A Week In Utah On A $76,403 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: A forest planner working for the U.S. government who makes $76,403 per year and spends some of it on a New Balance workout set (I rarely buy new clothes).

This Money Diary was written in the fall of 2025.

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Occupation: Forest planner
Industry: U.S. government
Age: 30
Location: Utah
Salary: $76,403
Joint Income/Financial Setup: $128,000. My partner and I don’t yet have joint accounts, but we probably will when we get married. However, we live together, pay rent proportionally (since I make $30K more), split food/travel/etc all down the middle.
Assets:
Government savings account “thrift savings plan” that becomes your pension (aka a 401k): $25,000
Personal investments: $14,200
High Yield Savings Account: $10,300
Checking/savings: $5,000
Debt: $9,000 (car loan)
Paycheck Amount (2x month): $1720
Pronouns: She/her

Monthly Expenses

Housing Costs: $825 for rent (we pay $1450 in total for a two-bed).
Utilities (split 50/50): $15 for gas; $10 for electric.
Loan Payments: $288 (car).
Additional note: I had student loans but recently paid them off because I got a relocation incentive of $30K with my job. After taxes it was $18K, and I used $1,500 to pay off my student loans and $2,200 to pay off a card that has 0% interest for 18 months. I was paying off $3,000 worth of medical debt, too.

Other monthly expenses:
Substack: $5
Phone: $40 (I’m on my family plan and I mail a check).
Wifi: $17.50
Fitness: $20 (This is for an app).

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?
Yes, definitely. My parents were the first in their family to go to college and I’m a second-generation American. I always did well in school and graduated at the top of my class, so I definitely faced a lot of pressure to go to college, especially as most of my cousins didn’t go (and are now very successful). My parents would have supported me if I had a plan besides college but I wanted to go at 18. I was really lucky that my guidance counselor encouraged me to apply to small liberal arts colleges — I got a lot of need-based aid. My student loans were $15,000K when I finished. I also got a Master’s degree in science. It was fully funded.

Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent(s) educate you about finances?
I always assumed we were poor because my parents were so frugal, and they helped to support my grandparents (who were immigrants). In reality, my parents were fine — we were middle class, they had a nice home. But we never went out, went on frugal vacations, they never hired a plumber, mechanic, electrician, etc. (my dad DIY’d everything). I do want to say we were privileged, though: we went on vacation, played rec sports/high school sports, had a beat-up hand-me-down car to share, etc. My parents never gave us money — except the one time they tried paying us for our report cards because my brother was in his delinquent stage (he’s totally fine now). This has made me kind of terrified of money and spending it. I feel so guilty when I do, but I also don’t feel like I have enough saved compared to my peers because of the path I took. As I have gotten older, my dad has given me some super helpful finance lessons that he learned from his dad, who got basic financial awareness training when he joined the air force. My dad helped me open my Individual Retirement Account (IRA) during grad school and is a good ear when I need advice.

What was your first job and why did you get it?
Babysitting, and a canoe and kayak rental stand at 14. I just wanted money. The closer I got to college, the more jobs I picked up (catering, farm, Excel internship) to make money for school. I did my first semester abroad and got a scholarship, but my parents had me pay the other half of the tuition ($9,000).

Did you worry about money growing up?
Sometimes I do because I thought we were poor and my grandparents definitely were. It sometimes makes me emotional to see how much my grandparents sacrificed to come to this country.

Do you worry about money now?
Sometimes. Money really stresses me out. My partner, C., has been so helpful here. He helps to calm me down and remind me that we’re in a good spot and working to save.

At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net?
18, but I split college with my parents, so more like 22. And yes — just this past year I had a $5,000 medical bill (with insurance!) after two ER visits and tons of testing. I’m lucky and grateful that everything ended up okay. But I borrowed $2,000 from my parents to help pay most down, then I put the rest on a card via a balance transfer with 0% APR for 18 months.

Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain.
The loan from my parents ($2K), which I will pay off soon. Half of my college tuition. When my grandma passes away, I think I will get some money (my brother said probably $10K). I don’t like to think about this, though. When I was 23, some relatives that I’m very close to gave me $5,000 to pay off part of my student loans. It was the most generous gift I could have ever received, especially at that age when I was about to start graduate school.

Day One: Monday

10 a.m. — I’m not working today because of the government shutdown and I have been furloughed, so … I’m not working and I’m not getting paid. Stressful! But, it is sort of nice to have a break, to be honest. I just moved cross country for my new job and I’m feeling existential. I also write on the side, and I’m doing some freelance writing.

3 p.m. — I take a three-mile walk and call my friend, which is nice since she had a baby a month ago. I then go to a shop nearby to search for furniture. Ugh, no dice. We’re trying to thrift most of our furniture (we brought nothing with us), but we really need a couch and a table/chairs. We have a bar for sitting and thrifted some stools, but I’d like a table that can double as a desk.

3:30 p.m. — C. is done with work! I show him a couch I’m interested in. I freakin’ hate some of these brands but we don’t know how long we will live in Utah, so I don’t want to invest in a $1,000+ couch. We don’t buy it — yet.

5:30 p.m. — I used a free class at the gym in town. It’s a climbing gym with classes. I did “uplift barre,” which is really fun and a great workout. The gym is running a promo this month for $35/month. Normally, it’s $100 for unlimited classes and climbing, AND a pottery studio. It would be awesome to combine these things, since pottery can be pricey, too, and I miss it a lot.

6:30 p.m. — We decide to grab tacos for dinner. We both just did a four-mile walk/run and then I did a gym workout, and C. ran some more, and we feel too tired to cook. We don’t go out that often. Tacos hit the spot — they’re okay but big and filling. $9

10 p.m. — We watch The Wire (current obsession) and head to bed around 10:30. I wash my face with cold water and put on retinol from Trader Joe’s, sandwiched between La Roche-Posay cream (trying to finish the tube, it’s okay IMO). The TJ retinol is cheap ($9). I don’t know how effective it is, though… 

Daily Total: $9

Day Two: Tuesday

6:30 a.m. — I decide to go with C. to Salt Lake City today, where he works. I drive my car since it gets good gas mileage, and after I drop him off at work I put $15 worth of gas in my car. I don’t fill it up because it’s pricey and I’d rather get Costco gas later. $15.75

8:30 a.m. — Treat myself to an Americano and a gochujang chive scone (it’s so good). I do some writing. I sent a pitch yesterday and work on a flash non-fiction piece. I also get a bag of coffee beans. C. and I split these so it’s $9.50 each. $19.51

12:00 p.m. — I walk (three miles in total, there and back) to a cool Utah grocery store that C. and others have told me about. I get Thai curry paste for dinner, chocolate, and sourdough. This is an awesome store. I also see the hair conditioner I like is on sale too, so I preemptively get it. I have curly hair and I’m pretty selective about what I use, which can be pricey, but I find it’s worth it. Conditioner is $7.29, but C. and I split the groceries ($11.98, my half). $11.98

1:30 p.m. — After lunch (leftover salad: homemade salsa macha, spinach, tofu, cabbage, carrots, and pumpkin seeds), I go to a knitting store. I need needles for a project and end up spending more — crafting is my kryptonite. The store is amazing and I have such an amazing time chatting with the women there. I get a small quilting kit — I justify this because knitting has been giving me wrist and knuckle pain, so it’s good to mix things up. I have a quick money panic about it, then I remember I budgeted $100 for fun crafting this month. I don’t usually do this, but I worked an overtime assignment last pay period and made an extra $1,200 in two days of work, so this is my treat. $65.00

3:30p.m. — I go thrifting at a favorite spot. C. and I loooove thrifting. We’re usually just window shoppers but we also wear mostly used clothes and furnish our apartment this way, too. The place I’m at is a favorite antique spot of ours, but usually just for inspiration. It’s expensive! But I see this amazing vintage national park sweatshirt, made in the USA. I get it for C. — he’s always thrifting me great stuff. $14.00

4:00 p.m. — I go to Trader Joe’s to get a few things. I have a gift card, so this is all covered but I get popcon kernals, nutritional yeast (my fav popcorn topping), squash, peppers for dinner, a card for my grandma, and ginger root. It would have been $33.75.

5:00 p.m. — C. is done with work! I spent the time waiting for him just reading my book, and then we take a three-mile walk, laughing and chatting. I make us Thai curry for dinner when we get home and we stay up way too late watching The Wire. Ugh! We finished it, finally — it was amazing.

12:30 p.m — Bedtime.

Daily Total: $126.24

Day Three: Wednesday

9 a.m. — Slow morning since we stayed up way too late. Usually, we’re in bed at 10, lol. I spend time doing laundry and cleaning, and getting organized. We debate the couch, yet again. I think we have one from Wayfair. Ugh Wayfair.

11:00 a.m. — I call a friend, F. and take a walk. She’s due in six weeks with a baby girl! She is one of my best friends and I’m so happy for her. I do have some feelings of jealousy, I have to admit — her family is very wealthy and they already have a nanny and all that. C. and I want kids in the future, but I do feel financially stressed about it. My dad told me, “No one has enough money to have kids,” — and he meant this in a loving way, like there are more important things than money in regard to parenting.

3:00 p.m. — Errands. We just moved and packed only our cars to get out here, and sold or donated the rest. I got an incentive to move, so I allotted money for expenses. So far, we have used less than $2,000 — including furniture, food items (i.e., oil and other staples), a Costco membership for the year, etc. Today, I get a vacuum that is on sale (we split it, $65 for my half). I then go to another shop looking for a duvet cover. No dice, but I find other things I need: the hair mask I like (Verb — it’s amazing! And it’s half off here, $12), Weleda Skin Food (7$! Normally, it’s much more), and a workout set from New Balance ($20). $104.00

7 p.m. — We eat dinner (leftovers), watch some TV, and are in bed by 10:30. Same evening routine: brush, floss, and put oil on my face.

Daily Total: $104.00

Day Four: Thursday

8 a.m. — I spend the morning writing and pitching, as well as cleaning the house a bit. I see an amazing table and chairs on Facebook Marketplace and start messaging the seller. It’s $200 for a table and four chairs, used from West Elm. It retails for $1,400 otherwise (insanity). I go about my day, writing/cleaning/working out until I get confirmation. We got it!

3:00 p.m. — I’m late for my morning “routine,” but I shower and do my hair. I have really curly, thick hair and wash it about once a week. I put on Ursa Major Brighten Up Vitamin C Serum and its Alpine Rich Cream, which helps with dryness. I use espressOh Moisturizing Eye Cream, which I love. It’s an Italian brand, and now shipping to the USA is too expensive, so this is my last tube for a while, unfortunately. I discovered the brand when I lived abroad and love it.

3:30 — I drive to Salt Lake to get the table. I pay $100, C. will pay me $100 later for it. Yay! The seller is really nice too and welcomes us to the area.

8 p.m. — We eat a cheap dinner: frozen veg, leftover beef, rice, and Japanese BBQ. It’s kinda been a spendy week, even though we’re getting things we need.

Daily Total: $100

Day Five: Friday

9 a.m. — Friday! We’re headed to Nevada for the long weekend for some biking and hiking. C. is working a half day today so we will stop at some museums for him to check out for work. First stop, the mineral and gem museum. C. pays for my ticket ($12).

11 a.m. — Next stop, an art museum. It’s not great — but they have a plein air exhibit of local artists, which is amazing. I paint, and I love seeing local artists — it’s so inspiring. There are some real gems. There is a used bookstore next door, and I get a book, A Zion Canyon Reader. It’s short stories about Zion. $5.25

1 p.m. — I get gas at Costco to save some money. C. and I will split all expenses of the trip, so it’s $9.25 for my half. We take my car for trips because 1) I have a bike rack and 2) I have a hybrid and get ~45-47 MPG on the highway. It makes a big difference! $9.25

7:00 p.m — We stop at a few more museums on the way, all free. We also stop at the Bonneville Salt Flats, which are amazing (free as well). Finally, we roll into our destination. Not much is open — we get McDonald’s for dinner. It’s honestly pretty bad ($8.41 my half, C. and I split it. I don’t drink soda — I have never liked it, so I don’t get a drink, just chicken strips and C. and I share fries). $8.41

11 p.m. — We walk around the small town, which has all these cool vintage glowing signs. It feels like a different era! Then we curl up in bed and watch some hotel TV, which we love to do. I bring leftover carrot cake I made this week for dessert. I realize before bed I forgot my oil so I just put some cream on my face. Brush, floss, and Zzz. 

Daily Total: $22.91

Day Six: Saturday

7 a.m. — Bike day! We get MASSIVE breakfast burritos. Honestly, this is great — it’ll be half for breakfast and half for lunch. They’re really good. Then we grab coffee — it’s so-so, but cheap. I pay for both, C. Venmos for his half. $13.25

12:00 p.m. — Yowza! Halfway into our ride it started hailing on the mountain. We took refuge a few times to stay dry, but the second it started thundering we speed-biked back. It was a bit scary but I’m glad we had each other, two maps, and our Garmin InReach (we got it on sale a week ago for $200. It allows you to send satellite messages and SOS in case of emergency). We get back to the hotel, shower to get warm, and cuddle in bed for a bit.

2:00 p.m. — We go out to get a warm drink. This coffee shop is amazing, and the drip coffee is free! We say we’ll be back to buy a bag of coffee tomorrow. We then go to a few thrift stores. They are so amazing! We find some real gems. I get a vintage Liz Claiborne shirt (I love her stuff) and a vintage T-shirt from the town. C. gets a few T-shirts as well. $1.99

4:30 p.m. — We’re hungry! We did 10 miles of biking and 1,000 feet of elevation despite cutting it short. We get pizza, splitting it. It’s pretty cheap and decent. Then we head back to the hotel to hang out around 6 p.m. $11.00

8:00 p.m. — We go to the Mexican spot (where we got our burritos) and get churros for dessert. They’re sooo good, and just $2 each with tax. I pay for them. We head back to the hotel, admiring all the lit-up motel and casino signs. I’m obsessed. We end up watching The Silence of the Lambs, which I’ve never seen. It’s sooo good and freaky. $4.21

Daily Total: $30.45

Day Seven: Sunday

9 a.m. — We sleep in a bit, which is nice. We walk to go to Denny’s (the hotel gave us two $5 off coupons). I get eggs, sausage, homefries, and a flaxseed pancake, and C. gets the same except has bacon and a fruit pancake. They’re really yummy and filling. It ends up being $27 with the tip and the $10 off, which is awesome. We then walk to the nice roastery and chat with the owner. She recommends we check out a local state park. We also buy a bag of coffee for $22, and I tip for the coffee yesterday. $52.24

12:00 p.m. — Gas, my half. We then drive to the state park and spend most of the day there walking, hiking, and biking. It is so amazing and totally empty for most of the day! $7.24

4:00 p.m. — We decide to head north to Elko, which is close to a different canyon we want to explore. I find us a hotel for $60! I use Booking.com, which has a free “genius” program that helps give discounts, too. It’s a three-hour drive. $30

8:00 p.m. — Taco Bell for dinner, and we split a DQ Blizzard for dessert. The other restaurants look so-so and kind of expensive. I wish we packed more food for this trip. Often when we travel, we do hotel dinners like cheese, bread, and fruit or crudite, or I’ll make something in advance. But C. loves Taco Bell and it’s fun to eat out on a mini vacation. $7.44

9:00 p.m. — Cozy in the hotel, watching Beetlejuice. Tomorrow we’ll go hiking and then head home! It’s been a great little trip.

Daily Total: $96.92

Conclusion

“I think I did okay! I definitely spent more than usual this week since we went away for the long weekend and we are furnishing an apartment starting from scratch (as we moved here with just whatever fit in our cars). And since I’m furloughed due to the shutdown, there is some stress (update: I did receive a paycheck on Friday of $2102, which I had submitted before the shutdown, which was great. I automatically put 11% in my retirement, and this paycheck was a couple of hundred bucks more than usual since I had overtime).

I’m trying to freak out less about home purchases. We’re being really intentional about what we’re buying, and I’m so excited about the table and chairs. I’m glad we waited before finding the perfect item, even if it meant being without a table for two months here. I think I do want to be more cognizant of my savings, though. I put $120 into a HYS account each month and $40 into my personal investments, but I’m thinking I could increase both of those. My credit union offers free financial counselors, and I think it’s time to take advantage of this, especially as C. and I discuss marriage and kids more.”

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