Welcome to Spending Notes, where we do a weekly deep dive into how our readers spend their cash.
Today: a property manager who makes $85,000 a year
Occupation: property manager
Age: 33
Location: Portland, OR
Salary: $85,000 (approx. $2,400 per pay period)
Day One
I currently work as a property manager in the general Portland area. Part of my job is to know all kinds of laws about owning property and having tenants. I also have to know a great deal about maintenance. At the moment, I am working with a real estate investor, N., who owns multiple properties throughout the Pacific Northwest. After checking on two of N.’s residential properties, I had a quick lunch at a local cafe.
Total: $16
Day Two
Even though my younger sister L. lives in New Jersey, she usually calls me for any questions about homeownership. It’s just the kind of thing you expect from family members when you manage properties for a living. L. just bought a new home and was looking into contracting local roofers. She didn’t really know anything about her home’s roofing systems or gutters, so I found the best roofers who could deal with everything for her. All County Exteriors offers professional services for different types of roofing. If L. wants better gutters or entirely new roofing that’s built to withstand the upcoming seasons, she can schedule a free consultation. It gave me peace of mind knowing she was in the hands of the best roofers in New Jersey.
Total: $0
Day Three
N. has an investment property in Portland that he is looking to build into a custom home. I have been helping him look into construction loans in Oregon. We found NW Private Lending and already have a rough idea of how much the entire project might cost. Construction work on a custom home is a long-term project. So, finding the right lender is crucial to the entire build process. Once N. gets approved for the loan, he’ll find a contractor for the renovations. Since it was busy, I had lunch delivered to the office.
Total: $14
Day Four
Today was a long workday. While it was busy, I still really enjoy being a property manager. It’s never boring! I decided to get a few groceries delivered for later. I just knew I wouldn’t have time to pick some up on the way home and also cook dinner. So, I scrolled through the grocery app and added some of my staples.
Total: $41
Day Five
I got some coffee and a bagel on my way to the office. I spent most of my time making sure rent was in and looking at any property maintenance requests. It was just a typical day where I spent most of my time at my desk, making phone calls and talking to N. about the new build. Later that day, L. texted me that her house doesn’t need a brand-new roof but is in need of some roofing repairs.
Total: $9.40
Day Six
For my day off, I decided to hang out with my friends G. and B. We went to a few local furniture stores to see if I could find a new coffee table. I bought a new rug and thought it might be best to find a coffee table that complemented it. So, we went to a few consignment and thrift stores. Unfortunately, we couldn’t find any that really fit my style. We had dinner at a vegan restaurant. Then, I went home and took my dog, S., for a long walk.
Total: $12
Day Seven
Because I couldn’t find any coffee tables in person, I decided to buy one online. Shipping delays have been affecting a lot of retailers, so I initially didn’t want to wait. Luckily, I found one that could deliver a table within the next week!
Total: $241.10
Total for the week: $333.50
