What My Salary Gets Me: A 28-year-old account executive with $33,000 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 28-year-old account executive shares her diary.

Age: 28

Job: Account Executive

Salary: $60k

Housing: Renting with boyfriend

Regular expenses (monthly): $2,800

Rent: $1,100 (my share)

Phone and Music: $11 (parents pay for my phone, I KNOW, I’m sorry)

Transport: $311 (train + uber)

Gym: $84

Supermarket: $506

Utilities: $200 (average per month)

Internet: $70

Stan: $14

Savings: $800 per month – Currently have $33K total across investments and savings.

Watch: The optimal salary for happiness. Post continues after video.

Monday – Day One

An average day at work today. I skip breakfast and have a soy latte ($4.50), only because I was still feeling full from a ramen I ate the night before. Lunch is just three prawn rice paper rolls ($8) which is pretty satisfying, I was trying to still eat something pretty light. Later that afternoon, I get a cold brew ($6) which was a game changer and fueled my afternoon. Went home and tidied up, my boyfriend and I are moving soon so there’s always something to clear/pack/tidy lately.

He gets home late so I’ve already been to the shops, I bought eggs and chicken, frozen fish and some raspberries ($15).  Chill night in, we watch some Gourmet Makes on YouTube from the Bon Appetit Test Kitchen and slowly fall asleep dreaming of Takis.

Daily Total: $33.50

Tuesday – Day Two

Today I have a big day and a couple of stressful moments. I skipped my morning coffee and instead don’t have anything until about 1pm when head out to get some banana bread and another soy latte ($8.50). That fills me up for the moment and I avoid buying more food later on. I have some fruit from work (free) and another coffee (free) from the office.

After the day we head to Coles and my boyfriend buys dinner tonight – chicken, frozen vegetables and some yoghurt.

Daily Total: $8.50

Wednesday – Day Three

Another basic day, I get to work and grab my friend and we go for a walk to get coffee ($4.50). Smash through my ever growing workload and decide to get something of a treat for lunch and go to a new kebab place with friends ($11). That afternoon I also had to purchase some more melatonin for my boyfriend and I ($22) from an online store. For the rest of the day I’m crazy full, so I avoid buying anything else until I get home. We get some more vegetables and chicken and other bits and pieces from Coles and head home ($13)

Daily Total: $50.50

Thursday – Day Four

I was scrolling on Tik Tok this morning and saw something about a book and decided I had to have it. Before I’d even got out of bed I’d been online shopping and bought this little book ($22).

I get to work and grab a coffee ($3.50), long black this time and start work. For lunch, I decide to go to Coles and get my most basic meal, Pepsi Max and a salad ($7).

I’m going out tonight for an event celebrating my boyfriend’s recent achievements, so keep it pretty low key during the day. There are free drinks and cheese platters at the event so that’s a win but then to celebrate we go out for dinner afterwards, and it’s not cheap but sometimes you have to splurge. We split the bill 50/50 ($125 was my share)

Daily Total: $135.50

Friday – Day Five

It’s Friday finally and I’m extremely ready for the weekend. I’m a little dusty from last night but ready to kick on. I get my morning coffee, a long black again and a croissant ($7) to start the day.

We decided to go out for a big lunch with work people and so we head to the pub. I only get something tiny because I’m not really vibing the food, like I said, I am still dusty. I get some dumplings ($14) and leave it at that, I head back to the office early. I leave work and head straight home, have to tidy up because we have people coming over. I buy two bottles of wine ($30) and my boyfriend covers me for the pizza.

Daily Total: $50

Saturday – Day Six

It’s the weekend and now I can really get these numbers up.

We’re moving apartments soon so we need to spend a little money. We head to the gym first thing and get a workout in, a must do when you’re not too hungover on a Saturday morning. We jump on the train and head to our local shopping centre. We make a beeline for West Elm and buy a huge dining table first up, get it out of the way ($700 my share). Then we head to Kmart and buy tubs to pack things into ($54). On our way home from the shops we get some snacks at McDonald’s ($11.70).

That night we go and visit a friend in Bondi and my boyfriend buys the wine for this, later we head out for drinks and I get us some drinks ($40).

Daily Total: $805.70

Sunday – Day Seven

Sunday morning is a slow one. Feeling dusty again, it’s been a big few days of social events and celebrations.

I take the morning slow, my boyfriend heads to basketball so I’m home alone. I consider leaving the house to get food… but then order some ramen on UberEats ($20) instead.

I spend most of the day inside just watching Netflix and relaxing, it’s not too bad. I do get a low-sugar grape slushie from 7/11 as well, but that doesn’t really make a dent ($0.80). Does improve my mood though, great drink.

Later that night, my boyfriend and I go to Woolworths and get dinner, it’s my shout ($21.50).

Daily Total: $42.30

Weekly Total: $1,126

Reflection:

I’ve had a fun week. This kind of spending on the regular would be a lot but that’s why I have savings and most of the time I’m careful with my money. We have some big expenses coming up with this move and have been celebrating some big achievements in both mine and my partner’s life lately so that’s been really fun! What good is money if you’re not enjoying 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.

What My Salary Gets Me: A Sales Director on $120,000 a year, who refuses to cook.

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