What I Spent This Week as a Civil Servant Making $80K

Ever wondered how others really manage their money?

In the A Week in My Wallet series, we share it all, because talking about money shouldn't be off-limits.

Every week, an anonymous member shares a week of their spending: no names, no filters, just honest stories about life's everyday financial choices.

Ready to join the conversation and help make money talk less taboo? Share your own story via our form here.

Monthly Take-Home Pay (after tax): €3,100 ($3,565)

Do you share expenses with someone? No

What is your overall monthly budget?

• Mortgage: €1,200 ($1,380)
• Bills: €100 ($115)
• Groceries: €200 ($230)
• Fun (travel, dinners with friends & lattes): €900 ($1,035)
• Monthly investments: €600 ($690) (2 indexed funds + 1 mixed actively managed fund)

Amount left each month after essentials (to spend, save or invest): €1,500 ($1,725)

Dependents (if any): None

My Relationship with Money

Growing up, did your parents or guardians educate you around money?

No.

What was your first job and why did you get it?

My first job was in the Consulate in a foreign country, when I was 23. I took it because I was young, wanted to live abroad and needed the money.

Did you worry about money growing up?

Every second.

At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net?

Quite late, at 29. Before that I worked but also depended economically on my parents. Plus I didn't have a fixed job. My financial safety net is my FU Fund.

Do you worry about money now?

A little less than I used to. I had a worrying obsession about ruining myself & my family while growing up (don't know why, always worried excessively about money). This fear lessened when I started my financial literacy journey some years ago.

What is your biggest money regret?

Not learning financial literacy and starting investing before. I would have worried way less about money if I had known how to spend it sustainably and make it grow.

What financial goals are you working towards?

Being economically independent and retiring with enough money to live comfortably. I don't have a partner, nor children (don't know if I'll ever have any of those). But I'd love to have a fulfilling life on my own, with friends and family, without needing somebody else to be economically independent. And treat myself beautifully.

Who is your financial role model (if any), and why?

Morgan Housel. I like the way he sees money and knows how to spot actual value in everyday life.

Reflections on My Spending Habits:

I don't drink nor smoke, but I have a vicious habit, which is sweet vanilla coffee. It's better than drinking or smoking, so I don't beat myself up over it. It's the simple everyday pleasures that make my day, and happiness is health, so I won't cut my expenses over it.

Also, it's the first time I treated myself with a self-care gift, and it felt great (for years, I was scared to spend any money, so I treated myself very, very poorly. This changed when I joined Female Invest and learned to save, invest, and live a little more).

What I Spent in a Week

Day 1: Monday - €18.70 ($22)

• €2.20 ($3) — Vanilla coffee early in the morning

• €16.50 ($19) — Groceries in the afternoon‍

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Day 2: Tuesday - €2.20 ($3)

• €2.20 ($3) — Vanilla coffee early in the morning‍

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Day 3: Wednesday - €34.20 ($39)

• €2.20 ($3) — Vanilla coffee early in the morning

• €32 ($37) — Weekly subscription to the company that brings me homemade dishes (4) for the week‍

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Day 4: Thursday - €63 ($72)

• €2.20 ($3) — Vanilla coffee early in the morning

• €40.80 ($47) — Gym monthly payment

• €20 ($23) — Groceries‍

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Day 5: Friday - €2.20 ($3)

• €2.20 ($3) — Vanilla coffee early in the morning

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Day 6: Saturday - €34.45 ($40)

• €8.50 ($10) — Freshly made pasta

• €25.95 ($30) — Self-care gift to myself‍

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Day 7: Sunday - €2.20 ($3)

• €2.20 ($3) — Vanilla coffee early in the morning

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Total Weekly Spend: €156.95 ($180)

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