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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 charity policy coordinator on €36K living in Dublin. This week, a healthcare worker on €83K who is currently on maternity leave while expecting her first child.
I live in Dublin with my partner. We’re expecting our first baby in the coming weeks. I’ve just started maternity leave and will most likely be off work for a year (depending on childcare availability). I’m fortunate to have full pay for the first 26 weeks of leave; we are currently saving to cover my outgoings for the unpaid and partially paid weeks.
We’ve been lucky to have a lot of baby things gifted and donated to us, but there are still quite a few things to buy. I’ve tried to limit it to things that I know we will definitely need and will last a while (e.g. car seat). We’ve been paying for any ‘big’ purchases from our savings, and topping up on smaller purchases week-to-week from current expenditure.
Occupation: Healthcare worker
Age: 35
Location: Dublin
Salary: Approx. €83,000
Monthly pay (net): €4,389
Transport: Approx. €30
Mortgage: €1,280 (my half)
Household bills: €210 (includes my half of house insurance, mortgage protection, local property tax, pet insurance, gas insurance, broadband/TV, bins, gas/electricity and fund for car insurance and motor tax)
Phone bill: €30
Groceries: €250 (my half)
Bank fees: €12.50
Subscriptions: Spotify (€13), Google storage (€2), professional memberships (€9), professional registrations (collected annually, but I save €60 monthly to cover), union membership (€56)
Car loan: €320 (my half)
Savings: Min. €650 (I also top up my savings with whatever I haven’t spent at the end of each fortnightly pay period)
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8.30am: Our grocery shop gets delivered. It’s a little more expensive this week because I’ve ordered some extra ingredients to batch cook some dinners for when the baby is here, and we hadn’t ordered a shop for the previous fortnight so missed out on our vouchers. We use our joint credit card for groceries and other shared bills, and pay it off as we go; I pay my half from my current account. (€72.09)
1.30pm: I finish batch cooking some dinners to freeze and clean up after myself. I’m not especially hungry so have a light lunch, put some laundry out to dry and sit down with the dog for a quick break.
3.00pm: People keep asking me if I have finished the nursery. Given it has been operating as our home office until last week, it’s safe to say I have not. I spend the afternoon moving our home office things into the attic conversion, and moving the vast array of baby things we have amassed into the new nursery. The baby will be sleeping in our room for the first couple of months, so I’m planning to finish the rest of it once the baby settles in and we understand what we really do (and don’t) need.
6.00pm: My partner comes home. I start on dinner while he does some work in the garden.
9.30pm: My partner takes the dog for a walk after dinner. I try to watch some of the World Cup, but the day has taken its toll on me and I head to bed for an early night.
Today’s total: €72.09
7.30am: It looks like it’s going to be hot today, so for both our sakes, I get the dog out for an early walk.
1.00pm: I’m trying to get at least one cleaning job done per day while I still have the time and energy to do it. This morning was a deep clean of the bathrooms and oven. I make lunch and have a lie-down.
4.00pm: My partner pops home on his break from work and we bring the dog for a very short walk to the local coffee shop. He gets me an iced coffee – much needed in this weather!
7.00pm: We decide on BBQ for dinner so I pop to the supermarket for charcoal. I end up picking up a couple of other things while I’m there (€17.58) and I’m reminded why I stick to online shopping where I only buy exactly what I need. It’s looking like BBQ weather for the week, so I get home and make up some salads I know will last a few days in the fridge.
9.45pm: More World Cup. I manage to stay awake a whole 15 minutes longer this evening before going to bed.
Today’s total: €17.58
8.30am: My partner is off and it’s another warm day, so we get out with the dog early. He gets me a coffee to keep me going. My mum gives me a quick call to see if there’s any signs of her new grandchild arriving; unfortunately, there’s not much movement on that front.
11.00am: We have a late breakfast and chat about all the things we’d like to do to the house but don’t have the funds to do. We bought our first home two years ago after five years renting and saving. Overall, we’re very happy with the place and it thankfully didn’t require any major works, but it feels like there’s always something that could be improved. We finish and get stuck into more cleaning.
4.30pm: I have a quick follow-up appointment with my GP. The visit is covered under the Maternity & Infant Care Scheme. I collect a prescription and some items in the pharmacy after (€22.32). I haven’t eaten since our late breakfast so make myself a quick sandwich when I get home.
6.30pm: It’s cooled down a bit, so we drive to the seaside for a walk. My partner braves a dip in the Irish Sea while the dog and I chill on the shore.
9.15pm: It’s quite late by the time we get home and get the BBQ going for dinner. My partner takes care of the cooking while I pull out the salads from yesterday. I go to bed soon after.
Today’s total: €22.32
10.00am: I don’t sleep well, so I have a lazy morning. I’ve been paid overnight so I spend five minutes transferring my money for savings, bills and mortgage to various accounts and Revolut pockets. I’m a planner and find it helpful to save in advance, particularly for outgoings that are charged annually (e.g. car insurance, professional registration fees).
2.00pm: I do some online shopping and buy a changing table and some other bits for the house (shelf, coat hooks) that will help free up some space for when the baby arrives (€152). A family member has very kindly given us some money to cover the changing table, and the remainder comes from a fund we had for furniture when we first moved in (that thankfully still has a few euros left in it!).
4.15pm: It cools down a bit so I bring the dog to the coffee shop and get myself an iced coffee and protein ball (€7.60). I do some research and realise my union offers free fees during maternity leave, so I send an email to arrange cover. My professional registration body also offers to reimburse 50% of the annual fee, but I’ll need to get a letter from my doctor before I can request this.
7.30pm: My partner will be working late over the weekend, so we nab a last-minute reservation and head into town to make the most of today’s good weather and our dwindling opportunities for spontaneous dinner plans. We get an outdoor table and enjoy some food and people-watching off South William Street. My partner pays for taxis in and out. We go halves on dinner (€50 each).
10.00pm: Home to some ice cream and yet more World Cup before bed.
Today’s total: €57.60
9.30am: I get the dog out for a quick walk, then hop on the bus into town for an antenatal appointment at my maternity hospital. I have credit on my Leap card from last month so my travel is covered.
11.30am: Baby is given a provisional delivery date of less than two weeks’ time! Despite knowing about the pregnancy for nine-odd months, it still comes as a bit of a shock that they will actually be here so soon. I let it sink in on the bus home.
2.00pm: I make a sandwich for lunch and then drive over to collect the online shopping I bought yesterday. I need to put some petrol in the car to get there (€29.99). I stop off in a hardware shop on the way home to get some bits and pieces needed to install my purchases. (€22.26)
4.00pm: The dog and I head for a coffee. I’m still a bit hungry so I get a pastry too (€8.10). I’m not normally a ‘sweet’ person, but at this stage of pregnancy, all bets are off. I do some more online shopping. We’ve lived without a tumble dryer since renting, but agree that neither of us fancy hanging several loads of baby clothes a week on a clothes horse in the depths of winter. Pricing for our preferred model is the same across all the stores, so I go with the cheapest delivery option (€824.99). I put it on the credit card and will pay it off with money from our savings.
8.30pm: Partner gets home from work and we talk through updated plans for the baby’s arrival while we make dinner (BBQ again).
Today’s total: €60.35
8.30am: Another warm day so I get out with the dog for an early walk.
3.00pm: DIY is normally my partner’s domain, but he’s at work and I’m itching to install the shelf and coat hooks I collected yesterday to help clear some space in our hallway. I do my measurements, dig out the drill and give it a go. Everything remains level and fixed to the wall, which I consider a success. I don’t think I’ll give up the day job just yet, though.
6.00pm: I finish cleaning up after my DIY efforts and sit down to watch the GAA.
8.30pm: I work on dinner while my partner makes his way home from work. I BBQ some vegetables and then meat, and pull together some salad for sides.
11.30pm: I try to stay up to watch the World Cup quarter-final but can’t make it past the second hydration break.
Today’s total: €0.00
10.00am: I like to spend Sunday mornings with a coffee, the newspapers and some talk radio. I’m not expecting to do much of this once the baby arrives so I make the most of today’s opportunity. The dog and I walk to the local bakery where I treat myself to coffee and a pastry (€6.80) and I pick up two papers from the shop (€10.20).
2.00pm: I catch up on some laundry and small jobs to keep the house ticking over. My newfound DIY skills get put to good use again and I decide to hang the mirror that’s been sitting in our bedroom for the last 18 months.
4.00pm: I grab some dinner leftovers for a late lunch and switch on the GAA. I start next week’s grocery shop online at half time, and take the dog for a walk once it cools down after the match.
8.45pm: Partner gets home from work and we both agree we can’t face more BBQ. We head to Drumcondra for dinner. I pay for parking (€4.35) and some ice creams afterwards (€6.50); my partner treats me to dinner.
Today’s total: €27.85
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What I learned –
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