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.

What is your overall monthly budget?

• Living at home, £300 per month rent.
• Petrol: £130
• Saving around 30% of my salary into a LISA and cash ISA.
• £300 investment contribution via direct debit.
• ~£100 on groceries.
• No bills and subscriptions under £20.

Amount left each month after essentials (to spend, save or invest):
£1,000. Most goes into savings, then any leftover I lump sum into my investment pots.

Dependents (if any)
None

Do you share expenses with someone?
No

My Relationship with Money

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

No, only to save money. Nothing about investments.

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

I was a retail assistant aged 15 because I wanted a new phone. My parents never bought things like this for us as they believed if we wanted it we could buy it.

Did you worry about money growing up?‍

Yes and no! things were tight but my parents were good at keeping it behind closed doors. We also went on holiday, which my parents were still paying for years after

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

18. As soon as I went to uni, I received no money from my parents.

I am lucky enough to be living at home while searching for a new house after a breakup led to me having to move out.

While my parents will always try and help if I ever need it, I would never ask. They help outside of finances, and they wouldn’t be able to give me money.

Do you worry about money now?‍

Sometimes, especially when buying a house will eat over half of my savings.

That concerns me as I’ve built my funds from scratch with no help and lots of dedication.

What is your biggest money regret?‍

Not investing earlier!!

What financial goals are you working towards?‍

Buying a house and building bigger emergency pots in case I decide to take a sabbatical.

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

Girls Who Invest. I love people who are open about their money, as it’s such an interesting topic!

What I Spent in a Week

Day 1 – Monday: £1050
• Rent: £300
• Stocks & shares investment: £300
• Holiday fund: £200
• Emergency fund: £200
• Lunch: £10
• Petrol top-up after the weekend: £40

Total: £1050

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Day 2 – Tuesday: £6
• Vape: £6 (a habit I am trying to stop)

Total: £6

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Day 3 – Wednesday: £0
• No spend day (worked from home)

Total: £0

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Day 4 – Thursday: £30
• Amazon order: £30
Sold two items on Vinted today for £40.

Total: £30

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Day 5 – Friday: £568
• AMEX bill: £547 (I do all of my spending on this card and it comes out the week of payday. I forgot to account for it and had to transfer an extra £200 from my emergency fund.)
• Air-dry clay after seeing it on TikTok: £21

Total: £568

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Day 6 – Saturday: £40
• Plants at a garden centre: £30
• Coffee and cake: £10

Total: £40

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Day 7 – Sunday:
• No spend day (BBQ at home)

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Total weekly spend: £1,694

Looking back at the week, what are your reflections on your spending habits?

Generally, I’m good with my money as I see it as a bit like a game when it comes to saving and investing. I’m very motivated by beating last week’s figures, but I am impulsive and have some bad habits like vaping.

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