Money Diary Submariner On £43k

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 a Royal Navy submariner and this is my final week at base before I embark on my third deterrent patrol, on board one of the four ballistic missile submarines which serve as the UK's at sea nuclear deterrent. At least one of these submarines is on patrol under the sea, every minute of every day, ready to respond.

It’s a really busy week for me as a logistics officer, as it's my job to make sure the submarine has everything it needs to sail for months at a time, from spare parts to all the food for the crew, not forgetting the loo roll! I also have to conduct 'officer of the day' duties, where I act as the captain’s representative, responsible for the safety and security of the submarine. On top of this I need to make sure that I and all my team have sorted all our personal preparations ready to go to sea again, and there is always some last-minute training to do!

I joined the Royal Navy a few years ago and was absolutely set on becoming a submariner as soon as the role was opened to women, which happened in 2014. Now I am one of only a small number of women doing this job. I have a great deal of responsibility from an early age and early stage in my career, and the camaraderie on board is great. Plus, I love to travel – prior to becoming a submariner I worked many a retail and hospitality job to fund my travels and thought, hey, why not get paid to travel?

I live by myself, splitting my time between a 'cabin' on the naval base and my house in Plymouth. I am in a very fortunate financial position, as I have no student loans (thanks to my parents) and earn around £43,000 a year base salary, but also receive specialist allowances for being a submariner and these go up when I'm at sea. I think I have quite a sensible approach to money, but it does help with savings when you are under the water and can’t physically spend anything! I’m currently completely renovating my three-bed Victorian terrace, and the next thing on that shopping list is a new kitchen."

Industry: Armed Forces (Royal Navy)
Age: 28
Location: Live in Plymouth and work near Glasgow, when not at sea.
Salary: £43,000 base salary, plus allowances and supplements for submarine service.
Paycheque amount: Base salary shoreside £3,223.13 (includes £394.63/mth submarine pay) plus: £360/mth Get You Home (an allowance the RN provides to compensate me for the mileage between my house in Plymouth and base in Glasgow); £158/mth SM sup (for being attached to an operational submarine which triples when at sea to an extra £15 day). When deployed I also receive Longer Separational Allowance (LSA), known in submarine slang as sea pay, which increases as we spend more time at sea.
Number of housemates: None.

Monthly Expenses

Housing costs: £750 (I’m overpaying my mortgage).
Loan payments: £54.87 furniture 0% interest deal.
Utilities: Internet £31.89, water £13, gas and electric £26, council tax £98.
Transportation: £100 petrol and trains (I have an Armed Forces Rail Card which gives me one third discount on all rail travel).
Phone bill: £28.25
Savings? £800-£1,000 per month.
Other: Home insurance £23.17, contact lenses £26, life insurance £5, TV licence £38 (quarterly), £70 mess bill.