Cosmopolitan South Africa — January 2018

8PMDinnerisastir-fry,
made from ingredients
Ialreadyhaveathome.
TOTAL SPEND: R39

Wednesday
8AMBreakfast today is –
youguessedit–granola.
12PMIbuyapiebecause
it’scheap.(It’sR19,95and
Iregretnothing.)
7PMIt’s my sister’s book
launchandweneedR50
petrol to get there. But hello:
free wine and snacks!
9PMWedon’tcookdinner
becauseofthesnackswe
hadatthelaunch.Free
food FTW.
TOTAL SPEND: R69,95

Thursday
8AMIhavepeanutbutter
on toast for breakfast.
1PMIhavehalfofmy
butternutsoupforlunchand
savetherestfortomorrow.
6PMTimefordrinkswith
a friend. Best happy hour
deal?Hudson’sinParkhurst.
IrackupabillofR60for
cocktailsservedingoblet-
sized glasses.
8PMIbumalifthometo
avoid taking a Taxify, but
I’mofficiallyoverbudget.
TOTAL SPEND: R60

Friday
8AMIpolishofftheoats
left in the pantry. The milk
isnearlyoffsoI’llneedto
buymoresoon.
1PMIhavetheremaining
butternutsoupwithtoast.
5PMTGIF! I’d go out, but
becauseI’veblownmy
budget,Iheadhome.
6PMI’m surprised at how
well the tank is doing. Still
noneedtofillup–yasss!
8PMIorderAndicciowith
baeandbecausehe’sagem,
he gets this one.
TOTAL SPEND: R0

Saturday

12PMIgoforacoffeewith

my sister, who senses my

pain when the bill arrives,

andcoversit.Blessher.

3PMGrabbingmilkonthe

way back comes in at R23.

7PMTonightisdinnerin,

eating what’s in the fridge.

TOTAL SPEND: R23

Sunday

8AMI eat pretty much

all that’s left in my fridge

for breakfast: yoghurt.

1PMOfftoabraai.Igrab

rolls (R20) to contribute.

5.20PMMy petrol light

comeson–butIhave

enough to make it home.

7PMDinner is leftover

braaimeat–huzzah!

TOTAL SPEND: R20

TOTAL WEEK’S SPEND:

R297,94 = R47,94

OVER BUDGET

WhatIlearnt

This week showed me

there’sabenefittoadual

income where bae can carry

somecosts–andthatlittle

things such as sticking to

tapwaterandhome-made

lunches can can result in

big savings.

Durban

SAMANTHASCOTT,23

Student teacher

Monday

7AMIheadtowriteanexam

formystudies.Ontheway,

IputinR50petrol.Iprobably

won’thavetospendany

more on petrol: everything

in Durban is quite close PHOTOGRAPHY

CLAIRE BENOIST/

THELICENSINGPROJECT.COM

, ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

together, and there

isn’treallymuchtraffic.

1PMIheadhometostudy

formynextexam.Mymom

brings lunch over.

3PMIhaveanap,then

I make steak and roast

veg for supper.

TOTAL SPEND: R50

Tuesday

8AMAnother study day!

Breakfastisoats.

11AMI’mfallingasleep

in my chair. I decide a trip

to Gateway shopping centre

iswhatIneed.Iexchange

ashirtandenduphavingto

payinR60.I’malsostarving,

soIbuyasmoothieforR42.

6PMMy housemate treats

me to dinner – amazing,

because I’m already freaking

out about staying under

budget this week.

TOTAL SPEND: R102

Wednesday

8AMAllIwanttodois

go to the beach. Instead,

Igetbacktostudying.

1PMIpoptotheshopfora

Coke Zero and biscuits: R22.

6PMIheadtomyparents

for dinner. Free food!

TOTAL SPEND: R22

Thursday

6AMI’m back to work and

thenon-studyinglife.Ipack

leftover dinner for lunch.

2PMIpopouttogetfood

formycolleaguesandend

up buying a kombucha

drink for myself. Because

health. Ka-ching, R24,50.

6PMMy BFF and I try out

anewyogastudio.Thefirst

classisafreetrial–yasss!

8PM I grab takeaway

chicken for dinner for R49.

TOTAL SPEND: R73,50

Friday

6AM I get ready for work

and gulp down oats. I’ve

packed lunch to save cash.

1PM My pupils at school

are also writing exams,

so I’m invigilating. Once

I’m done, I head home.

5.30PM Back to school

for an awards evening.

The upside? Free drinks

and food.

9PM The other teachers

and I head out for drinks.

Thankfully, one of them

foots the bill. (What a babe.)

TOTAL SPEND: R0

Saturday

7. 2 0 A M I head to the beach
   with a BFF for the Park Run,
   which is free!
   9AM We grab juices. My
   green juice comes in at R17.
   6PM My housemate and
   I order wraps and smoothies.
   She gets the smoothies with
   Vitality Active Rewards;
   I get the wraps for R80.
   TOTAL SPEND: R97

Sunday

9AM Today’s plan: study for

my final exam next week.

12.30PM I eat whatever

I find in the fridge and

don’t leave the house

• ideal, because I’m
  over budget!
  TOTAL SPEND: R0
  TOTAL WEEK’S SPEND:
  R344,50 = R94,50
  OVER BUDGET

What I learnt

It feels impossible to come

in under R250 without

sitting at home and doing

nothing! Although I didn’t

need to spend much money

on petrol, I struggled to curb

my spending on food – even

though I could nab free meals

at my parents’. ■

OEY

106 COSMOPOLITAN | JANUARY 2018 COSMOPOLITAN.CO.ZA

We’re looking for money

diaries just like these.

E-mail your money diary to

cosmopolitan@assocmedia.

co.za

, and yours could

be featured.