
Mamamia’s What My Salary Gets Me 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 28-year-old from Sydney, Australia, shares her money diary.
Industry: Media and entertainment
Age: 28
Salary: $95,000 + super
Housing: Renting a one bedroom apartment with my boyfriend.
Watch: Simple budgeting with a banana. Post continues below.
Monthly expenses:
Rent: $1,326
Internet: $40
Private health insurance: $100.59
Phone: $50
Gym: $80
Stan: $10
Netflix: $10
Spotify: $12
Opal card: $40
Index fund contribution: $100
Utilities: $50
Savings: $36,000 cash savings, $6,000 in index fund share portfolio.
Debt: Proudly, none. Have paid off my HECS and cut up my credit card after reading The Barefoot Investor a few years ago.
Sunday – Day One
There is a torrential downpour happening in Sydney today which means it’s the perfect kind of day to be indoors. The only problem is that eventually, I will have to head out into the sideways rain as we’ve run out food.
To put off the inevitable trip to the supermarket, I make blueberry pancakes for breakfast using ingredients we already have.
I also start making sourdough bread for the week. It’s one of my favourite hobbies, and it’s also very cost effective – I make two loaves most Sundays and they average out to cost about $2.50 each.
Today I’ve made a dried fig and hazelnut loaf, and an olive and rosemary loaf, using ingredients already in the cupboard/fridge.
Top Comments
Nice work on the index fund contributions!
I'm going to say it: everyone with private health cover should scrutinise it. There's a certain high-income point where the medicare levy and surcharge starts to cost more, but even then, you can end up with significant gaps to pay if you use the private health system. If you max out extras, check what they would cost without cover.