Money Diary 28-Year-Old Office Exec In Belfast On £20k

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: "I’m a 28-year-old office executive for a recruitment firm/freelance content writer living in Belfast with my husband (C). I grew up between Northern Ireland and the Middle East but came home to live in 2015. Over lockdown, fearing I’d lose my job, I was extremely frugal and it triggered a lot of deep insecurities I had towards money (flashbacks of making £20 last me a month during my master's in Newcastle, living off freebie library coffee etc.). C and I decided that as this month will mark 10 years together, we would treat ourselves! Especially considering that we had to cancel a pretty big holiday to celebrate said 10 years.

I am also building up my portfolio as a freelance article and content writer – something I wish I could have pursued sooner but unfortunately earning a steady wage had to come first. The article gigs are coming in slowly. At present I am helping a long-time client (S) with her Viking erotica."

Industry: Recruitment/HR
Age: 28
Location: Belfast
Salary: Full-time job £20,000, freelancing £400-600 a month depending on jobs.
Paycheque amount: £1,372 + £400 monthly average in freelancing gigs.
Number of housemates: One (husband).

Monthly Expenses

Housing costs: My half of rent comes to £250 but I transfer £300 as C usually picks up groceries.
Loan payments: £0. I am not nearly educated enough to feel comfortable with a credit card/loan.
Utilities: £20 gas per month, £20 electricity per month. I am aware of how crazy cheap this is. £30 for unlimited internet with EE.
Transportation: Nada! I live a short walk from the city centre and haven’t travelled home to the country as Mum is shielding. I walk EVERYWHERE. There is not a single point in Belfast that I need to get to which is more than an hour’s walk away.
Phone bill: £21. I have a SIM only deal with EE which gets us discounted internet and more than enough mobile data – a must-have for the amount of podcast-listening I do on my walks.
Savings? Most of our savings, including all our wedding money, went towards supporting my mum when she came home. She has been so ill for most of my adult life and has lost a lot of her independence. We have started to build up a pot again, with £10,000 in savings. Not sure if we will use this for a house deposit or not, as the idea of settling somewhere FOREVER does not appeal to me. I deposit £300 into it every month (bar this month, treat yo’self in the name of love babbbyyyyy).
Other: Fellow Creatures vegan chocolate subscription box £12. Mum's private healthcare £11, this comes out of my salary automatically.