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 October 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 fee – $12.99
- Home insurance – $23.54
- Car insurance – $225.41
- Car payment – $533.58
- Daycare – $601.50
Total: $1,948.73
Week of October 1 – 5
- Taobao – $2.02
- Taobao – $219.45
- Samsung – $87.11
- Waves Coffee – $5.51
- Safeway – $1.10
- Groceries – $20.75
- Sushi for dinner – $41.60
- Amazon – $13.71
- Amazon – $26.87
- Refurbio – $79.52
- Sushi for lunch – $24.51
- BC Ferries – $238.90. We bought our reservations earlier this year because BC Ferries has been horrible during the holidays.
- Level V Bakery – $61.90. Cake deposit for Theo’s cake. Also, their Ube buns are soooo good.
- Level V Bakery – $20.00
Total: $842.95
Week of October 6 – 12
- McDonald’s – $12.87. Seriously, when did meals at McD’s get this expensive?!
- Old Navy – $67.84. They had a massive sale for baby clothes!
- Taobao shipping fee – $119.01
- Lululemon – $27.44
- Grow With Jo – $7.20
- Digital Scrapbook membership – $35
- Sushi for lunch – $21.08
- Taobao – $33.18
Total: $323.62
Week of October 13 – 19
- Amazon – $221.59. Theo’s birthday gifts!
- Groceries – $89.96
- Treats from Ikea – $6.71
- Ikea – $7.35
- Taobao – $65.44
- Groceries – $20.76
- Poke for lunch – $19.50
- Lunch – $11.76
- E-transfer fee – $1.50
- Sushi for dinner – $49.84
- Sushi for lunch – $21.08
- RMT – $136.50. I maxed out my health benefits from my severance package 🙁
- Pho for dinner – $42.22
- McDonald’s – $8.36
- Something from a drug store – $13.43
- Gas – $86.78
Total: $802.78
Week of October 20 – 26
- Taobao shipping – $60.37
- Costco – $330.00
- Amazon – $76.66
- Photography session deposit – $157.50
- Lunch – $20.00
- Lululemon – $27.44
- Groceries – $36.70
- Acupuncture – $69.20
- Sushi for dinner – $30.03
Total: $807.90
Week of October 27 – 31
- Groceries – $70.59
- AliExpress – $10.43. Seriously, the best place to pick up DJI Pocket 3 accessories!
- Sushi for dinner – $34.22
- Amazon – $46.81
- Dollar Tree – $11.77
- Poke for lunch – $17.30
Total: $191.12
Reflections:
I’m officially back to work! It’s nice earning money again after being on employment insurance for almost a year. Don’t get me wrong – happy to have paid time off with my son, but it’s a big adjustment. I believe I did much better this month than my previous months, probably because I’m back at work and don’t spend money out of boredom with an infant. I’ve also been taking my content creation a bit more consistently which is paying off – it’s extra work but so enjoyable!
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