How much do you actually spend in a week? We take a look at the spending habits of Clea, one of our writers, and take a look where her money goes...
I just bought a car and have a credit card bill that I want to pay back as soon as possible so I’m meant to be cutting back my spending.. I’m living with my parents while studying so in theory, I shouldn’t be spending much anyway.
On that note, keeping a money diary for a week sounded like a damn good idea. Writing down each and every purchase is a really good incentive for not wasting your small change on hairclips and chockie bars. I also thought it would be a great idea to know how much I am actually saving (or not). When I started the money diary, I smugly assured myself that I’m “pretty good” most days. As I found out, the days when I’m not on best behaviour are my downfall.
Note: The following money diary ignores my weekly insurance payments and monthly phone bill. I had also just bought this semester’s textbooks – so overall, this diary only really reflects my disposable income rather than life’s boring necessities.
So here’s the summary of my week:
Monday: I drive along the waterfront, park my car in a free zone, and pay $1.50 each way on the bus to and from work. For lunch, I eat sandwiches and fruit that I’d prepared last night. My only indulgence for the day is a coffee – which I got free from my coffee card! Bonus! Later the girls get together for Desperate Housewives and Grey’s Anatomy - excellent, as it’s fun but totally free. Day’s Total: $3.00
Tuesday: I take another pre-prepared lunch to work, and do my usual park-and-ride thing ($3.00 on bus fares). Between afternoon lectures, my sugar levels crash. I buy a Nippy Iced Coffee ($2.20). Day’s Total: $5.20
Wednesday: I sleep through my alarm and wake up in a panic. Crap. I run out the door and pay $4.00 for the next bus to town. At lunchtime, I spend $6.40 on a chicken salad roll and a caramel slice. An hour later, my friend texts me and suggest we meet for coffee. I’m full, but I spend $3.50 on a latte. Totally worth it – we have a good old giggle and laze about until our classes at 4pm. I pay another $4.00 bussing home. Day’s Total: $17.90
Thursday: Today I take my own lunch, and spend the usual $3.00 on park-and-ride bus fares. When a girlfriend invites me out for coffee, I agree to meet her, promising myself I will only spend $3.00 on peppermint tea. But, dessert calls, and I end up having some tiramisu for $5.00. Day’s Total: $11.00
Friday: I take a packed lunch, but buy a $3.20 coffee. After Uni I meet some friends at Shadows bar on campus for, “Just one drink because I’m watching my spending”. Which turns into three Smirnoff Black drinks at $6.50 a pop ($19.50). After this, my judgement becomes somewhat blurred.
We get hungry and wander to Wagamama for dinner. I spend $16.50 on some ginger chicken noodles (excellent choice, by the way). After dinner, we’re still feeling a bit giggly and someone insists that we need hot chocolates. Which turns into a mission to the Chocolate Boutique in Parnell and $6.50 down the drain on hot chocolate and lollies. Later we blob out at a mate’s house and my friends start laughing at my attempts to “cut back”. Especially as I know that tomorrow I’m going shopping. Day’s Total: $45.70
Saturday: I need to buy a skirt, a top, and maybe some pants for work. I head to St Lukes, fiercely determined not to spend over $150. After perusing cheap shops, I get irritated and head to Max, my staple store for not-too-expensive-but-still-nice work clothes. The shop assistant is super-helpful and I end up spending $247 on a skirt and two tops. Uh-Oh. I know they’re really nice, but I didn’t mean to spend that much. Why couldn’t I have liked the clothes in the cheaper shops? I then think, “Screw it, I’ve already blown the budget, what’s a bit more?” This is a dangerous way of thinking, as I then spend $4.50 on a fruit smoothie, $5.95 on sushi and $20 on petrol on the way home. Later, my boyfriend suggests we go out for dinner to Tanuki’s Cave. I should say no but I don’t. We split the bill and I spend $21.50. All in all, an expensive day. Day’s Total: $298.95
Sunday: I’m feeling pretty damn poor today. Someone asks me if I want to go to a movie tonight and I say no. I go for a walk with a friend instead. We end up buying coffee so I cave and spend $4.00. Day’s Total: $4.00
TOTAL FOR WEEK: $385.75
The verdict: I really was intending on spending as little as possible this week. Oops. While it felt like I was cutting back, in reality my weekly total shows otherwise. I seem to spend around $15 a week on unnecessary coffee.
I don’t regularly blow $250 on work clothes, but there are other areas I could still cut back on. I mean really - who needs restaurant dinners on both nights of the weekend? In future, I’ll limit myself to one dinner out at the most. When I’ve repaid my debt I can afford to splurge a wee bit more, but for now, I’ll lay off the vodka and avoid restaurants for the next few weeks. Sigh.
How much do you actually spend in a week? We take a look at the spending habits of Clea, one of our writers, and take a look where her money goes...
I sleep through my alarm and wake up in a panic. Crap. I run out the door and pay $4.00 for the next bus to town. At lunchtime, I spend $6.40 on a chicken salad roll and a caramel slice. An hour later, my friend texts me and suggest we meet for coffee. I’m full, but I spend $3.50 on a latte. Totally worth it – we have a good old giggle and laze about until our classes at 4pm. I pay another $4.00 bussing home.
We get hungry and wander to Wagamama for dinner. I spend $16.50 on some ginger chicken noodles (excellent choice, by the way). After dinner, we’re still feeling a bit giggly and someone insists that we need hot chocolates. Which turns into a mission to the Chocolate Boutique in Parnell and $6.50 down the drain on hot chocolate and lollies. Later we blob out at a mate’s house and my friends start laughing at my attempts to “cut back”. Especially as I know that tomorrow I’m going shopping. 
Day’s Total: $4.00