Money diary of a working mum on a $150k salary in Sydney

Writing a money diary is a good way to self-reflect on your spending habits and financial priorities, and sharing it can provide insight into the budgeting strategies and financial challenges that others face – creating more awareness and visibility on how we all spend our money.

In this money diary, we follow 34-year-old Victoria, a full-time working mother of two young boys who lives an hour’s commute from Sydney CBD and works in brand marketing in the finance industry. Balancing work, family and personal goals, Victoria navigates her weekly expenses with an eye towards future savings, making thoughtful financial decisions for her boys.

Occupation: Senior Brand Manager

Industry: Financial Services 

Age: 34

Location: Sydney, Australia

Salary: $150,000

Assets: $13,308 in shares 

Debt: $870,000 mortgage (husband’s pay covers this)

Daily spending breakdown:  

Day 1: Monday

6am – I wake up early to get a head start on the day before the kids wake up. On Mondays, I work from home, so it’s less of a rush to get the kids ready for school and daycare. I enjoy the quiet morning with a cup of tea, taking a moment to plan the week ahead.

8.30am – I drop the kids at school and daycare. Daycare costs $50.13 after the subsidy, which helps us manage our budget. I chat briefly with other parents before heading back home.

9am – Log onto my computer and check my emails. There was a data hack on a few of my company’s competitors over the weekend – luckily ours was not affected – but there was a flurry of emails in my inbox to discuss how we reassure our customers. I spend the morning working on any comms plans with my team. 

12pm – I use my lunch break to head to Woolies to pick up my click and collect order and head to the butcher and baker to get remaining groceries for the week. I spend a total of $206.01, which is a little less than usual as we had a much bigger shop the week before and we are still getting through everything.  

5.30pm – Log off of work to hang out with the boys and get started on dinner. We have a family dinner planned, keeping it simple with pasta and veggies. The boys help set the table and we enjoy eating together (well my husband and I do – I look forward to when my kids eat like this!), discussing plans for the week.

8pm – Wind down with some TV after the kids are in bed. My favourite show at the moment is Running Point. It’s my little escape after a busy day.  

Daily Total: $256.14

Day 2: Tuesday

6am – On Tuesdays, I work at the office in the CBD, my mum comes over early to help with the boys, as my husband has 5am starts. My mum manages the school drop-off and she and my dad have my littlest one on Tuesdays to save money on daycare. I live an hour’s drive from the city, but it’s a two-hour commute door-to-door on the train. Train fare: $8.

8.30am – I try to be in by 8.30am so I can get a desk – our company does hot desking in the office and a seat is hot property! I grab a coffee from the coffee shop before I head up to the office – a little money win: if you use their app to order ahead it’s a little cheaper and you accumulate dollars for future purchases, so my coffee is only $3.80 and it’s ready and waiting for me as I arrive. 

1pm – When I work at the office I like to treat myself by buying lunch out with my team. I choose a salad bowl today: $15. It’s a nice break and a chance to catch up with colleagues.

5pm – It was a big day full of meetings and I am very ready to head home. I jump on the train and finish off some work on the commute back home. Train fare: $8.

7.30pm – During the week I plan meals ahead so my husband can help when I get home so late, he has made chicken and roast vegetables tonight, so we eat that together then put the boys to bed, before spending the rest of the night on the couch! It’s nice to unwind together.

Daily Total: $34.80 

Day 3: Wednesday

6am – It's another WFH day today, so we get the kids ready for school and daycare. Daycare: $50.13. The morning routine goes smoothly, and I appreciate the extra time at home.

1pm – Home for lunch, I serve myself a plate of leftover chicken and veggies. It’s quick and easy, letting me get back to work promptly. I work through lunch generally when I WFH to allow me the time to pick up my eldest from school.

3pm – I pick up my eldest from school and take him straight to his speech therapy appointment. He’s been going weekly for the past few months and it’s an expense I wasn’t expecting! The appointment costs $198.50 and I get a little bit back with our health insurance thankfully!

6pm – Wednesday is payday so I spend some time after work paying our bills and sorting out finances. Our electricity bill this summer was not kind to us, $1000.16, but at least we save $75 with the government subsidy. I also put $50 each into savings accounts for the boys for when they are older, so $100 in total. When it’s a little bit over a long time you don't notice it, and I know I will thank my future self for doing it in the long run. We choose to keep these as offset accounts to lower our interest on our home loan rather than accumulate interest in saver accounts; for our situation, the cost comparison makes it better to offset the home loan. [AMP's home loan and offset calculator can help you see the effect of having money in an offset account to the interest paid over the remaining term.]

7pm – Dinner tonight is tacos using the ingredients I bought in our weekly shop. The boys have fun making their own, and it’s a great way to end the day with some light-hearted family interaction.

Daily Total: $1273.79

Day 4: Thursday

6am – Back to work in the office today, so it’s a busy morning of getting ready, and dropping the kids off at daycare and school. Daycare: $50.13.

8.30am – My usual coffee is waiting for me when I arrive, thanks to the app. Coffee: $3.80. Train fare: $8.

2pm – It’s a busy day of meetings so I don’t get to eat lunch until 2pm! I grab a quick salad from the downstairs cafe: $15. It’s a fast-paced day and the salad is a welcome refreshment.

4pm – We have after-work drinks with the team organised tonight. I buy two happy hour wines for $9 each. Drinks: $18. Train fare: $8.

6pm – On Thursdays my husband picks up the kids from daycare and school, and we put my eldest in after-school care: $45.15. My husband cooks dinner tonight on the barbecue, which is always a treat.

Daily Total: $148.08

Day 5: Friday

5am – On Fridays, I start early with a personal training session. I’m trying to do more things for myself and starting slowly with one fitness session a week. $23.

9am – I make a coffee and log onto work. It’s a quieter day, and I manage to get through my to-do list efficiently.

3pm – I pick up my eldest from school and head to the shops to get some crafting supplies. The boys have an Easter hat parade at school next week, so I need to get some crafting supplies to help them make their hat. The eldest wants to be Spiderman while my youngest wanted a Minecraft-themed hat. Total: $89.90

5pm – I log off and pour myself a wine – it was a big week! I notice my health insurance has been direct debited from my account: $180.97.

7pm – Dinner tonight is kindly dropped on our door thanks to Uber Eats. Neither of us could be bothered cooking so we get takeaway pizzas from our favourite joint. TGIF! $80

Daily Total: $373.87

Weekly Total: $2,086.68