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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’m an anaesthetist. No one really knew what that was before COVID but now we’re famous!
I’m super lucky that I love my job. I’m in my sixth year working in anaesthetics and eighth year of doctoring. I’m currently a specialist registrar (reg) and have another four years of training until I’m a consultant (the boss). A very simplified description of my day job is that I put people to sleep for their operations and maintain normal physiology for the duration of the operation.
I’m still a trainee so I rotate around different hospitals and specialities e.g. paeds, obstetrics, ortho and intensive care. I rotated to intensive care (ICU) in February. ICU is largely run by anaesthetists as we’re the only doctors with specialist skills in putting in breathing tubes, using the ventilators (breathing machines) and we can give specialist medications. Sorry, lots of explanations, but hopefully it’ll make my diary easier to understand.
I’ve lived in Bristol for nearly three years now. I was in London for 10 years before (hence massive credit card debts and no savings) but moved here to be closer to my family who live an hour away. Bristol is great, I’m really happy here and even managed to buy (half) a one-bed flat with shared ownership, thanks Mum and Dad!
I’m a single pringle. I wasn’t dating pre-COVID as I hate the apps and had a lot of stuff going on with work and exams. I normally see my friends at least twice a week for dinner and drinks and play sports a few times too, so my out-of-work life has changed drastically.
Finance-wise I’m not great with money, I’m a spender. I normally go on a few big holidays a year and buy most things I want but probably don’t need. I was going to remortgage this year and buy the rest of my flat but got a bad credit score – £12 of missed payments for six months on an old card, very long and frustrating story. Normally I only have an interest-free credit card, which I started in London. I’ve been slowly paying it off and transfer to a new card every time the interest-free period runs out."
Finance-wise I’m not great with money, I’m a spender. I normally go on a few big holidays a year and buy most things I want but probably don’t need. I was going to remortgage this year and buy the rest of my flat but got a bad credit score – £12 of missed payments for six months on an old card, very long and frustrating story. Normally I only have an interest-free credit card, which I started in London. I’ve been slowly paying it off and transfer to a new card every time the interest-free period runs out."
Industry: Healthcare
Age: 31
Location: Bristol
Salary: £60,000ish, changes every three months depending on the amount of out-of-hours work. Contracts are like unicorns in the NHS so I’m never sure how much I should earn.
Paycheque amount: £3,175 (after tax and student loan).
Housemates: None.
Age: 31
Location: Bristol
Salary: £60,000ish, changes every three months depending on the amount of out-of-hours work. Contracts are like unicorns in the NHS so I’m never sure how much I should earn.
Paycheque amount: £3,175 (after tax and student loan).
Housemates: None.
Monthly Expenses
Housing costs: £600 (£400 mortgage, £200 rent for 50% property and service charge), this is the least I’ve ever paid. I’m hoping to buy the whole property soon or increase mortgage payments.
Credit cards: £2,400. I paid off £2,200 at the start of the month from study budget reimbursements and holiday refunds. I pay £250 a month and hope to pay it all off by September. This credit card debt was up to £7,000 and has been hanging over me for years. Lockdown has actually helped me save enough to pay a chunk off.
Utilities: £350: council tax, water, electricity (this is £120/month, I only have electricity and a dodgy old boiler and heaters, which I plan on changing to more energy-efficient ones when lockdown is over), window cleaner, house, life and appliance insurance, Sky TV and broadband.
Transportation: £30 roughly on petrol, more if I visit people. I cycle, run and walk as much as possible.
Phone bill: £60 including insurance.
Savings? £2,265. £1,000 is earmarked for paying off my credit card but I like to have enough available in case of an emergency. There was more but I bought my flat this time last year. My parents paid for the deposit and new flooring (I’m eternally grateful and will pay them back one day), I paid the legal fees, furniture and new white goods.
Monzo: I put about £400-500/month in this account. I take my card to work so it pays for lunches, supermarket trips and drinks out. I round up my spending to the nearest pound, also I put £5/day into a separate account. So far it has £550 in, I’m saving up for a Gucci handbag – it was meant to be a treat when I got my training job but I bought a flat and new sofa instead, so I’m going to get it once I pass all my exams.
Other: Spotify £14.99, Netflix £5.99, Apple storage £0.79, PayPal credit for Dyson Airwrap £37.50.
Annual: £550 car insurance, £200 tax, service, MOT. I got given my mum's old car as a graduation present, he’s 12 years old and luckily never had any major problems.
Professional subscriptions: £700ish, this year I’ll also spend over £2,000 on exams and courses. I took the first exam the week before lockdown – we were meant to get results early April but this has been delayed until the world restarts. I know it’s not a big deal but it adds an extra anxiety to life and I don’t know if I should start studying for a resit or my last ever exam.
Credit cards: £2,400. I paid off £2,200 at the start of the month from study budget reimbursements and holiday refunds. I pay £250 a month and hope to pay it all off by September. This credit card debt was up to £7,000 and has been hanging over me for years. Lockdown has actually helped me save enough to pay a chunk off.
Utilities: £350: council tax, water, electricity (this is £120/month, I only have electricity and a dodgy old boiler and heaters, which I plan on changing to more energy-efficient ones when lockdown is over), window cleaner, house, life and appliance insurance, Sky TV and broadband.
Transportation: £30 roughly on petrol, more if I visit people. I cycle, run and walk as much as possible.
Phone bill: £60 including insurance.
Savings? £2,265. £1,000 is earmarked for paying off my credit card but I like to have enough available in case of an emergency. There was more but I bought my flat this time last year. My parents paid for the deposit and new flooring (I’m eternally grateful and will pay them back one day), I paid the legal fees, furniture and new white goods.
Monzo: I put about £400-500/month in this account. I take my card to work so it pays for lunches, supermarket trips and drinks out. I round up my spending to the nearest pound, also I put £5/day into a separate account. So far it has £550 in, I’m saving up for a Gucci handbag – it was meant to be a treat when I got my training job but I bought a flat and new sofa instead, so I’m going to get it once I pass all my exams.
Other: Spotify £14.99, Netflix £5.99, Apple storage £0.79, PayPal credit for Dyson Airwrap £37.50.
Annual: £550 car insurance, £200 tax, service, MOT. I got given my mum's old car as a graduation present, he’s 12 years old and luckily never had any major problems.
Professional subscriptions: £700ish, this year I’ll also spend over £2,000 on exams and courses. I took the first exam the week before lockdown – we were meant to get results early April but this has been delayed until the world restarts. I know it’s not a big deal but it adds an extra anxiety to life and I don’t know if I should start studying for a resit or my last ever exam.
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