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Salary

‘That’s Akshay Kumar’s monthly salary’: Comedian Sapan Verma jokes about Aamir Khan rejecting over ₹100 crore OTT deal

by jummy84 September 12, 2025

written by jummy84

In August, Aamir Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Aditi Rao Hydari, Jaideep Ahlawat and several others attended the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM), with photos and videos from the event quickly surfacing online. Comedian Sapan Verma hosted the awards night and has now shared a video of his opening monologue, where he roasted stars including Aamir, Malaika and Abhishek.

Comedian Sapan Verma roasted Aamir Khan.

Sapan Verma roasts Aamir Khan

The video began with Sapan poking fun at Aamir Khan’s relentless promotion of Sitaare Zameen Par. He said, “Aamir Khan, as we all know, was so good this year in all the 450 interviews he did to promote Sitaare Zameen Par. Sir, you did so much promotion at one point, I was worried. My doorbell rang, I thought you had personally come to tell me to watch the film.”

He further joked about Aamir rejecting a ₹100 crore OTT deal and added, “Aamir sir made history, an iconic move. He has released this film directly on YouTube. I have heard that you declined an offer of more than ₹100 crore from an OTT platform for this move. ₹100 crore. You know what that means, right? Akshay Kumar’s monthly salary.”

Aamir indeed gave multiple interviews to promote Sitaare Zameen Par. Later, he announced that the film would not be released on any OTT platform. Reports suggested that he had turned down an offer of ₹120 crore from Amazon Prime Video for its digital rights. Eventually, Aamir released the film on YouTube, charging viewers ₹100.

Speaking about his decision, Aamir said, “This was the reason why I did not give away the rights of my film Sitaare Zameen Par, as this plan was in motion. Our plan is to release every film under the Aamir Khan Production banner on YouTube, after they complete their theatrical run. Each movie will be available at a minimal cost of ₹100.”

About Sitaare Zameen Par

Directed by RS Prasanna, the sports comedy-drama is a spiritual successor to Khan’s 2007 classic Taare Zameen Par. It stars Aamir Khan and Genelia Deshmukh in lead roles alongside 10 debutant actors, all of whom are specially abled. An official remake of the 2018 Spanish film Campeones, it follows a suspended basketball coach who must serve community service by helping a team of players with disabilities prepare for a tournament.

The film received positive reviews from both critics and audiences, emerging as a box-office success with earnings of ₹267.52 crore against a budget of ₹122 crore.

IFFM winners

At IFFM, Aamir Khan was honoured with the prestigious Excellence in Cinema Award. Neeraj Ghaywan’s Homebound won big, taking home both Best Film and Best Director. Abhishek Bachchan bagged Best Actor (Film) for I Want To Talk, while Jaideep Ahlawat won Best Actor (Series) for Paatal Lok Season 2.

September 12, 2025 0 comments

Hollywood

His Annual SiriusXM Salary Explained – Hollywood Life

by jummy84 September 9, 2025

written by jummy84

Image Credit: Kevin Mazur

Howard Stern has hosted The Howard Stern Show on SiriusXM since 2006, becoming one of the highest-paid radio personalities in the world. The 71-year-old’s massive contracts with the company have made him a broadcasting legend and earned him the nickname “King of All Media.”

In mid-2025, rumors began swirling that the show would be canceled when Howard’s deal expires later this year, with reports suggesting SiriusXM could no longer cover his massive salary. Howard quickly set the record straight on air, joking that Andy Cohen would replace him before clarifying, “None of this is real; they were trying to create a story. I don’t know what they’re talking about.”

With speculation about his contract and career future at an all-time high, fans want to know: just how much is Howard worth in 2025, and what does he really make at SiriusXM? Find out everything to know about his financial standing below.

What Is Howard Stern’s SiriusXM Salary?

Howard has been earning between $80 million and $120 million per year with SiriusXM, according to several outlets. In December 2020, the radio host signed a five-year contract extension with the broadcast company for more than $100 million per year. The five-year contract is worth between $500 million and $600 million.

What Is Howard Stern’s Net Worth Today?

Howard currently has a net worth of $650 million, per Celebrity Net Worth.

Is ‘The Howard Stern Show’ Being Canceled?

Despite previous reports, The Howard Stern Show is not being canceled, at least according to Howard himself.

“Now I can’t leave. (Screw) you and these rumors,” Stern said on September 8, 2025, adding that SiriusXM executives have approached him “as they normally do and they’re fantastic. They’ve been nothing but lovely. We’ve been talking.” He also reassured listeners, “I’m very happy at Sirius.”

On August 5, 2025, The U.S. Sun reported that the show would end after Howard’s current contract expires at the close of the year. An insider claimed SiriusXM was planning to make an offer they didn’t expect him to accept.

“Sirius and Stern are never going to meet on the money he is going to want,” the source told the outlet, adding that Howard’s radio show is “no longer worth the investment.” The source also argued there was “no way” SiriusXM could keep paying Stern’s salary, pointing to other high-profile late-night cuts, including Stephen Colbert’s.

“After you saw what happened with Stephen Colbert, it’s like they just can’t afford to keep him going,” the source added.

September 9, 2025 0 comments

Fashion

A Week In New York On A $125,000 Salary

by jummy84 September 8, 2025

written by jummy84

Welcome to Money Diaries where we are tackling the ever-present taboo that is money. We’re asking real people how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period — and we’re tracking every last dollar.
Today: a senior account manager who makes $125,000 per year and who spends some of her money this week on a baffling $90.73 payment towards student loans.

Occupation: Senior account manager
Industry: B2B digital marketing
Age: 27
Location: New York
Salary: $125,000
Assets: Retirement funds (401(k), Rollover IRA and Roth IRA): $20,000; HYSA: $3,000; checking account: $1,300.
Debt: TD Bank Credit Card: $12,920; Citi Credit Card: $2,900; Capital One Savor Card: $9,975.
Paycheck Amount (2x/month): $3,600
Pronouns: She/her
Monthly Expenses
Housing Costs: $2,900 (covers rent, heat, gas, and water/sewage).
Loan Payments: Student loans: $171; credit cards: $1,000.
Dog-Related Care Costs: $650-$1,000 (food, dog-walker or doggie daycare).
Subscriptions: $20 for Apple storage, Amazon Prime, and Netflix.
ClassPass: $90
Internet: $40
Electricity: $25-$100
The Trevor Project Donation: $22

Was there an expectation for you to attend higher education? Did you participate in any form of higher education? If yes, how did you pay for it?
Yes, there was an expectation for me to go to college after high school! Both of my parents are college graduates and decided to raise their kids in a neighborhood in New Jersey that specifically had a great public school system. About 94% of my graduating class pursued higher education and went to college after graduation, so it was very much the norm and encouraged (or even pushed on us).
Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent(s) educate you about finances?
My parents had me when they were in their late teens/early twenties, so growing up, money was scarce. I saw a lot of fear around money and understood that we were not working with much while my parents were starting out. However, as I’ve grown, they have also managed to climb up the ladder in terms of class and are now pretty comfortably upper-middle class. It’s been interesting watching them shift to a more secure place and now there is less fear around finances. I was always encouraged to have a savings account and have been working in some capacity since I was very young (house-sitting, babysitting, camp counseling) starting around 10 years old.
What was your first job and why did you get it?
My first job that was “official” was a cashier at a grocery store. I got it because I went to every store in the neighborhood with my résumé and contact information, shook the manager’s hand, and asked for a job. They were the first to call me back; I started when I was 16.
Did you worry about money growing up?
Yes, all the time. My biggest fear was that my parents wouldn’t let me go through a four-year college experience and that we wouldn’t have enough money to cover the cost of my education. It was extremely important to me to go to college as a young person and I also deeply desired the independence of being out of my family’s house and on my own. I saved a lot of my own money before starting school and ultimately was able to afford to go to a four-year state university.
Do you worry about money now?
Yes, I am very worried about money — but with a grain of salt. I am lucky enough that I always have a place to go to if things do not work out (for example, I’ve had a sublet situation fall through which forced me to move back with my parents for a short period of time). However, I do not want to do that again. I truly want to be independent and self-sufficient. However, that also means being aware of my finances and on top of things at work, since my bills fall on me. It can be stressful but also very rewarding to take on that level of responsibility. I have also started freelancing as a second source of income, which has been a very enjoyable side project!
At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net?
I do not have a trust fund or financial safety net that exists in a bank account, but I do have a very loving family who are supportive of me and I know that I can turn to them should disaster strike. I became financially responsible for myself when I was 22 and moved out of my parents’ house to an apartment.
Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain.
When I signed my first lease, my dad was a guarantor and paid $400 of the $3,000 rent at the time, and he did that for about a year and a half as I was starting out on my own. Now, I am fully responsible for my expenses and rent. I do not receive passive income or inherited income.

Day One: Thursday

3 a.m. — I wake up in a panic and check my bank account, it’s pay day! Ayeeee. I breathe a little easier. I’ve been going through major life transitions and was in the negatives on my checking account for about a week after switching jobs and moving apartments, which left me a paycheck behind. I atone for my sins (debts) so that when I actually wake up I won’t have to think about them, and my friends will wake up to Venmo notifications. I send $144 for Chappell Roan tickets to my friend who got early access, $170 to my cousin for a hair stylist and makeup artist (her wedding is in two weeks!) and $800 to two credit cards that have kept me afloat over the last few weeks. $1,114

8 a.m. — I commute into the city for work, and head out this morning to catch the train. Before I go, I make myself an iced almond milk latte and heat up the last part of a veggie frittata I meal prepped for this week. I also have my last apple cider doughnut from the pack my mom gave me when I was home for my grandma’s birthday. Call me a weirdo, but I actually love my commute. I have worked remotely since 2020, and the isolation definitely left my brain scrambled and devoid of little spurts of serendipity. Walking through Grand Central, I hear the subway saxophone players, see tourists wandering around, and run into my coworkers on the way to work. It makes me feel human again. $11.80

2:30 p.m. — Work has been a rollercoaster this week. I’ve been on calls and doing finance-related work (re: mind-numbing shit) since 9 a.m., so I take a lunch break and walk down the street. I didn’t have time to pack or make my lunch yesterday, so I stop at Naya and grab a shawarma wrap and an iced coffee from Le Pain. I spend the rest of the afternoon finishing up work and listening to the New Heights podcast with Taylor Swift. This is a highlight of my day and this woman is unstable for making so much music, but I’m here for it. October 3rd baby, Life of a Show Girl! $17.90

5:50 p.m. — I’m heading back on the train to New Jersey. My friend texted me earlier and asked if I wanted to go to a Pride event at our local library An art therapist is guiding a free class and she and a few new and old friends are going around 7 p.m. In Jersey City, Pride month starts in August, and building queer community has been super important to me the last year or so. I tell her I’m going and cancel my ClassPass for tonight. I was never going to make it to Pilates anyway. I’d rather bond with my people and make some silly little crafts. For this, I am charged a cancellation penalty of $14, even though I lie and say I am injured. They do give me five credits back, though. I cut my losses. Something about me: I’m a mother (mamacita). My dog goes to day care three days a week and the daycare tech is dropping him off at 6:30 p.m. He always comes home happy and tired, which is all I can ask for when I’m in the office! A very good investment in my opinion. $14

7:30 p.m. — For dinner, I make a full pound of salmon, bok choy, and brown rice. I split the salmon into thirds and pack two of them into containers with the veggies and rice. Now I have dinner for tonight and lunch for next week! Even though I live alone, I’ve been cooking in bulk recently to save myself in the future. I also made a breakfast parfait for tomorrow with protein granola from Trader Joe’s, Greek yogurt, and a cut up peach and plum. All together this took me one hour. I get to the art event with my friend who’s coming from a Yelp-elite event. We get to the library and meet up with our friends. The activity is journal making! We can decorate the journals with collages and take home some prompts for self reflection. I’ve never been happier. Journaling is one of my favorite things to do. Afterwards, we head over to Torico’s for ice cream and chat for a while. I head home around 9:30 p.m. $5

Daily Total: $1,162.70

Day Two: Friday

8:30 a.m. — I wake up super late and put on some sweatpants to walk my dog before starting work. For some reason I simply can not get my act together in the morning on work from home days. Once we’re back, I work on some project briefs with our creative team. They are lovely, solution-oriented people and for that I’m grateful, because there are always surprises coming out of nowhere for the designs and projects we make for our clients. While I’m working, I eat my prepped breakfast and have another iced almond milk latte.

10:30 a.m. — My landlord is texting me about my oven. I thought I smelled gas a few days ago so I called PSE&G to check. Turns out the oven has a weak igniter that can be replaced for $300. My landlord says instead of reimbursing me for that repair, her and her husband will just buy a new oven. This is great news! I send over the dimensions so they have something to reference. I send another payment to one of my credit cards for $16.77 as the amount I paid yesterday didn’t cover a few pending transactions. I also realize I have to take my dog for his annual visit next month, so drop in $130 to a sinking fund I have for him in my Marcus Goldman Sachs HYSA account. That should cover the office visit, and then I’ll pay for the other tests and vaccine updates with my next pay check. $146.77

2:30 p.m. — Another busy day. Take my late lunch break and bring my dog out for a little walk. I heat up the salmon, bok choy, and rice from yesterday and make one more iced almond milk latte. I am a creature of habit. Continue working on a lot of administrative tasks for work. While I work on things that are tedious I like to put on some YouTube or background sounds. Today I’m listening to a video essay by Anna Howard called “How Life Changes When You Realize the Rules are Made Up.” I’m really drawn to the idea of selective agency. I wonder which aspects of my life I’m choosing to approach without considering my resources today compared to when I was younger. Besides bills, I realize I’ve had a zero-spend day so far (hooray!). I have a lot of credit card debt to pay off, from poor decisions in my early twenties, so I’m teaching myself to try to enjoy the process of saving and reward myself for my goals.

5:30 p.m. — I realize I’m doing more staring at my screen than working, so I take a little break and snuggle with my dog. I take him for a walk and then take a really long shower with a glass of wine because this is very important to do as a woman at least once a month.

9:30 p.m. — Because I am sick and twisted I log back on to see how much more work I can get done before 10 p.m. I power through almost one more full timeline until I go to bed.

Daily Total: $146.77

Day Three: Saturday

11 a.m. — I wake up and realize how tired my body was! I’ve been sleeping so restlessly in my new place, but there was a lot of noise from people partying and yelling near a bar on the corner last night. I need to invest in some type of sound machine. I put on my makeup, as well as Maren Morris’ song “Running”, and get dressed and ready for the day. A new location for my favorite local coffee shop just opened two blocks away and I go with my dog to check it out. I end up getting one iced horchata latte. $7.20

12 p.m. — Come back home and make a little egg, avocado, and tomato scramble and cut up a plum. TD Bank robbed me last week, so I call to plea my case. The lovely customer service representative refunds me $210 in overdraft fees. I am giddy and so relieved. My friend texts me to ask if I want to go watch a roller derby competition in Prospect Park with the people from her activist band. Never have I been more excited for a text. I say yes. The event is at 5:30 p.m., so I need to plan the rest of my day backwards. I’ll leave at 4:30 p.m. and take my dog for an hour-long walk before, so I have about two remaining hours to get things together.

2 p.m. — Seeing as I got $210 back, I order two new pairs of pants from the Gap which is having a great sale ($63.73). I desperately need new jeans, but I can’t seem to find ones I love. I find one pair I like and one pair of work trousers. I also find three super cute tops on Abercrombie and spend $105 including shipping. I think I’m good for now! I start a load of laundry in the basement unit in my building, and am surprised to find that the washer/dryer is free (no quarters!). This is the best day of my life. So grateful. While the laundry is running, I decide to meal prep my breakfast for next Monday and make a late lunch. I cook the rest of the eggplant I got from my grandpa’s garden, tomato, lots of garlic and olive oil, and some pasta. $168.73

6 p.m. — My laundry is done and I head out to Brooklyn to see my friend (and her aforementioned friends) for a little bit before she goes to China and Taiwan for three weeks. Everyone is super sweet and they share their beer with me and my friend. I grab a water from concessions and split it with my friend since it’s 80 degrees in the shade. $3.47

9:30 p.m. — I’m heading home now. I get really anxious about solo public transit in NYC at night so I didn’t want to push it too late. Plus I have to walk my dog one more time before bed. I’m hoping to be in bed by 11:30 p.m. $5.90

Daily Total: $190.30

Day Four: Sunday

9:30 a.m. — Wake up and take some time getting out of bed. I have the morning to myself besides heading to a friend’s bowling party in the city later!

10:30 a.m. — Go to the same coffee shop and get an iced latte again. Shower, make some breakfast, listen to The Daily and a BBC news podcast and then get a little work done. $7.20

12 p.m. — I walk downtown to pick up a gift for my friend. There’s a market area open by the PATH station, and I pick up some home made treats and a bow tie for her dog, as well as a small ceramic pot for dips and brie. I think she’ll like it! $42

2 p.m. — Go to the bowling place with my friends on the PATH ($5.90) and then the bus ($5.90). I grab two beers and some bowling shoes. My friend pays for one round and the shoes. I can’t bowl for shit but still come in second place on my team! When I get home, our birthday girl requests $18 for the cost of entrance and my friend lets me know that they didn’t charge her for my beer but I do owe money for the shoes ($8). $31.90

6 p.m. — It’s pouring outside, so instead of taking my dog for a long walk, I take him for a short sprint and then head back in. I put on a show and clean my bathroom until it calms down and we go out again.

8 p.m. — I’ve been going back and forth on grocery shopping and finally say fuck it and go. I have three recipes saved from NYT Cooking to make that are relatively low budget. All together, I get a good weekly haul for $46.91 at ShopRite. I bought two cans of cannellini beans, one box of pasta, kale, Brussels sprouts, baby potatoes, a shallot and lemon, tomatoes on the vine, two avocados, quinoa, almond milk, chicken thighs, hot Italian sausage, one dog chew, turmeric, basil leaves, cumin, and garlic powder. $46.91

10 p.m. — I shower and go to sleep. Finally, an early night!

Daily Total: $128.01

Day Five: Monday

6:15 a.m. — Wake up early because today is the first day I’m leaving my dog home instead of sending him to daycare! I hired a dog walker a week ago and today she starts. I’ll walk him this morning, then she’ll come for an hour in the afternoon, and I’ll walk him when I’m home from work. We’ll see how this goes. He can be very high energy so he needs one or two hours of exercise per day. I take the morning walk and run into my friends around the corner that just got back from Ireland. They are adjusting to the time difference and we walk together until they leave to get bagels.

7:25 a.m. — Out of the house and heading to work! I feel Monday scaries, but most of my stress-inducing meetings are in the morning, so by lunchtime I’ll be a little calmer. $5.90

11:15 a.m. — My period surprises me so I run to CVS and grab a small pack of pads, bottle of Motrin, and Ghirardelli chocolates. $18.12

12 p.m. — My calls are over and I meet my manager in the office for a 1:1. My dog walker also sends me the cutest pics of my dog and says they had a great walk. I’m so happy and relieved that they got along and book her for Tuesday and Thursday, for $60 each day for a one-hour walk. I also pay her a little extra for the initial walk, since the first one is slightly discounted from her normal rate and she did a great job. ~~$180~~

3:30 p.m. — Late lunch break at the place next door to my office and catch up on the news. Accidentally spend way too much on a Cubano, but it’s so good I don’t regret it. $21.72

4:45 p.m. — I head out early on the PATH ($3). When I get home, I chat a little bit with my mom and then watch some YouTube. I also meal prep some basil-butter chicken thighs and corn. This should last me until Thursday. I check my bank account and realize that the federal student loan service has attacked me this month and taken an auto-deduction of $90.73. Sometimes I feel like I am bleeding money. $93.73

11 p.m. — Spent the rest of the night watching some comfort YouTube channels (Trixie Mattel), cleaning up the house, and showering. I recently got an ice-roller and try to use it on my face if I remember to depuff after doing my skincare routine. It’s very soothing.

Daily Total: $139.47

Day Six: Tuesday

8:30 a.m. — I leave really late for work as it was a rough night. It didn’t have to be; I just stayed up really late googling what kind of breed my dog’s father might have been. Not a total waste of time, but definitely not worth staying up until midnight for. $5.90

10 a.m. — I get to work extra late because the 4/5/6 train line is massively delayed from World Trade Center. I missed breakfast so I have some Frosted Flakes and a banana from my work snack bar.

5:45 p.m. — My friends and I go out for happy hour in Tribeca. They buy my two rounds of sauvignon blanc and I promise to get them back next time.

7:30 p.m. — Home now, I check my Gmail and see that the editor for my freelance article replied to me with edits. I’m so excited! I make my pasta e fagioli (pasta with beans and veggies) and take a look at her feedback. All very valid notes. I eat and make some edits.

10 p.m. — Take my dog for his last walk and go to sleep earlier than yesterday. A win is a win.

Daily Total: $5.90

Day Seven: Wednesday

7:30 a.m. — I wake up to a call from my landlord that my stove is being delivered in 10 minutes. Fuck. I forgot that it was scheduled for today and am very unprepared. I brush my teeth and change as fast as I can and put my dog in my bedroom so he doesn’t get spooked by the delivery.

8:20 a.m. — Stove is installed! That was super fast. I get started with my workday and make some iced coffee with — you guessed it — almond milk, and have two Ghirardelli caramel chocolates before my first morning calls.

11 a.m. — My calls are over for now so I eat some leftover cut-up plum, peach, and Greek yogurt with protein granola. Today will mostly be brainstorming internal team projects and preparing for another kick off tomorrow.

6:15 p.m. — My work isn’t completely done yet but I need to sign off to make it to Pilates. I message my boss that I’ll be back at 7:30 p.m. to finish up.

7:30 p.m. — I am back to finish up. I send out one email then get ready as quickly as possible for trivia night at a local gay bar. My friends who got back from Ireland last week are meeting me there. I speed walk in the rain and go inside to their little bar booth. We are actually not terrible! It’s Pride trivia and we know a lot, but still not enough because we get fourth place. We have three drinks each. I have three glasses of pinot grigio which will be a regret tomorrow morning, but feels good right now. $28

Daily Total: $63.24

The Breakdown

Weekly Total $$ Spent: $1796.15
Food & Drink: $137.40
Entertainment: $170
Home & Health: $4148.12
Clothes & Beauty $338.73
Transportation $38.40
Other $963.50

Conclusion

“This was genuinely such a fun exercise and kept me incredibly aware and present in my week. I also wanted to spend less on frivolous things because I knew they would be documented! Really fun.”

Money Diaries are meant to reflect an individual’s experience and do not necessarily reflect Refinery29’s point of view. Refinery29 in no way encourages illegal activity or harmful behavior.

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September 8, 2025 0 comments

Celebrity News

All About Her Salary & More – Hollywood Life

by jummy84 September 3, 2025

written by jummy84

Hoda Kotb'The Today Show' TV show, New York, USA - 21 Dec 2021 — Image Credit: Getty Images

**USE CHILD PIXELATED IMAGES IF YOUR TERRITORY REQUIRES IT** Hoda Kotb all smiles arriving with her daughter, Haley Joy Kotb, at the Today show in New York, NY. Pictured: Hoda Kotb,Haley Joy Kotb Ref: SPL5032471 111018 NON-EXCLUSIVE Picture by: Elder Ordonez / SplashNews.com Splash News and Pictures Los Angeles: 310-821-2666 New York: 212-619-2666 London: 0207 644 7656 Milan: 02 4399 8577 photodesk@splashnews.com World Rights, No Portugal Rights — Image Credit: Getty Images

NBC’s Today show is finally welcoming back one of its familiar faces. Sheinelle Jones has been absent from the program since January 10, 2025 — the same day Hoda Kotb aired her final episode—after revealing she stepped away to focus on a “family health matter.” On September 2, Savannah Guthrie announced on air that Sheinelle will officially return to Studio 1A on Friday, September 5, 2025. The program will include a pre-taped interview between Savannah and Sheinelle.

From her Today show salary to her impressive career, here’s what to know about Sheinelle’s net worth.

When Did Sheinelle Jones Join the ‘Today’ Show?

Sheinelle Jones' net worth — Sheinelle Jones (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)

According to Distractify, Sheinelle joined the Today show in 2014, making her a mainstay of over a decade. She initially sat in on Weekend Today.

Is Sheinelle Jones Still on ‘Today’?

During Today‘s third hour on Friday, January 10th, co-host Al Roker offered little explanation for the talk-show star’s absence. “Sheinelle is off,” he said during the broadcast’s third hour, according to Parade. Her absence especially concerned viewers, given that she missed out on Hoda’s farewell celebration that day. Co-anchors Carson Daly, Savannah, and Craig Melvin had no choice but to bid farewell to Hoda during the on-air festivities without Sheinelle.

The talk show beauty sparked a similar wave of concern back in October, when she missed the October 21 and 22 episodes. She later provided an explanation, which included a blend of professional and family duties. “I wasn’t here Friday, I went right outside of Philadelphia to speak with the Society of Professional Women,” she said during the show upon her return. “So many women from the Philadelphia area… but I stayed until the very end and talked to almost every single one of the women when it was over. I love that kind of stuff. Girl power! And then I rushed home and was a soccer mom.”

In May 2025, it was announced that Sheinelle was grieving the loss of her husband, Uche Ojeh, who died from glioblastoma.

On May 23, Savannah said in an update, “With profound sadness, we share this morning that Uche Ojeh, the husband of our dear friend and Today cohost Sheinelle Jones has passed away after a courageous battle with an aggressive form of brain cancer called glioblastoma. There are no words for the pain that we feel for Sheinelle and their three young children. Uche was an incredible person. We all loved him.”

What Is Sheinelle Jones’ Net Worth?

According to Closer, Sheinelle has an impressive net worth of around $25 million, and the outlet cites a staggering annual salary of somewhere between $1 and $5 million per year. The Pennsylvania native has previously worked at Fox affiliate KOKI-TV in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and WTXF in Philadelphia.

September 3, 2025 0 comments

Fashion

A Week In St. Petersburg, FL On A $45,000 Salary

by jummy84 September 1, 2025

written by jummy84

Welcome to Money Diaries where we are tackling the ever-present taboo that is money. We’re asking real people how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period — and we’re tracking every last dollar.
Today: a server who makes $45,000 per year and who spends some of her money this week on a dry sheet mask from Ulta (she added it to her cart so she could get free shipping for her face wash).

Occupation: Server
Industry: Service industry
Age: 30
Location: St. Petersburg, FL
Salary: $45,000
Assets: Checking: $2,588.54; savings: $4,000.88; brokerage account: $65,000 (from my parents, given to me when I was 25). I have an undisclosed amount of Bitcoin in a Coinbase account (more than the brokerage), several pieces of Cartier jewelry that would probably hold their value if I had to sell them, and I own my own car but have been driving it since 2013, so it is worth very little.
Debt: $0
Paycheck Amount (2x/Month): $900-$2,000
Pronouns: She/her
Monthly Expenses
Housing Costs: My half of $1,800 rent (I live with a roommate in a two-bedroom, one-bathroom. Water is included, so it fluctuates by $50 or so per month).
Loan Payments: $0
Phone: $40
Internet: $60
Electricity: $227 this month (summer in Florida. I live on the second floor of a 40-year-old wooden structure).
Hello Fresh: ~$60 for two meals a month.
Streaming Services: $35.45 (I split some subscriptions with my brother).
Frame.io: $15 (for video editing work).
Apple & Google Storage: ~$5

Was there an expectation for you to attend higher education? Did you participate in any form of higher education? If yes, how did you pay for it?
There was definitely an expectation to go to college. I chose a college based on how much money they gave me in scholarships. I wanted to owe my parents as little as possible. I wanted to study marine biology and move out of my home state, so I only applied to coastal schools. My tuition was fully paid for through scholarships that the school gave me. My parents gave me an account of $35,000 when I graduated high school and that was basically the extra money I had to live on throughout college, although my parents paid for my dorm housing and meal plan the first two years. I worked in a marine bio lab all four years, but it was for career experience more than the very small amount of money I earned. Halfway through my undergraduate degree, I applied for and won a nationally competitive marine biology scholarship. It was enough to pay for my living expenses for the rest of college. After undergrad, I attended a PhD program for environmental/cultural anthropology for a year. It was fully funded, and I paid for living expenses through being a teaching assistant and doing private admissions test tutoring. My PhD program wasn’t what I thought it would be and I became disillusioned with academia, so I dropped out. The rest of my twenties were a very circuitous adventure. At the age of 30, I am running up against some pretty persistent depression and really evaluating what my values and goals are at this point in my life.
Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent(s) educate you about finances?
Although my dad made a decent amount of money in the finance industry, he emphasized that I would be expected to pay my own way as an adult. I went to a private Christian school and we watched Dave Ramsey videos in class. That was my financial education, and although both myself and my parents use credit cards, I still probably derive a lot of my money habits from Dave Ramsey. It works fine as a money philosophy for personal finances. Hasn’t steered me wrong, anyway.
What was your first job and why did you get it?
The summer after I graduated high school, I worked as a teaching assistant at a sailing day camp on a lake in Tennessee. Best summer of my life. I got the job because I wanted to keep going to the camp but I’d aged out of being a camper, so being a teaching assistant was the next logical step.
Did you worry about money growing up?
No. I was privileged. Really privileged. When I was 10 we went on vacation to Hawaii and England in one year. I learned how to ski at Deer Valley and Steamboat Springs. Then 2008 hit and my parents had to downsize their house, and it caused a lot of tension in the household. But at the end of the day, we always had more than enough money.
Do you worry about money now?
Yeah, kinda. But since I am secretly sitting on a lot of emergency cash in accounts that are under my name, I don’t ever really worry about money. I just don’t want to fuck up and have to use my brokerage account or Coinbase account for some kind of preventable money emergency.
At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net?
Since age 20, when I won a big scholarship. I started paying for my own housing and living expenses after that. While my parents expect me to take care of myself, I know they would step in if I had an emergency.
Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain.
My dad handed over brokerage accounts totaling about $60,000 to my younger brother and me when we were 25 and 22 respectively. It was money he’d invested in some sort of tax-free inheritance account. I think it is supposed to be our inheritance from him: He said it was to pay for my wedding, a graduate degree, a down payment on a house, or whatever expenses I’d need as a young person. I’ve been sitting on it so far. I have held onto my Bitcoin money throughout years of ups and downs, and the result is that now my Coinbase account is my biggest asset. HODL.

Day One: Monday

10 a.m. — I wake up to my alarm, lol, and wake my boyfriend B. shortly after. I am hungover from going to drag queen bingo at a tiki bar last night and then drinking at my boyfriend’s bar until he closed at 1 a.m. I drop an Alka-Seltzer tab into a water bottle to nurse myself back to health. Today is a day off for both of us, and we are driving two hours to Orlando to pick up two new foster birds for the parrot rescue I am associated with. This is quite early for my bartender boyfriend. I hurry to throw our dishes from the day before into the dishwasher while he is getting dressed. We listen to folk music on the drive, starting with “Judy Blue Eyes” by Crosby, Stills, and Nash. B. sleeps most of the drive. I stop at Smoothie King and grab us two Strawberry Hulks (plus a vitamin shot, since I have been murdering my immune system with alcohol this weekend) and some chili lime protein chips because I am curious if they resemble Takis in any way (they do, I would recommend). $28.70

11:30 a.m. — The twenty-dollar bill I shelled out for cheap gas near my place of work this weekend is not going to get us to Orlando and back, so I stop at a relatively cheap gas station outside of Orlando to fill up. $48.64

1 p.m. — We stop at the home of a long-time parrot rescue foster lady, who gives me a motherly hug as I step through her door. She immediately introduces me and B. to our new little fosters, two Pacific parrotlets, the smallest species of parrot. They are brother and sister, and the girl weighs less than an ounce. Their current foster mom is getting her house remodeled this summer, so she needs someone to take them for a few months. They are too cute.

3 p.m. — When we get home we struggle to get the brother bird into his cage because he runs and hides under the TV stand. Turns out their flight feathers are clipped so instead of flying up high to get away from us he hides like a hamster. B. and I give up trying to get him and watch the Ahsoka TV show on the couch until little man comes out of hiding. I put a little play stand on the floor with some seeds and sure enough he explores it, and then starts climbing the charging cables at the base of my TV stand. He’s climbing on my ancient Wii remotes when I’m finally able to pick him up. I have in mind to do a bunch of chores but all I do is get my sheets in the wash. I have a king-sized bed with a white duvet cover, so I am able to use a little bleach to keep it fresh. I have to haul my laundry to my apartment laundry room and pay for it, ew. $3

7 p.m. — B. and I both have a craft beer given to me for my birthday by our favorite beer bar, then B. is like, “We need to eat,” so we make a quick reservation at a nice Italian place where he used to work. I was too busy organizing the new bird toys to notice the time so I don’t get a chance to shower before dinner. Just spray on a bunch of perfume, this 30-year-old bottle of YSL Paris that my mom gave me. It smells very ’80s. We kind of feel like celebrities rocking up to the restaurant. The manager was at the host stand and gave us both big hugs, and something like three servers came over and talked to us. One of the things I admire about B. is that he is a mega extrovert and knows people everywhere we go. We have dirty martinis and our favorite dish on the menu: short rib agnolotti. It’s decadent. We finish off the meal with a glass of Sicilian red wine. I try to pay to thank B. for wrangling the bird cages and taking a four-hour road trip but he venmos me half the tab. $109.84

11 p.m. — We hop over to a bar we’ve never tried before. It is camping themed (???), but super super cute. As I had hoped, they have a toasted-marshmallow cocktail. Our friends get off work and come over and we ended up doing a shotski of Rumple Mintz. Zingy. B. pays for drinks. After that, we meet up with like the whole back of house of the Italian restaurant at our favorite late-night haunt. They have food but I am still stuffed from dinner so we just got more drinks, which I purchase. I fly too close to the sun by drinking a Bee’s Knees which is basically all gin. Next thing you know I fall and skin my knee like a child. I do not remember the car ride home. I don’t even remember that we rewatched the first episode of Foundation until the next day. B. throws my sheets in the dryer while the episode plays. $27.88

Daily Total: $218.06

Day Two: Tuesday

12 p.m. — After waking up I water the herbs on my balcony, play with the birds, eat a bagel and cream cheese, make tea, play with the birds some more, and doom scroll. I cancel Netflix even though I think they already charged me for the month last night. There isn’t anything I feel like watching on there right now.

3 p.m. — B. is way too snuggly so I get back in bed with him after chugging water and the next thing you know it is 3 p.m. During our bed snuggle time we were on our phones and sometimes I was reading my book, Speaker For The Dead by Orson Scott Card. I try explaining the plot to B. At one point I go and get my new girl bird and brought her into my room. I basically just stare at her and tell her she’s the cutest and most beautiful animal I have ever seen, because it’s true. Bird adoration time. B. and I keep falling back asleep and I dream that Hunter Schafer was my roommate’s best friend and that they were telling me I was doing a bad job of keeping the house clean. My guilty conscience speaking through Hunter Schafer dreams?? I have a roommate, and I am pretty sure she is out of town this week because I haven’t seen her in days. She is the program coordinator for the nonprofit that one of my college friends founded.

7:30 pm — I buy a new face wash on Ulta because I am almost out. I also buy a sheet mask to get free shipping. Found a coupon code to get $3 off. I eat vitamins and take my medicine like 12 hours late. I am Prozac currently. Also birth control. I am very calm on Prozac but unfortunately I also don’t feel like doing anything. I am content to stare at a wall. It’s kind of disturbing. $41.24

10 p.m. — I take a shower and have leftover agnolotti and tom yum-flavored instant ramen for dinner in bed. I read more Speaker for the Dead, which is turning into a seriously interesting book.

Daily Total: $41.24

Day Three: Wednesday

10 a.m. — I get up and drive down to Sarasota for a mentorship job I have through my friend’s nonprofit. I am mentoring the summer media intern. I help her troubleshoot in the editing software and give notes on her work.

2 p.m. — I feel really down today and I have for a few weeks — my mom is going through a hard time — so I decide to clear my schedule in the evening and take mushrooms. I’ve had them in my bedside table for almost a year now and I want to use them before they expire. When I get home I make lunch for me and my birds. We sit together on the couch and eat. I literally just make rice with soy sauce and drink a glass of milk. Better to take shrooms on a relatively empty stomach. I have “chop” for the birds, which is a mix of grains, nuts, fruits, and vegetables that is finely chopped up and kept in the freezer for storage. I eat my shrooms, mixing them with hot water, lemon juice, and chopped fresh ginger root to make a tea. I keep watching Andor and the shrooms start hitting right at the final episode. Oh my god.

8 p.m. — I keep having to pause the show to ponder. It’s storming outside, and when the rain quiets down I decide to open my balcony door and sit in the thick humidity. I eat more mushrooms, making this witches’ brew of mushrooms, ginger, lemon, apple cider vinegar, a splash of olive oil, chili powder, the flavor packets from tom yum ramen, and a clove of raw garlic. In my heavy-tripping state, the taste is glorious. It’s like the most flavorful thing I have ever tasted. I’m making a spicy savory brew every time I want to eat shrooms from now on. I go full Boo Radley and quietly sit on my porch, hoping no one sees me and knows I’m high. I sip my brew, feel the swirl of the weather, and look at the tiny herb sprouts in the pots on my porch. Then I go back inside and finish Andor and start Rogue One, and boy, I’m really feeling the plight of the Rebel Alliance. I was locked in. I have a headache once I come down, but I drink some water and try to relax my jaw.

Daily Total: $0

Day Four: Thursday

12 p.m. — I have a protein bar and a glass of milk for breakfast. I take a shower and call my mom while I finish getting ready for work.

4 p.m. — I go to work at the restaurant. I clock in at 4 p.m. and go to get my work shirt from the storage room. (They dry clean our uniform shirts). They serve us “family meal” in the hour before the restaurant opens. Today’s is really good, actually, pasta with a creamy mushroom sauce (lol) and meatballs. While the restaurant is slow, I drink a cup of English breakfast tea from the coffee station.

7 p.m. — It’s B.’s day off, so he comes in and eats dinner at the bar while I am working. We actually get fairly busy for a Thursday night, and I make okay money: $194 in credit card tips and $75 cash. I estimate about $65 in hourly pay, bringing me to $334 gross pay for the day.

11 pm – B. has befriended one of the bartenders and we go out with him and his girlfriend after I get off work. We head out to what I honestly think of as a pretty bland sports bar, but our friends want to play darts and they have $4 draft beers. I have a Yuengling. I suck at darts. I’m better if I’ve had more to drink. I’m still pretty exhausted from the shroom trip, so I am basically falling asleep after two games. It’s almost 2 a.m. anyways so I convince B. to drive us home. B. paid for drinks tonight.

Daily Total: $0.00

Day Five: Friday

12 p.m. — B. and I sleep in until noon, as is our habit. We get up and start playing with the birds. I am determined to see if any of them want to be friends with each other. So far no luck. I snuggle with one of the shyer birds until he gets fed up and flies away. B. wants to watch Starship Troopers, which I describe as “like Ender’s Game but worse.” I mean to do chores but I am way too distracted by the movie.

1 p.m. — We have Lucky Charms for breakfast. B. snacks on goldfish and I eat a Nutty Buddy bar. We have a pretty unhealthy diet, I’ll admit it.

3 p.m. — I start falling asleep on his lap until he reminds me that it’s 3 p.m. and I need to get ready for work. I wash my hair. I usually wash it about twice a week, sometimes three times. It’s used to that amount of washing. I rock up to work with my hair still wet, and see my coworker doing the same thing as we walk through the door. “Wet hair gang,” I say.

4 p.m. — I forgot that I left my makeup bag in my bathroom cabinet instead of my work bag, so no makeup for me tonight. Family meal is just fried chicken and fries, not even a salad today, which is pretty disappointing. I have two drum sticks and a glass of root beer since everyone freaking took the fries before I had a chance to grab any. I’m in a good section tonight, even though we are fully in slow season here in St. Pete. Winter is where we make all our money; the snowbirds are down at their winter houses and they have the real money. They all leave to go back up north around April, when it becomes hot again. In June it is unbelievably hot and humid, and also stormy in the evenings, so people are less likely to come out to eat. Still, I made $265.44 credit card tips and $60 cash, with around $70 in hourly, so a total of $395.55 for the night.

11 p.m. — I am super hungry after work so I go to my favorite late-night spot and get fish dip. I don’t like hanging out at bars alone so I get the food to go along with some corn dog nuggets for B. I drink a pint of Guinness while I wait for the food, and I do end up seeing people from two different restaurants that I know. Small city! I go to B.’s bar to drop off his food and hang out for a bit. It is popping off of course, and I sit next to this super drunk couple that keeps giving me and B. weird compliments. I drink a gin and tonic. B. pays. $43.99

2 a.m. – I get home and eat fish dip in bed while watching a makeup tutorial on YouTube. I put on my French pharmacy retinol tonight because it has this heinous texture (like vaseline) and I don’t want to get it all over B. when he sleeps over (it’s the A313 pomade, it’s inexpensive and it works, but the texture sucks). B. is closing down the bar at 3 a.m. tonight so I know he’ll sleep at his place.

Daily Total: $43.99

Day Six: Saturday

12 p.m. — I wake up at, you guessed it, noon again (although I have been randomly waking up between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m. the past few nights and I just watch YouTube until I fall back asleep). I get up and play with the birds, thawing out more chop for them and replenishing their supply of seeds and pellets as well. I make myself some chai tea from this huge bag of loose tea that my friend brought me from India, and I have some oatmeal. I haul two weeks’ worth of laundry to the apartment laundry room and start a couple of loads. It’s $1.50 per load of wash or dryer, except for the front loading washers, which are $1.75. $9.50

4 p.m. — I am a little bit late for work because I was FaceTiming with a friend and lost track of time. Luckily no one says anything. The family meal is interesting… a salad plus brats and some kind of unidentified meat (roast beef?) in spicy sauce. Towards the end of my shift the kitchen gives me a piece of grilled sourdough and some meatballs, and my server coworker shares some lamb chops with me. I made $242 credit and $45 cash. With about $70 in hourly, that comes to $357 for the night.

11 p.m. — I head over to B.’s bar after work and drink a Surfside (B. pays). It’s very busy in there so I finish the can quickly. I wander through the crowded dance floor and out to the backyard, where to my delight I see a food truck with spam musubi on the menu. I’m still full from my meatball and lamb chop feast, but I really want to try their musubi, so I get it to go. I head home and am in bed around 12:30 a.m. Despite closing the bar, B. comes over at like 4 a.m. and startles me awake (I sense a 6’5” figure standing over me in my sleep and it spooks me). We stay up chatting for about an hour and then fall back asleep. $5

Daily Total: $14.50

Day Seven: Sunday

11 a.m. — B. and I wake up “early” and go get brunch with my friends. We go to my favorite spot and get a table outside. One of our friends is super late, so I end up having a spicy Bloody Mary after my boozy coffee while waiting for my eggs, sausage, and toast. I pay for B. and me with a hundred-dollar bill that I traded in for change with another server last night. $93

8 p.m. — B. and I end up going home and watching Fight Club before he has to leave for work. I fold my laundry while we watch. After B. leaves I call my dad (it’s Father’s Day, but he lives out of state), and clean my apartment. I tidy up and do a deep vacuum. I drink two craft beers from my fridge while vacuuming and by the time I’m done I get a snapchat of B. at work from one of my friends. I end up putting fun makeup on (hot pink shadow and winged eyeliner) and heading out. B. takes my car to work so I order an Uber. $16.90

10:30 p.m. — I eat my spam musubi while waiting for the Uber. It’s amazing. It’s a friend’s birthday and we all end up getting pretty drunk and go get drinks and dance at the gay bar across the street. By the time B. gets off work it’s around 3 a.m., and we head to drop off the bar’s cash at the bank and get late-night pizza and cheesecake (B. pays). I think we ended up watching Star Wars: Episode IV while eating pizza when we got home. B. carries me to bed. $34

Daily Total: $143.90

The Breakdown

Weekly Total $$ Spent: $461.69
Food & Drink: $342.41
Entertainment: $0
Home & Health: $12.50
Clothes & Beauty $41.24
Transportation $65.54
Other $0.00

Conclusion

“My conclusions are 1. My income-to-spending ratio is better than I thought, at least this past week, and 2. I drink a lot. I think I’ve been drinking more than usual the past few weeks because I have some family issues going on. But still. I can’t be crashing out regularly.”

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A Week In Brooklyn On A $166,000 Salary

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September 1, 2025 0 comments

Fashion

A Week In Brooklyn On A $166,000 Salary

by jummy84 August 26, 2025

written by jummy84

Welcome to Money Diaries where we are tackling the ever-present taboo that is money. We’re asking real people how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period — and we’re tracking every last dollar.
Today: a psychiatric nurse practitioner who makes $166,000 per year and who spends some of her money this week on a post-surgery Uber.

Editor’s Note and Content Flag: This is a follow-up diary. You can read the original diary here. Please note: this diary contains reference to body dysmorphia and depression. Our diarist was undergoing IVF treatment at the time of writing.

A Note From Our Diarist: “As you’ll see in my diary, I was having a pretty rough time of it this week, but since then, I have been doing much better! Never underestimate the power of hormones. After 10 days of full recovery post operation, I have been feeling so much brighter and so thankful that I was able to freeze my eggs despite the uncertainties.”

Occupation: Psychiatric nurse practitioner
Industry: Healthcare
Age: 31
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Salary: $166,000
Assets: HYSA: $33,000; 403(b): $280,000; IRA: $42,000; TIAA brokerage: $13,477; house value: $689,000.
Debt: $170,000 (mortgage).
Paycheck Amount (2x/month): $3,300 after 529 savings ($100), 403(b) (which I max out every year), and HYSA ($1,250).

Pronouns: She/her
Monthly Expenses
Housing Costs: $1,057 for my mortgage.
Loan Payments: $0
Utilities: ~$100
HOA & Maintenance: $705 (includes gym).
Verizon: $55
Phone: $100
Streaming: ~$30 (Netflix, Hulu, Spotify).

Was there an expectation for you to attend higher education? Did you participate in any form of higher education? If yes, how did you pay for it?
Yes, my father was a first-gen uni student in his home country, and my mother never got to go to college in hers. They did everything they could so that I could have the education that I wanted, which was in the US. I came here for college and went to grad school. Both were mostly financial aid and work study but my father contributed at least 30% each which was a HUGE help and he was so proud that he was able to do this for me. Now I’m obtaining a doctorate, and it is completely covered by my work.
Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent(s) educate you about finances?
We didn’t have any conversations about money. I knew my dad grew up very poor, and worked his way up by studying and working very hard. He invested in the right real estate in the country that we immigrated to (we moved to a different country in East Asia when I was in primary school). I feel like I overheard my parents discuss finances but I was never directly taught.
What was your first job and why did you get it?
My first job was in college, freshman year, as a work-study student. I worked a lot of jobs in college and grad school, including gym, building maintenance, cafeteria, bookstores. For my first off-campus job, which I did throughout college, I worked at a domestic violence shelter which actually helped me with my résumé and life experiences greatly as well. Immigration status has been a huge barrier in obtaining employment for me for the past 15 years, but somehow I was always able to find jobs through school, OPT, CPT, and H1B. Trust me, it took a LOT of planning and anxiety!
Did you worry about money growing up?
I did not. I knew we weren’t terribly well off but when I was in middle school, my father’s job got a huge boost that helped us go from “lower middle class” to now “upper class”!
Do you worry about money now?
No. This is my second diary submission and I remember saying yes to this previously. But now, I feel like I truly know my worth in my industry, and now that I have a green card, I feel SO free and invincible! I’m so grateful!
At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net?
I definitely have a financial safety net. My parents say they will not hand us any more money but truthfully, my father believes providing for us financially is his greatest joy and responsibility. He helped me with my down payment for my first home in NYC and informed me that I will not see another dime from him, which I am SO a fan of. I am now earning more than he ever did, thanks to everything he did to provide for my education. So, being completely financially responsible for myself truly started in 2021 after his help of the down payment.
Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain.
Yes, see above! And I will not be ashamed. I used to be ashamed by how much my father has helped me. But I remember my colleague who couldn’t provide for his child’s education telling me “Why are you being a brat, just say thank you and accept the money, that’s what he wants you to do,” and ever since then, I have checked my privileges, accepted them, and decided to be grateful and give back instead.

Day One: Monday

6:30 a.m. — I wake up; breakfast every day this year so far has been two hard-boiled eggs and cottage cheese with some EBB seasoning and chili flakes. I have coffee with almond creamer and stevia hazelnut drops. I used to treat myself to coffee every once in a while but am now committed to finding the BEST at-home creamer (so far, Elmhurst almond milk barista has been the best!). I eat quickly and head to my bloodwork and ultrasound appointment for the egg-freezing journey I’m on as a single woman in NYC. I take the subway round trip but decide to get off a few stops early to get my steps in. My work covers at least three rounds of egg freezing, and they provide amazing coverage for other IVF options, too. I decided to take full advantage as I don’t see myself finding an eligible man to make a baby with in NYC anytime soon! $5.80

10 a.m. — I buy some groceries between patients: cottage cheese, sweet potatoes (still a fan, see my previous entry), cucumber, cherries, apples, watermelon, crackers, cheese, and frozen scallion pancakes. I also manage to get some steps in. I’m trying to make 15,000 steps a day because I’m no longer allowed to work out or run since egg freezing started. This, among hormonal side effects, has made me very depressed, not to mention the patients I see come in with their partners or family members, neither of which I have in this country. I constantly wonder why I’m freezing my eggs in the first place because I don’t know what it would be like to be a single mother. This journey has been extremely difficult for me both emotionally and physically: The inability to work out and the amount of bloating has made my body dysmorphia the worst it’s ever been. $32

12 p.m. — I make the viral PB and soy sauce cucumber recipe and have some scallion pancakes with it. I WFH most days which is delightful, because I hate meal prepping. I also really don’t like eating out unless it’s something social with friends. I definitely eat to live, not the other way around.

6 p.m. — I have a date. First date. Not a great one, although he does pay for dinner. I don’t usually do dinner dates and I should’ve stuck with that. I offer to venmo him but I don’t hear from him again! I walk to and from the restaurant which saves $6 and I get my steps in. I’m proud of myself for at least going out and trying to be more social!

10 p.m — I get home and take my makeup off. As a Korean, all my skincare is definitely from my home country (although Laneige works well for me, too). But skincare carrot pads? Definitely worth the hype! I try to read before bed and lights out but when my mood is low I need some noise, so I play Friends in the background and fall asleep to it. Counterproductive I know, but sometimes you do what you gotta do.

Daily Total: $37.80

Day Two: Tuesday

8 a.m. — Go for an hour walk after my egg and cottage cheese breakfast. No bloodwork or ultrasound appointments today. It is quite nice to have a park right in front of my house but I do miss running, so, so much. I can’t wait to be done with egg freezing. One round is about 10-12 days, and after the surgery, I’m still not allowed to run or do any exercise for 10 more days. CANNOT wait to be done.

12 p.m. — Same lunch as yesterday. I have some fruit to go with it. I see up to 20 patients a day, but sometimes patients don’t show up. I secretly love it when this happens unless I’m genuinely worried something has happened to them. I browse walking pads for my standing desk but I think it’d be too much of an eye sore.

7 p.m. — I go see the musical Maybe Happy Ending with a friend! Scored a good deal online and as an Asian, I’m very excited. I realise I need more social activities to break up my week because with WFH, having my social interactions come purely from seeing patients can be quite depressing. Did I mention I’m a psychiatric nurse practitioner… I walk to the show but subway back ($2.90) because dark = dangerous. I venmo my friend $95 for the show. $97.90

10 p.m — I get home and do my usual nighttime routine. My body dysmorphia from egg-freezing bloat has gotten so bad that showering is hard in daylight. I dim the lights and shower really quickly. I have a mini meltdown. I think of ways to address body dysmorphia with my psychiatrist and therapist because I want to be happy when I’m pregnant and postpartum instead of struggling with body image during that time in my future.

Daily Total: $97.90

Day Three: Wednesday

6 a.m. — I take the subway to go to bloodwork and ultrasound again. It averages to be about every other day that I’m there. It gets tiring but I’m an early riser and am thankful they open early so I don’t have to take any extra days off work. $5.80

12 p.m. — Today’s lunch is sweet potatoes and some broccoli and tofu! It’s not the ingredients, it’s the seasoning that makes a dish. I use some nutritional yeast, sriracha, salt, pepper, and gochujang to jazz it up. Barebell bar from my cupboard to satisfy my chocolate craving.

5 p.m. — I go for my 10,000 steps and call a friend who moved to Colorado recently. Come home and have dinner of frozen blueberries, yogurt, protein powder, and some edamame. Most of my days look like this: I work from home mostly and go to clinic twice a month or so. I’m hoping that I can get a promotion soon since I finally got my permanent residency card. It’s been a 15-year journey and I’m SO proud of myself for getting my employer to sponsor me. Historically, this hospital is known to never sponsor people and I’ve become the exception. I am so thankful with a side of huge guilt, as most of my friends and colleagues have now been deported (“asked to leave”) as they couldn’t find an employer who will sponsor them. Once I got this card, I cried SO hard I surprised myself. I didn’t think it would be this emotional but the sweet taste of freedom to work whatever job I want has given me so much financial independence and confidence.

10 p.m — I watch a bunch of Love Island episodes and now it’s bedtime. I am watching US Season 5 to see if I can get into it. I don’t get into it until episode 30 or so when they have Casa Amor. It is good background noise but it would be so much better if I had my friends to watch with me! It makes me a bit sad that so many of my friends have moved away from the city. The hormones probably aren’t helping with this!

Daily Total: $5.80

Day Four: Thursday

6 a.m. — Back-to-back ultrasound and bloodwork today! My egg retrieval surgery is probably in two days. Trigger shots will be started today and tomorrow morning. I lucked out and will be doing it this weekend so I don’t have to call out sick. I can call out sick and I do get plenty of sick days, but this would mean my 30 patients all have to be rescheduled and I don’t want to do that to them, or to my assistant! I do try to be better at calling out if I absolutely need to without feeling too guilty. $5.80

12 p.m. — Same lunch. I had a meeting with my supervisor earlier that went well. Now that I have my Permanent Residency Card, it’s finally possible for my employers to promote me and for them to give me a raise. Fingers crossed this happens sooner rather than later! The first thing I did when I got my PR card freedom was to list myself as a catsitter, and I receive an email today asking for THREE gigs already. Oh, the things I’ve wanted to do. I could have my own practice now and quit my job but I’m getting my doctorate which is all paid for by my work (for as long as I’m an employee) and while I could see super-rich people for super-rich money, I would rather save my mental health and cuddle with cats instead!

5 p.m. — Same yogurt dinner as yesterday. I do snack throughout the day but they’re all pantry snacks so I’m not writing about them. I get my steps in and when the alarm rings, I do my trigger shot! Round 3, I cannot wait to be done! I also video chat with my mum in my home country. She’s trying to learn English. I try to imagine when/if we will ever live in the same country again or if I could ever raise my “egg/child” without her help.

9 p.m — I do my skincare routine (it’s really just moisturiser and carrot pad toner). I debate reading but pass. Friends for background noise it is. You’ve all caught me during a weepy hormonal week. To think that I see patients everyday and put on a bright face so I can treat them. I tell myself I should probably take a sick day after the surgery to re-coup my mental health. I also know once hormones wear off, I’ll start feeling a lot better.

Daily Total: $5.80

Day Five: Friday

8 a.m. — Same breakfast plus a side of trigger shot. I run to the subway to get to class. $2.90

12 p.m. — I have my doctorate class once a month. We also do weekly online assignments between monthly classes as all 20 of us are working nurse managers or nurse practitioners. I know this degree isn’t teaching me much to be completely honest, but if I want to be a professor (which I think I do!) or want a bigger leadership role, this will help me advance my career. Besides, my work pays for it all because I will never spend another dollar doing higher ed ever again. We all need a piece of paper to get more papers (aka $) and I’m not about this system. Anyway, I vent with classmates about assignments and we all grab the lunch special at a nearby Thai spot. $20.50

5 p.m. — I decided to be outrageous and walk home. 30,000 steps for today! Got to get some rest now for surgery tomorrow. On my way home, I stop by Trader Joe’s and get some chocolate and nuts for post-surgery treats. $13

7 p.m — I get home. My legs are tired, but walking from Manhattan to Brooklyn is always a treat. I debate leaving the city quite often since a lot of my friends are now abroad or in other cities. However, while loneliness can get to me, I know it’ll be worse in other cities. At least here, there are so many opportunities where I can find new friends if I want to put myself out there. I’ve joined a TCK group and FB group for international girls living in NYC and have managed to find a few close friends recently. I still don’t have the energy to meet up with them again yet so I stay flakey this week for the most part. My social energy definitely comes and goes. I also know these friends are more “superficial” activity friends, which is totally welcome, but I need ugly-cry-on-my-couch-level friends whom I consider family to be around me right now. So instead, I leave a friend a teary voice note. They offer to catch a flight to be with me for the surgery tomorrow but I say I’ll be okay and we decide to FaceTime instead.

10 p.m — I finish Love Island season 5 and now it’s time for the REAL fun: digging up all the Reddit threads and TikToks around the drama. Before I know it, I’ve been scrolling for three hours. This is rare for me so I consider it a treat before surgery.

Daily Total: $36.40

Day Six: Saturday

7 a.m. — Subway to surgery! $2.90

10 a.m. — They need me to have a friend come and sign me out since the procedure does require general anesthesia. Thankfully the person I’ve asked is also doing egg retrieval, which has been a huge support. She comes and we Uber back together. I’m groggy and tearful from all the hormones! $52

3 p.m. — I’m craving sweet potatoes so I walk to the store. No more walking today. I’m still very, very tired from all the anesthesia. Surgery itself is only 10 minutes long but general anesthesia really does take a toll on you. I rest and rest. I dread the recovery where I get super weepy. The first two rounds I have definitely cried over some patients because they yelled at me for not giving them Adderall. Normally I would’ve laughed, but these hormones… I wonder how I’ll feel if I ever do end up pregnant. I am SO impressed and respect ALL the mothers out there. $12

4 p.m — I’m already antsy despite the fatigue. I know if I lay on my couch more, I’ll only get more tired. I go for a small lap around the park and watch all the puppies running around. I can’t wait for my catsitting gig to start.

7 p.m — I’m bloated from surgery and the two pounds of sweet potatoes are sitting heavily on my stomach (surprise, surprise). I decide to call it a night early after FaceTiming my friends abroad (Morocco and England). They try to cheer me up and say my body’s been through a lot producing all those extra eggs, and that I should not be so hard on myself. I can’t help but feel down because I don’t know what will happen with these eggs. Will I find a partner? Ideal but seems impossible in NYC. Will I be a single mother? Possible, but if I can’t handle this journey alone, how could I raise a child alone! Will I just sell these eggs? Maybe. Everything feels so uncertain!

Daily Total: $66.90

Day Seven: Sunday

7 a.m – I wake up, and scroll a bit since I cannot go for my morning run. I eat my usual boiled eggs and cottage cheese and take a short walk instead.

1 p.m. — I buy a dress on Depop to cheer myself up post surgery. I need a summer linen work dress, so here we go. I try not to buy new unless it’s an investment piece I’ll wear forever, but I’ve also realised I need to stop thrifting to buy an item I’ll only wear once. I’m trying to be as mindful about fashion waste or waste in general as possible! $21

3 p.m. — I’ve been home all day, and in an attempt to move a little to reduce this bloating and constipation, I go for my walk around the park. When I bought my place, the biggest perk was living right by a huge park. I love this park and this park is me. I feel like I know every inch of it at this point, after living here for five years!

6 p.m. — I call my mother and video chat for a bit again. No social activities this weekend because I’m cranky and bloated from surgery. I know this looks like I really don’t spend any money and… I really don’t! In fact, I’ve been eating out more than usual this week. I do travel often — two or three times a year internationally — to go see family or friends abroad, which is a big expense. Otherwise, I save up so I can send my parents their allowance or provide education for my potential future child!

10 p.m — I put on Friends again after doing my skincare. It’s been such a long week and I decide to call out sick tomorrow. I feel incredibly guilty but my brain is truly not functioning and it’d be a disservice to my patients for me to not be 100% present. I justify it in my head, tell my friends so I can ask for arbitrary permission and approval from them, and call out sick. I do know my job is definitely a calling for me and I’m so grateful I’m good at it, I have fun in it, and I can make a stable living out of it. However, when my mood is low, it affects my job — and the other way around, too: When my patients yell at me, fire me, or threaten to sue me or overdose (I specialise in addiction and patients often ask for very specific medications that I know are not good for anyone long term), it really gets me down. But I meditate at different Zen Centres in the city, which can be helpful. And in these difficult moments, I’m very grateful for my friends, therapist, and psychiatrist. It always ebbs and flows, and it always will.

Daily Total: $21

The Breakdown

Conclusion

“As I mentioned in my note at the start, I’m feeling so much better than I was during the week of my diary! I feel very fortunate that I have such privileges to have insurance that covers IVF treatment and a good support system of people who were there for me throughout the process. The bloat eventually wore off and as soon as I returned to working out and taking care of my body appropriately, I was able to appreciate its functionality again.
“In terms of spending, this was a very typical week for me. I’ll try to do one social activity per week, but otherwise I’m a homebody. I do know I need to treat myself more often, but I prefer saving so I can travel and see my friends who are abroad instead! I’d say ~$6,000 goes to travel every year for me.”

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August 26, 2025 0 comments

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