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 digital marketing manager on €74K living in Dublin. This week, a software developer on €70K living in Munster.
I’m a software developer living and working in the Munster region. I purchased my first apartment a couple of years ago and currently live alone. I work for a US tech firm, currently in a hybrid role (two days at home, three days in office). I’ve been there nearly eight years and I love my job and the people I work with.
My monthly take home pay after tax and pension contribution is roughly €3,800. My company contribute 7% of my annual salary to my pension every year and provide healthcare. I have roughly €1,800 of monthly expenses. I have a rainy-day fund in place of about six months expenses. Any money I don’t spend in a month, I keep in another savings account to use for events that come up throughout the year, like holidays, weddings, christenings, car insurance, services etc.
Occupation: Software developer
Age: 29
Location: Munster
Salary: €70,000
Monthly pay (net): €3,800
Apartment (mortgage and life insurance): €1,000
Car loan repayment: €450
TV, broadband and mobile phone: €140
Electricity (pre-pay): €80 (average per month)
Diesel: €100 (average per month)
Subscriptions (Spotify, Playstation Plus): €30
Total: €1,800
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8.00 am: I work from home on Mondays, so I get up half an hour before starting and have a quick shower before getting ready. I usually wait till around 9.30am to have breakfast when working from home, but I skip it this morning.
12.30 pm: Skipping breakfast was a mistake as I was overloaded with work this morning. I finally get a break at 12.30pm. I drive to a local shop and get a ham, cheese and tomato sandwich from the deli, and get an Americano too. I also buy a bottle of 7up, toilet roll and a freshly prepared beef chilli meal to have for my dinner later as I’m going to be in no mood to cook after work today (€23.25).
1.00 pm: I get back to work and it’s extremely busy again for the rest of the day.
4.30 pm: I finish officially and feel pretty stressed out. I fancy a couple of bottles of beer before dinner, so I grab a six-pack of bottles in my local shop (€13).
5.00 pm: I have a couple bottles of beer while finishing up some small tasks in work that I didn’t have a chance to get to over today’s goings-on. This is a pretty rare occurrence in my job though, so I don’t complain.
6.00 pm: I switch off the laptop and head downstairs to the sofa. I throw my beef chilli meal in the microwave for my dinner. It’s really good!
10.00 pm: Head to bed after an evening of chilling on the sofa watching TV. I usually dose off while listening to a podcast.
Today’s total: €36.25
7.15 am: I’m in the office today, so get up a bit earlier and shave and shower before getting ready.
7.45 am: I leave my house and it takes about 30 mins to get in.
8.15 am: I get to the office and chat with my colleagues for a few minutes before starting work. I also eat a bowl of cereal in the office for my breakfast, using the company milk, coffee, tea etc, so no cost.
9.30 am: My colleagues and I head for a coffee and chat in the local café at 9.30am every morning, so long as there’s nothing major going on! I get an Americano. (€3.60 including tip)
12.30 pm: For lunch today, we head to the canteen in our office and I get a BLT sandwich and another Americano. (€7)
4.30 pm: Finish work and drive home. On the way home, I stop at a supermarket and pick up a couple of things. I get a cooked chicken, potato croquettes, green beans, a jar of curry sauce and rice. (€13.65)
5.30 pm: I get home and change out of what I’ve been wearing all day. I do some laundry before cooking dinner. I’m having some of the cooked chicken with potato croquettes, green beans and Bisto gravy. I then shred up the remaining chicken and am going to use this to make a chicken curry tomorrow.
7.00 pm: After dinner, I chill out on the sofa. I jump on Playstation and chat to mates while playing a couple of games.
10.00 pm: Head to bed at 10 as usual on workdays.
Today’s total: €24.25
7.15 am: Another office day today, so it’s the same routine as yesterday before I hit the road.
9.30 am: Morning coffee time. I get a cappuccino today for a change. (€4 including tip)
12.30 pm: Head to the canteen for lunch. I pretty much always have a sandwich or wrap for lunch. Today, I get a toasted chicken, ham and cheese wrap. I get an Americano also. (€8.05)
4.30 pm: Drive home. No stops today.
5.00 pm: Get home and get changed. Pretty hungry so I make dinner straight away – it’s chicken curry using the remaining shredded chicken from yesterday. I have that with Jasmine rice. Probably one of my favourite things to make.
6.00 pm: Chill out on the sofa for the evening. I’m heading to London with some friends for a couple of days next month, so I book the flights for that. I get the basic Ryanair flights – I can add to it closer to the time if I need. Thankfully, I don’t need to pay for the hotel until arriving there. (€31.60)
10.00 pm: Head to bed and dose off listening to a podcast.
Today’s total: €43.65
7.15 am: Last office day this week. Same routine as yesterday. I skip the cereal though as I’m going to get something to eat in the café.
9.30 am: Morning coffee! I get an Americano and a breakfast wrap (scrambled egg, sausage and mixed leaves). I rarely do this, but this is really filling and keeps me full until dinner time. (€13 including tip)
12.30 pm: Head to the canteen for lunch. I’m still pretty full from my breakfast wrap earlier so I just have an Americano. (€2.80)
4.30 pm: Drive home. I stop off at the supermarket on the way and pick up some lean beef mince, Bolognese sauce and wholemeal spaghetti. (€8.70)
5.30 pm: Kind of getting hungry at this point. For dinner, I make Spaghetti Bolognese. I make two portions and put one in a disposable container for tomorrow. I really like Bolognese so don’t mind having it for dinner two days in a row.
6.30 pm: Weather isn’t too bad today, so I head for an hour walk.
7.30 pm: Get back and have a shower, then chill on the sofa for the evening.
Today’s total: €24.50
7.00 am: I’m working from home today. I wake up early and drive to the barbers for a haircut. My barber opens at 6am every morning so this is convenient and it’s always very quiet in the mornings, and easy to get parking. (€15)
8.00 am: I decide to go to McDonalds for breakfast this morning. I get a bacon and egg McMuffin meal with an Americano. (€5)
9.30 am: I still get my 9.30am morning break when working from home, so I drive to a nearby petrol station and grab another Americano. As you can tell, I generally drink two coffees a day. (€2.80)
12.30 pm: For lunch today, I air-fry some lamb skewers that I have in the freezer.
4.30 pm: The work week is thankfully over! It was a pretty busy one. I heat up the Spaghetti Bolognese for my dinner.
5.00 pm: I drive to the supermarket and pick up a bottle of sparkling wine to have this evening. (€20)
6.00 pm: I chill out for the rest of the evening and have the sparkling wine while playing a game on my PC.
11.30 pm: Head to bed a bit later tonight.
Today’s total: €42.80
11.30 am: I’m off today. I wake up at around 10am but lie in bed looking at my phone for an hour or so before getting ready.
12.00 pm: I go to the shop and get a toasted chicken, bacon and cheese wrap and an Americano for my breakfast. I also pick up a freshly prepared chicken curry meal. (€14.05)
12.30 pm: After breakfast, I spend the first few hours of the day sitting on the sofa watching the Premier League games at 12.30pm and 3pm.
4.30 pm: Throw the chicken curry into the microwave.
5.00 pm: I get a shave and a shower as I’m heading to a friend’s 30th birthday party tonight. I already put money into a card at the beginning of the month as I knew this was coming up.
6.30 pm: I’m able to get a lift to the pub for the party so thankfully don’t have to pay for a taxi.
12.30 am: I head home around 12.30am. I do have to pay for a taxi home unfortunately. I drank eight pints of Guinness at the party also, but the food was provided at the party. (€63.20)
Today’s total: €77.25
12.30 pm: I wake up at around 11am and I’m thankfully not too hungover! Lie in bed on the phone again for an hour or so before getting ready. I go the shop and get the same wrap and coffee as yesterday. (€8.05)
3.30 pm: I head to the local pub with a couple of friends for the Liverpool match. I have four pints of Guinness. (€23.20)
6.00 pm: I head home after the match, but not before picking up a snack box meal from Supermacs on the way (€10). I chill out on the sofa for the evening.
10.00 pm: Off to bed.
Today’s total: €41.25
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What I learned –
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