This week: “I’m a 25-year-old occupational therapist living in Bristol. I’m fairly newly qualified and I work in a stroke rehab rotation. I also work odd jobs as an actor and voiceover actor, but I’m taking a break to focus on occupational therapy work as the winter is super busy and intense in the NHS. This is definitely the best paid job I’ve ever had; I was previously a health care assistant which isn’t great pay. However, Bristol is pretty expensive so I try not to splash the cash too much. I have a housemate, who I live with in the flat she owns. I’m fairly happy to be helping a friend pay off their mortgage rather than some money-grabbing landlord, but I don’t always feel like I can ask for stuff to be sorted as quickly as I could with a professional landlord, so pros and cons. I have a boyfriend, B, of a few months who is very sweet, and we do semi-long distance. I’m just in a period of finding my feet and trying to balance my wellbeing, personal life, aspirations and a pretty busy job one step at a time!”
Occupation: Occupational therapist.
I also sometimes earn some income as an actress/voiceover actress.
Industry: Healthcare
Age: 25
Location: Bristol
Salary: £28,500
Paycheque Amount: £1,790
Number of housemates: One, S
Pronouns: She/her
Monthly Expenses
Housing costs: £700 rent. I live in a flat that my friend S owns, so this includes bills.
Loan payments: None.
Savings?: £10,000 in a savings account.
Utilities: Bills included.
Pension?: My contribution comes to £200 a month.
All other monthly payments: £27.99 for phone. Subscriptions: £20 for prebiotic subscription; £4.99 for a driving app.
Did you participate in any form of higher education? If yes, how did you pay for it? Yes, I did an undergraduate degree in acting, where I qualified for the full maintenance loan. I also worked part time as a carer and lived in a fairly cheap city, so I did alright financially. I then did a preregistration masters degree in occupational therapy, where my uni greedily wanted £5,000 over the standard fees. I also only got a partial maintenance loan, so I worked part time as a carer but my mum very kindly helped me bridge the gap by loaning me money, which I have just finished repaying.
Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money?
I grew up in a household with an abusive father and one of his forms of abuse was financial. I mention this as it left me with quite a confused depiction of finances and lifestyle, as we went on lots of holidays but couldn’t afford for me and my brother to go on school trips, have new clothes and so on (because my dad controlled the money and spent it on himself). After they broke up, we struggled financially which meant at times going without heating, hot water, et cetera. Because of this, my mum is overly cautious with money, to the point where she still tells me off for spending, as she wants me to be financially stable and I think it’s very ingrained in her to spend virtually nothing. I also think due to my dad’s influence, I can have a taste for the finer things and be susceptible to treating myself when I feel bad. So I would say the messages were quite mixed, and it’s taken me a little while to find the balance between spending and saving, believing I deserve nice things but also ensuring I have enough for rent and rainy days.
If you have, when did you move out of your parents’/guardians’ house?
I moved out at 17 just before going to uni. I’ve stayed at my mum’s for a few months at a time since to get back on my feet at various points.
At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself? Does anyone else cover any aspects of your financial life?
I would say completely responsible last year, at 24. Up until that point, I was vastly responsible, with probably about five years where I didn’t borrow any money, but my mum helped me out here and there when I couldn’t cover things my myself. I would have been pretty screwed without it!
What was your first job and why did you get it?
My first job was at 11 years old, stacking up the bowling pins when they were knocked down in my local pub. I got £10 for three hours which was great at the time, but pretty hilarious now. I got it as I was very bored living in my village, my friend did it, and I didn’t get pocket money so £10 for sweets was pretty great!
Do you worry about money now?
I think it’s very internalised within me to be worried about money because of my background. I do worry about what would happen if I became unemployed for some reason or if living costs rose to an unmanageable level (particularly somewhere like Bristol). But I’m generally quite reassured that I have savings and a caring family who would help me if I needed somewhere to go.
Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income?
My grandma passed away in 2020 and left her house to be sold up and divided between her grandchildren. Chaos ensued but we very recently got that all sorted out. It was an incredibly kind thing for her to do and gave me a chance to pay off some loans and save a good chunk of money which was pretty life changing for me. Cheers, Gran.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247. If you are in immediate danger, please call 999.
8 a.m. — Wake up and decide to doze for a while to catch up on a relatively big sleep deficit.
10 a.m. — Doze successful. I’ve got to get cracking soon to catch my train, so I have my prebiotic, drink loads of water and have some toast with Biscoff while I watch telly in bed. Lovely chill start to the day.
11 a.m. — I run around like a headless chicken scarfing down salad that is going out of date today (I hate food waste), showering and dressing and doing make up. I run for the bus and get there just as it arrives, woo hoo. I’m genuinely usually much more organised, £2 for the bus ticket.
12:20 p.m. — Make it there with time to spare. I realise my tablet is out of battery (my phone won’t connect to my headphones) so I have no relentless stimulation! How will I cope? I have a book, but it’s pretty intense and I’m not in the mood so I grab a magazine and some tissues as I notice a bogey in my nose ring, whoops, £5.97.
2 p.m. — The train was an hour late and I sat next to a pissy girl who kept shoving my charger lead every time it brushed her, but we made it. Meet my lovely friend, E, and we go for lunch as we’re both peckish, £14.
3 p.m — We head on over to Primark to look for bits for her new job. I grab two jumpers, some cowboy boots, some trackies bottoms and three vests. I also grab some reusable makeup wipes and my Secret Santa present for work (socks and a water bottle?), £63.
4 p.m. — We bum around the market and I grab six vegan brownies as they are amazing and B, the person I’m dating’s, favourite, £16.
5 p.m. — We stop for a drink, which E very kindly gets. We promise to meet soon, part ways and I hop on the bus to B’s, £2.
6 p.m. — Get to B’s. He’s been ill and still super chesty, wheezing like he smokes a pack a day. I meet his mum for the first time (bit of background, our mums introduced us as they worked together). Also, he moved in with his parents six months ago. He broke up with his ex and his parents both have had some serious health issues so he moved in to help. We head upstairs for a very quiet no-pants cuddle and a catch up.
10 p.m. — We hang out, I order a takeaway as I’m peckish (my god, I’ve lived it large today), £22.
12 a.m. — Save half for tomorrow and we drift off around midnight.
Total: £124.97
6:30 a.m. — B doesn’t need lots of sleep so he’s pretty alert. He doesn’t bug me, but he’s pretty cuddly and soon I’m wide awake. He very kindly treats me to a Starbucks breakfast, I have a ham and cheese croissant and a matcha. He’s a good egg.
12 p.m. — We spend the morning chilling and chatting. I meet his dad (I feel a bit bashful as I’m worried they heard us last night but all goes well!). They head off to visit his sibling and they kindly let me stay in the house and I finish my takeaway and chill.
1 p.m. — I go to get the bus and it’s 40 minutes late. I really need to learn how to drive. Finally get on the bus, £2.
2 p.m. — I buy a train ticket, £15.50.
2:15 p.m. — I’m silly and forgot my water bottle so I grab a bottle, £1.99. I consider getting another matcha, but when I see its almost £6 I cannot justify it to myself. Sit at the station and freeze my arse off.
2:30 p.m. — Hop on the train and hop off in Bristol. Very luckily get straight on a bus home and naughtily get a child’s ticket teehee, £1.
4 p.m. — Arrive home and my food order has arrived (this meal company is doing 20% off and as I’ve been super busy and exhausted from work recently, I’m prioritising getting enough nutrition if I don’t have the energy to cook). It also it only works out as a few quid more than a food shop.
5 p.m. — Prep for the week, do laundry, clean, shower, and end off the night with reading and meditation. My sleep hasn’t been great recently and work stress has gotten to me at times so this has been really helping me relax.
10 p.m. — Night!
Total: £20.49
6:30 a.m. — Wake up. I actually slept pretty well which is rare for a Sunday night and it’s lovely waking up not still tired. Have a pre-prepared breakfast and get ready.
7 a.m. — Walk to get my lift with a colleague. We chat a bit but generally just wake up and listen to the radio in the morning, which suits me fine.
8 a.m. — Get to work and head straight up to the ward after depositing my Secret Santa.
12:30 p.m.: —Have a relatively okay morning on the ward, bar a patient who refuses to move (she is capable of doing so) and very verbally abusive. Generally, I have a bit of a laugh with colleagues and tick off some jobs. Head to the café for lunch (I often buy lunch at work, as it’s cheap and work is super busy and stressful). The catering lady slaps a big chunk of veggie lasagne, chips and veg down for me. Lovely, £4.50.
4 p.m. — Afternoon goes relatively all right, just trying to sort out a patient who is wreaking havoc, as well as see a few others who are a lot more lovely. Finish at 4 p.m., hop into the car to get my lift home.
5 p.m. — Get home, and eat my dins as I’m starving and knackered and want to get my energy up for the gym. A personal trainer is doing a deal and I’ve been wanting to get my fitness back on track for a while. I also think it will be good for my mental health. Chill out for about 40 minutes, then get changed and go hop on bus, £2.
6:30 p.m. — Arrive at the gym and do a lovely weights-centred workout. It’s not too challenging as she’s trying to ascertain my fitness levels, and I’m obviously super hench. She also tells me I’ve overpaid and can just pay the rest of the deal to even it out. Nice! £35.
7:30 p.m. — Get the bus home, shower, read and meditate.
9:45 p.m. — Bed.
Total: £41.50
6:30 a.m. — Wake up having slept fairly well again, which is exactly what I need before the hospitals get crazy busy.
7 a.m. — Have a pre-prepared breakfast, get changed and head off to get my lift for 7 a.m. It’s pissing it down so I get pretty drenched in my 10-minute walk to her house, even with an umbrella.
8 a.m. — Up to the ward. Bring some chocolates I brought for us all last week to give us a little boost.
10 a.m. — Have a pretty shite morning. I’m super busy, with a patient’s family being quite rude and pushing me to discharge her when I haven’t finished my assessments. To top it off, a healthcare assistant misinterprets something I say and has a go — Mercury is indeed retrograding.
12:30 p.m. — Have a chicken Kyiv, chips and peas for £4.50. I chat to the consultant over lunch about how mental the NHS is right now. It is a great chat, but it doesn’t really relax me that much after a fairly stressful morning.
1 p.m. — Get my Secret Santa gift — it’s chocolate! I’m on a hunt to identify the handwriting as I want to thank them directly and I’m nosy.
1:30 p.m. — Back up the ward and the afternoon goes pretty well with admin, meetings and supervision. Get lovely feedback, which gives me a boost.
4 p.m. — Day is done, hop in the car and get driven home, woo hoo.
5 p.m. — Arrive home and I’m so knackered. I eat my pre-prepared meal and dessert, and basically spend the evening reading, watching telly and meditating.
8 p.m. — Order a matcha whisk (I want to get into matcha more) and a tap-on light for the bathroom, because the light is too bright for midnight wees, £22.
9:30 p.m. — Bed.
Total: £26.50
6:30 a.m. — Wake up, usual breakfast, dress and run to get my lift.
7 a.m. — Hop in the car.
8 a.m. — Head up to the ward. My morning isn’t too manic and my patient makes some nice progress. She requires a lot of encouragement as she is very anxious, but it’s great to see! She tells me my hair is a mess and I laugh but also go smooth it down in the toilet. What can I say, I’m a delicate girl right now.
12:30 p.m. — Lunch of Quorn sausages, chips and veg. I sometimes wish they would have more options than chips for sides. I also have a decaf Costa coffee after because I am feeling knackered (I’m well aware decaf won’t genuinely perk me up, its just psychosomatic), £8.90.
1 p.m. — Afternoon goes fine, but I feel so so tired. This time of year is rough, and I do struggle with basically not seeing the light for five days a week, as many of us who work inside know.
3 p.m. — I stop feeling sorry for myself and finish all my work and my lively colleague very kindly treats me to a decaf Costa. What a star.
4 p.m. — Finish and get my lift home. We stop off at a supermarket as she wants to grab food and I grab wrapping paper. I also see some tinned vegan tuna which intrigues me so I grab a few tins, £8.50.
5 p.m. — Get home, eat, shower, wrap presents and chill. I was going to run on my running machine but before I know it it’s time to wind down for bed. Oh well. I’m prioritising just getting through this time and I will exercise more when I have more energy.
9:45 p.m. — Read, meditate and head to bed.
Total: £17.40
6:30 a.m. — Wake up. I haven’t slept amazingly and I feel like I’m coming down with a UTI. I make a vow to drink lots and lots of water today, because I didn’t drink as much as usual yesterday (I try to drink between two and a half and three litres).
7 a.m. — Have breakfast, get dressed and get my lift at 7 a.m. I cancel my food prep thing as, despite the 30% off, it is definitely not the cheapest.
8 a.m. — Work is fairly all right, just busy as usual.
12 p.m. — Grab lunch at the canteen of fish and chips, £4.50.
1 p.m. — Have some in service training, then a busy afternoon running around again.
4 p.m. — Finish and head home.
5 p.m. — Get home and pretty much stay in the same position curled up for the rest of the evening. Rouse briefly to have some dinner, pasta and veg.
9:30 p.m. — Meditate read and bed.
Total: £4.50
6:30 a.m. — Wake up feeling fairly sprightly. Have my breakfast of porridge, glug a load of water, grab my many massive bags and off I go to get my lift.
8 a.m. — Arrive at work, the morning is surprisingly chill given the time of year.
12:30 p.m. — Buy a delicious roast. What a bargain at £4.50! Chill and listen to music then off we go for the final lap.
1 p.m. — Afternoon passes in a reasonably well-paced blur of tying off loose ends for the break.
4 p.m. — Finish work and H very kindly drops me to the station. Get on my train, with a pre-paid ticket. It’s pretty chill until I have to change and the next train is so rammed I’m shoved into some guys armpit. Luckily it’s only for 20 minutes.
5:30 p.m. — Arrive home (my brother A was on the same train and jammily had a comfy, armpit-free seat). We run over to where Mum is parked and head on home.
6:30 p.m. — We have dinner and chat and catch up, getting in the festive mood! My family tends to sit around the table and chat and drink after dinner which is really nice and a good laugh. We do this all evening.
11 p.m. — Bed.
Total: £4.50
Food & Drink: £89.93
Clothes & Beauty £63
Home & Health: £57
Entertainment: £5.97
Travel: £24.50
Other: £0
Total: £239.86
Conclusion
“It was very interesting seeing what I spent my money on. This is a slightly expensive week as I don’t do a big clothes shop too often, and obviously it is pretty pricey to buy lunch everyday! At the moment I have been a sucker for treats and stuff to help me get through. But I think moving forward, I would like to plan ahead more to prepare lunches, and doing more regular food shops to prevent picking up bits here and there. I also want to do more after work during the week too, but one step at a time as I’m trying to pace myself.”
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