“A toke is my equivalent to a glass of wine at night”: How a producer and part-time DJ spends his money

Who: Andrew Sztein, 34 What he does: Interactive producer for a TV company and part-time DJ What he makes: $75,000 a year Where he lives: A two-bedroom apartment he shares with a roommate in St. James Town

Regular expenses: Rent: $780 a month, for his half. Phone: $70 a month. Groceries: $200 a month. Ordering in and eating out: $400 a month. “I’m usually too busy to cook, so I order from Just Eat a few nights a week or go out for dinner. The Thai Room and Burrito Bandidos are two of my favourites.” Car payments: $400 a month, for a lease on a 2018 Subaru Impreza. “I need a car to transport my DJ equipment.” Parking: $235 a month. Insurance: $250 a month. “I don’t have benefits through work, so this plan covers dental, plus auto and renter’s insurance.” Debt payments: $1,000 a month. “I recently made some large purchases for my business with my credit card.” Cannabis: $40 a month. “A toke is my equivalent to a glass of wine at night.” Entertainment: $250 a month. “I go to a lot of movies, concerts and NHL games.”

Recent splurges: Dj gear: $10,000, for new speakers, lights, headphones and a mixer from AVShop. Nintendo Switch Plus games: $750. Travel: $2,500, for a month-long trip to Chile last year. Photography gear: $1,200, for a new lens. “I shot a wedding a few months back, and it paid for this purchase.” Air conditioner: $600, for a Honeywell portable model from Amazon. “I’d never had AC, but last summer broke me.” New bed and frame: $2,000, from IKEA.

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