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 receptionist on €30k saving to move to Australia. This week, a marketing manager on €90k who is currently on unpaid leave after having a baby.

I’m living just outside Dublin with my husband and two kids. I have done two back-to-back maternity leaves (thanks to Irish twins!) and am currently on unpaid leave. As my second pregnancy was a bit of a surprise, I wasn’t as prepared financially as I would have liked to have been, so I have cut out some luxuries (like saving or buying new clothes). I have always been a saver, so thankfully I had enough saved to allow me to take some unpaid maternity leave and cover monthly costs.

I keep a household expenses spreadsheet each month to see where our money is going. It’s been really eye-opening, especially with groceries – some months our bill is over €1,000. We do our shopping in Lidl and don’t buy particularly extravagant foods, but our bill just always seems to be so high. We spend about €150 doing our weekly shop but then end up doing top up shops during the week, which all add up.

Although I am not saving consistently right now, I use Revolut’s investment account to invest my ‘spare change’. I like to think of it as money I may not have noticed spending otherwise (like the random 10c and 20c I find in old handbags). It’s slowly building up and earning interest so maybe some day down the line I will use it to do something nice with our family.

Occupation: Marketing manager

Monthly pay (net): €4,500 (but zero income at the moment)

Transport: Electric car which is charged at home, included in monthly electricity bill

Household bills: Just over €1,500 per month – covering electricity/gas, Wi-Fi, TV, bins, insurances and repayments on two small loans

Crèche fees: €590 (one child, part-time)

Health insurance: Covered by work

Groceries: Between €900 and €1,000 per month

Subscriptions: €25 – Spotify and Google storage

Eating out/takeaways: €60 – try to keep this to a minimum. The price of a takeaway coffee has gone insane!!

7.30am: Get up and feed my youngest baby, and get dressed into my gym gear. I head downstairs where my husband and toddler are having breakfast. We get both kids dressed and ready for the day. I have my breakfast which I’ve batch prepped from the other day.

8.00am: Check bank accounts to be sure we’re set for any bills going out this week. Crèche fees come out as usual each Monday (€120). This will more than double soon when I go back to work and both kids are in full-time. But I’m lucky to have a crèche to send them to so I shouldn’t complain about having to essentially pay a second mortgage, right?

10.00am: Today is a no crèche day, so I’ve arranged for the teenage girl across the road to come over for a few hours to help out (I pay her €8 per hour). We make brownies and I do some cleaning.

12.00pm:........

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