Mamamia’s Money Diaries asks Australians to record a week in their financial lives. Kind of like a sex diary but with money. So not like a sex diary at all. We still find out the best kept secrets though. We discover what women are really spending their hard-earned cash on. Nothing is too outrageous or too sacred. This week a 22-year-old junior advertising account manager tells all.
Industry: Advertising, boutique agency
Age: 22
Salary: $65,000
Housing: Renting with my boyfriend
Regular expenses: Monthly (my share)
- Rent – $850
- Car Insurance – $50
- Bills (including Netflix, internet, electricity) – $140
- Mobile phone – $100
- Myki card – $110
- Savings – $18,000
Debt: HECS debt, approximately $20,000.
Assets: Uhhhhh. Nada. Wait. Does my beaten up Holden Barina and a wardrobe full of Seed Heritage count?
TUESDAY – Day One
8:30AM: A coffee (soy latte, please) from my favourite local cafe, which costs an embarrassing $4.50.
8:50AM: I heat up my daily sachet of honey oats at work, which costs about $0.80 total (winning).
1:00PM: Duck out to grab a fancy chicken salad with avocado and cheese, $13.50.
6:00PM: Too lazy to make dinner, decide with my boyfriend we’ll get Subway, costing me $6.50 for a six-inch chicken teriyaki sub with salads. I also shout him his, which was $10.20.
Daily spend: $35.50
Top Comments
Over a year that's almost $25k on....nothing. Four years..100k. But they can't work out how to save for a home deposit when they don't have any responsibilities other than themselves.
I could write one of these.. however I dont think anyone would find my $6.70 purchase for dog food in three days very interesting... This woman actually has some savings though which is more than the previous posters.. so kudos to her.
Mine would be even more boring - spend a ridiculous amount of money once a week to feed a family of five then work full time from home so no extra outlay, just use up stuff from the fridge and pantry. Occasionally I forget a dinner ingredient and pop up to Coles! Even more occasionally I meet a friend for lunch and spend max $10. Yawn - old and sensible!
Mine would garner exactly the same question from every single person who comments: 'You spend how much on personal training?'