A Week in Seattle on a $50,000 Salary
A Week in Seattle on a $50,000 Salary
Welcome to Spending Notes, where we do a weekly deep dive into how our readers spend their cash.
Today: a marketing assistant who makes $50,000 a year
Occupation: marketing assistant
Age: 24
Location: Seattle
Salary: $50,000 (approx. $2,500 per pay period)
Day One
I’m currently working as a marketing assistant for a local retirement community here in Seattle. “Marketing assistant” is really just a fancy title for someone who does whatever the marketing manager, S., needs to delegate. A lot of my workday is spent following up on leads on her behalf. I also put together advertising materials like brochures, welcome baskets, and tour packets. I bought a cup of coffee on my way to work today.
Total: $3.50
Day Two
Our electricity bill is due. I have two roommates, B. and N., and we split the cost of rent, internet, and other utilities. Living in Seattle is as pricey as they say it is, so I’m glad most of my expenses are split three ways.
Total: $26
Day Three
S. took me out to lunch, and we mostly talked about work. She has been telling me to put together a gift box for a person who helped her with a few leads. I suggested a succulent gift delivery and a soy candle. Cactus plants make for great gifts because they’re low-maintenance. Websites like Lively Root also offer next-day delivery. S. texted me the personal gift message for the card and paid for lunch.
Total: $0
Day Four
I have to give three facility tours to potential residents later. Whenever S. works on the field, I’m responsible for showing people around. The facility I work in has a great dining hall, but sometimes, my schedule is packed, and the kitchen is only open for designated mealtimes. So, I order lunch through a food delivery app. Thankfully, it isn’t always too hectic for me. While I am a marketing assistant, I think I got really lucky with a manager like S. who is a bit of a workaholic. Even when I get off work an hour late, I still see her typing away on her computer.
Total: $17
Day Five
Today, I had already scheduled PTO for a doctor’s appointment. It’s for my annual eye exam. I usually get my eyes dilated, so I can’t really go back to work afterward. B. is off today, so she made us all biscuits and gravy. Then, she picked me up from the doctor’s office. There was a small copay for my eye exam.
Total: $10
Day Six
I spent my day at home. N. works as a financial analyst and has been helping me with investing in my future. I found a stock called Alamos Gold (AGI), and we’ve been looking through the third-quarter results together. This year, I’ve been trying to work on my financial literacy, and Alamos Gold has a strong portfolio. In addition to Canada, Alamos Gold Inc. also has a gold mining project in the U.S. Getting investor alerts is really useful to keep track of AGI’s performance.
Total: $0
Day Seven
It’s “Sunday Funday,” as my roomies like to call it. We’re going to see a movie. But instead of buying snacks at the theater, we’re stopping by a local convenience store on the way and stuffing our purses like all smart women do. No one wants to pay $20 for popcorn and a box of M&Ms when it’s only $1 at Walgreens. I got a box of candy, a bag of chips, and a Dr. Pepper. We are also planning to walk around Pike Place and get Piroshky Piroshky to end our afternoon. It’s a great way for us to hang out and have some fun before another work week.
Total: $26.50
