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Home Economics No. 2: Living in the San Francisco Bay Area on $13,200 a month

$3,100 for rent, $1,500 for private school tuition, $1,500 for groceries...

Home Economics No. 2: Living in the San Francisco Bay Area on $13,200 a month
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Welcome to our series HOME ECONOMICS, where we take a deep dive into someone’s financial situation by looking at their earnings, monthly expenses, and general money story.

This week, we have a 36-year-old working mom living in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and school-aged child. 

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About me: My husband and I live in the San Francisco Bay Area with our one school-aged kid. While I have a master’s degree (and the student loan debt to prove it), right now I’m living in a state that doesn’t recognize my license and certification, so I work as a nonprofit administrator. I have two chronic illnesses that have impacted how much I can work since my kid was born. My husband is an engineer and has a very demanding job. 

Age: 36
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Relationship status: married
Age of partner: 35

All expenses are monthly and shared unless otherwise noted.

Income:

  1. Your job title/salary: Nonprofit Administrator - $30/hr (25–29 hours per week) 
  2. Partner’s job title/salary: Engineering Supervisor - $215,000 salary plus bonuses
  3. Your monthly take-home pay (paycheck amount after taxes and other deductions): $2,400 (seems low compared to hourly because of unpaid vacation)
  4. Partner’s monthly take-home pay (paycheck amount after taxes and other deductions): $10,800
  5. Total monthly income: $13,200

Account balances:

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