This distribution specialist makes $58,000 a year. How is she spending during the pandemic?

Who Jess Lalonde, 29 What she does Distribution specialist at a mattress company What she makes $58,000 a year Where she lives A one-bedroom apartment at Queen and Dufferin, with her dog, Gus

Regular Expenses

Rent $1,640 including utilities. “The building needed tenants when I moved in during the pandemic, so I got a $500 gift card and my first month’s rent for free.”

Internet $40 a month, with Fido.

Phone $67 a month, with Virgin.

Laundry $40 a month. “I usually have to do laundry a few times a week, everything from clothes to cushion covers, because Gus sheds.”

Uber $35 a month. “I mostly walk everywhere, but when I have to leave my neighbourhood, I take an Uber.”

Groceries $300 a month, at Metro and FreshCo.

Eating out $400 a month. “My favourite spots are Golden Turtle on Ossington and Parallel on Geary.”

Dog food $60 a month. “Gus likes vegetables and canned tuna for treats, which are pretty cheap.”

Fitness $40 a month, at Hone Fitness. “Going to the gym gives me a reason to leave the apartment.”

Subscriptions $10 a month, for Crave. “I just watched the first couple of episodes of the Sex and the City reboot—it was awful.”

Recent Splurges

Weekend Trip to Montreal $500, for gas, food and lodging. “It was fun to try a smoked meat sandwich at Schwartz’s.”

Culture $56, for tickets to a string quartet at Longboat Hall in early December. “The whole place was candlelit and they played famous scores from popular films, like Star Wars and The Lord of the Rings.”

Interested in sharing your cost of living? Send a breakdown of your expenses to costofliving@torontolife.com