A Week In Truganina, Melbourne, As A Senior Software Engineer On A $235,000 Joint Income

Occupation: Senior Software Engineer
Industry: Fintech
Age: 33
Location: Truganina, Melbourne
Salary: $140,000
My Partner's Salary: $95,000
Net Worth: $348,000 (A house worth around $610,000, $18,000 in stocks, $25,000 in emergency cash, $50,000 in car value).
Debt: A $340,000 home loan and $15,000 of credit card debt (We pay this off monthly. This month, it's huge because we booked stuff for an upcoming trip.)
Paycheque Amount (Monthly): $8,355
Pronouns: She/Her

Mortgage: $1,500. My partner and I are living in the first property we've ever bought, together with our daughter and our pup. It's a four-bedroom, one-story house. Our mortgage is a fixed loan, so our minimum repayment is $1,500/month. However, we're paying a bit more so we can pay it off faster.
Credit Card: We pay off our credit card debt in full every month as we use the credit card really only to get points. The sum varies each month, but usually, it's around $9,000 to $10,000.
Netflix: $23
After School Care: $288
Gym Membership: $80
Pet Insurance: $54
Phone Insurance: $13
Private Health Insurance: $347
NBN: $80
Phone: $50
eBay Plus: $5
Ring Camera: $15
YouTube Premium: $15
Pest Control: $49
Dog Food: $45
Pet Groomer: $100
Investing: $500
Savings Contributions: Whatever is left at the end of the month goes into my savings account.

I was lucky to have my parents pay for my education, up to my Master's degree. I tried to contribute by getting partial scholarships for my Bachelor's and Master's degrees.

My parents are very strict about money. Since primary school, I was forced to write all my income and expenses in a book, which my mum then reviewed each week. She wouldn't give me pocket money if the entries didn't add up. She also insisted that I saved some of my pocket money.

They grew up very poor and worked hard to get where they are now. They taught me that money doesn't grow on trees, and always pushed me to be financially independent on my own accord. They made me live on $1,500 per month as a student, which included everything from rent to food to going out. I had to work part-time as a student to make enough money to go out with friends, but it taught me about how hard it was to earn money and how to be sensible in spending it.

That being said, they told me not to chase after money. They wanted me to focus on having the right mindset in life, teaching me that when we work hard towards a clear goal, money will follow.

My first job was at KFC. I got it because I needed to earn more money and it was close to my homestay. I could also get free food during my shift. I only had $1,500 in allowance per month when I was a student. My rent was $1,000 and $500 was barely enough for school materials, lunch, transport, or going out, so I needed to get a job.

Up until I was around eight years old, I never had to worry about money. Then something bad happened and my parents lost all their money and assets overnight. As a child, I didn't worry, but I did notice the tension and stress. We had to sell some packaged snacks to our friends at school and all we could afford was secondhand clothes. My parents had to beg the school principal to let us join the school without paying the admittance fee. Sad stuff, but my parents never let us worry about money throughout that hard period.

Now that I have my own family to support, I do worry about money. I think we have enough to live comfortably, but life can be unpredictable. I know from experience that we can lose everything overnight. It only takes one of us to get really sick or a natural disaster to put us in a dire situation (I've been told that I am a bit paranoid). The recent interest rate hikes and our fixed loans ending definitely don't help either.

I also notice that lifestyle inflation is real. We have been spending way too much. I am in the process of culling our expenses, which is part of the reason why I need to write a Money Diary!

I came to Australia by myself when I was 17 years old. I think I got my first full-time job and stop receiving an allowance from my parents when I was 21 years old. At that time, I only had my life savings to live off — I'd been saving pocket money since primary school, so this was around $35,000.

I don't, but I'm aiming to get some passive income in the future, either from property investments, stocks, or a small business of my own. I haven't received any inheritance either, other than inheriting some wisdom from my parents.

6:30am —  I wake up, prepare my kid's lunchbox, clean the pup's toilet area, and prepare my husband's and kid's breakfasts. It's cereal today because I just can't be bothered. Then I get my kid ready for school and get myself ready for the day. I need to go to court today because it's my last day of jury duty. Hubby cleans up the dishes and drop her off at school today as he starts work at 4pm.

9:00am — I take the train to the city ($9 — this covers my daily fare). The area where I live doesn’t have a metro station, so my only option is to take a VLine train, which is less frequent than the regular metro train. However, it is more comfortable and sometimes you get mini tables and even toilets, as it’s intended to be a regional train! $9

10:00am — Finally arrive at Flagstaff. I buy one glazed Krispy Kreme doughnut at 7/11 for breakfast ($3.90). This is my eighth day on the jury. We have finished sitting through all the evidence, so all that's left to do is lock ourselves in the jury room and reach a verdict. We have 11 charges to go through, which is pretty average. The average length of a case is around seven days, but I've heard that some can go up for 12 weeks! *Shivers* $3.90

10:30am — Go to the jury room and deliberate until around 4pm. Lunch is provided during the deliberation stage, so I have a chicken avocado sandwich and sparkling water. I can’t legally tell anyone what we discussed in the room, but I can say that there were some pretty intense arguments between the jury members. We try to listen to each member’s opinion, and thankfully, we work well together and come out with a united verdict.

3:00pm — We're called to give our final verdict in court. This case was quite upsetting for most of us, and a few of the members even lost sleep over it. Even though we were unanimous with the verdict, it was still hard to say “guilty of all charges”, knowing that our verdict will change a person’s life forever. After delivering the verdict, we go back to the jury room. 

3:30pm — Juror debriefing session starts. We're told that it will take a month or two for the judge to close the case. We then give back our access cards and a court staff member walks us out of the building, thanking us for our service. It's been a pretty rewarding and interesting experience.

4:05pm — On my way back home, I decide to buy Twizzlers from the lolly shop to reward myself for finishing my civic duty ($4.99). My train was scheduled for 4.20pm, but it gets cancelled due to a machinery problem. I end up waiting for the next train, along with hundreds of other passengers. It finally arrives at 4:40pm, but it only has three carriages. People start pushing each other to get a spot on the train. The VLine staff decide to add extra carriages, which means there will be a delay. At this point, I start to panic as I need to pick up my kid before after-school care closes at 6:15pm. I think about just ordering an Uber, but it's estimated to cost around $120. I close the app and pray the train

will leave soon. Thankfully, it leaves at 5pm. Phew. The woes of living in the 'burbs. $4.99

5:55pm — I pick up my kid from school and we head home. We have a quick dinner of leftovers, as well as some fruit. Then it’s time for the usual bedtime routine.

6.30pm — I help kiddo take a shower, then dry her and put cream all over her body (she has eczema so she has to get a full-body moisturiser daily). Then she eats fruit and watches some YouTube Kids on my bed.

6:45pm — I take a shower. It’s my favourite time of the day as I get to wind down under the warm water. After the shower, I put my Innisfree barley peeling face mask on. While it’s doing its thing, I do a quick clean of the bathroom sink. Then I brush and floss my teeth. I wash off the peeling solution and put on a night cream, toner and lotion, then dry my hair with my trusty old hairdryer.

7:30pm — I call kiddo back into the bathroom to brush her teeth. We then make sure her hair is dry and she goes to the loo before we go to bed. We pick a book to read and I tuck her into bed. She needs me to sit on the bed next to her so she can snuggle me until she falls asleep. While I wait for her to fall asleep, I just read some news on my phone.

8:15pm — I not so gracefully slip out of the bed and tiptoe out of her bedroom, settling into my own bed. I turn on the TV and watch an episode of a Korean drama, The Glory. I usually watch lighthearted rom-com dramas, but this one has a very addictive storyline about revenge. Can’t wait for season two!

9:00pm — I remember that I ran out of face moisturiser, so I jump online and buy a new moisturiser from Innisfree for next-day delivery ($85). Then I scroll through TikTok on the bed until I fall asleep at around 10pm. $85

12:00am — I hear my husband come home. He is the head chef at this fancy restaurant in Brunswick, so he finishes work very late most days. One of the perks of the job is that he gets a free meal and beer after work, so I don't have to prepare anything for his supper. I go back to sleep while he usually takes a shower, eats, and plays a couple of computer games (he usually goes to bed around 1:30am).

7:00am — I wake up and prepare my kid's lunchbox, before making some toast for everyone for breakfast. Clean the pup's toilet, empty the dishwasher — all the usual mum stuff. 

8:00am — Hubby wakes up and enters the kitchen. The kiddo and puppy start going crazy and try to jump on him. While he entertains them, I start to make our coffee. The coffee machine we bought at the start of lockdown has been one of our best investments, since we make coffee almost every morning. 

8:10am — We quickly have our breakfast and change the kiddo into her uniform, then carry her to the bathroom to brush her teeth and wash her face.

8:40am — My husband goes to drop her off at school, and then he'll hit the gym. Meanwhile, I stay at home to clean up the dishes and go for a walk with my pup. We usually walk along the bike path nearby. It’s quite interesting to see the development around our area with new houses popping out here and there since we moved here two years ago. 

9:10am — I arrive back home and head to the bathroom to brush my teeth, wash my face, and change into a decent shirt. Then I go into my home office to start work.

9:30am — With dread, I open my laptop and check out Teams and Outlook. I have loads of messages to catch up on. Some of my team members also start messaging me and asking about jury duty. I decide to reply to the new messages, then go through all the old emails afterwards.

10:00am — Hubby arrives back home and takes a shower. He waters the plants in the backyard and plays some games on the PS5.

11:30am — Finally get through all the messages and reply to everything I need to reply to. Phew. Now I can see what tasks are left for me to do this sprint (we work in fortnightly blocks). I have a lot of work that's piled up after being away for jury duty for two weeks.

12:00pm — Hubby calls me to eat some lunch that he cooked. I'm so busy with work that I don't have time to eat. Later, I end up grazing on a boiled egg (leftover from my kid's lunchbox prep) and some plain toast because they’re easier to eat while working than a huge meal.

1:30pm — I tell my manager that I probably won’t be able to finish all the remaining tasks for this sprint as we only have two days left. She moves some tasks away and assures me it’s totally fine. I’m so glad I have a nice manager — not very easy to come by! 

3:15pm — Daily team meeting where we report the progress of our work. I mostly just say hi to the team and listen to what they’ve been up to.

4:00pm — Weekly company-wide meeting. We start by giving shout-outs and appreciation to our colleagues — voluntarily and unscripted. It’s a nice way to give recognition to everyone. I am not very comfortable speaking in a big group setting, so I write mine in the comment section of the meeting, which people can then read and give emoji reactions to. Then the CEO gives some announcements and news updates.

5:00pm — I pick up my kid from school, and then we have dinner at home — kimchi jjigae with rice and seaweed that my husband cooked earlier for lunch. I fry up some eggs for my kid as she doesn't eat spicy food, so she just has eggs and seaweed. Then I feed my pup.

5:30pm — Kiddo takes a shower, has lotion time, then goes to pick out a snack from the pantry. Then she heads to my bed for her screen time while I have a shower. It's still too early for bedtime, so we both head to the living room and play Hogwarts Legacy.

7:30pm — We both go to the bathroom and brush our teeth. Then we read a book and I sit on her bed until she falls asleep. 

8:15pm — I use my ninja skill to get out of her room and I go to the laundry to fold the big pile of clean clothes. I quickly mop the area in front of the sofa and dump all the clean clothes there.

8:30pm — I find an interesting YouTube video about how wealth inequality is inevitable and how people in the Netherlands are generally happy, even with great inequality in wealth. It's pretty interesting and challenges my perspective on life. I listen to the video while I fold the pile of clothes (the most boring job in the world).

9:00pm — I finish folding all the clothes, but it’s too noisy to put them in the wardrobe, so I stack them neatly back into the basket to put away tomorrow morning. Then I give the kitchen a quick wipe and open the fridge, trying to find inspiration for tomorrow’s lunch box. Ham and cheese toast it is. I make a note to buy more groceries because we're almost out of fruit and milk.

9:10pm — Netflix time! I start on a new series, The Good Witch. I always like a good fantasy! As I watch, I discover it's not as fantasy as I thought it'd be. But nonetheless, the story is so wholesome!

10:30pm — Hubby arrives home. He started early today, so he also finishes early. He's brought home some pepperoni pizza from work, which smells delicious. But I've already brushed my teeth, so I just swallow my drool and continue to watch my series.

11:00pm — Hubby finishes taking a shower and sits on the bed with me. We talk about our day and I ask him to buy some fruit and milk tomorrow since I have to go to the office all day. It’s his day off tomorrow so he has a lot of free time in the morning. Then I say goodnight to him while he heads outside to have his supper and game time.

Daily Total: $0

6:00am — The alarm goes off and I wake up groggily. I wake up early today because it’s office day. Usual routine — make lunch for kiddo and make breakfast for all of us.

6:30am — I make an instant coffee to wake myself up. Then I brush my teeth, wash my face, get changed and put some makeup on. 

7:00am — I wake my husband and kid and tell them to get ready for school. I remind my husband to buy groceries later today.

7:20am — As I'm about to leave the house, I see a package on the front porch. It must be my moisturiser. I put it inside the garage as I have to leave quickly if I want to get a decent parking spot at the station.

7:40am — I get on the train to the city ($9) and drink my breakfast Up&Go as I watch The Good Witch on Netflix. Then I take another tram to my office in South Melbourne and buy a large latte on the way ($6.50). $15.50

8:50am — Arrive at the office. My office is a shared space and provides free fruit and drinks, so I help myself to some sparkling water and head to our company’s designated area. I sit next to my lead developer so we can do some pair programming sessions later. I'm finding people quite distracting, so I put on some noise-cancelling headphones. Now I can focus and start smashing bugs.

1:00pm — For lunch, we head out to a Thai restaurant nearby. I order a chicken Pad Thai to eat back in the office kitchen ($18), and it's delicious. $18

2:30pm — Back to work while fighting the post-lunch coma. This time, I stay at the big table and use my colleagues as a natural drowsiness repellent (the power of working near your CEO). Then I do some pair programming with my lead developer. He codes, and I watch and direct him. Then I code, and he watches and directs me.

3:00pm — Sprint demo time. At the end of each sprint, we have to demonstrate the work we’ve done to the whole company. I did not present anything this sprint as I was away most days, but it was interesting to watch what others have done. Then we jump into a retro.

5:00pm — Workday is finished. Tonight we have a team-building activity, so we take the tram to the Docklands area and prep ourselves for some zombie killing at a VR game venue. I watch a group play and have a great laugh, although I'm dying a little inside as I can see what they see on the screen and it looks scary!

6:45pm — It’s finally my group’s turn to play. I scream and cry so hard that the girl who's hosting the game pauses to ask if I need to step out. That's embarrassing. I end up coming second and feel like I'm starving as soon as I take my helmet off.

8:00pm — We arrived at a nice water-view restaurant in Docklands for some dinner. My CEO says a few words, then tells us we can order whatever we want tonight. I get the eye fillet steak and a few cocktails and we share a bunch of entrees. It's delicious and we eat so much. For dessert, I order a vanilla pannacotta, which ends up being a great choice. My friend orders two desserts — a sticky date pudding and chocolate mousse. She can't finish them, so I get to taste-test them too.

10:00pm — I head off to the tram stop to go home, texting my husband to let him know I'm on my way.

11:40pm — After getting off the train, I realise I'm still tipsy from all the cocktails. I order a DiDi to get home from the station. $15

11:50pm — I arrive home. I peek into my kid’s bedroom and see her fast asleep. I thank my husband for taking care of her and for getting groceries. Then I talk to him briefly about my night, shower and drift off to sleep.

7:00am — My husband wakes up earlier today and does the morning duty. He wakes my kid up and helps her get changed and brush her teeth. 

8:00am — I wake up around 8am with a hangover and have a glass of water. It’s nice to have some breakfast ready, although I only have one bite of a croissant before I have to rush out the door.

8:20am — We all leave the house together in hubby’s car. First, we drop the kid off at school. My husband then drops me off at the train station to pick up my car before he heads to the gym.

8:50am — I drive the car back home, then go for a walk with my pup. The breeze is nice and makes me feel better.

9:30am — Settle into my home office with some apples as a snack. It’s a quiet morning as most of my colleagues are also sporting hangovers, presumably. I have a fresh list of tasks this morning as it’s the start of a new sprint. I go through each task and flesh it out by creating a more detailed breakdown and time estimates.

10:00am — Hubby arrives back home and takes a shower. He then does some prep for work as it's almost time to change the seasonal menu.

11:30am — Hubby and I have yesterday's dinner leftovers for lunch. While eating lunch, I shop for groceries online ($80). It's very convenient because I can just pick it up after I get my kid from school. I usually buy groceries twice a week so things stay fresh. I also find it impossible to make a meal plan for a whole week. Since my husband has already bought milk and some fruit, I put some meat, fish, pantry items and cleaning products into the cart. I prefer to buy my fruit in person on the weekend because I can be picky. The last time I bought fruits and veggies online, they were mostly bruised and half rotten, so I don’t trust the picker with that stuff. Today, I'm risking it and buying some mandarins online. $80

2:00pm — The developers in India and South Africa have started logging in. I'm expecting to have a bunch of short meetings with them.

4:00pm — I have a kickoff meeting to help out with our newest project. It’s huge and we need all hands on deck. I have a bit of information overload because there is so much to absorb for this project.

5:30pm — I pick up my kid from school and then go and get the groceries. When I get home, I realise that I was given navel oranges instead of mandarins. Since it's not too big of a deal, I let it go. It's too much effort to drive back there.

6:30pm — I cook some salmon and broccoli using the ingredients we just bought. My kid and I talk about our days. Then she has a shower and we head to her bedroom to read two books. She says she's scared of getting a nightmare again, so it's harder to settle her. I pat her back until she falls asleep.

9:00pm — I can finally play some Hogwarts Legacy. I’m level 12 at this stage and the story is starting to unveil itself. I think I am shaping up to be a dark wizard, but it's too early to tell as I haven’t gotten any dark spells so far. 

11:00pm — My husband comes home with soju and snacks. I'm hungry from all the gameplay so I throw my 'no food after 7pm' rule out the window and enjoy some late-night drinks. We catch up and talk about work and the last few days. Then we brush our teeth and go to sleep, full and happy.

6:30am — I wake up with a pretty bad hangover, resolving to never drink alcohol ever again. However, I still have to get up, make a lunchbox, clean the pup's toilet area and prepare breakfast. This morning we are having some steamed buns. It’s another lazy morning meal as all I need to do is pop some of the frozen buns in the rice cooker. Our favourites are custard buns and mini egg flavour buns, so we always have some in the freezer.

7:00am — We all have breakfast, then change into uniforms/work attire for the day. My husband takes my daughter to school and drops the dog off at the groomer. Things are going smoothly today.

10:00am — Friday is such a mood. I have work to do but it isn't too urgent, so my motivation is at an all-time low. I end up browsing for a good cushion foundation. I look at Olive Young's website, but I don’t see many shade options. The darkest shade is also completely sold out. I might visit Innisfree in the city, but the shades are usually too light for my skin tone.

11:30am — Decide to stop browsing around before I end up buying more stuff that I don't need. I go and have an early lunch instead and eat leftover salmon from yesterday with some rice. The house feels so eerily quiet with me alone. Is this how empty nesters feel? I cover up my sorrow by watching some YouTube videos as I eat. Watching mukbang is best when you’re eating.

1:00pm — Someone from the pest control company comes to inspect the house and do a treatment (we pay $53/month). I let him in, chat for a bit and let him do his thing. He knocks on all of the walls and checks for moisture. I go back to my home office and set my status: 'Pest control session — expect a delayed response'.

1:30pm — He tells me to vacate the property, so I pick up my laptop and work from a nearby café. I have to buy something so I can use their table and WiFi, so I get a large latte and a muffin. $10

3:00pm — I drive to pick up my pup from the groomer. I pay $100 and see him and he's in his fluffiest, happiest state. Then I pick up my kid because I don’t want to go back and forth in the car. I thought she'd be happy to see me but her after-school group was about to start a cake-baking activity, so she's sad. $100

4:25pm — We arrive home. Now I have to work while tending to a sulky five-year-old. I don't have time to cook, so I just order pizza ($43). We always order the deal with three large pizzas and two sides using a Domino's voucher. $43

7:30pm — We eat dinner and watch some YouTube videos together. She asks if her dad will be home soon, and I tell her that he's working late tonight. We go to her bedroom to read a book, but she wants to videocall my husband. To my surprise, he picks up. They say goodnight to each other and she heads off to sleep.

9:00pm — I sneak out of the bedroom and play more Hogwarts Legacy.

11:30pm — Time flies when you’re having fun. My husband texts to say he’s just finished but he’ll be having some dinner and beer with his friends. I want to play some more, but I decide to go to sleep. 

7:30am — We all wake up a bit late today. My husband and kid make some banana pancakes with overripe bananas and I make some smoothies with the frozen fruit we have in the freezer.

8:15am — The weather is beautiful, so we all go on a walk with the pup. My daughter decides to ride her bike. I wish she'd try without training wheels. One day, maybe.

10:00am — My husband goes to the gym and then to work. My kid’s dance class starts at 11:30am, so I pack a lunchbox for her. Then we get into the car and drive over. 

11:30am — I drop her off and then hop back into the car to head to the shops. I order fried rice with a bottle of water from the food court ($20), then buy my daughter's favourite sushi rolls for her dinner tonight ($6). Then I go to Coles to pick up some fresh produce and milk ($30). I buy a bubble tea ($8) then drive back to the dance class to pick her up. $64

2:00pm — We drive to a 7/11 petrol station. There's one in the area that's always a lot cheaper than the rest, but it's a bit of a detour, so I decide to utilise the 'fuel lock' feature on their app. It basically scans the fuel of nearby 7/11 petrol stations and selects the lowest price on offer and 'locks' it, where you can show any 7/11 the price and they'll honour it. I fill up my car's tank and end up saving $14 thanks to the fuel lock! $60

2:30pm — We get home and play Hogwarts Legacy together (she mostly just watches and tells me what to do). It's a nice way of bonding since we don’t really have much time during the weekdays to hang out.

4:15pm — She gets bored and goes upstairs to play with her dolls, asking me to come. I hate playing with dolls — she expects me to read her mind and complains when I deviate from the storyline that’s in her head. I suggest we play some board games instead, so we play Exploding Kitten. 

5:00pm — It’s dinner time. She has the sushi rolls that I bought earlier. I don't feel too hungry so I just have an apple and banana for dinner. Then kiddo has a shower, grabs some snacks and waits for me on my bed while I shower. She's playing a slime-building game on the iPad that she loves, so I finally give in and buy her the ad-free version ($9) because she really likes it. $9

7:30pm — She says she wants to watch a movie, and even though it's a bit late, it's also Saturday night. We pick Encanto and she sings and dances along to the songs. Then it's off to bed for her.

11:00pm — My husband comes home with some beer and pizza from work. I control myself and go to sleep instead of joining his late-night snack.

8:00am — My husband has the day off, so after our morning routine, we all take the puppy to our favourite off-leash dog park.

10:00am — We let our pup roam free while our kid rides her bike on the trail. We spot the local coffee cart and buy some drinks and cookies — two large lattes, one hot chocolate and three kinds of cookies ($24). We packed some fruit from home too, so we sit on the grass and have a picnic. $24

11:30am — We pack up and walk back to the car. We drop off our pup and then drive to the city. No luck finding free parking today, so we head to the QV shopping centre car park. I take a look in my favourite shop, Daiso. It's my window-shopping therapy. In the end, I walk out with makeup cleaning solution and random lunchbox decorations ($7.60). When I meet up with my husband and daughter, I see they're carrying a Country Road bag. Apparently, they went shopping for clothes and got a sleeveless jacket and a sweater ($250). What a splurge. Oh well. I guess it's getting colder now, so at least they're useful. $257.60

2:00pm — We go for a late lunch at Ippudo. We order two ramen bowls and a rice bowl for the kid. We also get some drinks, bringing it to $60. Then we buy some bread from BreadTop for breakfast and lunch tomorrow ($25). $85

4:00pm — Since we spent some money at the shopping centre, we receive a parking discount and only need to pay $6. We then head home and take a walk with the pup. We had a late lunch, so we opt for a light dinner of fruit. $6

7:10pm — I put on some teeth whitening strips, dry my hair and head to the living room. Kiddo is colouring-in, while my husband plays on the PS5. I take her to the bathroom to brush her teeth and get ready for bed.

8:00pm — My husband puts her to sleep, and I take out my laptop and start a new spreadsheet. I start writing an itinerary for our upcoming family trip to the Gold Coast.

9:00pm — Hubby sneaks out of the bedroom after she falls asleep. I close my laptop and we start watching Physical: 100. We start it out of curiosity, but it actually turns out to be pretty interesting.

11:00pm — We all feel pretty tired at this point so we head to sleep.