Welcome to Spending Notes, where we do a weekly deep dive into how our readers spend their cash.
Today: a real estate agent who makes $90,000 a year
Occupation: real estate agent
Age: 34
Location: Florida
Salary: $90,000 (approx. $2,848 per pay period)
Day One
The real estate market in Florida is always booming because we get a lot of people from colder parts of the U.S. moving down South. They either buy property here to fully retire or just hang around for the winter months. I was raised in Florida and personally love the variety of homes and new builds here. For work, I got some breakfast at the coffee shop in my building.
Total: $16
Day Two
I had lunch with one of my coworkers, M. He mentioned that he was in charge of selling a property that needed some window cleaning services and gutter cleaning. The seller had already moved out, so I told him to call Labor Panes in Florida, a professional window cleaning company. They do everything from pressure washing and window washing to tackling any debris buildup for properties in FL. I told him he’d be in good hands with Labor Panes and that he only really has one chance at making a good first impression when it comes to showings. I’ve had nothing but a good experience with Labor Panes’ services, especially with their pressure washing. M. said he would request a free quote well before he starts showing the property.
Total: $18
Day Three
I had a lot of emails at work today. People forget that when you’re a real estate agent, you also have to spend a lot of time on the computer. I communicate with clients and send them listings, go over paperwork for the house-buying process, provide information for any inspections, and do research on the housing market. For my clients, I try to make myself the most reachable contact point for any of their house-buying needs. So, sometimes, I don’t really have time to go out and buy things I need at the store, like protein bars or shampoo. I just order it all online and get two-day shipping. It’s more convenient for my schedule, and I prefer that.
Total: $44
Day Four
My agency is looking for a platform that can help with creating their own magazine to send out once or twice a month. Agents can’t really be bothered with using Adobe InDesign or hiring a service to get them designed and printed. It’s far more convenient to find a platform that makes magazine design easy. Our agency wants to show off the latest properties sold and include pictures of exteriors and interiors. Magazine layouts highlight all of these well. Thankfully, I found Lucidpress, which allows you to customize magazine templates, colors, and typography.
Total: $0
Day Five
I went out with my friend D. after work today to celebrate the weekend. I do have some showings on both Saturday and Sunday, but it still feels like a weekend when I don’t go to the office. We had tacos and beer, a classic combo.
Total: $23
Day Six
Today, I had a few showings. Then, I took an online course to brush up on the latest on Florida real estate laws. While I learn a lot on the field, I like to do this once in a while because this market is a little unique.
Total: $165
Day Seven
My friends T. and R. convinced me to go to a new beach club. This isn’t the kind of thing I typically do, but they really wanted to go, and there was no cover charge for tonight. I still spent more than I would have wanted to on drinks, but that’s expected when you go to any club.
Total: $42
Total for the week: $308
