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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 everyone! I’m a 22-(well I was when I wrote this diary)-year-old living in Bristol on the final placement of a commercial graduate scheme in the civil service. I’m coming to the end of my two-year scheme and preparing for the re-grade process that will be happening in the autumn, where I will hopefully be promoted to the grade above my current position.
I’m originally from Jersey in the Channel Islands and moved to the UK to go to university and from there went straight into my current graduate job. I’ve been lucky in that I’ve been able to work from home during the lockdown but have struggled living so far away from my family, friends and the beautiful beaches back home. Jersey (which is not part of the UK, with a separate government, legislation and laws) has decided to open its borders with either a 14-day self-isolation or a PCR test on arrival which, if negative, allows you to go about your business following the general lockdown rules. Lockdown in Jersey has been eased a lot quicker than in the UK and even now is not as strict but they have had significantly fewer cases and deaths, as expected from an island of only 9 by 5 miles.
With all this in mind, I’ve decided to use some annual leave and go home for 10 days with my boyfriend."
Occupation: Commercial graduate
Industry: Civil service
Age: 22
Location: Bristol
Salary: £25,967
Paycheque amount: £1,680 after tax, NI deductions and my pension contribution of £117.93
Number of housemates: One, my boyfriend A
Occupation: Commercial graduate
Industry: Civil service
Age: 22
Location: Bristol
Salary: £25,967
Paycheque amount: £1,680 after tax, NI deductions and my pension contribution of £117.93
Number of housemates: One, my boyfriend A
Monthly Expenses
Housing costs: Rent for our one-bedroom house in the suburbs is £800 per month split equally, so £400 for my half.
Loan payments: £0. Being from Jersey I was not eligible for the UK student loan scheme so I paid for university through grants from the States of Jersey government, a 'student loan' from NatWest (which is now paid off – partly by my savings and partly by my parents) and my parents, who paid for my living expenses. I am extremely lucky and very grateful to have had that support from them, as without it I wouldn’t have been able to go to university.
Utilities: A and I both pay £675 into our joint account each payday and this pays for all our rent, bills, food shopping and eating out. We earn basically the same so split everything equally and will sometimes have to add some more money to the account towards the end of the month. Water £49, electricity £25.64, gas £28, council tax £128, internet £27.98, renters insurance £5.69, TV licence £13.20.
Transportation: Average of £20 a month (before lockdown) on ad hoc train and bus tickets, though this can be much more if travelling further afield in the UK to visit family and friends. We don’t own a car and I would normally walk the 30 minutes to work.
Phone bill: £11.59
Savings? I have £14,234 in my various NatWest savings accounts, the majority in the savings builder which earns slightly more interest. I also have £4,267 in a LISA. I have always been a big saver and have had some sort of job since I was 13 and have saved this up since then. My grandparents also gifted me £4,500 of this when I finished university two years ago.
Other: Netflix £8.99 also comes out of the joint account and I pay for Spotify £9.99 and a Graze box subscription £3.99 a week.
Housing costs: Rent for our one-bedroom house in the suburbs is £800 per month split equally, so £400 for my half.
Loan payments: £0. Being from Jersey I was not eligible for the UK student loan scheme so I paid for university through grants from the States of Jersey government, a 'student loan' from NatWest (which is now paid off – partly by my savings and partly by my parents) and my parents, who paid for my living expenses. I am extremely lucky and very grateful to have had that support from them, as without it I wouldn’t have been able to go to university.
Utilities: A and I both pay £675 into our joint account each payday and this pays for all our rent, bills, food shopping and eating out. We earn basically the same so split everything equally and will sometimes have to add some more money to the account towards the end of the month. Water £49, electricity £25.64, gas £28, council tax £128, internet £27.98, renters insurance £5.69, TV licence £13.20.
Transportation: Average of £20 a month (before lockdown) on ad hoc train and bus tickets, though this can be much more if travelling further afield in the UK to visit family and friends. We don’t own a car and I would normally walk the 30 minutes to work.
Phone bill: £11.59
Savings? I have £14,234 in my various NatWest savings accounts, the majority in the savings builder which earns slightly more interest. I also have £4,267 in a LISA. I have always been a big saver and have had some sort of job since I was 13 and have saved this up since then. My grandparents also gifted me £4,500 of this when I finished university two years ago.
Other: Netflix £8.99 also comes out of the joint account and I pay for Spotify £9.99 and a Graze box subscription £3.99 a week.
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