A Week in New Jersey on a $35,000 Salary

Welcome to Spending Notes, where we do a weekly deep dive into how our readers spend their cash.

Today, a receptionist who makes $35,000 a year in New Jersey spends some of her money on a gaming headset.

Occupation: Receptionist

Age: 27

Location: New Jersey, United States

Salary: $35,000 (approx. $1,300 per pay period)

Day One

I start my Mondays by having a light breakfast before heading into the office. Then, I spent my day answering calls and setting up appointments. After work, I went home to enjoy the peace and quiet and play some video games. I love to play online, but my headset stopped working. So, I hopped on the internet and started searching for the best wireless gaming headset. After some research, I went with the EKSA E910 wireless gaming headset. Once I’d finished shopping, I played some games and went to bed.

Total: $95.99

Day Two

On Tuesday, I went to work to find we were celebrating a coworker’s birthday. We had a fantastic time, and it was a wonderful break from the day-to-day grind that I’m used to. Once I’d completed my work and got home, I decided to take a relaxing shower. It was nice, but there are some needed upgrades I’ve wanted to make for a while. Afterward, I took to the internet again and searched, “New Jersey replacement shower.” I found a reliable contractor and set up a free consultation later in the week. I’ve lived in this house for a few years now, so I figure it’s probably time to start adding more personal touches to the place anyway.

Total: $0.00

Day Three

Work was relatively uneventful on Wednesday. I answered a few calls, had a quick meeting around lunch, and went home. I realized I’d forgotten to pay my cell phone bill on Monday, so I did that online after I arrived. Once I got settled, I had dinner and hopped on my favorite online video game, Call of Duty: Vanguard, and enjoyed myself for a couple of hours before bed.

Total: $56.11

Day Four

We had several new, potential clients coming into the office on Thursday, so I prepped to meet and greet them as they arrived for a meeting with our regional manager. It was a pretty typical day in the office overall. Once I got home from work, I saw my new gaming headset had arrived. I was thrilled to open it and try it out. It worked amazingly, and I think it will become my new favorite.

Total: $0.00

Day Five

I put in a request for a half-day at work for Friday earlier in the week to be home in time for my shower replacement consultation. The contractor arrived on time, and we took a stroll through my bathroom. I described everything I wanted to update and replace, and he offered a reasonable quote. I scheduled the work to start next week. I’m excited to see how my bathroom turns out. Afterward, I took a break from my usual online gaming, ordered a pizza, and caught up on some of my favorite shows before bed.

Total: $12.98

Day Six

With the weekend finally here, I went out for a spa day to relax. There’s an excellent place not too far from my house that I like to visit from time to time. I had a fantastic massage, manicure, and pedicure to wrap a beautiful day. After my spa visit, I went home and turned in for the evening.

Total: $275.00

Day Seven

On Sunday, I met my parents to go to church together. Then, we had a nice lunch and spent some time together at their house catching up. I stopped by the grocery store to pick up a few necessities and fill up my car’s gas tank on the way home. Later, I played a few games and went to bed to start a new week.

Total: $75.28

Weekly Total: $515.36