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.