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 dollar.
Today: an aesthetics practitioner who has an average salary of £48,000 spends her week checking on her eToro investments and preparing her family for holiday in Egypt.
Occupation: Aesthetics Practitioner
Industry: Beauty
Age: 30
Location: Bedfordshire
Salary: £48,000 (average as self-employed & before tax)
Partner’s income: £84,000 (managing director – before tax)
Paycheque Amount: £3,100 (average & net)
Number of housemates: Two: fiancé D and son J
Monthly Expenses
Housing costs (mortgage or rent): £793 rent
Loan payments: None
Savings: £141,369 in investments; £27,135 in savings
Water: £40
Wi-Fi: £20
Phone: £15
Gym: £19.99
Car insurance and tax: I pay yearly in a lump sum around £100
Childcare: Around £280-£560 a month, but it varies based on requirement and time of year
Subscriptions: £13
Do you have a pension and if so, do you know how much you pay into it?
I do not have a pension due to being self-employed for the past eight years. I view my investments on eToro as my future pension.
Did you participate in any form of higher education? If yes, how did you pay for it?
Not yet, but I am starting a Law degree this September and will be getting government student finance to fund it, which I will pay back monthly once my income hits the criteria.
Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? What was the attitude to money in your house? Did your parent/guardian(s) educate you about finances?
We did not have any direct conversation about money. I just remember we were always told to switch the lights off, which now I realise is probably because we were poor. My dad was the breadwinner for four kids, and my mum was a stay-at-home mum who also home educated my older brother and me for six years.
Talking about money was taboo. I grew up in a very religious household, and was brought up to believe that buying nice things was considered “bad.” My dad tithed 10% of his wage every week to the church. I wasn’t ever educated about finances.
If you have, when did you move out of your parents/guardians house?
I was regularly kicked out of my house from age 14 once my parents divorced. I found myself homeless for almost a year at age 18 and officially moved out at age 21. I believe this has shaped how I am with finances now despite my lack of financial education in my earlier years.
At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself? Does anyone else cover any aspects of your financial life?
I was 14 when I got my first job, which was a paper round to pay for my phone bill. From age 17, I had to provide all my own food. At 19, I was completely financially responsible for my first son; at 21, I was responsible for everything. My fiancé covers a lot of the financial aspects of my life now and pays for probably 90% of our household food bill, my car tax, car insurance, diesel, phone bill, every meal or trip out, and holidays.
Do you worry about money now?
Yes. Because of my upbringing and being homeless I will always worry about it, regardless of my current position with investments and savings. I probably have some unresolved trauma around that period of my life that keeps me cautious about money. Life is also so expensive, and I do worry about the pressure that that puts on my partner, and the fact he would never be someone to ask me to split the bills 50/50
Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain.
The only passive income I get is the annual interest on money held on eToro.
Day One
8:30 a.m. — I wake up with no alarm because it’s J’s day off from childcare. Usually on his day off, we go to the cinema, but we have a holiday booked in less than a week, so I figure we do a slow, chill day. D’s downstairs, but I text him that I had a bad dream (he cheated on me — how dare he!), so he and J come upstairs and cuddle with me before I officially wake up and make my usual: a French vanilla latte.
9.30 a.m. —- I start baking brownies for an order I received yesterday. I’ve always enjoyed baking, so I recently started selling them. Today’s flavours: caramel creme egg and white chocolate malteser bunny. While waiting for the brownies, I put on two loads of washing, organise my chocolate cupboard (yes, it’s a thing), wash up, hoover the house, and change my bedding.
11:30 a.m. — D and I discuss our upcoming holiday and how much money we want to take to change. He tells me he already booked and paid for the transport and the day he has planned for my birthday. The hotel is all-inclusive, so we decide to order £500 worth that we can pay when we’re there. We also discuss J’s birthday party and go outside to measure the garden to check that the bouncy castle will fit.
12 p.m. — I make J some lunch because this kid has been asking since 9 a.m. He is constantly hungry no matter how much we give him. While J eats, I look over my to-do list, which consists of various bits of admin: contacting the specialist regarding my knee injury (I’ve been told I require surgery), making a food shopping list, and making a list of what to pack for holiday. Apparently, I love a list.
2 p.m. — I make myself a bagel with peanut butter and honey (my pre-gym meal) and have a freshly squeezed carrot, celery, ginger, and lemon juice because, health. At the gym, my workout starts well: power cleans and press up to 50kg, but I get distracted talking to somebody for ages, which makes me completely lose my flow, so I sit in the sauna for 30 minutes before showering and heading home.
6:15 p.m. — At home, J greets me with: “Your favourite boy is here” (so cute), and I whip up a vanilla protein shake and chicken pitta bread with coleslaw (for me) and scrambled eggs and chicken sausage (for J — it’s his favourite, which I love because it takes five minutes).
7:30 p.m. — I start packing for holiday. And by packing, I mean just my “lotions” bag. We’re not leaving for a few days, but I want to prep this time rather than getting overstimulated trying to organise it all the night before like I usually do. I get J into his nappy and pajamas and into bed. We have a little chat about our holiday and I tell him there’s no TV on this flight —the kid is way too accustomed to the long-haul good life!
9 p.m. — I get into bed with a cup of tea and a bowl of blueberries and strawberries, and put on a show until I’m ready to sleep.
Daily Total: £0
Day Two
7:30 a.m. — I’m up earlier because I have a busy morning. J is already downstairs with D eating breakfast. I sip on my standard French vanilla latte and get ready super quick: moisturising, brushing hair and teeth, and getting dressed.
9 a.m. — I drop off J with my childminder and head to the craft store to grab a cake box (£2) for the brownies I need to deliver. I make the 30-minute drive to my customer, but when I arrive, they message that their partner is actually in my hometown — so I turn around and drive back. That lovely one-hour round-trip drive was for nothing. As soon as I (finally) deliver the brownies, I drive home and stress-eat a brownie myself (along with my daily peanut butter-honey bagel) and vent to D, who always listens and validates me. £2
10:30 a.m. — I go to the office to check on my investments in my eToro account. I love how easy the layout of the site is. Fridays are generally a bad day for the markets as people take profits before the weekend, so I like to assess potential positions to open while they’re on a slight decline. I assess my open positions as well, but there isn’t that much to do, since I opened them with the intention of holding for a minimum of five years.
2:45 p.m. — I have two clients back-to-back, which only takes me an hour and a half. I’m lucky that I am in a role that allows me flexibility, so I can be at home and work around my son’s schedule.
4.50 p.m. — I leave to go to my own aesthetics appointment with a girl who used to live on the same road as me. I haven’t had anything done in over a year, so just felt like it, to be honest. Or maybe it’s because my 31st birthday is coming up. I get my cheeks, chin, and lips done. Since I’m also a practitioner, my girl doesn’t charge me except for the product that’s hers (the rest was mine), so I transfer her £30.
6:40 p.m. — D and I take J out on his bike around the fields where we live. J picks a little white flower and gives it to me, saying it’s for my birthday because he “loves me more than anyone.” When we get home, I make porridge and jam for J, and a cup of tea for me. D and I discuss J’s birthday again: What do we want to do for food? How much do we want to spend on the day? Budgeting is something new we’ve implemented so we can keep better track of our finances.
9 p.m. — We do J’s bedtime routine: brush teeth, pyjamas, nappy, and usually a 15-minute chat where he suddenly and conveniently remembers everything he needs to desperately tell us before going to sleep. Once he’s in bed, we chill a bit before falling asleep.
Daily Total: £32
Day Three
7:45 a.m. — It’s the weekend, so my morning is already better. I make my coffee and sit at the table with J and D while they eat.
9:30 a.m. — My workout session is good today — a bit of leg strength and then lactate endurance. My past two sessions have been horrendous, so I’m happy this one’s going well.
11:44 a.m. — I arrive home to J at the kitchen table eating (again). He’s dressed super cute in some new clothes and ready to go. I jump in the shower and quickly get ready. On the way out, I make a double protein shake with coconut water
1 p.m. — We arrive at the shopping center and start by looking for clothes and shoes for D, but none in his size. We pick up a suitcase (40% off!), and D pays. Next, we head to another shop for armbands but there’s none at this location. I buy myself gel nail polish and top coat for my toes. Our last stop: a shop to buy the cutest little basketball short-and-top set and blue bucket hat for J and an ankle bracelet for me. D pays for these as well. £19.98
5:30 p.m. — I make something quick for dinner: scrambled egg, chicken sausage, pitta bread with cucumber and tomato.
6 p.m. — We take J outside to water his flowers that he planted the other week and notice that his sunflowers have started to sprout. I can’t believe I’m at an age where I find myself concerned over if my plants are going to survive our two-week holiday. We’re so drained from the day (it was nice and hot…for England) that we just chill for the rest of the evening. I unwind by zoning out to a reality show.
8:30 p.m. — I tuck J into bed with (luckily!) no resistance.
Daily Total: £19.98
Day Four
7:40 a.m. — I’m craving a slow morning — as in, I want to be able to sit and have my coffee without answering questions every five seconds — but J is overstimulating me at the moment. Motherhood is such a beautiful thing, but it can also be extremely challenging.
10 a.m. — I work for a couple of hours, popping downstairs to check on J and D between clients. When I finish, I throw together a little picnic and we sit outside together, because the weather is beautiful.
2 p.m. — Today’s shoulder day at the gym. I’m so thankful for being able to have some time to do something for myself every day. I finish with a 30-minute sauna and shower.
5 p.m. — I make myself a double protein shake and go straight into cleaning the inside of the car because it seems to get filthy within a week (not quite sure what J does in the back…) We go for a walk, so J can take a bike and enjoy the fact that it’s still light out.
6.45 p.m. — We drive to Heathrow because D is having some problems with work, and J and I tag along. I pack J a snacky dinner (his favourite).
10 a.m. — It’s so late, and I’m exhausted. We put J straight to bed, make chicken and rice for dinner, and I fall asleep pretty much immediately.
Daily Total: £0
Day Five
7:30 a.m. — It’s the start of a new week. I wake up to my alarm and start my routine: go downstairs to make coffee, do J’s lunch for the day, get him ready for the childminders, and get myself ready to go to the gym with D.
9.30 a.m. — My glutes session went well. I go home, make my usual (my double protein shake), and get ready for work.
2:30 p.m. — In between clients, I check on my investments in my eToro account. I always check this time of the day from Monday to Friday, because this is when the American market opens, and I can see how my investments have been affected. When I’m done with work, I have my first meal (an eggs Benedict) and catch up with D, who tells me he needs to go into London for a meeting.
5 p.m. — I pick up J from the childminder and we head to the retail park because he still needs a pair of armbands for holiday, and I need nude underwear for me because brands seem to love making see-through dresses these days. Found neither — but I pick up a cute pair of starfish earrings for £12.50.
6 p.m. — At home, I buy armbands online (£4.99), and then make J some food. While he eats, I book us a return taxi to the airport because it’s cheaper than parking. It costs £98, which I pay using my card. £102.99
7:30 p.m. — I keep J preoccupied by putting on an animated classic while I continue packing all our suitcases and crossing things off my list as I go — it’s the most satisfying feeling. I bathe J and wash his hair (it’s never been cut, so it requires a proper shampoo and condition).
9 p.m. — D arrives home and gives J his present — a remote control boat for J to take on holiday. We tuck J into bed, and I start downloading shows onto the tablet for J to watch on the plane. D and I catch up, and he tells me he booked the bouncy castle for J’s birthday so that’s another thing I can tick off the list.
Daily Total: £115.49
Day Six
7:40 a.m. — I bump into J in the hallway, and go downstairs for my vanilla latte and his breakfast of porridge and strawberries. D has already packed J’s lunch for the childminder.
9:30 a.m. — After dropping J off, I stop by the nail salon for a full set of acrylics that would typically cost £30, but I use my loyalty card which gives me £5 off. £25
11:15 a.m. — I make my usual pre-gym bagel, along with some fresh pesto for pesto pasta and chicken for us to eat on the plane (I detest plane food). I love coming home from holiday to a clean house, so I do two loads of washing, clean the carpets, and steam mop the floors. A parcel with four dresses I ordered last week arrives, so I try them on — and proceed to hate them all. I pack them up to return.
2 p.m. — I return my parcel at the local post office (£2.49) before making my way to the gym, where I go for a run (my first in a while), and it’s really hard. It’s always frustrating how quickly you lose your progress. £2.49
5 p.m. — I pick up J and we stop by the supermarket to pick up some mango, blueberries, and grapes to take on the flight (£6.85). At home, D makes J some food, while I shower and pack up the last bit I need to put in the suitcase. J is super excited for our holiday and tells me he “likes being on holiday and doesn’t like being in England.” Me too, hun. £6.85
7 p.m. — It’s an early bedtime for everyone tonight. I get J ready for bed, and then I make sure that the suitcases are packed, that the food is sorted, that everything is ready to go. We have absolutely nothing in the fridge at this point, so D and I order a cheeseburger and chicken selects. After having a cuddle with D, I turn around and go to sleep.
Daily Total: £34.34
Day Seven
7:20 a.m. — I wake up J, who is in a good mood knowing he’s off on holiday today. D is already up and has J’s cereal ready, so I make my coffee and get ready before we take the taxi to the airport.
10:30 a.m. — After checking in, exchanging currency, and going through security, I grab some plane essentials: two bottles of water (£2.40) and apple juice (£4.15 — criminal, honestly). I once saw a bag of mini eggs at the airport that cost £25… who is actually paying for that I would love to know. £6.55
6:30 p.m. — We arrive in Egypt, and the process of getting our luggage and a taxi was a smooth process with next to no waiting time — an underrated luxury when traveling.
8 p.m. — The hotel is brand new (super modern and sleek), so everything is pristine. The hotel staff bring us champagne, fresh orange juice, and cold towels for freshening up. And there’s the nicest arrival food platter waiting for us in our room: pistachios, cashews, apples, macaroons, and baklava.
9 p.m. — We take full advantage of the dinner buffet. There are tonnes of options, especially protein. I get a steak with peppered sauce with potatoes and traditional Egyptian dishes, along with a selection of fresh fruit. J has pasta, pizza, and fruit, while D gets a bit of practically everything.
10:30 p.m. — A long day of travelling is so tiring. J falls asleep almost immediately, which gives D and I some time together. Although we’re together a lot of the time, it’s nice to relax with each other for a little bit before falling asleep.
Daily Total: £6.55
The Breakdown
Conclusion
“This was a pretty standard week for me — maybe on the low side since we had our holiday, so I didn’t take J on any day trips and didn’t do as many food shops. Those would generally be my only other expenditures other than childcare. My spending habits are typically very stable, and I consider myself to be a cautious person when it comes to money — though there are bouts of spontaneity where I spend a larger amount of money on something like cosmetic surgery (I’ve had two) or shop for clothes for J, D, or myself. It was interesting to document my spending, because I realise just how little I actually spend, which has allowed me to put more money into investing. I have zero interest in trying to look like I live a life beyond my means and my spending reflects that.”
Money Diaries are meant to reflect an individual’s experience and do not necessarily reflect Refinery29’s point of view. Refinery29 in no way encourages illegal activity or harmful behavior.
The first step to getting your financial life in order is tracking what you spend — to try on your own, check out our guide to managing your money every day. For more Money Diaries, click here.
Not investment advice. eToro is a multi-asset investment platform. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk.
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