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 30-year-old who works in PR shares her money diary.

Age: 30 

Job: PR 

Income: $65,000 per year

Housing: I live in a shared house with two housemates. I have a slightly larger room and my share of the rent is $365 per week.

The difference between men and women negotiating their salary. Post continues below.

Rent: $1460

Health insurance: $125.60

Phone: $60

Gym: $120

Savings: $10,000 

Assets: None

Netflix and Stan: $20

Monday – Day One

I've been working at home due to COVID but each day I treat myself to a cafe coffee - it gets me out of the house and, let's face it, tastes pretty damn good! I also grab a croissant for breakie as I'm yet to do my weekly food shop, $10.10.

I work from the dining table in the kitchen. Thankfully, both my housemates are back at their offices so we are not jostling for space. I have leftovers for lunch and make another mental note to go food shopping. 

After work I do just that, spending $85 on groceries that will last me over a week. I make chicken tacos for dinner from the food shop, a double portion so lunch is sorted for tomorrow as well. 

Daily total: $95.10

Tuesday – Day Two

I grab my morning coffee, $4.10, then head home for breakfast I make myself, yogurt and fruit. 

I have meetings all day and before I know it, my boyfriend is picking me up to drive me to his - he's making dinner tonight - homemade burgers, yum!

We love a sneaky glass of wine normally but we decide to be good tonight. We drink water and watch Netflix together, before going to bed.

Daily total: $4.10

Wednesday – Day Three

My boyfriend drives me back in the morning and I get us both a coffee on the way, $8.20.

After a heavy dinner and a busy morning, I end up skipping breakie, and have soup and bread for lunch. 

After work, I walk into the city to return a jacket that doesn't fit, but I end up buying jeans and a top instead, $100.

Dinner is made at home - mushroom and bacon pasta. My housemate offers me a glass of wine from the bottle she's just opened - why not!

Daily total: $108.20

Thursday – Day Four

I get my cafe coffee, $4.10, then have a bowl of oats and a banana at home. 

It's another busy day, so I grab leftover soup for lunch and sit at my frantically working until dinner time.

Leftover pasta, Netflix and bed.

Daily total: $4.10

Friday – Day Five

Normal work day - morning coffee $4.10 and lunch is a salad I make at home.

My boyfriend and I are going out this evening, so I book a table at my local pub, because COVID. 

We meet there after work and share a bottle of wine, which I buy as he cooks dinner for me all the time, $27.

I also pay for the takeaway we order on the way home, $52 - ouch. 

When we get in, we have another glass of wine each from a bottle I already had in the house, then go to bed. 

Daily total: $83.10

Saturday – Day Six

I am desperate to get to the gym after a lazy week. My boyfriend walks me there, buying us both a coffee on the way. We stop in a bookshop but I resist buying anything. Boyfriend buys a book and I make a mental note to grab it off him as soon as he's done with it.

I work out, buy a protein shake on the way home, $5. 

I make steak and veggies for dinner and just chill out in the evening. 

Daily total: $5

Sunday – Day Seven

I get up, grab a coffee $4.10, and go for a massive walk. Some friends are organising a birthday present for a friend, so I chip in $20 for that. 

Later in the afternoon, despairing of my chipped nails, I get myself a shellac manicure in the cheap place round the corner from my house, $35. 

I eat all my meals at home today and spend the rest of my Sunday watching Netflix. 

Daily total: $59.10

Weekly total: $358.70

Reflection:

This is a higher weekly total than expected given I've been working from home and only went out once! But the clothes, birthday gift and nails are all things that wouldn't occur in a typical week. 

I am not particularly trying to save at the moment - just trying to take some of the pressure off myself and get through 2020!

My boyfriend and I love a night in and he likes to cook. Whenever he does, I'll always pay for our next date or takeaway so I things are pretty fair in that respect. 

You can catch up on our previous What My Salary Gets Me series here:

• What My Salary Gets Me: A 47-year-old on $46,000 a year, with two teenage sons and a mortgage.
• What My Salary Gets Me: A 32-year-old media worker on $95,000 a year.
• What My Salary Gets Me: A 35-year-old on $65,000, living in Sydney with her husband and mum.

Feature image: Getty.