‘I’m anxious and need a dopamine hit’: Inside a 28-year-old’s $3.5k weekly spend

Location: Washington D.C. – communications and UX consultant – living with partner

Tiffany is 28 and lives in Washington D.C. with her partner, where she works as a communications and user experience consultant. She earns around $10k gross and has recently increased her income, though she still describes her relationship with money as emotionally complex.

She has student loans and is balancing regular expenses like rent, bills, subscriptions, and ongoing wedding costs while working toward longer-term goals.

Tiffany describes her attitude toward money as anxious at times, noting, “I have increased my income significantly over the last few years, so I still at times feel like I’m broke when I’m not. I have a lot of anxiety around spending and saving money.”

For Tiffany, this was a fairly typical week financially, with spending split between fixed monthly commitments, debt repayment, everyday essentials, and a few discretionary purchases – particularly dining out which she noticed happened more often than expected.

This week’s Money Talks breaks down Tiffany’s spending habits, her mix of planned and spontaneous purchases, and how her mindset influences her financial decisions.

Name: Tiffany

Age: 28

Location: Washington, D.C.

Occupation: Communications and User Experience Consultant

Salary: Around $10k gross

Living situation: Lives with partner

Current commitments: Student loans, rent, WiFi, cellphone, subscriptions, shopping, dining out, wedding-related expenses

Main money goal: Build a six-month emergency fund, save for a house, and manage wedding costs

General attitude toward money: “I have a lot of anxiety around spending and saving money.” She’s working on shifting toward more intentional spending rather than reacting to stress or anxiety.

Typical daily spend: Variable depending on fixed costs and lifestyle spending, with occasional discretionary purchases on food and small items

A week in my wallet

Monday

Purchased outfit for nephew – $30

Total: $30

Tuesday

Credit card payment – ~$1,000

Groceries – $100

Natural gas bill – $45

Snacks at 7/11 – $12

Total: ~$1,157

Wednesday

No spending

Total: $0

Thursday

Dinner out – $30

Most Read

Here’s what ‘you the birthday’ actually means on TikTok because none of it makes sense

Guys, the shocking ‘real’ reason Zendaya and Sydney Sweeney are beefing has been revealed

Here’s the full video of MAFS Australia’s Joel drumming and it’s even worse than I imagined

Total: $30

Friday

Dinner out – $20

Total: $20

Saturday

Rent – $2,000

WiFi – $50

Phone and streaming services – $108

Total: $2,158

Sunday

Awareness t-shirt – $30

Wedding getting-ready outfit – $50

Total: $80

Earlier in the week

Lunch out – $25

Total weekly spend: Approximately $3,500+ including fixed bills, debt payments, and variable expenses

Weekly reflection

Tiffany was surprised by how frequently she ate out over the course of the week. While each individual purchase felt reasonable, the repetition stood out in hindsight: “I was surprised at how many times I’ve eaten out!” she said.

Most of her spending was planned rather than impulsive, with fixed expenses and financial obligations making up the bulk of her outflows. However, she noted that nicer weather contributed to more spontaneous decisions to dine out instead of staying in.

She also highlighted that her spending behaviour is influenced by her mindset. She’s been actively trying to move away from anxiety-driven patterns, where she either holds back too much or spends reactively for comfort.

Conclusions

This was a typical week for Tiffany, with most spending driven by fixed commitments such as rent, bills, subscriptions, and debt repayment, alongside a moderate amount of discretionary spending on dining out and small purchases.

Her main financial priorities remain long term: Building an emergency fund, saving for a house, and managing wedding expenses. At the same time, she is working on her relationship with money, aiming to feel more secure and intentional in her decisions.

As she puts it, her goal is to “prioritise spending my money in ways that make my life better instead of hoarding because I’m scared and then spending because I’m anxious and need a dopamine hit.”

Overall, Tiffany’s focus isn’t on cutting back drastically, but on creating a healthier balance between saving, spending, and peace of mind.

Want to get involved?

Fill out the form below, with the option for all entries to remain strictly anonymous or with a pseudonym if you prefer.

From students to professionals, we want to see how real young people earn, spend, and save – so please answer as honestly as you can.

The log will take about 10 minutes to complete.