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 an electrical engineer on €115K living in the northeast of the country. This week, a 23-year-old full-time postgraduate student on €10K living in Dublin.
I’m a postgraduate student in Dublin, living at home. My Masters is one year full-time, Monday to Thursday. I put my pay straight into my savings and transfer money to my debit card as I need it. My spending and earning changes depending on when I’m in college or on holidays (less time studying is more time earning). I’ve a limited social life and will meet friends and my girlfriend at the weekend. I also try to get a swim or a run into my day when I can.
While my parents pay the household bills, I pay them through chores such as vacuuming, dusting and emptying the dishwasher! Teaching swimming on a Sunday will pay about €350 basic per month and I will make extra from private lessons. This is dependent on the time of the year, as lessons follow the primary school calendar. I also take full advantage of student discounts when I can. I’m busy with college work and my part time job so I have a limited social life at the moment.
Occupation: Full-time postgraduate student/part-time swim teacher
Age: 23
Location: Dublin
Salary: Approximately €10,000
Monthly pay (net): Approximately €800
Transport: €44 (Leap Card caps at €11 each week)
Rent: None – living at home
Household bills: None – living at home
Phone bill: €9.99
Health insurance: Looked after by parents as I’m a full-time student
Groceries: €500 (family shop costs about €120 a week, between the four of us, paid for by parents)
Subscriptions: Couple’s Spotify – €6 ( €11.99 per month, split with my girlfriend); college swimming membership – €90 for the year as I would not be able to use the facilities from the company I work for
***
6.00 am: Alarm goes off and I have porridge and coffee for breakfast. Onto the bus to be in for my 9am lecture. Normally I have one every day, but won’t have one this Wednesday or Thursday.
9.00 am: Lecture starts.
12.00 pm: First batch of lectures over with, so time for a swim and some lunch, which is leftover pasta and a protein shake. A 1kg bag of protein powder costs €33.68, so a single serving is about 84c.
3.00 pm: Back into lectures until 5pm, then straight onto the bus home.
6.30 pm: I arrive home to find that my contact lenses have arrived (€20 for a pack of 32 pairs). My brother had cooked dinner so I have that before studying and chatting to my girlfriend on the phone.
11.00 pm: Into bed.
Today’s total: €20.84
6.00 am: Toast for breakfast before heading for the bus.
9.00 am: Lecture starts.
11.00 am: We head for coffee during a break in lectures. It comes to €1.80 in the student union shop, including the reusable cup discount. It will cost more elsewhere on the campus. I send my girlfriend money for a coffee too (€3). I have a muffin that I brought with me for my snack.
12.00 pm: Back for another lecture.
1.00 pm: I brought my lunch with me today (chicken and stuffing roll) which I made with the weekend’s leftovers. I pick up a refill pad (€3) before heading back to lectures.
4.30 pm: Out of lectures early and on the first bus home with my earphones in.
6.00 pm: Just home and have to bring my learner driver brother for a drive. He had organised dinner this evening so it will be my turn later in the week. Usually whoever is home first will cook.
7.30 pm: I wash dinner down with a cup of tea and start working at my desk.
9.00 pm: Just as I’m wrapping up my studying, one of my swimming lesson clients calls to cancel their lesson this Friday. I get ready for tomorrow, before having a shower and chilling out in front of the tv.
11.00 pm: Into bed
Today’s total: €7.80
7.00 am: The alarm goes off and I’m up and down to the kitchen for breakfast – egg on toast and a cup of tea this morning. As always, Ian Dempsey is on the radio. Once I’m finished, I’m back upstairs to get ready for the day.
8.00 am: Onto the bus where I find out I got high marks in an assignment.
9.20 am: I’m in studying where I go through notes for my first lecture and practice some programming.
10.45 am: I wrap up the study and get a sausage roll before my lecture (€2). I save 40c by using a plate and napkin instead of a takeaway box. Avoiding these and having a reusable cup is an easy way to save a few cent here and there.
12.00 pm: Lecture finishes and I head to the pool for a swim.
1.30 pm: Time for lunch. Today I have leftover roast dinner that I microwave. I usually bring large lunches that can be heated or eaten cold, such as pasta. I wash this down with a protein shake (€0.84).
2.00 pm: Back to work before my practical.
3.30 pm: Time for a quick cup of tea before my practical (€1.35).
5.00 pm: Practical is over and there’s time for some pasta before heading to our next practical in the hospital. This goes on from 6.30pm until 9.30pm and I wait for the bus home. It will be straight to bed whenever I get in.
Today’s total: €4.19
7.00 am: The alarm goes off and I’m up and into the kitchen for breakfast. I have a quick chat with dad before he leaves for work and I tuck into an egg on toast. I finish getting ready and am on the bus before 8.30am.
10.00 am: Lecture time.
11.00 am: Lecture is over – I eat the muffin that I brought from home and do some work admin before a swim.
1.00 pm: Out of the pool and having lasagna for lunch in the student bar (€6.90) with a protein shake afterwards (€0.84).
1.45 pm: Start working on the data from last night’s practical.
4.00 pm: One more lecture and then I’ll be on the bus home.
5.00 pm: I’m out of the lecture and onto the first bus home. I call my girlfriend and we have a catch-up until I have to get off the bus.
6.40 pm: Just in the door and mum has kept dinner for me. With my brother in college and my dad working 8am to 8pm shifts, we will always keep dinner for people coming in late, and never cook different dinners for different people.
8.00 pm: At my desk getting started on some college work.
9.00 pm: Flake out on the couch in front of the tv for an hour and a half or so, before grabbing a snack and heading to bed around 10.30pm.
Today’s total: €7.75
9.30 am: It’s time for me to get out of bed. I’ve no lectures today, so I’m studying at home. I head downstairs to see what’s for breakfast. Yoghurt with honey and fruit and juice, followed by a cup of tea. Brush my teeth and up to my desk.
11.30 am: Time for an instant coffee.
12.00 pm: Back at the desk and before I start studying, I look at a lunch offer that was recommended to me. Of course it ends up in the fine print that this can’t be used on the weekends. Back to the drawing board.
1.30 pm: Time for lunch. I make a ham and cheese sandwich and have a packet of crisps. My girlfriend has booked a different restaurant for lunch tomorrow.
2.30 pm: Back at the desk.
4.00 pm: I can feel myself slowing down and stop for a cup of tea before putting in one last push.
5.00 pm: I put the dinner on and finish the vacuuming. I have dinner and go to work.
9.30 pm: I’m in from work and have a cup of tea and throw on the tv before bed.
Today’s total: €0.00
9.30 am: I drag myself out of bed for a light breakfast and then get stuck into some paperwork for work tomorrow and start to read a research paper for a college assignment.
11.30 am: I stop and get ready to meet my girlfriend in town for lunch and shopping, then head for the bus.
1.00 pm: We have lunch (with dessert) and comment on it being inexpensive, but also how adding in drinks would have added €3-€7 to the bill each (€22 each). We spend the afternoon shopping (well, she does most of it) and I pick up some socks for when I have to dig out the winter boots (€3). We also stopped into Auntie Nellie’s sweet shop on Dame Street (€3).
5.00 pm: We say our goodbyes and head home. On the bus I buy a ticket to a haunted house that I’ll go to with my friends from my undergrad degree. Usually when we meet up it’s for drinks and occasionally food, so this is an expense that I wouldn’t normally have and doubles the spending for today (€26).
Today’s total: €51.00
8.30 am: I’m up and out of bed to get ready to go to work. I have toast for breakfast and organise a sandwich and fruit to bring with me – I’ll snack on the fruit throughout the day.
9.30 am: On the pool deck ready for my first class.
1.40 pm: I’ve a break in my classes and get the sandwich in.
4.00 pm: I’m home from work and I have the roast beef mum cooked – it’s delicious! Sets me up for an evening of study.
6.30 pm: Time for tea. Then back to the desk.
9.00 pm: Finish up and get ready to go at it all over again!
Today’s total: €0.00
***
What I learned –
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
have your say