A Week In Los Angeles, CA, On $15.50 An Hour

📋 The basics

• Age: 32
• Location: Los Angeles, CA
• Occupation: Cheesemonger
• Salary: $15.50/hour + tips (currently working 14 hours/week)
• Net Worth: ~$2,000 in savings (plus a used car worth maybe $9k)
• Debt: $0 (just paid off $1,981.71 in CC debt this week!)

💸 Monthly expenses

• 🏠 Rent: $1,160 (for a room in a 3-bedroom)
• 🏥 Health Insurance: $1 (thanks, Covered California tax credits)
• 🚗 Car Insurance: $47.95
• 🌐 Internet/Utilities: ~$60
• 🧘 Yoga (Patreon + Private): $71
• 📸 Creative Subs (Adobe/Hosting): $17.98
• 📺 Streaming (Disney+/Spotify/HBO): $31.97
• 📰 NY Times: $16.32
• 🎙️ WNYC Donation: $10
• ⚾ MLB Audio: $1.81

🧐 The bigger picture

This week was a total rollercoaster. I have been stressed out of my mind waiting for the EDD (unemployment) to come through. I have been living on my $600 biweekly paychecks and whatever tips I make at the cheese shop. Then, on Monday night, the heavens opened and $9,533 hit my account in back-pay.

I immediately went on a "responsible" spree. I paid off my credit cards in full, which felt better than any drug. I also Venmoed my landlord $720 in back-rent because he was cool enough to let me pay a reduced rate while I was waiting for my benefits.

Once the big bills were settled, the lifestyle creep hit a little bit. I bought two pairs of prescription sunglasses from Zenni because I lost mine months ago and have been squinting ever since. I also dropped $144 on a book haul from Bookshop.org. I know I could go to the library, but I really wanted to support authors and have something physical to hold.

🏁 Final thoughts

Total spending for the week was $3,429.37, but honestly, $2,700 of that was just cleaning up my past mistakes and debt. My partner B. and I even did a little staycation at a hotel downtown to celebrate the financial breathing room.

It feels weird to have money in the bank again. I even put $1 into Uber stock on Robinhood just to see what the hype is about. I am still a cheesemonger making $15.50 an hour, so I know this cushion won't last forever, but for the first time in months, I don't feel like I am drowning.