A Week In Her Wallet: A 48-Year-Old School Counselor’s $1,000 Week

Saving money on week her wallet year does not have to be complicated. We rounded up the essentials so you can spend less and skip the guesswork.

Key Takeaways

• Kathi shares how her first week of summer out of school went with family fun, self-care, and a little retail therapy.
• Age: 48 Occupation: School Counselor Marital Status: Married Children: 2 teenagers Monthly Income: $5,000-$8,000 Estimated Annual Salary: $6...
• Between family visiting from out of state, birthday celebrations, and getting ready for a family vacation, it was a high-spend week, one tha...

Kathi shares how her first week of summer out of school went with family fun, self-care, and a little retail therapy.

Age: 48 Occupation: School Counselor Marital Status: Married Children: 2 teenagers Monthly Income: $5,000-$8,000 Estimated Annual Salary: $60,000-$96,000 Total Spending This Week: $1,186.65

“This particular week, sort of everything culminated at once,” says Kathi, a 48-year-old school counselor and mother of two living outside of Philadelphia. Between family visiting from out of state, birthday celebrations, and getting ready for a family vacation, it was a high-spend week, one that Kathi admits is “not the norm.” 

In our series, A Week In Her Wallet, Kathi broke down her spending over the course of a busy week.

🗓 Day 1 , Monday

💸 Total spent: $25.00

• Pants hemming: $25.00 (Dry cleaner)

Kathi kicks off the week with a necessary but slightly annoying expense: picking up a pair of pants she had hemmed. “I got the pants on clearance, so I didn’t spend a lot on the pants; I spent more on the hemming,” she tells Jean Chatzky. “But I’m wearing them all summer. They should last me for years to come.”

🗓 Day 2 , Tuesday

💸 Total spent: $119.40

• Legoland tickets for two: $63.33
• Lego minifigure gift: $6.89
• Pizza lunch at the mall: $9.18
• Medical co-pay (X-ray): $40.00

Family is in town, and that means it’s a day for memories over money. Kathi takes her 6-year-old nephew to Legoland. “Cost wasn’t really a factor,” she says. “Sometimes, the experience of having hours together with your little buddy , that’s priceless.”

🗓 Day 3 , Wednesday

💸 Total spent: $135.90

• Ulta beauty restock (makeup, SPF, moisturizer): $135.90

Kathi visits Ulta to replenish her makeup, a trip that ends up costing more than expected. “I walked in for one or two things,” she says, “but it turned into more.” Still, she justifies the expense: “These are things I use every day, and they’ll last me for months.”

🗓 Day 4 , Thursday

💸 Total spent: $33.99

• Vet bill: $33.99

A vet expense hits the books, reminding Kathi that pet care is just one more part of the family budget. 

🗓 Day 5 , Friday

💸 Total spent: $100.00

• Lunch for mom’s birthday: $100.00 (Senior living facility)

This day was all about family again, as the group gathered to celebrate Kathi’s mother’s 84th birthday. “We’re only together not even two weeks a year,” Kathi says. “It’s not going to be a budget breaker.”

🗓 Day 6 , Saturday

💸 Total spent: $303.71

• Pedicure: $40.00
• Swim top: $39.22
• Shorts: $24.49
• Soccer uniform + early birthday gift: $200.00

Vacation prep and sports collide. Kathi treats herself to a pedicure and new summer clothes before leaving for a family trip, and spends big on her son’s soccer gear. “You gotta love when the league says, ‘Hey, we’re getting new uniforms, and it’s $200, mandatory,’” she says.

She adds that summer side-gig income lets you cover these costs. “It’s a little extra cushion, a little padding. I just like that security.”

🗓 Day 7 , Sunday

💸 Total spent: $468.65

• Grocery shopping: $148.65
• Dinner out with family: $320.00

On the final day of the week, a big grocery haul and a celebratory dinner round out Kathi’s spending. “This is really high , that is not the norm,” she says when Jean reveals her total for the week.

💬 Final Reflections:

Total spent: $1,186.65

“If you had said to me, ‘You’re probably going to spend over $1,000 this week,’ I would have said No way. That’s really not the norm,” Kathi says. “But when I break it down into chunks… I’m okay with those expenses.”

She adds that tracking helped her see the week more clearly: “Life, there are always surprises. But it was good to see where the money was going.”

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Final Thoughts

The bottom line: a little research on week her wallet year goes a long way. Compare your options, watch for seasonal offers, and never pay full price when a better deal is one click away.

Originally published at savingswitch.com.