Most people have strong opinions about New York City, and Kathleen McDaniel is no exception. The 29-year-old marketing manager is “totally in love” with her adopted hometown, leaving her apartment as much as one time a week.
Says McDaniel on her life: “I simply couldn’t imagine living anywhere else.”
“Her Instagram is basically just a love letter to New York City,” said Kaycee Adams, a high school friend. “I figured she was really taking advantage of the city.”
However, a quick scroll through McDaniel’s Instagram feed confirms Adams’ claims. Last July, McDaniel posted a photo of an open fire hydrant with the caption, “There’s just no place like NYC in the summer!” The following December, she posted a picture of snow on the sidewalk, writing, “The city is sparkling,” adding three snowflake emojis.
McDaniel clarified that both photos were taken while taking out the trash in her Brooklyn apartment, which was the first and only time she went outside on those days.
Last night, McDaniel told her mom on the phone that it’s a “little sad” that she’s the only person from her high school who is “living out their dreams” in New York.
“I just get so much inspiration from the city,” said McDaniel, who could work from literally anywhere but definitely doesn’t.
According to Josephine Snider, a leading behavioral economist, if McDaniel lived in the suburbs and commuted in, she would save approximately $900 each month and could spend the exact same amount of time exploring the city that she currently does, or even more.
“I’m never moving to the suburbs,” McDaniel said when presented with these numbers, adding a retching sound to the end of her statement. “If I lived outside the city, where would I even go to eat out?” asked the woman who has tried a total of three restaurants in the past eight months.
With the money that McDaniel would save on rent, Snider calculates that the extreme homebody could retire up to five years earlier.
“Why save for retirement? I want to live life while I’m young!” said McDaniel, a person who leaves her home less than the average retiree.
