Surviving DOGE

Summary

Podcast Summary: What We Spend – Episode: Surviving DOGE

Introduction

In the August 6, 2025 episode of What We Spend, hosted by Audacy, listeners are introduced to Scotty, a 39-year-old federal employee navigating the precarious financial landscape of Washington, D.C. This episode delves deep into Scotty's personal finances, fears, and coping mechanisms during a tumultuous period marked by government layoffs and economic uncertainty.

Profile of the Guest: Scotty

Scotty, a multifaceted individual, has dedicated seven years to working within a domestic federal agency in Washington, D.C. With a robust academic background, including a full ride through undergrad and grad school and a stint as a Fulbright Scholar, Scotty is fluent in five languages and has a longstanding passion for international relations and public policy. Despite his impressive credentials, Scotty chooses to keep his specific job and agency confidential, focusing instead on his experiences and financial journey.

The Context: Government Layoffs in D.C.

At the heart of Scotty's story are the recent waves of federal government layoffs that have sent ripples through the D.C. community. These layoffs have not only instilled fear about job security but also disrupted long-term financial plans for many, including Scotty. As Kristen Bell notes, Scotty was "in the eye of the hurricane or had it somehow skipped over him," leading to a state of limbo where future security is uncertain.

Scotty's Financial Situation

• Income and Expenses: Scotty earns an annual pre-tax salary of $120,000. Residing in D.C. proper, he shares a three-bedroom apartment with two roommates, paying $667 monthly for rent. Additional monthly expenses include $150 for utilities, $50 for Wi-Fi, $400 for groceries, $125 for car insurance, $80 for gas, $45 for his phone bill, $300 sent to his parents, $65 for a gym membership, $55 for streaming services, and $2,100 for entertainment. This meticulous breakdown highlights Scotty's ability to manage a substantial income while balancing personal and familial obligations.

• Housing Aspirations and Challenges: Originally, Scotty aspired to purchase a modest home in D.C., setting a budget between $200,000 to $250,000 with the intention of allocating 20% for a down payment. However, escalating property prices and the uncertainty of his job have impeded this goal. As Scotty reflects, "The opportunities that exist are far and few between," underscoring the financial barriers he faces despite his stable income.

A Week in Scotty's Financial Diary

Scotty documented his finances over a week, providing a window into his spending habits and emotional state.

• Day 1 – $0 Spend: Scotty began his week by emphasizing frugality, spending nothing on food due to his meal prep routine. "I did not spend anything on food today," he shared, highlighting his disciplined approach to budgeting.

• Day 2 – $0 Spend: Continuing his streak, Scotty attended a challenging board meeting concerning federal hiring freezes, resulting in emotional discussions about job security. "I do not spend anything today," Scotty noted, maintaining his financial restraint amidst external stressors.

• Day 3 – $812.01 Spend: A day marked by significant spending as Scotty invested $723 in a new suit for officiating two upcoming weddings. Additionally, interactions with colleagues about the difficulty of affording homes in D.C. led to further expenditures on groceries and social meals.

• Day 4 – $139 Spend: After attending a Pride Night event, Scotty spent $139 on alcohol and transportation, reflecting a temporary release of financial caution in a communal setting. "These streets are crazy right now," Scotty observed, indicating a social shift among his peers.

• Day 5 – $140.66 Spend: Embracing spontaneity, Scotty indulged in vending machine snacks and brunch outings, spending $140.66. This day showcased his internal conflict between financial prudence and the urge to enjoy the present amidst uncertainty.

• Day 6 – $116.82 Spend: A routine day involving grocery shopping and a trip to Baltimore for a friend's party resulted in $116.82 in expenditures. Here, Scotty grappled with the practicality of housing decisions influenced by commuting constraints.

• Day 7 – $1,258 Spend: The final day of his diary saw Scotty splurge on multiple brunches and support for friends with children, culminating in a total weekly spend of $1,258. "I feel like some people may judge," Scotty confessed, revealing his awareness of societal expectations versus personal financial decisions.

Emotional Responses and Insights

Throughout the week, Scotty's diaries reveal a spectrum of emotions—from anxiety over potential job loss to moments of carefree enjoyment. He grapples with the dichotomy of "seize the day" versus securing his future. As Scotty poignantly states, "Why am I not able to get a house? Some people may judge... but being priced out of houses is something that's weighing heavily on me." This internal struggle underscores the broader theme of balancing present happiness with future security in an unstable economic environment.

Conclusion: Future Plans and Reflections

As the week concludes, Scotty remains uncertain about his path forward. While his job feels more secure "as long as I can," the ever-increasing property prices in D.C. and the lingering threat of layoffs cast a shadow over his long-term ambitions. Scotty remains committed to his community and work, yet acknowledges the need to "do that research" regarding real estate in the future. His journey epitomizes the challenges faced by many in high-cost urban centers amidst financial instability.

Notable Quotes

• “I definitely had a stereotype of like, well, I'm in the federal government. There will always be a federal government in some form. Right? So like, let's just call that 75% of like, oh well, I'm mostly good...” (01:37)

• “Why are you here if you're not doing your job? Like, how many jobs exist outside of that? None.” (26:50)

• “I feel like some people may judge and say, like, well, you're just running around... but, you know, being priced out of houses is something that's weighing heavily on me.” (36:10)

Final Thoughts

What We Spend masterfully captures the nuanced financial landscape of a D.C. federal employee amidst economic uncertainty. Scotty's candid reflections offer listeners an authentic glimpse into the balancing act between enjoying the present and safeguarding the future. This episode not only highlights personal financial strategies but also underscores the broader societal and economic factors influencing individual financial decisions.

For more stories like Scotty's and to share your own spending journey, join the conversation by reaching out to What We Spend at [e-mail].

Transcript

[Kristen Bell]

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[Scotty]

Bye bye Truckee.

[Kristen Bell]

Of course, we kept the favorite.

[Scotty]

Hello other Truckee.

[Kristen Bell]

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[Scotty]

Yeah. Oh yeah.

[Kristen Bell]

What was your confidence level in the security of your future like before and what is it now?

[Scotty]

I definitely had a stereotype of like, well, I'm in the federal government. There will always be a federal government in some form. Right? So like, let's just call that 75% of like, oh well, I'm mostly good, but then when this administration came and started slashing currently I would give it 55%. Mostly. Okay. But you just don't know.

[Kristen Bell]

Our guest today is a 39 year old who we're calling Scotty. He's a federal employee who lives in Washington dc. How would you describe the people who live in dc Nerds?

[Scotty]

I've heard it's like every salutatorian and valedictorian, you know, in one city. That's definitely true. It's intense, it's alpha, it's, you know, people got character, people got edges and I love that.

[Kristen Bell]

Scotty loves living in D.C. and he loves his job. We've agreed to keep Scotty's specific job and government agency, private. But what we can talk about is how afraid he's been that his whole life in D.C. was about to come to an end. When Scotty recorded his week of diaries, he was in a kind of limbo period. He'd made it through months of government layoffs, but he was still scared he could get fired, too. Was he in the eye of the hurricane or had it somehow skipped over him? For now, it's feeling like he's probably in the clear, but the uncertainty has made it hard to make any kind of real plans for the future. Today, we'll follow Scotty through his week as he adjusts to his new normal and starts to think about what's next. I'm Courtney Harrell, and this is what we spend. What is it like to live in D.C. right now?

[Scotty]

So right now, people are shook and not stirred. The city is built upon people who work for the federal government, people who support the federal government, people who are in either politics, government, international affairs. You know, you're talking about like the city that is the most politically powerful in the world. Right. And that has been shaken right to it, to its core. People have been cut from their jobs. People have been cut on their jobs with less than 24 hour notice.

[Kristen Bell]

Yeah.

[Scotty]

As of right now, on this exact date, things are calm. I'm not saying things are good, but I would say that things are calm.

[Kristen Bell]

Scotty moved to D.C. for his work seven years ago. These days he works for a domestic federal agency, but he's always been interested in doing international work, too. He loves spending time abroad, and he speaks five languages. And in undergrad, he studied international relations on a full ride. And then you got a full ride to grad school.

[Scotty]

Correct.

[Kristen Bell]

And then you were a Fulbright Scholar.

[Scotty]

And I'm humble.

[Kristen Bell]

So you're a scholar and a genius and humble. And humble. And you went to school for free?

[Scotty]

Yes.

[Kristen Bell]

And then why did you want a government job?

[Scotty]

I always wanted a federal government job. I always saw, like, even from undergrad, like, I always saw my knowledge of international affairs, my interest in public policy. At work, I'm known to be the person who can make connections and kind of push agenda, you know, through those relations. So I always thought that those skills would be more interesting at a policy level, you know, whether it be, like, domestic or international. So I have always had a deep want and desire to use my skills and future skills, like stuff that you acquire for the public good, for the American public good. And I hope to continue to stay.

[Kristen Bell]

Within my agency let's get into Scotty's numbers. He makes 120,000 a year. That's before taxes, health insurance and retirement savings get deducted from his paycheck. He lives in D.C. proper, where he shares a three bedroom apartment with two roommates who he met on Facebook. Marketplace. What is it like to live with.

[Scotty]

Roommates as a 39 year old? There definitely is some judgments of like. But wait, what are you, are you, are you weird? Do you not have your stuff together?

[Kristen Bell]

You know, but it's dirt cheap. His share of the rent is 667 bucks a month.

[Scotty]

When I found it online, I thought it was a joke. I thought somebody was going to like when I came out was going to like steal my kidneys.

[Kristen Bell]

His utilities are 150amonth, Wi Fi is 50amonth, and then he spends 400amonth on groceries. That doesn't sound like a big grocery budget, actually.

[Scotty]

Oh, okay, good. Because I was scared that you were going to judge me.

[Kristen Bell]

One of the perks of his job is he gets to take public transit for free, which is what he does as much as possible. But he does own a car for longer distance trips. So his yearly car insurance shakes out to 125amonth and he spends about $80 a month on gas. Then he spends 45amonth on his phone bill. And this amount varies, but he sends about 300amonth to his parents.

[Scotty]

So I am the oldest son of a Mexican immigrant. My father's from Mexico. In that culture, typically the oldest male will send money back home. In the United States, especially in Washington D.C. people don't typically send money back home. Yeah, that's not a thing. You send money back home if they're in dire situations. In my culture, that's. You do it because they raised you. You do it to show that I'm successful, I'm proud, I'm happy. I'm going to send you this because you raised me.

[Kristen Bell]

He spends $65 a month on a gym membership, about $55 a month on streaming and new subscriptions, and he spends about $2,100 a month on entertainment. Things like restaurants, bars and concert tickets. And what about travel? Is travel lumped into that?

[Scotty]

I do not look at my credit card bills when I go abroad.

[Kristen Bell]

Until recently, Scotty's budget looked a little different. Instead of spending money on travel and fun, he was prioritizing, saving more money so he could buy his own place. Why was the buying the home a.

[Scotty]

Shack, let's call it for this story, a shack. An affordable shack in a nice area of town with a metro connected to it, let's call it that.

[Kristen Bell]

Why, why was buying a property. Why did you want that?

[Scotty]

I want to live here and I don't always want to rent. Like I don't always want to have roommates. You know, as a 30, 39 year old man, like you do want to bring your friends and extracurricular activities back to your house to, you know, be an adult.

[Kristen Bell]

But it's, it sounds like it's a lot about securing access to D.C. absolutely.

[Scotty]

Because I have a good community here. I have good friends. I know this circle, I network in this circle. So like this is my city, this is my community, this is where I hope to live.

[Kristen Bell]

When do you want to ideally own a home by?

[Scotty]

I was hoping to buy summer of this year. That is not happening because of, you know, things that are going on.

[Kristen Bell]

Things going on means waves of government layoffs. But until earlier this year, Scottie was moving towards buying a home.

[Scotty]

Not the usual American type of home. When I visualize, quote, what my house, what my ideal house looks like in the city of D.C. i'm not going to Virginia, I'm not going to Maryland. I can't commute, you know, like don't touch me with commuting. I want to own something in the District and I'm okay. As I was telling you, as a 39 year old man with a twin bed, I am a okay with something that's small. I don't need something that's fancy. I want something that makes sense. HUD always tells you that you have to own something that's like under 30%.

[Kristen Bell]

Under 30% of your income.

[Scotty]

Post tax income. Yep. And I want to stick to those guidelines. Why? Because I want to retire, I want to do other things. I want to afford health care in this, in this country. So let's talk direct numbers. In D.C. i have set myself a budget of between 200,000 to 250 in D.C. what does that mean? That typically means that's very small. That's typically a studio. If you just look on like any of the online resources, there are few options. There are very few options.

[Kristen Bell]

Scotty set that budget back in 2021. He wanted to have 20% of that 200 to 250k for a down payment so that his mortgage payments could under 30% of his income. So even though he wasn't sure he could even get one of the places in his budget, he started saving $750 every month.

[Scotty]

I was like the 20%. Let's do it. I was really aggressive. I did that. I did that actually quicker than I thought.

[Kristen Bell]

How did you do it?

[Scotty]

Through sheer guts and determination. Okay, let me confess this into you. I was saving aggressively for the house.

[Kristen Bell]

Yeah.

[Scotty]

When work started turning upside down, I was like, am I living here? Am I not living here? What am I doing? Existential crisis, right?

[Kristen Bell]

Yeah.

[Scotty]

So what I started doing was I said, I love being abroad. I lived all my 20s and most of my 30s outside of the U.S. you know, that drives me. Those are, you know, things that I want to do when I was saving. I may be crazy, but I'm not dumb. When I was saving, I knew what I could afford. But when I stopped saving for that down payment, I was just like, screw it. I'm just gonna use that amount of money to do stuff abroad. I have dedicated myself since January of this year to leaving the United States once per month.

[Kristen Bell]

Wow. Were you afraid you were gonna lose your job?

[Scotty]

Absolutely. When I started seeing people get cut and people who had been in agencies for, like, 16, 20, 30 years because it was, quote, efficient, I was like, nah, this is. This is jokes. These are clown shoes. Like, no matter what I did, if I worked hard towards whatever goal, you know, it doesn't matter. They can cut you.

[Kristen Bell]

Yeah.

[Scotty]

So then what am I doing, right? Will I have a job? Why would I buy a house in a city that I don't have a job in? So then I started saying, middle finger, I'm gonna go travel abroad with that money.

[Kristen Bell]

With all the uncertainty, Scotty found himself torn between two reactions in conflict. Should he prioritize his plan and future security? Or if he didn't know what tomorrow would bring, should he focus on enjoying today? He went with option two. But he didn't completely throw caution to the wind. Before the shakeup, his savings for his house was $53,000. This year, he stopped adding to that pot, but he didn't take away from it either. Still, for someone who had been so diligently saving, it was a new attitude towards his money. In a moment, when it was unclear what the future of his money would be. Do you think you would make more money if you weren't working for the government?

[Scotty]

Absolutely. But I don't want to give what I do up. I love being at my agency. I love doing the things that I do. You know, the. The stereotype, if you will, of, like, federal employees is that we do next to nothing and we get a good amount of money to do next to nothing. That's not my experience. You know, I have worked overtime without pay. I have done work that I'm doing just because there's a need and I'm not going to get paid anymore. I'm salaried. So I will do that job for the good right of what the agency does. But usually it's not the money that drives people to stay here. It's actually the things that they do. I want to do the things that I do.

[Kristen Bell]

After the break, we'll dive in to Scotty's week. It can be hard to track where your money goes. We all have blind spots. Eating out, food delivery, shopping. The expenses can add up without you even knowing how until you start actually tracking your expenses. That's where Monarch money comes in. It can show you just how much you spend on those random things you're not always paying attention to. Monarch isn't your average budgeting app. It's like a financial command center that gives you a full view of your money. Bank accounts, credit cards, investments, saving goals all in one place so you can see where your money stands with no hassle, which gives you more time to focus on what matters most, making your biggest goals a reality. Whether you're trying to pay off debt, grow your savings or just understand your money better, this is the tool. In fact, the Wall Street Journal named it the best budgeting app of 2025. Get control of your overall finances with Monarch Money. Use code [e-mail] in your browser for half off your first year. That's 50% off your first [e-mail] with code spend.

[Scotty]

Hey there cats and kittens. It's Brian from the commercial break, the mediocre comedy podcast where my best friend Chrissy and I attempt to make sense of the world. We talk about the absurd, the ridiculous and the stuff no one asked for. Like Internet weirdos, pickup artists, and why everyone is obsessed with crystals and colonics. It's all gotta stop. The show is free, it's frequent, and it's probably not for everyone. You can go to tcbpodcast.com, [e-mail] thecommercial break or check out the show wherever you listen to podcasts. We'll see you on the next commercial break. And best to you.

[Kristen Bell]

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[Scotty]

Audio Diary Day one today was actually a pretty good day. Today's the first day of my work week. Currently in my apartment after a long day. I'm just doing laundry, kind of getting errands. I went for a long run, kept it kind of chill today because work was pretty busy. Every day feels like a week, but today actually wasn't that bad. When it comes to breakfast and lunch or just meals in general, I'm always like a Sherpa. I bring like way too much to work and I just like eat it all there. So for example, I do my meal prep, breakfast, lunch, and then I'll bring in like snacks. I also bring to work, like my coffee and anything else that I'll need for the day, I'll tote that in. Which makes things pretty cheap. So I didn't actually spend anything on food today. I actually got a message today from like two friends and they invited me out to go, you know, go to a bar to do some pride stuff. I did not go just because I usually save the craziness, the chaos for the weekends. But again, generally like to keep my, my weekdays pretty relaxed, pretty calm. I like to get stuff done just so I can be the weekend warrior that I always try to be.

[Kristen Bell]

Total for Day 1 $0 audio diary.

[Scotty]

Day 2 Today was a pretty long day when it comes to finances. I did not buy anything today. Again, I this is pretty consistent with me where I meal plan. I'll eat the same meal five days out of the week. I know a lot of people can't do that, don't want to do that. I'm pretty basic when it comes to like food, breakfast, you know, my snacks. So yeah, didn't buy anything today. Today was especially long because after work and I brought my personal laptop. So right after work I'm also part of an association, a board. On that board, you know, we link our alumni with employment. And conversations have been really hard there because what's going on right now at the federal level, there's a hiring freeze, there's a lot of budget cuts, and so people just don't know what to do with that information. So a large part of today's board meeting was just hearing people's frustrations, emotions around, you know, what's going on in terms of hiring. Hiring is Always, you know, a difficult conversation, especially when, you know, trying to get federal employment. But I think it's especially difficult at this season right now. So I really feel with people. One person who was talking to somebody at the board was, you know, cried today. So, like, I get it. I get. I get that emotion. I. I understand the frustration there. So things, interestingly, are getting better. Big question mark. I think one of the things that we've noticed that we were. We still are on a hiring freeze. So the agency that I work for has huge need. There's always need. There's always hiring. There's always something going on. So that's. That's on pause. But it sounds like there's rumors that we may go back to hiring. Who knows? I know. I don't know. Again today, no spending. But a lot of really hard conversations about work and what the future holds.

[Kristen Bell]

Total for day two. $0. Day three.

[Scotty]

Earlier this morning, when I was on the bus, I actually found tickets. I was hoping to go to Ottawa, Canada, and I found tickets actually go to a border city that's. It was $60 round trip, which is ridiculously cheap. And because I'm such an alf, Like a type, I was looking at the prices of, like, I would rent a car to go to Ottawa. I would, like, have my Airbnb, you know, do food. And I was like, oh, that's probably just spitballing. That's probably 600, $700 right there. And so this morning, I was like, I'm gonna buy the tickets. I'm gonna buy. Buy the tickets.

[Kristen Bell]

He didn't buy the tickets. But because of another big purchase on day three, later this year, he's officiating two weddings.

[Scotty]

And since I'm a growing boy, especially around the midsection, I needed to buy a suit. And here was me being all naive. I was like, I can get the suit for, like, 200, 300. I mean, that's how much I rent them, right? So definitely buying them will be around that. I spent $723 on that suit. Now I'm happy, and I'm going to use it. I've rented suits, so for, like, different things that I attend as part of the board. I'm gonna have those two weddings coming up, interviews and stuff like that. It's always good to have something like that. But that was definitely a bigger purchase than I'm used to.

[Kristen Bell]

On day three, Scottie also got groceries and paid for lunch with two colleagues at work who, just like Scotty, had discovered there weren't many affordable houses in.

[Scotty]

D.C. during lunch, one of my colleagues, she was telling me about her and her boyfriend moving in. They bought a house. They bought a house together. And she asked me, my work colleague, who knows a lot about, like, my. My journey to like, buy a condo in D.C. this year, she was asking me just a lot of questions that just. It makes me feel really kind of, like, sad, really kind of angry in some instances, because it's like, here's a single male, no dependence, no credit card debt, no car payment, no children. Knock on wood. You know, no taking care of parents, no medical stuff, Master's degree, working for the federal government. Shouldn't I be the golden child? Should I be exactly what the market's wanting? And I get really frustrated because it's like, no, I'm not. I can't. I can't afford it. Like. And I don't know how regular people do it. So when my friend bought her place with her boyfriend, I was asking her a lot of questions too, like how they did it. Not to give her story too much, but it sounded like they can't do it. You know, they couldn't put the 20% down. They couldn't put even 10% down. So, you know, how do people do it? I think the answer is literally, they don't. So that was a big realization. Today.

[Kristen Bell]

Total for day three, $812.01.

[Scotty]

Audio diary. Day four. So it's 11:20, and I'm not going to lie, just came back from the clubs, the gig clubs, specifically in terms of finances. Today was an interesting day. I spent $56 on alcohol. The Washington Nets, tonight was their pride night. My friend, he already has tickets because he has like a season pass. So he just invited me. But I spent that amount on alcohol, which was super fun. Immediately afterwards, we went to a bar right across the street from like, the Gnats Stadium. So I spent like 50 on drinks, which means nothing. $50 means nothing in this town. I think I bought myself two drinks and him one drink. So it was funny because, like, right now, like, especially those who are feds like myself, we are doing our things. You know, we're continuing to hope that we are employed. So you definitely feel in the bars in the center like you're steam is being released and that kind of felt like myself tonight. Interestingly, if you would have talked to me a month, two ago, it would have been desperate. It would have been, like, sad. It would have been, what the heck is going on right now? Right now, I would say of the people who have made it thus far of the people who have not been fired, who have survived the rifts, the waves, the whatever you want to call them, we're all kind of feeling we made it, but feeling good, feeling like work's gonna keep me. Well, that's all I got for tonight.

[Kristen Bell]

On day four, Scotty also took an Uber home from the bar, bringing his total for the day to $139, which, like Scotty said, means nothing in his town. But he says other people are spending a little more freely.

[Scotty]

These streets are crazy right now. People are at the bars. I feel like, you know, there's kind of like two. There's a dichotomy of people who are just like, I have today, so I'm going to do what I can today. And people are being like, I don't know what tomorrow brings. So let me hold down. I can't go out. I can't do anything. Just going to hold the fort and hope that everything's better. And so I get both sides. I definitely was the first of, I should be in Aruba, Guatemala, and Toronto all this month, so let me spend all that money.

[Kristen Bell]

So you were in the Seize the Day camp.

[Scotty]

Carpe diem.

[Kristen Bell]

Scotty kept the carpe diem pretty in control in his week of diaries, but he has spent his extra money on travel, just like he wanted. So far this year, he spent about $10,000 visiting places across the U.S. latin America and the Caribbean, of course, knowing all the time that he could have been saving that money. Why do you think that is the reaction instead of, oh, my God, I have to save everything in case.

[Scotty]

Because my. My profile is no debt, no dependence, you know, no car note. I'm renting, so why not? Why not, why not enjoy today if you don't know what tomorrow brings?

[Kristen Bell]

Yeah.

[Scotty]

D.C. is a city of people who are not interested in money. They're not interested in fame, they're interested in power. They want to be in their positions. They want to do work.

[Kristen Bell]

Yeah.

[Scotty]

So, yes, it is sad to lose your job because you're not able to pay your rent, you're not able to pay your credit card, you're not able to easily bring home food to your family. But in this city, you lose your identity.

[Kristen Bell]

Yeah.

[Scotty]

Like, why are you here if you're not doing your job? 8, 9, 10, whatever amount of hours per day, you lose part of your identity. You know, you have people who got PhDs in, like, the intersection of infrastructure and infant mortality, you know, and that's what they do in their daily life. Like, how many. How many jobs exist outside of that? None. You know, except for, like, that one job within an international, you know, agency. Yeah. So people lost that job. So what did they do? So they're scrambling to think about what they are. So, yes, money is scary to lose money. To lose income is scary. But like, I would say it's even scary to lose your identity.

[Kristen Bell]

But also, like, the reaction of seize the day. I'm gonna, like, spend my money on whatever makes the most sense for me to, like, feel okay right now. It makes so much sense if what you're dealing with is I have just lost something so central to who I am, or I think I am about to maybe lose something so central to who I am.

[Scotty]

Absolutely. If I'm not doing X. What makes me go, what makes me live, what makes me breathe, what makes me happy to get up in the day? We definitely were threatened to think about those types of things.

[Kristen Bell]

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[Scotty]

Does it ever feel like you're a marketing professional just speaking into the void? Well, with LinkedIn ads, you can know you're reaching the right decision makers. You can even target buyers by job title, industry, company seniority, skills.

[Kristen Bell]

Wait, did I say job title yet?

[Scotty]

Get started today and see how you can avoid the void and reach the right buyers with LinkedIn ads. We'll even give you a $100 credit on your next campaign. Get started at LinkedIn.com results. Terms and conditions apply. Audio Diary Day 5 Friday finally, in terms of finances, I did have a couple of purchases. Call me bad, because I am. Can I tell you, we have this vending machine at work and I. I often eye it either the vending machine like, okay, well, it looks good today. I'll look at it. Look at it. And it's always Cheez its. I don't know what it is about Cheez its is it. I often think about this question, which is, when is too early for cheez its? Is 11am too early? Is 10am too early? Is 9am too early? I just think it's really funny that, like, 11 is okay, but 10 makes you a savage. Like, what an arbitrary date. But anyways, I got weak. I bought Cheez its 310, but definitely worth it. My only regret is not getting more Cheez Its. Today was also payday. Yay. We like being paid because unemployment is not sexy on me. So I am a complete nerd when it comes to, like, paying my stuff off. I love paying my bills. I don't know what it is about. I get, like, an adrenaline rush, you know, the same kind of, like, adrenaline rush that people get for, like, drugs. Yeah, I. I get the kind of same kind of, like, adrenaline rush. I love paying my bills. I do this whole thing where I get my salary and then I know exactly what time it goes into my bank account. So then I start sending it off into, like, buckets. So I'll have like a bucket for vacation. I have a bucket for insurance. I have a bucket for clothes, for example. So I already have my budget kind of set out. So I put like $20 in a bucket or 30 or whatever I have kind of deemed. So I love doing that. But one of the things that's different, I would say, from it is I send my. My dad money. My dad never asks for it, but, like, he always says, like, well, it's helpful. It's helpful. Like, he would never be angry at me if I didn't do it. I don't talk about that often to people because, again, culturally, it just looks kind of different. And like, the few times that I've have talked to people about it, they're like, oh, well, is your family poor? Is your. Does your dad need it? Is he in a bad situation? I'm like, no, just. You just do that. So. But yeah, so this month, this was only 100. I definitely have sent more. Definitely I've sent less. But something that I do just as, as. As a son.

[Kristen Bell]

On day five, Scotty also had Ethiopian food with a friend, bringing his total for the day to $140.66. Day six started with a run to the grocery store, and then he drove to Baltimore for what was supposed to be just a friend's party, but became another reason to question what he should be doing with his money now.

[Scotty]

I stayed there for probably, about, like, four hours. What I think is really interesting, the big kind of, like, drawl of Baltimore, is that it's not D.C. it's way cheaper than D.C. but you're close enough to D.C. and I get. It's a nice. It's a nice city. I Just don't like to commute like that. Like my work, my work friend that was hosting the party, you know, he. With traffic, he easily spends an hour and a half driving to and from Baltimore, D.C. i just, I can't do that. So when I think about housing and wanting to buy the house again, my goal was always to have my own place, you know, just to feel more like an adult in D.C. i definitely have to have roommates in order to, like, just be able to afford life. It's fine, it's fine. I'm fine with it, I swear. Okay, Have a good night.

[Kristen Bell]

On day six, Scotty also bought a veggie burger, fries and beer, bringing his total for the day to $116.82.

[Scotty]

Audio diary, day seven, last day. Wow. And here I am still talking about my finances. It's so funny because I just think it's kind of weird, kind of awkward that I was like, I'm a weekend warrior. When like this weekend I did nothing. Psych. I'm actually an old man. Really, I'm an old man. So today I did have a couple purchases though, and I'm looking at my credit card right now. I went, oh my God, call me crazy, not once, but twice. Two different brunches today. That's the level we're at. That's where I'm at. Two brunches in one day. So the first one I spent 30 to 40, and the second place, because brunched, I spent 1749, which was nice. And actually I'm not spending the night at my house tonight. I'm helping my two friends. They have two kids and when one of them travels or one of them has like a work event, I'll come and help the other with, with their kids. So I really like it. I really like hanging out with them. I really like going from, from my life to kind of something a little bit more domestic. It's cozy, it's cute, it's giving, it's getting household vibes. Whenever I come over here, they have a beautiful house, live in a beautiful neighborhood, they have beautiful family. It's, it's, you know, that's amazing. But it can be hard sometimes because, you know, the thing that's always on my mind is how as a single person, you know, should I be in this situation? As a single 39 year old, you know, shouldn't I be there? Should I be doing the same things? And I'm not in that situation. I'm not sad necessarily about that, but I do reflect on that often of like, why am I not there? Why am I not doing those things? You know, why am I not buying a house? I'm not worried about, like, me being single. That aspect does not, like, bother me because I'm having a gale time, as they would say, and I like it. I'm happy. But I do kind of get down about the aspect of not being able to get a house. I feel like some people may judge and say, like, well, you're just running around, you know, running around going to random countries and going to 12 different brunches in a day and going to the bar, and, yeah, that happens. But, you know, being priced out of houses is something that's weighing heavily on me. But it is what it is. I'm just gonna keep on keeping on. Love my work, love my community, love the people that I'm around, and I'm gonna stick around in this area as long as I. As long as I can.

[Kristen Bell]

This is a different kind of heaviness than what Scottie has been focused on for most of the year. All the layoffs in D.C. meant there was an emergency, something immediately stopping him from seeing buying a place as a good financial choice. But as his job feels a little more secure and the layoffs hopefully get smaller and smaller in the rearview mirror, there's still this bigger problem. Since he started saving in 2021, property in D.C. has gotten more expensive, and he's afraid that even with his job secured and everything he saved, he just might not have enough for what he wants.

[Scotty]

The opportunities that exist are. Are far and few between, and sometimes it just kind of feels kind of sad to look at what would be affordable, because, again, I want to afford a good place, but I also do want to travel. I also do want to afford retirement. I also want to do these other things that, you know, are part of life, and I'm not able to do those kind of things. So it kind of feels like, irrespective of the administration, a far dream.

[Kristen Bell]

You're still living in the version of your budget that was created by the anxiety after layoffs. What do you think it's going to take to bring you back out of the seize the day mode, or do you want that?

[Scotty]

I'm going to answer with TBD because I don't know. I'm having a good time, and I'm going to continue to love the people that I love, love the work that I love, until I can't.

[Kristen Bell]

Yeah.

[Scotty]

As of right now, on this date, I'm telling myself I'm gonna do that research. You know, like, get a real estate agent, you know, start looking at loans, etc. Etc. This time next year. Because as of this date, I feel fine. It's a feeling. It's not logic. It's a feeling. I feel like if our administration, if my job can get through January, I think I'm good. In terms of not being fired for arbitrary reasons, there's not a lot of logic in there except for kind of feelings. And then you kind of triangulate it with, like, work gossip of like, have you heard this? Have you heard that? Oh, I haven't heard that. But like, I'm hearing xyz. So that's not logic, that's not data. That's more of, like, socializing. So, yeah, but that with the background of I do want to be in the city. I do want to work in the city. I want to continue to be here if I can. If I can do that. But it'd be nice if I don't feel like I'm out of a job every once every four years.

[Kristen Bell]

Scotty's total for the week was $1,258. What we spend is an Odyssey original podcast. It's written and hosted by me, Courtney Harrell. Our producers are Margo Gray, Kristin Torres, and Justine Dahm. Our editor is Jonathan Menhivar. Our executive producers are Maddie Sprung Keyser, Asha Saluja and Leah Reese Dennis. Theme song and original music by Matt McGinley. Additional music from EPM music mixing by Pedro Alvira. Special thanks to Zach Clark, Maura Curran, Josephina Francis, Kurt Courtney, Hilary Scheff, Sean Cherry, Laura Berman, and Hilary Van Ornam. If you want to be on what We Spend, we'd love to hear from you. Write us at whatwe spendpodcastmail.com we'll be back next week. You know where your business would be without you? Imagine where it could go with more of you. Well, with Wix, you can create a website with more of your vision, your voice, your expertise. Wix gives you the freedom to truly own your brand and do it on your own with full customization and advanced AI tools that help turn your ideas into into reality. Grow your business into your online brand. Because without you, your business is just business as usual. Go to wix.com hello, it's Lena Dunham. I host a podcast called the C Word with my dearest friend and historian of bad behavior, Alyssa Bennett.

[Scotty]

What is up?

[Kristen Bell]

It's a chat show about women whose society is called Crazy. We're going to be rediscovering the story stories of women's society dismissed by calling them mad, sad, or just plain bad. Listen to and follow the C Word with Lena Dunham and Alyssa Bennett. Available now wherever you get your podcasts.