This project manager makes $86,000 a year. How does she spend it?
“Home ownership isn’t my goal—early retirement is”
Who: Sarah Dominique Mariani, 27 What she does: Strategic projects manager for an entrepreneurial non-profit and vice-chair at the Canadian Women’s Foundation What she makes: $86,000 Where she lives: A one-bed condo in Corktown
Regular Expenses
Rent: $1,715 a month. “This unit was renting at around $2,200 pre-pandemic. I got it in December 2020 for a steal.”
Internet: $50 a month with Beanfield.
Phone: $16.95 a month with Freedom Mobile. “I only get 250 MB of data, but I’m rarely without Wi-Fi, so it’s enough for me.”
More Toronto Budgets
Groceries: $200 a month. “I eat very little meat—better for my wallet, my conscience and the planet—and I shop at No Frills for the bulk of my groceries. When I do want to eat meat, I go to Butchers of Distinction. I also make multiple stops at Blackbird Baking Co. each week.”
Eating out: $178 a month. “We are spoiled for choice in the east end. The Comrade makes a great burger, Eastside Social is the perfect dinner spot—their oxtail risotto is heaven—and Tabule makes the best mojitos in the city. My job also requires a lot of coffee meetings, so I’m always trying out new cafés in the city. Recent favourites include Sumach Espresso, Mallo Coffee Bar and Rustle & Still.”
Transportation: $60 a month. “I take the GO Train to visit my parents in Ajax at least once a month and rely on the TTC for almost everything else.”
Memberships: $73 a month. “Rock On Climbing is a bouldering gym in the Canary District. It’s a five-minute walk from my place, and it’s open 24 hours, which makes it easy for me to keep up with a workout routine. I also rely heavily on my library card for entertainment—I prefer to borrow e-books, podcasts and paperbacks than to buy them.”
Clothing: $100 a month. “I love a good thrift shop. I live and work close to two different Common Sort locations. I focus on finding great denim and vintage skirts.”
Savings: $1,000 a month. “Home ownership isn’t my goal—early retirement is.”
Recent Splurges
Hair: $328. “I go to Salon August every three to five months, and I usually spring for whatever products my stylist recommends.”
New ink: $250. “My tattoos are beautiful and unique. The artists at Always Tattoo Studio are absolutely incredible.”
Roxy Kirshenbaum is a freelance journalist based in Toronto. After graduating from Columbia University’s journalism program, she worked as a copy editor at InStyle magazine in New York and then as an editor at Surface magazine. When she returned to Toronto, she worked at Blue Ant Media and Cottage Life, and she has been a contributing writer and photographer at Toronto Life for many years.
