Ann Faison
Age: 34
Salary: $20,000
Occupation: Director, George's Gallery, Los Feliz, CA
Tripod: So you earn $20,000 a year. Have you always lived on this salary?
Ann: No, right before I was offered my current job as Director of George's Gallery in Los Feliz, CA, I had been earning $35,000 a year doing a job that I totally hated.
| Over the past couple of years, I have really learned to do without things in order to have more time to do the things that I love. |
In fact, when I learned that the position I have now only pays $20,000 a year, I couldn't imagine how I could afford it. I could barely afford to live on my old salary with my $600-a-month rent. But I had just gotten a new apartment that was only $400 a month and the job sounded fun, so I took it on a whim. I have been here almost a year now.
The difference between working this job and my last job is that this doesn't feel like a job. I can't expect a raise in the next year and the truth is I don't care. A year ago I would have been embarrassed to say "I make $20,000 a year," but now I understand that it's always trade off. If this job earned me $40,000 a year it would be perfect, amazing, I could live so comfortably on that and I would be jumping out of bed every morning to come to work. But that's not likely to happen.
Over the past couple of years, I have really learned to do without things in order to have more time to do the things that I love. In my last job I got paid by the hour, so I worked a lot of overtime so that I could have more money, for what? I didn't have the energy to do what I really enjoy doing, like playing in my band. The thing that is great about my current job is that it is only seven hours a day. And it's so relaxing being here. There is no stress.
Tripod: How can you afford to live the way you live? It doesn't seem like you are lacking in anything.
Ann: Well, I don't eat out very much. And if I do, I try to go to inexpensive restaurants. I have a budget that I stick to. I give myself an allowance every week for extra things that I want to buy, going out to eat, etc. What's taken care of in the budget is food, rent, gas, bills. So I never worry about having enough money for those.
Tripod: How do you deal with the emotional shopping that we all do?
Ann: You know, I don't really do it as much as I used to because I am happier with my life. But if I am feeling really bummed out about my wardrobe, I can go to the thrift store and buy lots of stuff and then feel better. I don't go to the mall, I just don't go. The one thing that I need right now is a new pair of sneakers and I don't want to buy them because that is my weekly allowance right there.
The other thing is, I never use credit cards. I can't afford the interest. I have to be really careful with money because there is so little of it right now, and I can't stand wasting it.
Tripod: How much do you spend on groceries a month?
Ann: I actually spend a lot on food, $250 a month. Skimping at the grocery store is depressing. I will buy myself expensive shampoo, but I get a thrill if I see a nice piece of meat for really cheap. There are some things that you have to splurge on.
Tripod: What about socializing?
Ann: More and more I think people are interested in eating at home and doing less expensive things. I don't go out drinking. I am also choosier about how I spend my time than I used to be — I don't just go out to any old thing. When I first got out of grad school, I was constantly going out because I was trying to make friends. And now I have plenty of friends, so I don't need to go out all of the time. But generally I invite people over instead of going out for a drink.
It doesn't always work out, like during the holidays I was spending more than I was making. And I realized I was being a bit too generous. You don't have to spend a lot of money to show your gratitude, specially if you put a little time into it yourself. Making cookies for someone is a lot cheaper and it means a lot more.
On to the next interview.
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