Welcome to Spending Notes, where we do a weekly deep dive into how our readers spend their cash.
Today: a public relations specialist who makes $70,000 a year
Occupation: public relations specialist
Age: 36
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Salary: $70,000 (approx. $2,100 per pay period)
Day One
On the way to work, I picked up a bagel with cream cheese. I’m currently a public relations specialist for a private organization in Brooklyn and have spent the last four years helping them build a positive reputation. Most people hear “PR specialists” and immediately think of people who handle PR for celebrities. When you do PR for a company, it’s on a much larger scale. If a celebrity says something insensitive, they’re still people at the end of the day, and people can easily change. It’s harder to recover when a company does something insensitive. Publicly, it means they’ve had several people approve insensitive material. You’d likely have to show proof of policy change. Thankfully, I work for a company that really practices its values. It makes my job a lot easier.
Total: $4
Day Two
I had lunch with a colleague, and we got some Paulie Gee’s pizza in Greenpoint. After work, I did some research on Courtney Sarofim, who works for her family’s fund management organization. New Yorker Allison Sarofim became her sister-in-law after Courtney married into the Sarofim family. Courtney Sarofim’s interest in Adam Lippes’ fashion design eventually led to several members of the Sarofim family investing in the brand. Designer Adam Lippes is well known in New York City, and there’s never anyone I shouldn’t learn about as a PR specialist.
Total: $9
Day Three
Tonight, I’m meeting my friends F. and K. for a little “Wine Wednesday.” We do this to celebrate the middle of the week. People are always celebrating the end of it, and there’s never anything happening in the middle. So, we made it our weekly tradition to meet up for drinks and catch up on what’s been happening. For tonight, we chose an Italian restaurant so we could indulge in some cacio e pepe with lots of Romano cheese. There is seriously no better pairing than good wine and cheese.
Total: $32
Day Four
I’ve been living in New York for 10 years, but I’m from Maryland. I moved here a few years after graduating college and haven’t looked back. My best friend V. still lives back home, and once in a while, I like to send her random presents in the mail. Today, I looked for the best plant to gift her on Lively Root. She is a plant lover and shares videos of her indoor plant collection online. I was looking at getting a swiss cheese plant or a monstera but ultimately decided on a red prayer plant. V. has a green thumb and is the absolute best plant parent!
Total: $50
Day Five
Today, I helped my organization put together a few press releases for the media. I also looked over some advertising and promotional materials that the marketing team is putting out soon. I got pizza on my way home.
Total: $2
Day Six
I went out to brunch with my friend J. We decided to get bottomless mimosas and eat outside. The weather was really nice and sunny. It won’t be long before we’ll get colder weather. Like most people, I don’t look forward to the winter.
Total: $38
Day Seven
It’s Sunday, so I’m not planning on doing much today. I prefer relaxing on Sundays. I think I’ll just read for fun and eat some leftovers from the other night. I have to go to the laundromat at some point this week because I’m running out of clean laundry, but I’d rather save that for another day.
Total: $0
Weekly total: $135
