What My Salary Gets Me: A 32-year-old data analyst on $90,000 a year with $20,000 in savings.

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 32-year-old data analyst from Melbourne, Vic, shares her money diary.

Age: 32

Job: Data Analyst

Salary: $90k

Housing: Renting a large studio apartment.

Regular expenses (monthly):

Rent: $2000

Phone: $70

Gym: $140

Utilities: Roughly $60 on gas quarterly, $200 on electricity

Internet: $70

Stan: $10

Netflix: $10

Debt: $2000 on a credit card

Savings: $20,000

MM Confessions: The fashion items we’ve blown too much money on. Post continues after video. 

Monday – Day One

I don’t rise until 7.15am which is late for me. I walk to the office, grabbing a coffee and avocado on toast on the way ($21.10). I’ve bought a tuna salad from home for my lunch but do buy a packet of cheese and crackers on my break ($6). After work, I walk home, stopping at Coles to grab some chicken breasts, vegies and other bits to see me through the week ($35).

Daily Total: $62.10

Tuesday – Day Two

I get up early and walk to the gym for a spin class. I grab a coffee on my way to the office ($4.10) then eat oats I already had at work and a banana from the company fruit bowl for my breakfast. Lunch is chicken and vegies bought from home, but I still end up buying two dresses on the Iconic ($55.98) – at least they were in the sale! Walk home, dinner from the previous day’s groceries, Netflix and bed.

Daily Total: $60.08

Wednesday – Day Three

Same deal – early morning gym and a coffee ($4.10). I’ve bought lunch with me today but I don’t fancy salad, so treat myself to a sandwich ($10). I feel sluggish all afternoon and remember why I normally try to have salad. I catch up with a friend after work. We share a bottle of white wine and sweet potato fries ($20, my share) then I Uber home as I don’t want to walk home in the dark ($12). I have a couple of slices of toast when I get in and go to bed.

Daily Total: $46.10

Thursday – Day Four

Gym, coffee, and vegemite toast ($11.10). For lunch, I eat the salad I left in the work fridge the day before. I snack on fruit and some almonds I have in my desk drawer. On my way home from work, I have a facial, which is free as it was a birthday gift I’ve only just got around to using. I have a friend’s birthday dinner on Saturday and we all chip in $20 to get her a cake and a gift. Dinner from groceries at home (although I stop at Coles to top up on vegies, $12).

Daily Total: $43.10

Friday – Day Five

Yay, it’s Friday. I sleep in today, knowing I have a very big Saturday ahead. Then it’s coffee ($4.10) and a busy day at work. It’s also pay day, so I immediately pay $100 off my credit card. I have oats and a banana for breakie and a shop-bought salad for lunch, $12.95. I have one glass of wine with a colleague after work ($11) and still walk home.

Daily Total: $28.05

Saturday – Day Six

I know the birthday party is going to be very boozy so I try to get in some self care beforehand – I sleep late and go for a run. Then grab a coffee ($4.10) and have scrambled eggs at home. I spend the day reading and watching Netflix, before getting ready for the birthday party. I get an Uber to the venue ($21) and buy a bottle of Prosecco as soon as I arrive, sharing it with friends ($45). My friends take it in turns to buy bottles of wine and we all share. I only buy one more drink after that, a cocktail for $17. A friend shouts our Uber home and I resist the urge to order a greasy takeaway.

Daily Total: $87.10

Sunday – Day Seven

I decide on a very chilled day. I buy a coffee ($4.10) and go for a walk. I buy a sandwich from the cafe ($10) then go home to read and watch Netflix. I have pasta for dinner and make a double portion so I have lunch sorted for the next day.

Daily Total: $14.10

Weekly Total: $340.63

Reflection:

This is how I spend when I’m enjoying life and not really worrying too much about it. I definitely have times where I rein it in a lot more and concentrate on saving, but right now I’m not putting that pressure on myself. I work hard, I’m newly single and child-free, so this is a good time for me to enjoy mid-week Prosecco and buying new dresses. I know walking my commute and bringing my lunch most days helps. I could be better at preparing breakfast and if I shopped smarter at Coles, I might not need so many mid-week top up shops. I’m slowly chipping away at the credit card debt. I used it specifically to pay for some expensive flights last year and haven’t spent a cent on it since, so I don’t feel bad about it.

Please note: The feature image used is a stock photo.

Mamamia’s What My Salary Gets Me series drops every Thursday. Want to share a week in the life of your bank account with us (anonymously of course, no judgement here)? Send us your Money Diary to submissions@mamamia.com.au

For more What My Salary Gets Me:

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What My Salary Gets Me: A 29-year-old on $108,000 a year, with $455,000 in savings.

What My Salary Gets Me: The 36-year-old project manager who spent $3,795 in one week.

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What My Salary Gets Me: A 34-year-old on $21,400 a year, who has hardly any daily expenses.