Money Diary: A Performance Marketing Manager On 76k

This week: "I’m a 29-year-old performance marketing manager in the entertainment industry, living in London. My day-to-day revolves around a lot of calls across different timezones, team meetings and sending numerous chaser and approval emails (I pretty much live in Excel). I'm looking for my next step up elsewhere as I’ve been in my role for two years and I feel like I’m coasting, and the opportunity isn’t here in my current job.

I live with my fiancé, B, in a flat he bought a few years ago. I pay for all bills including council tax while he pays for the mortgage (the set-up of this is out of laziness to do 50/50 splits and transfers). B has always had a large salary, which definitely helped out when I was younger and on less money. In the last two years we’ve become pretty strict about saving as we have our wedding coming up and we’re looking to buy a bigger house in the next few years. I do however have a slight ASOS problem and jump on any 20% offers they have with my never-ending wish list. We have managed to build up a good amount of savings while still spending money on things we want to do."

Occupation: Performance marketing manager
Industry: Entertainment
Age: 28
Location: London
Salary: £76,000 (£60k plus £18k annual bonus)
Paycheque amount: £3,186
Pronouns: She/her

Housing costs: £550 on bills (£174 council tax, £27 Sky internet, £15 content insurance, £80 hot water, £105 electricity, £80 water. Anything left over we keep in the bills pots for unexpected bills. I also put away £90 per month for our yearly service charge and £30 for yearly ground rent.
Loan payments: Around £240 per month on my student loan but this comes out automatically from my pay.
Savings? My fiancé, B, and I have £42,000 in savings made up from bonuses and putting money away every month.
Utilities: Included in housing costs.
All other monthly payments: £59 phone bill, £15 phone insurance, £31 engagement ring insurance, £150 F45 membership, £15 Monzo premium. Subscriptions: £25 Nespresso, £23 Lifebox, £7.99 Disney+, £7.99 Prime, £5.80 Smol dishwasher tablets.

I went to university and took out student loans (£9k a year for fees, plus £4k a year maintenance).

I came from a working class background and my parents got by but we were by no means super comfortable. My parents split up when I was around 10 and my mum married a wealthy man. My stepdad taught me a lot about money and always encouraged me to educate myself more and push in job negotiations. He helped to pay my rent while I was in university, which I am so grateful for. My mum is very savvy with money too.

Aside from restaurant jobs before and during uni, my first job out of university was on a grad scheme for an entertainment company, with a £27k salary.

No. I was very shielded from any money problems growing up and when my stepdad came into the picture, my life became very 'comfortable'.

Thankfully, no. We did exhaust our emergency pot (£500) on some house insurance a few months ago so I do want to get back up to a substantial amount to cover emergencies but overall I don't feel limited in what I can do or afford.

When I finished university and got my grad scheme I became responsible for myself. I had £1k in credit card debt and was missing monthly minimum payments and then dipping further into debt (my credit rating was in the toilet) but I started to take it seriously around 24 and paid it off in about a year. I don't have an overdraft anymore and put everything on my BA Amex, which I pay off monthly.

No, although I am looking into freelancing on the side to get some extra income.