Money Diary: A 24-Year-Old Communications Assistant In Glasgow On 27.5k
Last Updated 5 August 2020, 4:00
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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: "Hey! I’m 24, live in Glasgow and graduated uni a few years ago. I work in communications and thankfully have had no fear of redundancy or furlough during COVID-19. I’m working from home due to our current climate, which I’ve gotten used to and now enjoy – I don’t want to go back to the office!
I live alone in a rental property that I love and temporarily have a friend staying with me for a few weeks in between her flat lease ending – it ended unexpectedly due to COVID – and her next one starting (we both live alone so this is within government guidance)."
Industry: Communications
Age: 24
Location: Glasgow
Salary: £27,500
Paycheque amount: £1,748 after tax, national insurance, student loan payment and pension contribution (I try to avoid looking at my paycheque as I find the amount taken off my gross pay disheartening).
Number of housemates: None
Industry: Communications
Age: 24
Location: Glasgow
Salary: £27,500
Paycheque amount: £1,748 after tax, national insurance, student loan payment and pension contribution (I try to avoid looking at my paycheque as I find the amount taken off my gross pay disheartening).
Number of housemates: None
Monthly Expenses
Housing costs: Rent is £425.
Loan payments: £112 to pay off a used car I bought about two years ago. I’ve got another year to go until it’s paid off.
Utilities: £163.17 including council tax, water, gas and electric, home insurance and Wi-Fi.
Transportation: Car insurance is £49 a month. I don’t spend too much on petrol, particularly at the moment, around £20-30 a month. I was spending £24 a week on a weekly train ticket but not needed while working from home.
Phone bill: £9.44 a month for my SIM only plan. I had a battered old iPhone for the longest time but recently bought an iPhone 11 outright for £660 using extra money I’ve saved while working from home.
Savings? I put £200 into my Help to Buy ISA and aim to put at least £200 into another savings account. I’ve been meeting or exceeding this during COVID but before I used to struggle to be consistent with the £200 in the second savings account.
Other: My gym membership was £52 a month but currently frozen. Netflix and Spotify are £18.98 (I let my parents use my Netflix in return for use of their Amazon Prime). 79p to iCloud storage as I refuse to sort out my images on my phone (most of which are screenshots I don’t need). This month £4.99 to Hayu as I forgot to cancel my free trial. I’d like to say that’s an uncommon occurrence for me but unfortunately it’s a trap I fall into more often than I should.
Loan payments: £112 to pay off a used car I bought about two years ago. I’ve got another year to go until it’s paid off.
Utilities: £163.17 including council tax, water, gas and electric, home insurance and Wi-Fi.
Transportation: Car insurance is £49 a month. I don’t spend too much on petrol, particularly at the moment, around £20-30 a month. I was spending £24 a week on a weekly train ticket but not needed while working from home.
Phone bill: £9.44 a month for my SIM only plan. I had a battered old iPhone for the longest time but recently bought an iPhone 11 outright for £660 using extra money I’ve saved while working from home.
Savings? I put £200 into my Help to Buy ISA and aim to put at least £200 into another savings account. I’ve been meeting or exceeding this during COVID but before I used to struggle to be consistent with the £200 in the second savings account.
Other: My gym membership was £52 a month but currently frozen. Netflix and Spotify are £18.98 (I let my parents use my Netflix in return for use of their Amazon Prime). 79p to iCloud storage as I refuse to sort out my images on my phone (most of which are screenshots I don’t need). This month £4.99 to Hayu as I forgot to cancel my free trial. I’d like to say that’s an uncommon occurrence for me but unfortunately it’s a trap I fall into more often than I should.
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