This Restaurant Success Manager Spends $668 on Wellness Each Month
“I'd rather spend less on social activities, shopping, etc. to afford my wellness practices.”
Welcome to Wellness Receipts, a franchise exploring how different people integrate wellness routines into their everyday life. In each piece, we’ll be talking to one anonymous person about their routines, habits, and monthly wellness-related expenses. This week, we’re talking to a restaurant success manager who makes $82,000 per year.
JOB: Restaurant Success Manager
INDUSTRY: Hospitality
AGE: 29
LOCATION: Orange County, CA
SALARY: $82,000/year
RENT/MORTGAGE: $2700 a month. (The total cost is split with her husband.)
DEBT: $5,500 in credit card debt. She attended public school and her student debt has been paid off. Her husband still has around $22,000 of student loan debt left to pay.
KIDS: N/A
PETS: One cat
Monthly Wellness Receipts
SUPPLEMENTS: $200
GROCERIES: $150
THERAPIST: $80
FITNESS: $89
INFRARED SAUNA: $149
TOTAL: $668
What does wellness mean to you? Has your relationship to wellness changed over the years?
“To me, wellness is about keeping my mind and body sharp for the long run. Mental wellness is just as important as physical wellness, and I'd rather spend less on social activities, shopping, etc., to afford my wellness practices. I moved to Orange County from New Orleans two years ago, and my wellness routine really picked up when I moved out here. I think it's because it's just more of a lifestyle out here, and I’m more intentional about it now.
“Right before I moved out to Orange County, my mom was diagnosed with cancer. She’s cancer-free now, but she tried to fight the illness naturally before going the treatment route. After her diagnosis, I learned more about the Western diet and how we live in the States, and unfortunately, a lot of our foods, beauty products, and cleaning products can be harmful to us. It influenced my lifestyle, and I became healthier and more health-conscious overall.”
Do you have a morning routine? What does it look like?
“I’m a big morning routine gal. I wake up around 6 a.m. and do a five to ten-minute meditation a few times a week. Then I drink room temperature water with Celtic salt, ACV, and lemon. After I do my skincare routine, get dressed, gratitude journal while drinking matcha, then go about my day. On weekends, I work out after journaling in the mornings then I go to the sauna.
“My new therapist suggested that I look into meditation. I don’t do anything crazy or use an app. I just look up Joe Dispenza's meditations on YouTube. When I skip my morning routine, my life feels so chaotic, just trying to get through the day. It was hard to get into at first, but then now I genuinely look forward to going to bed because I know the morning is coming.”
Do you have an evening routine? What does it look like?
“Typically, I put my phone on Do Not Disturb around 9 p.m. and charge it in an outlet away from my bed. Then I drink my magnesium latte—magnesium powder and hot water—and read. I usually go to sleep around 10:30-11 p.m..”
Do you take daily supplements?
“My grandfather got really into supplements during the COVID lockdown, and he would constantly send me photos of the different supplements he was taking. Then I got into taking supplements and stuck with it. I take Ritual’s multivitamin, a fish oil supplement, vitamin C supplement, and magnesium.”
Where do you get your groceries?
“I usually get my groceries from Sprouts—there’s one right by my house. I don’t feel like organic foods are as readily available in New Orleans, or Louisiana as a whole, as it is in California. It’s easier to be more intentional with what you’re buying here.
“I’m also an avid juicer and juice roughly three to four times a week. I spent $550 on a professional-grade juicer last year, and it was the best investment for myself.”
Do you see a psychiatrist and/or therapist?
“I see my therapist twice a month. I started therapy during COVID, actually. When I moved to Orange County, I had to switch therapists because I switched companies, and my original therapist was no longer covered by insurance. But thankfully, the company I work at now gives you 12 therapy sessions free, then you can just pay a copay for each session.”
Do you spend money on workout classes?
“I do a baseline Classpass package, and it averages about one class every week. I usually do an evening yoga or pilates class or anything that’s more low-intensity. I have a gym in my building, so I try to go there three to four times a week.”
How much do you spend on spiritual wellness each month (meditation apps, breathwork, etc.)?
I have an infrared sauna membership, and I go twice a week. It’s something I got into after moving out here, and I’m obsessed with it. It just feels so good. I mean, you sweat—it’s not comfortable, but I really like it. I usually bring a book, and I just read while I’m sitting in the sauna.”