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 30-year-old on €58K working in corporate events. This week, a primary school teacher in Munster.
I am a primary school teacher married to a farmer. We live in a busy house in the south east of the country and do our best to manage spending as best as possible.
Like so many families, we realise every summer that yes, the cost of living has increased but also yes, summer costs a lot more with holidays, kids off school, etc. So this is probably not a typical week by any stretch, given we get away. The farm is a busy dairy farm and getting away at all can be challenging.
My annual income is approximately €49,400 per annum. It was less up to about a month ago when I decided to stop investing in an additional voluntary contribution, which was costing on average €300 per month. With one of our children hopefully heading to third level in September, I feel we need to free up more money. There is also a 50/50 chance we might have another daughter either going to college or doing a Maths course which means money will be tight!
My other half farms and also does contract work. Our farming income very much fluctuates. Between acres, payments we receive, mart sales, the money we receive from Kerry co operative for the milk we supply and contract work my husband does we will be fortunate to have €10,000 at the end of December after paying our bills for the machinery, tractors and diesel bills which are quite substantial… By the time the farm bills are paid this year, we will be lucky to clear the bills on the farm. This is a challenge this year particularly.
We eat out a lot less apart from birthdays and the odd celebration. Luckily we have a hotel voucher for two which we plan to use before I head back to school at the end of August. However there’s a silver lining – one of our sons who is 18 will hopefully receive children’s allowance until December when he celebrates his 19th birthday. I will try and save some children’s allowance. Since May, we have been receiving €280 per month. I try to use money always to reduce my grocery bill .
Occupation: Primary school teacher
Age: 42
Location: Munster
Salary: €49,400
Monthly pay (net): €2,730.00
Mortgage: €950
Phone bill: €87
Health insurance: Our VHI annual family plan is €5,500 euros annually. Our insurance costs are over €10,000 euros annually. We pay over € 900 euros over a ten month period
Groceries: €1,200 for a family of five. This also includes meat
Subscriptions: We no longer subscribe to Netflix or Amazon Prime or other platforms as a cost saving measure.
Savings: I try to save €100 a month for ten months of the year but lately that is a challenge.
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7.30 am: Get up and get showered. It’s the first official day of the summer holidays. I am a primary school teacher and it’s one of the perks of the job I guess. Trying to embrace good holiday habits.
8.00 am: Have breakfast at home.
9.00 am: Drop my son to Youth Reach for a barista course.
10.00 am: I visit two colleagues who are retiring. Total cost of gifts and cards comes to €90.
12.30 pm: Lunch at home — toasted sandwich and coffee. I had ingredients which need to be used up before we head away on a three-night family break to Killarney – yippee!
2.00 pm: Get some chores done for the rest of the afternoon — washing, ironing and general cleaning before the short break away.
5.00 pm: Time for dinner. Today it’s shepherd’s pie and a side salad at home, costs €21.50. Trying to use up ingredients in fridge.
7.00 pm: Organise family clothes for the holidays for the three children and my other half.
9.30 pm: Chill out before bed with a cup of tea and a snack.
Today’s total: €111.50
7.00 am: Up early to pack for myself and arrange clothes for my other half because later we leave for Killarney. The two boys help their Dad with the cattle and milking so we could get away in a more timely manner. We hope to be on the 11 am ferry to Kerry.
8.00 am: Get a quick shower in before breakfast with family.
9.00 am: Drop our new puppy to my friend to be minded. My daughter comes with me. We have to get food for the puppy (€15). I also buy treats for my friend’s family and a small gift. (€50)
10.00 am: Call in to the pharmacy to get a prescription (€55). Usually can be more expensive. Glad we have the Drug Payment Scheme, which means at least medicines can’t exceed €140 for the month. I have an underlying medical issue so medication is essential.
10.30 am: Return home again to load the car with cases and some food/snacks, and do some last minute checks around the house and the farm we live on. Everyone helps.
11.00 am: Ready to go to get the ferry to Kerry – but we realise we’ve forgotten to pack essential medication so have to head back to the house again – another senior moment!
12.00 pm: Board the ferry. We discovered we had a six-trip ferry ticket which hadn’t been fully used that we bought a few months ago – a pleasant surprise. The cost of the return ferry trip was €24.
2.00 pm: Stop off in Tralee. We have a pub lunch in a lovely spot called Kirby’s. It’s a carvery but they have really decent portions and everyone really enjoys lunch. Total cost of lunch – five main courses and two coffees – comes to €80. Everyone is happy. The children stop at a nearby ice cream parlour/smoothie bar and get dessert. (€16.50)
3.00 pm: The teenage boys do some shopping in Tralee. They get a pair of runners and some T-shirts (€160). The runners are half price and look good – happy days. Parking in Tralee costs €4.
5.00 pm: Leave Tralee and head to the Airbnb approx. 10 minutes outside Killarney – cost of a three night stay for five people comes to €620. This money had to be paid prior to the stay. It’s a lovely house in a quiet location. The host has placed some beers in the fridge and also left some snacks for us. This is a nice touch. Needless to say, we enjoy the treats.
6.00 pm: We make sandwiches and have yoghurts and snack food we had brought with us.
6.30 pm: The two boys head off to the pitch and putt for the next couple of hours (€17). The rest of us watch Netflix.
10.00 pm: We all head to bed tired but happy.
Today’s total: €261.50
8.00 am: Get up and shower.
9.00 am: Family breakfast in the Airbnb – cereal, juice, coffee and toast. I always need my coffee fix in the morning.
10.00 am: Brief stop in Killarney. We walk around and visit a few discount stores like Dealz and Mr Price. Buy some snacks for the day and other essentials. (€46)
11.00 am: We head to Portmagee. Have lunch there along with two coffees after lunch while our three got some crepes at a stall. The cost of lunch for five – which was really tasty homemade burgers, chips, lasagne and my daughter got stir fry chicken and crepes- comes to €90.
3.00 pm: We head to see the Kerry cliffs. It costs €25 altogether which also includes parking.
5.00 pm: Afterwards, we head to Valentia island. We drive and also take a single ferry trip for the experience. The cost of the short single ferry trip to the island is €12.
6.30 pm: The boys go off to pitch and putt again (€17). I’m pleasantly surprised by the price of it, thought it would be more.
8.30 pm: We get some takeaway pizzas and wine at the Airbnb (€45). Settle down to watch Cheaper by the Dozen on Netflix. It’s an old film but it was nice to watch it together as a family and have a laugh.
10.30 pm: Bedtime.
Today’s total: €235.00
8.30 am: Up, showered and dress.
10.00 am: We head out for breakfast in Killarney for a change. Go to a restaurant which has good reviews. The breakfast turns out okay, but we feel it was overpriced – the French toast was €12.50, a full Irish in a skillet was €15, chicken and waffles were €12.50 and pancakes were €13.00. Drinks came with an extra charge. The portions were quite small and the full Irish only included two sausages, sautéed potatoes, two eggs and two streaky rashers. My other half wasn’t impressed though. Total cost of breakfast for five was €91.50.
12.00 pm: We have a walk around Killarney and pick up some gifts. Just a few small things to take home (€100).
2.00 pm: We’re feeling disappointed about our breakfast and feel hungry still. Won’t return there methinks. We have two cappuccinos and dessert, which is on offer. The teenagers just have some pastries in a French-type coffee shop. Comes to €35 – good value.
4.30 pm: A family trip to Supermacs. (€50)
5.00 pm: The three teenagers head to the cinema. It comes to €50, including popcorn and treats. Myself and my other half go for a walk and have a drink. (€9.50)
Today’s total: €326.00
9.00 am: Get up, shower, breakfast, the usual routine.
10.00 am: Bid farewell to our Airbnb and head back to Tralee on the scenic route.
11.15 am: We head to a coffee shop in Tralee for coffee/hot chocolate and pancakes. We all agree this experience was really pleasant and better value for five people. Costs €45.
12.15 am: We stroll around Tralee for the afternoon and have some lunch (€75). We also pick up some snacks for the rest of the journey. (€20)
4.00 pm: Stop at the butchers and get €100-worth of meat for dinners for the next few days. Then get car ferry from Tarbert back home to Clare.
5.30 pm: Home again. Unload the car and the cases and tackle the laundry.
6.30 pm: Time for tea at home.
7.00 pm: Collect our dog from my friend’s house with my sons.
8.30 pm: Grocery shop done at Tesco/Aldi. Normally my other half or daughter does an online shop, which is really handy. Comes to €160 with vouchers.
Today’s total: €400.00
9.00 am: Get up, usual routine commences.
9.30 am: Breakfast.
10.00 am: Get stuck into more laundry/chores.
11.00 am: I visit a friend. We have coffee and I give her a gift we got on our break away. I stop to get diesel for the car on the way home. Fill the tank. Have a Circle K card. (€79)
12.00 pm: Prepare and cook dinner for the family, which we all have at home.
2.00 pm: More chores for the afternoon. Lots of washing and ironing. At least the day is sunny. It helps.
6.00 pm: Tea at home.
Today’s total: €79.00
8.30 am: Get up, shower, the usual routine. Back to reality after a nice break.
9.00 am: Breakfast with everyone. Prepare dinner for my family and my usual Sunday guest, my mother-in-law.
11.00 am: Go to mass. Mass offerings €10.
1.00 pm: Sunday lunch – a roast with all the trimmings.
3.00 pm: Visit my Dad. Stop at the shop to buy a few things for him on the way. (€20)
7.00 pm: Return home and have supper.
8.00 pm: Watched something on the TV and make a few phone calls to catch up with family before bed.
Today’s today: €30.00
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What I learned -
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