Food Diary: What a 27-Year-Old Art Designer Eats on $70K in Las Vegas, Nevada

Welcome to The Receipt, a series documenting how Bon Appétit readers eat and what they spend doing it. Each food diary follows one anonymous reader’s week of expenses related to groceries, restaurant meals, coffee runs, and every bite in between. In this time of rising food costs, The Receipt reveals how folks—from different cities, with different incomes, on different schedules—are figuring out their food budgets.

In today’s Receipt we follow a 27-year-old designer who makes $70,000 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Keep reading for her receipts.

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The finances

What are your pronouns? She/her

What is your occupation? Designer

How old are you? 27

What city and state do you live in? Las Vegas, Nevada

What is your annual salary, if you have one? Because of freelance work, my income varies by year. This year it’s set to be approximately $70,000. Last year it was $80,000.

How much is one paycheck, after taxes? I have a part-time job that pays about $1,000 per paycheck.

How often are you paid? (e.g., weekly) My part-time job pays twice a month. Some freelance clients pay upon receiving final deliverables; others pay “net 30,” meaning they process payment within 30 days of receiving an invoice from me.

How much money do you have in savings? I have around $15,000 in savings.

What are your approximate fixed monthly expenses beyond food? (i.e., rent, subscriptions, bills)

• Housing: $0. (I thankfully live with my parents.)
• Car: $250
• Wi-Fi: $150
• Phone: $50
• Gym membership: $80
• Total: $530

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The diet

Do you follow a certain diet or have dietary restrictions? As a teenager I struggled with restrictive eating—I avoided full meals and spent long stretches of time without food. Now I eat for pleasure. Instead of avoiding the feeling, I eat when hungry, looking for a variety of products and lots of flavors.

What are the grocery staples you always buy, if any? My grocery runs are different every time. I tend to purchase groceries to try new dishes or satisfy cravings. Once a month I shop for “safe” freezer foods, or things I can eat in a pinch when I’m too tired. These safe foods are typically soup dumplings, salmon filets, and mozzarella sticks.

How often in a week do you dine out versus cook at home? I eat most of my meals out and about. My weeks revolve around the local coffee shop where I sit to do freelance work. Once the workday is over, I typically have a meal in one of the many restaurants around the neighborhood before making my way home.

How often in a week did you dine out while growing up? My parents and I ate most of our meals together at home. We dined out a couple times a month for special occasions, to spend time with friends, or to try new restaurants.