Business Insider
Only spend what you can afford.
- For Business Insider's "Real Money" series, a 23-year-old journalist shares a week of spending on a $35,000 salary on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.
- She usually eats at home and loves a good (free) workout, but this week spent money on bills and plane tickets to visit family.
- Want to share a week of your spending? Email yourmoney@businessinsider.com.
My dad taught me to live within my means.
I take that lesson pretty seriously and never spend more than I can afford. This can be challenging on my budget - I make $35,000 a year - but by spending carefully I make it work.
I live a pretty thrifty lifestyle and while my income doesn't allow for a lot of saving, I still try to save a couple hundred dollars and contribute to my 401k every month. I love traveling, so I also try to put aside some cash every month so I can buy plane tickets to go visit my friends and family and explore new cities.
My boyfriend and I share the expense of living at our resort apartment on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina, which keeps my rent affordable. The resort is extremely quiet in the winter and we get to enjoy the vacation amenities like hot tubs and tennis courts regularly, especially during the off season for tourism. On days when I don't spend any money, I'm still able to enjoy indoor workouts, swimming, or a friendly game of tennis, which is an added bonus.
Here's a closer look at what I spent over the course of a recent week: