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Welcome to Money Diaries, where we're tackling what might be the last taboo facing modern working women: money. We're asking a cross-section of women how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period – and we're tracking every last penny.
This week we're with a 28-year-old woman who manages a gift shop, which is tough at the best of times but crazy over Christmas. Here, she fills us in on how she's surviving the festive period.
Industry: Retail Management
Age: 28
Location: Berkshire
Salary: £27k (not including bonus which is £2-4k per year, depending on performance)
Paycheque amount: £1,850
Number of housemates: 1 ½ (my fiancé and my dachshund, Milo – he’s the half).
Age: 28
Location: Berkshire
Salary: £27k (not including bonus which is £2-4k per year, depending on performance)
Paycheque amount: £1,850
Number of housemates: 1 ½ (my fiancé and my dachshund, Milo – he’s the half).
Monthly Expenses
Housing costs: £400 rent (me and my partner split everything 50/50).
Loan payments: Luckily I have very minimum debt as I recently inherited money and used some of it to pay off all my debt (about £3k). I do have a credit card which I use for essentials and to build my credit score.
Utilities: £120 split between myself and my partner, this includes council tax (£162!), water, electric/gas and internet.
Transportation: I get the train to work at a cost of £162 a month (they’re never on time).
Phone bill: Averages out at an eye-watering £100 a month (this does include an iPad and new iPhone).
Savings? £35k for a house deposit, which I recently inherited. I’ve also been trying to put away £50-£100 every month for holidays/handbag purchases!
Other: My partner borrowed £1k from me when he switched jobs and didn’t have a full paycheque one month. Although he earns significantly more than me, like most people our age he has no savings. He's paying me back £50 a week over 20 weeks.
Loan payments: Luckily I have very minimum debt as I recently inherited money and used some of it to pay off all my debt (about £3k). I do have a credit card which I use for essentials and to build my credit score.
Utilities: £120 split between myself and my partner, this includes council tax (£162!), water, electric/gas and internet.
Transportation: I get the train to work at a cost of £162 a month (they’re never on time).
Phone bill: Averages out at an eye-watering £100 a month (this does include an iPad and new iPhone).
Savings? £35k for a house deposit, which I recently inherited. I’ve also been trying to put away £50-£100 every month for holidays/handbag purchases!
Other: My partner borrowed £1k from me when he switched jobs and didn’t have a full paycheque one month. Although he earns significantly more than me, like most people our age he has no savings. He's paying me back £50 a week over 20 weeks.
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