A Week In Philadelphia, PA, On A $13,500 Salary

📋 The basics

I am a 25-year-old Graduate Assistant and part-time nanny living in Philadelphia. My main income is a $13,500 stipend (paid over nine months), which I supplement with about $600 a month from nannying. My boyfriend is a professor and Ph.D. student, and we split most of our living costs right down the middle.

• 🏠 Rent: $500 (my half of $1,000)
• 🏥 Health Insurance: $98 (Marketplace PPO)
• 💳 Debt: $150 (minimum payment on $3,500 CC debt from dental/vet emergencies)
• 🐱 Cat stuff: $50
• ⚡ Utilities: ~$45 for electric, ~$50 for gas
• 📺 Subs: $9 for Netflix, $13 for HBO
• 💰 Savings: $150 (my monthly goal)

💸 This week's damage

Total spending: $162.09

• 🛒 Groceries: $92.59 (Split between Trader Joe's and Whole Foods)
• ☕ Coffee/Snacks: $20.50
• 🍺 Social/Dining: $21.50 (Mostly a celebratory end-of-semester brewery trip)
• 🚗 Transport: $20.00 (Gas and a couple of SEPTA trips)

I also made $45.50 this week selling clothes on Depop, which I usually stash away for gifts or "frivolous" things I can't justify on my stipend.

🧐 The bigger picture

Living on a grad stipend is a constant balancing act. This week felt relatively "expensive" because I had to hit the grocery store twice and went out with classmates to celebrate finishing the semester. I am finally seeing a doctor for the first time in five years thanks to my marketplace insurance, which feels like a huge adult milestone, even if the SEPTA fare to get there pinched a little.

My boyfriend and I have a good system for splitting food. We do the bulk of our shopping at Trader Joe's for staples and hit Whole Foods for the specific stuff like kefir and goat cheese. I try to be good about bringing my own coffee, but sometimes a $3 black coffee is the only thing getting me through a late morning.

🏁 Final thoughts

The credit card debt is definitely the dark cloud hanging over my head. It all came from "life happens" moments (emergency vet visits and dental work), and paying just the minimum feels like running in place. However, I am proud that I am still hitting my $150 savings goal most months. Being a grad student in a high-cost-of-living world is tough, but having a partner to split the $1,000 rent makes this life possible. Without that 50/50 split, I would be in a much tighter spot.