In the pilot for Fox’s sitcom ‘New Girl,’ Jessica Day comes home early to give her significant other a romantic surprise but ends up getting a surprise of her own. Her partner has been cheating on her with another woman. Given that Jess and her partner had been living together, Jess is now not only dealing with the heartbreaking end of her relationship – she’s also in desperate need of a new place to live.
As many young people on a budget have done before, Jess turned to Craigslist to find a roommate or three, and the rest is ‘New Girl’ history.
For four seasons, ‘New Girl’ like ‘Friends’ wasn’t exactly the most accurate depiction of what life is like for 20-somethings living in a big city, but the characters were relatable – especially when it comes to relationships with friends and relationships with money.
Like any real-life friend group, ‘New Girl’ was a story about 20-somethings who had come from different backgrounds, were working in different careers, earning varying amounts of money, and had different financial relationships and priorities of their own.
Which ‘New Girl’ character are you most like when it comes to money? Take our quiz below to find out!
Quiz: Which ‘New Girl’ character are you?
1. Your ideal career would be something related to:
- A. Education
- B. Hospitality
- C. Athlete
- D. Model/Actor
- E. Corporate
2. When it comes to treating yourself, you’re most likely to splurge on:
- A. Charitable Donations
- B. Drinks with Friends
- C. My Pet Cat
- D. Makeup & Fashion
- E. Theme Party Celebrating My Awesome Bestie
3. How much money do you have in your savings account?
- A. $500
- B. Savings is a scam – I don’t trust banks.
- C. $3,000 – $5,000
- D. $20,000 – $35,000
- E. $500,000 minimum at all times.
4. On a Saturday morning you’re most likely to be found:
- A. Leading a volunteer beach cleanup
- B. Catching up on some sleep
- C. Studying / Reading
- D. Booking modeling gigs
- E. Working out with your personal trainer
5. Your idea of budgeting includes:
- A. Handwriting your budget in a flowery journal
- B. Budgeting? You keep your money in a shoebox in the closet
- C. Group activities to keep prices down.
- D. Accepting a dinner date to save on grocery expenses.
- E. Monthly text updates from your financial advisor
6. During times of stress you’re most likely to be:
- A. Helping solve someone else’s problem
- B. Panic ordering $200 worth of takeout
- C. Taking selfies with your cat
- D. Working on personal development
- E. Thriving! Stress is required to function at your optimal prime
7. Which quote do you relate to most?
- A. “Just because I don’t have a husband, or a baby, or a house, doesn’t mean I’m not living right.”
- B. “This is the problem, it’s rich people. We are right where they want us.”
- C. “You were denied a cell phone because you have the credit score of a homeless ghost!”
- D. “You wanna put money on this?”
- E. “The economy stinks, bees are dying, and movies are pretty much all sequels now!”
Mostly A’s: You’re Jessica Day
On paper, it seems like you’re doing everything right. You have a 9-5 job that you’re really passionate about but your pay leaves a lot to be desired. In order to save for retirement or a rainy day, you’re consciously choosing to drive your old car instead of buying something new. And instead of living on your own, or in an apartment you can’t afford with your model bestie, you opt to live with roommates you met on Craigslist instead.
Whether it’s because of your financial situation or you’re just drawn to arts and crafts, you’re very creative and likely have no issue making your own clothes, your own food, or inviting everyone over to your place on Friday night to play a game you invented instead.
Mostly B’s: You’re Nick Miller
You originally thought you would have a 9-5 career perhaps even as a lawyer, but that was before you realized that you don’t trust financial institutions enough to take out a student loan or even keep your money in the bank. Instead, you often find yourself taking odd jobs to make ends meet until you can figure out how to finish writing that detective series you’ve been working on in your spare time for fun.
Given your roommates are your best friends you’re not really concerned about saving for long-term financial goals right now. You’re trying to create memories in the here and now and enjoy life. You may not have noticed, but your friends are definitely concerned about your financial health – especially since you tend to use sandwich baggies as a wallet and the collection notices have started to pile up in the mail.
Mostly C’s: You’re Winston Bishop
In your early 20s, your financial future seemed solid. You had a successful career as an athlete but after an injury? Your career and millions seemed to vanish in the blink of an eye. One expense that you prioritize above all others? Furry friends. Now that your cash flow is much more limited, you’re much more interested in group activities. Group dates. Potlucks. Anything that is free or a shared expense really. Luckily you have generous friends and family willing to let you crash on the couch or help you make ends meet temporarily. But long-term you know you’ll have to figure out a long-term money plan, maybe a new career?
Mostly D’s: You’re Cece Parekh
Chances are you found yourself in an untraditional career early on in life. Thanks to your big paychecks – as sporadic as they may seem – you’re able to live pretty comfortably and have a pretty large savings fund stashed away. Still, you’re a fan of luxury and the material world, money is important to your feelings of safety, so you keep working – even taking shifts at a bar every now and then – to keep your savings full and your debt at a minimum. Luckily you have at least one friend who is super thrifty and every now and then inspires you to save money or have fun at home instead of going out, which may allow you to stop saying ‘yes’ to a dinner date just to save on your grocery bill.
Mostly E’s: You’re Schmidt – Winston Schmidt
If you’re not an entrepreneur, are you the CEO of your 9-5 company? If ever there was a boss personality, it’s you. When it comes to your financial situation, you are thriving and love to spend money on your loved ones. Throwing an elaborate 10-year anniversary party to celebrate 10 years of friendship with your bestie? That’s a non-negotiable in your budget. Even though you could afford to buy your own place, you may choose to continue to live with your friends for the social aspect and the added benefit of being able to help your buddies afford rent in a place you actually wouldn’t mind hanging out at every week.
Which ‘New Girl’ character are you? Share your results with us in the comments below!