WELCOME TO HOW I Spend My Money, a series on The Journal that looks at how people in Ireland really handle their finances. 

Are you a spender, a saver or a splurger? We’re asking readers to keep a record of how much they earn, what they save if anything, and what they’re spending their money on over the course of one week. If you’re interested, send a mail to money@thejournal.ie. We would love to hear from you.

Each money diary is submitted by readers just like you. When reading and commenting, bear in mind that their situation will not be relatable for everyone, it is simply an account of a week in their shoes, so let’s be kind.

Last time around, we heard from a junior doctor on €44K living in Co Cork. This week, a charity policy coordinator on €36K living in Dublin. 

I am living in the north inner city of Dublin and work in the charity sector. I’m one full year out of college but have five years of work experience behind me in similar roles. At the moment, I find myself living pay day to pay day. My rent is €1,000 a month for a tiny apartment which I share with two others – the total rent for the property is €3,000 a month. Bills are at a minimum which is helpful, only €50 a month for electricity, but I also am paying back a student loan at €250 a month, and my father gave me a loan to pay for the house deposit, another €100 a month.

I’m currently writing a book, so I put a different amount away every month to provide for publishing costs. There is no set amount I put away every month, I base it off what I can afford to do that month. If I know I have something like a birthday or a weekend trip coming up, I’ll put less into the book fund to allow me to do other activities comfortably, although usually I’m waiting impatiently for pay day at the end of the month. Additionally, I’m on the pension auto-enrolment scheme, which is currently at 1.5% of my yearly salary.

After immediate deductions, my approximate €2,500 becomes €900 to spend over 30 days. I’ve told myself that until I’m on a higher salary, it would be impossible to save for long-term goals such as a master’s degree, a car or a deposit for a house. These are all things that I would love to start investing in now, as my dad has told me to start young and start small, however when I have only €900 in spending for the entire month, it is almost impossible to do.

I do take good care of my money though. When I get paid, I sort my income into vaults on Revolut to cover all my expenses for the month, including rent, student loan repayment, electricity bill, phone plan, etc. Since all of my spending goes through Revolut, I am able to generate an income and expenditure account at the end of every month. I am a huge data nerd, my dad is an accountant and I did economics at college and accountancy in school, so I am well versed in how to organise my spending and notice trends and cut down when I begin to spend too much on any one expenditure category.

Occupation: Policy and advocacy coordinator

Monthly pay (net): Approx. €2,500 after tax,........

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