The initial goal of this project was to show how everyday women spent their everyday salaries — but in the end, it actually put on display how our readers (a.k.a. you) felt about women earning and spending money as they please. It's been eye-opening. At first, we were struck by how judgmental the commenters were (see: what happens when boyfriends pay for things ) — but we've found the community that has sprung up around the series to be as diverse and complicated as the diaries we feature. An OP might be struggling, or making mistakes, or absolutely thriving — regardless, the community will have an opinion. They cheer them on, offer advice, and call them out when they make mistakes (see the OP who thought avocados ripen in the fridge — FYI: they don’t). The series has raised a lot of questions about what it means to be independent, self-made, and successful, and that's a worthy discussion.