
Mamamia’s What My Salary Gets Me series 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 32-year-old who works in media in Sydney, NSW, shares her money diary.
Age: 32
Job: Working in media
Income: $95,000
Housing: Renting a one bedroom apartment in Sydney with partner, $520 per week.
Watch: Simple Budgeting with a banana. Post continues below.
Regular expenses:
Internet: $60 per month
Gas/electricity: About $400 quarterly
Groceries: We don't do a weekly shop, we just buy things as and when we need them (which probably ends up costing way more now I think of it)
Phone: $70 per month
Subscriptions: Netflix, $10 per month, Stan $10 per month
Gym: $70 per fortnight
Health insurance: $125 per month
Savings: $20,000
Assets: None.
Monday - Day One
I've been lucky enough to keep my job in COVID and have been working from home since around the end of March. Although this has been tough, it's definitely helped me cut down on my mindless, day to day spending.
Before I log on, I go for a morning walk, then grab a coffee on the way back, $4.10.
After my first Zoom call of the day, I make scrambled egg on toast with ingredients I already had in the house from one of my many mini grocery shops last week. Lunch is chicken salad, also from ingredients already in the fridge.
As we're now free to travel within the state, my partner and I book a weekend away for a couple of week's time, accommodation comes to $300 each. I do a booze order - a box of six bottles of wine for $57. We will take half of that away with us, and keep the rest in the wine rack. My boyfriend will drive and we'll split petrol and food costs on the way up.
Daily total: $361.10
Tuesday - Day Two
Again, I grab a morning coffee, $4.10 and then eat breakfast and lunch at home. On my break, I wonder to Coles and buy a chocolate-flavoured protein bar, $1.45. It would be cheaper if I bought a 20 pack but I don't trust myself having them in the house!