WELCOME TO HOW I Spend My Money, a series on The Journal that looks at how people in Ireland really handle their finances.
Last time around, we heard from a financial analyst on €81K who has recently moved from Ireland to London. This week, a 38-year-old teacher on €69K living in the south of the country. I do not remember the last time I had a day off when I wasn’t dealing with some issue. I haven’t had a foreign holiday since 2010. I set up a property company a number of years ago, mostly on tax advice but I did have ambitions of expanding it. I have put those plans on hold until I figure out what I want to do with my life. It is just about manageable what I have going on at the moment.
7.45 am: Nana arrives. Older boy stays home, at her house for the day. Younger man heads for preschool. 9.20 pm: Put the car charging. I’ve started using low-cost hours, my last electricity bill was high . For reference, I live in a small B3-rated, semi-detached house at the moment.Today’s total: €15.47
7.50 am: Leave for work. Listen to a music playlist. I rarely meet any other cars on my commute to work which is actually great! 8.30 pm: Downstairs and open laptop to get some work done on school jobs, company stuff and a break with the boys at mid-term. Television on in the background and stove is slow-cooking me. Plug in the car and set for low-cost hours charging again and pre-condition.
8.35 am: Grab a tea and clear a few jobs off my list before class starts. On supervision on my break today so working through until 1.15 pm.1.15 pm: Rush home to collect older boy from school. I like to collect him whenever I can on a Wednesday, which isn’t often. 6.00 pm: Neighbour calls with her child and all three watch some YouTube while we chat for a half hour.
9.45 pm: Rain has stopped and I fill up with timber for the stoves and charge the car, I don’t think the electric car will ever become mainstream for a number of reasons, this one is pretty special to drive but the price of electricity has gone through the roof like everything else. Public charging is a pain in the proverbials by the way.11.00 pm: Wrecked, up to bed and asleep within minutes.7.
Lad seems to work hard and it's very driven. Fair play to him. I doubt i could keep up and I've no kids