Living in Laguna Beach on $60K/Year

There is a website called Refinery29 that sends me countless emails every week, and because of the catchy headlines and pithy writing, I am their slave. I click on all the things, and I’m damn happy I do, or else how would I know my weekly horoscope? Or how to spend all my money on skincare? One of the best things about Refinery29 is their “Money Diary” columns that go something like this, “A Week in New York City on a $70,000 Salary.”

These articles are interesting for two reasons: 1) I like that other young people are facing similar financial struggles, and 2) I like that the people featured in these articles often give out little nuggets of advice, like how to set up diversified investments, or how to talk to the man in your life about money issues. Because I love those articles so much, I decided to do one of my own. I tracked all my expenses for a week and here I am, sharing it with the world because nothing screams accountability more than that.

I should note that I actually earn more than $60K because I take on a variety of freelance projects, but they are inconsistent and therefore difficult to track. I’ll know how much I made on a freelance basis by next tax season so check back then. Below is a list of my ongoing expenses.

Rent: $1,326 (share a 2 bed, 2 bath in Laguna Beach. Includes my cat rent of $50.00/month)