A Week In Brooklyn, NY, On A $62,000 Salary

🗽 Living the Brooklyn lottery dream

Living in Brooklyn as a managing editor for a nonprofit, making $62,000 a year. Navigating life as a single parent to a daughter, Q., while sharing a home with a partner, C., who works as a freelance photographer. Feeling incredibly lucky to have secured a spot in a luxury building through an affordable housing lottery, which keeps the rent at $2,000 a month. Managing finances with a mix of salary and $1,100 in monthly child support. Holding a net worth of $152,000, largely thanks to a $95,000 IRA and $31,000 in cash savings. Staying disciplined with money, like maxing out retirement contributions every February and using credit card rewards to cover the $135 annual Costco fee.

👓 Practical needs and shared plates

Starting the week with a trip to the optometrist for Q. and myself. Spending $47 as my portion for her two pairs of glasses and adding $53 for a backup pair of bifocals for me. Grabbing a quick $10 breakfast at Starbucks before heading home. Ordering ramen for dinner for $30.03, sharing a bowl of chicken ramen with extra noodles because neither of us are big eaters. Spending Sunday hunting for a mini backpack for Q.’s upcoming travels, snagging one on Amazon for $8.06 after applying an $11 credit. Ending the weekend with a $30.49 dim sum dinner that turns out to be a bit of a letdown.

🥗 Groceries and work perks

Hitting Whole Foods on Monday morning to stock up for the week. Spending $109.72 on a haul that includes swordfish, baby kale, feta, and plenty of fruit like nectarines and kiwi. Using a $15 Prime member promotion to take the edge off the total. Ordering $42.45 worth of Brita filters and computer reading glasses on Tuesday to deal with laptop eye strain. Enjoying a free lunch on Wednesday at a Moroccan cafe, expensing a $70.79 meal of lamb and chicken tagines while saying goodbye to a summer intern. Prepping for a work trip on Thursday by spending $9 on laundry in the building.

🍷 Wrapping up with friends

Heading out on Friday to visit a friend, spending $11 on round-trip subway fares for Q. and me. Sitting down for a casual bistro dinner with a friend and her daughter. Paying $56.57 for our portion of the meal, which includes a Cubano for me, lasagna for Q., and two glasses of rosé. Feeling content with a weekly spend of $398.36. Balancing the high costs of New York City living with smart housing choices and intentional spending on the things that matter, like health, family, and good food.