Age: 58

Occupation: Self-employed psychotherapist

Hometown: San Francisco, CA

Income Bracket: $200,000 - $250,000

Family status: Married

Marybeth Weider is determined to live her life to the fullest.

Although she works hard and is fully committed to her career as a psychotherapist, she and her wife

are always in search of new and exciting adventures. They have a plan to help them reach their dreams.

Marybeth shares her approach: “We have a joint account, and what we put in it goes to trips.”

That plan has helped them enjoy a safari trip to Kenya and Tanzania. It had been their

dream for years. But they aren’t stopping there. Going forward, trips to Japan and an

extended stay in Italy are next on the list.

Marybeth lives her dreams: “I really believe in enjoying life.”

To prove that point, she and her wife Elke bought a van. Yet another item they can cross off

on their bucket list. They plan on redefining the phrase “road trip” by exploring as much

of the country as they can in the next few years.

When it comes to her financial decisions, Marybeth approaches them with confidence. “I’m

comfortable as I am. But I am, on occasion, tempted to sit down with a financial advisor.”

While she focuses on her financial journey today, she keeps a keen eye on her future. Along

with a lifetime of steady savings in her 401K, she and her wife purchased a home 14 years

ago. The plan is to have a home for their retirement. These clever financial moves give her

peace of mind and remove some of the stress and worry about spending money.

Here is a glimpse into Marybeth’s weekly finances.

Marybeth lives a full life. But part of that life is managing her spending. Along with her

weekly expenses, there are other expenses:

• 40% goes to mortgage on her San Francisco home
• 30% on groceries
• 10% on utilities and car payments.

The other 20%? It’s divided into three important areas: her dog, her art, and her friends.

The dog: Soovee. Marybeth rescued her from a Thai sanctuary – not a decision fully

embraced by her wife knowing that treats, toys, and care for a furry child could add to their

expenses. But it didn’t take long before Elke fell in love with Soovee.

Marybeth realizes the importance of treating yourself. Her passion? Her art. It is her escape.

A space where she can lose herself in her creativity.

She is generous of spirit and her spending. Special dinner nights with friends, wine-

tasting excursions to nearby Napa Valley, and explorations of small, seaside

California coastal towns allow her to splurge on herself and those she loves.

Marybeth is far from being reckless with her money. Quite the opposite. Her philosophy is 

simple: Money is a means to an end. “I try and pause before I buy anything.”, She says.

But Marybeth does admit to an Achilles Heel: Cars. “I buy a car for how it moves me

Emotionally -- how I like to feel, the look.” She buys a new one every year. It is a passion that

Elke doesn’t share. “Elke’s had the same darn car through our entire marriage.”

But the couple who has been together for 15 years shares the same philosophy on their

finances: “We spend on the things that brings us joy.”