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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 we're with a scientific advisor who has recently relocated with her husband from Dundee to Hampshire. They met and started dating in high school back in 2003 and have been married for five years. They are currently trying to save as much as possible as they love to travel and have bought a '60s bungalow in need of renovation.
Occupation: Scientific advisor
Industry: Pharmaceuticals
Age: 30
Location: Hampshire, England
Number of housemates: Two (my husband and dog… although sadly she doesn’t contribute to the bills!)
Salary: £58,000 base plus yearly bonus and company car, which means my total annual salary is circa £66,000 plus car.
Paycheque amount per month: £2,943. My husband and I pull all of our money into a joint account to pay all of our outgoings (bills and savings), then we take an allowance of £300 each for random individual spending throughout the month. My husband’s paycheque is £1,292 per month so our total income for the month is £4,235.
Industry: Pharmaceuticals
Age: 30
Location: Hampshire, England
Number of housemates: Two (my husband and dog… although sadly she doesn’t contribute to the bills!)
Salary: £58,000 base plus yearly bonus and company car, which means my total annual salary is circa £66,000 plus car.
Paycheque amount per month: £2,943. My husband and I pull all of our money into a joint account to pay all of our outgoings (bills and savings), then we take an allowance of £300 each for random individual spending throughout the month. My husband’s paycheque is £1,292 per month so our total income for the month is £4,235.
Monthly Expenses
Mortgage: £1,117 (we recently moved to the south and we are still coming to terms with the crazy house prices, our mortgage in Scotland was less than £400!)
Utilities: £402 (£80 gas and electricity, £10 water, £196 council tax, £95 TV/internet/phone, £8 Netflix and £13 TV licence)
Transportation: £240 diesel for both cars
Phone bill: £82 (£38 for my contract)
Groceries: £240
Pet insurance: £25
Dog walker: £40
Gym membership: £145 (£75 for my membership and personal training sessions)
Savings: £1,000 per month (we currently have £16,200 in an ISA which is earmarked for some large home improvements)
Debt: I went to uni in Scotland so I didn’t have to pay tuition fees (thank you, Scottish government!) and I paid off a small student loan a couple of years ago. We have £1,000 on our 0% credit card as we booked flights to Sri Lanka, we will clear this with our “£1,000 savings” when my next paycheque comes in.
Utilities: £402 (£80 gas and electricity, £10 water, £196 council tax, £95 TV/internet/phone, £8 Netflix and £13 TV licence)
Transportation: £240 diesel for both cars
Phone bill: £82 (£38 for my contract)
Groceries: £240
Pet insurance: £25
Dog walker: £40
Gym membership: £145 (£75 for my membership and personal training sessions)
Savings: £1,000 per month (we currently have £16,200 in an ISA which is earmarked for some large home improvements)
Debt: I went to uni in Scotland so I didn’t have to pay tuition fees (thank you, Scottish government!) and I paid off a small student loan a couple of years ago. We have £1,000 on our 0% credit card as we booked flights to Sri Lanka, we will clear this with our “£1,000 savings” when my next paycheque comes in.
Total: £3,291 (£4,235 – £3,291 = £944 left over for both of us but as mentioned we only take £300 each)
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