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AUGUST IS HERE, and with the rain looking like it’s here to stay and the school holidays slowly drawing to a close, many people’s thoughts will be turning to their finances as we get back to normality after the summer. 

With electricity bills due to go up again in October and one-off cost-of-living supports seemingly off the table for Budget 2027, we want to hear how you’ve been managing your spending. Are you struggling with back-to-school costs? Will you be able to save at all over the coming months?

Readers here at The Journal will be familiar with our popular How I Spend My Money series, which looks at how people in Ireland really handle their finances. Over the years, the series has chronicled the lives and financial ups and downs of hundreds of readers.

We are asking readers to get in touch and write a Money Diary to keep track of their spending and saving, and to help us understand how they’re coping with the cost of living right now. 

Would my diary be of interest?

Absolutely. Everyone is in a different place when it comes to money and will have different incomes and outgoings.

Everyone also has different approaches to finances. For instance, are you a good saver, or does money burn a hole in your pocket? Can you afford a pension? What about mortgages? Are you confident you could qualify for one, or are you meeting your mortgage payments?

If none of the above even seems remotely possible right now, then we also want to hear from you. It’s not an easy time, and we get that, so you might just feel like saying ‘I can’t make ends meet’ and that’s OK too.

How does it work?

Over the course of a week, we ask you to keep a record of how much you earn, how much you save (if anything) and what you spend your money on.

Our Money Diaries readers also love to hear about your day, what kind of routine you have, what you had for dinner – all of it. Woven into that is a note throughout the day about how much you spent on groceries, incidentals and other expenses.

Related Reads

Money Diaries: A financial administrator living in the west of the country

Money Diaries: An administrator on €35K living in the Midlands

Money Diaries: A healthcare worker on €83K living in Dublin and expecting her first child

Readers often get helpful information and tips from reading the diaries, so include details about batch-cooking, Revolut vaults or any other handy savings tips you might have.

What next?

If you’re interested in keeping a diary for a week, send an email to money@thejournal.ie, and we’ll be in touch. We would love to hear from you.