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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.
Are you a spender, a saver or a splurger? 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. 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 an assistant lecturer on €46k working in Leinster. This week, a payroll specialist on €55K living in Leinster.
I moved to Ireland almost twenty years ago and, somewhere along the way, it became home. My lifestyle is fairly simple: I cook mostly vegan meals, keep my space uncluttered and try to buy only what I truly need. Charity shops are my go-to – partly because I avoid fast fashion, partly because it just feels better for the planet.
A few years ago I took out a mortgage, which, given the current property market, puts me in a very privileged position. My goal is to have it paid off within the next few years. I also work fully remotely – another privilege I don’t take for granted – and not having to commute gives me extra time and energy for the things I care about.
Normally I’m very active, but a recent injury has forced me to slow down. It’s been a shift, but I’m learning to be patient with myself. Travel is where I feel most alive. I’ve visited more than fifty countries so far, and discovering new places remains one of my greatest joys.
Despite living abroad, I still do all my medical checkups in Poland, where I’m originally from. The system there feels more accessible to me – no need to go through a GP to see a specialist – and the total cost averages around €1,000 per year. I don’t have private health insurance, so this approach works well.
Financially, I save between €1,500 and €2,000 each month. It gives me a sense of stability and freedom – two things I value deeply.
Occupation: Payroll senior specialist
Age: 40s
Location: Leinster
Salary: €55,000
Monthly pay (net): €3,668
Car insurance, NCT and tax: €1,000
LPT: €94
Property insurance: €130
Management fee: €1,500
Credit and debit cards cards stamp duty: €35
Transport: €50 on fuel
Mortgage: €359
Mortgage insurance: €10
Bins: €12.50
Gas: Average €60 (based on annual cost)
Electricity: Average €45 (based on annual cost)
Broadband: €30
Phone bill: €15 every 28 days
Health insurance: €0
Groceries: €200 – €300
Subscriptions: Cinema – €17.99, Netflix – €12, Apple storage – €0.99
Charity donations: €15-30 depending on the month
***
7.30 am: I wake up, do some stretching and get ready for work. Make a tea, and put away dishes from yesterday.
8.00 am: Log in and check my emails. I work in an international team, so many emails arrive after I log out due to the different time zones we’re all in.
11.00 am: Make some porridge for breakfast; I intermittently fast and eat between 11am and 7-8pm. After a 15-minute break, I continue working on the project, which occupies most of my time.
1.00 pm: Sit on the sofa and listen to a podcast about astronomy. I enjoy podcasts about science, travels and interviews with people I admire.
1.30 pm: Back to work. I don’t have any calls in the afternoon – a normal day for me is calls back-to-back all afternoon, so this is very unusual.
3.00 pm: I heat up my soup I cooked at the weekend and eat it in front of my screens working.
4.30 pm: Log off for the day and read a book. I just finished reading Philomena – very emotional towards the end. Afterwards I do some exercises for muscle strengthening.
7.30 pm: Make dinner and chat to a friend on the phone for a long time.
10.30 pm: Shower, bed, start reading new book called Poverty Safari. It explores the reality of underprivileged communities around Britain. The author has experienced poverty themselves and its devastating effects first-hand.
Today’s total: €0.00
7.30 am: I wake up, do some stretching and get ready for work. Make my tea and put away dishes from yesterday.
8.00 am: I log in and check my emails and continue working on my project.
11.00 am: Porridge time. 15 minutes break and back to work.
1.00 pm: I have a snack of an orange while listening to a podcast.
1.30 pm: Back to work, and unlike yesterday, I calls for most of the afternoon. At 3pm I reheat my soup (I still have some leftover from the weekend) and eat it while working.
4.30 pm: I log off and read for a while.
6.30 pm: Make my dinner, and continue reading afterwards.
8.00 pm: I go over to my friend’s place for a chat and some tea.
10.00 pm: Shower and bedtime with my book.
Today’s total: €0.00
7.30 am: I wake up, do some stretching and get ready for work. Make my tea and put away dishes from yesterday.
8.00 am: I log in and check my emails and continue working on my project. I bought some online printouts by Sam Toft, who’s one of my favorite artists. It cost €51.57 with shipping.
11.00 am: Porridge time. I have my 15-minute break and I’m back to work.
1.00 pm: I have a snack of orange while reading my book.
1.30 pm: Breaktime over and back to calls for most of the afternoon.
4.30 pm: I log off, reading for a while and make my dinner.
6.00 pm: My friend pops over for a while.
6.30 pm: I go to the local culture center. There is an environmental film festival on at 7pm with free entry. It’s about people growing their own food in different parts of the world. The hardship they experience is overtaken by the beauty of working with the land, being outside and living in harmony with the seasons.
9.00 pm: Back home, make my tea, shower and to bed with book.
Today’s total: €51.57
7.20 am: Wake up, do some stretching and get ready for work. Make my tea and put away dishes from yesterday. I take out my bin as this is collection day and put the washing on.
8.00 am: I log in and check my emails and continue working on my project.
11.00 am: Porridge time. 15-minute break, hang my washing and back to work.
1.00 pm: Have a snack while reading before going back to work.
4.30 pm: Log off and do some reading for a while. I also buy a bus ticket for my trip that is coming up in mid-December. (€34.44)
5.00 pm: I go to a Christmas market with my friend this evening. We have a coffee and some cakes, which my friend insists on paying for. It’s small with just few stalls, and quite expensive. Mostly selling jewellery, clothes and candles. I buy few groceries which comes to €15.10. After the market, we drive to Lidl for weekly shopping, which comes to €41.95.
11.00 pm: I take a shower and go to sleep.
Today’s total: €91.49
7.30 am: As usual, I wake up, do some stretching and get ready for work. Make a tea, and put away dishes from yesterday.
8.00 am: Log in for the day and check my emails before doing anything else.
11.00 am: Make my porridge for breakfast and once that’s eaten, I continue working on the project.
1.00 pm: I make a simple cake and put it in the oven then I peel off some vegetables for soup and set it to cook.
1.30 pm: Back to work, and calls for most of the afternoon. I make myself a sandwich at 3pm to tide me over until dinnertime.
3.30 pm: I finish work officially. I hoover quickly, peel off some potatoes, change my clothes and log back in to continue my work project while waiting for my friends to come over.
5.00 pm: My friends come over for a dinner. I’m very proud as I cooked three-course meal!
9.00 pm: My friends go home and it’s time to clean up. I put the dishes in the dishwasher and spend some time on the sofa browsing on my phone afterwards.
11.00 pm: I take a shower and go to sleep.
Today’s total: €0.00
9.00 am: I usually sleep longer at the weekends. Get up, have breakfast earlier than normal, get ready and leave home before 11am.
11.30 am: I’m meeting a friend to go to a museum. I pay for the tickets. (€32)
1.00 pm: We have lunch in a lovely place. It’s one of my favorite places near my hometown. My friend insists on paying, but next time I will. We have a nice time chatting. On my way home, I stop into the cinema to get a ticket for this evening and Sunday evening. As I have a monthly subscription, I don’t pay for those tickets. I also buy a perfume in the cosmetics store that I didn’t plan on getting, but as yesterday was Black Friday, there is a 25% discount, so I couldn’t resist. It’s €123.
8.00 pm: Cinema evening. I watch Wicked: For Good. I really enjoyed it – I watched the first part before in the cinema too, and I’ve also been to see Wicked on stage in London.
10.00 pm: I’m home. Make myself a tea and scroll my phone for a while.
12.00 am: Shower and then time to go to sleep.
Today’s total: €155.00
10.00 am: I woke up late, just enjoying my weekend. Have breakfast.
12.30 pm: I drive to the local garden centre that has a nice café. As November was my birthday month, I have a voucher for a slice of cake, so I only pay for my tea (€2.95). I also have another voucher for shopping in the garden centre and I use it to buy small gift for my friend. I only pay an extra €0.90.
6.00 pm: I eat leftover dinner.
8.00 pm: I go to the cinema. Tonight I’m watching the Indian movie Eco. I enjoy it – beautiful scenery, mystery and a bit of psychology.
11.00 pm: I take a shower and go to sleep.
Today’s total: €3.85
***
What I learned –
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