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 company secretary on €81K living in Dublin shares their diary. This week, a data analyst on €61K living in Co Laois.
I rented in Dublin for ten years when college started and after the first three years, grew incredibly frustrated with the rent increases I was seeing (oblivious to the fact that this would continue up to the present).
I decided with my now-wife in 2013 that a house was not going to be possible without putting some serious groundwork (and having some luck!) in place. She stayed at home near Rush in North Dublin and I caught a very lucky break in renting from a friend’s family near Rathmines for €360 a month plus bills. This rent never increased so I know that this, along with my partner living with her family, is the core reason we have a house today. I dropped most social activities save for the odd event, and we saved as much as we could. The only exception to this was small getaways that we usually got for great prices across Europe.
This year, despite our best efforts, Dublin was just not possible a place to settle down with a house purchase, but we did find our dream home within budget in Portlaoise with a 20-year mortgage. We weighed up all the pros and cons of moving there and can happily report that all is going well now. We do make the effort to see friends/family in surrounding counties where possible. The house is an actual family home, and we hope to start a family of our own in the coming year or so. Savings and selling a large portion of my retro video game collection went towards securing the house.
We are both expected to be in Dublin for work one day a week which is great, and we are both happy with staying with our current jobs for the foreseeable. I think we have developed a solid plan to manage finances through honest communication and a shared vision for the future.
With the house purchase and a very very small wedding now complete, the goal has moved onto diversifying where money is kept instead of having it all in one personal bank account and planning to become parents.
Occupation: Data analyst
Age: 32
Location: Portlaoise
Salary: €61,100 gross (on a scale that should increase annually to €69,500). My wife earns €46,000 gross
Monthly pay (net): €3,670 (€182 for pension is deducted (5%), and employer contributes €364 (10%), €700 is invested into various stocks, and €200 is placed into the credit union)
Transport: €50 on petrol as I don’t drive too much and €100 on public transport to get in and out of Dublin
Mortgage: We pay 825 each towards the mortgage every month in an effort to reduce the 20 year term by two-three years
Household bills: Changes every month but an average of €80 each per month for electricity. We don’t have gas. As we chose to get a house with a BER rating of A2, the electricity costs decrease significantly in the summer months
Phone bill: €10
Life insurance: €17 each (this was mandatory to get when buying the house)
Health insurance: €0 currently but I do want to change this
Groceries: €200 each – we tend to do one large weekly shop every weekend
Bins: €11 each
Internet: €22 each
Subscriptions: Amazon Prime – €10, Google Drive – €2
Various entertainment: €120
Video game collection: €120 (I still collect for retro video game consoles and generally will add bits and pieces to it every month)
When all savings and expenses are taken into account, the remaining €1,000-odd is either saved in the regular account or used to absorb any unexpected costs that come my way
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7.00 am: The dreaded alarm sounds. I get up and go for a morning run that I try and talk myself out of; part of a wider goal to lose weight. I generally do a run of three kilometres and I’m working my way up to five. Into the shower straight after and then a mug of filtered coffee and a banana to get me ready for work. My office is currently the smallest bedroom in the house which is still cluttered with boxes that we need to unpack after the move.
8.00 am: I start work and plan the day and make sure I have all meetings/events for the week properly recorded. The morning was actually a busy period of unexpected calls and requests from other teams so before I know it, midday is approaching.
12.30 pm: Lunchtime and I quickly whip up some scrambled eggs on toast. I get lost scrolling through my phone on things I want to buy but don’t need to buy and resist the urge.
1.30 pm: The work frenzy has disappeared thankfully, and I get on with the regular routine work tasks. Some meetings break up the tasks and I’m able to have a small tea break where I have a quick catch-up with my mam over the phone.
4.00 pm: I log out for the day and do a routine of push-ups and sit-ups. I get a bit deflated as I could not do as many as last week but remind myself of the longer-term progress I’ve seen. I find myself once again on my phone comparing prices for things I want but don’t need.
6.00 pm: My wife makes her signature roasted butternut squash risotto and it’s amazing. A bit of cleanup and then I spend an hour or so playing Mario Kart with her on the Nintendo Switch.
8.30 pm: We have a small discussion about any upcoming house costs like furniture or lighting.
9.00 pm: I make a final cup of tea and sip at it as I catch up on some YouTube channels I like.
10.30 pm: I have a late phone call with my older brother about Christmas plans and we get the message out that we will host Christmas in our home this year to give family a small break. It’s off to bed right after.
Today’s total: €0.00
8.00 am: Back out for a run this morning. Thankfully got in just before the rain came down hard. Shower and coffee straight after. I don’t eat anything as my appetite is just not there.
9.00 am: A much easier morning today at work, allowing me to catch up and get ahead of some of the bigger projects. I get an unexpected call from my little sister who just started college saying she must get a wisdom tooth extracted and that she got an appointment slot but couldn’t afford it. Her total bill for treatment over several sessions came to €390 for extraction, two molar fillings, general clean up, and consultation and seeing as she was in a lot of discomfort, I said I’d cover the cost and send it to her over Revolut. While I was not suspicious at all, she did send me on the treatment plan for the dentist to prove it was not for a mad night out instead, which I did appreciate. (€390)
11.00 am: I take a quick drive to a nearby Aldi to grab some soy sauce (€0.89) and Oyster sauce (€2.99) as I didn’t realise we had run out. I also end up picking up some frozen food (€5.50) and a bottle of port wine for Christmas (€11.50). Back to work straight after driving home.
1.00 pm: For lunch, I have a soup and some sourdough bread. My wife and I agree on the Christmas tree and some decorations we will get but decide to wait a week or so until we get it. I forget to do my small exercises.
2.00 pm: There were some meetings in the afternoon where I was wondering why I had been invited. I crack on with basic tasks throughout it and keep my camera off. A generally fine workday with little stress or pressure.
5.30 pm: I cook up a beef teriyaki stir fry for dinner and then we both head out to the local cinema to see ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ and I pay for both tickets (€28.00). We bring our own snacks and drinks. A very good film but a very long film!
10.00 pm: Back in the house and feeling very sleepy after that film. I make a cup of tea and look up any deals online for retro games I want for the collection.
11.00 pm: Absolutely no deals to be found so off to bed.
Today’s total: €438.88
8.45 am: Had a bad night’s sleep so almost slept in. Decided not to go for a run this morning and so almost roll into my office space to log in. Make the usual coffee and have some toasted sourdough with butter.
12.30 pm: I feel pretty tired still and seeing as a meeting was cancelled last minute, I decide to go out for a walk. I grab a coffee to go from my favourite place in Portlaoise (€3.40) along with a lemon muffin (€2.60). The fresh air definitely helped, and I get back to the house ready for the afternoon’s work.
2.00 pm: I get going on more work and start finalising a report that is due on Friday. I quickly check my investments (I use Trading 212) and my bank account. The Amazon Prime subscription has come out (€10). I make some good progress with work tasks so feel better about the slow morning.
5.30 pm: I do some small exercises and do the preparation for a Cajun pasta medley dish using up some things that will go off soon. It turns out pretty good!
7.30 pm: I decide to buy a small bundle of games from eBay for the Sega Megadrive that I am missing in the collection (€100 which includes postage). I decide to unpack some of those boxes that have been lying around and manage to get some of them organised and stored in the attic.
9.30 pm: I start a new book that’s been on my list for a while (The Jungle Book!) and that lets the evening sail by until bedtime. I realise I didn’t have an evening cup of tea which is very odd for me.
Today’s total: €116.00
5.30 am: Much earlier start today as I am in Dublin for work. It always takes longer for me to get ready to leave when it’s so early and dark outside. It’s a 25-minute walk to the train station and I get damp with misty rain. I have a return ticket for the train (€25) and I’m at the desk by 8.20 am. The morning has several in-person meetings about progress updates, and I go out with two colleagues in between to grab a coffee and pastry (€5 combo price). It’s good catching up with some colleagues who I don’t see in person as much.
1.00 pm: I treat myself to a salmon bento box for lunch (€13.50) and my sister texts me to say the wisdom tooth extraction was done and the relief she is feeling from it. I finish lunch with an espresso from the office’s coffee machine and learn after the first sip that it needs to be cleaned so the coffee might taste awful. It did.
4.30 pm: I leave the office and meet up with a friend who is renting in Dublin. I always try and add on extra things when I do the journey in as I avoid rush hour commuting and feel like I’m getting the most out of the day. We catch up on all the things happening in the world and try to make sense of it all.
7.00 pm: We meet up with more friends and share some tapas and beer in a cosy little restaurant (my contribution comes to €14).
11.00 pm: I arrive back in the house feeling absolutely exhausted and after a small catch-up with my wife we both agree that sleep is the way to go.
Today’s total: €57.50
7.00 am: I have a really good morning run today, and switch things up a little bit by doing my exercises almost straight after returning home before a rapid shower. I pour myself some granola and yoghurt and finish with a coffee before work. I even have 20 minutes to spare to get around to general cleaning I had been putting off in the kitchen and living room. It’s the small wins really!
9.00 am: Work starts with a bit of an issue where I’m told the report I will be submitting today needs a follow-up report early next week. This last-minute addition is annoying, but I carry on with the current objectives. A delivery arrives for a piece of furniture we ordered a month ago.
10.00 am: The core meeting of the day runs over by quite a bit. It appears that plans for 2024 are already showing issues coming down the line so good to be in the loop.
12.15 pm: Back to the report and we receive two calls to the door by sales representatives from electricity providers. Thankfully both are understanding that we are happy with our current deal. Back to report finalisation.
1.00 pm: I quickly fry up some chicken and using ingredients on hand make a small but filling tortilla wrap.
2.00 pm: I finish my proofread of the report and send it off to senior management. I decide to leave the follow-up report to Monday as there are some other tasks I need to finish before close of business today.
5.00 pm: I log out for the day and have a call with my mam. We generally always have a catch up on a Friday evening and I tell her about the week and plans for the house. She tells me about life back in the 80s and early 90s in Ireland when she was house hunting and dealing with the issues of that period. I enjoy these calls as I know she can get worried about the current issues the world and Ireland faces so it’s good to keep in contact.
6.00 pm: My wife had defrosted two portions of our spaghetti bolognaise we had batched cook the previous weekend. A bit of reheating and cooking some spaghetti with a bit of parmesan and we have a very good dinner.
7.00 pm: We snuggle up on the couch and watch two episodes of the new series of Invincible.
9.00 pm: I make a hot chocolate for my wife, and we make a general plan on what groceries we will need to get tomorrow. The weekly shopping works well for us as we always know almost exactly what we need on any given week by checking the food presses.
10.00 pm: I play a little bit of the Playstation 4 and buy one game off Amazon (€22) that reduced in price by a good bit.
11.30 pm: I read another two ‘chapters’ of The Jungle Book and head off to bed. I didn’t realise it’s actually a short story collection.
Sometime in the early hours: I get woken up as I was snoring quite loud. Woops!
Today’s total: €22.00
8.00 am: I roll out of bed for the usual jog, shower, and then get ready to head down to the shops.
9.30 am: Drive to the shop and get everything we need for the week along with any last ingredients we need for a batch cook that we do once every two weeks. We also grab a few small things for Christmas that we can store, along with quite a few cleaning products we had run out of. The total comes to €118.38 and I send half (€59.19) to my wife via Revolut.
11.00 am: I make a quick coffee and have some porridge with toppings before deciding to unpack another group of boxes in the house. They seem to be never ending.
1.00 pm: I prepare the ingredients for the batch cook (this week it’s chicken and sausage gumbo). Once I have it all done with the initial cooking steps completed and with everything at a minimal simmer and safely covered we both head back out in the car to go for a nice walk through a nearby forested path. It’s a bit chilly but the colours of Autumn are mostly still there so it’s lovely. Having bought out of Dublin, we do try and explore the area around us in Laois as much as we can when time allows during weekends.
4.30 pm: Once home, it’s time to do a very quick wipe down of surfaces while my wife handles the vacuuming. The gumbo is smelling really, really good!
5.00 pm: I am playing the Nintendo Switch again and it’s great to just put my feet up for a bit.
6.30 pm: I would like to leave the gumbo going for longer but I’m also starving. A quick batch of basmati rice and we are ready to go. After we eat, there are five full portions packed up in former takeaway containers and placed into the fridge. I make sure to label them with today’s date.
8.00 pm: I end up finishing The Jungle Book and it really was not what I was expecting. Happy to tick it off my list and I’ll be jumping onto something very different next week: George Orwell’s 1984.
10.00 pm: I do some quick push-ups and then sink into the couch and end up watching an hour of David Attenborough doing what he does best. I learned more about locusts than I had intended today but am in awe at how they can now capture such amazing details of nature in these documentaries.
Today’s total: €59.19
8.00 am: The alarm goes off. I turn it off and then go right back to sleep.
10.00 am: I decide to get out of bed and we head to a local café to grab brunch. I get eggs royale (€13) and a cappuccino (€3.50) and my wife picks the French toast. We talk about the year that is coming to an end and our honeymoon to Thailand next year.
12.30 pm: We drive to the Rock of Dunamase and soak in the scenery. It’s very quiet and just really nice to slowly explore the area. We get some lovely photos.
4.00 pm: When we arrive home, I eat a Kinder Bueno bar and have a cup of tea before sitting down to confirm some meetups and small events happening in and around Dublin with friends next week. Most are still going ahead so I confirm who we can stay with for a night or two to reduce commuting. I almost forget to pack my work laptop!
5.30 pm: I end up playing the Nintendo Switch again and beat the game I have been focused on. To use up some last ingredients in the fridge, I make Thai basil pork but end up putting in a bit too much bird’s eye chilies so struggle a bit with the spice while my wife keeps telling me me it’s not that spicy (but it really was).
7.00 pm: I do routine chores like putting a wash on, ironing some shirts from the previous load, taking the bins out, and getting rid of some clutter in the living room. A cup of tea follows with another Kinder Bueno.
8.00 pm: We watch the film ‘Evil Dead Rise’. Much better than I was expecting!
10.00 pm: I decide to have a bath and almost slip getting out. I make a note to get a non-slip mat of some kind in my phone.
10.45 pm: I spend a bit of time looking at some indirect lighting options for the living room and main bedroom. Some good deals at the moment so I’ll run them by my wife next week.
11.15 pm: Bedtime!
Today’s total: €16.50
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What I learned –
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