Last month (Feb 13 - Mar 13), Monica and I brought home $23,571 net.
I worked 10 days. Monica worked 13 days.
Here's the complete breakdown of where the money went — and why this month was an anomaly.
Our Current Earnings (2025)
Here's what our year-to-date earnings look like:
Name | Total Hours Worked | Gross pay (ytd) | Avg weekly hours | Avg hourly pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Jason | 522.48 | $78,921.10 | ~20.1 hrs/week | $151/hr |
Monica | 606.29 | $96,259.74 | ~23.3 hrs/week | $158/hr |
Combined, we work about 32 hours per week.
That's less than one full-time nurse, and we're on track to clear over $175,000 combined this year in take-home pay—not gross.
This didn't happen by accident.
Before we moved to Sacramento, I spent months building spreadsheets, comparing cities, running the math on take-home pay after taxes and housing. There was no tool that showed me the real numbers.
That's exactly what we built for you.
Where the Money Went
The paychecks deposited during this month included work from the previous pay period, but here's what we actually worked:
Jason: 10 days (I work 5 days every two weeks)
Monica: 13 days (per diem schedule: 3 days, then 6, then 4)
The Big Hits (This Was NOT a Normal Month)
Travel & Lifestyle: $6,926
This wasn't a vacation. Monica's mom was on a flight from JFK to Doha when the plane had to turn around mid-flight due to geopolitical chaos. We had to rebook everything.
Then we made the call to fly our daughter home from NYU for spring break. Normally $250-300. We paid $500 because we wanted her home with us.
Then our son's 5th birthday was coming up. He's obsessed with Legoland. We have zero family in Sacramento, so we flew his grandma and cousins in from Georgia and the Bay Area so he could celebrate with them.
Auto Repair: $3,500
I thought we were going in for an oil change and brake pads. Maybe $400.
Both control arms on the front of our Volvo XC90 had failed. The bill was $3,200 for repairs alone.
Total auto & transport for the month: $3,925
Lodging: $1,519
Lake Tahoe trip + two hotel rooms at Legoland for six people.
Entertainment & Recreation: $986
Legoland tickets from Costco Travel. Three-day hopper passes at $119 each.
The Regular Monthly Expenses
Housing (total): ~$4,500/month
Mortgage: $1,958
HELOC: ~$1,366 (variable rate)
Homeowners insurance, HOA dues, property taxes included
Interest rate: 3.37%
Food & Dining: $2,143
Groceries: $1,067
Restaurants: $868 (mostly from our Lake Tahoe trip)
Insurance: $3,060
Life insurance policies (I have $2.5M coverage, Monica has $1M)
Disability rider included
We don't pay for health insurance (covered through my benefits)
Child Care: $1,402 (our son's pre-K — absolutely essential for us to work and run the business)
Bills & Utilities: $758 (phone, gas, electric, water)
Shopping: $1,080 (includes gifts for family events, baby showers, birthdays)
Pets: $69
Health & Wellness: $405
Haircuts, gym membership ($70/month we barely use), Botox
The Bottom Line
Normal month: We spend about $9,500
This month: We spent about $21,500 because of emergency travel, the car repair, and the birthday celebration
Savings this month: ~$2,000
But here's the thing: if we hadn't had that $3,500 car repair and $6,900 in family travel expenses, we would have saved over $10,000 this month.
Why This Matters
We can handle a $3,500 car repair without blinking. We can fly family in for birthdays. We can deal with travel emergencies.
And we're still building wealth.
This is what happens when you move to a city where the math actually works.
In Sacramento:
We work part-time hours (32 combined per week)
We own a home with a 3.37% interest rate
We have safe nurse-to-patient ratios
We're on track for $220,000 take-home this year
We actually have time with our son
Even in a month where we spent $21,500 on emergencies, travel, and celebrations, we still saved money.
Knowing your numbers is the only real protection you have. Whether that's knowing where your money goes or knowing what you could be earning somewhere else, the information matters.
If you want to see what nurses are actually taking home after taxes and cost of living in your city, that is what Map My Pay was built for.
Ready to Stop Fighting a Broken System?
You can keep hoping conditions improve. Or you can make a move.
The Nurses to Riches Accelerator is the same path Monica and I used to go from $37/hr in NYC to $100+/hr in Sacramento and pay off $128,000 in debt in under a year.
Every tier now includes free Map My Pay access, so you can stop guessing and actually run the numbers before you sign anything.
Here’s how it breaks down:
Starter ($149)
→ 1 month of Map My Pay Plus
Compare cities and see your real take-home pay after taxes and housing.
Premium ($249)
→ 1 month of Map My Pay Pro
Plus salary spreadsheets and interview prep to help you land a high-paying offer.
Elite VIP ($349)
→ 3 months of Map My Pay Pro
→ 1:1 coaching call with me or my cofounder, Sumeet (a nurse worth $3 million)
This is for nurses who want a clear plan, fewer mistakes, and direct guidance.
Prices are increasing soon.
If you’re serious about getting out, this is the roadmap.
