Mint Money Diary: Side Hustle & Habits in Colorado

 

Occupation: Account Services & Freelance Writer

Industry: Digital Marketing

Age: 39

Location: Longmont, CO

Paycheck (3): $4,700/mo includes salary and three freelance clients (side hustles)

Monthly Expenses

• Rent: $900
• Car loan: $275
• Credit card payment: $450

All other expenses

• Utilities: $225 on average
• Phone: $65
• Donations: $50
• Health, Vision & Dental: $182
• Streaming services: $18/mo

Additional Expenses

• Pet Supplies: $325/mo, I have a dog that is on prescription food $$$ and I pay monthly “membership” for his vet care.
• Yoga Studio: $79/mo

Savings: $3,194

401K: $8,200 (cashed out in 2008 when housing market tanked and I was working in new home construction. It’s taken a while to start contributing again!)

Roth IRA: $4,235

A Day in My Mint Money Diary

5:45 am – Wake up and walk the dog

6:00 am – I live in Mountain Time but work Eastern Standard hours. No coffee in the house means a quick run to Starbucks. Venti drip + 1 lb coffee beans ground for French Press. $17.06

6:15 am – Get gas in my car and buy 3 packs of cigarettes. I am being honest here and in order to be honest to myself, I have created a Mint category: “Cigarettes/Tobacco.” I have to stay on top of that because I usually buy my cigarettes at a gas station. They usually get automatically categorized to “Gas & Fuel.” These were two separate transactions. $72.09

6:30 am – Hop in the shower and get cleaned up. This is absolutely clutch for working at home! I have to get dressed as if I am going somewhere to wake up and be ready to work.

7:00 am – Work. Work. Work. Eat a banana and protein shake.

9:00 am – Walk dog. Work. Work. Work.

12:00 pm – Attend 2018 Benefits meeting remotely for my full-time job. Completely panicked about how much I need to put away for retirement to make up for early withdrawal. Up my contribution per paycheck from $97 to $150. Still not enough, but it’s something!

2:30 pm – Walk dog.

3:00 pm – Wrap up last few things in email for my full-time job and head to Boulder to meet with one of my freelance clients. I am new to Colorado and get nervous about parking. I take the first spot I see that seem close enough to where I am meeting my client. Come to find out there was plenty around the corner. Oh well! $3.75

3:45 pm – Walk to get coffee…and chocolate. $4.25

4:30 pm – Head back home. Walk the dog. Then it’s time to check in on work for another freelance client.

7:30 p.m. – Cooked dinner with my roommate from fresh veggies from the co-op. She pays for this.

8:45 pm – Get ready for bed, read a book and lights out by 9:30 p.m.

Daily total: $97.15

 

Whether you’re a super saver or supreme spender, the accountability of tracking your money will get you thinking about how you’re spending. Send us your Money Diary and get it published anonymously on the Mint Life Blog! Editor_Mint@intuit.com