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 full-time postgraduate student on €10K living in Dublin. This week, an executive administration support worker on €45K living in Dublin.
I live at home with my parents while saving for a house. My partner and I are hoping to buy a house in the first half of next year and most of our money and energy goes towards saving for that. I am excited about finally having our own home, but not looking forward to the house hunting.
I work in the public sector and am paid fortnightly. I try to balance monthly outgoings so they evenly come out of the twice-a-month pay – I save more into my credit union at the beginning of the month and pay my phone bill and gym membership out of the second payday of the month.
I try to get outdoors over the weekend and this is often followed by coffee or lunch. I don’t go out very often, less than once a month, but I get a takeaway or a cheap local meal most weekends.
Occupation: Executive administration support worker
Age: 30
Location: Dublin
Salary: €45,519
Monthly pay (net): €2,772
Petrol: €50
Rent: €215
Phone bill: €35
Public sector pension: €199
Subscriptions: €35 for gym
House deposit savings: €1,100
Other savings: €560 – split across a credit union account for rainy day savings and a Revolut vault for holidays/emergency access savings
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7.10 am: My alarm goes off but I snooze it three times before getting up. I was away visiting family for the weekend and wonder to myself why I didn’t bring my laptop home so that I could work from home today.
8.30 am: Get to my desk and log in. I have a build-up of emails from being off on Friday so I start to go through them and sort the FYIs from the to-dos.
10.30 am: Emails sorted (some still unread to follow-up on later) and I get a coffee to bring back to my desk (€4.00). I have the Spare Change setting turned on for my Revolut savings vault so when I use the card, it rounds up. It’s a nice way to boost the savings that are already in there.
1.00 pm: Lunch time. I was in late from the airport last night so I have nothing with me except an apple. I go down to the shop and buy a sandwich (€5.00). I normally bring my lunch in but I underspent what I budgeted for the weekend away so I am happy to spend the money today.
1.30 pm: Back to work. I generally don’t have meetings on Mondays so it’s a nice day to play catch-up. I follow up on some more of my emails and make sure everything is in place for a workshop tomorrow.
4.00 pm: Out the door and home. I only have a 20-minute commute so I can’t complain about the traffic. I stop on the way home to pick up a prescription (€50.25) and resist the urge to get something exciting for dinner. I know we have food at home and I don’t need to be buying extra just because I’m bored.
5.00 pm: I throw on some washing and make a cup of coffee. I show my parents some pictures from the weekend. I was visiting my brother and his family so my parents are all over the pictures of the grandkids and have one hundred questions on how they are doing.
5.30 pm: I put some homemade chips in the air fryer and make some bacon medallions and eggs for dinner. Simply made but will keep me full.
6.00 pm: I hang the washing on the clothes horse and watch some tv for a while.
8.10 pm: Head to the gym for a yoga class. I try to do two gym classes and one solo work out each week. Sometimes it happens, sometimes not. The yoga class is a nice one to start the week with.
9.15 pm: I get home and have a shower. I make some overnight oats for breakfast tomorrow and then head to bed.
Today’s total: €59.25
6.45 am: My alarm goes off and I snooze it twice. I get up and get ready for work, making my lunch to take in as well as my overnight oats.
8.00 pm: Get to work for an early meeting and I eat my breakfast during it. I catch up with a colleague after and then have another meeting which is cut short for a workshop that is taking place. Free coffee and cakes at the workshop so I don’t buy a coffee this morning.
12.00 pm: Back to my desk and go through emails and start the work that has come from this morning’s emails.
1.00 pm: I stop for lunch and have the sandwich I made while reading a book. I try to read at lunch instead of scrolling on my phone. This book isn’t drawing me in though.
1.30 pm: Back to work and the rest of the afternoon is taken up with meetings.
4.00 pm: Finished for today. I go to pick up an online order on the way home. Click and collect is great because it’s free and it means I don’t have to be home when it’s delivered.
5.30 pm: I have a chicken stir fry in my head for dinner, but when I get in there is already bolognese on. There’s enough that I can have leftovers in work tomorrow for lunch.
7.00 pm: Dinner finished and the kitchen is tidied. My partner is here and we watch some tv for a while.
10.00 pm: He heads home and I go to bed.
Today’s total: €0.00
6.45 am: My alarm goes off and I wonder if I would get away with hiding under the covers for the morning. Eventually get up and in work for an 8 am meeting. I stop at my boss’s office after as I haven’t seen her all week.
10.00 am: Finish with my boss and I get a coffee and muffin on the way to the office (€7.00). I have minutes from this morning to type up so I get started on them while they are fresh before doing anything else.
12.30 pm: The group WhatsApp is lighting up with messages to plan a night out. I will be away on the weekend they are planning. I type a quick “sorry…” and mute the group for an hour so I can concentrate.
1.30 pm: A late lunch of reheated leftovers from last night. I take the book out of my drawer but end up on my phone instead.
4.30 pm: The afternoon has passed by in a blur. Time to head home for the day.
5.15 pm: Traffic was not on my side today. I tidy around a bit and then make a lazy dinner of fish fingers and toast.
7.20 pm: Head to a spin class. I have convinced my partner to do his first one. He might hate me after.
8.45 pm: Home from the gym and my partner has decided he’ll do another spin class if he ever recovers from the one tonight. We watch a few episodes of How I Met Your Mother before calling it a night and going to bed.
Today’s total: €7.00
7.15 am: Alarm goes off and I snooze it. Has anyone ever gotten up on the first alarm?! Get ready for work and head out the door.
8.30 am: At my desk and get going with work. I know the morning will be quiet for me as the team I support are at a meeting. I try to play catch up at times like this because I know it will be busier later on today.
10.00 am: Take a quick break from work to buy concert tickets (€110.25) that are going on sale today. My partner offers to go halves, but he bought tickets last week so we agree we’re even.
10.15 am: Go downstairs and get a coffee and traybake (€7.00) to bring back to my desk while I work.
1.00 pm: Lunchtime and I heat up my lunch. It’s a nice enough day out so I go for a quick walk to get some fresh air.
1.45 pm: Back from lunch and get set up for this afternoon’s meeting.
4.30 pm: Done with work for the day. I drop into my granny on the way home and she gives me all the local gossip.
6.00 pm: I start on dinner – the chicken stir fry I wanted the other night. My favourite types of dinners are the ones that can be made in less than twenty minutes. I make extra and freeze the leftovers.
7.00 pm: Go for a walk with my headphones in. Have a shower when I get in and then chat to my mam while we watch tv.
10.15 pm: Time for bed.
Today’s total: €117.25
7.30 am: The alarm goes off and I slowly get up. I am working from home today but have a call at 8 am so need to be at the laptop… with coffee of course.
8.45 am: After the call, I ring the GP to see if I can get an appointment as the prescription I picked up on Monday is finished. I normally leave it to the last minute but I have the money for the GP this week so want to get it out of the way. They have a slot at 11.30 am today. I email my boss to let her know I’m taking an early lunch.
11.15 am: I leave to go to the doctor (€65). I am not waiting long and the prescription is sent to the chemist. My GP does one in-person appointment and one over-the-phone appointment (for a third of the price) for my prescription each year so this was the dearer of the two appointments. I stop into the shop on the way home and buy some bread rolls and a cooked chicken for lunch (€7.30) for me and my dad.
12.00 pm: Back to work and I answer a few emails that came in while I was out.
12.45 pm: Make my roll and more coffee and eat it while at the laptop. I have a call in a few minutes so I need to be done eating by then.
2.00 pm: I can taste the weekend but not before I have to update a spreadsheet. It takes forever as there have been so many changes.
3.50 pm: I can’t do any more and I close the laptop and go for a walk.
5.00 pm: I head to Decathlon with my partner. After the spin class the other night I want a new pair of cycling shorts. I get two pairs and a new rain jacket (€63).
6.00 pm: Heading back to my partner’s house and he says the word Chinese? in the car under his breath. I agree and he pays.
7.00 pm: Food eaten and we watch The Old Man on Disney+. Episodes are being released a week at a time but we haven’t seen any of them yet so we watch it for the night.
11.30 pm: I head home for bed.
Today’s total: €135.50
10.00 am: Seriously needed the lie-on this morning. I get up, make some coffee and throw on a cooking show.
11.30 am: I put some tan on because I am going out tonight and clean around the house.
1.00 pm: I help my mam put away the food shopping and then have lunch with her.
2.15 pm: Head off to the hairdressers.
4.45 pm: Two and a half hours later, I leave €164 lighter and with a full head of highlights.
5.30 pm: Take my time doing my make-up and then the “what-to-wear” dilemma starts.
7.00 pm: Ready to go and my dad drops my partner and I to the pub. Grateful for the lift because it’s wild out. The pub is packed but we manage to get a seat. We order dinner and there’s a band on too. They’re really good so I follow them on Instagram for wedding inspiration.
2.00 am: Home for the night. My partner paid for dinner, the first two drinks and the taxi home. Revolut tells me I spent €51.
Today’s total: €215.00
10.00 am: I had no alarm set this morning but I wake up to the wind battering the side of the house. I get up and make some coffee and do rashers and toast for everyone for breakfast. I’m not hungover but I’m tired and craving salty food.
12.00 pm: My partner and I head off to get a few bits. He picks up stuff in Aldi and Tesco. I resist buying a new top in Tesco as we are going away in two weeks and need the money. We go to Mcdonald’s on the way back to his house and I pay for both our meals (€18.10).
3.00 pm: Back in my partner’s house and we watch a film that is bad enough that I have a nap during it.
6.00 pm: My partner makes us dinner – steak and chips. I would normally want veg with it but not today.
6.30 pm: We watch a few episodes of The Watcher on Netflix – I love something a bit creepy at this time of year.
10.00 pm: I head home and chat to my parents for a while and then head to bed.
Today’s total: €18.10
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What I’ve learned –
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