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Hello, everyone! I’m really excited about this week’s edition of Home Economics. But honestly, when am I not? It’s such a privilege to edit this series: I love to read each entry that people submit. (I’ve received more than 50 since I launched it in January!) It can be hard to choose which one to run. I try to make sure each one is a little different so that you readers can get a different story/perspective/lifestyle each time.
When I first read today’s submission, my immediate thought was: Here’s a childless cat lady! Which a month ago would have been a pretty rude thought, but in this weird and wild election cycle, it’s turned into something of a badge of honor. (And if you have no idea what I’m talking about, here’s a good explainer.) I’m all for taking back this insult and turning it into a superpower. I know many badass childless cat and dog ladies who I absolutely adore. (Also, don’t fret: I told today’s writer about the childless cat lady idea when we spoke, and she laughed!)
I write quite a bit about motherhood in this newsletter, and being a mother is very important to me. But being a parent doesn’t somehow make me a better person, and I certainly don’t think being childfree (whether by choice or because of fertility struggles) means you don’t have a real stake in the future of this country. Writing those words still makes me feel so angry. How dare someone suggest that?
As you read this edition of Home Economics, I hope it will be easy to see that I chose to feature this woman’s story not just because she has cats instead of kids. Like most of us, she’s so much more than the category small-minded people want to sort her into. She’s a partner, a professor, an introvert, a daughter, and, as I learned during our 30-minute call last week, someone who is very smart and funny. Also, she talks openly about how ADHD has impacted her finances, an important topic I hope to cover more on The Purse in the future.
I want to tell all kinds of different stories here on The Purse—to have the opportunity to show the many sides of a person through their finances while also showing how our financial situations, like marital status or race or gender or job or fill-in-the-blank qualifier, doesn’t wholly define who we are. We contain multitudes.
If you want to tell your story, you can submit your own Home Economics entry here.
Age: 56
Location: Upstate N.Y.
Relationship status: In a long-term relationship since 1999.
Age of partner: 50
About me: Hmmm. I'm a reasonably dull introvert with ADHD and the attendant “tax” of needing regular dopamine hits (most of which cost money!). I don't have kids, but I do have a partner and a cat. I’m a reader, traveler, and “sitter” (I love just sitting around).
All expenses are monthly unless otherwise noted.
Income:
- Your job title/salary: Tenured professor, $94,000 a year. Most faculty work on a nine-month contract, but my employer spreads my paychecks across the summer (luckily). This means that, technically, I am paid for and am obligated for about nine months of work, and technically I can refuse to do college-related business in June and July. But more typically it has meant that I work a lot in the summer for free.
- Partner’s job title/salary: Self-employed, $3,000/year, though this year has been less.
- Your monthly take-home pay (paycheck amount after taxes and other deductions): $5,600
- Partner’s monthly take-home pay (paycheck amount after taxes and other deductions): $0 usually; paychecks are few and far between this year.
- Additional monthly income: I sell things online, making $50 on average in a good month. Sometimes I pick up an extra class ($4,900 after taxes) or do some consulting ($100/gig). I wrote some books, and occasionally I see a royalty statement, which would average to about $30/month. All of this is “extra,” and I can’t count on it, budget it, or plan for it.
- Total monthly income: $5,600, on average
