Welcome to Spending Notes, where we do a weekly deep dive into how our readers spend their cash.
Today: an event planner who makes $50,000
Occupation: Event Planner
Age: 37
Location: Wexford
Salary: $50,000 (approx. $1,800 per pay period)
Day One
Working as an event planner involves wearing many different hats. Sometimes, you end up having to order random objects that just so happen to be crucial to your job. Today, it’s a countertop ice maker! Seriously. No event can ever be considered successful without a steady flow of cold drinks, and that means having to go through pounds of ice! Luckily, I came across hOmeLabs’ ice machine, which makes ice cubes of various sizes in less than 10 minutes. And you can keep it on a countertop. What a steal. No other business-related expenses today.
Total: $129.99
Day Two
My spouse mentioned that we may finally need our gutters replaced. Our home was built in the 1950s, so this was an expense we were anticipating at some point. I searched for a local roofing company in Wexford to see if they could give me a quote. Gutter systems are meant to protect your roof for the long term, so we definitely didn’t want to skimp out on a reputable company. Luckily, a quote from Buccos Roofing is free. I also stopped by the grocery store to pick up a few toiletries we needed.
Total: $12
Day Three
I had two big birthday parties go off without a hitch! In the morning, I drove through Starbucks for breakfast. A client hosted their baby’s first birthday in the first half of the day. The second half was for a 60th birthday—big milestone. You can bet the ice maker really came in handy. Sometimes, a venue or a catering company doesn’t prepare enough ice, and it takes a while for someone to come back with more. A few quick 10-minute sessions with the compact ice maker really had me feeling good about that purchase.
Total: $6.50
Day Four
I call days like this one a “planning day.” This is where I spend most of my time reaching out to clients about their expectations and negotiating contracts. I also contact vendors for any upcoming weddings, which can be stressful, but the payoff is always worth it. Who doesn’t love a good wedding? Today, the roofing company reached out about replacing the gutters, but my spouse and I haven’t committed to a date to start. I ate all of my meals at home.
Total: $0
Day Five
I usually have a couple of small tasks to accomplish in the morning, then I assess the rest of my schedule for the day. I had to make a playlist for a corporate event and meet with my assistant to brainstorm on a few projects. We were pretty efficient and found some great solutions to a few issues I’d been experiencing with a vendor. We also went out for a work lunch.
Total: $30
Day Six
Today, I get a full day off. While I love my job as an event planner and think it’s always a fun rollercoaster of a time, I really like to maximize my days off. For starters, I pamper myself by getting my nails done. Then, my family and I usually like to have an outing together. Today, we went to the park and had dinner at an Italian restaurant afterward.
Total: $110
Day Seven
I am working on a small event this morning, but I am free to hang out at home for the rest of the day. The client is celebrating retirement. They are hosting a brunch event with family members and even some old coworkers. Celebrating huge milestones with all kinds of people is what truly makes me love my job.
Total: $0
Total for the week: $288.49
