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 HR assistant on €27K living in the northeast of the country. This week, an administration assistant on €31K living in Co Clare.

I am a 42-year-old administration assistant living in Co Clare. I live in my boyfriend’s house and I don’t pay any rent. However, I do contribute a lot to the grocery shopping to make up for this.

I try to save over €700 per month, as before I met my partner, I used to pay this in rent each month. Currently, my long-term plan is to buy a property as an investment or a rental property, but the time is not right at the moment as the prices are far too high. I have an investment fund, which is locked away for the next five years. I also have two An Post savings bonds.

I love going to the gym and I cycle on my mountain bike when the weather is dry. I love learning about and generally being healthy, as I have arthritis and need to keep moving to prevent stiffness. I wanted to keep this money diary to see what my spending is like and reflect on whether there are any areas where I could spend less and save more.

Occupation: Administration assistant
Age: 42
Location: Clare
Salary: €31,000
Monthly pay (net): €2,071

Monthly expenses

Transport: €120 (petrol)
Rent: €0
Household bills: €70
Phone bill: €40
Health insurance: €30 (through work)
Groceries: €250
Subscriptions: €9
Car costs: €100

***

Monday

7.30 am: I get up, do some stretches, shower and begin working from home in my kitchen.

10.30 am: During my tea-break, I put a load of clothes in the washing machine.

1.00 pm: Lunch time. It’s very warm this week, so I get a quick walk in to get some sun. I can eat my eggs on toast while working at my laptop.

2.00 pm: Eggs on toast in hand, I am back at work.

5.00 pm: Finish work. I go for a 25 minute cycle to make the most of the good weather.

5.30 pm: Back home, I start to make baked sole with mashed potato and mushy peas – I love a quick tasty dinner! I need to get some protein powder, but I live in a small village and the local supermarket is not cheap, so I tend to avoid picking up food items here. I always plan my meals and have a well-stocked kitchen. I usually shop in Lidl, Aldi and Tesco and love a bargain. I like to look at all the supermarkets’ online weekly leaflets to see who has the best offers on the food I enjoy. I end up picking up some protein powder online for €40.

6.00 pm: My partner and I watch The Six O’Clock Show as we eat and catch up on the day.

6.30 pm: We have a quiet evening watching MasterChef followed by an episode of the Lincoln Lawyer.

9.00 pm: Love Island time. I’m watching it, but unfortunately the other half isn’t.

Today’s total: €40.00

Tuesday

7.30 am: Wake up. Same morning routine as yesterday.

8.30 am: I’m working from home again on another sunny day. I started this job five years ago. My day usually involves replying to email queries from the company and updating a database. It can be tedious sometimes, but I enjoy it.

10.30 am: Have a cup of tea and do some tidying around the house.

1.00 pm: Make some lunch and get a quick walk in before getting back to work.

5.00 pm: I finish work and have a think about what I’ll make for dinner. I do most of the food shop for my boyfriend and I, as I like to do all the cooking.

5.30 pm: I need to buy some fresh vegetables for the week, so I drive to the nearest Lidl. I spend €15 and receive a free tomato paste thanks to the Lidl Plus App. I need to pick up some medicine as well. Luckily I have a medical card, so I only spend €4.50 on three items at the chemist.

6.00 pm: I make a shepherds pie bulked out with lots of vegetables and lentils for dinner. Delicious.

7.00 pm: I do a few chores around the house and relax for the rest of the evening.

9.00 pm: Love Island time!

Today’s total: €19.50

Wednesday

7.30 am: Get up and have a shower.

8.45 am: Arrive at work. I’m working in the office today, as we have flexi time and can work longer or shorter days, as long as the hours are made up within the month. I bring my lunch in to eat in the canteen, as the options are limited.

1.00 pm: I have tuna salad and rice cakes, which I prepared in the morning before work. Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, I have worked the hybrid model, where I am in the office around three days per week. The mix of working from home and being in the office really suits me.

5.30 pm: After work, I meet a friend for dinner in a local Thai restaurant which is reasonably priced. We have a good catch-up and it’s my turn to pay once it’s time to go. The meal costs €28 for two curries and a coke and we enjoy the free ice-cream afterwards.

7.00 pm: I pick up two pounds of steak mince in the butcher for €8 on the way home. I’ll freeze one pound and cook the other tomorrow evening.

Today’s total: €36.00

Thursday

7.00 am: I wake up and head out for a 2.5 mile run which sets me up for the day. I have a busy day ahead and I need to concentrate, so getting any fresh air helps to focus my mind.

8.30 pm: Arrive into the office and get to work.

1.00 pm: Time for lunch. I enjoy smoked tofu and some leftover roasted vegetables. I used to pay €4 for a block of tofu in the health food shop, until a few months ago when Lidl started to sell a similar version for 99c. This is now the firm favoured tofu. It can be eaten straight away like cheese, needing no preparation, which is even better.

5.00 pm: Long day. Time to head home. 

6.00 pm: I go for a walk after dinner since the weather is so nice. I am hoping to go for a few cycles at the weekend to enjoy the mini heatwave. I don’t really like the extreme heat, but a little of it is ok for vitamin D and to get a sun-kissed glow.

7.00 pm: Back home, I relax and do some browsing online. I order some cycling shorts online for €25, as I notice a sale on.

9.00 pm: I start watching Love Island but decide to record the rest of it and head to bed, as I am feeling quite tired after a busy day.

Today’s total: €25.00

Friday

7.00 am: The sound of the rain wakes me. I browse my phone for 20 minutes, then pull myself out of bed, grab some breakfast and begin working from home. Very happy that the weekend is almost here.

10.30 am: I have a quick tea break and put some clothes in the wash.

Related Reads

Money Diaries: A HR assistant on €27K living in the northeast of the country

Money Diaries: A 38-year-old customer care assistant on $65K living in Queensland

Money Diaries: A laboratory aide on €28K living in Kildare

1.00 pm: I buy a cajun chicken wrap from the deli near my house for lunch. It saves having to make anything, and it only costs €3.95, which is quite good. Who doesn’t love a Friday treat? I’m very happy that today is Friday. It means spending more time with my boyfriend and that I get to properly tidy the house. It’s hard to keep on top of the chores when you’re working all day, and I do like a neat home.

5.00 pm: I finish work and the weekend is finally here.

5.30 pm: Today is the day I do the weekly food shop in Lidl. I end up spending €80. I buy most of the food for the house. My partner works a few days in Dublin, so only needs a dinner some evenings. We rarely go out for dinner, as I love to cook and really enjoy dinners at home.

6.00 pm: Put the shopping away and start dinner. I make a spicy meatloaf with sweet potato mash, followed by frozen berries and vanilla ice-cream.

Today’s total: €83.95

Saturday

8.00 am: I wake up and head to the gym after a coffee at home. I rarely buy takeaway coffees as I feel they are a waste of money and I love instant coffee. I am trying out intermittent fasting, which means having no breakfast and reducing my eating window for the day. I was scared to try out this way of eating, but I have heard of numerous benefits, such as reduced inflammation and increased energy. I do it five days a week. It will take a few weeks to notice any benefits, but I’m not finding it too tough so far.

10.00 am: I need petrol, which I hate paying for. It’s been so expensive recently. I fill the tank for €60. I live fifteen minutes from town, so walking or cycling isn’t an option.

11.00 am: I get home and do some tidying that I didn’t get to do during the week. 

1.00 pm: I have a quick lunch in front of the tv, where I can catch up on Love Island and MasterChef.

4.00 pm: I make dinner for us and my partner’s two children, who stay with us on the weekends. 

5.30 pm: After dinner, we all go for a walk to the park and enjoy the sunny weather.

Today’s total: €60.00

Sunday

8.30 am: Get up a bit later than usual and make breakfast for everyone.

10.00 am: This morning, we go to the cinema in Vue Limerick where it costs only €4.99 per person when you book online. The total comes to €20 for all four of us. We saw Minions 2, which was ok. The kids loved it, or maybe they loved the popcorn and jellies!

12.00 pm: We grab a quick bite followed by a browse in Smyths Toy Shop, but don’t buy anything as the children recently celebrated their birthdays and received lots of presents.

2.00 pm: I cook salmon, broccoli and oven chips for us all, followed by a treat of chocolate cake and ice cream, which goes down very well.

3.00 pm: We all go to the playground and use the swings and zipline.

4.30 pm: My partner leaves to drop his children off and I do some cleaning. 

6.00 pm: We settle down to watch something on the box. I like to watch a lot of telly, once the house is clean! Better Call Saul is a favourite of ours and I also love Westworld. We go for Better Call Saul this evening.

Today’s total: €20.00

Weekly subtotal: €284.45

***

What I learned –

• After keeping the money diary for a week, I noticed that I am a sucker for an online sale. I like browsing online shops and usually think hard before making a purchase. However, I should always check my wardrobe to see if I actually need a new pair of shorts.
• One tip I have for people is to make a meal plan for a few days ahead as groceries are the biggest expense for most people and the cost seems to just keep going up. Try out online recipes using cheaper ingredients like chickpeas, canned tuna or lentils and make them to last for a few days – it saves on money and on cooking.