This week: “I’m 22 years old and working at my first big girl job in London. I graduated from university last summer and after spending most of my final year panicking about what to do (does anyone know?!), I fell into this role after a referral from my internship manager. I got the job in February and moved to London from Ireland. I have always had a huge interest in politics and shaping the very thing that determines the world around us. This is partly why my current role feels like such a let-down, as it doesn’t feel like the organisation truly wants to enact structural and systematic change, and it can feel like I’m working to achieve nothing. I’m in a time of my life where I feel like I’m at a huge transition stage, navigating a new city, relationships and figuring myself out. It’s been a stressful time but has definitely been one of immense growth.”
Occupation: Policy officer
Industry: Sustainable development
Age: 22
Location: London
Salary: £30,180
Paycheque amount: £1,900 roughly after tax
Number of housemates: Two
Pronouns: She/her
Monthly Expenses
Housing costs: I just moved into a new flat with friends that’s around £700 a month (at the time of writing I was paying £900).
Loan payments: £100 (ish) to student finance.
Pension? No clue.
Savings? £3,000 (these took a hit with my move and my family dog’s vet bills. I’m hoping to start investing my money soon).
Utilities: £50 water, £25 gas, £10 each for Wi-Fi and electric.
All other monthly payments: £15 phone. Subscriptions: None! My flatmate has everything and I cancelled Amazon Prime to save money (and to spite Jeff).
Did you participate in any form of higher education? If yes, how did you pay for it?
I utilised the standard route through the student loan system that most working class families do. I received the maximum grants and finance, and worked part-time to support myself.
Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money?
We never grew up having detailed conversations to educate us around financial literacy but the concept of money was prominent throughout our childhood. I was born and raised in New York City and my parents lived through the financial crash while going through a nasty and costly divorce. I grew up with quite a toxic relationship with money as my father was the main breadwinner and money was often utilised as a form of control. After the divorce my mother moved back to Ireland and I began to contribute to our finances at around 16.
If you have, when did you move out of your parents’/guardians’ house?
I moved out for university at 18 and then to London at 22.
At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself? Does anyone else cover any aspects of your financial life?
I would say I became largely financially responsible for myself at 18. As a very close and small family we are financially dependent on each other. I know that my mum and sister would help me out in any way they could if I needed it and vice versa.
What was your first job and why did you get it?
I got my first job just before I turned 16, working at a café.
Do you worry about money now?
Absolutely. Since I grew up having money utilised as a form of manipulation and control, it has definitely impacted my relationship with money now. On the one hand I am a shopaholic and love to be able to have my own money and treat myself with no strings but at the same time I’m conscious that I should have money tucked away in case I need to support myself or my family.
Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income?
No.
6.45am: Aaaannnd my alarm jolts me awake. I fell asleep bingeing a YouTube recap of the entire Pretty Little Liars series and it is still playing. I drag myself out of bed.
7am: I have my morning routine down to a science. Jump in the shower, do a quick makeup routine of Rare Beauty liquid foundation, NARS concealer, Rimmel mascara and the holy grail Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk blush and lipliner, and slick my hair into a high bun. Mondays are very chill in the office so I throw on some wide-leg suit trousers with my New Balances and a white tee and race to the bus.
8.15am: Fifteen minutes into my journey and I realise that I didn’t pack lunch or breakfast so I run into Pret and get an almond croissant, £3.
8.30am: I make a green tea once I arrive in the office and read through the news while I munch my croissant before getting stuck into emails.
1pm: Work is hectic as always. I have back-to-back meetings from 9am to 12pm (remind me how we are supposed to do work if we are in meetings all day?) and I need a serious break. I head to a new salad bar with a colleague and get a peach and burrata salad with a lemon San Pellegrino, £11.90.
1.30pm: As the youngest person in my office I was worried I wouldn’t fit in with the people working here so it’s been really nice to find a group to hang out with. While I’m eating I remember that tickets for the Hampstead Heath ponds get released on Monday and snag two for the weekend, £6.
6pm: After spending my afternoon racing through my to-do list, I can go home! I went grocery shopping yesterday so I have a packed fridge. I am craving home comforts so I decide to make a pasta sauce (stew) with chicken sausage, onion, aubergine and tinned tomatoes.
8pm: Spend the evening watching Modern Family with my housemates. I drag myself to do my nighttime skincare of Cetaphil face wash, Paula’s Choice BHA and CeraVe face cream.
10pm: Lights out.
Total: £20.90
7am: I had the most amazing sleep and wake up naturally. I’m not going into the office today so I use the extra time in my morning to go for a walk and listen to a podcast. It really does help to have extra time in the morning to separate my life from work. My favourite café is open but I resist buying anything.
8am: Come home, shower and do my morning skincare of Cetaphil face wash, vitamin C, moisturiser and SPF. I make breakfast of avocado toast with fried egg, feta and hot sauce (amazing) while watching some more Modern Family. It’s my favourite comfort show and I’m moving out soon and losing my housemate’s Disney+ subscription, so stocking up now!
2pm: Rush through morning meetings and notes. My willpower to hold off buying overpriced drinks doesn’t last long. I decide to go and finish up my workday from a cute café and get an iced oat milk matcha with cinnamon and honey. Since I didn’t pay any travel today it technically cancels out (economics grad), £4.16.
6pm: Finish work and head out with some new friends for pizza (I get a burrata pizza with pepperoni, red onion and peppers with aioli) and an Aperol Spritz, £18.70.
7pm: Come home and spend the rest of my evening sorting things for my move, eating Cheetos and watching some more YouTube.
9pm: Notice my TfL charge has come out, £4.25.
10pm: Sleep.
Total: £27.11
6.30am: Wednesday is a team day so I get ready and head into the office. I usually put the most effort in on team days so I do a grey office suit with sling-backs and blow out my hair. Normal makeup routine follows.
7am: I take frozen veggies and a packet of rice into the office to avoid buying lunch out.
1pm: That resolve didn’t last! Everyone being in means the manager takes us out to eat. I get a chicken buffalo flatbread and a Diet Coke.
3pm: I work throughout the afternoon on deadlines and meetings.
6pm: Head home. Me and my housemate spend the evening doing arts and crafts with some leftover wine.
9pm: I get another TfL charge, £4.20.
10pm: Sleep.
Total: £4.20
8am: I decide to work from home today as the house is empty. Shower and skincare before getting stuck into work.
12pm: I decide to take a long lunch and walk around the park while listening to a podcast. When I get back I make pad Thai for lunch.
5pm: Finish up with work and realise that I don’t have anything for guac for tonight’s tacos. I run to Sainsbury’s and grab an avocado, herbs, limes and chips, £4.15.
6pm: Taco night was a success! We head to the cinema to watch the new Elvis movie. It’s a very overpriced, retro-style cinema so tickets are £12 but the amazing movie makes up for it.
10pm: Get home, do my skincare and head to sleep.
Total: £16.15
8am: I let myself sleep in because it’s Friday. It’s my flatmate’s birthday celebrations today so I’m working from home to help her set up in the afternoon for the party later.
12pm: Morning meetings done! I make a quick lunch of pad Thai and go for a long walk before finishing up my work for the day.
5pm: Done and I can finally log off. We get started on making cheese boards, hanging fairy lights outside and making some homemade cocktails.
6pm: We decide to go for food to line our stomachs before a night of heavy drinking. We split spring rolls, pork dumplings, fried rice and salt and chilli beef. It’s around £12 for my share.
9pm: I take my time getting ready and blow out my hair, do my makeup and sort my outfit before everyone arrives.
10pm: Run out to get some more wine, £4.25.
11pm: The four rounds of drinking games are kicking in and I feel very tipsy. Everyone walks to the club, £12 entry.
12am: One of our friends brought a guy but he’s being weirdly flirty with everyone and my other roommate is laying it on thick despite the fact he came with someone else. I hate when people are disrespectful and it gets super awkward before he ends up rejecting her. Back to the dance floor for me!
Total: £28.25
1am: Buy a double vodka Red Bull and it’s £14.20 (kill me).
2am: My lovely boyfriend picks me up and I get a drunken McDonald’s wrap of the day, £1.99. I chug some water and knock out.
10.30am: Me and my boyfriend sleep in before taking our time to get ready. I shower, throw on my bikini and a sundress and we’re off!
11am: Stop at Gail’s and get an almond croissant and orange juice (boyfriend pays).
12pm: Get to the market and everything smells amazing. We get burgers, strawberry lemonade and brownies and we split it all, £10.
1pm: Swim! I grew up around beaches so it’s amazing to get some water.
2pm: We dry off and go for a lazy walk. I try on a few things in Brandy Melville and talk myself down (again) from buying Skims. I know it’s a plain top for £60 so why do I want it so bad? We go to a market and I find a vintage sheer top for £30.
6pm: Dinner is homemade salt and chilli tofu and chips with two Diet Cokes and oh my god it is incredible. Very full and happy so pass out for an hour. Bliss!
7pm: Wake up and we decide to continue our lazy night by watching every movie that looks kinda shitty on Netflix. I swear I love watching bad romantic movies. Making fun of them is way better than watching something watchable.
8pm: We walk round to the gelato store to stock up on snacks, £7. The movie of the night is Purple Hearts and wow it does not disappoint. Pro-war propaganda mixed with misogyny, a perfect romance.
10pm: I end the night with adding things to my shopping cart. All my makeup is running out at the same time and after totalling it up it’s about £300 to replace so I avoid making the plunge.
Total: £63.19
11am: Have a massive lie-in before spending the morning deep cleaning the house after a long weekend.
1pm: Head to do weekly shop. I normally try and stick to eating veggie for my home-cooked meals so get stuff for veggie tacos, overnight oats, vodka sauce pasta, some frozen veggie dumplings, Kind bars and crackers and cheese, £27.40.
2.30pm: I lounge around for the rest of the day and plan out how I’ll decorate my room at my new place. I’ve picked up some staple pieces already so it really is just some extra decor. I’m trying to be super strict and only buy things I absolutely love. I used to love flicking through my parents’ copies of The New Yorker as a kid so I buy a set of seasonal covers to hang in my massive picture frame, £15.
6pm: Spend the evening relaxing and stressing about my move. Everything seems so expensive!
10pm: Skincare and sleep.
Total: £42.40
Food & Drink: £118.75
Entertainment: £30
Clothes & Beauty: £30
Home & Health: £15
Travel: £8.45
Other: £0
Total: £202.20
Conclusion
“I try to limit my spending as much as possible during the week and leave the spending for the weekend but it’s crazy to see how quickly little things can add up. Every week throws up new expenses, e.g. nail appointments or booking flights. None of these were included this week so I should have been able to limit myself a bit more. As the general cost of living worry sets in I’ll be trying to cut down on these splurges.”
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