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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 a medical administrator working part-time and living in Co Kildare. This week, an executive assistant is adjusting to being back at work after a serious illness.
Last year, my life changed very suddenly when I experienced a serious medical event and was hospitalised unexpectedly. What followed was a few months of rehabilitation that I had not planned for at all. In a very short space of time, I went from earning a full-time salary to getting by on illness benefit.
Aside from the physical and emotional toll of a serious illness, there’s also a financial impact that comes with adjusting to it. While I was lucky enough to keep my mortgage and bills paid and only dipped into my savings a little, I still had to make some significant changes to get through that period. I had to tighten my belt quickly and learn how to live on a lot less than I was used to.
Thankfully, I’ve been fortunate to return to work — a privilege not everyone with my illness experiences. However, due to the nature of my illness and recovery, this had to be done gradually, with reduced hours over the past couple of months.
If I’m being completely honest, I ended up returning to work earlier than I probably should have, largely for financial reasons, as I am on my own. That experience really brought home how quickly circumstances can change, and how little control we sometimes have over that.
I’m still on reduced hours, which means a reduced salary, but I’m at a point where I can manage day-to-day expenses and the odd small extras.
Occupation: Executive assistant
Age: 30s
Location: Esat of the country
Salary: €37,500
Monthly pay (net): €2,500 (exc. 5% pension deduction)
Mortgage: €600
Rainy day savings: €150
Utilities sinking fund: €400 (electricity, gas, mortgage protection insurance, house insurance, property tax)
Health insurance: €113 (Despite having had a serious illness, I don’t qualify for a medical card. My insurance is non-negotiable, as if I lose it, I will struggle to get it again)
Prescription medication: €60
TV licence: €13
TV, internet and phone: €107
Mobile phone: €20
Union dues: €21
Amazon Prime and Netflix: €18
Groceries: €350 — €400
Bins: €30
Transport: €0 (as a result of my illness, and because I have been declared medically unfit to drive, I have a temporary free travel pass, which I am extremely grateful for)
Socialising/going out: €50
Clothes: €40
Beauty and hair: €30
Health sinking fund (GP, dentist, physio, etc.): €25
***
7.00 am: I wake to my alarm blaring, only to realise I forgot to turn it off for the bank holiday. Half asleep, I silence it and roll straight back over, eventually waking properly around 9 am.
9.00 am: With the weather holding up (for now), I decide to head out and make the most of the day before the rain inevitably returns. I get up, get dressed, and take my morning medication — an essential part of managing my condition — before heading out.
10.45 am: I walk 15 minutes to the bus stop, heading towards my local town and shopping centre. Once there, I grab breakfast (€4.30). I take full advantage of the free coffee refills, starting with a flat white and following it up with a decaf (too much caffeine isn’t an option for me anymore).
12.00 pm: I wander into Penneys — where else? Since I do a lot of walking (when it isn’t raining) and Pilates, I pick up two reduced activewear tops. I also spot a cute pink t-shirt for Galentine’s next week and add dry shampoo and hair-smoothing mascara. Total comes to €23.85 – a pretty restrained spend for Penneys.
1.00 pm: I head to my eyebrow threading and tinting appointment (€20). Combined with having my nails done at the weekend, I feel like a new woman. These might seem like luxuries to some, but I don’t drink or smoke – once the essentials are covered, this is what I choose to spend my money on. Afterwards, I pop into Boots for hair dye (€6); salon root touch-ups aren’t in the budget right now. Apologies to any hairdressers reading. I also nip into Dealz for cleaning bits I forgot to add to my grocery order (€5) before heading for the bus home.
3.15 pm: Just in time before the rain starts again. At home, I crack open a caffeine-free Coke Zero – my only remaining vice since getting ill – and ring my mother for a catch-up.
6.30 pm: Start on dinner, which is a some steak with tenderstem broccoli and pepper sauce. Afterwards, I wash up and tidy the kitchen for the evening.
8.00 pm: Take my evening medication and shower. As it’s hair wash day, I’ve to blow-dry and style my hair – a full ordeal when you’ve got long hair. I settle in to watch the final episode of the new season of Bridgerton, which I’ve been loving. Raging I have to wait until the end of the month to watch the remaining four episodes!
11.30 pm: Duolingo time. I’m currently on a 327-day streak, which I maintained through hospital and rehab – still very proud of that. After a quick scroll on social media, I head to bed.
Today’s total: €59.15
8.00 am: I’m up and get ready for a day working from home. I take my morning medication, grab a coffee, an oat bar and some fruit, and log on for 9am.
1.00 pm: It’s a busy morning, and I work straight through until I break for lunch. I keep it simple with soup, sourdough bread and another coffee before logging back on at 2 pm.
5.30 pm: Finish work, but start feeling unwell with headaches, dizziness and chest pain — ongoing side effects from my illness. I check my blood pressure — 118/79, which is reassuring — and take paracetamol (the only pain relief I can use) to help with the headaches. Completely exhausted, I head to bed for a lie down. Fatigue is one of the hardest parts of recovery, and judging when something is serious versus part of the process can be mentally draining.
9.00 pm: I wake later in the evening and spend some time scrolling on social media. I don’t have the energy to cook, so I make myself some tea and toast and take my evening medication.
10.30 pm: The night is a quiet one. I do my Duolingo and scroll on social media a bit more before heading to bed, hoping I’ll feel better in the morning.
Today’s total: €0.00
7.00 am: I wake up not feeling great, but I don’t want to call in sick, so I push on. It’s pouring rain, and I don’t have it in me for the 20-minute walk to the commuter bus, so I grab a taxi to the bus stop (€8.48). It’s very lazy, but sometimes you just have to do what gets you through the day. I bring a protein shake from home for the commute to work.
12.45 pm: I treat myself to a coffee and a scone for lunch (€5.70), feeling a bit sorry for myself.
4.00 pm: I work through the afternoon and finish a little early. Normally, I’d use this time to attend my weekly medical exercise class, but I’m really not up to it. Instead, I go for a gentle walk around town to clear my head. That walk somehow leads me into Penneys for the second time this week (I swear I’m not a shopaholic). I manage to find a viral waistcoat I’d seen on TikTok, and it happens to be the last one in my size (€10). After losing a significant amount of weight due to my illness, it feels like a small win.
6.00 pm: Get the commuter bus home, and I make a simple with a vegetable stir-fry for dinner.
8.30 pm: After eating, doing Duolingo and taking my evening medication, I call it a night early. It’s been a tough day, and I’m really hoping tomorrow is a better one.
Today’s total: €24.18
6.45 am: I wake up naturally, without my alarm, which feels like a small victory. The early night has clearly helped, and thankfully, the symptoms that lingered during the week are gone. It’s absolutely lashing rain, so I opt for comfort: a bowl of Weetabix with hot milk and a cup of coffee. Take my morning medication before logging on to work at 9 am.
1.15 pm: I break for lunch. I keep it simple with a ham (always nitrate free), cheese and tomato toastie and another coffee before heading back online.
6.00 pm: The afternoon is busy, and by the time I finish, I’m tired but feeling much more like myself.
6.30 pm: I make a small portion of pasta and some salad for dinner. I haven’t had much energy for cooking this week, so quick and easy is the theme. I eat, tidy up and take my evening medication.
8.00 pm: The rest of the evening is a bit of a reset. I do some skincare, try out a few new products, and they help lift my mood. I browse online for quotes for a short sun holiday later this summer if my consultant gives me the go-ahead to fly. You have to dream a little!
10.00 pm: I keep up my Duolingo streak and spend some time scrolling on social media. I then settle in with my audiobook of Wuthering Heights ahead of seeing it in the cinema next week. It’s a nice, calm way to wind down, and I head to bed feeling far more rested than I have all week.
Today’s total: €0.00
8.30 am: I wake up a bit later than usual, which feels very earned. I keep breakfast quick with an oat bar and coffee, as I have a busy morning and finish work early today.
1.00 pm: Delighted to be logging off for the weekend. Naturally, it’s still raining — when will it end?! After work, I head to my local pharmacy to collect my monthly prescription, which comes to €60. I then pop into my local Tesco and grab a meal deal (Friday treat) and a few small bits to tide me over until my online grocery shop arrives tomorrow morning. I also spot some flowers and decide to treat myself — it’s been a week and Valentine’s Day is around the corner. Total comes to €19.99.
2.00 pm: I’m home, arranging my flowers, having lunch and watching Taylor Swift’s new Opalite music video on Spotify Premium. Yes, I am one of those people! I love the 90s vibe and how all the guests from the night she was on The Graham Norton Show were involved. For the rest of the afternoon, I catch up on a bit of tidying I didn’t get to during the week.
4.00 pm: I check Dunnes for my online grocery order for tomorrow. Since getting ill last year, I’ve stuck with online shopping — it’s cheaper and more intentional, with no mindless trolley additions or taxi trips. While online, I spot a Dita Von Teese ticket show for Sunday night in Dublin (€69). I missed out on purchasing a ticket last year due to being unwell. Though it’s a splurge, I still have some leftover Christmas money and, honestly, you only live once. I buy it and immediately feel excited. A quick wardrobe check confirms I have something suitable to wear, so no last-minute panic.
7.00 pm: Dinner is a small goat’s cheese and caramelised onion pizza with some salad, eaten while catching up on the news. I spend the rest of the evening watching TV and Netflix, and with a couple of squares of dark chocolate (a lot of milk chocolate had palm oil, which I try to avoid) on the side and do my Duolingo before bed.
Today’s total: €148.99
7.30 am: I wake a little earlier than usual for the weekend, get ready, and wait for my online grocery delivery (€81). Once it arrives, I put everything away and take out the bins — handling all the “pink and blue jobs” myself as a single woman.
1.00 pm: I catch the bus to a nearby town for my usual coastal walk. After an awful week weather-wise, thankfully, I’m able to do my usual route. The 40-minute walk at a brisk pace, tracked on my fitness watch, leaves me feeling energised. I reward myself with a coffee and a sweet treat (€6.75). Walking by the sea gives me such a boost — exercise has become a really important part of my recovery and helps both physically and mentally.
3.00 pm: I get the bus back home. Once I’m in, I do a bit of cleaning in the sitting room and kitchen, and I also put on some laundry before switching into chill mode for the rest of the afternoon. Not forgetting my Duolingo!
6.30 pm: I make my own version of a ‘fakeaway’ spice bag. I don’t order takeaways — they’re expensive, and I prefer knowing exactly what’s going into my food.
8.00 pm: The evening is relaxed. I watch a film and unwind with some more dark chocolate and sparkling Shloer (no alcohol for me), then shower, style my hair and apply a bit of tan in preparation for a busy Sunday.
Today’s total: €87.75
8.00 am: Another fairly busy day, and I’ve plans this evening. I get myself ready for Pilates and gather up my recycling cans and bottles to bring to Aldi. I’ve started using the Aldi Saver card, so any money from the returns goes onto that — it’s handy for groceries during tighter weeks, or to build up a little pot towards Christmas. I also grab a latte while I’m there (€1.99).
10.15 am: I get the bus, which brings me to the community centre for my Pilates class (€15). Although I’ve only started recently, it’s been a huge help from a physical and rehabilitation point of view. The instructor is lovely, which always makes it easier to stick with.
12.15 pm: After class, I get the bus home and have a late brunch of a pastry, some fruit and a coffee. I then jump into the shower and start getting ready for the evening. I curl my hair, do my makeup and take my time getting organised. I’m really looking forward to the show tonight.
4.30 pm: It’s raining again, but I brave the elements and head out to catch the commuter bus into town, umbrella in hand. Once I’m in town, I swing by a restaurant for a drink and a hot chicken wrap since the show means I’ll be skipping dinner (€13.20).
7.15 pm: I arrive at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre for the show. I pick up some merch – a poster and a bag – which comes to €36 altogether. I also get a soft drink during the interval (€3.90). All I will say is the dancing was great, the costumes were fabulous and I finally saw the famous martini glass routine. I had a really good evening.
11.00 pm: I get the commuter bus home. It’s a very late lights out at 12.30am – fingers crossed I wake up on time in the morning!
Today’s total: €70.09
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What I learned –
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