast from Le Pain Quotidien. $11.44
5:45 p.m.: I take the subway to the Monse show in Chelsea.
6:45 p.m.: Walk to the Woolmark Prize awards a few blocks away.
7:45 p.m.: Uber with a coworker to Rihanna's FENTY x Puma show in Financial District (she pays).
9:00 p.m.: Uber home for $27.38. Damn surge pricing. Expensed.
9:30 p.m.: Cereal for dinner.
Total: $11.44 ($59.24, minus all the cab rides for work)
12:00 p.m.: Bagels and coffee for me and my boyfriend via Seamless. $21.20
1:30 p.m.: Uber to the Tibi show — a coworker picks me up.
2:45 p.m.: Walk to Mara Hoffman around the corner.
3:00 p.m.: Quick coffee at Intelligentsia Coffee. $4.50
4:00 p.m.: Uber back home. $17.81 (expensed)
5:45 p.m.: Uber to Baja East show. So much SURGE PRICING. $26.55 (expensed)
6:45 p.m.: Walk home. I almost freeze.
8:30 p.m.: Dinner at Resto with friends visiting the city. $53.27
Total: $78.97 ($123.33, minus cab rides)
12:00 p.m.: Brunch at Westville. But my best friend pays, because she can expense it.
1 to 4 p.m.: My best friend, who also works in fashion, has a car for the day. I hop in with her to hit up a few more shows: Hood by Air, J.Crew, LaQuan Smith, to name a few. I walk to the new Barneys downtown location afterwards for its opening event.
4:45 p.m.: I grab a cab to Pink Olive for a Valentine's Day card, because I am late on life. $14.63
4:45 p.m.: Pink Olive doesn't have change for a $50, so I buy two cards to hit the $10 credit card minimum. $11.98
5:00 p.m.: Cab home from Pink Olive. $20.75 (expensed)
7:45 p.m.: I stop by Duane Reade to pick up my monthly refills. $12.76
8 p.m.: Dinner at Le Parisien for Valentine's Day with my boyfriend. We had a lot of wine and split the bill, because #feminism. $88
10 p.m.: Uber to The Carlyle for some post-Valentine's Day drinks. $10.80
10:20 p.m.: The Carlyle has a wait and a cover charge, so we walk to The Mark Hotel nearby for a. Lot. Of. Alcohol. (Boyfriend paid)
1:30 a.m.: Uber home from The Mark Hotel. $8.98
Total: $147.15 ($200.97, minus cabs)
12:00 p.m.: Bagels and coffee for my boyfriend and I, because we are hungover. $18.74
2:00 p.m.: I ordered three items from Style Lend for upcoming story. $184 (expensed)
2:30 p.m.: Uber to Trump Soho for an interview with Jordyn Woods. $12.49 (expensed)
4:00 p.m.: Walked to Mansur Gavriel presentation, also in Soho.
4:30 p.m.: Uber home for $14.65 (expensed).
7:00 p.m.: Dinner (tacos from Caliente Cab) for me and my boyfriend. $42.93
Total: $61.67 ($272.81, minus cabs)
10:45 a.m.: Uber to Vera Wang. $7.00 (expensed)
11:15 a.m.: Walk to Rodarte. I was being frugal and trying to appreciate the warmish weather. This was a mistake, as I got caught in the rainstorm and broke not one, but two, umbrellas.
12:45 p.m.: Cab to Le Pain ($9.30, expensed) for lunch (avocado toast and large mint lemonade $19.33). There was no option of walking. There was a monsoon outside.
1:45 p.m.: Uber to Gypsy Sport $11.16 (expensed). Then, I hop in my friend's car (again) to Alice + Olivia and A.P.C.
4:45 p.m.: Uber home for $23.34 (expensed).
8:00 p.m.: Dinner at boyfriend’s parents' place. Walked there and back.
Total: $24.38 ($75.18, minus cabs)
12:45 p.m.: Le Pain again for lunch (avocado toast and large chai). $17.69
1:30 p.m.: Cab to office. $16.30 (expensed)
4 p.m.: I walk to a meeting with Scout Willis.
4:50 p.m.: Take the subway to Marchesa and Anna Sui, both at the same Midtown venues.
6:45 p.m.: Uber with my friend to her apartment (she paid).
8:00 p.m.: Dinner at Morandi. $50.08
10:30 p.m.: Cab home for $11.30.
11:30 p.m.: I buy a book for research for work. $12.99
Total: $92.06 ($108.36, minus cabs)
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Without deducting expensed items, the total for this week's diary is $887.61.
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.
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?
A Yelp Employee Wrote A Plea For A Salary Increase That Got Her Fired
Why I Was Happy To Return To Work A Month After My Son Was Born
Update: Starbucks Changes Its Rewards Program
This week, a fashion editor is hopping to over 25 shows for Fashion Week.
Industry: Fashion
Location: Manhattan, New York City
Number of Roommates: 2
Salary: $65,000
Age: 25
Monthly Expenses:
Rent: $1,325
Utilities (Electricity, etc.): $80
Transportation: $116.50 (Monthly MTA)
Phone Bill: N/A (On parents' plan)
Equinox Membership: $160
Kim Kardashian West App: $2.99
Day One
9:30 a.m.: Iced chai from Gregorys Coffee. They didn’t have food, so I skipped breakfast. $5.069:40 a.m.: I take an Uber to work. $14.86
1:30 p.m.: Tuna sandwich and chai tea at Blue Spoon. $14.50
2:30 p.m.: I take a cab to the Brother Vellies show and Yeezy. A coworker pays.
6:15 p.m.: Subway back to work. $3, because I forgot my Metro Card. Ugh.
6:45 p.m.: Subway to a free Beyoncé dance class at New York Sports Club for a NYFW event with Adidas.
8:00 p.m.: Avocado toast and water for dinner at the event (free).
8:15 p.m.: Cab home for $10.30. Since it was a work event, I expense this.
Total: $37.42 ($47.72, minus $10.30)
Day Two
11:00 a.m.: Day two of Fashion Week for me. I Uber to the Novis show at Pier 59. $8.45 (expensed)11:50 a.m.: Uber to Tanya Taylor's presentation in Soho. $11.97 (expensed)
12:45 p.m.: Walk to the Jason Wu show, since it's only a few blocks away.
2:00 p.m.: Subway back to work.
2:30 p.m.: Late lunch: Avocado toast from Le Pain Quotidien. $11.44
5:45 p.m.: I take the subway to the Monse show in Chelsea.
6:45 p.m.: Walk to the Woolmark Prize awards a few blocks away.
7:45 p.m.: Uber with a coworker to Rihanna's FENTY x Puma show in Financial District (she pays).
9:00 p.m.: Uber home for $27.38. Damn surge pricing. Expensed.
9:30 p.m.: Cereal for dinner.
Total: $11.44 ($59.24, minus all the cab rides for work)
Day Three
10:30 a.m.: Subway to morning presentations because I'm feeling guilty.12:00 p.m.: Bagels and coffee for me and my boyfriend via Seamless. $21.20
1:30 p.m.: Uber to the Tibi show — a coworker picks me up.
2:45 p.m.: Walk to Mara Hoffman around the corner.
3:00 p.m.: Quick coffee at Intelligentsia Coffee. $4.50
4:00 p.m.: Uber back home. $17.81 (expensed)
5:45 p.m.: Uber to Baja East show. So much SURGE PRICING. $26.55 (expensed)
6:45 p.m.: Walk home. I almost freeze.
8:30 p.m.: Dinner at Resto with friends visiting the city. $53.27
Total: $78.97 ($123.33, minus cab rides)
Day Four
10:45 a.m.: Uber to Public School. It's one degree outside. $33.07 (expensed)12:00 p.m.: Brunch at Westville. But my best friend pays, because she can expense it.
1 to 4 p.m.: My best friend, who also works in fashion, has a car for the day. I hop in with her to hit up a few more shows: Hood by Air, J.Crew, LaQuan Smith, to name a few. I walk to the new Barneys downtown location afterwards for its opening event.
4:45 p.m.: I grab a cab to Pink Olive for a Valentine's Day card, because I am late on life. $14.63
4:45 p.m.: Pink Olive doesn't have change for a $50, so I buy two cards to hit the $10 credit card minimum. $11.98
5:00 p.m.: Cab home from Pink Olive. $20.75 (expensed)
7:45 p.m.: I stop by Duane Reade to pick up my monthly refills. $12.76
8 p.m.: Dinner at Le Parisien for Valentine's Day with my boyfriend. We had a lot of wine and split the bill, because #feminism. $88
10 p.m.: Uber to The Carlyle for some post-Valentine's Day drinks. $10.80
10:20 p.m.: The Carlyle has a wait and a cover charge, so we walk to The Mark Hotel nearby for a. Lot. Of. Alcohol. (Boyfriend paid)
1:30 a.m.: Uber home from The Mark Hotel. $8.98
Total: $147.15 ($200.97, minus cabs)
Day Five
10:50 a.m.: I walk to Tommy Hilfiger and walk back since it's just down the street from my apartment.12:00 p.m.: Bagels and coffee for my boyfriend and I, because we are hungover. $18.74
2:00 p.m.: I ordered three items from Style Lend for upcoming story. $184 (expensed)
2:30 p.m.: Uber to Trump Soho for an interview with Jordyn Woods. $12.49 (expensed)
4:00 p.m.: Walked to Mansur Gavriel presentation, also in Soho.
4:30 p.m.: Uber home for $14.65 (expensed).
7:00 p.m.: Dinner (tacos from Caliente Cab) for me and my boyfriend. $42.93
Total: $61.67 ($272.81, minus cabs)
Day Six
10:30 a.m.: Iced chai from Gregorys. $5.0610:45 a.m.: Uber to Vera Wang. $7.00 (expensed)
11:15 a.m.: Walk to Rodarte. I was being frugal and trying to appreciate the warmish weather. This was a mistake, as I got caught in the rainstorm and broke not one, but two, umbrellas.
12:45 p.m.: Cab to Le Pain ($9.30, expensed) for lunch (avocado toast and large mint lemonade $19.33). There was no option of walking. There was a monsoon outside.
1:45 p.m.: Uber to Gypsy Sport $11.16 (expensed). Then, I hop in my friend's car (again) to Alice + Olivia and A.P.C.
4:45 p.m.: Uber home for $23.34 (expensed).
8:00 p.m.: Dinner at boyfriend’s parents' place. Walked there and back.
Total: $24.38 ($75.18, minus cabs)
Day Seven
9:30 a.m.: Cereal for breakfast.12:45 p.m.: Le Pain again for lunch (avocado toast and large chai). $17.69
1:30 p.m.: Cab to office. $16.30 (expensed)
4 p.m.: I walk to a meeting with Scout Willis.
4:50 p.m.: Take the subway to Marchesa and Anna Sui, both at the same Midtown venues.
6:45 p.m.: Uber with my friend to her apartment (she paid).
8:00 p.m.: Dinner at Morandi. $50.08
10:30 p.m.: Cab home for $11.30.
11:30 p.m.: I buy a book for research for work. $12.99
Total: $92.06 ($108.36, minus cabs)
Without deducting expensed items, the total for this week's diary is $887.61.
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.
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?
A Yelp Employee Wrote A Plea For A Salary Increase That Got Her Fired
Why I Was Happy To Return To Work A Month After My Son Was Born
Update: Starbucks Changes Its Rewards Program