Welcome to The Purse, a newsletter about money and women and motherhood and careers and all that good stuff!
There are so many new subscribers to The Purse this week! Hello and welcome! So glad you’re here!
I’m in Cape Cod this week with my family, and I have to admit that the Fourth of July is one of my favorite holidays. What’s not to love about golf cart parades, summer league baseball, and fireworks on the beach? Plus, there’s no real gift-giving element involved with the Fourth, which I appreciate, and we get to eat all my favorite foods—hot dogs and potato salad. It’s summer at its very best, right? (Even if many of us are feeling more than a little weird about the state of our nation.)
June flew by in an absolute blur, but we wrapped up the school year, and I passed my midterm without too much drama. My kid was disappointed to learn that summer in New York City only lasts about 10 weeks before school starts, but I’m determined that we make the most of it. What’s on your summer bucket list?
It’s a new month, which means I have a new giveaway for paid subscribers, and I'm really excited about this one! I’m teaming up with my friend Alison Morris Roslyn, founder of Francey Not Fancy. We’re giving away a Summer in a Bottle prize pack, which includes all four wines in Wölffer Estate’s Summer in a Bottle lineup: Summer in a Bottle White, Summer in a Bottle Long Island Sauvignon Blanc 2023, Summer in a Bottle Long Island Rosé, and Summer in a Bottle Côtes de Provence Rosé. The wines are courtesy of Francey Not Fancy, and you know they are going to be delicious because Alison is a level 3 sommelier with the very best taste and none of the pretension you expect with wine experts. Upgrade to paid and sign up for Francey Not Fancy's free newsletter One Thing About Wine to win.1
I’m excited about today’s edition of Home Economics, so I’ll stop going on and on about summer and wines and summer wines and get to the point of this newsletter. I hope you enjoy!
And just a reminder, I’m always looking for new submissions.
You can fill out the form here!
Age: 37
Location: Suburbs of Albany, NY
Relationship status: Dating
Age of partner: 37
About me: I had my daughter when I was 18. Despite being a single teen mom, I managed to put myself through college and then law school. I’ve never had much family support, though my daughter’s paternal grandmother did some babysitting when I was going to college. My daughter’s father is completely out of the picture and owes me over $100,000 in child support that I don’t think we’ll ever see. My daughter is now a sophomore in college, and she’s mostly self-sufficient thanks to scholarships and a college fund provided by her grandmother. I work as an attorney and make a little money through a craft hobby that I’ve turned into a side hustle. I live with my boyfriend, but we keep our finances completely separate.
Income:
Your job title/salary: Associate attorney, $115,000
Partner’s job title/salary: Accountant (we don’t share finances, but we make comparable salaries)
Your monthly take-home pay (paycheck amount after taxes and other deductions): $6,100
Partner’s monthly take-home pay (paycheck amount after taxes and other deductions): N/A
Additional monthly income:
$1,200 in rental income from my boyfriend (he lives in the house I own)
$400 from craft hobby after expenses
$200 month interest income
Total monthly income: ~$7,900
