July 2026
Archive (4)
First Apartment
Summer in a top-floor studio without central air
July 30, 2026
July heat, one $189 window unit and an electric bill that nearly doubled. How I kept the studio livable and wh…
Credit & Banking
How Dan and I split costs without a joint account
July 21, 2026
We've been together almost a year and earn different amounts. How we split dinners, trips and groceries withou…
Budget & Paychecks
My first full month of apartment bills, line by line
July 12, 2026
June was my first month paying for everything myself. Every bill, what it cost and how close I came to my budg…
Cheap Fun & Self-Care
A $12 Fourth of July on the Evanston lakefront
July 3, 2026
A blanket on the grass, a bag of cherries and fireworks over the water. Our cheap holiday, plus the parking tr…