Welcome to Money Diaries where we are tackling the ever-present taboo that is money. We’re asking real people how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period — and we’re tracking every last penny.
This week: “I’m a 31-year-old Bristol-dweller. Last year I went travelling with my partner for three and a half months. I’d always wished for the opportunity to travel but thought it had passed me by. After a bit of a difficult time, I realised it’s never too late and took the leap, quitting my job, giving up a flat and squeezing all my belongings into storage. It was a great decision and I’m incredibly glad I did it. After a few months of sofa- and spare-room-surfing upon our return to the UK, I ended up back in Bristol, starting a new job and moving into a new flat all in the same week. I’m feeling settled back into life now and I’m taking the next step of trying to buy a house. Life feels very different from last summer’s unemployed freedom but I don’t miss the increased financial worries and I’m looking forward to the adventures ahead. My attitude to money is all about priorities — I spend where I want to spend and save where I want to save and feel lucky that I am able to make those choices.”
Occupation: Communications
Industry: Public health
Age: 31
Location: Bristol
Salary: £38,205
Paycheque amount: £2,370
Number of housemates: One
Pronouns: She/her
Monthly Expenses
Housing costs: £675 for my half of the rent (I have just been told our rent is increasing by £100 next month…).
Loan payments: Only a student loan, which comes straight from my paycheque.
Savings? Around £60k in a mixture of ISAs and savings accounts. I always transfer money straight into savings on payday.
Pension? Yes, I have a pension through my current job and a separate pension which I have transferred pensions from all my previous jobs into. I pay in around 6% of my salary each month.
Utilities: £70.44 energy, £47 water, £159 council tax, £28.50 internet, £13.25 TV licence (these come out of our joint account and I pay for roughly half of each).
All other monthly payments: £8.63 phone, £13.50 contact lenses, £24.67 union membership, £10 local refugee charity, £10 local homeless charity. Subscriptions: £8.99 Amazon Prime, £16.99 Spotify Duo.
Did you participate in any form of higher education? If yes, how did you pay for it?
I did an undergraduate degree in Scotland so I didn’t pay a penny for tuition fees. For living costs, I had a full means-tested bursary and I worked during term time and holidays. I took out a loan when I was panicking about affording living costs, which I hugely regret. I put the loan money in savings and never actually spent it in the end as I worked a lot of hours but I’m still paying it off now, many years later.
Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money?
There wasn’t a lot of money when I was growing up and I think I understood that from a young age. The attitude to money in my family was very much “never a borrower or a lender be”. When I got a credit card in my early 20s I felt hugely guilty about it but I’ve always been sensible with it due to that attitude being ingrained in me from a young age. The older I get, the more I realise I was more educated about money than some people are — I understood saving and not to buy things I can’t afford.
If you have, when did you move out of your parents’/guardians’ house?
I went to university at 17 and never returned home properly. Last summer, when my boyfriend and I were temporarily homeless, we stayed with different family and friends, travelling around every few weeks. When I was 20 I spent a month living with a family member while I did work experience in a different part of the country, which is the longest I’ve spent living with family since university.
At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself? Does anyone else cover any aspects of your financial life?
Housing costs for my first year at university were paid for with money that was saved for me throughout my childhood. I was also given £50 a month by a family member, which I spent on commuting to my uni job. In retrospect I should have found a job in walking distance and put that money to better use. I’m very lucky to know that I have family I could fall back on if I needed to, and I’ve been given help by family on little things over the years e.g. some money towards furniture when I moved house. I would say for the most part though, I’ve been responsible for myself since I was 18.
What was your first job and why did you get it?
I had a job making sales of identity fraud protection insurance in a call centre for a week in the summer before I went to university. I spent the last few days crying from stress and didn’t go back. I then got a job housekeeping at a local hotel that same summer but quit to go on holiday to Italy. I promise I’ve got a lot better at sticking to jobs since I was 17!
Do you worry about money now?
I could probably earn 10 times the amount I do now and still be someone who worries about money as it’s just ingrained in me. I treat myself and think life is for living not for accumulating cash, but I’m never careless with my money. I always think of how lucky I am, especially living in a city with such high inequality and homelessness. When I get panicked about having several big outgoings or my bank account being lower than I expected, I remember that I have a safe and secure home with food in the fridge, a warm bed to sleep in and people I can turn to if I need help. If I have children, then I would really hope not to pass my money anxiety onto them while ensuring they have the sensible attitude I do.
Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income?
I lost my last remaining grandparent a few years ago. I was left £10k in their will and was also given money from the sale of their house by family members. This was very kind of them and has helped me to build up my house deposit and go travelling for three months. I’m very aware that without this money I wouldn’t be in a position to buy a property, or I’d be looking at even smaller places than I am. This money has given me some financial freedom and I do feel a responsibility to use it in the best way. Of course, I would much prefer to be able to share with my grandparent what I’m doing than have their money to do it with.
7:30 a.m. — I dropped off a roll of film to be processed late yesterday and they’ve sent the images straightaway. I enjoy looking at the pictures and send a few I really like of the Bristol Pride parade to friends.
9 a.m. — Eat a small breakfast of yoghurt, banana, oats and peanut butter for some pre-run fuel. I am definitely not a natural runner but have been running along with my boyfriend, H, for the past few months. I never ever want to go on a run but I do love the feeling of accomplishment when a run is finished.
10 a.m. — Manage 5k. It was not as bad as I feared.
11:30 a.m. — Recover with a breakfast of avocado on toast. I returned from a 10-day holiday at 2 a.m. yesterday so my routine is still a bit all over the place.
12:30 p.m. — I shower and then spend the next half an hour lying on the bed trying to decide what to get for my friend K’s birthday. Spend a while frantically searching for inspiration, then message my friend B to ask what she got K. Turns out she hasn’t got anything either so we go in together to get K two tickets to a musical, after first checking when she is available, £47.
2 p.m. — Spend a lot of the afternoon pottering about and sorting admin jobs that have built up post-holiday. Plant some wildflower seeds, watch a few episodes of Ghosts US season 3 and play a couple of games of Codewords Duo.
3 p.m. — Have a small bowl of leftover veggie chilli and a crumpet to keep me going.
5:30 p.m. — After being unsure all day about whether to go out or stay in, I decide to go to a small gathering my friend C is hosting. I apologise for turning up empty-handed and we spend the evening chatting, making a group curry, eating and putting the world to rights.
9:45 p.m. — Leave much later than expected. H meets me halfway on the walk home. Watch an episode of Ghosts US at home then go to bed.
Total: £47
7:30 a.m. — First day back at work after two weeks *shock horror*.
8:30 a.m. — I broke a tooth on holiday and I need to get it fixed. By 9 a.m. I’ve been told by my NHS dentist that I have to call back on Friday if I want an emergency appointment so I book an appointment for three weeks’ time just in case. I’ve also spoken to NHS 111 who gave me details for other local dentists, all of whom have said they either can’t see me or that an emergency appointment would cost £105, not including any treatment. I’m really at a loss for what to do. I can’t believe it’s this difficult to see a dentist with a legitimate issue like a broken tooth. Have a little wobble and remind myself that it could be worse. Fingers crossed I’m able to get an appointment with my dentist on Friday and that my tooth holds up until then.
9 a.m. — Log on to my work computer, rake through emails and feel pleased that nothing seems to have gone hugely wrong since I’ve been off.
10 a.m. — Haven’t eaten anything yet due to the dentist and email stress so I have a couple of bowls of cereal flakes over the next hour or so. Our delivery of Smol washing capsules arrives too.
11:50 a.m. — I’m about to jump in the shower when I get a call from an estate agent who showed us around a few properties before we went on holiday. He says that the buyer of a house we made an offer on is going to have to drop out and asks if we are still interested. By the time I’m out of the shower he has called again and we have another viewing set up for tomorrow evening. This is all quite unexpected but exciting — we weren’t feeling enthused about having to start the house viewing process from the beginning again. It’s fun to start with but quickly gets less so…
12:30 p.m. — Take a break from catching up and do a couple of thousand steps around the nearby graveyard with H. When we get back we have leftover chilli and rice and bread for lunch. Eat carefully due to broken tooth.
2 p.m. — Spend the rest of the afternoon slogging through emails and tasks, very much losing the will to live/work. Snack on a snack bar and crumpet with jam.
5:20 p.m. — Done and exhausted. Read a bit of my book on the sofa and end up nodding off for 20 or so minutes.
6 p.m. — Eat another pre-run yoghurt and banana bowl and let it digest.
6:45 p.m. — Who am I? A few months ago, the concept of turning down social activities to run around would have been laughable. As they mostly are, it’s a horrible run. I barely manage 4k. I’m glad I did it though and enjoyed all the people-watching in the park.
7:30 p.m. — Nip to Tesco on the way back and pick up two bananas, more yoghurt, some sliced bread and an energy drink to share, which we finish before we’re even halfway home. H pays as he had a Clubcard voucher to use.
8 p.m. — Shower then start making dinner, which H finishes so I can do NYT Connections, Wordle and Duolingo. Share a small leftover portion of veggie curry from the freezer accompanied by loads of fried spring greens and a microwave rice.
9 p.m. — Watch a couple of episodes of Ghosts US and finish on the mid-season finale.
Total: £0
6:45 a.m. — H goes to work and I wake up. Nod off again and wake up about 7.20 a.m.
8 a.m. — Get washed and dressed and eat some breakfast cereal before work starts, which I don’t always manage to do. Put a wash on, too.
9 a.m. — Work for the next few hours, have a slice of toast with pistachio spread around 11 a.m. (current breakfast cereal clearly isn’t filling enough).
12 p.m. — Perhaps my stomach hasn’t settled back into the post-holiday routine yet because I’m hungry again. Make some tuna pasta, followed by a snack bar for dessert. I head out and get 3,000 steps in, accompanied by an episode of Desert Island Discs.
1:30 p.m. — Work for the rest of the afternoon and have a bowl of yoghurt and banana to accompany my procrastinations.
5:30 p.m. — Head to the viewing. The house is as small as I remembered but we are still interested in it and it’s a good chance to get more info from the estate agent.
6 p.m. — Walk to yoga class from the viewing. It costs £10 per class but I bought a pack of five passes a month or so ago so it doesn’t cost me anything now.
7:30 p.m. — H picked up some food when I was out (oat milk, fruit juice, crumpets, ice lollies, eggs).
8 p.m. — Eat dinner of halloumi and couscous salad with an ice lolly chaser. I email a mortgage broker I spoke to a few months ago and draft an offer email to send to the estate agent in the morning. Watch TV, tidy kitchen and get in bed by half 10.
Total: £0
6 a.m. — Woken up before my alarm by the entire building’s glass recycling being collected outside my window. Didn’t sleep well anyway…
7 a.m. — Notice the first few wildflower seeds have started germinating. Wake H up to tell him and at first he thinks I’m talking about Germans.
7:20 a.m. — Walk to the station, get the first train, then get another train, then catch a bus, £12.90. Everything is mostly on time and I’m in the office by 8:45 a.m.
9 a.m. — I trip the alarm, disturbing the other offices and resulting in meeting the security guards *face palm*. Have overnight oats afterwards. I added too much liquid so it’s quite soupy.
10 a.m. — Still no one in the office. I really wish at least one more person was here.
10:30 a.m. — Another colleague has arrived, hallelujah. Estate agent calls to confirm the offer we want to make. Calm nerves with a snack bar.
12 p.m. — Take the leftovers of yesterday’s tuna pasta and my book outside. Find a sunny spot and I’m nodding off by half past. It’s a real effort to get back into the office by 1 p.m.
3 p.m. — Hunger and boredom strike so I take myself to the shop for a wander, buy a packet of six chocolate-covered rice cakes and eat two. The other four can stay in my desk for a future office day, £1.70.
5 p.m. — Omg, get a call from the estate agent to say that our offer has been accepted! She gives me so much information that I can’t take it in and I realise I have no idea what I’m doing. Two days ago we didn’t have any viewings booked in and now I’ve been told a house is ours! Freak out at colleagues, pack up and call H on the walk to the train station.
7 p.m. — It takes about 40 minutes to walk to the train station. I catch my first train but then my next train and the one after are cancelled (quelle surprise) so I decide to walk home. After another 45-minute walk while freaking out about the house purchase and speaking to family about the news, I am worn out.
8 p.m. — Have a slice of toast while waiting for dinner. I do some admin for the house buying and then eat some gnocchi.
9 p.m. — I’m really not feeling very well, probably a mix of several nights of bad sleep, stressing, eating late etc. Lie down on the sofa with a cold cloth and an episode of Inside The Factory. Nod off for a bit, then get up, have a cold shower to bring my temperature down and get in bed by 10 p.m.
Total: £14.60
7 a.m. — Wake up when H leaves for work and don’t go back to sleep. Get out of bed by 8 a.m. and do the chores I didn’t manage last night: dishes, fold clean laundry, strip bedding, etc. Eat more unfilling cereal.
9 a.m. — Work is still really quiet so I take some time to sort out some paperwork for the estate agent. It takes longer than expected but I send it all over and feel a bit better once it’s done.
11 a.m. — Get my head down and find some work to do. I promise I’m not normally this quiet with work but with so many people away a lot of things are on hold and I wrapped up a lot before I went on leave. I feel really guilty when I don’t have much to do and like I’m going to get “found out”.
12:30 p.m. — Make a lunch of not-guacamole (avocado, spring onion, tomato, coriander and lime juice smushed together) on toast and have a call with H about some of the emails that have come through about the house.
1 p.m. — Walk to Aldi to get some more steps in and pick up some house stuff aka various tins to fill the cupboard, cream, ready-made pastry, fabric conditioner, oat milk, £16.87. I don’t realise quite how much I’ve bought until it comes to carrying it home.
3 p.m. — There is some more paperwork to sort out, this time for the mortgage broker. I’ve never downloaded quite so many documents in one day before! Have some banana and yoghurt at some point.
5 p.m. — Make the bed, read a bit of my book (Cloud Cuckoo Land) and potter around. I’m planning on visiting Budapest for a weekend with friends next month so I research flights and find some options that are slightly cheaper than the ones I was previously looking at, which is a relief.
6 p.m. — Cook a veggie quiche. I’m completely winging it and don’t have the right kind of pan so I’m convinced it will be a disaster but it actually turns out okay. Who knew it was so easy to make a quiche!
6:30 p.m. — Go for a walk with H after the quiche is out of the oven. See a nice sunset and chat about the house and start to feel more excited rather than just terrified about the prospect. Pop into a Co-op on the way home for coleslaw to accompany dinner, H pays.
8 p.m. — The quiche is so good we eat it all in one sitting. Watch an episode of Chef’s Table and slowly tidy up the kitchen.
10:30 p.m. — Realise I’m 350 steps short of my daily target so we take turns walking around the flat to finish the rest of the steps. Don’t even remember falling asleep, I’m that tired.
Total: £16.87
8:30 a.m. — I slept so much better last night, what a relief. Call the dentist the second they open and — lo and behold — I’m told they have no more appointments for today and I should have been the first person to call them. This person is at least a bit more sympathetic than the one I spoke to on Monday and tells me they will call me back if there are any cancellations. At this point I’m wondering if I could just live with a broken tooth forever.
10 a.m. — Have a call with a mortgage broker, all sounds really positive. Fingers crossed that the quotes they come back with are good.
12 p.m. — Make another round of toast with not-quite-guacamole. Walk to our local park, do a loop, then pop into Aldi to pick up a few things, H pays.
2 p.m. — Drag myself through to the end of the working week, just about.
3 p.m. — I read recently that the Bristol Improv Theatre is struggling financially so I’ve decided to start going to more shows there. The Bristol arts scene is one of the best things about the city but if we don’t support it, it won’t always be there. Buy a ticket to go see a show next week, £12.
5 p.m. — The mortgage quotes come back. We chat them over and debate whether to go for 30 years or 35 years. My heart wants 35 years for the lower monthly payments but my head says 30 years. It is quite shocking that our mortgage payments on a house with a garden will not be that much higher than what we currently pay to rent a small flat.
6 p.m. — Eat banana and yoghurt. Head out to do 3k and manage 5k in the end — that never happens!
8 p.m. — Shower and eat leftovers of Wednesday’s gnocchi with more spring greens. Drink some rosé and eat a white chocolate Magnum while watching Rye Lane, which we really enjoy (although we talk over it a lot).
11 p.m. — Play a game of cards but I’ve had too much rosé to be very interested. I waste a lot of time scrolling and have to drag myself off the sofa to go to bed. It’s been a long while since I’ve had a half-bottle of wine on a Friday night and I’m feeling veeerry sleepy as a result.
Total: £12
6:45 a.m. — I’m awake! Have absolutely no need to be awake this early so I spend the next few hours scrolling my phone, reading and trying to nap. It’s a very slow start to the day.
11 a.m. — Breakfast is mushrooms on toast for me and cheesy beans on toast for H. Do a bit of housework, then jump in the shower.
1 p.m. — Potter down the high street, go into the charity shop, the independent bookshop and the zero waste shop. H buys a bar of soap in the zero waste shop for an exorbitant £4.50.
2 p.m. — There’s live music in a local café so we head there. They don’t have any cakes so I just get a fruit juice and get H an iced coffee, £7.90. The singer is okay but we feel a bit trapped so stay for longer than we really want to.
3 p.m. — Yet again go to Aldi, pick up some food for the next few days, £26.50. Eat two crumpets when we get home.
4 p.m. — We’re planning on taking a picnic up to the Clifton Observatory tonight so I cook another quiche and roast a butternut squash to go into a salad. Halfway through we find out H’s brother is in town and he invites us out for drinks. It is annoying to cancel plans when halfway through the preparations but it feels rude not to take up the offer. Finish making the quiche and squash as they will keep until tomorrow.
7 p.m. — Quickly eat an oven pizza and get ready. Spend £2 on the bus to get into town.
8 p.m. — It’s just the three of us and we have a really fun night with some interesting chats. I buy two rounds for £23 and I drink a half-pint of cider to every pint of beer they drink so that I can keep up.
11:30 p.m. — H’s brother leaves and we decide to have a quick last drink. We then get chatting to some drunk people who ask to share our table and end up staying for more drinks and dancing with them. We then finally come to our senses and head home. This is a seriously impromptu evening for us but it’s been really fun. We have 10 minutes until the bus leaves so we quickly order two portions of halloumi fries before we go, £13.90.
12 a.m. — Bus costs £1.80 and we save most of the food until we get home.
12:30 a.m. — Eat, put away the quiche and squash that we left out and go straight to sleep.
Total: £75.10
Food & Drink: £89.87
Clothes & Beauty: £0
Home & Health: £0
Entertainment: £59
Travel: £16.70
Other: £0
Total: £165.57
Conclusion
“This is definitely not a normal week for me. Having just come back from holiday, I was watching the pennies and I didn’t have many social activities booked in, which allowed me to not spend too much. Having an offer accepted on a house completely came out of the blue and I know it’s going to be very expensive. It took three weeks for me to get a dentist appointment in the end but at least I didn’t have to pay emergency appointment charges, which I was worried about. I was quite happy with my spending this week as I am good at cooking most of my food from scratch, which allows me to keep costs down in that area and spend more in other spaces. I don’t normally have so many no-spend days so this is something that I could aim for more.”
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