Welcome to the “My 2 Cents Transaction” Series, a money diary log written by contributors of all different income levels, locations, and occupations. Each contributor will be logging their weekly expenses in either food, lifestyle, or activities/entertainment. This is not meant to flaunt what other people are doing or how much they are spending but to open the eyes of individuals about money and how to take control of your future finances. Thanks so much for reading as always & if you’d like to be an anonymous contributor feel free to email me at rachelmchow@gmail.com or message me on Insta/Twitter. xx Rae
[caption id="attachment_793" align="aligncenter" width="495"] *calf not from sunny side farms[/caption]
Occupation: College Vet Student Age: 25 Location: Ithaca, NY Salary: $150-200/week Total Spent This Week: $156
Sunday: My vet school family all went out to dinner. We hadn't all been together and sharing a meal for a while, so we went to a nicer place in Ithaca, the Boatyard Grille. I spent $50 for a surf and turf, glass of Pinot Noir, and made sure to tip my waitress well. Definitely not a normal expense; the last time before this was February after an exam. Total Spent: $50
Monday: I had class from 8am to 1pm with additional lunch and dinner lectures held by my club, VBMA, so I didn't have to pay for food today! Monday night, I went food shopping and meal prepped for the week after a gym session - $65 Total Spent: $65
Tuesday: I had class from 8am to 3pm. I studied after class, grabbed a prepped meal at home, then went to work in the small animal emergency room. I fit in a late gym session and got home at 1am. Total Spent: $0
Wednesday: Today was a light class day - 8am to noon. I went to the gym after class, then grabbed a meal at home and studied at school until 10pm. There was a local southwestern restaurant hosting a salsa night, and so I met a few other vet students there. $5 cover, $13 for drinks, $22 total including tip for the night Total Spent: $22
Thursday: Today, class went from 8:30am-noon, but I had an afternoon lab learning about calf management at a local dairy farm, Sunnyside Farms. Afterwards, a couple of vet students stopped by Cream at the Top for some soft serve. $4. I fit in a lift after the lab, grabbed another meal at home, and studied at school at night. Total Spent: $4
Friday: Class went from 8am to 1pm today. I fit in another gym session after class, studied at school until 8pm. My veterinary fraternity was having a formal at a hotel in Ithaca Commons, and my ticket was $5 after dues. We went out to the bars after the event was done and I had another two beers $10, including tip. Total Spent: $10
Saturday: I worked out this morning, then went to school to study. It was such a nice day out that I joined a few friends on a hike at a local national park, then studied some more outside in the backyard. Total Spent: $0
Spending was definitely up this week. I minimize my expenses through making cold brew coffee at home for the week and meal prepping utilizing on sale fruits, vegetables, and meats. Though I need to study a lot for vet school, I also realized my work-life balance achieved through a strict gym regiment and time with friends. Luckily, Ithaca is an affordable city to live in, and great friends makes entertainment more about who I'm with and less about what I do. Though I did overspend a little this week, normally my shifts in the small animal ER will more than cover my cost-of-living and entertainment expenses for the week at about $100. I always put my surplus ($10-40) into my savings.