A Week In Portland, OR On A $108,000 Salary
Welcome to Money Diaries where we are tackling the ever-present taboo that is money. We’re asking real people how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period — and we’re tracking every last dollar.This week: An insights director working in marketing who makes $108,000 per year and spends some of it on a small copper pot for half price. If you’d like to submit your own Money Diary, you can do so via our online form. We pay $150 for each published diary. Apologies but we’re not able to reply to every email. Please note: We are legally unable to publish any diaries that have been written with the use of AI. This Money Diary was written at the start of 2026. Occupation: Insights directorIndustry: MarketingAge: 29Location: Portland, ORSalary: $108,000 plus holiday bonus (it varies — last year it was $2,500)Joint Income/Financial Setup: Combined, my boyfriend and I have a joint income of $240,000. But even though we live/own a house together and split shared household expenses, we keep our accounts completely separate. For the down payment and mortgage, we both contribute proportional amounts to our income. We use Splitwise to repay each other whenever else we’re splitting something.Assets: Checking: ~$400 (I usually keep the balance around this unless I have a credit card payment coming up. I transfer everything else to savings)High-Yield Savings: $19,000Investment Account: $5,025Roth IRA: $127,730401(k): $119,865HSA: $1,500 (just started growing this after having an FSA for many years)Car (KBB value): ~$10,000 (my half)House: $228,900 (my portion)Debt: House: $181,165 (my portion)Paycheck Amount (every other week): $2,286.64 ($4,115.38 minus taxes, insurance, HSA and 401k contributions)Pronouns: She/herMonthly ExpensesHousing Costs: $1,439 (mortgage, property taxes, homeowner insurance, extra $100 towards principle) plus usually ~$250-300 in utilities, depending on time of year (trash/recycling, gas, water, electric, internet)Loan Payments: $0Other monthly expenses:Phone (on a family plan with my mom and sister): $40 ($65/mo. minus $25/mo. work reimbursement)Car insurance: $63.65 (for my half)Spotify: $5 (on family plan)Peloton Digital App: $6.99 (but recently, my credit card has had an offer making it free)Apple storage: $0.99Monthly donations: $70 (Planned Parenthood, The Trevor Project, Anti-Cruelty Society, CAWC Chicago)Streaming services: $0 (I only use services that I get free access to through my credit cards)Was there an expectation for you to attend higher education? Did you participate in any form of higher education? If yes, how did you pay for it?I never really understood that there were options other than going to college after high school. It was later in high school that I realized some classmates didn’t plan on going to college. My parents absolutely expected it, but I also wanted to. My parents paid for two thirds (a third each) of my college tuition and expenses, then I was responsible for the last third. I worked several jobs at a time to avoid taking out any loans. I only considered in-state schools to save money, though. For my Master’s degree, I paid for ~30% out of pocket and my company paid for the rest. It was a part-time online program that I could do while still working full-time. Although I had to stay at my company for two years after graduating (which I did), otherwise I would’ve had to pay it back.Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent(s) educate you about finances?My parents always emphasized saving, so I thought it was fun to deposit money (from birthdays, etc.) into my savings account. I learned to manage my finances on my own in college and always stuck to a strict budget, so I never really needed advice there. Once I got a job after college, my mom helped me set up a Roth IRA and learn about my 401(k). But in recent years, as I’ve wanted to learn more about investing and smart financial decisions, my parents have maxed out their knowledge for financial advice, so I’ve had to learn things on my own now.What was your first job and why did you get it?Other than occasional babysitting, my first job was for my small town’s parks and rec department helping with youth soccer camps and summer rec classes. It was right around when I got my license, so I wanted to have gas and spending money, but also because I knew I needed to start saving for college. Most of my small paychecks went into savings. My first full-time jobs were in the summers during college, until I started my actual career post-graduation.Did you worry about money growing up?I wouldn’t say I worried about it, but I was always aware of it. My parents divorced when I was one, and with both we lived very frugally and consciously. We didn’t buy brand-name groceries; we shopped at thrift stores for clothes, we took road trips when traveling, and we only went out to eat on birthdays/special occasions. But we always had the necessities and a little more. We’
Black News 
Welcome to Money Diaries where we are tackling the ever-present taboo that is money. We’re asking real people how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period — and we’re tracking every last dollar.
This week: An insights director working in marketing who makes $108,000 per year and spends some of it on a small copper pot for half price.
If you’d like to submit your own Money Diary, you can do so via our online form. We pay $150 for each published diary. Apologies but we’re not able to reply to every email. Please note: We are legally unable to publish any diaries that have been written with the use of AI.
This Money Diary was written at the start of 2026.
Occupation: Insights director
Industry: Marketing
Age: 29
Location: Portland, OR
Salary: $108,000 plus holiday bonus (it varies — last year it was $2,500)
Joint Income/Financial Setup: Combined, my boyfriend and I have a joint income of $240,000. But even though we live/own a house together and split shared household expenses, we keep our accounts completely separate. For the down payment and mortgage, we both contribute proportional amounts to our income. We use Splitwise to repay each other whenever else we’re splitting something.
Assets:
Checking: ~$400 (I usually keep the balance around this unless I have a credit card payment coming up. I transfer everything else to savings)
High-Yield Savings: $19,000
Investment Account: $5,025
Roth IRA: $127,730
401(k): $119,865
HSA: $1,500 (just started growing this after having an FSA for many years)
Car (KBB value): ~$10,000 (my half)
House: $228,900 (my portion)
Debt: House: $181,165 (my portion)
Paycheck Amount (every other week): $2,286.64 ($4,115.38 minus taxes, insurance, HSA and 401k contributions)
Pronouns: She/her
Monthly Expenses
Housing Costs: $1,439 (mortgage, property taxes, homeowner insurance, extra $100 towards principle) plus usually ~$250-300 in utilities, depending on time of year (trash/recycling, gas, water, electric, internet)
Loan Payments: $0
Other monthly expenses:
Phone (on a family plan with my mom and sister): $40 ($65/mo. minus $25/mo. work reimbursement)
Car insurance: $63.65 (for my half)
Spotify: $5 (on family plan)
Peloton Digital App: $6.99 (but recently, my credit card has had an offer making it free)
Apple storage: $0.99
Monthly donations: $70 (Planned Parenthood, The Trevor Project, Anti-Cruelty Society, CAWC Chicago)
Streaming services: $0 (I only use services that I get free access to through my credit cards)
Was there an expectation for you to attend higher education? Did you participate in any form of higher education? If yes, how did you pay for it?
I never really understood that there were options other than going to college after high school. It was later in high school that I realized some classmates didn’t plan on going to college. My parents absolutely expected it, but I also wanted to. My parents paid for two thirds (a third each) of my college tuition and expenses, then I was responsible for the last third. I worked several jobs at a time to avoid taking out any loans. I only considered in-state schools to save money, though. For my Master’s degree, I paid for ~30% out of pocket and my company paid for the rest. It was a part-time online program that I could do while still working full-time. Although I had to stay at my company for two years after graduating (which I did), otherwise I would’ve had to pay it back.
Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent(s) educate you about finances?
My parents always emphasized saving, so I thought it was fun to deposit money (from birthdays, etc.) into my savings account. I learned to manage my finances on my own in college and always stuck to a strict budget, so I never really needed advice there. Once I got a job after college, my mom helped me set up a Roth IRA and learn about my 401(k). But in recent years, as I’ve wanted to learn more about investing and smart financial decisions, my parents have maxed out their knowledge for financial advice, so I’ve had to learn things on my own now.
What was your first job and why did you get it?
Other than occasional babysitting, my first job was for my small town’s parks and rec department helping with youth soccer camps and summer rec classes. It was right around when I got my license, so I wanted to have gas and spending money, but also because I knew I needed to start saving for college. Most of my small paychecks went into savings. My first full-time jobs were in the summers during college, until I started my actual career post-graduation.
Did you worry about money growing up?
I wouldn’t say I worried about it, but I was always aware of it. My parents divorced when I was one, and with both we lived very frugally and consciously. We didn’t buy brand-name groceries; we shopped at thrift stores for clothes, we took road trips when traveling, and we only went out to eat on birthdays/special occasions. But we always had the necessities and a little more. We’d usually take some sort of trip/vacation in the summer and I played sports most of the year, too.
Do you worry about money now?
I don’t “worry” about money now, but I’m never not conscious of it (force of habit). I feel like I’m in a comfortable place with my current lifestyle and financial goals, but I always worry about how much it will cost to have kids in the future and ultimately retire.
At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net?
I became financially responsible for myself at 22 when I graduated college and have been ever since. I have a savings safety net of my own, but my boyfriend would be my safety net if needed. Otherwise, my parents could provide support if I absolutely needed it, but I don’t really expect that to ever happen.
Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain.
As mentioned above, my parents paid for two thirds of my undergrad, which allowed me to graduate without loans and I am eternally grateful for it. My mom also gave me my grandparents’ old 20-year-old car when I was 25, which lasted me ~three years until it died and my boyfriend and I bought a new one. I also had a college investment account from when I was a baby that I didn’t end up having to tap into (~$20k), so I used this to fund my Roth IRA for a few years. I don’t have any passive or inherited income now.
Day One: Tuesday
5:45 a.m. — It’s Tuesday today. I wake up and stay in bed too long snuggling with my cat, D. who always seems to settle in as soon as I’m about to get up. I do my usual morning routine: mouthwash, La Roche-Posay cleanser, Belif Aqua Bomb moisturizer, and brush teeth. I toss on my perpetual WFH outfit: leggings and a sweatshirt.
6:30 a.m. — I finally migrate to my home office to start work (technically checking email and messages on my phone starting at 6 a.m.), since I work central hours.
8 a.m. — I take a break to have breakfast. It’s the same every weekday, always: egg wrap with salsa plus chocolate protein oatmeal (and multivitamin gummies). I never get sick of it!
11:30 a.m. — I quickly shovel in my weekly meal-prepped lunch (chicken and broccoli alfredo) before my 12 p.m. meeting. I’m giving an all-company presentation and am trying to also prep and review my notes as I eat.
1 p.m. — Presentation went great and I spend the rest of the workday on different project to-dos while I walk on my walking pad. I call it a day at 2:30 and have clocked a total of 7.8 miles today. Perks of working central hours!
3 p.m. — I have to bring D. to the vet for his annual checkup. My boyfriend, N. helps me trick him into his carrier and D. is furious about it. His appointment only takes 20 minutes and we’re in and out with two quick vaccines, and a stamp of health. It comes to $157.38 in total but N. and I split it. $78.69
4 p.m. — I work out when I get home. We built a full gym in our garage, so we don’t have to pay for (or put up with) public gyms anymore. 10/10 would recommend if you have the space!
5:30 p.m. — Since we bought our house almost a year ago, I’ve been minorly obsessed with home decor and building a space that we really love. But also I hate spending money, so I’m usually at one of the many thrift stores near us one to two times per week shopping! I don’t find much today, but pick up a cute vintage plate and a small copper pot to hang both in our kitchen. The copper pot was supposed to be $6 but the worker said it was one half of a two-piece set, so gave it to me for half price. I’ll take it! $3.99
7 p.m. — Eat dinner and sit down with N. to do some trip planning. We’re planning to go to Italy in August, so we’re trying to finalize flights ASAP. We decide which we’re going to buy but want to give it a few days to see if the price fluctuates at all.
8 p.m. — Surprise! D. throws up all over the floor and then again. We’re not sure if it’s related to the vaccines he got or a hairball situation. After we clean it up, we watch the new A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. It’s no Game of Thrones, but it’s still entertaining!
9 p.m. — Do my nighttime routine — same as morning routine but swap mouthwash for floss. I read my book until I fall asleep. I’m finally reading the Throne of Glass series and I’m on my third one: The Assassin’s Blade. They’re nice easy reads so far. I can see why people like them!
Daily Total: $82.68
Day Two: Wednesday
5:45 a.m. — Wake up, scroll Instagram, and do the NYT Wordle (every day). I get it in three guesses today and feel very accomplished. Then I do my usual morning routine.
6:30 a.m. — I start “working” but get distracted by looking up some home decor inspo and all of a sudden it’s been an hour and a half.
8 a.m. — Breakfast, same as always. Then a usual morning of project work and meetings.
10 a.m. — D. has now thrown up his breakfast all over our bed, so I toss the comforter in the wash. I call the vet to see if they have any advice, but they tell us that it’s likely just a hairball situation and that he should be fine. Keeping a close eye on him!
12 p.m. — Lunch break with my same meal prep as yesterday. N. also made cookie dough last night so I snack on some (too much) of that, too.
2:30 p.m. — The usual work and meetings until the end of the day. 7.4 miles walked today. Pretty good! As if that wasn’t enough, we have a rare PNW sunny February day, so I go for a long walk before doing my workout at home.
6 p.m. — It’s ‘Curry Week’ right now with deals all around the city, so a friend and I head to an unassuming bar to give it a try and catch up on life, careers, etc. We both get the Japanese curry with chicken katsu and a raspberry lime sour beer. Both are fantastic (and a great deal)! $21.22
9 p.m. — Top off dinner with more cookie dough when I get home. Then nighttime routine and reading more of my book until I fall asleep.
Daily Total: $21.22
Day Three: Thursday
5:45 a.m. — Usual morning routine: scroll, Wordle, face/teeth, WFH outfit.
8:30 a.m. — Work and meetings until I take a break for breakfast. Then back to more work and meetings until lunchtime.
12:30 p.m. — Same prepped lunch as before, and then I take a little work break to work on a DIY project with some frames that I’ve been needing to finish, since things have slowed down.
2 p.m. — I call it a day early since I’ve already finished all my work for the day. 7.1 miles walked today! Another beautiful day out so N. and I head out for a post-work walk to enjoy the sunshine.
3:30 p.m. — Between sets of my workout, I prep a new dessert recipe I’ve been wanting to try, chocolate banana pudding cake. It comes out tasting delicious, but the texture isn’t quite as pudding-y as I’d hoped… probably due to my loose interpretation of some of the ingredient amounts and instructions. Oops!
6:30 p.m. — Thursdays mean bar trivia with friends. We go every week! We’ve never won, but we always show up and give it our best. We’re 80% there for the vibes: great hosts, cool people, and tasty drinks. It’s a BYO food brewery, so I pack a wrap and veggies to eat and then get a THC seltzer, since I’m usually not much of a drinker. $7
9 p.m. — We come in second to last. Rough night of categories we knew nothing about. But I brought my dessert to share with everyone, so not all bad. Then it’s home, usual nighttime routine, and falling asleep before I even can start reading.
Daily Total: $7
Day Four: Friday
5:45 a.m. — I made a resolution for the month to spend one day per week without social media and today is going to be that day. I don’t spend a TON of time on social media, but I still think it’s good for my brain to get mini breaks. I’m trying to make this a permanent habit this year. Wordle and then I’m out of bed faster than usual.
8:30 a.m. — Another morning of work and meetings until breakfast. Then back to more “work” (mix of work and home decor researching) until lunchtime.
10 a.m. — We have a season pass for a local ski resort and are planning to go tomorrow. Our ‘beginner’ passes (only learned last year) means we only get access to certain lifts, but we get super cheap rentals. I reserve my skis and pay the small fee. $5
12 p.m. — Lunch break with the last of my meal prep. Then I force myself to do some actual work for a few hours. Plus, I do a little online shopping. Our expensive credit card comes with a quarterly $75 Lululemon credit, so I find a pair of joggers I like and it only costs me $4. Yay perks! $4
2 p.m. — I log off a little early, like I do most Fridays. I also walk some more and end with 7.75 miles today. This is officially my highest milage week (37.5) since I bought my walking pad 1.5 years ago! We always do our grocery runs on Friday afternoons to beat the traffic/rush. First stop is Costco for the bulk stuff: eggs, tortillas, some snacks, frozen chicken, and of course a rotisserie chicken. $82.27
3 p.m. — We also gas up the car. We don’t drive much since neither of us commute, so we usually only have to fill up the tank every other week. (Split with N.) $20.01
3:30 p.m. — Next stop is WinCo for the rest of our groceries. I get lots of fruits and veggies, chicken sausage, chocolate, some frozen veggies, pasta, and other random one-offs. Everything is SO much cheaper than all the other grocery stores, so we’ve saved a lot of money shopping here in the past year. $52.50
5 p.m. — Today’s a rest day so I quickly run to another thrift store instead. After about 45 minutes, I end up getting an iron (been needing one for a while now), a cute wooden candle tray, and a lampshade. $12
7 p.m. — Every Friday night recently has been the same routine for us: Pizza and The Pitt! N., who worked at a pizza restaurant all through college, makes us homemade pizza and we watch the latest episode of The Pitt. It’s a little gory to be enjoying pizza during, but I’m hooked on this show!
9 p.m. — Early bedtime since we’re going skiing tomorrow. Usual routine and some reading until I fall asleep.
Daily Total: $175.78
Day Five: Saturday
6:30 a.m. — My body naturally wakes up early, so I just scroll and do my Wordle. After 45 minutes, I finally get myself out of bed and get ready for the day. Usual morning routine, including my usual egg wrap for breakfast.
8 a.m. — We’re not eeeeearly morning ski people, but we still try and get there at a reasonable time. The drive is about an hour and a half, so we get on the road. We stop at our favorite no-frills donut shop on the way up and get far too many donuts for just the two of us. I get an apple fritter, a cinnamon maple, and an applesauce donut. All are 10/10 per usual! $5.20
10 a.m. — Pretty good day on the mountain today! It’s not too busy, so we don’t spend much time waiting in lines. The snow is also the best we’ve had yet this season, even if it’s not amazing. Poor Mount Hood has struggled to get snow this year. But we get to try some new runs and are getting more comfortable every time we go. Probably one of the most successful ski days we’ve had since learning!
1 p.m. — We call it a day and eat leftover donuts on the drive home. It’s also the first of the month, so on the way home I pay the mortgage and Venmo my mom for my phone and Spotify. All in my initial expenses.
3 p.m. — I take the afternoon to meal prep my lunches for next week — chicken and veggie stir fry with a peanut sauce.
6 p.m. — We decide to take advantage of curry week before it ends today. We choose a new Indian restaurant at a cool-looking food hall. Despite the incredible and diverse food scene in Portland, we have yet to find a reliable Indian food spot, so we have high hopes but low expectations. I get the Chicken Tikka Masala special and naan, and N. tries another of their curries. Both are tasty and fresh, but not quite good enough to be a regular go-to. The food hall is cute and has tons of other places we want to come back and try, though! (I also pay like $1.50 for parking.) $16
7 p.m. — I also pay for parking while we’re at dinner. $1.35
8 p.m. — I had some pictures printed for the previously mentioned DIY frame project, so we pick those up at CVS on the way home. It’s pictures of our cat D. and our two previous pets (a cat and a dog) for our living room. I’m constantly grappling with how many is too many pictures of D. hung up around the house. I’ve limited myself to three so far, but I’m not making any promises. $4.77
9 p.m. — We make some cookies and watch the new episode of Industry before going to bed early again. Regular nighttime routine, as always.
Daily Total: $27.32
Day Six: Sunday
7 a.m. — N. is up early and off to do an all-day hike with an outdoor group he’s a part of. I hang out in bed for a while and have a slow start to my day.
8:30 a.m. — I begrudgingly get a workout in and then shower and eat breakfast. I’ve recently been obsessed with toast, cream cheese, plus everything bagel seasoning and eggs. It gives bagel vibes, but with yummy sourdough instead!
11 a.m. — I walk the mile to the thrift store (since N. has the car). I don’t find much but do end up getting a lamp base that I’m hoping works with this big Tiffany-style stained glass lampshade I bought a few months ago. When it get home it sadly doesn’t look right, so I plan on returning the lamp base this week (and refunds are only store credit). I’ll use it eventually! $14.99
1 p.m. — I eat a sandwich and veggies for lunch before spending a few hours organizing and cleaning the house.
4 p.m. — Feeling exhausted, but once N. gets home I take the car to make a Target return and grab a few things I forgot at the grocery store. I hate going back to the store when I forget things, but these are essentials for the week that I need. This is what happens when I don’t make a list! Salsa, giant bag of frozen strawberries, dish soap, and a new dish scrubber (split soap/scrubber with N.). $22.80
5:30 p.m. — I take a half hour to read for a bit, because I need to make some more progress on this book. I’ve only been reading it in small chunks and is taking me forever to finish. Halfway there!
6:30 p.m. — I make us lasagna soup for dinner and we look at flights for Italy again. We finally finalize which ones we want to buy and the airline’s website isn’t letting us! It keeps giving us an error, so we aren’t able to book our tickets tonight. Instead, I have to call tomorrow to see if I can book over the phone, which is very annoying.
8:30 p.m. — We bake cookies again before calling it a night, because a day isn’t complete without dessert.
Daily Total: $37.79
Day Seven: Monday
5:45 a.m. — Back to the work week routine: scroll, Wordle, morning stuff, WFH outfit.
8 a.m. — After an unproductive morning, I take a breakfast break before my meetings start.
8:30 a.m. — The rest of the morning is filled with meetings and my looming to-do list. Between meetings, I try and figure out the situation with these Italy flights, so I call customer service. As it turns out, they’re not offering these flights anymore and they just haven’t gotten around to taking them off of their website. I’m even more annoyed now. We’re back to square one on looking for flights. We conclude that we’re basically going to have to move the trip up a week to find reasonably priced flights (which will still be more expensive than we planned). Boo!
11:45 a.m. — Quick break for lunch before my noon meeting, which doubles as a venting session with my manager (for both of us)!
2:30 p.m. — I call it a day and have walked another 7.2 miles today.
3:30 p.m. — I do some stretching and then go to a chiropractor appointment. I tweaked my back in December and it hasn’t been able to heal itself, so I finally decided to get it looked at. It’s not better yet, but I’m optimistic that I’ve made some progress at least. I pay with my HSA card (pre-tax $$). $40
4:30 p.m. — Once I get home, I do part of my upper body workout until my back starts to hurt. I head in and lay down to ice my back for a bit while I watch the last episode of Veep. We’re also headed to Salt Lake City this weekend to visit my sister, and we’re planning to go skiing, so I reserve skis for us. (Don’t pay until pickup, so $0 right now). I also look at the new flights we want to buy for Italy.
6:30 p.m. — It’s a friend’s birthday tomorrow, so we meet up for dinner at a food cart pod for a little early celebration. We both get gyros and catch up for a while. $14
8:30 p.m. — N. and I finally decide which new flights we need to buy for our trip, so we decide to book them. I kid you not, as we’re checking out, the flight prices go up. If we would’ve booked five minutes earlier, we would’ve gotten the lower price. This whole process with flights has officially been infuriating. At least we’re not paying cash for these, we use credit card points to book the flights (66k points, which is 5k more points than five minutes ago). So now we’ve had to change the dates of our trip and “pay” more for it. A frustrating way to end the day, to say the least.
Daily Total: $54.00
Conclusion:
This was a slightly higher spend week than usual for me, since I don’t normally go out to eat or thrift shopping QUITE that much. But otherwise it’s pretty consistent — most of my everyday spend goes to food/drink/groceries with other smaller things sprinkled in. I usually look at my spending by month vs. by week, so as part of my monthly spend, this week keeps me on track with my overall budget goals.
Money Diaries are meant to reflect an individual’s experience and do not necessarily reflect Refinery29’s point of view. Refinery29 in no way encourages illegal activity or harmful behavior.
The first step to getting your financial life in order is tracking what you spend — to try on your own, check out our guide to managing your money every day. For more Money Diaries, click here.
Do you have a Money Diary you’d like to share? Submit it with us here.
Have questions about how to submit or our publishing process? Read our Money Diaries FAQ doc here or email us here.
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
A Week In New York City, NY On A $105,000 Salary
