This week: “I’m a 29-year-old project manager working for a fashion brand in Manchester. I’ve lived with my boyfriend, T, for a couple of years and I recently sold the flat I bought in 2019. I’ve worked at my company for nearly six years, but in the next couple of years T and I are planning to go travelling for a while to enjoy our last few (hopefully!) pre-children years. I’ve always been a spender, and I got into some pretty sticky situations in my early 20s with maxed-out overdrafts and thousands of pounds of credit card debt thanks to my love of fashion and a general YOLO mindset. Lockdown and a medical compensation package in 2020 were basically the reasons I was able to pay everything off. I’m still a spender at heart, but I’m better than I was and I’m now trying to rein it in ahead of our future travel plans. I’m also conscious of building up my savings so I can support myself through any future maternity leave. T earns more than three times my salary, but also works about double my hours, so there’s a lot of give and take in our relationship when it comes to division of finances, division of labour and how we split things equitably rather than equally — for example, I do more housework than him, so he pays for our cleaner.”
Occupation: Project manager
Industry: Fashion
Age: 29
Location: Manchester
Salary: £38,000
Paycheque Amount: £2,211
Number of housemates: My boyfriend, T and his dog, B.
Pronouns: She/her
Monthly Expenses
Housing costs: I don’t pay rent but I pay £100 a month to T. This is based on the fact that my outgoings were always really low before moving in; his were — and still are —much higher. And as I mentioned above, he earns more than three times my salary. It is also worth noting he never asked me to pay anything and was happy for me to live rent free.
Loan payments: £91 student loan
Savings?: £50,000 gained after selling my flat (this is profit plus my original deposit). It’s split between an ISA and other savings accounts for now. I’ll use most of this for a deposit when we buy a house together one day.
Pension?: I upped my pension contributions to 10% through a salary sacrifice scheme (£316), and my company matches this.
Utilities: I pay £500 into the joint account (T does the same) and this covers basically all utilities (council tax, energy, water, broadband, breakdown cover, pet insurance, TV licence) and then our food shopping.
All other monthly payments: £39 phone; £8.99 Amazon Prime; £52 gym; £20 to Abortion Support Network and Crisis; £140 on PT sessions.
Did you participate in any form of higher education? If yes, how did you pay for it? Yes, I went to university in the first year of fees going up to £9,000 a year. I financed it all with student loans, and didn’t receive any grants, but my parents sent me £150 a month. I was very lucky to receive this, but I also… Lived on only £150 a month. Those were quite hungry years (I know I could have got a part-time job, but I was having too much fun partying).
Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money?
I don’t remember really having any conversations. I’m an only child and I never felt spoiled, and my parents lived pretty conservatively, with one car, et cetera. Even when they divorced things pretty much stayed the same, but I guess the fact I never had to worry about whether we were financially secure or not suggests that we were.
If you have, when did you move out of your parents’/guardians’ house?
I moved out at 18 to go to uni and lived in flatshares from then until I bought my flat at 25.
At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself? Does anyone else cover any aspects of your financial life? I guess technically when I moved out at 18, but I’m torn with answering this one. Although no one covers any aspects of my financial life, I wouldn’t have the lifestyle I have if I weren’t living with my partner, and there are things that I benefit from that I didn’t or don’t pay for. An example of this is he bought and insured our car, and I also wouldn’t be living in a nice big house if it wasn’t for him. If I lost my job, I know it would be okay for as long as it took for me to find another one, whether that’s because my parents or my partner would support me. Also, I wouldn’t have a huge financial safety net in savings if it wasn’t for my parents helping me get onto the property ladder. So I don’t know whether that means I’m entirely financially responsible for myself, even now.
What was your first job and why did you get it?
I worked in a hairdressers, washing and brushing up hair, from 15 to 18, just to pay for my own bits and bobs. I used to get about £40 a week for two weekend shifts. I actually really enjoyed that job!
Do you worry about money now?
If I’m being honest, as explained above, I don’t really ever worry, and that’s a hugely privileged thing to say. However, I am conscious of protecting myself in the future, so I will be using some of the money from my flat sale to bulk out my pension pot in anticipation of future maternity leave, and I will keep some aside so I have peace of mind that should the relationship fail, I could live alone again and look after myself.
Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income?
Yes, my parents gifted me £20,000 towards my flat deposit. A couple of years before this I got £5,000 in a relative’s will, and I used this to pay off debt (sigh, what a wasted opportunity).
8:30 a.m. — Wake before my alarm (I’m a get-out-of-bed-15-minutes-before-work-starts gal) and immediately reach for my phone for a quick scrolling session. T worked a night shift last night (I sleep so well when I get the bed to myself) and he texts to say he’s setting off home.
9 a.m. — Log on while also making a French press coffee (a must) and Weetabix (not a must, but the only cereal we have). T arrives back on his bike, sweaty and tired. I do a couple of quick tasks before my first and only (woohoo) meeting of the day. After the meeting, I go and kiss T “goodnight”.
11:50 a.m. — I purposely got dressed in gym gear this morning to force myself to go at lunchtime. I drive there and run for 40 minutes on the treadmill. I recently discovered the sanctuary that is the women’s-only section of my gym, and I’m converted. Never again will a man lay eyes on me when exercising (jk, although…).
12:45 p.m. — Get back home and shower and change very, very quietly, as T is sleeping. Warm up some homemade soup, and add two slices of buttered bread, obviously. Log back on. It’s Friday, so it’s a pretty quiet day online to be honest.
4:30 p.m. — Finish a bit early to go for my cryolipolysis appointment. I have chubby arms that no amount of exercise seems to help and I cover them up at all costs; it’s kind of sad really. This appointment involves putting suction pads onto the backs of my arm and freezing the fat. I sit there for 30 minutes unable to move or scroll on my phone, which is a struggle. Who knows whether it will even work? Go home at 5:15 p.m. with very tender arms; £110 for today’s payment.
6 p.m. — Eat dinner (veggie curry) and watch Friends before T heads off to work and I watch Emily the Criminal on Netflix.
11 p.m. — Skincare routine (double cleanse, Beauty Pie Superdrops followed by The Ordinary Retinal) and bed.
Total: £110
9 a.m. — Wake up to a sweaty and tired T coming through the bedroom door. He showers and jumps in with me as I slowly wake up, before I get up and leave him for a nap. He’s finished his nights today, so will just have a couple of hours sleep rather than sleeping all day.
10:30 a.m. — Head to the gym. There’s something I love about a Saturday gym sesh. Do about 45 minutes alternating between running and uphill walking on the treadmill, then 10 minutes of weights.
11:30 a.m. — I’m back, showered and in my comfy clothes. Make fresh coffee, put the radio on and set the table while T makes us scrambled tofu on toast. I read the Guardian Saturday supplement (I got a subscription for my birthday and it’s a weekend game changer) and we do the crossword puzzle together. We only get one or two weekends together every month so we really value these slow mornings.
12:30 p.m. — We are having a gardening day. I’m weeding, clearing the path and planting things (the best bit) and T is mowing the lawn, trimming hedges and cutting down dead stuff. We do this for FOUR HOURS and my hips are in bits. T goes to the shop midway through to buy some beers and me some cocktails in cans. Have a little break in the middle for a drink on the patio.
6 p.m. — I’ve been lying on the sofa under a blanket for the last hour after my shower. I fear I’ll never move again. T comes down to make dinner, which is an aubergine curry from Gousto. I love Gousto so much because otherwise I’d be eating cereal for dinner a lot.
7 p.m. — We eat and watch an episode of Ripley on Netflix with a slice of homemade banana bread. Then we go our separate ways, which means he goes to play video games upstairs and I stay on the sofa and scroll on TikTok while half-watching TV. Bliss.
11 p.m. — Bed. We got quite into listening to ghost stories last year when we went camping and had a campfire, so we put one on the speaker. Typically they aren’t too scary, so you can fall asleep to them. However, this one is actually genuinely quite chilling (lol) and I have to ask T to turn it off after half an hour of most definitely not drifting off to sleep.
Total: £0
10 a.m. — Wake up. This is actually a very long lie-in for me. I scroll on my phone while T snoozes.
10:30 a.m. — Go downstairs for fresh coffee. I then make beans on toast, which is not what I’d usually have for breakfast but I’m craving it. I read the Guardian main paper from yesterday and do the crossword at the back — getting the Saturday papers means two crosswords for the price of one.
12 p.m. — We take B for a walk in the woods. It’s a bit drizzly but we hardly see anyone else and we have a lovely stroll. We chat about what we’d like our forever home to look like and conclude we need to win the lottery.
2 p.m. — We finish our walk in the local village, and stop into a cute homeware shop. I buy some colourful dried flowers and T buys a cool art print for the wall, £25.
2:30 p.m. — The plan is to grab a coffee en route back home, but then we are mysteriously pulled into the little wine shop on the corner. I have a prosecco followed by a small glass of wine, T has a couple of large wines, and we share some olives and bread. On the way out I ask the owner’s opinion on a bottle of wine to take round to T’s sister’s house next week, and end up choosing a £30(!) bottle. It escalated quickly. The full total comes to £86 which we split, £43.
4 p.m. — Arrive home very wet and slightly tipsy. Down a bottle of water and go for a nap. Let B come in with me. Wake up 45 minutes later, very groggy but slightly more sober.
7 p.m. — T heads out to the cinema with his friend and I make another Gousto recipe of lentil and courgette ragù and I watch The Gentleman on Netflix, followed by hours of scrolling and other TV. Where does the time go?
11 p.m. — Bed, but I don’t fall asleep for ages. A nap may be on the cards tomorrow.
Total: £68
8:30 a.m. — Alarm goes off and I was in a DEEP sleep. Ugh. Get dressed in my cosiest Lucy & Yak fleece and T’s trackies. Take B for a quick walk.
9:30 a.m. — Coffee and cereal consumed. I have my first meeting of the day discussing a campaign I’ll be supporting this week. Feel like my brain is slightly not working today. Graze emails me with a new offer for a snack box for £5, so I’m sucked in. I’ll cancel the subscription (usually £15) in a few days and I’ll give the non-vegan stuff to T.
11:30 a.m. — I fear I haven’t been the most productive this morning but I’ve created some briefs as well as done some tech training, so not all is lost. I do have to put my phone in another part of the room to achieve this, though (anyone else?).
12 p.m. — Drive to the gym after a quick walk with B. Do 45 minutes of running and uphill walking while listening to a banging soundtrack.
1:30 p.m. — Scarf down the most millennial lunch ever: avo on sourdough with olive tapenade, topped with nuts and seeds. Time for my next meeting — this time just a team catchup.
2 p.m. — Notice my Klarna payment has come out, £34.42 (I try not to use it anymore, but two Eras tour tickets didn’t come cheap, so it was a must. I think I’ve nearly paid it off…).
5 p.m. — Log off for the day. I feel drained today, so go for a bath and use all my favourite pampering products (bury me with the Rituals Ayurveda range) and a Lush face mask. Then get in bed because I can. Living with someone else = being seen all the time, so it’s quite nice when T’s at work at these times when I want to just rot.
7 p.m. — Have leftover lentil and courgette ragù and sit on the sofa, half watching The Gentlemen, half scrolling on Pinterest for my imaginary wedding.
10 p.m. — T is home and we watch Friends before going to bed in separate rooms because he’s up at 3.30 a.m. to go away for a night with work.
Total: £39.42
7:45 a.m. — Alarm goes off as I have my first prepaid PT session so I get changed into the clothes I’ve laid out.
8:55 a.m. — I had a good workout, but we had to take “progress” pictures with my top off, so I’m slightly cringing at this. My PT is very lovely but very young and I internally scream when she compliments my leggings then opines that Sweaty Betty is “an over-30s” brand.
9:15 a.m. — I’m showered and logged on and feeling nice and invigorated. I eat my Fruit’n Fibre with a banana and I get some small tasks done between meetings. This week’s Gousto box arrives, £21 for my share.
12 p.m. — Give B a quick walk in the rain, then make the same bouji lunch as yesterday while scrolling TikTok for 10 minutes. I tend to work through lunch, which means I don’t feel bad logging off a little earlier.
4:45 p.m. — I’ve actually had a very focused afternoon, but as a result I’m now feeling slightly dead. Decide to walk to Tesco to get some bits and wake myself up.
5:30 p.m. — It will never stop shocking me that now even a basic “essentials we’ve run out of and might need over the next week” shop is £40 minimum. Unpack and T calls me on his break. I go and get into bed to warm up after the rain as we chat. Total comes to £31 for my share.
7 p.m. — A power nap was had. Go downstairs and heat up a tofu pad Thai ready meal while watching, you guessed it, The Gentlemen.
8 p.m. — I scroll on all my usual websites (Vinted, Depop, Instagram, X, rinse and repeat) and take the plunge on ordering a cream denim jacket from Whistles that I’m convinced will change my life. I’m also very good and I pay for it outright rather than through BNPL, £88.10.
10 p.m. — Up to bed for my skincare regime (today just a double cleanse followed by Byoma hydrating oil).
Total: £140.10
7:45 a.m. — Alarm goes off. I’m going into the office today, so I get ready and walk to the train station to go into town. I slept with heatless rollers in and omg it’s looking no different to normal. Not sure what I’m doing wrong! I got my return train ticket in advance with my 25-30 railcard which I’m clinging on to while I still can, £4.19.
9 a.m. — Arrive at the office via Caffè Nero where I get my usual office day treat: oat milk cappuccino and a vegan raspberry croissant. The coffee is free as I have a full stamp card, £2.90.
12 p.m. — I work hybrid — two days in the office and three days at home — and I always enjoy catching up with everyone and the general buzz of the office. Head out in the rain to Boots. My hyper-fixation right now is Boots’ “no duck” hoisin wrap, so I’m currently in my meal deal era. Grab a deodorant and pack of ibuprofen, too, £7.13.
5:40 p.m. — Leave the office after an afternoon of more meetings and lots of work admin tasks. A colleague has asked if anyone fancies a drink, and I figure it’s always good to say yes to stuff. Four of us head to Brewdog.
7:30 p.m. — Two (surprisingly good) glasses of Malbec later, I’m on the train home, £12.25. I’m really glad I said yes. I don’t know any of them particularly well, but we had some interesting conversations and a good laugh.
8 p.m. — T is home from his work trip! We catch up and he cooks Gousto’s Lebanese-style aubergine with tabbouleh. It’s so good. We watch the second episode of Ripley, which is growing on me. We then go our separate ways and I catch up with a friend about organising a 30th celebration for us both this summer.
11 p.m. — Skincare then bed with my book; Preloved by Lauren Bravo, which I’m really enjoying.
Total: £26.47
7:45 a.m. — Hop out of bed, get ready and go to the train station. It’s always harder when T gets to continue sleeping while I have to go into the office, but I guess that’s what he has to deal with most days. Grab the train, £4.19.
9 a.m. — At my desk with a coffee. Start by reviewing some of my team’s work and setting up tickets for them. T is off today and I have major fomo as he texts me that he’s watching TV on the sofa in his pyjamas.
11:45 a.m. — Take an early lunch and walk to the gym for a quick workout. Listen to the Nobody Panic podcast (one of my all time faves) while I do some weights.
12:30 p.m. — Heat up some soup in the office kitchen and eat a bread roll before I get ready for my next meeting.
2 p.m. — Spend the next couple of hours in a retro (looking at what went well and what could be improved on a project we just finished up on). Sometimes people have loads to say and sometimes I feel like I’m getting blood out of a stone, and today was the latter. Ugh. I’m drained. Have a teaspoon of Biscoff spread from my drawer to cheer myself up.
5:30 p.m. — Log off from work but do some research on a trip T for our trip to India in September for my 30th. I can’t wait! Naturally I have a very detailed spreadsheet already.
6 p.m. — Leave the office and meet a friend, C, for a drink at Mackie Mayor, a food hall with cool independent eateries (highly recommended if you’re visiting!) She’s pregnant and I’m broody. Just have a lemonade to keep her company, £3.80.
8 p.m. — Home and into my pyjamas immediately. T makes a stir-fry and we sit at the table and catch up before watching The Green Book together on Netflix. We don’t usually watch films during the week but we’re in the mood for one. It’s really good!
11 p.m. — Time for a chapter of my book and bed.
Total: £7.99
Food & Drink: £126.08
Clothes & Beauty: £198.10
Home & Health: £25
Entertainment: £34.42
Travel: £8.38
Other: £0
Total: £391.98
Conclusion
“I feel like this was a normal week for me if I’m being careless and carefree, which I was, to be honest! Usually I try really hard to not buy clothes or random things for the house, so I did spend a lot this week. The beauty treatment was the thing that really ramped it up though, and that was a one-off. Could I cut out buying lunch and having spontaneous drinks? Sure. But life is for living, baby!”
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