Welcome to Spending Notes, where we do a weekly deep dive into how our readers spend their cash.
Today: a marketing manager who makes $70,000 a year
Occupation: marketing manager
Age: 34
Location: Honolulu, HI
Salary: $70,000 (approx. $2,000 per pay period)
Day One
I’m the marketing manager for a retail business here in Honolulu. It’s a great career, but I’m hoping to set my sights higher and start working in the luxury travel industry. In order to get my foot in the door, I’m planning on getting an MBA and taking online courses. I know that continuing my education will only help further my professional development. At work today, I went over our sales goals with the team. I spoke to our CEO about the promotions we plan on running for the next quarter. For lunch, I bought some food nearby.
Total: $14.25
Day Two
When I got home from work, I decided to look for MBA programs online. The luxury travel industry is difficult to get into, so I’m looking for anything that will give me a competitive edge as a marketer. The ability to do online courses full-time or part-time is important to me because I have a full-time job and a little one on the way. I’m also looking for an MBA curriculum that meets my professional goals and offers an affordable tuition rate. Sometimes, business programs can be expensive, so it’s really important that I find an MBA program that helps me achieve my career goals. I found the University of Cincinnati and decided to look over their financial aid options as well as the MBA curriculum.
Total: $0
Day Three
I only worked for half the day, so I got to spend some time with my spouse, A. We are currently expecting but aren’t due for another five months. Hopefully, I’ll be able to get into the swing of things with the MBA program by the time the baby comes. Before work, I grabbed some breakfast at a local store. Then, A. made us dinner.
Total: $9.50
Day Four
We had to call a company for refrigerator repair in Honolulu. A. texted me around noon that our refrigerator wasn’t maintaining its temperature. Refrigerators are one of the most crucial home appliances, and we wanted to make sure to find a friendly service that knew how to fix major appliance brands. I stumbled across Honolulu Appliance Repair, and our house is within their service area. All of their technicians are professionals with years of experience. I gave them a call today, and they mentioned sending over a repairman. A. handled the rest of the transaction from there because she was at home. They were clearly the best option for appliance repair in Honolulu.
Total: $0
Day Five
Today, the store began running a promotion for one of our best-selling products: surfboards. The business isn’t too far from the beach, and we sell a lot of gear for anyone from beginners to experts. People were in and out all day, which means our newsletters and ads have been reaching the right target market. It was busy, so I bought lunch.
Total: $15.50
Day Six
The promotion is expected to peak today because it’s Saturday and the weather is great. This is when a lot of locals like to spend the day out. During my break, I went online to do a little bit of shopping for our upcoming babymoon. We are traveling to Las Vegas to visit our family.
Total: $58
Day Seven
The shop is closed, and I’m spending the day with A. We made a big breakfast together and decided to watch a movie at home. Then, we went to the mall to browse for some baby essentials. We ended up buying a humidifier for the nursery.
Total: $47
Total for the week: $144.25
