I don’t know about you but I love CNBC’s Millennial Money and Refinery29’s Money Diaries.
Maybe it’s because I love to snoop, but there’s something interesting about learning how someone spends their money. Since I enjoy it so much, I’d share my monthly money diaries!
Without ado, here’s my December 2024 money diary.
Introduction to my Money Diary
I make between $90,000 and $110,000k as a full-time HR professional and part-time content creator. As you can imagine, content creation can fluctuate. I do not include any investments as part of my income because I do not consider my dividends or compound interest as income; they automatically get re-invested. My money diary focuses on daily expenses.
Fixed Expenses & Bills
- Mortgage – $175.38
- Strata (basically HOA for condos) – $342.73
- Phone Bill – $33.60
- American Express monthly credit card fee – $12.99
- Home insurance – $33.79
- Car insurance – $225.41
- Car payment – $533.58
- Daycare – $146.50
Total: $1,503.98
Week of December 1 – 7
- Naruto Sushi – $63.90
- Amazon – $11.63
- Snacks – $3.68
- Sushi for lunch with co-workers – $20.47
- Groceries – $14.23
- Poke for lunch – $17.27
- Groceries – $44.47
- Car share -$11.83
- Native Shoes – $132.31 (Review on these soon!)
- Carousel ride for Theo – $2.75
- Snacks – $9.45
- Steam – $47.03. Purchased Two Point Hospital!
Total: $379.02
Week of December 8 – 14
- Groceries – $31.86
- Bras from Amazon – $49.34. Very surprised by the quality!
- Tim Horton’s – $2.30. Was craving a hot chocolate in the morning.
- Lunch from the supermarket – $8.39
- McDonald’s – $7.98
- Secret Santa & stocking stuffers – $107.22
- Value Village – $43.52
- Snacks – $6.02
- Dan’s new gaming computer that I surprised him with – $1,904.77
- Uber – $28.62
- Value Village – $144.96
- E-transfer fee – $1.50
- Shein – $4.41. Wanted some stockings and Shein was the only store that had cheap but good-quality sheer stockings.
Total: $2,340.89
Week of December 15 – 21
- Gifts for Theo’s daycare teachers – $100.00
- Haircut – $35.00
- Groceries – $5.00
- Something from the drugstore – $16.78
- Theo’s Christmas gifts – $48.40
- Lunch with colleagues – $20.74
- PC Express Membership – $104.99.
- Dollar Tree – $1.69
- Groceries – $61.92
- Sushi for dinner – $58.30
- Old Navy – $44.27
- Lunch from the supermarket – $7.99
- Steam – $10.81. Purchased Two Point Campus since it was on a massive sale!
- McDonald’s – $7.89
- London Drugs – $8.39. Some hydrocortisone cream for Theo.
- AliExpress – $14.63. Kobo case.
- Sushi for lunch – $30.73
- Poke for lunch – $17.10
- Santa photos – $21.41
Total: $616.04
Week of December 22 – 28
- Swim lessons for Theo – $75.00
- Sheer socks – $12.47
- Ardene – $11.09. Crew socks.
- Old Navy – $85.09. Ditching the skinny jeans and trying out some straight jeans! Most likely will return some of the jeans in this order since I purchased various shades of washes to try out.
- Groceries – $44.28
- Sushi for dinner – $42.70
- Amazon – $38.30. Purchased a gua set!
Total: $308.93
Week of December 29 – 31
- RW & Co. – $51.40. Nabbed a couple of clearance items.
- Snacks – $18.00
- McDonald’s – $5.48
- Google Pixel Pro 9 Fold – $1,987.65
- AliExpress – $33.15. Phone accessories!
- Vietnamese sandwiches – $30.00
- Groceries– $10.00
Total: $2,135.68
Reflections:
Ah, December… always the most expensive month they say! This month, I did splurge on gadgets and eating out, especially for lunch. I know I can do better since Safeway sells charcuterie boxes for $8 and I can essentially make the same thing for the 3 days I work in the office. I’m not going to be too hard on myself since it’s December, the end of the year, all the celebrations, etc. etc. but it’s back to conscious spending again!
Enjoyed my money diary series? Check out more entries here!
This is new for me. I’m going to try this Money diary. Thanks