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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 PhD researcher on a €22K stipend living in Dublin. This week, an administrative worker on €46K living in the Midlands.
I live with my husband and our 18-month-old baby. We bought a house three-and-a-half years ago, got married two-and-a-half years ago and then our baby followed, so we have burnt all our life savings and are trying to build up a rainy-day fund again along with putting money away to eventually do up our 70s bungalow and replace a car that is about to go!
We try to save €600 a month for the car/rainy day fund and then divide money into Revolut pockets for oil, Christmas, birthdays and weddings, house renovation and typical car costs (tyres, tax, services etc.) This helps us visually see how much disposable money we have each month and not to get carried away. We do keep dipping into the pockets though!
Since I went back to work after taking maternity leave (and its extended non-paid leave), I dropped down to a four-day week. This has had an impact on our finances, along with having to pay creche fees. As my husband and me pool our money together, we share the one bank account. He earns €52,000.
Occupation: Office admin (four days a week)
Age: 34
Location: Midlands
Salary: €46,000 (8% withheld to be placed into shares I receive annually)
Monthly pay (net): €2,410 (husband takes home €3,400 so a pool amount of €5,810)
Transport: €400 (this is both cars)
Mortgage: €876 a month plus house tax, insurance and protection means we pay a total of €1000.
Creche: €522
Household bills: Electricity – €180, bins – €25, Eflow – €20, car insurance (both cars) – €115
Phone and broadband bill: €55
Health insurance: €84
Groceries: €520
Subscriptions: YouTube – €12, Spotify – €15, ChatGPT – €23
Personal trainer: €160
Revolut pockets: Christmas and oil – €150, wedding abroad next year – €200, home renovation – €300, house keep – €100, garden keep – €50, clothing (for everyone) – €250, car costs – €100
***
7.00 am: I get up and am exhausted as the toddler was awake throughout the night.
7.45 am: I drop him at creche and on the way back, take a stop in the local petrol station to pick up some bits. We had a very busy weekend, so I didn’t get a chance to do the weekly food shop. I buy beef mince, sauce, a couple of croissants and a chai latte (my new guilty pleasure) (total €12.40).
8.15 am: I am WFH today, so I log on at the sofa and get through the emails that came in since last week. Usually, I do all our laundry and batch cooking on a Sunday as it’s our electricity-free day, but we attended a birthday party in Dublin on Sunday, so I get stuck into the laundry. I notice that I am nearly out of fabric softener so I buy some online on Amazon (€8.70 for a 5l drum) as it will be delivered on Wednesday.
3.45 pm: I collect the toddler as the husband is very busy with a work project for the next few weeks.
4.30 pm: We come home, and I make scrambled eggs, bacon and sweet potato fries.
7.30 pm: Once I pop the toddler to bed, I head out to our garage to do my workout. I am currently signed up with a personal trainer to try and get myself fitter and healthier. Exhausted, I go straight to bed to log my food count and read a bit of my book.
10.00 pm: Turn off the lights and go to sleep
Today’s total: €21.10
6.30 am: The toddler wakes early this morning, husband makes breakfast (scrambled eggs and toast).
7.45 am: We head out the door to work and creche. I have a busy day at work today and as I didn’t do the usual Friday food shop, I will have to eat in the canteen at work, it is subsidised so that is helpful!
11.30 am: After a busy morning getting contractors set up to do some project work for us, we head to the canteen, and I have a fry (bacon, fried egg and potato bread) (€3.30).
3.00 pm: We have a busy afternoon session trying to get everything the contractors need to do in one day, so we miss the canteen lunch slot and have to do with vending machine sandwiches. I get a wrap (€3.50) and I had brought a high protein bar with me from home.
4.30 pm: Collect the toddler and head home. Husband has been to the shop to get some milk, bread, ham and cheese. He also made some Bolognese. Toddler is having a fit because he wants to watch TV while eating his dinner. He seems out of sorts this evening and we notice a rash on his chest.
6.30 pm: I usually go to an art class on a Tuesday but when I go get ready the toddler goes hysterical, so I decide to skip class. I am glad I do as he is out of sorts, very upset and not acting his usual funny chatty self.
8.30 pm: I struggle to get the toddler to sleep and am completely shattered when I finally do. My husband and I chat for a while and contemplate keeping the toddler at home tomorrow.
10.00 pm: I head off to bed, shattered.
Today’s total: €6.80
6.00 am: The toddler is coming down with something as he woke constantly throughout the night and was quite distressed. I gave him some Calpol and brought him into our bed, we both sleep on and off throughout the night but probably only get about four hours of sleep in total.
8.00 am: I text my manager and let her know that I will need to take the day off as the toddler is not well. His rash seems to have spread but he has no temperature, so I am not too worried. Husband makes us some scrambled eggs and toast before he goes off to work.
10.00 am: We have an easy morning doing jigsaws and as his mood seems a little better, I decide this might be my only chance to get some groceries. We head to Lidl when he perks up and we buy enough food to do us until Sunday (€50.82). We also head to SuperValu to get some extra bits and I am craving a chai latte from the Frank and Honest machine. While there we buy some cleaning products, and the toddler sees a tractor he is so delighted with I decide to buy and put it away for Christmas. (€33.40)
12.00 pm: We head home, and the toddler eats about four yoghurts from his pack of six and refuses anything else. I suspect he has a sore throat. I put him down for his nap and I have a nap too.
2.30 pm: Husband comes home early from work as he must work late that night. We have a small catch up and I feel a scratchy throat coming on. I go wake up the toddler and we play outside in the garden for a while.
4.30 pm: We go inside and the toddler ‘helps’ me make dinner.
6.30 pm: We wait for the husband to finish his work call and eat at 6:30 pm. I make a chicken and mushroom pasta, and toddler eats most of it at the table so he is seeming a lot better and I think we might be able to go back to creche/work tomorrow.
7.30 pm: I put the baby down and have a quick catch-up with husband. He goes to get some extra work done in the home office and I go off to bed.
9.00 pm: I don’t feel the energy to get my workout down today. I log my food and go straight to sleep.
Today’s total: €84.22
7:30 am: The toddler woke only a couple times throughout the night, but I noticed that the rash on his belly had moved to his hands and mouth, and they are starting to develop blisters – he has the hand, foot and mouth virus. We have been warned that it’s been doing the rounds in creche. I know I will be taking annual leave again today. Husband is already up and working from the home office.
8:00 am: Toddler eats a Weetabix for breakfast and now it’s my turn to feel unwell, so I just have a cup of tea. Baby is playing catch up on his appetite and eats all the yoghurts I bought yesterday.
9:00 am: I also forgot to get milk, so I get us dressed and back to Lidl we go to get a couple of bits. I let the toddler use the toddler trolley and he has a great time. (€10.70). I use sanitiser on us and on the trolley, and we keep our distance from others, just to be on the safe side.
11:00 am: We come back home and play outside for a while and then after the toddler has some more yoghurts (definitely has a sore throat!).
12:00 pm: I put him to bed for his nap. Husband asks me to pick up some smokes and a coffee for him as he is wreaked from working late last night and not sleeping great. I run to the local shop and get myself a chai latte too and a multipack of KitKat. (€26.25) I log onto my work laptop while my toddler naps and check my mails in case anything urgent has come in.
1:30 pm: I feel unwell, so I go rest in bed until toddler wakes up. 10 minutes later and the toddler stirs but I still feel the benefit from a little lie down.
2:30 pm: After a pasta lunch for the toddler, I’m still not feeling well so just eat a slice of toast. We go outside to play in the garden, but it is very blustery, so we don’t last long. I conjure up a makeshift ball pool with the summer’s paddling pool and a bag of soft play balls.
4:30 pm: I start to make dinner, but toddler is starting to get cranky so the husband steps in and finishes it while I unsuccessfully soothe the toddler. TV goes on for the smallie while me and the husband eat our dinner.
6:30 pm: After dinner, I try to feed the toddler a yoghurt, but he just gets upset. He is starting to really come out in blisters now. I pop him in the bath, and he happily plays away and drinks a bottle of warm milk.
7:30 pm: Once he is down for bed, I get myself ready too. Bringing a cup of tea and a Kitkat to bed with me to watch a little TV before bed.
9:30 pm: Turn off the lights
Today’s total: €36.95
6:30 am: Early start after an awful night with the toddler. Today I am booked in to get my hair done and my mother has kindly offered to babysit for me.
9:00 am: Running late always seems to be the time that the fuel gauge must flash to tell me to fill up! I spend €20.00 at the station nearest my mother’s. I normally fill my car full but can’t afford to wait as the pumps are so slow.
9:30 am: Rush into my hairdresser’s and my sister-in-law is waiting for me with a cup of coffee in hand. How did she realise how much I needed that cup of coffee today? I spend an amazing couple of hours getting my hair done and having some rest. The hair doesn’t cost me anything as I have a voucher that I got from Christmas.
11:30 am: Dart back to my mother’s to collect the toddler and head home quickly to make sure he doesn’t fall asleep in the car. The car gives a terrible shake on the way home and I pray to the powers that be that it doesn’t go either (this is meant to be the good one we haven’t budgeted to replace).
12:00 pm: We get back home and I pop him into his cot, he is exhausted. I am feeling quite down today but I know it’s just the stress of a week of sleepless nights, so I try not to dwell on my feelings too much and go have a lie down. I can’t sleep as I am too anxious and stressed, after a while trying to talk myself around, I decide to read a book to take my mind off everything.
3:00 pm: The toddler sleeps three hours, so I get a good long break today and feel a lot more rested by the time he wakes. I have made him some soup and spuds and he gobbles it all up, he seems to be improving but the blisters from the hand, foot and mouth look so sore. I play with him a while and then go to make dinner for me and the husband.
5:00 pm: The toddler plays with water in the sink while I try to cook dinner. Husband finishes up work and takes over the rest of the cooking and I go and play with the toddler. We all sit and eat more chicken and mushroom pasta, and then I run the toddler a bath.
7:30 pm: After bathtime, I put the toddler to bed. Husband and I sit up and catch up on our day a little and both have an early night as we are both exhausted. Will have to get back into my workouts next week.
9:00 pm: Turn off the lights.
Today’s total: €20.00
10:00 am: Husband offered to get up with the toddler this morning, so I enjoy a long lie-in. I’m starting to not feel as sick and looking forward to getting back into my workout routine. Husband goes to the shop to buy smokes and comes back with two coffees (€23.00) – one chai latte for me.
12:00 pm: He puts the toddler down for a nap and I proceed to make a roast chicken dinner with all the trimmings.
2:30 pm: When the toddler awakes, we all eat and spend the evening chilling out together as a family.
7:30 pm: Put toddler to bed and me and husband sit up for a while having the chats.
11:30 pm: We head to bed for the night
Today’s total: €23.00
8:00 am: Today is husband’s turn for a lie in so I get up with the toddler (after a couple of long night wakings) we have some porridge together and play for a while.
10:00 am: I start doing the laundry which I will do all day, and sort all the clothes out tomorrow. It feels good to be getting back into routine after being so busy last weekend. I write my shopping list and start to get the toddler ready for out. Husband decides he will come with us too.
11:00 am: We all go to Lidl and do a small weekly shop as I have some food in the freezer I want to use up. (€30.00) Husband suggests we go to a nearby cafe to grab some brunch (€38.00) and then we head home.
12:30 pm: Toddler goes down for their nap as I am feeling a bit better, I start getting stuck into my weekly cleaning routine of washing floors, cabinets etc.
1:30 pm: Toddler only sleeps an hour, but as he’s on the mend I decide to head to my parents to give my husband a bit of peace and quiet before his hectic week next week. Spend a couple of hours around at my parents and then head home for seconds of the chicken roast.
6:30 pm: Give toddler a bath and pop him to bed.
8:00 pm: I decide to take a long bath myself with a glass of some wine I had in the fridge. It’s exactly what I need after what’s felt like an exhausting week.
9:30 pm: I head to bed early as I don’t know if I will be up again during the night.
Today’s total: €68.00
***
What I learned –
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This is all about blame, the government wants the ability to point to a quango and blame it on the future hikes in energy and fuel prices, but we all know it them pushing the failed green ajenda and making ordinary people poorer.
@087 bed: Yep Germany closed down their nuclear and coal electricity plants, and bought into the renewables like wind and solar, but when they turned off their cheap russian gas, it exposed the whole scam!
@Dave Callaghan: What scam? Nuclear and renewables were never claimed to be able to fully replace gas. It is much cheaper and cleaner to use gas generation than coal. Without renewables and nuclear, the impact of the Russian gas reduction would’ve been much greater
@087 bed: The ‘quango’ is entirely in your imagination.
@Brendan O’Brien: Brendan. The quango is enabled by the EU, who won’t change how the price of electricity is decided.
Under the rules they dreamed up, the price is decided by whichever is the most expensive at a given time.
Say wind is cheap at the moment and gas is the dearest. The gas price is what is charged for all the electricity.
@Donal Ronan: How come we pay the most for electricity in the E.U. so?
@Brian D’Arcy: Brian. It would be worth your while reading Mario Draghi’s report and what he says about decoupling electricity prices.
The electricity company bosses nearly had heart attacks.
Electricity prices are decided by the dearest at a given time, which is usually gas. Even though gas doesn’t generate as much electricity anymore.
We are stuck with the same EU rules. Hence high prices, which for everything in Ireland is higher.
The wind guys must be laughing.
I love when they say energy security and independence.
Note to new justice minister– we need a huge detention centre built pronto to hold all the illegal immigrants until they can be sent back to wherever they came from. And FFS start enforcing our immigration laws !!!
”Eighty-five percent of people who applied for international protection at Dublin Airport in 2023 arrived without a correct identity document. In total, 4,712 people arrived at Dublin Airport and claimed asylum in 2023; 4,007 had either no or false identity documents” …breaking news.ie 12 August 2024
Were all these unvetted illegals locked up?… No
Less woke politics and more law and order please!!
”State spent €2.5m per day in 2024 to house International Protectction applicants” -breakingnews.ie 2024.
”airlines fined €2.5m in last two years for flying in passengers without travel documents” Irish examiner 2024
That’s an example of open borders woke politics. Rodders and Helen have an awful lot to answer for. I hope Rodders gets no speaking time in the next Dail the git
@Finn Barr: we need an effective robust immigration system. One where is based on those vulnerable and in need of protection. Additionally the numbers who are coming via Belfast and not through an official port of entry into Ireland and rocking up to the justice office to apply for protection with no identification. The department of education and all the “third level” colleges need to be brought to the table, the number of people who are claiming aslyum while also attending a third level college paying third level fees but applying for aslyum and getting free accommodation!
At least we’ve no more Tweeting Roderic, inviting the dregs of the 3rd world here and it looks like the days of Helen McEntee handing out Irish citizenships like confetti are over, thank phuk.
Michael Healy Rae for the climate job (just to piss off the Greens)
@Dave Callaghan: i think Danny for that portfolio would piss the greens off even more.We might even get the gas storage plant at Ballylongford.
Please let Healy ray be in charge of energy. Pleeeeeease
Not a good time to piśś off our most important trading partner by needlessly involving ourselves in the Gaza/Israel conflict.
Perhaps our new buddies in South Africa can advise on energy policy.
Like us, they cannot run their own country properly, or even keep the lights on, but see fit to interfere in the internal conflict in Israel.
@Thomas Sheridan: South Africa’s energy policy is about 3 hours electricity per day. Then during the blackouts they rob all the copper off the power lines. The natives really made a lovely job of that country since they got it back!!!
This is the South African parliament
@Finn Barr: .https://youtu.be/zP7bsMkIXqo?si=ek8aG9C5XupUE5LG
@Thomas Sheridan: I presume you are talking about the US. The US isn’t our most important trading partner. That’s Europe, and if Israel is brought to book, what harm. I’m equally annoyed with Hamas, etc, but far too many innocents have died during this war and it needs to stop. We have the Israeli Government pulling their Embassy, we’ve had our soldiers( peacekeepers) shot at and harassed by the IDF.
It’s time to end this.
@Thomas Sheridan: So it’s needlessly to speak out about a war where tens of thousands of innocent people are being killed?. So why don’t we stop needlessly getting involved in Ukraine/Russia conflict and the rest of the world conflicts?. Best to stay out of all them and not be selective wouldn’t you say.
@Paul O’Mahoney: Europe isn’t a country, and America is our biggest export market according to the OTB article in today’s Irish Independent.
It also raises the question that I have. Why set ourselves apart from our EU partners in this regard. And for what benefit.
Ireland could have played a more constructive role in the conflict by acting as an independent honest broker rather than a bully to Israel and throwing our lot in with Hamas terrorists.
It simply isn’t our fight.
Its showboating on the international stage and Celtic Tiger type hubris, at a time when we cannot provide housing for our own population.
I note that Ireland is funding new water pipe infrastructure there. Presumably to replace the ones that were dug up to make missiles to be fired at Israeli civilians.
@Finn Barr: it must make the Dunnes Store boycotted really proud
@Enoch Kochwomble: Why should I be told to move to a basket case country for simply expressing a legitimate view that is the same as one of our MEPs today.
Presumably, you would have no problem with the dregs from SA illegally coming here.
Your comment is symptomatic of the Loony Left intolerance to diverse opinions.
FFG may yet rue that they won the election, lots of nasty stuff coming down the track!
@Brian Hunt: Like what? I’m not saying there’s only sunshine and lollipops awaiting us but I would like get read what people think.
As long as McEntee is out that’s fine.
The one glaring issue is getting the likes of Fisheries, Forests and Wildlife into one Dept, like in North America, the very first move being to amalgamate IFI and NPWS and probably EPA as well. At present they are being deliberately held toothless.
Also it will virtually need a new Dept. to oversee getting rid of that asine “no Nuclear” leglislation and planning for achieving our Climate oblgations before we end up paying vast sums to the French on one hand and loosing a large whack of Big Tech and their Data on the other.
I would like to think that Mr.Martin and Mr.Harris have discussed the next US Ambassador?
Make Kilgarvan Great Again
Big task to repair Ireland Energy infrastructure after years of mismanagement by Chief Muppet Ryan.
have your say