Money Diary: An Editorial Assistant In Lincoln On 28k

This week: "I'm a 28-year-old editorial assistant living in the countryside with my fiancé and my dog. I really enjoy my job and have been working remotely since the pandemic began. My partner has his own business and has been looking to hire someone who does what I do (create and manage content) so I've decided to hand my notice in and start working for him. We currently rent and have been in a chain for a house for just under a year! Because of this we started looking elsewhere and have recently had an offer accepted on a dream house we truly love. Hopefully this will be a quicker move! I am very fortunate that because of my partner's salary I can save and spend much more than I could on my salary if I were single as I contribute much less than what I would need to each month. I think about how fortunate I am for this every single day. My partner has always been the one to suggest that I pay less as he didn't see it as fair for us to be equal if he's making a significant amount more than me."

Occupation: Editorial assistant
Industry: Digital marketing
Age: 28
Location: Lincolnshire
Salary: £28k
Paycheque amount: £1,214 each month for my part-time job and £638 each month for freelance content writing.
Number of housemates: Two: my fiancé and my dog.
Pronouns: She/her

Housing costs: £760 rent (we’re in the process of buying a house).
Loan payments: I have a student loan of around £28k, which I pay annually. This works out around £30 a month.
Savings? £24k.
Pension? I have £4,661.15 in my pension account. I need to chase up my first job out of university as I paid into a pension scheme there. I pay 4% out of my paycheque each month, which is matched by my employer.
Utilities: £139 council tax, £81 gas and electric, £62 water every three months.
All other monthly payments: £10 phone contract, £12 to a chosen charity, £17.85 pet insurance. Subscriptions: £12 contact lenses subscription, £58.24 Butternut Box subscription for dog, £13.99 Netflix.

I have a degree in English and history. I am currently paying the student loans back, I have about £30,000 in total to pay. My parents kindly paid for my accommodation for my first year as my loan didn't cover it. Throughout my second year they paid for my weekly food shop. In my third year I got an almost full-time job and paid all expenses myself.

Finance was never discussed growing up. I remember my mum telling me my dad's salary when I was a teenager but not to let him know that I knew – it was almost taboo. I didn't receive any education about finances.

I moved out just after I turned 18 to go to university. I moved home after my third year at 21 and moved out permanently when I moved in with my now fiancé at 24.

At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself? Does anyone else cover any aspects of your financial life?

I would say during the third year of uni. When I moved home I paid 'rent' to my parents and I have not asked anything of them since. If anything was to happen I know I have family that would support me but I also have savings so I would feel comfortable living off them for a while.

My first job was working in a retail store as a Christmas temp. As soon as I turned 16 I had a weekend job at various stores to make my own pocket money. All my friends had weekend jobs and it was viewed as 'cool' to have one.

Do you worry about money now?

No. I feel very fortunate for the position I'm in. My partner makes a substantial amount of money, which means he feels more comfortable paying for me so essentially I am able to treat myself and save more. If anything happened to us (touch wood it doesn't, we're getting married in the summer so feel confident we're here for the long term), I feel comfortable that I could support myself with my salary.

I received £10k from my dad when I was 25. He saved this amount for each of his three children. I used this money to go to New York, put a deposit on a car and pay off my overdraft. My mum is also gifting my partner and me £2,000 towards our wedding.