Profession: academic advisor
industry: higher education
age: 34
Place: Virginia
Joint Salary: $158,000 (my salary: $44,600). My husband C. and I have completely combined our finances (although his tithing is only based on a percentage of his income). We pay our daily expenses (groceries, gas, Target runs, etc.) as well as a few specific bills up front with a credit card (I have a matching card) and pay it off in full each month from a joint checking account. I put a few hundred dollars into my personal account every pay period to spend on splurge items for myself, gifts for C., etc.
assets: Retirement Balance: About $30,000 in several different accounts. I am a military spouse; we have moved four times in the past five years and I have been at home with my children for the past two and a half years. C. Upon retirement, they will receive a military pension based on their rank when they are approximately 25 years old. Equity: Approximately $223,000. C. We bought a house before we met; I don’t know how much money he actually put down. Savings Account Balance: HYSA (which serves as our emergency fund) has about $30,000. Checking account balance: As of payday at the end of my diary, it’s about $10,000 (about $8,800 from salary and housing allowance). C.’s income is about $113,000, plus we have a monthly housing allowance of just over $2,900. This is a military benefit; it depends on the location of the base, your rank, and whether you have dependents.
debt: Student loan debt: $105,000, but I expect to receive public service loan forgiveness within the next five years. Car loan: $28,000 (we bought a new car in 2022 with a $20,000 down payment).
Salary amount (2x/month): $1,600 (Since writing this, I have also opened 529 accounts for my children, with contributions automatically deducted from my paycheck. I have also adjusted my pension contributions so my take-home pay is more like The salary is $1,400/$2,800 per month, and the children each receive $100 a month up to their 529th.
synonym: she/her
industry: higher education
age: 34
Place: Virginia
Joint Salary: $158,000 (my salary: $44,600). My husband C. and I have completely combined our finances (although his tithing is only based on a percentage of his income). We pay our daily expenses (groceries, gas, Target runs, etc.) as well as a few specific bills up front with a credit card (I have a matching card) and pay it off in full each month from a joint checking account. I put a few hundred dollars into my personal account every pay period to spend on splurge items for myself, gifts for C., etc.
assets: Retirement Balance: About $30,000 in several different accounts. I am a military spouse; we have moved four times in the past five years and I have been at home with my children for the past two and a half years. C. Upon retirement, they will receive a military pension based on their rank when they are approximately 25 years old. Equity: Approximately $223,000. C. We bought a house before we met; I don’t know how much money he actually put down. Savings Account Balance: HYSA (which serves as our emergency fund) has about $30,000. Checking account balance: As of payday at the end of my diary, it’s about $10,000 (about $8,800 from salary and housing allowance). C.’s income is about $113,000, plus we have a monthly housing allowance of just over $2,900. This is a military benefit; it depends on the location of the base, your rank, and whether you have dependents.
debt: Student loan debt: $105,000, but I expect to receive public service loan forgiveness within the next five years. Car loan: $28,000 (we bought a new car in 2022 with a $20,000 down payment).
Salary amount (2x/month): $1,600 (Since writing this, I have also opened 529 accounts for my children, with contributions automatically deducted from my paycheck. I have also adjusted my pension contributions so my take-home pay is more like The salary is $1,400/$2,800 per month, and the children each receive $100 a month up to their 529th.
synonym: she/her
monthly cost
