“I’ll probably take the first real vacation of my adult life this year”: how a 27-year-old PR rep lives on around $54,000 a year

Who: Danielle Morgan, 27

What she does: A freelance public relations representative who specializes in the arts.

What she makes: Last year she made $42,000 at a boutique PR firm, which she left a few months ago to take better-paying contracts. She now works from home, and will likely make about $54,000 this year.

Some of how she spends it: Rent on her one-bedroom basement apartment near Roncesvalles and Westminster: $1,000 per month. (“When I first moved in there, it was all I could afford. I couldn’t swing the expense of living aboveground. Now that I’m in a position where I probably could, I really enjoy my apartment, and I prefer to stay and save.”) OSAP payments: $420 monthly. Lease payments on her car: $0. (It was a gift from her parents.) Gas, parking and insurance: $250–$300 monthly. (“My car is a big expense, and a dud, so every time I take it in to the shop, there’s something wrong. I’m selling it and switching to public transit this fall.”) IMDBpro subscription: $149.99 annually. (“I need it for work contacts.”) Cellphone: $73.45 monthly. Charitable donations: $78 monthly. (“I sponsor two people through Plan Canada and World Vision.”) Savings for an upcoming trip: $700–$1500 monthly. (“I’ll probably take the first real vacation of my adult life this year. I plan to do the west coast.”)

What she bought in one week: Fresh fruit and vegetables from the Sorauren Farmers’ Market: $23. (“The Swiss Chard was the size of my torso. It was insane. I ate it for three days.”) Face wash on sale at Shoppers: $3.94. (“I’m not a couponer, but I always pay attention to sales.”) Lunch and dinner from Sushi on Roncy: $17. (“They were renovating my kitchen after a leak upstairs, so I couldn’t cook that day.”) Gift from Belle de Provence: $57.56. (“Because I was displaced by the renovations, my neighbour let me live in her apartment while she was away, so I bought her some fancy French soap.”) Brunch at Old School: $39. (“Brunch is my biggest vice, and it was my turn to pay for a friend.”)