WELCOME TO HOW I Spend My Money, a series on The Journal that looks at how people in Ireland really handle their finances.
We’re asking readers to keep a record of how much they earn, what they save if anything, and what they’re spending their money on over the course of one week.
Are you a spender, a saver or a splurger? We’re looking for readers who will keep a money diary for a week. If you’re interested send a mail to money@thejournal.ie. We would love to hear from you.
Each money diary is submitted by readers just like you. When reading and commenting, bear in mind that their situation will not be relatable for everyone, it is simply an account of a week in their shoes, so let’s be kind.
Last time around, we heard from a trainee solicitor on €37K living in Cork. This week, a clerical officer living in Meath and earning €26K.
I’m currently living in Meath with my husband. We live three hours from our family and usually go home every 4-5 weeks. We moved to Dublin nine years ago when I was 20. I’m in my current role as a clerical officer just under two years. I took a €6,000 pay cut when I started this job, however I’m hoping in the long term it will benefit me as I will get a yearly increment and opportunities for promotions.
We bought our house three years ago, and we are so glad we bought when we did because if we waited any longer, we wouldn’t have been able to afford one. We bought a new build and found the help to buy scheme a great help for our deposit.
We are currently saving for our ‘baby fund’ for when we decide to start a family. We have a goal of €20,000 and we are on the right track for it. We will need full-time childcare as we don’t have family close by and we will both need to continue to work to afford our mortgage and want to be financially stable before we start our family.
My husband does the bulk of the savings as he has a higher salary than me, however I try to save at least €80 a month. I will try and increase this when I get my next increment in a couple of months.
I enjoy going for cycles and try at the weekends to get away to do some cycle routes. I like going to the cinema and out for brunch with my friends when I can.
Occupation: Clerical officer
Age: 29
Location: Co Meath
Salary: €26,985
Monthly pay (net): €1,740.76
*Occasional babysitting: €10 per hour.
Transport: €60 Leap card (automatically tops up by €30 if it goes below €10). My husband spends around €220 per month on diesel. I try put about €40 towards diesel each month.
Rent: €1,023.49 (Mortgage, fixed rate for another 2.5 years @ 2.5%)
Life insurance: €25.95
Home insurance: €17.10
Household bills: Electricity – €43.53, gas – €77.92, TV & broadband – €99.26, bins – €21.95
Phone bill: €30.61
Bills go out of my husband’s account. I direct debit €700 per month to him towards the mortgage and bills above. All other items we generally go half on, and mainly use Revolut as it’s easier to keep an eye on funds.
Groceries: €400
Subscriptions: Spotify – €0, on a friends account for years, Disney – €0, free for a year as I bought a new Samsung phone, Netflix – €0, included for a year when we upgraded our tv package
Medical prescriptions: €25.46
Car insurance: €607 – my husband has a full licence and I am on provisional
Car tax: €200
NCT: €55
LPT: €315
House alarm: €66.96
TV licence: €160
Gas boiler service: €80
Water softener service: €120
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6.50 am: Time to rise and shine. My first day back to work from 2.5 weeks of annual leave. I can work two days remotely, but I decide to go into the office today. I need to apply for my driving test, as I have all my lessons completed, but my husband drives me 20 minutes to the office, and he returns home to work remotely.
7.50 am: I log in and wait for my laptop to do the updates, and I work my way through hundreds of emails. I eat a few crackers at my desk.
10.45 am: Teatime! I go to the canteen with a few of my colleagues and chat about my holidays. I get a cup of tea, slice of toast, poached egg and a snack bar for later. (€1.80)
11.15 am: Back to do some work. I have a scheduled meeting for the next hour.
1.30 pm: Lunchtime. I debate whether to go out for lunch or eat in the canteen, but I decide to go to the canteen. Hot food and sandwiches/salads are on offer, and I decide on a toastie with a scoop of chips and a bottle of water (€4.00). I would like to go for a walk but it’s quite warm outside, so I decide to stay in the cool building.
2.15 pm: Return to work with a full belly, but I’ll eat my snack bar at my desk around 3pm to give me that bit of a sugar rush.
5.00 pm: I clock out and keep an eye on the real time information on the bus app for my bus, which, unfortunately, doesn’t always appear when it is due. I have a 10-minute walk to the bus stop, and one is due in 18 minutes, but it doesn’t appear until 5.30pm, 12 minutes later than expected. I use my Leap card and pay €3.36. I get home within 25 minutes.
6.00 pm: My husband has made dinner this evening. Salmon, rice and veg. We eat in the back garden, as there is some sunshine out there. I clean up after – do the dishwasher, clean counters, and hoover the floor.
7.30 pm: We had visitors stay at the weekend. The bed clothes are washed and dried for the same room, so I make the bed for our next visitor. After that, I have a shower and get into my pjs.
8.30 pm: I empty the dishwasher and sit down to watch a few episodes on Netflix.
10.30 pm: Bedtime. I really need my sleep, so like to go to bed at this time and I’m usually asleep by 11.00pm.
Today’s total: €9.16
6.50 am: Alarm rings. I’m a morning person so jump out of bed and get ready to leave for work. I make myself a cup of tea and my husband a coffee in our keep cups for the 20 minute journey to work.
7.50 am: I log in. The office is nice a quiet at this time of the morning. I prefer to start at this time because I can get lots done without any added distractions. I have one meeting this morning that will last for about an hour.
11.00 am: Morning meeting is finished. I go to the canteen with a few of my colleagues for tea break. I grab a cup of tea, a slice of toast and a boiled egg (€1.00). Myself and my husband are going out with a few friends to a comedy gig this weekend. Tickets are €25 each. I pay €175 online and my friends Revolut me the money they owe.
11.25 am: Back to do some work after tea.
1.30 pm: Lunchtime. I go to the canteen and get a salad made and a bottle of water for €3.65. I go for a quick 15-minute stroll outside the office before I return to work.
2.15 pm: Ready for the afternoon. I have another scheduled 1.5 hour meeting for this afternoon.
4.00 pm: I clock out. It is a lovely evening, so I decide to leave early today. I want to get home and cook some dinners I can freeze as I’m in the mood for cooking. I walk over and wait 15 minutes for the bus, use my Leap card to get home within 20 minutes. (€3.36)
5.00 pm: My husband has made dinner this evening. Lamb chops, jacket potatoes and veg. After I eat, I prep the veg for a spag bol – I’ll make enough to have for dinner tomorrow and to freeze some. I also make a chicken and veg cous cous that I can have for lunch and also freeze that. I clean up after – do the dishwasher, clean counters, and hoover the floor.
7.30 pm: I call my mam and dad for the chats while preparing my clothes for tomorrow. I shower, wash, dry and straighten my hair (the struggle is real)!
8.30 pm: While my husband empties the dishwasher, I make some microwaveable popcorn and watch a few episodes on Netflix.
10.45 pm: I get ready for bed and read a few pages of a new book I got on holidays, but my eyes are shut before I get the book closed.
Today’s total: €33.01
6.50 am: Time to get up. Last morning in the office this week. I prefer doing three days in a row, as it seems easier that way. I make my husband a coffee in his keepcup and off we go.
8.05 am: Traffic was heavier than usual this morning, but it can be hit or miss. No scheduled meetings for today, but I know it’ll be a busy day with emails. I eat a few rice cakes at my desk and begin my work.
10.45 am: I brought my own oats with me today so I make them in the microwave and add in some berries and seeds. I go to the canteen with my breakfast. I buy a bottle of water and a cup of tea (€2.20). I have a wedding in two weeks, so I call the salon to book my hair and makeup. I pay a €30 non-refundable deposit (hair and make-up will cost €65 in total).
11.15 am: Back to work. I have printing and filing to do, so plan to get this all done before lunch.
1.30 pm: Ready for lunch. I am starving today. I brought the chicken and veg cous cous I made yesterday for lunch, and I buy a can of coke and a bar of chocolate in the canteen. (€2.30)
2.20 pm: Back to do some work for the remainder of the day.
4.45 pm: I clock out. The sun is shining today, and I appreciate waiting for the bus on bright evenings like this. Trying not to think of the cold, dark, wet evenings waiting (hopefully I’ll pass my driving test before the dark evenings are back!). Home in 25 minutes.
5.25 pm: My husband is in a meeting when I get back. I make some spaghetti and I heat the bolognese I made yesterday. I’m tired this evening and glad dinner didn’t involve much prep. I sit down to watch the news while the kitchen is being cleaned.
7.00 pm: My husband and I go for a walk to our local village this evening. I’m treated to a 99 with sprinkles on the way home.
8.00 pm: I empty the dishwasher and make some microwaveable popcorn and watch a few episodes on Netflix. Payday tomorrow. I have €164.15 left over in my account (as I was on annual leave and already had money saved for these two weeks). This is very rare, as usually I might only have an extra €20 left over. I put the remaining money into my Revolut saving vault.
10.30 pm: I’m tucked up in bed nice and early tonight. I do some crossword puzzles. I was always going to bed with my phone but found it really hard to switch off, so I’ve started to try and read or do a puzzle. I’m sound asleep by 11pm.
Today’s total: €34.50
6.30 am: My husband is working in the office today. He does one day and the rest remotely. His alarm wakes me and I roll over once he gets out of the bed.
8.30 am: My alarm goes off and I feel well rested today. I get up and prepare for work. I make myself some porridge with berries and seeds for breakfast, with some peppermint tea.
9.00 am: I log to work and have plenty of emails to work my way through.
11.30 am: I go down to the kitchen and make myself a cup of tea and a seeded bagel. I put on a wash and bring in the post, which includes a hospital referral confirmation I’ve been waiting on. I only have 52 weeks to wait until I see the consultant. I don’t have health insurance, but I will enquire about going the private route as I’m not in a position to wait a year to be seen.
11.50 pm: Bring my tea back upstairs with an apple to munch on. I continue to work until lunch.
2.00 pm: A later lunch today. I seem to lose track of time when working from home. I get into such a trance with work that I forget to take my tea break/lunch, but I am improving in taking the time. I have a ham and cheese toastie with some popcorn and a small twirl bar.
2.30 pm: Have a meeting scheduled for 3pm, this will last for roughly an hour, so I will have plenty to keep me busy for the afternoon. I remember I need to order a prescription for collection tomorrow, so I call the pharmacy to order.
5.10 pm: I log off for the evening. I like to dust and clean the house on Thursday evening as my husband will hoover and mop on Friday and then the house is clean for the weekend. I dust up and downstairs. I pause the cleaning and I make some pasta and heat the remainder of the bolognese. My husband returns from work around 6pm and we have dinner together. He cleans up after dinner while I clean the toilets/shower/bath.
7.30 pm: I have started doing some occasional babysitting for a family in my estate. I am fully qualified, with garda vetting and paediatric first aid. The parents are going out for a few hours, so I work from 7.30pm to 10.30pm. I put the two children to bed and do a little clean around for the parents before they come back – they never expect it, but always appreciate it. As there is no travel involved apart from a 200 metre walk, I charge €10 per hour.
10.35 pm: I come home and get a quick shower and into my pjs. I make a cup of chamomile tea and sit of the sofa and chat to my husband for 20 minutes.
11.15 pm: Tucked up in bed and excited for Friday.
Today’s total: €0.00
8.00 am: Wake up with the Friday feeling. I get up and put on some fake tan in preparation for the weekend. I go down and make some porridge while my husband goes for a morning walk – I should also do this, but some mornings I’d rather the extra lay in bed!
9.00 am: Log in for the final day of the week. I bring some peppermint up to my desk and begin work.
11.00 am: Myself and my husband go downstairs for tea break together. He makes some pancakes while I get the tea/coffee ready. We listen to the radio in the background while talking about our options of meeting friends in the city tomorrow. We decide he will drive into a place I am comfortable driving from. We will get the Luas into the city and get the Luas back out at the end of the night and I can drive home as I don’t drink, and he can enjoy a few beers.
11.30 am: Back to work. It’s a busy day but the morning has been dragging, so hoping the rest of the day will go faster.
1.30 pm: Lunch time. We go for beans on toast as it has been ages since we’ve had this and it went down a treat. We get back to work and start counting down the minutes until we can log off.
4.30 pm: It’s the weekend and I’m happy I survived my first week back from annual leave! My husband hoovers and mops while I hang out some washing to dry and I pack away my laptop/notebook for the office on Monday.
5.30 pm: We drive up to the village to pick up some things for the weekend. I collect my prescription I ordered yesterday (€7.97). I pop into the supermarket and get some bread/milk/snacks and spend €12.87 (€6.44 when halved). We go to the local chipper then and I get a fresh cod while my husband gets a chicken fillet burger; we also get a large bag of chips (they are definitely not large!) to share, which costs €19.50 (€9.75 for my share). I go over to the drycleaners and collect a dress I left in two weeks ago (€25.50). I’ll be wearing this to the wedding in two weeks.
6.30 pm: We eat our takeaway and wind down for the evening. I enjoy a Friday evening chilling at home when we have no plans.
9.00 pm: Washed, showered and in my pjs. We usually call my in-laws on a Friday night to see how they are doing. Call goes on for an hour. We put on a movie and I hope my eyes stay open.
12.10 am: I managed to stay away, it’s not always the case. I go to bed while my husband stays up for another hour to finish a series on Netflix.
Today’s total: €49.66
10.30 am: I wake up a few times this morning but close my eyes and go in and out of sleep before finally deciding it’s time to get up and move for the day. I get up and ready and have some tea and toast and 1 rasher for my breakfast.
12.00 pm: We need to collect something in the next town from us, which is a 20 minute drive away. On the way, we stop in the charity shop in the village to drop in two bags of clothes and household items I no longer want. I pop into the library to return some books too. We drive to the town and collect the item. We stop in the shopping centre and I pop into a clothes shop. I have clothes to return to the value of €28. I pick up more items and pay an extra €8 instead of taking the refund.
2.00 pm: We go into a little café and have some tea/coffee and share a brownie. My treat today. (€12.45)
3.45 pm: We got back home at 3pm and we are now ready to go into the city. My husband drives while I do my make up in the car to save time.
4.45 pm: Hop on the Luas to meet friends for dinner at 5.15pm. I pay €1.50.
5.10 pm: We are the first here. We’ve come to a tapas restaurant, which we’ve been to loads and always enjoy coming to. I order a coke while waiting for my friends.
7.10 pm: We are ready to pay and leave to make our way to the comedy gig. It was a set course of two tapas for €25. I had one coke for €3.50 and an automatic gratitude of 12.5% is added to the bill, which worked out at €5 each.
8.00 pm: At the comedy gig and ready for some laughing.
11.00 pm: We had great fun. Our friends were also driving, so decide to head home after. We decide to get the Luas back to the direction of our car (€1.50), but we will stop in two pubs along the way.
11.30 pm: I get my husband a pint, while I have a 7up (€9.65).
12.45 am: Home time. We walk to the car and I drive us home.
Today’s total: €66.60
10.00 am: I awake from a late night. I plan to go shopping today since I’ve a few things happening over the next few weeks that I need to buy for. We have a new smart electricity meter in our home and we signed up to a new plan that we have free electricity on a Sunday between 9am – 5pm. We try to use the washing machine/dryer during this time, along with charging toothbrushes, our hoover, basically anything that uses electricity – I want to take full advantage of the offer! We only have it in place for one month but could see a difference in our bill this month.
12.00 pm: I decide to go for the bus. The app says it’s due in five minutes so I dash out the door. I wait 30 minutes at the stop, but the bus does not appear (this is another reason to motivate me to apply for my test). The bus finally arrives (€3.36) and I travel for 25 minutes to arrive at the shopping centre.
1.15 pm: I pop into a café and get a bottle of water and sausage roll (€5.20) to give me some energy to do my shopping. I go to the card shop and pick up some occasion cards. My friend was 30 last week, so I get her a card. We have a 40th party next week, we have a wedding in two weeks, another friend got engaged and another friend had a new baby. I spend €11.45 on the cards. I have a return worth €21.00 to complete and I pick up a baby outfit which costs €22.50, putting €1.50 towards the refund. I also buy my friend who is 30 a beauty gift set for €20.90. I’ve been keeping my eye on a perfume I’ve wanted for a while. One of the shops has a 10% discount today, so I end up buying it. It’s €59 for a 30ml.
3.00 pm: My husband is driving in to collect me, so I do the weekly food shop while he is driving in. The total comes to €90.23, but I have two vouchers for €10 and €5 off, which brings the total to €75.23 (I’ll pay half of this – €37.61). We usually do our food shop on a Sunday and then go to our local butcher/fishmonger on a Monday, for meat/fish for the week. We buy our potatoes and eggs from a local farmer in a vending machine in the village. (€5.50)
4.00 pm: I bought a cooked chicken when doing the shop, so I make a roast dinner, but it makes it much easier to have the chicken cooked already.
6.00 pm: Clean up after dinner and go for a short walk up to the village.
7.00 pm: I get showered and packed and ready for work tomorrow.
8.00 pm: And now time to relax and watch a movie before the busy week begins.
10.30 pm: Time for bed.
Today’s total: €144.52
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What I learned –
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