Kathi shares how her first week of summer out of school went with family fun, self-care, and a little retail therapy.
Age: 48
Occupation: School Counselor
Marital Status: Married
Children: 2 teenagers
Monthly Income: $5,000–$8,000
Estimated Annual Salary: $60,000–$96,000
Total Spending This Week: $1,186.65
“This particular week, sort of everything culminated at once,” says Kathi, a 48-year-old school counselor and mother of two living outside of Philadelphia. Between family visiting from out of state, birthday celebrations, and getting ready for a family vacation, it was a high-spend week, one that Kathi admits is “not the norm.”
In our series, A Week In Her Wallet, Kathi broke down her spending over the course of a busy week.
🗓 Day 1 — Monday
💸 Total spent: $25.00
- Pants hemming: $25.00 (Dry cleaner)
Kathi kicks off the week with a necessary but slightly annoying expense: picking up a pair of pants she had hemmed. “I got the pants on clearance, so I didn’t spend a lot on the pants; I spent more on the hemming,” she tells Jean Chatzky. “But I’m wearing them all summer. They should last me for years to come.”
🗓 Day 2 — Tuesday
💸 Total spent: $119.40
- Legoland tickets for two: $63.33
- Lego minifigure gift: $6.89
- Pizza lunch at the mall: $9.18
- Medical co-pay (X-ray): $40.00
Family is in town, and that means it’s a day for memories over money. Kathi takes her 6-year-old nephew to Legoland. “Cost wasn’t really a factor,” she says. “Sometimes, the experience of having hours together with your little buddy — that’s priceless.”
🗓 Day 3 — Wednesday
💸 Total spent: $135.90
- Ulta beauty restock (makeup, SPF, moisturizer): $135.90
Kathi visits Ulta to replenish her makeup, a trip that ends up costing more than expected. “I walked in for one or two things,” she says, “but it turned into more.” Still, she justifies the expense: “These are things I use every day, and they’ll last me for months.”
🗓 Day 4 — Thursday
💸 Total spent: $33.99
A vet expense hits the books, reminding Kathi that pet care is just one more part of the family budget.
🗓 Day 5 — Friday
💸 Total spent: $100.00
- Lunch for mom’s birthday: $100.00 (Senior living facility)
This day was all about family again, as the group gathered to celebrate Kathi’s mother’s 84th birthday. “We’re only together not even two weeks a year,” Kathi says. “It’s not going to be a budget breaker.”
🗓 Day 6 — Saturday
💸 Total spent: $303.71
- Pedicure: $40.00
- Swim top: $39.22
- Shorts: $24.49
- Soccer uniform + early birthday gift: $200.00
Vacation prep and sports collide. Kathi treats herself to a pedicure and new summer clothes before leaving for a family trip, and spends big on her son’s soccer gear. “You gotta love when the league says, ‘Hey, we’re getting new uniforms, and it’s $200, mandatory,’” she says.
She adds that summer side-gig income helps cover these costs. “It’s a little extra cushion, a little padding. I just like that security.”
🗓 Day 7 — Sunday
💸 Total spent: $468.65
- Grocery shopping: $148.65
- Dinner out with family: $320.00
On the final day of the week, a big grocery haul and a celebratory dinner round out Kathi’s spending. “This is really high — that is not the norm,” she says when Jean reveals her total for the week.
💬 Final Reflections:
Total spent: $1,186.65
“If you had said to me, ‘You’re probably going to spend over $1,000 this week,’ I would have said No way. That’s really not the norm,” Kathi says. “But when I break it down into chunks… I’m okay with those expenses.”
She adds that tracking helped her see the week more clearly: “Life, there are always surprises. But it was good to see where the money was going.”
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