Money Diary 23 Year Old In Bristol On £23.5k

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 23-year-old recent graduate working as a content curator for a finance technology startup...

"Because I work in finance I follow my finances pretty well. I’m due to get a promotion in the next couple of months and have had meetings with my manager about my new role and pay.

I am two months into the process of buying my own flat, with money that is a gift from my parents. Both my grandparents died young or are very unwell, so my parents are trying to avoid inheritance tax, should the worst happen, by gifting their money now. I have savings of £7,000 to pay for solicitors, furniture and initial costs such as replacing the bathroom floor. When I move in, I won’t have a mortgage so will only be paying around £400-500 a month in bills, tax and management charges, so I’m excited to be able to save for a holiday I’m planning in August, and for flights to Texas in December. According to my solicitor, the purchase should be finished in the next few weeks.

I have a boyfriend in the army who I see on weekends. We’ve been together around six months and our finances are totally separate but we tend to work in rounds for things.

My sister’s wedding and hen do is coming up, so will be paying lots for that (around £300 in total), so trying to make this a lean spending month."

Industry: Finance technology
Age: 23
Location: Bristol
Salary: £23,500
Paycheque amount: £1,575.57
Number of housemates: 1 – she’s 25, and also my landlord

Monthly Expenses

Housing costs: £625 rent
Loan payments: £38 student loan
Utilities: Included in rent
Transportation: None, I live in the city centre and walk everywhere
Phone bill: £20
Savings? £7,000 in a savings account which is going towards solicitors fees and buying furniture for my new place
Other: Birchbox £12.95, Netflix £9.99 (which my whole family, all my friends and their uncles mooch off), Pure Gym £24.99, Amazon Prime: £79 p/a

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