“I splurged on a $350 sweater for my boyfriend”: How a 25-year-old graphic designer spends her money

Who: Sarah May, 25

What she does: Graphic designer

What she makes: $52,000 a year

Where she lives: A one-bedroom condo on King West

What she spends in a month: Rent: $1,610 a month. Utilities: $80 a month. Groceries: $260 a month. Cellphone: $125 a month. “I bought a new phone and had to upgrade from my grandfathered (much cheaper) mega-plan.” Apple music: $9.99 a month. TTC tokens: $120 a month. Restaurants and coffee: $185 a month. Bark Box subscription: $28, for her chihuahua rescue, Frankie. “He gets two bags of treats and three toys in the mail every month.” Dog food: $32 a month. Uber: $20 a month. “I try to keep my Uber costs low. I bike everywhere in the summer and always try to convince my friends to walk from point A to point B.”

Recent splurges: Plants: $32. “I bought three, and two of them died. I think one was an outdoor plant that I kept inside. It must be the air in my condo.” Gifts: $350, for an Aimé Leon Dore micro-fleece sweater for her boyfriend. “We’re both obsessed with this designer.” Dinner: $100, for a birthday date night at La Palma. Clothes: $57 for two pairs of cargo pants, two T-shirts and an oversized white button-up from Black Market Clothing, and $180 for dress pants and shoes to wear to a friend’s wedding. Art supplies: $100, for silkscreen printing materials from Curry’s art store. Decor: $40, for a balcony lounge cushion from Home Depot.

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