It’s as if everyone is obsessed with millennials’ finances.

One minute, our age group is being accused of spending too much money on lattes and avocado toast. The next, we’re being told we can’t afford homes because of said avocado toast (and when we live at home to save, we’re faced with backlash, too). To make matters even more confusing, a recent government study based on years of wealth surveys said millennials are actually wealthier than previous generations of people aged between 28 to 34. Pulling your hair out yet? Us, too.

So how are millennials *really* doing, money-wise? We asked five women how much they make each month, and how they spend it. From paying off student debt to balancing multiple part-time jobs, here’s what they had to say.

On juggling multiple side-hustles and managing a mortgage



Jacklyn Marwah-Chow, 25, lives in Toronto and works as a project and social media manager, as well as a fitness instructor. She also runs her own business, Ponytail Mail

Monthly budget

Income: Anywhere from $4,000 to $6,000

Mortgage payments: $850, for my half of the mortgage and maintenance fees; my fiancé and I recently bought a one-bedroom condo

Groceries: $150-$200

Bills: $545

Entertainment and personal spending: $200-$300

“Ugh, budgeting. I’m good at it in theory, but bad at it in practice. I was living (mostly) rent-free since moving back home from university in 2013, so I’m lucky to not have any debt and was able to save up to buy a condo. But I’m not compensated on a salary basis; everything I do for work is hourly pay. It’s ultimately a game of time management: how to balance the things I love with the things I get paid the most for, while still carving out time for myself—which is hard when your ‘job’ is a series of side-hustles.