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 we're with a 31-year-old woman who left full-time employment for mental health reasons.
"I studied music at university and graduated in 2007. After that I had a career in the catering industry as a manager, earning £25k. I had a mental breakdown in 2012 which left me unable to work for almost a year. I was so unwell that the only job I could do for years was waitressing part-time for minimum wage because the stress of being in a management role sent me into a downward spiral. I spent a few years freelancing on the side and now I am fully self-employed as a writer, but I also sell zines on Etsy and run mental health events to make ends meet. I have a book deal and am working on my first memoir. I still earn about minimum wage but it’s the best option for my mental health because some days I can’t get out of bed because my depression and anxiety are so bad."
Industry: Writing
Age: 31
Location: West Midlands
Salary: Roughly £14,000
Paycheque amount: £1,000-£1,200
Number of housemates: One, my husband
Monthly Expenses
Housing costs: Rent is £775 split between the two of us
Loan payments: Credit card debt £60
Utilities: Council tax £150, Insurance etc £100, Electricity/gas £150
Transportation: £50
Phone bill: £60
Savings? Try to put aside £100 per month for tax bill
Other: Business expenses (web hosting, travel, social media scheduling, software, stationery, laptop, printing and postage costs) total around £300 per month
Day One
7am: I wake up to my alarm and realise that I am supposed to be working already. My creative writing jobs have dried up this month so I’ve taken on some social media clients and I need to be online at 7am to respond to comments. Yay. My anxiety-induced insomnia kept me up until 3am so I’m desperate for coffee but we’re all out. I’m waiting on the Tesco shop arriving so I make do with a cup of tea. Remember that the delivery will come between 1-5pm because the one-hour slots were £6.50 each and I couldn't afford that. Very concerned at the prospect of zero caffeine and a mountain of boring copywriting tasks to get through.
12pm: I make do with what I have left in the cupboard until the food shop arrives. Being vegan means I live on porridge oats and thankfully there are plenty left, but I only have enough soya milk to make either oats or more tea to fuel my work day. I make the difficult decision and decide on oats, and hope that the delivery arrives sooner rather than later.
3pm: Still no food delivery. I’m starting to go a bit stir crazy because I normally leave the house at some point throughout the day. Although I do think working from home is better for my mental health, getting outside in the fresh air is just as important. Tempted to nip out for a Costa trip but I refrain.
5pm: Tesco shop finally arrives safely (£43.44) and when hubby gets home we dine on a luxurious two-course meal of jacket potatoes with beans and vegan ice cream for dessert.
Total: £43.44
Day Two
8am: I roll out of bed and enjoy a coffee, thank god. I stay in pyjamas as long as possible.
12pm: Find myself crying to sad songs and have a pain in my neck that feels like tension so I decide I need some fresh air. It’s 29C and sweltering but I walk past the corner shop and don’t buy an ice lolly. Very proud.
12.30pm: While I’m out I get a text message telling me that my prescription is available in Boots. I get anti-depressants every month which I’ve been on for five years and without them, I become suicidal very quickly. They refuse to give me more than a month’s worth of pills so I have to pay a fee every month which is really annoying, inconvenient and expensive. I check my bank balance and I have just been paid for a small job so thankfully I can afford it and I stop in at Boots to pick it up. £8.80
1pm: Literally stand outside Caffè Nero arguing with myself about whether I can justify buying a coffee or not. I’m about to go home empty-handed when I remember that Tuesday is the day that the O2 Priority app gives you a free coffee. I download the code and stand in line for my free coffee. Couldn’t be more elated as I saunter home with my bag full of happy pills and a free iced Americano.
4pm: Get a message from my friend asking if I can transfer money to her account for a birthday present we are getting for our other friend. She suggests getting an extra present because she’s just had a baby and I say no, I can’t afford it. Feel like a total loser. £20
5pm: I get an email from a supplier who I requested wholesale prices from. I’m selling my own zines online and wanted to make a gift set with her tote bags. The bags are really nice and it feels good to support other small businesses. The invoice comes to £63.95.
Total: £92.75
Day Three
10am: Slept in. Wake up and realise that today is a major deadline for my book and I’m probably not going to make it. I think about going to yoga but remember I cancelled my gym membership because it costs too much. Now I’m realising that £40 a month would probably be cheaper than the therapist and sports massage I’ll probably need long term as a result of being hunched over a laptop all day.
12pm: Make ramen for lunch. 44p
3pm: Meet another freelancer for coffee and set myself a limit of £5. End up getting two coffees, a water and some toast because I’m so hungry and a bit stressed about missing the book deadline. £12
5pm: Buy wine on the way home because I think it will help me relax. I really need a good sleep to get this book finished on time. £6
Total: £18.44
Day Four
5am: Up early to get a train to London for a blogging event. Train costs £33 which I could’ve got cheaper, but I have panic attacks on the train and find that first class has more space which I find eases my mind. I don’t have a panic attack and I have full access to a charger so I do work for a few hours. Buy coffee for the train. £3.40
8.30am: Meet my blogger friend for a coffee before we go to the event. £3
12pm: After the event, we go for lunch but I’m feeling so anxious that I feel physically sick. I just buy a smoothie because I’m not hungry. £4
2pm: Walk to the train and realise I am now starving hungry and buy a sandwich and a cookie from Pret. £7.50
5pm: Home and absolutely knackered but I’ve done hardly any work today so I set up the laptop and work until 10pm on the book.
Total: £50.90
Day Five
10am: Slept in again and wake up feeling guilty. Check my bank balance to see if any invoices have been paid yet. No luck.
11am: Get an email from my website guy who is billing me £100 to renew my hosting and other website costs. I didn't even know that I had these running costs with him but I don’t have any choice other than to pay them. £100
11.15am: Send friendly reminders to all the clients who still owe me money and schedule more tweets advertising my social media services.
12pm: Get a text from the owner of the café I used to work at. His shop has gone out of business and they are having farewell drinks at 2.30pm. I have a cry to myself because I had always thought that if I was desperate I could go back to help him out for a few days a week. I decide that I need a drink and know that he will at least get the first round.
2.30pm: Go into the corner shop to pick up an energy drink because I don’t have time for a coffee. £1.19
3pm: Try to buy a round of drinks but my boss pays for everything and I end up drunk.
6pm: Can’t face cooking and I am all of a sudden incredibly hungry. Realise that I didn’t have any breakfast or lunch today before I went to the pub. Pick up a sandwich from Subway for dinner. £6
8pm: Drunkenly order some books on Amazon under the guise of 'research for work'. £23.98
Total: £131.17
Day Six
10am: Leave the house early to go to a family party in a posh country house. Running late so we grab breakfast from a drive-through Costa. £12.75
12pm: We are given unlimited free prosecco and a three-course meal. Lots of people are very kindly asking about my book and when it will be published. Some of them even crack jokes that I will be 'rolling in it' soon. I don’t have the heart to tell them that I wasn’t offered an advance and I’m currently writing it for free. Feel like a bit of a failure.
4pm: We stop in at Tesco on the way home. Had a few drinks so decide that now would be a good time to stock up on essentials like wine, pizza, crisps, etc. £22.45
6pm: Get my period and have to do an emergency run to Spar for sanitary products. £3
Total: £38.20
Day Seven
12pm: Wake up late and realise that I’m way overdue on my book deadline and need to get my shit together. Drink lots of coffee and resist the urge to go to the local coffee shop for a muffin.
4pm: Hungry and have nothing but leftover crisps in the house. Hubby offers to order Wagamama for dinner, his treat. It would be rude not to accept and I want to reward myself for hitting my word count.
6pm: Get an invoice from Etsy. Owe £13.92
Total: £13.92
The Breakdown
Food/Drink: £122.17
Entertainment: £23.98
Clothes/Beauty: £0
Travel: £33
Other: £209.67
Total: £388.82
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