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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: I'm a 29-year-old corporate events manager currently on furlough. The past six months have been a bit of a whirlwind for me since I moved back to the UK after a long stint working in Hong Kong, moved to London and continued a long distance relationship. Since lockdown I've been furloughed (with slim chance of my job resuming this year), had to move back in with my Mum in Cumbria. Also very recently my boyfriend and I broke up. So it's been a bit of an emotional rollercoaster!
Spending-wise I've always been more from the, "I need that top/drink/holiday more than I need to save the money and you only live once" approach, but since having the opportunity to save when I was living in Hong Kong I've gradually changed that attitude and now I'm trying hard to build on my savings and aiming for a decent chunk to put into a house deposit.
I'm still paying rent for the flat I was living in in London for the time being but apart from that I'm very lucky that I don't have that many outgoings at the moment, so am able to save some of my furlough pay and also put some of it away into a post-Corona pot for when I need to jump on a plane and get out of here.
Occupation: Event Manager (currently furloughed).
Industry: Events
Age: 29
Location: Cumbria
Salary: £35,000
Paycheque Amount : Usually £2,400 but currently £1,850 on furlough scheme.
Number of housemates: Currently two — my mum and stepdad.
Industry: Events
Age: 29
Location: Cumbria
Salary: £35,000
Paycheque Amount : Usually £2,400 but currently £1,850 on furlough scheme.
Number of housemates: Currently two — my mum and stepdad.
Monthly Expenses
Monthly Housing Costs: £815 on rent for the two bed flat in London (flatmate K pays the other half). Currently fortunate enough to be living with my parents so not having to pay double rent.
Debt: £400 on a credit card used for emergencies which I pay £50 to each month by direct debit.
Savings: 15K in LISA and premium bonds that I'm going to put towards a house or flat deposit. I try and put approx £400 per month of normal paycheque into savings but at the moment I am saving more in lockdown (so aiming for £700 per month).
All Other Monthly Expenses: Netflix: £5.99. Spotify Premium: £9.99. Apple storage: £0.79. Phone contract: £51.00. Utility bills for flat (TV, water, electricity, gas) approx £90 a month. Oyster Card would usually be £138.70 per month but this is on pause whilst I'm not living in London.
Debt: £400 on a credit card used for emergencies which I pay £50 to each month by direct debit.
Savings: 15K in LISA and premium bonds that I'm going to put towards a house or flat deposit. I try and put approx £400 per month of normal paycheque into savings but at the moment I am saving more in lockdown (so aiming for £700 per month).
All Other Monthly Expenses: Netflix: £5.99. Spotify Premium: £9.99. Apple storage: £0.79. Phone contract: £51.00. Utility bills for flat (TV, water, electricity, gas) approx £90 a month. Oyster Card would usually be £138.70 per month but this is on pause whilst I'm not living in London.
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