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Key Takeaways Jill Parsons is pursuing a Ph.D. in biology at Columbia University and working in a research lab.
She has a tightly planned budget, including spending $35 at Trader Joe’s on groceries plus $50 at Whole Foods and Morton Williams.
She socializes on the weekends, giving herself a limit of $100 for a night out.
Jill Parsons is pursuing her dream of obtaining a Ph.D. in biology at Columbia University. However, the dream comes with a price. The 25-year-old is navigating the high cost of living in New York City on a $49,522 annual stipend and is barely making ends meet.
Parsons recently told The New York Times that she leans on her friends to get through tough financial periods.
“I’m always blown away with how generous my friends have been to me during all of this, and I think that is the way that I’m really able to get through, especially when things get hard,” she said.
Her friends include people from her hometown of Milford, Connecticut, and from Williams College, where she studied biology in undergrad. Most of them now live in downtown Manhattan and work in banking or consulting.
Parsons lives in Washington Heights and works 50 hours a week in a biomedical engineering lab, where her focus is on metabolism and nutrient biology in mice. She resides in Columbia student housing, pays $1,524 per month for rent and receives subsidized medical care.
Minimizing costs throughout the day
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