Money Diary University Administrator On 23k

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 29-year old programme administrator at my local university. I’m originally from Mexico and moved to the UK in 2019, right before the pandemic, to live with my now husband, R. We recently moved from Wales to the southeast for R to go back to university for a four-year course. We both used to have much higher salaries and cheaper rent, which allowed us to save some money before moving as our finances are tighter now. Back in Mexico I got a degree in psychology and neuroscience and I would love to work in something related to mental health here but so far it has been difficult to find a position in our area. I really enjoy my job at the university as it’s really close to my house and it’s a much calmer environment than where I was working a few months ago (children’s social care). I have always considered myself good with money and I'm always trying to save up as much as I can and find ways to reduce waste and spending where possible."

Occupation: Programme administrator
Industry: Education
Age: 29
Location Southeast England
Salary £23,661.96
Paycheque amount: £1,622.57
Number of housemates: One: my husband, R. We also have a dog, also R.
Pronouns: She/her

Monthly Expenses

Housing costs: We pay £950 rent for our one-bedroom, one-bathroom house. Since R is a full-time student we get a discount on our council tax.
Loan payments: We pay £238 monthly on a car loan (£2,142 left).
Pension? I know my work contributes to it but at the moment I do not pay anything into it. I recently changed jobs so I need to transfer my pension from my previous job to the new provider.
Savings? None at the moment (I think I have £10.79 in a Monzo pot that cannot be withdrawn).
Utilities: Electricity, wi-fi, water and TV licence all together comes to around £470 for both of us.
All other monthly payments: I take care of the £59.99 car insurance, the monthly car payment and half of the utilities and rent. R pays for our dog’s healthcare plan and insurance, Amazon Prime and streaming services. Subscriptions: Spotify £9.99, Microsoft £5.99.

Did you participate in any form of higher education? If yes, how did you pay for it?

Yes, I obtained a scholarship for a university back in Mexico for my BSc. My parents supported me in paying the remaining amount and I was also living at home during the time and was given money weekly for any expenses.

Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money?

I grew up with the idea that talking about money was rude. Sometimes my parents would give us weekly allowances to teach us how to save and spend our money but the financial management in my family is poor. I remember calls and letters from debt collectors throughout my teenage years. My parents were big fans of books like Rich Dad Poor Dad but they did not put it into practice.

If you have, when did you move out of your parents'/guardians' house?

I moved out in 2019 to come to the UK.

At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself? Does anyone else cover any aspects of your financial life?

When I moved to the UK in 2019 I was finally able to work (the pandemic delayed a lot of bureaucratic processes) and I became independent financially. My father still sends me some money monthly for petty expenses but before we moved a year ago we barely touched the money so we were able to save up a good amount, which came in handy for the move.

What was your first job and why did you get it?

I worked as a summer camp counsellor when I was 17, before and during university. It was really fun and I got to meet a lot of great people and have spending money for clothes and books.

Do you worry about money now?

Constantly. Besides the current cost of living crisis, I am the main breadwinner while R finishes university and my salary is not enough. After paying for everything, at the end of the month I am usually left with less than £10 on my account.

Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income?

No.