Money Diary 35-Year-Old In Recruitment Earning 50k

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 35-year-old recruitment consultant living in London. Currently single with no dependants (I have no desire to have children). I bought my first property last year during the COVID pandemic. Due to not travelling into work and being able to work from home and my outgoings decreasing due to social restrictions, I was able to save a lot of money. Also, mortgage interest rates were at their lowest so I decided that was the right time to buy. Regarding money, I tend to save and enjoy spending comfortably. I have been trying to be more careful with money but buying a place had added expenses of buying furniture and decorating."

Occupation: Recruitment consultant
Industry: Healthcare
Age: 35
Location: London
Salary: £26,000 basic + £24,000 commission on average
Paycheque amount: Average £2,500 to £3,000 a month
Number of housemates: None (just me and my plants!)
Pronouns: She/her

Monthly Expenses

Housing costs: £570 mortgage
Loan payments: £100 credit card, £32 to pay back my sofa on finance.
Savings? No savings. I tend to put £300 away each month, however I needed it last month to do my service, MOT and fix my car.
Pension? I pay 5% of my salary into it every month automatically at work and they pay in 3%.
Utilities: £103 service charges, £130 council tax (backdated bill as my property was un-banded for ages as a new build), £29.99 broadband, £13 TV licence, £20 water bill, £35 electricity, £13 gas, £40 car insurance.
All other monthly payments: £50 mobile phone. Subscriptions: £5.99 Netflix, £4.99 Discovery+, £7.99 Amazon Prime.

Did you participate in any form of higher education?

Society expected me to but I didn't want to and my parents didn't seem to mind. They said if I wasn't going to go to university then I needed to get a full-time job. I did that as a data entry clerk and then did admin jobs for several years.

Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money?

I was taught that discussing salary is very taboo. We were told to be generous where it is needed and to be careful with money on other things.

If you have, when did you move out of your parents'/guardians' house?

I was 25 years old when I moved out of my parents' and relocated on my own.

At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself? Does anyone else cover any aspects of your financial life?

I became fully financially responsible when I was 25 and moved into my first houseshare in London. My family has always said if something bad happened I would never be left without a roof over my head or food but I like paying 100% for everything myself.

What was your first job and why did you get it?

My parents said the day I got my National Insurance number was the day I would stop getting pocket money so I worked at a pharmacy on the tills from 16. I worked four to eight hours per week for some money to spend on the weekends with my friends or to treat myself.

Do you worry about money now?

I worry about retirement and if my job were to end tomorrow. I do kick myself for not saving more as I'm in a position where I should.

Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income?

No.