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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.
This week: "I am a 21-year-old admin co-ordinator currently furloughed from my job.
I finished my GCSEs at 16 and then I did a college course of business studies. When I finished this I began an apprenticeship, which I found was the easiest way to get into the working world. Looking back I wish I had gone straight to an apprenticeship from school.
As a family we have always had very open conversations. My mum always taught us the cost of things. She also made sure we knew that if we wanted something we had to work for it, so to get some pocket money there was always something around the house we would have to do for it. I'm glad she did that as it taught me never to expect a handout. My mum always made sure we had what we needed and would never let on to us if we were struggling, she would just find ways around it.
My dad passed away when I was younger but before that he had set my mum up with a widow's pension which would give a payout to her once a month for the rest of her life. This meant she was lucky enough to not work and be at home with me and my brother. However when I was 17 she got a part-time job at a department store.
The older I've got, the more I worry about money. I'm not sure why this is as I've never been in a position where I have had to worry. I know I am extremely fortunate and lucky for this. I think I am hard on myself savings-wise as I know I want to move out and own my own place in the next few years. I became financially responsible for myself when I turned 18 as I had a job that paid just about enough for me to be able to cover everything I needed and still have a little bit of money on the side for fun. However it wasn't much money on the side so I had to learn how to be frugal and tell myself that even if I wanted a new pair of shoes, I didn't necessarily need them."
Occupation: Administration co-ordinator
Industry: Heating services
Age: 21
Location: Dorset
Salary: £19,500
Net worth: £17,000 in savings, £6,500 of which I received from my mum when I turned 18, as a gift that she had been saving for since my 1st birthday. The rest I have saved myself since my first full-time job at 18.
Paycheque amount: Usually £1,400, however with being on furlough is now about £1,187.
Industry: Heating services
Age: 21
Location: Dorset
Salary: £19,500
Net worth: £17,000 in savings, £6,500 of which I received from my mum when I turned 18, as a gift that she had been saving for since my 1st birthday. The rest I have saved myself since my first full-time job at 18.
Paycheque amount: Usually £1,400, however with being on furlough is now about £1,187.
Monthly Expenses
Housing costs: £130 a month to my mum for rent. I live with my mum, my brother and my boyfriend. Brother and boyfriend pay the same as me.
Loan payments: £0. I have a credit card that I tend to use for online purchases, however this gets paid off and cleared every time.
All other monthly expenses: £43.93 phone bill. £12 phone insurance. £18.40 Cineworld subscription (currently paused). £5 for Spotify family account split between three of us. Netflix is my mum's account and Disney+ is my boyfriend's account.
Loan payments: £0. I have a credit card that I tend to use for online purchases, however this gets paid off and cleared every time.
All other monthly expenses: £43.93 phone bill. £12 phone insurance. £18.40 Cineworld subscription (currently paused). £5 for Spotify family account split between three of us. Netflix is my mum's account and Disney+ is my boyfriend's account.
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