Talking about money is still taboo in France. Still, it’s a fascinating topic… and feminist, in some respects! In Settlement of Accounts, people of all stripes check their budget, tell us about their financial organization as a couple or alone and their relationship with money. Today it is Flora * who has agreed to analyze her accounts for us.
- Age : 31 years old
- Work : Graphic
- Net salary before withholding tax : €2,282.81
- Net salary after withholding tax : €2,184.39
- People (or animals) who live with you : 2 cats, 3 degus
- Place of life : Dreux (Eure-et-Loir)
Flora’s income
Flora is a graphic designer, employed with a permanent contract in a company of about twenty people in the advertising sector – “just in the distribution of screen media in the luxury sector” in Paris.
In a relationship with a Belgian who still resides in Belgium, she lives alone and has owned an apartment for just over a year 75 m2 at Dreuxin the Eure-et-Loir.
“It costs much less than in Paris, and above all my apartment is just 10 minutes from the station, from where I then take the train. Well, on the other hand, you must like transportation. Fortunately, I benefit from 2 days of telecommuting per week. »
After being held at the source, Flora receives a monthly salary of €2,184.39to which it is added Restaurant vouchers from €120. Despite a standard of living “pretty average”considers herself thirty “too well paid”.
“I don’t spend much, except for shopping needs. I know that according to my colleagues and my friends I should earn more. In particular due to the overtime that can be done in the garage, the weekends worked and the stress caused by an intense work rhythm. I also recently came close to quite a burnout, and have been limiting my hours ever since and refusing to work on the weekends. But I don’t see myself earning more because I never imagined earning this much. Finding myself with a sum of €2,000 and more is simply enormous for me. »
Flora’s relationship with money and her financial organization
Flora admits to having it “a complicated relationship with money”. Not because it’s exhibited every month, but because she did “always afraid of forgetting to calculate an expense”.
“I log into my account almost every day to check that I haven’t made any mistakes. »
In your opinion, this fear is due to previous financial contingencies which have temporarily put it in the red: unforeseen impositions by the co-ownership, increase in electricity prices…
“I also separated a year ago from my ex, with whom I lived under the same roof for 10 years. We shared expenses and I had to learn to live and manage expenses on my own. Today I’m fine, I’ve found a balance, but it wasn’t nice at the beginning. »
To manage the stress associated with spending, Flora has created a “financial routine” well managed.
“As soon as I received my pay in my account, I write down the sum in a notebook. I then count all my fixed current expenses, including the loan for my apartment to be repaid, condominium expenses, insurance, electricity, gas, transport, internet, telephone, in addition to the amount they set aside each month for taxes and tourist tax. After, as soon as I spend something, I write it down and count it right away. Thus, I see the amount decreasing as the month progresses and lets me always know where I stand. »
Flora’s expenses
The first fixed expense that weighs on Flora’s budget is the rent. For her apartment in Dreux, which she owns, the graphic designer repays 413.03 euros of mortgage each month. Her insurance for her apartment is costing her €23.32 per month.
Flora rates at approx €454 your other monthly fixed costs: €364 condominium expenses, which include water and heating, €40 of gas and €50 of electricity. Provident, she puts it too €200 set aside each month for your taxes, settlement, and home tax. She pays too €23 for his phone and €23 for the internet every month.
Working in Paris while living outside Île-de-France, Flora has a sizeable transport budget. Every month she spends €116 being able to take the train, and pay €84 Pass Navigo to get around the capital by metro.
“I invest a lot in my animals because I want the best for them”
Passionate about organic, local and seasonal products, Flora spends on the go €100 a month for food. Find her fruits and vegetables at the market because they are there “cheaper and better”.
“The market is a 20-minute walk from my house, so I go there on days when I’m telecommuting. »
As a vegan, Flora admits to buying some specific products, which she can only find in organic or specialized shops.
“In general, it is limited to vegetable milk, vegetable cream and sometimes a red tofu. »
Once a year, he buys artificial meat products in bulk on the “New Farmers” website, which he then stores in the freezer – “keeps easy for several months”. He then has about €180.
“I buy everything else from brands like Carrefour that I have had delivered to my house because I don’t have a car (too much spending when I don’t need it). »
When she visits her boyfriend in Belgium, Flora ” always puts €40 in races or at restaurants “because she “refuses to be hosted for free”.
Apart from that, the expenses female “Do not cost the young woman much. “I have a cup so I’m calm. As for birth control, we are on condoms and it is the gentleman who takes care of it. »
Flora, on the other hand, does not skimp on expenses for her pets, 2 cats and 3 degus (small rodents), for which she spends around €80 per month.
“I admit that I spend a lot on my children because I want the best for them and I can afford it… This is how much it costs me per month in food and waste. »
Flora’s hobbies
At least once a month, Flora visits her lover Belgium and pays 242.20 euros to visit him. This is his main item of leisure expenditure. He doesn’t have a particular clothing budget.
“I almost never buy any, unless I have nothing left to wear… So it has to happen once every 1 or 2 years. »
On the other hand, she is a great lover of reading, she loves drawing and video games.
“In drawing I spend €10 each month to support the Patreon of an artist whose work I love. Otherwise, as a graphic designer, I draw on a tablet with free software. »
If video games aren’t a common expense Flora – “I had to buy 3 or 4 in a year” -, the young woman confesses that she has spent a lot of money on books.
“When I go into a bookstore I go out too often with a stack of books worth between 30 and 40 euros. I try not to go in too often, otherwise it’s fucked, I’m too weak. One day with my partner we were about to enter a bookstore so that I could only get information about one book. My partner told me: “You mustn’t go in, you will collapse again”. I replied: “No, no! I promise I won’t buy anything. He replied “Promise? “. I replied “I promise! »… I put one foot, just one foot on the mark, turned to him and finally told him «Finally maybe…». »
Not being particularly spendthrift, Flora is not sure which item of expenditure she would like to reduce. On the other hand, she remembers her last of her” cracking » : a piano keyboard “fulfilling a childhood dream” why her “She wanted to learn to play the piano since she was little”.
Flora’s savings and plans for the future
When he sticks to his budget, Flora manages to save 450 euros a month.
“But if I push the habit into hobbies or go to birthdays, am I the only one in the world who sometimes has 2-3 birthdays in a month? -, Saving €250. »
She puts this money directly into their second accountto which he can draw if his financial situation becomes complicated or in the event of large expenses, such as condominium work or holidays.
In the future Flora has no particular plans except “ have tattoos everywhere”.
“But that’s when I have enough money saved up. Otherwise, for now, I’ll take life as it comes. »
Thanks to Flora* for going over her budget for us!
*Name has been changed.
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Source: Madmoizelle
Mary Crossley is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. She is a seasoned journalist who is dedicated to delivering the latest news to her readers. With a keen sense of what’s important, Mary covers a wide range of topics, from politics to lifestyle and everything in between.
