This week: “I’m a 25-year-old data analyst based in the West Midlands. I grew up here and then moved to London for uni. When my university course ended, my relationship did too so I ended up moving back home and taking an admin job here. This was supposed to be temporary but three years later I’m still here, though luckily my job has evolved. About six months into the role I changed to an analyst position based in the UK, which I did for about two years, then six months ago an analyst position came up at head office based in France, which came with a decent (and much-needed) salary increase. I’ve definitely got a lot better with money in recent months and for the first time in my life I actually regularly put money into my savings account, which has helped me not to get into further debt when unexpected expenses crop up. I do have to give credit to my boyfriend as he forced me to look properly at my finances and start to make a plan for the future. It is definitely difficult not to feel shame when looking at my debt but I have to remind myself that there is no easy fix and it will take time to get myself into a better financial position.”
Occupation: Data analyst
Industry: Logistics
Age: 25
Location: West Midlands
Salary: £31,200
Paycheque amount: £1,988.36
Number of housemates: Three: both parents and one younger brother. I split my time between my family home and my boyfriend T’s house (he also lives with his parents).
Pronouns: She/her
Monthly Expenses
Housing costs: £150 to my parents.
Loan payments: £30 student loan (I’m on Plan 2). £550 credit card repayment. I got a promotion about six months ago but before this I stupidly spent beyond my means and managed to get myself into approximately £10k worth of debt, which I’m slowly plodding through in the hope of moving out with my boyfriend next year.
Savings? I have less than £1,000 between a stocks and shares ISA and easy access savings account (recently depleted by some unforeseen car expenses). I save £300 a month (£50 into S&S and £250 into a standard account), although as my credit card debt comes down this will increase a lot.
Pension? I pay the minimum 3%, which my employer matches. I think I have about £5,000 in my pension currently.
Utilities: Included in payment to parents.
All other monthly payments: £52 car insurance, £12 road tax, £16 AA membership, £10 phone insurance (my parents started paying my SIM-only phone bill while I was at uni and never stopped). Subscriptions: £35 gym membership, £10.99 Netflix for my family, £2.49 iCloud storage.
Did you participate in any form of higher education? If yes, how did you pay for it?
I graduated from university in London in 2019. I had a maintenance loan, however this was a little bit less than my rent so I also worked two part-time jobs for the majority of my course for my day-to-day living costs. As well as this I was very fortunate that my grandparents set up a smallish trust when I was a baby, with an emphasis that it would be used to help towards costs at uni. My nan was a teacher and really valued education and I was very grateful for this as it allowed me to buy my MacBook and some other, more extravagant education-related purchases that I would otherwise not have been able to afford.
Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money?
Money wasn’t a huge topic of discussion growing up, although my parents always encouraged me and my brother to save where possible and tried to teach us the value of money (sadly this advice didn’t quite get through to me). We didn’t struggle in general but also weren’t flush with money and our family financial situation has definitely improved in more recent years. My mum’s parents were always around to help out financially and paid towards various school trips and I definitely think this influenced my parents to help us where possible too.
If you have, when did you move out of your parents’/guardians’ house?
I moved out for uni but moved back in with my parents after my relationship broke down. I’m planning to move out again next year.
At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself? Does anyone else cover any aspects of your financial life?
Personally I would say that while I cover pretty much all of my living expenses, my parents are definitely still there as a safety net and I have never been completely financially responsible for myself. I am very aware that there is absolutely no way I would be able to move out and only pay £150 for rent/bills and the subsidy is greatly appreciated.
What was your first job and why did you get it?
I taught children’s gymnastics from the age of 13. I fell into it completely by accident when I stopped going myself, starting as a general ‘helper’ and then becoming L1 qualified when I was old enough. My first office job was when I was 18 as a grossly underpaid apprentice during a year out before going to uni.
Do you worry about money now?
Constantly. I am a very impulsive spender and until recently didn’t really earn enough to cover my lifestyle so I just kept spending on a credit card. Looking back pains me as I have no clue what I even spent it on and I spent a very long time blissfully ignorant of how much debt I was accumulating. While I would say I’m in a good position now to pay it off, it really opened my eyes to how easy it is to slide into a bad financial position.
Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income?
I received approximately £6,000 when I turned 18 in a trust from my grandparents. This wasn’t technically an inheritance, however my nan died just after my 18th birthday so it kind of ended up feeling that way.
7am: Wake up to T’s four alarms. I am a one-alarm-only kind of person but because love is all about compromise, I manage to go back to sleep while he gets ready for work.
8.40am: Actually wake up properly and switch on my laptop 10 minutes late. I check my emails and do some prep for my French lesson.
10am: I get bored of staring at a computer screen and after being inspired by a TikTok I decide to book Go Ape Sundown tickets for next weekend, £25. I went to one years ago and had a great time so I feel like this is a worthy purchase.
11am: T messages to say he’s got gig tickets for free through work in a few weeks and suggests we book to go for an early dinner before. I spend the next half-hour researching restaurants. Make absolutely no decision.
12.30pm: I pop to the shop to buy Pepsi Max (I am obsessed and it’s a problem), wraps and tomato paste for my lunch, £5.70. When I get back I make roasted sweetcorn and cheese quesadillas while scrolling through my phone.
1.30pm: Time for my French lesson. My job role recently changed and I went from working from my company’s UK office to the head office based in France. As part of that change, my company offered to pay for French lessons. All meetings/general business are still conducted in English but it’s really helpful as I visit regularly and getting about the city is far easier.
4.30pm: Log off and go to get my hair cut. Last time I had it cut was last Christmas as I hate getting it done but I’m in desperate need. The cut comes to £49 and parking is £3.50.
6.30pm: I head home and I’m not upset so it’s a success! T cooks tomato, pepper and ricotta gnocchi for dinner, which is delicious.
8pm: Take the dog out for a decent walk. I really just want to go to close the rings on my Apple watch. I got it at Christmas and I’ve not missed a day yet.
Total: £83.20
7.30am: Wake up, rejoice that it’s Friday and start getting ready to go to the office. I still have a desk in the UK office, which is much appreciated as it can get really lonely working from home all the time.
8.30am: Get into the office just as breakfast is being ordered. Get an Egg and Cheese McMuffin meal and pay a bit extra for delivery, £5.50.
11am: I try to get some information into a presentable format to be distributed to the subsidiaries so they can make some master data amendments. I’m having a bit of a slow day, which isn’t helped by finding out I’ve not been included in a project I really wanted to work on. Sometimes I’m not really sure that my job has much purpose and getting any kind of motivation going is pretty difficult.
1pm: Pop for lunch at a local cafe. Buy my cheddar and chutney pretzel roll and my friend’s club sandwich as well as a hot chocolate and cappuccino, £26.20.
2pm: I decide to WFH for the rest of the day as I’m being unproductive.
4pm: I go to Tesco to do a top-up toiletries shop (why does everything always run out at the same time?). End up buying a new hairbrush, mascara, foundation, shower gel, moisturiser, face mask, micellar water, cotton pads, razor blades, conditioner, heat protectant serum and a Diet Coke, £55.25.
5pm: I’m going out to meet a friend tonight so I start to get ready and absolutely destroy T’s room in the process.
6.30pm: T drops me and friend off at a nice pub. We sit in a couple of comfy seats next to the fire and I get the first round of gins, £20.90.
7.30pm: Order camembert and breads and some fries to share and some more drinks. Split the food with friend and she gets the drinks, £13.50.
9pm: More drinks, £20.90. Not quite the chilled night I’d anticipated and I’m getting slightly tipsy at this point. Tequila is whispering to us and by the next round my friend comes back from the bar with two shots.
10.30pm: Definitely drunk at this point. Buy two more drinks and two tequila shots, £48.80.
11.30pm: T comes to pick us up and we manage to persuade him to come out with us to town. We drop his car at home and order a taxi, £8.
2am: Home time! I’m both very tired and very drunk at this point so my friend’s boyfriend comes and picks us up. I had a lovely time but it’s been a pretty expensive night and I am dreading looking at my bank balance.
Total: £199.05
6.30am: T wakes me up. I’m in his niece’s bunk bed (the kids have a bedroom at his parents’ house for when they come to stay). Neither of us has any idea how I ended up here as it’s not where I fell asleep and I don’t remember getting up in the night. I return to his bed and doze for another few hours.
10.15am: Wake up properly and lounge around for a bit. Feel surprisingly okay although I have a bit of a cough and a headache. Go make us both some toast and give the dog a cuddle.
11.45am: We’re heading to a food festival today so I stick on a bit of makeup and get dressed to go out. It’s weirdly warm and the sun is shining, which is always nice. I fill up my car on the way, £41.06.
12.30pm: Arrive at the food festival. Buy a tub of insanely expensive but delicious harissa olives, lemon-infused olive oil, a bottle of garlic chilli sauce, Kinder Bueno cookies, tomato and garlic arancini and a Diet Coke, £30.90. T buys a selection of six cheeses and a tomato and chilli chutney as well as a pork bap and a pint.
2pm: Bump into a couple of friends and sit with them for a bit. Have a good catch-up and get another drink, £1.50.
3.30pm: As we’re walking back to the car we pass a stand selling salted caramel cheese so have to sample it. It’s actually not bad. Also try a jalapeño and lime one while we’re there and T ends up buying it. It starts tipping it down so we leg it back to the car.
4.30pm: Starting to wane so we get into bed for a little lie-down and watch the final Rings of Power. I snack on some of the cheese we bought earlier with some crackers.
6.30pm: Head to my house as T is going out. Watch New Girl in bed for a couple of hours.
8.30pm: Decide I am still a bit peckish so I go downstairs and have a mooch in the cupboards. Nothing takes my fancy so I pop to Tesco and grab some microwaveable pizzas and some crisps (classic post-drinking foods) as well as an apple and some hummus, £4.50.
9pm: I chat to my brother for a bit as I’ve not seen him all week despite living in the same house.
11.30pm: T gets home and we head to sleep.
Total: £77.96
8am: Wake up. Lounge in bed for a couple of hours before making some toast.
11am: Get up and get ready to pop into town as I need to return a blazer and T needs a haircut.
12.30pm: Return my blazer to H&M. I really like it but it’s huge and they don’t have a smaller size so I will just have a look online later to see if I can find anything. I spot a couple of nice jumpers while I’m there but manage to resist the urge. I then go and buy some socks from Primark, £3.
1.30pm: Still waiting for T to get a haircut so I grab a hot chocolate and a cookie from Muffin Break as I’m absolutely starving, £6.30.
2pm: T suggests a Nando’s. I get the halloumi and mushroom pitta and try the new pimenta spice, which is lovely with chips and corn on the cob. T pays although I offer to send him half. I tell him about the clothes I’d seen in H&M and he suggests we go back to look.
3.30pm: Cave and buy the jumpers, £43.98. Why am I like this?!?
4pm: The weather is decent so we head for a nice walk at the park. There are so many dogs and it makes me feel all the feelings.
5.30pm: Get home and try the jumpers on. They both fit really well and I feel slightly less guilty about buying them.
7.30pm: Drive to the shop to grab some sour cream, chillis, tomatoes and a lime for dinner and a Pot Noodle for T, £6.80. I make a fresh salsa and have nachos with some of the jalapeño and lime cheese we bought yesterday. It’s incredible and I’m regretting not buying more.
9.30pm: I haven’t felt 100% since yesterday (thought it was just a hangover but now not so sure) so I go to bed early. I’m travelling this week and I always feel run-down afterwards so I want to make sure I don’t start off poorly too.
Total: £60.08
7.30am: Wake up feeling awful. Message my boss to say I won’t be working today and send my French teacher an email to ask if we can rearrange my lesson. Get a slightly snotty reply about not cancelling on the day of the lesson but I ignore it and go to sleep.
10.30am: Spend the morning dozing and watching New Girl.
12pm: I have some onion hummus and cucumber sticks as I’m starting to feel pretty sick and need something hydrating and fresh. Take a COVID test, which comes back negative.
1pm: T comes home for lunch to check on me. Have half a sandwich and some yoghurt and fall asleep watching Derry Girls.
3.30pm: Start to feel slightly more human so check my emails and see nothing important has happened so log back off. Play some games on my phone for a bit and put on some actual clothes.
5pm: My parents finish work so I spend an hour or so chatting to them. I decide that I could do with a bit of fresh air so stick on a big coat and head out.
5.50pm: Walk to meet T after work (he works super close to my house, which saves us a fortune on fuel as previously he was driving 35 miles every day). Stop at the shop on the way home to get some bread, soup, a Lucozade and a couple of bits for T’s dinner, £7.20.
7pm: Drive over to T’s house to pick up my suitcase as I’m due to be travelling to France this week. Also grab some tablets I’d left there. It’s a huge pain living between the two houses as I have a lot of stuff I keep there and things are never at the right house at the right time.
7.45pm: Starting to flag again so head home, make my soup and head to bed.
11pm: Feel dreadful but can’t seem to get any proper sleep and wake up every hour or so. Watch a film and eventually drift off properly.
Total: £7.20
8am: Wake up feeling not great again. Take my thyroxine so I can eat when I wake up and go back to sleep for an hour or so.
9.30am: Get up and have some toast. Take some cold and flu tablets and another COVID test (negative again, thank god).
10am: Cold and flu tablets make me feel remotely normal and I see my work friend has messaged me with a screenshot of something so I log in to get the goss. Sadly it turns out to not be exciting at all and is actually work-related. Do a couple of hours work before accepting defeat and head to bed for a nap.
1.30pm: Wake up again and make some packet pasta so I can take some more tablets. Eat half, then take some more tablets and stick a wash on. Check my emails as I’ve started to feel a bit better. Check in for tomorrow’s flight and am devastated to see that I’ve been put in a middle seat.
5pm: Go to get my nails done. I would have rescheduled but I’ve had three peel off and I’m conscious they look pretty awful, £32. I finally stopped biting them after many, many failed attempts about three months ago and have been getting gels ever since. They’ve grown so much!
6pm: Stop at the petrol station to fill up on my way home as I always like to have a full tank before travelling, £20.37. My flight is from Heathrow and even though I only use about half a tank there and back, I can’t help but worry that if I don’t have a full tank I will somehow run out and get stuck. My company will pay for my mileage as I don’t have a company car so I will probably end up claiming about £100 back in miles.
7pm: Pack and cook mine and T’s dinner. We have mushroom and camembert pies, honey glazed carrots, roasted tenderstem broccoli and a bit of stuffing. While that’s in the oven I go for a short walk to close my rings.
8.30pm: Have a shower and an early night as I’ve got to be up super early.
Total: £52.37
3.30am: Wake up and get dressed. Stick a little bit of makeup on and grab my last few bits to be packed. Drive down to Heathrow and park in POD parking. I might be a child but I always get super excited going in the little pods.
6am: Head through security (surprisingly quickly) and grab some more cold and flu tablets and some makeup wipes from Boots, £5.35. I also get a bottle of water and some lemon sherbets from WHSmith, £5.98. I’m preempting the return of my cold during my trip as I always get ill from flying.
6.30am: Order a veggie breakfast and a Diet Coke from Wetherspoons as I’m absolutely starving. I can claim this back on expenses. The early starts aren’t fun but free breakfast definitely softens the blow.
7.30am: Board the plane and see my manager is sat behind me as she’s been in London for a client meeting (she is based in France). It makes me realise how bad the communication has got as she never mentioned to me that we would be travelling on the same day.
11am: Land, head through passport control and drive to the office. I speak to a few of my colleagues and find a desk to do some work. I have a few emails to get through and my French teacher has also rearranged my lesson for today.
11.45am: Walk to a nice cafe with my manager and another member of the team. We order cheesy baked aubergine with buckwheat and salad and then a fruit/cream/biscuit thing for pudding. The food is delicious as always and my manager pays (she will claim back for me afterwards).
1pm: Head back to the office and crack on with a few things I missed while off sick. There’s suspiciously little that I missed, which makes me nervous. Prep for my French lesson.
4pm: Have my French lesson and then get a taxi back to the hotel. I find out it’s only been booked for one night but luckily they can extend my stay (I love this hotel and they do incredible breakfasts with fresh pastries, breads etc. brought to your room).
6.30pm: Charge my phone for a bit and then wander to find some dinner. The hotel is right next to a lovely little square and I take advantage of the weather being so much warmer than the UK and sit in the square outside a lovely restaurant. Order some gnocchi, a side salad and a Diet Coke, expensed.
7.45pm: Feeling snacky so I head to the local Monop to find some snacks. Buy a Coke Zero for work tomorrow, some salted pretzels, chocolate BNs and a mango and passionfruit juice, £9.37. Have a bit of a stroll around the city.
9pm: Get back to the hotel and have some snacks. Am absolutely exhausted and starting to feel a bit poorly again so take some tablets and pass out in bed.
Total: £20.70
Food & Drink: £214.05
Entertainment: £25
Clothes & Beauty: £188.58
Home & Health: £0
Travel: £72.93
Other: £0
Total: £500.56
Conclusion
“This was genuinely a horrendously expensive week. Some stuff is pretty infrequent such as the haircut and some I probably only do once a month-ish (nails, expensive nights out, toiletry top-ups) and they just happened to all fall at the same time. Still, without tracking it I never would have realised just how expensive it had actually been. It definitely shows me why I got into debt so easily in the first place as I just spend and once I’ve started I don’t stop. Reading this back makes me wince at the expense but luckily most weeks aren’t this bad otherwise I would never get out of debt.”
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