This week: “I’m a 26-year-old solicitor based in Glasgow. I moved here from Edinburgh around 18 months ago when I qualified. In one week, I qualified as a solicitor, moved companies, moved cities and moved in with my partner. It was a busy time! My partner owns the flat that we share and has done for a few years before I moved in. Our current arrangement means he pays his mortgage while I pay almost all of our bills. We agreed to this to allow me to save hard towards a deposit. We are currently planning on buying a new flat together in around six months’ time and have started to get the wheels in motion on that (i.e. I spend too much time searching around property websites!). We split all of our other expenses equally and use an app to input expenses to see who owes who what (which we use as if it was a competitive game). Despite the hard saving I do spend money on enjoying myself (trips, concerts, football matches) as this is the first time I have had a good amount of “fun” money. My current splurge is a 12-day trip to Germany for the European Championships in June with my partner — we have already booked/paid for most of the costs (travel, accommodation, tickets), and are now in the fun stages of planning activities for when we are there.”
Occupation: Solicitor
Industry: Legal
Age: 26
Location: Glasgow
Salary: £45,000 pa
Paycheque Amount: £2,663.27
Number of housemates: One, my partner, R
Pronouns: She/her
Monthly Expenses
Housing costs: £300 (This is the payment I make to cover the vast majority of our bills.)
Loan payments: £130 student loan
Savings?: £17,100 in a savings account; £1,600 in a Help to Buy ISA; £200 in a holiday savings pot.
Pension? I pay in £187.50 (5%). My employer pays in 4%.
Utilities: Covered by my £300 monthly payment.
All other monthly payments: £20.95 phone bill; £45 counselling; £20 Community Benefit Society. Subscriptions: £7.99 Netflix; £10.99 Spotify; £8.99 Amazon Prime; £19.99 Gym.
Did you participate in any form of higher education? If yes, how did you pay for it?
Yes. I have an undergraduate degree in law and a post-graduate diploma in professional legal practice. As a Scottish student studying at a Scottish university, I did not have to pay fees for my undergraduate degree. I was also very fortunate that the firm I did my traineeship with covered the fees for my post-graduate. I took out the highest maintenance loan I could while at university but this didn’t even cover my rent so I worked during my degree to cover the rest of my bills and spending money.
Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money?
Both of my parents worked throughout my childhood. We were not extremely well off but we were always comfortable. Both of my parents work in unionised industries and I have strong memories of my dad being on strike and that causing financial worries in the house. My mum also had cancer when I was younger and was off sick for around a year which caused some financial strain. I was around 12 at the time and I feel that the worry of that time still impacts me. Thankfully, my mum is fully recovered now and has been cancer free for over 10 years. I feel I have a similar attitude towards money as my parents. I live within my means but definitely use my money to enjoy myself.
If you have, when did you move out of your parents’/guardians’ house?
I moved out first at 18 when I went to university. I moved back home for a couple of months after a bad breakup when I was 23. I feel really fortunate that I was able to stay with my parents during that time and have their support.
At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself? Does anyone else cover any aspects of your financial life?
When I started my traineeship at 22, I covered all of my own costs. When I was still a student, my parents would help me out here and there if needed, but I worked throughout my degrees to support myself.
I moved in with my partner around 18 months ago, and our arrangement means that I can save a lot more than I would have done if I had been living alone.
What was your first job and why did you get it?
At 16 I worked on a jewellery counter in a department store. I wanted extra money to spend on fun things, like trips with friends.
Do you worry about money now?
Yes and no. I have a good job that I love and that pays me well. I have built good savings since I started. However, I have a residual anxiety about my finances. The thought of spending the majority of my savings on a deposit scares me as I won’t have that security net there if something were to go really wrong. I am hoping to build up my savings to leave me with enough left over should something bad happen.
Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income?
No.
6:30 a.m. — Sunrise alarm goes off. I have been using one for around three years now and I feel like it makes some difference through the winter to helping me feel more awake. Auto-pilot through my morning routine (skincare, brush teeth, prep my bag and coffee) and head out the door.
7:30 a.m. — Catch the bus to work as the trains are all off due to the weather, £2.85.
8 a.m. — Arrive in the office and get started. I spend my morning drafting advice memos for clients, and considering new developments in a tribunal case I am running. When I qualified, I moved from a large firm where I was working with a big team to a smaller, specialist firm where I run my own cases. It was (and still sometimes is) really daunting and stressful, but I feel I have learned so much in the 18 months I have been here and the people I work with are fantastic.
1 p.m. —Stop for lunch (leftover potato and aubergine sabzi from last night). Despite how awful the weather is, I brave a lunchtime walk to clear my head after a morning focused on client documents.
5:30 p.m. — Finish up work and meet R outside to walk to the local university to play badminton. We try and play once per week. We typically use our local council facilities but we are trying the university as it is on our route home from our offices (I paid in advance).
7:30 p.m. — Finish badminton and jump on the bus home, £2.15.
8 p.m. —Cook baked potatoes for a simple dinner. I transfer some money to my parents and my brother for football tickets (one for a game last weekend and one for an upcoming match). I am a season ticket holder at my home town team, but these were cup games so not included in the ticket price, £33.
9 p.m. —Shower and chill out for a bit. I finish reading our book club pick for this month (The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark). I have read it previously but it’s an old favourite and I love getting stuck into it. Feel myself starting to nod off.
10 p.m. — Skincare, teeth, journal for 10 minutes and bed.
Total: £38
6:30 a.m. — Wake up to find that all my trains have been cancelled for a second day in a row. Check the bus times. Get ready and head out to catch the bus to work, £2.85.
8:30 a.m. — Log in and get started. I have a day full of meetings today and need to get some emails off to clients this morning.
1 p.m. — Heat up my lunch of tortellini and eat at my desk as I finish notes from this morning’s meetings.
1:30 p.m. — Head out in the rain to return an Amazon parcel that arrived damaged. Pick up a turnip which was missing from our most recent food delivery, £0.35.
2 p.m. — Having looked at the home report for a flat we like the look of, I contact the agent and set up a viewing for Saturday. This will be the first property we have viewed together.
5:15 p.m. — Finish up after a busy afternoon of calls and negotiations with other solicitors. Meet R outside the office and walk to the station. Upon arrival we find all of the trains have been cancelled, again. Turn and head to catch a bus home, £2.15.
6:30 p.m. — I’m cooking tonight so I prepare a roast veg creamy pasta. We sit and eat and discuss plans for the night. R normally plays football on a Tuesday but it has been cancelled due to the weather. We chat to a couple of friends about playing badminton again, but one isn’t feeling well so we decide to give it a miss. We decide to book a gym class for after work tomorrow which is free as part of my gym membership.
7:15 p.m. — Decide to use the unexpected free time to make the soup we are having for dinner tomorrow. Roast peppers, onions and garlic and blitz with veg stock and basil. Spend the rest of the evening relaxing with my book and a cup of tea.
11 p.m. — Skincare, journal and bed.
Total: £5.35
6:30 a.m. — Alarm goes off, we found out yesterday that the trains were all cancelled, again, so I know that it will be a bus, again, this morning. Neither of us slept well last night due to the high winds. Snooze for a little longer.
7:15 a.m. — Drag myself out of bed and get ready for work. Head out to catch the bus to the office, £2.85.
8:15 a.m. — Log on and check my to-do list for the day. Fewer meetings in the diary means I can get on with some case preparation and in-depth research. Plug a podcast in and get started.
12:45 p.m. — Heat up leftovers again for lunch.
1:15 p.m. — Head out to pick up a prescription from the pharmacy. There are no fees to pay for prescriptions in Scotland, so I collect it and head out for a walk and wander around a couple of shops. I’m going to a gig on Friday so I’m looking for outfit inspiration (hopefully for something I already own).
5:15 p.m. — Finish up work and head to the gym. The half-hour circuits class leaves me dying, but at least I know it works. Hop on the bus back home, £2.15.
7 p.m. — Arrive home and jump in the shower to wash my hair. I then heat up the soup we prepared last night. R’s work were handing out free pastries and there were a load leftover so he has brought me home a cinnamon bun.
7 p.m. — We settle in to watch TV.
10:30 p.m. — Finish my mug of mint tea and drag myself to bed after doing my skincare and brushing my teeth.
Total: £5
7:15 a.m. — Alarm goes off and I pull myself out of bed. I prepare my coffee and pack my gym bag for later. R is attending a lecture after work tonight, so I am planning to hit the gym on my own before heading home.
7:40 a.m. — Jump on the bus, £2.85. R headed in to town earlier so I use my time to read my book and relax on the journey in.
8:30 a.m. — Log on and see a barrage of emails have come in overnight. I slightly panic but pull together a to do list and start getting into them.
1 p.m. — Heat up my leftover soup and spend lunch chatting away to my colleagues. We are a small office and all get on really well which makes it a really nice place to work, which is especially helpful when things get stressful.
6 p.m. — I’ve spent my afternoon firing through advice memos and answering client emails to ensure agreements remain on track. I finish up and head to the gym.
6:15 p.m. — Spend some time on the treadmill. I ran my first 10k last year after a bit of a health scare and my aim is to run a half-marathon this year. However, I am totally a fair weather runner and do not like running around my area after dark.
7:15 p.m. — Jump on the bus home, £2.15.
8 p.m. — Shower and help R make veggie quesadillas for dinner.
10 p.m. — After some TV I prepare my bag for tomorrow. We will be heading for dinner straight after work tomorrow, so I need to take a change of clothes and my make up with me to the office.
Total: £5
7 a.m. — Alarm goes off; thank god it’s nearly the weekend. Take out my heatless curler and examine the curls it has left. I doubt they will last the day, but it’s better than nothing.
7:30 a.m. — Jump on the bus into town as it is raining and windy once again, £2.85.
8 a.m. — R and I nip into a local café to treat ourselves to coffee and a pastry as it’s Friday. We take turns each Friday to pick a café and treat the other. This week it’s his turn to pay and I pick up a mocha and a vegan cinnamon bun to enjoy at my desk.
1 p.m. — The morning has flown past with client meetings and conversations with other solicitors. I have a call with the chair of an organisation I sit on the board of. Our AGM is coming up and I am up for re-election. We have a discussion about roles and responsibilities. I indicate I am keen to continue with the organisation but may wish to take a step back from the executive role I have held this year. I then do my makeup in the bathroom as I have zero time after work before I head out for dinner.
1 p.m. — A busy afternoon of calls and trying to get several agreements finalised — Fridays can be chaotic like this, especially near the end of the month. Finish up sharp as we have dinner booked at 5:30 p.m.
5:30 p.m. — R and I meet our friends (A and E) for dinner. I have a chicken burger and share chips with R, £16.50 for my share.
6:30 p.m. — We head to a bar before the gig. I order a mocktail which is surprisingly nice. I’ve recently had a lot of exceptionally sweet fruit juices or soft drinks so I am delighted to have an actually nice drink, £7.
7:30 p.m. — Head into the gig to see some bands we saw at a festival last summer. The music is great and I really enjoy feeling fully present watching the event. R buys me a Diet Coke when he goes to get a round.
10 p.m. — Everyone else wants to head to a bar after the show — I could go home but majority rules! We find a tiny pub where we are the youngest patrons by a solid thirty years. It is karaoke night and we feel we are looking at our future. I have a lime soda which R pays for (he will put the drinks on our app at the end of the month).
11:30 p.m. — Finally everyone decides to head home. I am exhausted at this point. Our walk home is around 45 minutes but it’s a nice night.
12:30 a.m. — Get home, take my makeup off and dive into bed.
Total: £26.35
7 a.m. — My alarm goes off and I get out of bed. R is a little worse for wear so stays in bed. I get ready and make myself a coffee and chill on the couch reading my book (Bunny by Mona Awad).
8 a.m. — Our Tesco delivery arrives. I help the driver unpack the food and we chat away and find out one of our eggs is broken. The driver tells me I can keep them but I will get a refund due to the damage; £35.01 for my half.
10 a.m. — R manages to get up and we get ready to head to the flat viewing. Get the bus to the other side of town, £2.85.
11:40 a.m. — The flat is nice, but not quite what we are looking for. It is smaller than we expected and there is some damage that wasn’t particularly visible on the advert. Decide we won’t be putting in an offer.
12:40 p.m. — We wander around the general area. This part of town is much nicer than where we currently are and there is a lot more to do. We get excited by the prospect of moving here and nip into a café for some lunch. I have a chai latte and a massive sourdough sandwich with burrata, tomato and pesto. We both love the sourdough so we decide to buy a loaf from the café on our way out, £13.40 for my share of everything.
2 p.m. — Jump on the bus home, £2.15. When we get back, R decides a nap is in order. While he sleeps I put a podcast on and get on with some jobs around the house.
5 p.m. — R is awake again. We have a chat about plans for the next day as my book club has been postponed until next Sunday. We have been chatting about going to the cinema and getting pizza as we have vouchers. Book tickets to see The End We Start From; £7.50 for my ticket.
7:30 p.m. — Cook dinner. We are having a mixed roast dinner tonight. My partner is vegetarian while I am not, though I now eat mostly vegetarian for ease. He has veggie haggis with mashed potato and turnip. I substitute the haggis for a steak which is a real treat. R makes a peppercorn sauce which is unreal.
8 p.m. — Decide to put a film on. I treat myself to a non-alcoholic cocktail which I serve in a nice wine glass as a treat. The film is The Circle — the cast is so good and I can see the point they are trying to make, but the film itself is terrible.
11 p.m. — Skincare, teeth, bed.
Total: £60.91
9 a.m. — Have a slight lie in today as we have no plans until the cinema later. Do the NYTimes mini-crossword in bed with R. We do the crossword most days, and it is always a fun competition. Get up after and make myself a coffee.
10 a.m. — Make pancakes for breakfast. This is one of my favourite things to do on a quiet Sunday. Enjoy the pancakes with whipped vanilla cream and melted chocolate spread.
1 p.m. — Walk down to the train station and get a train into town, £1.50 return with my railcard.
1:30 p.m. — We have some time before our film so we nip into a new café for a coffee. We each get a flat white and sit at the window people watching, £3.20.
2:30 p.m. — Head into the cinema and we decide to share a mixed popcorn and an Icee; £5.50 for my share.
5 p.m. — The film was great and really thought provoking — Jodie Comer is ridiculously talented.
5:15 p.m. — We head to the pizza place. I have a margherita with prosciutto and a lemonade. We pay for the food with vouchers, £3.85 for my lemonade.
7 p.m. — Jump on the train back home. When we get home, we decide to make the most of the early dinner by making soup for the week ahead. Make a massive batch of carrot and coriander which will do for a dinner and lunches next week.
8 p.m. — Sit down and finish reading Bunny by Mona Awad. This was a Christmas gift from a friend who warned it was bizarre. It was slightly odd but I found it really engrossing.
10:30 p.m. — Dish up soup into Tupperware for tomorrow. Prepare my work bag and head to bed.
Total: £14.05
Food & Drink: £84.81
Clothes & Beauty: £0
Home & Health: £0
Entertainment: £40.50
Travel: £29.35
Other: £0
Total: £154.66
Conclusion
“This was a pretty typical week for me. I work in the office five days per week and I have made a serious commitment to stopping little treats every day just to reward myself for going into town. I have also really cut back my spending on clothes, makeup, skincare et cetera while I save for a deposit. Re-reading the diary, I feel I strike a good balance between saving hard for the deposit but spending on things that I really love (seeing friends and going to terrible football matches). I found the process of keeping the diary really interesting — it made me a lot more conscious of where my money was going. In the near future, my aim will be to continue saving for the deposit, and then onto the next big thing.”
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