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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: "After dreaming about living in London with my boyfriend for a long time, I moved over from my home country in 2018 after getting my dream job as a migration officer at one of the European embassies in town. However, shortly after the move, life happened and here I am, single as a Pringle and constantly juggling and struggling with daily life. Do not get me wrong, I love living here, even though I find myself dealing with homesickness quite a lot. This is cured with wonderful colleagues-cum-friends, chocolate and wine.
Working in my sector is often a bit taxing and it does not help when I do not feel completely integrated into British society as literally anything and everything at work is like being back home in my home country. I am awfully privileged for doing what I love at such an early stage in life, but I still find myself missing the cost of things back home, especially rent-wise!"
Industry: Consular
Age: 27
Location: London
Salary: £35k
Paycheque amount: £1,900 per month after tax and national insurance. (Yes, that’s correct. The UK does not tax locally employed staff at embassies so I get taxed back home. Fun eh?)
Number of housemates: Two
Age: 27
Location: London
Salary: £35k
Paycheque amount: £1,900 per month after tax and national insurance. (Yes, that’s correct. The UK does not tax locally employed staff at embassies so I get taxed back home. Fun eh?)
Number of housemates: Two
Monthly Expenses
Housing costs: £800 per month, plus £407 for my rent-controlled flat back home. My brother rents it from me as of now, so I do not really see this as a housing cost.
Loan payments: £87 per month for student loans. £120 per month for credit card bills that I ignored for too long. *yay great life choices*
Utilities: None, as they’re included in my rent. Most likely being ripped off there but also enjoying not having to deal with that on a monthly basis.
Transportation: Approx £90.
Phone bill: £13, which is an amazing deal considering I get free use of social media and free calls within the UK as well as internationally.
Savings? None really, even though I can claim back my national insurance contributions at the end of the tax year from my home country. This will make for a nice little savings account of roughly £4,700 that I get in June next year. I also try to use Plum for short-term savings.
Other: £25 for my gym membership, £10 for Spotify, nothing for Netflix as my dad pays for it.
Housing costs: £800 per month, plus £407 for my rent-controlled flat back home. My brother rents it from me as of now, so I do not really see this as a housing cost.
Loan payments: £87 per month for student loans. £120 per month for credit card bills that I ignored for too long. *yay great life choices*
Utilities: None, as they’re included in my rent. Most likely being ripped off there but also enjoying not having to deal with that on a monthly basis.
Transportation: Approx £90.
Phone bill: £13, which is an amazing deal considering I get free use of social media and free calls within the UK as well as internationally.
Savings? None really, even though I can claim back my national insurance contributions at the end of the tax year from my home country. This will make for a nice little savings account of roughly £4,700 that I get in June next year. I also try to use Plum for short-term savings.
Other: £25 for my gym membership, £10 for Spotify, nothing for Netflix as my dad pays for it.
If you'd like to submit your own money diary please drop us a line at moneydiary@refinery29.uk
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