Monthly Expenses:

Rent: $565

Student loan payments: $467

TV/Internet: $56

Electricity: ~$20

Phone bill: $45

Retirement fund: ~$280

Day One 7 a.m. — Breakfast at home. I have a piece of fish and avocado for breakfast with a Mountain Dew Mini (I'm out of coffee).

10 a.m. —I have a snack of tortilla chips and hummus.

10:30 a.m. — A coworker delivers my order of Girl Scout cookies to my office because I need my yearly supply of Thin Mints. I successfully resist the urge to eat one right away. $12

1 p.m. — I treat my boyfriend to coffee. $10.75

2 p.m. — I eat some Crock-Pot quinoa bake that I made, and also a Thin Mint.

4:30 p.m. — Eat a couple of boiled egg whites with some hummus...and another Thin Mint.

6:45 p.m. — Dinner. Another Crock-Pot dinner from the freezer, but turkey chili this time.

9:30 p.m. — I get drinks with friends at Givanni's and Sanctuary. $19

Total: $41.75

Day Two

8:30 a.m. — I wake up early to have coffee at Starbucks with my boyfriend. We go dutch. $5.64

1 p.m. — I help a friend move, and then my best guy friend and I grab lunch at Thai Spice. I wanted to go somewhere cheaper but my first choice was closed. $24.00

2 p.m. — I drop by an Old Chicago birthday party for the 1-year-old daughter of a coworker (present: $19.08). But hey, I won a prize from my World Beer Tour Card at the party! I treat my boyfriend to a beer since I dragged him along ($13.43). Total: $32.51

3:15 p.m. — After the party, we head to meet a realtor at a house I'm scheduled to see. We realize we don't have enough gas to make it across town, so I fill up a full tank of gas. $17.44

4:30 p.m. — I drop by Jo-Ann Fabric to get some ribbon to replace the ugly leather ties on my Ugg boots. $5.49

7 p.m. — Deadpool double date with another couple. My boyfriend buys the tickets, I buy the pop and popcorn with a coupon. $11.40

9 p.m. — Drinks with friends at 2 Dogs Pub. My boyfriend was quicker in pulling out his credit card so he pays. We go to Joe's Place afterward, but I'm tired so I don't get anything.

Total: $96.48

Day Three

10 a.m. — Breakfast with my boyfriend at Fair Grounds: coffee, bacon, eggs, and a vegan muffin. My treat. $27.08

2 p.m. — I have leftovers from yesterday's lunch.

3 p.m. — Laundry in the coin-operated machine in my building. $9

4:45 p.m. —I grab a "fruit" smoothie from McDonald's. $2.22

5 p.m. — I wait in a crazy long line for a car wash — it's been a couple months so it's due. $8.00

5:30 p.m. — Grocery shopping at Aldi (eggs, red lentils, blueberries, cheddar, soy pasta, pasta sauce, cilantro, vegetable stock, coffee, tea, avocados, hummus, and a houseplant for $36.04). I also drop by Hy-Vee (two pieces of salmon, spinach, quinoa-oatmeal hot cereal, carrots, cumin, lemon, and an onion for $19.12). Total: $55.16

6:15 p.m. — My jerk upstairs neighbors stopped my dryer while I was out so I have to pay to restart the dryer. $1.00

8 p.m. — I make a lentil soup for dinner for me and my boyfriend. He loves lentils; I could do without.

Total: $102.46

Day Four

7 a.m. — Breakfast: Coffee with almond milk, quinoa-oatmeal hot cereal, blueberries.

9:30 a.m. — I have a routine doctor's appointment, co-pay is $5.

10:30 a.m. — I buy an almond milk latte at The Java House to take upstairs to my office. My work friend also brought in tiny scones, which were a little sweet for me. $6.06

2 p.m. — Lunch. I heat up another one of my homemade meals: turkey chili.

4:30 p.m. — I have some tea and a couple of Thin Mints.

6 p.m. — Dinner is salmon and spinach at home. Yum.

10 p.m. — My upstairs neighbors' yelling (the only volume they have) wakes me up. I realize I'm also hungry so I have some buttered noodles. I make poor food choices when I'm sleepy.

Total: $11.06

Day Five

8 a.m. — I call in sick to work (I almost made it through through the winter without getting sick). I make myself quinoa-oatmeal hot cereal and blueberries, plus coffee with almond milk to try to soothe my throat.

10 a.m. — I don't feel well enough to drive and my boyfriend's car is in the shop, so I ask a friend to drop off some sick supplies: Gatorade, tissues, cough drops ($8). I throw my friend some gas money ($10). Total: $18

3 p.m. — I wake up still feeling really bad, but figure I should try to eat something. I have Jimmy John's delivered and then don't feel like eating it. I end up taking Motrin for my fever. $12.00

9:30 p.m. — I run out of supplies and my fever is still climbing, so I call my mom. She suggests alternating Motrin and Tylenol. I don't have any Tylenol so I ask another friend to please bring me some Tylenol. He refuses to take any money. $0

10 p.m. — I give the Jimmy John's another try. It's pretty tasty.

Total: $30.00

Day Six

3 p.m. — I finally get out of bed. I still feel bad, but I am a little hungry. I decide I want the ultimate comfort food — hamburger and french fries from McDonald's. I have it delivered through OrderUp but when it arrives, I don't feel like eating it. $14.77

4 p.m. — I realize that even after Tylenol and Motrin I still have a fever, so I call and ask a friend to take me to the QuickCare Clinic. My co-pay is $0.

4:30 p.m. — I have a respiratory infection. The physician's assistant at QuickCare sends me straight to the emergency room for IV fluids and a chest x-ray. At least I don't end up getting admitted. They make me drink some Sprite before I go because my blood sugar is low. We'll find out in a few weeks how much the coinsurance is for the x-ray and fluids, but the co-pay for the visit is $50.