What I Spent This Week as a Senior Finance Analyst Making £65K

Ever wondered how others really manage their money?

In the A Week in My Wallet series, we share it all, because talking about money shouldn't be off-limits.

Every week, an anonymous member shares a week of their spending: no names, no filters, just honest stories about life's everyday financial choices.

Ready to join the conversation and help make money talk less taboo? Share your own story via our form here.

Monthly Take-Home Pay (after tax): £3,800

Do you share expenses with someone? No

What is your overall monthly budget?

• £368 rent and phone bill due to parents‍
• Expect bills to total around £1,900 when I move out so I transfer another £1,500 over to savings to boost my deposit and emergency‍
• £300 for food (including any takeaways)‍‍
• Transport:
  
  • £150 petrol
  • £130 for train commuting
  • £50 car insurance and tax
• £28.99 gym
• £14 Specsavers contact lenses
• The rest goes towards lifestyle and “wants,” including:
  
  • £300 for holidays
  • £25 for birthday gifts for friends and family
  • £25 for Christmas gifts for friends and family
  • £150 for aerial fitness classes
  • Plus spending on books, socialising, and subscriptions:
    
    • £12.99 for Netflix
    • £19.99 for Cineworld

Amount left each month after essentials (to spend, save or invest): £800

Dependents (if any): None

My Relationship with Money

Growing up, did your parents or guardians educate you around money?

No, they were split and money was difficult due to child support. One thought they were paying too much, the other disagreed and had to watch them constantly go out for breakfast, day trips and take me out whilst still not being able to afford it with receiving the child support.

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

Pep&Co opening local to my Dad, easy to get lifts before I could drive and just brought some easy cash in for college and grabbing lunch or books.

Did you worry about money growing up?

Yes, they argued through me about child support which set me on edge. There were no savings for me for university, moving out or anything else of the sort.

At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net?

I struggle to say as I've still not moved out, I could have moved out around 24 but they were more than happy for me to stay home to save as it was clearly the only way. I didn't start an emergency fund until this last year.

Do you worry about money now?

Yes, I will be moving out alone and so I'll only have myself to rely on.

What is your biggest money regret?

Not starting a Lifetime ISA sooner and getting more of the bonus money and interest with compound growth. If I'd started the budgeting process earlier I might not find it so difficult now.

What financial goals are you working towards?

£15,000 emergency fund.

Who is your financial role model (if any), and why?

I don't have one.

Reflections on My Spending Habits:

Looks costly with the book subscriptions but a few do tend to arrive at the same time, I expect I'll need to cut a few of them when I move out. Aerial spend comes up a lot, I'm there four nights a week and it's a real passion. I make full use of the unlimited pass so something I expect to continue and work into whatever budget I have.

What I Spent in a Week

Day 1: Monday - £75
£12.10 — Commute
£14 — Specsavers contact lense direct debit
£20 — A raffle to attend a ball I'd like to attend
£28.5 — Aerial classes‍

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Day 2: Tuesday - £49
£13.2 — Commute (contactless in a rush costs more!)
£10.50 — A bookish dress ring
£5.4 — Travel onward to London
£19.55 — Ricky Gervais ticket at Leicester Square Theatre testing out new material my first stand up comedy.‍

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Day 3: Wednesday - £91
£12.1 — Commute
£2.35 — Breakfast meeting
£7.49 — Popeyes lunch with colleagues
£16 — Aerial class
£25 — Deposit for an aerial photoshoot in July
£28 — Book subscription delivered so I pay this off my credit card where it direct debits‍

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Day 4: Thursday - £34
£30.64 — Book subscription delivered and paid off
£2.99 — NOW TV subscription‍

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Day 5: Friday - £20
£20 — Aerial classes pays off my monthly unlimited pass (I have another £105 worth of classes booked before it ends so well worth the expensive pass for me)
Cinema trip free as used enough for my £19.99 pass already, ticket is worth £14.99 so I tend to tuck away this money to save for theatre or concerts.‍

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Day 6: Saturday - £29
£28.95 — Book subscription‍

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Day 7: Sunday - £80
£48.88 — Petrol
£31.48 — Groceries

Total Weekly Spend: £377

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