Going by how boring life can get for young professionals, the need to add some spice comes up more often than not. On this week’s edition of ‘How I spend It’, we learn from a young woman who wants more from life than a boring 9-5.
Enjoy!
Position: Treasury Analyst
Industry: Oi l& Gas
Age: 32
Location: Lagos
Salary: N4,440,000,00
Monthly Expenses
Rent: ₦0
Studies: ₦0
Village house maintenance: ₦10,000
DSTV for Mum: ₦6,700
Pocket money for Siblings: ₦40,000
Fuel: ₦16,000
Utilities: ₦0
Internet: ₦4,000
Gym: ₦23,000
Toll Gate: ₦ 8,000
Airtime: ₦6,000
Health/Dental/Vision Insurance: ₦0(company provides)
Medical expense: ₦89,875.00 (Surgery done in the US)
Netflix: USD 9.99
Deezer: USD 4.99
Beauty/Toiletries: ₦56,500
Car Maintenance: ₦28,000
TOTAL: ₦181,500
Other Details
Professional Body Fee: £241
Pension Account: ₦89,000
Investment/Savings: ₦2,000,000. This is my escape money out of Nigeria. I need to save more for vacation this year, I would have to replace that.
DAY ONE
09:00 am. – No breakfast because I am running late for church, so I grab a bottle of water instead. Oh no!!! I forgot to withdraw cash for church offering so I pay with the POS. I tend to put in more offering with the POS, don’t want anyone judging me – Cost: ₦3,000
12:30 pm. – I go to my favourite hair place, my natural hair needs a lot of care and attention, so I don’t mind splurging. I decided to do my nails as well. When I was in the UK I would DIY on my hair, but Nigeria has made me a bit lazy.
6:00 pm. – I bought fuel on my way home because I like to start the week with a full tank. Dinner is rice at home at no cost. Cost: ₦3200.
Daily expense: ₦25,700
DAY TWO
7:00 am. – No breakfast today, I like to do a water cleanse on Mondays. Cost: ₦0
12:30 pm. – I recently decided to spice up my life, so I joined the flag football league, and this comes with dues. Cost: ₦35,000
8:00 pm. – Went to the gym and stopped by to buy Greek yoghurt for my breakfast for the rest of the week. No dinner. Cost: ₦2,400
Daily expense: ₦37,400
DAY THREE
7:30 am. – Breakfast is yoghurt and granola. Today is a dear colleague’s birthday, the team had to contribute some money to buy lunch. I end up at Shoprite Ikeja to buy pizza while waiting, I wander around ShopRite and I end up spending NGN14,500 on some things I didn’t need. I have a habit of seeing items on sale and just buying them. Cost: ₦24,500
1:00 pm. – Lunch is pizza at KFC. Cost: ₦0
7:30 pm – My younger brother calls me up, “Hello, your siblings are hungry, please can you send us money for pizza” I had to send him ₦10,000. My main office is in Marina but sometimes I work in Ikeja, so I park my car in Marina and take the shuttle bus to Ikeja. The days I can’t meet up with the shuttle bus I have to take an uber. (I just hate driving to the mainland, I’m sure it will cost me less if I drive). Cost: ₦11,800
Daily expense: ₦36,300
DAY FOUR
8:00 am. – Breakfast today is granola and yoghurt. Cost: ₦0
1:00 pm. – Lunch is food from home. Cost: ₦0
7:00 pm. – I suffered the worst sunburn while playing flag football over the weekend, so I have been researching and buying anything that will get me back to my former skin colour. Sad to say I am not feeling the brown skin girl!!!! No Dinner, I try not to eat when I get home late. Cost: ₦34,600
Daily Expense: ₦34,600
DAY FIVE
7:30 am. – Breakfast today is granola and yoghurt. Cost: ₦0
12:30 pm– Lunch is Moi Moi and fish. Cost: ₦0
8:30 pm.– No Dinner. Cost: ₦0
Daily expense: ₦0
DAY SIX
7:45 am. – Breakfast granola and yoghurt.Cost: ₦0
1:00 pm. – Chinchin (weird craving). Cost: ₦2000
5:00 pm. – Went out to the Hardrock Café with my teammates from work. I had an amazing time at no cost at all (the boss always picks up the bill). Cost: ₦0
Daily expense: ₦2000
DAY SEVEN
11:00 am. – Breakfast is a glass of watermelon juice, typical because I don’t like eating before I go to the gym. Cost: ₦0
Weekly Total: ₦160,500
The End!
How I spend It is a money diary and this is the fourth of its kind, you can read the first three here, here and here
Every week, BusinessDay seeks to reveal how young female professionals spend every kobo of their hard-earned income, to inspire and create models for up and coming female professionals. We are for the firm belief that these stories are not being told enough. You too can be part of this outreach by spreading the word or submitting your own diary anonymously here.
