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 an architectural graduate living in Dublin. This week, a public relations manager on €42K living in Dublin.

Having moved in with my boyfriend earlier this year, we’re finding it hard during the week to find time for ourselves to relax together with the dog or do much other than housework, while weekends tend to involve us fitting in as much as possible. Our ongoing goal is to find more time for relaxing and each other in the coming months.

A typical weekday morning includes my boyfriend dropping the dog off at his parents before heading to work, while I take the train four days per week. In the evenings, I usually go to the gym straight from work to avoid taking jam-packed trains home, while
my partner picks up the dog and starts on supper when he gets home. This is increasingly feeling like an unbalanced workload which we’re trying to find a way to divvy up in the new year, possibly with a dog walker, and with me planning to buy a car as only
one car and public transit is too limiting.

We may buy a house at some point in the future, but I’m not overly committed to staying in Ireland. I hope to soon buy a car. Generally, I’m a good saver, which often comes at the cost of having fun or splurging. I save about €400 per month plus anything left in my account by months end. That being said, we like to travel and spend a good amount on that per year, but have no costs for flights due to my partner’s job.

My boyfriend covers more of the costs when we go out, and the full costs of the dog and his car as he had both before we met – the agreement works for us for now because of the impact the additional costs would have on me, but when our pay evens out, we’ll look
at balancing our costs out more evenly.

Occupation: Public relations manager

Age: 24

Location: Dublin

Salary: €42,000

Monthly pay (net): €2,900

Monthly expenses

Phone: €20

Gym: €38

Groceries: €125

Apple music: €7

Insurance: €35

Transport: €40

Rent: €950 (includes wifi, parking, bins)

Loan: €180

Electricity/gas: €80 (I put away this lump sum per month)

Savings: €400

***

Monday

7.00 am: Wake up, get ready for the day and have a coffee before corralling the dog into the car and heading out the door to catch the train in to work for nine. Top up Leap card on the way (€5).

9.00 am: Yoghurt with a fruit for breakfast once I reach work and at my desk to start the day. I anticipate a quiet day ahead with clients beginning to switch off ahead of the holiday season and very few meetings in the calendar for this week.

1.00 pm: Quick lunch in the kitchen at work – a salad with vegetables and roast chicken that I prepared last night. Trying to keep a healthy and balanced meal plan this week as I’ve been travelling over the past few weeks and will be headed home for three weeks over Christmas. Walk to the pharmacy to pick up some toiletries to bring home with me for the holidays (€14.76) and have a look in Dunnes for some gifts for my niece and nephew.

5.30 pm: Log off for the day and despite my plan to go to the gym from work, the jet lag from recent work travels has gotten to me and I head home instead.

7.00 pm: Start supper, which is soup and sandwiches tonight. Boyfriend picked up some cheese which comes from the joint account so €2 is my share. After supper, we clean up and walk the dog and pick up cookies for dessert paid by my boyfriend.

9.30 pm: Lunch packed for tomorrow. I paint my nails, and turn on Netflix before heading to bed for 10.30pm.

Today’s total: €21.76

Tuesday

7.00 am: Up, get ready and have a coffee, before the usual hassle with getting the dog in the car, and being dropped off.

8.45 am: Yoghurt with fruit again for breakfast as I tend to keep my breakfasts and lunches consistent. At my desk and start by 9am, with a few meetings in the calendar to plan for the new year.

1.00 pm: Lunch in the kitchen – broccoli and almond salad again – while I chat with colleagues. Order my favourite foundation which I’ve been putting off buying (€35), but expensive makeup is one of my few indulgences when I know I have money set aside for it. I head out for a walk for 30 minutes and run in to the store for a few things (€3.30).

5.30 pm: Call it quits at work and head to the gym for a pilates class – normally Tuesday is the one weekday my boyfriend and I skip the gym, but since I have a busy week ahead and we both skipped yesterday, and I’m flying home for Christmas on Friday, I want as much exercise as possible.

7.30 pm: Supper is ready when I walk in: fish, potatoes, and veg cooked by my boyfriend. It’s one of our usual meals because it’s easy to make in the air fryer. After supper, I clean up, walk the dog and shower while my boyfriend heads to the gym.

10.00 pm: A fixture in the bathroom broke, so my boyfriend picked up a replacement piece which I fix back into the wall – no cost to us as it’s coming out of the rent. Then off to bed reading for a bit while my boyfriend watches TV in the living room and we go to sleep for 11pm.

Today’s total: €38.30

Wednesday

7.00 am: Same morning routine this morning, but I’m going out this evening so I spend a bit more time on my makeup and an outfit that will suit work and a night out.

9.00 am: Yoghurt and fruit for breakfast while I read before sitting down at my desk.

11.00 am: Had a few meetings this morning and emails to send to clients as I clear the decks for my week off.

1.00 pm: Quick lunch of salad, almonds, broccoli and a walk before heading back to my desk to finish the day.

5.00 pm: Out the door for an early supper to celebrate a busy but rewarding year of work!

7.00 pm: Meet up with a friend for a few drinks. I buy a round (€15) and head home well before the last train.

9.00 pm: I pick up a bottle of wine on the way home (€8) and shower, but since I’m off tomorrow, I watch TV with the dog while my boyfriend heads to bed.

Today’s total: €23.00

Thursday

10.00 am: Taking full advantage of my day off. The dog sleeps in longer than I do as I make coffee, put a load of laundry on, and start packing for my trip home.

12.00 pm: The dog wanders around to where I’m reading and I take her for an hour-long walk. I pick up a coffee on the way. (€4.50)

Related Reads

Money Diaries: An architectural graduate on €35K living in Dublin

Money Diaries: An Irish executive assistant living in Argentina for a few months

Money Diaries: Financial services manager on £43K living in the UK

2.00 pm: Head into town for some Christmas shopping. I pick up a rugby hat for my nephew as he’s been infatuated with rugby since being introduced to it by my boyfriend, and a T-shirt for my niece (€50). Boyfriend buys my other nephew a rugby kit for Christmas so the costs have evened out.

5.00 pm: Home from town. I put on the roast we’re having for dinner as my boyfriend wanted to make our own Christmas supper in our apartment before heading to Canada, and while that cooks, I head to the hairdresser nearby to get my hair trimmed (€25). This is something I rarely do as I’m growing out my hair, but a necessity twice per year – a stark contrast to my boyfriend, who goes every other week!

7.00 pm: We sit down to eat supper and chat about the day before cleaning up and walking the dog together.

9.00 pm: Finish packing, shower, and head to bed to read before sleep at 10 pm as I have an early morning long-haul flight which I probably won’t sleep much on as I’m flying through the day.

Today’s total: €79.50

Friday

5.00 am: Not a morning person on a good day, but the excitement of heading home for the first time in over a year keeps me going. I put on a bit of makeup, do my hair and have a coffee while sitting with the dog. Head out the door with the dog and boyfriend, who drop me off at the airport first. I say my goodbyes, though my boyfriend will be joining me in a few days, while the dog I won’t see until January – we’re lucky that my boyfriend’s parents are willing to take her.

9.00 am: Grab a coffee and croissant before boarding (€7.50) and now waiting to take off.

1.00 pm: Watch a movie on the plane and now read a book.

4.00 pm Irish time: Land in Canada and have a three-hour stopover, so I make my way through customs and browse in the domestic section, have a Caesar and poutine (€20).

11.00 pm Irish Time: Land at home. My parents pick me up and we drive home. I have a shower before a glass of wine while visiting with my sisters, niece and nephew.

Today’s total: €27.50

Saturday

8.00 am: Keeping track of Irish Time has officially gone out the window! I get dressed and eat before my parents wake up.

10.00 am: Text my sister to get a hold of my niece and nephew and ask to head over to see them – hop in the car and drive the short way down.

2.00 pm: We spend the day outside and come in for lunch (mac and cheese). I bring the kids for a blizzard at Dairy Queen (€12), which we enjoy despite the -25 degrees weather!

7.00 pm: Head back to my parents for dinner. We have soup and sandwiches before walking over to my other sister’s place to see her and her dogs.

Today’s total: €12.00

Sunday

9.00 am: Up and grab breakfast. Call my grandparents and ask them if they’re up for a visit – of course, they’re elated. Call my cousin to make plans to see her at some point early this week as well.

11.00 am: I drive to the city to see my grandparents and spend about two hours visiting with them.

2.00 pm: Stop for a poutine and a coffee on my way out of the city (€15), put some gas in the car (€20), and pick up groceries (€20)

5.00 pm: Home for supper with my parents, sisters, their husbands, and my niece and nephew. Spend some time playing with the kids, chatting, and putting up the Christmas tree which my parents had put off until I got home. Call my boyfriend to wish him a happy birthday and make plans for what time I’ll pick him up when he lands.

12.00 am: Shower and head to bed after watching a movie on Netflix.

Today’s total: €55.00

Weekly subtotal: €257.60

***

What I learned -

• This week wouldn’t be representative of a normal spend as I don’t typically buy gifts for family or spend much on eating out. Being home always seems to be fairly expensive, so I might try to be more conscious of my spending next time I travel home.

• I’m in a much better financial position than I was in last year, so I want to try saving more than I used to and I really want this next year to be the one where I stop putting off the purchase of a car. Properly working towards a financial goal will help me avoid overspending now that I make more, especially when I’m travelling.

• Despite enjoying my life here, I’m constantly reconsidering living in Ireland solely because of the cost of rent. I’m fortunate to be able to afford it and live with my boyfriend and dog, but in the long term, it doesn’t make sense to live here when money can go further in other places. It’s a hard consideration to have so often, but the thought of moving elsewhere in Europe while I’m young is very appealing.

• I desperately needed a break from work and I’m so glad to have time left to take three weeks off over the Christmas holidays!