A Week In Sydney’s Northern Beaches As A Student & Cafe Worker On $40,000

Today: a student and casual cafe worker who makes $40,000 a year and spends some of her money this week to UberEats a hot chocolate from McDonald's.

Occupation: Student / Casual Cafe Worker
Industry: Hospitality
Age: 19
Location: Northern Beaches, Sydney
Salary: $40,000
Net Worth: $22,000 ($15,000 in savings and $7,000 in shares)
Debt: $0. I'm paying my university fees upfront.
Paycheque Amount (Weekly): $800
Pronouns: She/Her

Rent: I'm living with my parents while I study so I have no living costs, which I recognise is very lucky. It's just far too expensive to live in the Northern Beaches.
Opal Card: $80
Gym Membership: $80
Savings: $1,600. My parents have always encouraged me to save half of what I earn while I can. It has meant that I can pay for my university education myself, which I am grateful for. 
Charity: I usually donate approximately $10 a month to charities that I am passionate about, including World Vision.

Yes. I am currently doing my Bachelor of Communications and I pay for it upfront by myself. I know I can use HECS if I need it, but I'd prefer to finish university debt free if I can.

From a young age, my parents would give us pocket money and make us put a third towards savings, a third towards ourselves, and a third towards others. I think this really helped shape my understanding of money.

My first job was at a coffee shop when I was 15. I got the job to give myself some independence with my spending. I also started saving from a young age, which I really appreciated later on.

No. I was very lucky that my parents had good jobs to provide for us. I was never given any impression of what they earned though, and have only discovered much later that they were in high-paying jobs. They never raised us to be money-orientated — we just lived within our means.

Yes, I worry about living stability as I get older. The housing and rental market is so brutal at the moment. I definitely worry about what this could mean for me when I eventually move out.

18. That's when I considered myself semi-independent financially (apart from housing, bills and groceries of course — thanks Mum and Dad!).

No.

8:00am — Today is my day off! I worked all weekend at my cafe job, so I'm grateful for the sleep-in and morning cuddles with my dog. After scrolling on my phone for a bit (and gloating to my brothers that I get to stay at home while they go to school), I get changed into my yoga clothing and get on a bus to head to my favourite local coffee shop. 

9:00am — I tap on the bus with my Opal card ($2.60) and then buy a small mocha on regular milk ($5.70). I usually don't spend much money on coffee as when I am at work I get coffee for free, but I can't resist a mocha — they are the most comforting! $8.30

9:30am — I walk from the coffee shop to my local library, where I read for about half an hour while drinking my coffee. I am currently reading Love and Virtue by Dianna Reid and am loving it! The library is quiet and really peaceful which I love. I am so busy that I don't usually have much time to sit with my thoughts or read. It feels like a luxury (it's the little things, right?!). 

10:45am — I get on a bus to my gym, which is about nine minutes away from the library ($1.90). The ride is quick, and I get to the gym just in time for my 11:00am yoga class. The yoga class lasts an hour and is harder than I expected. I usually find yoga quite relaxing, but I didn't eat breakfast this morning so my stomach keeps grumbling throughout the whole class which is slightly embarrassing. $1.90

12:11pm — I get on a bus home up the hill which only takes eight minutes ($1.40). I get off at my stop and walk the remaining five minutes home, which is very hot and sweaty. When I arrive home, I make myself avocado on toast and have a piccolo that I make in my parents' Nespresso coffee machine. My mum works from home in our living room, so I stop to talk to her for a few minutes before retreating to my room. $1.40

12:54pm — I call my best friend while I eat my breakfast/lunch on my bed with my dog sprawled out beside me. My dog is obsessed with lying on my bed and follows me into my room whenever I come downstairs. She also lies on my clean washing whenever I bring it in off the line which I find quite strange, but I think she just likes the scent. Whatever it is, it's damn cute. I watch a few episodes of New Girl and then have a shower. 

1:14pm — After my shower, I change into my pyjamas (I know I'm a grandma, but is there anything better than having a pyjama day on your day off?). I haven't been feeling that well recently and have been suffering from some painful headaches. To deal with this, I spend most of the afternoon napping and listening to podcasts in my dark room with the blinds drawn. Riveting, I know. 

6:36pm — My brother tells me that dinner is ready, so I roll out of bed and trudge upstairs to join my family. In my family, we take turns cooking and usually all cook one night each week. Tonight it's butter chicken with white rice and salad. I usually have some dessert, but I don't feel like it tonight, so instead I find a comfy spot on the couch. Mum and I watch our favourite TV show at the moment, The Good Doctor. 

8:58pm — After watching an episode together, I head downstairs to brush my teeth and go to the bathroom before bed. I usually go to bed pretty early as I start work at the cafe at 6:00am most mornings and have let my body clock adjust to this routine. I end up scrolling through Instagram Reels for 40 minutes though, and so I don't turn the light off until after 9:45pm (oops!). 

9:47pm — I put my podcast on a sleep timer and then start to fall asleep. I am exhausted!

7:00am — Tuesday! I usually meet my best friend in Manly to get coffee on Tuesdays, then we walk down to the beach together and swim. However this morning, I've woken up with yet another pounding headache (argh!), so I message her. She offers to come over and have a movie day with me instead, which I'm very happy with. I sleep for another hour and by the time I wake up, my brothers and parents have left for school and work, which means I have a free house. Woo!

8:14am — I drag myself out of bed and decide to have THE shower. I wash my hair, shave my legs and deep clean my face, which feels so good. I get changed into trackies and a comfy jumper, head upstairs and make myself a smoothie. The ingredients I use include a banana, frozen raspberries, spinach, protein powder and almond milk. It's delicious! 

8:35am — I nestle into the best spot on the couch and started bingeing all the Christmas episodes of The Office. My head continues pounding, so I put a heat pack in the microwave to put on my head. Heat always helps when I get headaches, and it momentarily gives me some relief. I consider taking some pain relief but decide against it.

9:00am — My best friend arrives at my place and is delighted to watch The Office with me. She's been nagging me to watch it for ages, but in typical best friend fashion, I just keep telling her I'll watch it but never do (until now). We chat about our weeks and she drinks a matcha latte. She offers me a sip, but I can't stand the taste of matcha for some reason.

11:10am — I feel like a hot chocolate but I'm feeling too uneasy to walk down to McDonald's to get one. After much deliberation, I decide to Uber Eats one. I rarely use Uber Eats, but after two days of a pounding headache, all I want is a hot chocolate with marshmallows. My best friend also wants one, so I order two large hot chocolates ($15.76, including delivery). She transfers me $6. $9.76

11:25am — The hot choccies arrive! They're delicious and I have no regrets. We're thinking of booking a trip to Bali during our next university holidays so we have a look at flights but they're so expensive!

1:06pm — My bestie and I make avocado on toast for lunch. It's really yummy, but I don't have much of an appetite. I am the type of person who usually snacks a lot throughout the day and has smaller meals, but since having a headache, I haven't been feeling particularly hungry over the last few days. 

3:00pm — My best friend leaves for work and I have another nap (with the dog, of course).

5:37pm — I wake up to a text from my mum asking how I'm feeling and if I'm well enough to make family dinner (which I am). I drag myself upstairs and watch New Girl while I make chicken stir-fry. I cut up broccoli, red pepper and mushrooms to put through the stir-fry. 

6:31pm — My parents arrive home from the city in time for dinner, and we sit around the table together to eat. The stir-fry is really nice and I end up having seconds. After dinner, I have ice cream for dessert while my family does the dishes. I get ready to watch another episode of The Good Doctor with my mum. 

7:10pm — Mum and I watch an episode together and then I head downstairs to read more of Love and Virtue before bed. I only read for an hour before discarding my book to watch more New Girl.  Today has been an absolutely lazy day and I'm very happy about it. I was planning to go to the gym and get some life admin done as university holidays have just started, but honestly, I just needed a rest day. 

8:55pm — Brush my teeth, put my pyjamas on and get into bed. I scroll Spotify for a bit to find a podcast to fall asleep to. I usually listen to lifestyle podcasts in the evenings as I like having background noise as I fall asleep. Tonight I choose She's On the Money (odd choice, I know, but I really enjoy it and manage to fall asleep pretty quickly).

6:30am — My first alarm goes off and I snooze it (as usual). My second alarm goes off five minutes later so I pry my eyes open and have a scroll on social media. Today I'm working at my second job looking after kids, which I typically do two days a week. Then I work at the cafe for the other three days while I'm on university holidays. Today I'll be looking after kids at a school from 8:30am to 3:30pm.

6:45am — I get dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, brush my hair and pull it back into a ponytail. I check my bank account and see that my cafe job has paid me, which is nice. I brush my teeth and throw some clothes into the corner of my room to at least give the illusion that it's clean.

7:15am — I make a smoothie with banana, frozen blueberries, spinach and almond milk and put it into a to-go cup to take with me on the bus. My mum gives me a lift to the bus stop and we go past our local coffee shop on the way. She buys me a small mocha which I'm thankful for as it's freezing this morning (which is strange for November). She drops me at the bus stop with three minutes to spare. I tap on. $3.10

8:06am — I arrive at my job early and chat with my co-workers in the staffroom before the kids arrive.

10:05am — Recess! My work friend and I head down to the cafe which is five minutes down the road and we order some coffee. I shout her coffee ($9.70). We usually rotate paying for our coffee, so she'll buy mine on Friday. We walk back to the staffroom and I have a muesli bar as I drink my coffee. $9.70

10:35am — The kids I'm working with today are very disruptive and it's a long morning.

1:32pm — I have carrots and hummus for lunch, along with some crackers and nuts. I usually have leftovers for lunch and heat them up, but my headache really threw me off this week so I've been a bit disorganised, which is unusual for me. I'm still hungry after my lunch and walk back to the cafe with my friend, where I buy a caramel slice. $4.50

1:55pm — Back to work! Argh. 

3:30pm — Finish work for the day! Pack up my things and say goodbye to everyone in the staffroom. My work friend offers me a lift to the gym, which is lovely.

4:00pm — I put my headphones in and started walking on the treadmill. There are no classes on Wednesday afternoons at my gym so instead today I plan to do a 45-minute walk on an incline to clear my head after a long day working with kids. I love my job, but also find that doing exercise really helps me unwind from the day. While I walk on the treadmill, I listen to Crime Junkie which is an incredible crime podcast. 

5:07pm — I catch a bus home up the hill ($1.70). I'm feeling very sweaty but calm after my walk. Dad's working downstairs in the living room outside my room, so I stop to chat with him for a bit. $1.70

5:18pm — I have a shower and wash my face. I feel so much better after getting my sweaty clothes off. I get changed into my pyjamas and remember that I desperately need to do my washing. I put all my coloured clothes into the washing machine and set a timer for them to start in the morning so that I can hang them out when I get back from work tomorrow. 

6:47pm — My brother cooks dinner tonight and he's made fish, which I hate. I make myself a ham and cheese toastie and serve myself up some salad. Mum is working late tonight so we watch dinner in front of the TV (which we don't usually do, so it feels like a treat). 

8:10pm — I settle into bed and continue reading Love and Virtue. I can feel myself getting tired and just skimming the page, so I get ready for bed and pack my bag for tomorrow. I double-check my schedule to see what time I'm working tomorrow. I'm paranoid and always double-check as I'm worried I'll turn up to work when I am not meant to (it's happened many times, as much as I hate to admit it). 

9:15pm — I put my podcast on (Unsolicited Advice) and set my alarm tomorrow for 5:00am.

5:00am — Alarm goes off. I'm feeling groggy and fall asleep for another ten minutes, eventually waking up in a panic since I have my cafe job today. I jump out of bed and throw my work clothes on, brush my hair and splash some water on my face. I can't be bothered to wash my face properly, so instead, I just dry it off and brush my teeth. 

5:37am — Stumble out of the door with a muesli bar in hand and practically run down the hill to catch my bus. It's still dark and the air is pretty chilly considering it's summer. I arrive at the bus stop out of breath and the bus arrives almost instantly. $1.30

5:46am — I get off the bus and walk the few minutes to the cafe, arriving a bit early. My coworker is already there and has started prepping the coffee grinder for the day. We open at 6:00am, and usually arrive a bit early to help set everything up before customers arrive. My coworker makes me a cappuccino with one sugar and we chat quietly as we are both still half-asleep. I clock into my shift and open the doors to the early risers waiting for coffee. They greet me by name and I take their orders. 

11:30am — The morning has flown by, and I am more than ready to take my half-hour break. During our breaks, we are allowed to have one item off the menu to eat, so I make myself a ham and cheese toastie and a hot chocolate and sit on one of the outside tables. I turn off my reminder to take my medication from this morning, respond to a few messages and confirm that I am meeting my best friend, M., and another friend, C., at the library after work. 

12:01pm — I clock off my break and continue working. It's a busy shift and I get 10,000 steps in!

1:35pm — Work is finished! I clock off, say goodbye to my coworkers, and tap onto the bus ($1.20). M. texts me to ask if I want to get massages before we head to the library and of course, I agree. She has managed to book us in for 2:30pm which gives me plenty of time. $1.20

1:56pm — I arrive and meet M. We kill time before our massage appointment and she tells me about some more research she has done for our trip. I am craving chocolate, so we go to Coles to buy M&M's. $3.80

2:30pm — We go in for our massages. We usually get them once a month, but we've been getting them more often since we both discovered we can get a rebate back on our parents' healthcare funds (the perks of living at home on my parents' health coverage). 

3:10pm — The massage was divine. I always feel ridiculous getting a massage, like I am treating myself for no reason. Sometimes I struggle with money guilt when I spend money on myself. I need to remind myself that it's okay to invest in myself and self-care activities. The massage ends up costing $30 after our rebate, which I'm pretty happy with. $30

3:20pm — M. and I meet C. at the library and continue planning our Bali trip. It's looking like the trip could cost up to $2,000 each which is a lot of money. We contemplate whether this is worth it, as we want to travel to Europe next year and could do a trip around Australia instead to save money. We decide to see how we feel closer to the time and decide to book a campsite for a week in the summer holidays as a mini break. C. wants to wait to book until she is paid next week, but overall, we're happy with our decision. 

6:30pm — After catching up for a few hours and helping C. study for her last exam tomorrow, we decide to get dinner. I buy myself two sushi rolls (one chicken/avocado and one tuna/avocado). $7.60

7:10pm — M. and I bus back ($2.40) to her house as I usually stay over at her house once a week. She lives near my job at the school, which makes it really convenient for me. $2.40

7:30pm — We arrive home and chat with M.'s parents for a bit before heading to her room. Her dog follows us and lets me cuddle her while we set up Schitt's Creek on her laptop while we demolish the rest of the M&M's. 

9:45pm — We brush our teeth and get changed into our pyjamas. I keep a toothbrush, some clothes and pyjamas at M.'s house which makes this pretty easy. M. has a very complex skincare routine which takes her ages to do at night, so I curl up in bed and scroll through my phone while I wait for her. Mum and Dad text and ask me about my day, and my boss messages me if I want to take on any other shifts now that university is over for the year. I don't respond right away as I am a bit of a people pleaser and tend to sign myself up for too much without really wanting to. I also see that a few of my university friends want to go to a book launch in the city next week and send me the link to get tickets (which are free!). I reserve one and put it on my calendar. 

10:07pm — I put my podcast on (with headphones in so I don't wake M.) and we go to bed. 

7:00am — M.'s alarm goes off. She immediately turns it off and starts snoring again. I get up and get ready, changing into some green linen pants and a white tee. I also put on some concealer and mascara (for a change). I don't usually wear make-up but I've decided to make the effort today.

7:45am — M. has a shower and takes her time blowdrying her hair. I pack up my things and scroll through my phone for a while, responding to a few messages from friends and commenting on some Instagram photos. It feels like all of my friends are in Europe right now. I get sick of seeing all their pictures and click off of social media, deciding to chat with M. instead. 

8:15am — Leave M.'s house with a homemade smoothie (banana, frozen mango, protein powder and soy milk) and make the short 15-minute walk to work. I'm listening to Crime Junkie again as I am walking, and randomly remember that I never hung out my washing (ahhh!). I text Dad and he says he did it for me, which is nice of him. 

8:30am — I get to work, chat with my coworkers and take my medication (did I take it yesterday? Who knows!) and get ready for a long day. Fridays are always hectic as the kids are excited about the weekend (I can't blame them). I do my usual flicking through emails and catch up on what I missed yesterday, which wasn't much. 

8:40am — I head to my first class for the day!

1:15pm — Lunch break. My friend and I practically run down to the cafe to get coffee. She pays. We head back to the staffroom feeling very accomplished.

1:32pm — For lunch, I have a tofu stir-fry that M. had in her fridge. I heat it up in the microwave. It is incredible. 

1:55pm — Back to class! The last few sessions of the day drag on, but the kids I am working with are in a funny mood and end up making me laugh a lot, which I love. 

3:30pm — My work friend is going past the mall and offers to drop me off. I accept as I have to buy my little brother a birthday present.

3:42pm — I spend 20 minutes looking at different hair gels for my brother's birthday gift. I had no idea there were so many products for men's hair! It takes me ages to decide on one, but I eventually buy him a hair sculpting mousse ($24). I stop over at David Jones and find a coral t-shirt from Nude Lucy that I love. It would be perfect for summer, so I buy it in a size small without trying it on ($35). $59

4:07pm — I catch a bus from the mall to my gym to make the 4:30pm Pilates class. The trip costs $2.40 and takes seven minutes. I get changed and put my belongings in a locker before heading to the class. $2.40

4:34pm — The class ends up being so much fun. I stay towards the back and like the fact that no one's eyes are on me, allowing me to feel a little more self-confident.

5:41pm — The class ends and I run out of the gym, just making my bus. The ride up the hill cost $2.40. 

5:55pm — I take a shower and get changed into my favourite cotton pyjama set. I open a package that's arrived for me — a gorgeous handmade mug from a small business that I bought a few months ago. I absolutely love it and immediately make a tea to have it in (with digestive biscuits of course!). 

6:30pm — On Fridays, we usually get takeaway for dinner. I get a Cali burrito from Guzman Y Gomez, which Mum and Dad pay for (thanks!). We eat while watching The Good Doctor.

8:55pm — As I get into bed to read, D. texts me and asks if I want to get dinner with her on Sunday night. D. is a high school friend who I haven't seen in a while. We book a Japanese restaurant for 7:00pm and decide that we are going to dress up for once! I'm excited. 

9:35pm — I fall asleep mid-way through my book and even forget to brush my teeth. Oh well, it's Friday night!

6:04am — By some miracle, I wake up in time for my shift at the cafe job. Today I get a bit of a sleep-in as I don't start until 7am. Mum texts me from upstairs and offers to drop me down as she is meeting a friend for coffee. This means I don't have to catch a bus, so I decide that I'll shout her a coffee when we arrive to say thanks.

6:14am — I roll out of bed, brush my teeth and get dressed. This morning it's actually quite warm, so I wear black denim shorts instead of my usual leggings. 

6:46am — Mum and I get into the car and she drives me down to work. The car ride is about nine minutes, which allows me to arrive a bit early.

6:57am — I clock in on the iPad at work and take Mum's coffee order, a small latte on regular milk ($4.20, I pay). $4.20 

7:03am — My coworker offers me a coffee, and of course, I say yes. She makes me a small cappuccino with one sugar and it's delicious! 

12:00pm — I take my break. The morning has been insanely busy, meaning that I have barely had a moment to check my phone or even drink much water. While I am clocking onto my break, I have a big drink and remind myself that I have to drink more. 

12:05pm — I sit outside and enjoy avocado on toast for lunch while reading Love and Virtue. I am nearly finished and thoroughly enjoying it. 

1:43pm — I finish work. It took us a while to close today as we had so many dishes to do (the weekends usually bring a lot of dine-in customers). It's bright and sunny outside though, and I am grateful to step out of the cafe and into the fresh air! 

1:58pm — I tap onto the bus ($2.70) and after a short walk home, I collapse onto my bed and do absolutely nothing for the rest of the afternoon. If only I didn't have to work tomorrow... $2.70

6:06am — My alarm goes off! I'm starting at 7am again this morning and this time, Dad has offered to drop me off as he is going for a walk with our dog. I begrudgingly roll out of bed and get dressed very slowly as I am very tired. 

6:52am — Dad drops me at work. I clock on and have a pretty uneventful shift. I take my usual break at 12pm and have a ham and cheese toastie for lunch. 

1:37pm — Work is finished. Hurray! I usually work both weekend days and find it very draining, so I am really looking forward to seeing D. for dinner tonight and relaxing a bit. 

1:49pm — I tap on the bus ($2.70). I walk up the hill, chat with my parents for a bit and sit in the sun while having a snack of salt and vinegar chips and garlic dip. Time for a nap, I think. $2.70

5:49pm — I have no idea where my day has gone! In my typical Sunday fashion, I've napped all day. I start getting ready for dinner with D., leaving after about 15 minutes to catch the bus.

6:20pm — I tap on ($3.10). The bus ride is about 30 minutes, so I put on Crime Junkie (yet again) and look out the window. $3.10

6:53pm — Arrive at the Japanese restaurant and D. is waiting (she's on time for once!). We sit down and order a red wine ($11 each). We decide to order share plates and split the bill at the end of the night, which works well for me. For dinner, we order a serving of caramelised cauliflower ($24), edamame beans ($10), fried rice ($26) and a shared sushi plate ($28). We discover that the menu has a wide variety of Asian cuisine rather than just Japanese, which we are happy with. 

8:01pm — We pay for dinner ($55 each) and part ways to catch buses home. My trip is free as I've reached my daily limit. $55

8:42pm — I arrive home and roll into bed! It's my day off tomorrow and I am so ready for it.