Welcome to The Receipt, a sequence documenting how Bon Appétit readers eat and what they spend doing it. Every meals diary follows one nameless reader’s week of bills associated to groceries, restaurant meals, espresso runs, and each chew in between. On this time of rising meals prices, The Receipt reveals how of us—from totally different cities, with totally different incomes, on totally different schedules—are determining their meals budgets.
In right now’s Receipt, a 36-year-old legal professional making $300K a yr in Brooklyn, New York, makes cozy pesto pasta and dines out most days every week at eating places and bars all through New York. Preserve studying for her receipts.
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The funds
What are your pronouns? She/her
What’s your occupation? I’m a non-practicing legal professional who works in home at a financial institution offering technique and recommendation for entrepreneurs. I’m additionally in a part-time grasp’s program at an artwork college.
How previous are you? 36
What metropolis and state do you reside in? Brooklyn, New York (Finest place on Earth!)
What’s your annual wage, in case you have one? $300K together with base and bonus
How a lot is one paycheck, after taxes? After 401K, HSA, and medical health insurance contributions, I take house roughly $4,700. My wage is damaged up by base, bonus, and extra discretionary bonus (paid out in Q1 of every yr). I reside day after day off my base wage and don’t embrace my bonus in my common spending.
How usually are you paid? (e.g. weekly) Biweekly
How a lot cash do you’ve got in financial savings? $187,000
What are your approximate fastened month-to-month bills past meals? (i.e. lease, subscriptions, payments)
- Whole: $5,824 to $5,854
- Mortgage: $4,500
- Condominium charges: $815
- Cellphone: $100
- Wifi: $60
- Utilities: $100
- ClassPass: $199
- Further ClassPass credit: $50 to $80 relying on my month-to-month exercise
The eating regimen
Do you comply with a sure eating regimen or have dietary restrictions? I do! I’m a lifelong pescatarian. I don’t eat shellfish although. I’m additionally allergic to stone fruit (assume peaches, plums, cherries), melons, pineapple, apples, pears, and all nuts together with peanuts. A real pleasure to prepare dinner for.
What are the grocery staples you all the time purchase, if any? I all the time have iced espresso, half and half, oat milk, Greek yogurt, greens, shallots, avocado, chickpeas, eggs, berries, contemporary figs, and bananas available. I attempt to rotate which veggies I buy, seasonally.
How usually in every week do you dine out versus prepare dinner at house? It actually relies upon! I community rather a lot for work and that does usually embrace eating out for lunch or dinner or attending occasions the place there’s meals and alcohol. I additionally like to satisfy up with buddies a few instances per week which normally contains eating out. I take pleasure in cooking and internet hosting at house too. It’s actually a matter of how a lot time I’ve all through the week to decide to cooking.
