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 28-year-old consultant on €120K living in the United Arab Emirates. This week, a 26-year-old IT apprentice on €25K living in Dublin.
I have lived in Dublin my whole life and plan to stay here for good. I currently live with my parents, siblings and boyfriend. For almost two years, I rented with my boyfriend, but the places we lived in were extremely overpriced for what we were getting and not in very livable conditions.
We ended up getting fed up with paying a ridiculous amount of rent for horrible housing in return, so we moved back in with my parents to start saving. We still pay rent to my parents every month, but it’s not as much as when we were renting privately. I am very grateful that we have this safety net because I know a lot of people in Dublin don’t and have no other choice but to pay extortionate rent for sub-par accommodation.
My boyfriend is earning well above the average national salary, and I am earning slightly above minimum wage, yet we cannot afford to rent even a tiny studio. So as of now, our main goal is to stay with my parents and save as much as possible so that we can (hopefully) buy a place in the next two-to-three years. Although I’m on a relatively low wage now, it will increase in two years when I complete my apprenticeship.
I aim to save around 50-70% of my salary each month, but the exact amount I can save will vary from month to month. I might realise in a month’s time that 50-70% is unrealistic, so for now I’ll just see how it goes.
Currently, I am working and studying as an IT apprentice. I only started a while ago, so I am still settling in. Thankfully, I get paid for all parts of the course (including college classes), so I am very lucky in that regard. The program lasts two years, and I hope to be offered a higher-paid permanent position once it’s over.
Occupation: IT apprentice
Age: 26
Location: Dublin
Salary: €25,000
Monthly pay (net): €1,800
Transport: €0 right now because I am studying/working from home, but that is likely to change in the coming weeks.
Rent: €300
Household bills: n/a
Phone bill: €13
Health insurance: No health insurance
Groceries: Paid for by parents
Subscriptions: None paid by me
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8.00 am: Wake up. I aim to be up at around 8 am on Mondays because it’s not too early but not too late either. It eases me into the week nicely while studying and working from home. I have classes from home this week, so thankfully I don’t have to be up early to get the bus. I stay in bed for a while before getting ready for the day.
9.00 am: Log in to class for the day.
11.00 am: Have a 20-minute break. At this point, I usually eat something. Today, I decided to have a banana sandwich because I was craving one!
1.00 pm: I get my lunch break. I love working and studying from home because I can make something fresh in the kitchen or heat something up easily. Today, I decide to be a bit unhealthy by having bacon, an egg, and frozen Lidl hash browns (they’re very good in the air fryer).
2.00 pm: Back to class for the afternoon.
4.00 pm: Finish college for the day.
5.30 pm: After scrolling on my phone for too long, I have some chicken with rice and vegetables for dinner. I’m not a big wine drinker, so I usually just have my dinner with water, and the odd time, a Diet Coke (I’m crazy, I know).
6.30 pm: I was a bit sick last week and although I feel better, I still feel exhausted. So, I just sit on the couch for the rest of the evening catching up with Succession and other shows.
10.00 pm: At this point, I feel like I’m going to fall asleep, so I have a shower and go to bed.
Today’s total: €0.00
8.00 am: Wake up and lie in bed for the next 20-30 minutes while I continuously contemplate staying in bed an extra five minutes. While lying in bed, I usually scroll my phone and read the news.
8.30 am: Get up, get dressed, brush my teeth and wash my face. I have to really force myself to get out of my pyjamas in the morning, as it can be tempting to just roll right from my bed to my desk. I make myself a cup of tea just before class starts, but I decide to wait until later to eat something.
9.00 am: Start classes.
11.00 am: Take a 20-minute break. During my break today, I just eat a banana and have a pint of water. I’ve been making a conscious effort to drink more water, and so far, it’s resulting in me having to pee literally every hour or two.
1.00 pm: Lunch time! Today, I have leftover curry that my boyfriend made. He bulk cooks his lunches for the week and often has extra for me, which is very handy and much appreciated.
2.00 pm: Back to class.
4.00 pm: Finish class for the day.
4.30 pm: Go for a walk. When studying or working from home, I am trying to make more of an effort to get out every day in the afternoon/evening, even if just for a walk. Today, I go out to the park with my dog.
Today’s total: €0.00
7.30 am: Wake up a little earlier today so that I can go for a quick walk before class starts. I tend to feel more refreshed and ready for the day when I leave the house for a while in the morning, but I won’t pretend it happens every morning. Today was one of the more productive mornings.
8.30 am: Get home and make some tea before class starts. Feeling a bit hungry at this point, so I have a quick bowl of cereal.
9.00 am: Start classes.
11.00 am: Take a 20-minute break. During my break today, I make a second cup of tea. I’m not a big coffee drinker so tea is always my preference when at home.
1.00 pm: Lunch time! Today, I just made a sandwich and had fruit after. Since my parents pay for my groceries, I don’t need to spend any money on food, including my daily lunches. I am very grateful for that. During my lunch break, I chat to my boyfriend, and we decide to book tickets to see the Dungeons and Dragons movie tonight (€11 for my ticket).
2.00 pm: Back to class.
4.00 pm: Finish class for the day and relax for a few minutes before getting ready to go out.
5.00 pm: Get the bus to the cinema (€2) to meet my boyfriend. My boyfriend works in the city centre, so we decide to meet in town and go to the cinema there. I have some time to kill before meeting him, so I look around some of the shops. I end up buying a face oil for around €12.
6.30 pm: Go to the cinema. I know nothing about Dungeons and Dragons (never played the game before) but thoroughly enjoyed the movie! I also get a large popcorn and drink for €12, which was surprisingly filling.
10.00 pm: We get home at around 10 pm and decide to play a computer game with a few others in the house for two hours.
12.00 am: This is definitely later than when I would usually go to bed on a weekday because I cannot stand being tired during the day, but oh well! Time to set my alarm and prepare for another day.
Today’s total: €37.00
8.30 am: Today I wake a bit later than I would have liked, but it’s OK. I get up, get dressed, and get ready for class.
9.00 am: Time to log in to Zoom for class.
11.00 am: The usual 20-minute break. Like always, I have a cup of tea. I also had a bit of toast to do me until lunchtime.
1.00 pm: Time for lunch! Today, I was feeling a bit lazy and didn’t want to make anything, so I decide to go to the shop and get a roll (€5).
2.00 pm: Back to college work for the afternoon. Starting to feel excited now because tomorrow is a bank holiday, as is Monday. So, it’s an extra long weekend. I’m not used to having bank holidays off, so it’s definitely a nice feeling.
4.00 pm: Finish classes for the long Easter weekend! I have a shower right after class and get ready to go out.
5.30 pm: I go to meet some friends in town for food, drinks and a show. I get a lift so don’t have to pay for transport. We go to Wetherspoons because it’s cheap and close to the venue where the show is. Since it’s a nice evening, there are loads of people sitting outside the place. We manage to get a table and order some food and drinks. We’re in a bit of a hurry to get to the show, so I only order one drink (vodka and Pepsi) with my food. Altogether, I spend around €16.
6.30 pm: The show starts. It’s called “Six”, and it’s actually more of a concert than a show, but I’ll just call it a show anyway. It was definitely interesting and different from any other show I’d seen, so it was a good time.
10.00 pm: I’m still feeling a bit run down and exhausted from being sick last week, so I get home, take a Panadol and get ready for bed.
Today’s total: €21.00
9.00 am: I wake and chill bed until 10.30 am to enjoy the lie in. Thankfully, it’s a sunny day, so we decide to go for a walk in the park. In our local park, there is an outdoor café, so we go there for coffee/tea and some food. My boyfriend pays for this.
12.00 pm: Since it’s a nice day, I sit out in the garden after getting back from the park. I don’t have plans for today other than going out tonight. Thankfully, I’m not feeling as tired anymore!
5.00 pm: I start to get ready after spending the afternoon not doing very much. I’m meeting some friends in town for food and drinks, so I put on makeup and get ready.
7.00 pm: Leave to meet friends. I get the bus in (€2). We get food and drinks and move on somewhere else after. I’m not a fan of beer or cider, so I generally stick with mixed spirits, especially vodka. Unfortunately for me, this can get expensive very quickly when out in Dublin, but I think it’s worth it every now and then. Altogether, I spend around €85 (which I usually would not spend in one night).
1.00 am: I get home via a 24-hour Dublin Bus (€2). I take off my makeup and go straight to bed.
Today’s total: €89.00
9.00 am: My body naturally wakes around 9 am. I find these long weekends so confusing because even though it’s Saturday, it feels like Sunday; definitely a nice feeling! I stay in bed until around 10 am and my boyfriend and I decide to be bold and order a Mcdonald’s breakfast. I spend around €15 altogether.
12.00 pm: I finally decide to get dressed. However, I put on my comfiest clothes because I know today will be lazy. I pretty much just sit on the couch all afternoon watching TV.
5.00 pm: My mam makes a stir fry for dinner. After eating, I go for a long walk with the dog. One thing I need to get back into is going to the gym because I feel like walking isn’t enough. Even though I’m healthy (weight-wise), I don’t get much exercise and am starting to get into some bad habits. I plan to get a new membership on my next payday!
8.00 pm: After getting back from my walk, I have a shower and get into my PJs. For the rest of the evening, I watch TV, scroll through my phone, and add items to my ASOS wishlist.
12.00 am: I can feel my eyes getting heavy, so I go to bed.
Today’s total: €15.00
9.00 am: Yet again, my body naturally wakes at this time, so I lie in bed for the morning before getting up and dressed. It’s Easter Sunday today, but my family has no plans to do anything.
10.30 am: I go for a walk with the dog. Sunday morning is my favourite time to go for a walk because the area is always so quiet and peaceful. I walk around the park for a while and then head back home.
12.00 pm: I have a bit of an Easter egg for brunch, and instantly regret it. For some reason, when I eat chocolate on an empty stomach, it gives me terrible acid reflux; I never learn. I decide to have a sandwich a while later and feel better.
4.00 pm: My parents cook a roast and we eat a little earlier than usual. We always tend to eat earlier on a Sunday, but because the dinners are so big, they do us for the rest of the afternoon and evening. After dinner, I clean up.
8.00 pm: A few of us in the house decide to play a computer game for the rest of the evening.
12.00 am: I get ready for bed and make sure my alarm is off for tomorrow, as it’s another bank holiday.
Today’s total: €0.00
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What I learned –
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