Table 4.
Summary of self-recorded consumption diaries showing expenditure and reflections for three consumption domains over a seven-day period. *Missing diary data for Kimberly.
| Food ($) | Comments on food | Transport ($) | Comments on transport | Leisure ($) | Comments on leisure | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Katya | 340 | Walked to local Docklands grocery store. | 40 | transport expenses are mainly petrol for car | 330 | Included dining out with friends and family and shopping as a leisure activity, and watching TV. |
| Lisa | 180 | Shops for groceries at Aldi. | 41 | Short car trips often involving relatives. | 80 | Watches TV and Netflix and crochets. Jewellery shopping. Walk around the block. |
| Kimberly* | ||||||
| Christi | 345 | 2 supermarket grocery shops and eating out with friends & family. Spends more time preparing meals at home now. | 34 | Takes train to city on work days and uses car on other days (for shopping and social engagements) | 155 | Walking the dog, cooking, reading and watching TV. Is more social since downshifting and has time at home for activities other than chores. |
| Angela | 253 | Shops at supermarket for convenience and makes frequent small purchases. | 68 | Multiple short car trips for shopping. | 22 | Gardening, playing computer games and watching TV at home. Drove to the beach one day. |
| Sharon | 160 | Frugal with grocery shopping and largest expenses are linked to social events. | 35 | Short car trips and longer drive to visit boyfriend in a different town. | 11 | Doesn’t go out much for both health and financial reasons. Social events, visit to local gallery and op shop are main leisure activities. |
| Sandra | 68 | Shops at supermarket for value for money, take-away pizza one night. Dined one night with parents (mother cooked) | 105 | Drives to shops, drives both her son and herself to work (son has L plates). Drives son to gym. Long car trip to visit parents on other side of Melbourne. | 100 | Home – TV,Out – Bingo, movies, walked dog |
| Mick | 73 | Few details but mainly eats at home | 70 | Short car trips, mainly for trips to the gym and work place. | 0 | Gym workouts, walking, house and garden jobs, watching TV. |
| Maria | 35 | Shops at supermarket for convenience and value and dines at home – didn’t eat out at all. | 18 | Multiple short car trips to shops and athletics track. | 25 | Home - reading, online entertainment, letter-writing, stamp collecting, TV. Away from home – athletics training, visiting library. Didn’t compete in athletics comp. due to cost but trained with the other team members and socialised. |
| Jenny | 96 | Single weekly grocery shop at Chinese market. | 10 | Short car trips. | 26 | Goes out less due to lack of money. Feels isolated but loves staying at home. Leisure activities are gardening and watching movies on iPad. Only spent money on monthly meal at the pub with daughter |