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 25-year-old legal executive on €36K living in Dublin. This week, a 30-year-old accountant on $88K living and working in the Cayman Islands.
I am a 30-year-old single female accountant currently living in the Cayman Islands. I have been in the Cayman Islands for the last three years working as an accountant. I am currently in my notice period at work and intend to move back to Europe to take a few months off from the professional world. The plan is to travel around Europe before settling back in Ireland early next year.
I have used my time in the Cayman Islands to save for a deposit and will be coming home with about €60,000 in savings. Although I have a good chunk of money saved, I worry I will struggle to be able to afford a home as a single person looking to buy in a city.
I have a good social life here and tend to eat and drink out quite a bit, which is quite expensive here! I do also go to a lot of work events where we eat and drink for free which is always a bonus.
My hobbies here include Gaelic, which is surprisingly huge here, pickle ball and touch rugby. I will miss the island life and the year-long sunny weather but want to move closer to family.
I tend to save whatever I have left over at the end of the month – usually $1,000 – $2,000.
Occupation: Accountant
Age: 30
Location: Cayman Islands
Salary: $88,000 (+ bonus $10,000 – $15,000 p/a)
Monthly pay (net): $7,333
Transport: $25 – petrol is quite reasonable here and is it a small island
Rent: $1,700
Household bills: $300
Phone bill: $60 (work covers this)
Health insurance: $600 (50% is paid by employer)
Pension: $366 from me and $366 from employer
Groceries: $500 – groceries are very expensive
Subscriptions: N/a
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8.15 am: I get up to go to work, shower and then I’m out the door. It’s a 10-minute drive to the office and I have my first coffee of the day once I get to work.
8.45 am: I arrive at work, set my laptop up and have a coffee whilst chatting to my colleague about their weekend. I spend the rest of the morning going through my emails and catching up on work.
12.00 pm: I have chilli for lunch at my desk which I made at home yesterday while browsing TikTok on my phone.
5.00 pm: I continue working for the afternoon on various client jobs before heading home.
5.15 pm: Arrive home and quickly get changed to head out for a walk on the beach. The beach is a two-minute drive from my house which is ideal.
6.30 pm: Arrive home from my beach walk and cook some dinner – tonight’s dinner is noodles and vegetables. I browse my phone for the rest of the evening and watch some Netflix before heading to bed at 10.30 pm.
Today’s total: $0.00
8.15 am: Get up, have a shower and head into the office. Arrive at the office and make a coffee ahead of our weekly team meeting at 9 am.
10.00 am: Our meeting is finished and I continue working for the morning.
12.00 pm: I have chilli again for lunch at my desk while browsing my phone.
5.00 pm: I work for the rest of the afternoon before heading home at 5 pm. My sister is arriving for a visit from Ireland tomorrow, so I pick up a quick dinner of ready-made stir fry in the supermarket for $19.57.
7.00 pm: I head out for a walk before spending the evening getting the apartment ready for my sisters’ arrival.
10.30 pm: I head to bed and watch Below Deck before falling asleep!
Today’s total: $19.57
8.15 am: The usual routine of getting up, having a shower and heading to the office!
9.00 am: I have my usual coffee and get stuck into work.
12.00 pm: Lunch – chilli again!
4.00 pm: I leave work early to collect my sister from the airport, which again is about a 10-minute drive from the office (perks of living on a tiny island in the Caribbean!)
5.00 pm: We arrive back at the apartment and do a quick change into our bikinis before heading to a beach bar for some margaritas and a bite to eat. We have our drinks in the sea while waiting for our food to arrive. We each have three cocktails and share some nachos and fries. The total comes to $102, which I pay for.
7.30 pm: We head home from the beach bar and stop in the off-license on the way to pick up some seltzers – a 12-pack costs $32, which I again pick up. We head home and spend the rest of the night drinking in the pool and catching up.
1.00 am: We call it a night and head up to bed.
Today’s total: $134.00
9.00 am: Wake up with a slightly sore head today after last night’s festivities. I work from home today and spend the morning in and out of the pool between meetings.
12.00 am: We head to the grocery store to pick up some bits for lunch which consist of the usual holiday nibbles – bread, fruit, chocolate, avocados, and crisps. The total comes to $66.16.
5.00 pm: After lunch, I work for the rest of the afternoon while my sister entertains herself.
7.00 pm: We head out to a fancier restaurant on the beach, which is great for celebrity spotting. They do a Thursday deal of burger, lobster and a glass of wine for $45 each. I pay for myself and my sister which comes to $115 including tip.
9.00 pm: We head home and chill on the couch for the rest of the night.
Today’s total: $115.00
9.00 am: I get up and start working from home again. I have another slow morning at work so spend most of it down at the pool with my sister.
12.00 pm: We make lunch at home from yesterday’s food shop.
4.00 pm: I work for the rest of the afternoon before heading out for a coffee in a new bakery called Bird Bakery. The two coffees come to $12.75. We spend the rest of the afternoon browsing in the shops but I don’t buy anything.
7.00 pm: We have a cocktail whilst browsing the shops before heading home to get ready for the evening. My sister picks up the tab for the cocktails.
8.00 pm: We go out for dinner in a local restaurant and share half a jerk chicken, chips and salad. I have two glasses of wine and my sister has two cocktails. The total comes to $82.66 which I pick up.
1.00 am: We meet up with some of my friends and spend the rest of the night bar hopping – my sister picks up the tab for the night.
Today’s total: $94.00
11.00 am: It is a later start this morning due to being out last night. We get up and get ready to start the day.
12.00 pm: My roommate gives us a lift to my car; we go to Wendy’s and have fries and two large cokes for breakfast. My sister pays for this.
1.00 pm: Head to my friend’s house for some drinks. Carnival is on today which is basically a giant street party/parade with crazy costumes. We have some pre-drinks at my friend’s before heading out on the street to watch carnival.
7.00 pm: We go to a nearby bar for some more drinks and to have dinner. I have poutine and two margaritas. The total comes to $45.81.
Today’s total: $45.81.
10.30 am: We get up and get ready to head out on a boat for the morning.
11.00 am: We head out on a boat and go snorkelling on one of the reefs for a few hours. After snorkelling, we have a barbeque on the boat. This was part of a tour but there were only two others booked in. The total cost was $120 which my sister paid for.
2.00 pm: We get off the boat and laze on the beach for the afternoon. I grab a Diet Coke and crisps from a nearby hotel and the cost is an extortionate $8.50.
6.00 pm: We go home to get ready for dinner in an Italian restaurant along the waterfront.
7.30 pm: We go out for dinner and share a spaghetti bolognese, a pizza and have a diet coke each. The total comes to $68.11
Today’s total: $76.61
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What I learned –
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