Monthly Expenses

Rent: $1,000 (for my share of an apartment with three other roommates)

Utilities: ~$50

Piano Lessons: $300 (not covered by financial aid but required for my major)

Voice Lessons: $70 (I get a partial scholarship from the department since it's my primary instrument)

Conducting Lessons: $120 (see above)

WiFi: $15

Appcompanist: $15 (my voice teacher requires this while we can't meet and sing in person with a live pianist)

T Pass: $90 (on pause due to the pandemic)

Hulu/Spotify: use my family's

Amazon Prime: my mother pays and uses my student email for the discount!

Cell Phone: $15 (on a plan with my family)

Was there an expectation for you to attend higher education? Did you participate in any form of higher education? If yes, how did you pay for it?

I always expected to go to college but my dad didn't, and if I had come up with a different career path I think they would have been fine with it. I'm currently a senior at a private liberal arts college and I have most/all of my tuition paid for through grant aid. Last year I took out a $5,500 loan (unsubsidized) to cover some housing expenses and various music lessons. I anticipate having to take out a slightly smaller one this year as well.

Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent/guardian(s) educate you about finances?

My parents struggled with money a lot — my dad probably had ten different jobs that I can remember. When I was REALLY little they tried to impart the importance of saving which was sort of useless because the two of them didn't make enough money to save. My mom definitely taught me how to frugally grocery shop/clip coupons/make food last, though!

What was your first job and why did you get it?

I got my first job when I was twelve (you could get a work permit in my state to work that young) at a construction firm answering phones and doing data entry. I got it to help with family bills a little and because I was starting to take music seriously and knew my parents didn't have money for an instrument of my own or lessons.

Did you worry about money growing up?

I'm the oldest of five siblings and only my dad had a job when I was growing up. He worked mostly as a salesman making nowhere near enough to support five kids. He was a very traditional Catholic, so he expected my mom to keep house and not get a job. My parents frequently couldn't afford groceries and were noticeably (even to me as a child) buried in debt. My siblings and I always worried about money — sometimes our friends' families would surreptitiously leave boxes of food on our doorstep or mail my parents checks. I always knew I'd be responsible for financing my own education and living expenses once I turned eighteen, and I've been doing so since then.

Do you worry about money now?

I do worry about money now, especially since the music and theater industries have really suffered from COVID-19 (and the fact that unlike large cultural organizations in Europe, American orchestras, operas, and theaters aren't state-funded). I'm not sure when I'll be able to make money from gigs again or teach music in a classroom safely, my two largest sources of income in normal times. I'm also concerned about further education budget cuts making my career path even less viable. Right now, my grocery store job combined with a student loan should pay my expenses for this year but I don't have enough to save or invest money, and I don't know how I'll afford to move after graduation.

At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net?

I moved out of my parents' house to go to college a month before my 18th birthday and I've been financially responsible for myself since then. If I lost my housing I could probably bounce around between friends' houses for a while, but I don't see my parents stepping in, and I don't have a financial safety net.

Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain.

No.