A Week In Philadelphia, PA, On A $895,000 Joint Income

The background

I am a 35-year-old compliance counsel living in Philadelphia with my husband, T., and our two daughters, S. and H. Our joint income is roughly $895,000, which comes from my $145,000 salary and T.’s business income. We have a net worth of about $2.1 million, much of which is tied up in our $2 million home and our retirement accounts.

My relationship with money is deeply colored by my upbringing. I grew up in a household where money was tight, and that scarcity mindset never quite leaves you, even when you are making mid-six figures. I am the primary financial support for my mother, who lives with us, and I send money monthly to family members abroad to cover rent and school fees. Because I know what it feels like to have nothing, I am hyper-aware of my financial independence. Even though T. and I have a very comfortable life, I still track my spending and look for deals.

A week of comfort spending

This week was a whirlwind of balancing back-to-back meetings with the emotional weight of the current political climate. On Tuesday, after the news of the Roe v. Wade overturn, I felt a desperate need to do something concrete. I donated $2,500 to the Abortion Liberation Fund of PA. It is a large sum, but direct cash assistance for reproductive healthcare feels like a necessity right now.

To decompress, T. and I leaned into our love of the Philly food scene. We had a $315 seafood dinner where we debated legal analysis over oysters and octopus. Later in the week, we did a $675 omakase date night. We have a disagreement about our next vacation (California versus visiting family), and while the sushi was incredible, the argument remained unresolved. We ended that night at the bar where we had our first date, sipping $65 glasses of wine and talking about the future.

The big purchase

I have a weakness for designer bags, but I rarely buy them at full retail price. I’ve been eyeing a red mini Lady Dior for ages. On Saturday, after a long week of work, T. encouraged me to finally pull the trigger. I found a pre-owned version on Fashionphile for $3,990, which is about 25% off the boutique price. Even with our income, spending four thousand dollars on a handbag feels like a massive indulgence, but it is a piece I know I will keep forever.

What the week revealed

Between the $120 grocery hauls for tapas night and the $290 Nike haul for the girls, this week was expensive. I spent a total of $8,811. While the Dior bag was the biggest outlier, the week reminded me how much of our budget goes toward outsourcing labor (like the $600 for doggy daycare and $360 for the house cleaner) so that we can focus on our careers and our kids. I am grateful for the position we are in, especially being able to provide a soft landing for my mother, but I still find myself checking Rakuten for 10% cash back before I buy sneakers. Old habits die hard.