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Welcome to Money Diaries, where we're tackling what might be the last taboo facing modern working women: money. We're asking a cross-section of women how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period – and we're tracking every last penny.
"I work in finance (accountancy) in a city bank in London which is often very stressful. I struggle a lot with exhaustion, which means I don’t eat as healthy as I’d like or get enough exercise. I find I have to force myself to go out sometimes because I’m haunted by the expression, 'It’s the things you don’t do that you regret the most'. I no longer beat myself up over my spending habits – I’ve worked too hard on my career to get where I am now to spend my limited free time feeling guilty. I don’t take my higher income for granted, though – I started out in London on £26k and have worked my way up from there. I like to be comfortable (I sometimes get an Uber to work to avoid the anxiety the sweaty Tube commute gives me) but I also don’t like being wasteful and always look for a bargain where possible.
I live with my husband in a flat in Camden and we started an 18-month renovation on our new house last year (which has been more stressful and time-consuming than I could ever have imagined!). My husband runs a small property company so he is very flexible with his time (which is helpful during the renovation) but also means that he earns less than half my salary and often spends the weekends working.
My husband and I make a list of our joint spending and split everything at the end of the month because we don’t have any joint bank accounts. Since getting married last year I’ve reached a turning point where my life is now focused around house renovation and cosy nights in with my husband (we are also trying to start a family), rather than clubbing and killer hangovers. I sometimes feel older than I am as my husband is six years older than me."
Industry: Finance
Age: 29
Location: London
Salary: £77,000 (+ £11,000 bonus paid in March 2018)
Paycheque amount: £4,222 (excluding bonus)
Number of housemates: 1 (my husband)
Age: 29
Location: London
Salary: £77,000 (+ £11,000 bonus paid in March 2018)
Paycheque amount: £4,222 (excluding bonus)
Number of housemates: 1 (my husband)
Monthly Expenses
Housing costs: £1,100 (my half of the mortgage)
Loan payments: None – I paid off my student loan at the beginning of the year.
Utilities: £515 which includes a hefty service charge (covering the gym, porter and car park in my building), hyperoptic broadband, council tax, TV licence, Spotify, home insurance, cleaner (three hours a week) and electricity. (No gas. Water is included.) I don’t know the exact split because my husband sorts all the bills.
Transportation: Oyster PAYG – £5.80 per work day. I don’t buy a season ticket because I occasionally work from home and I never use the Tube at the weekend so it isn’t worthwhile. My husband has a car that he uses to commute to work but I only pay for petrol when I drive it.
Phone bill: £13 a month (SIM only).
Savings: I don’t save a set amount per month, I just leave whatever I haven’t spent during the month in my current account. Every penny I save is going towards the new house.
Other: RSPCA £7 (this is occasionally upped when they call me with heartbreaking "cat in the microwave" stories). Pension payments (3%), private healthcare and health appointments (£10 for a limited amount of "therapies", dental and optical appointments) are taken out before I get my monthly paycheque.
Loan payments: None – I paid off my student loan at the beginning of the year.
Utilities: £515 which includes a hefty service charge (covering the gym, porter and car park in my building), hyperoptic broadband, council tax, TV licence, Spotify, home insurance, cleaner (three hours a week) and electricity. (No gas. Water is included.) I don’t know the exact split because my husband sorts all the bills.
Transportation: Oyster PAYG – £5.80 per work day. I don’t buy a season ticket because I occasionally work from home and I never use the Tube at the weekend so it isn’t worthwhile. My husband has a car that he uses to commute to work but I only pay for petrol when I drive it.
Phone bill: £13 a month (SIM only).
Savings: I don’t save a set amount per month, I just leave whatever I haven’t spent during the month in my current account. Every penny I save is going towards the new house.
Other: RSPCA £7 (this is occasionally upped when they call me with heartbreaking "cat in the microwave" stories). Pension payments (3%), private healthcare and health appointments (£10 for a limited amount of "therapies", dental and optical appointments) are taken out before I get my monthly paycheque.
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