About me

Name: Sanna M

Job: Letting Assistant at Slough and Eton CofE Business and Enterprise College (Part-time)

Age: 17

Location: Slough

Salary: £7.32 an hour (monthly pay varies on hours)

Monthly Allowance: Don’t have one but can use mum’s card in an emergency

Living conditions: At home with parents

Monthly Expenses

Disney +: £5.99

Apple Music: £5.99

Savings: £100

My Spending Diary

Monday 4^th May

It’s the month of Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting so it’s the time of giving and spending time with family. With lockdown it’s become easier yet harder. After closing my fast at 3.44am, I  woke up at 4pm, with 4 hours and a half left to go till I could break my fast. I was paid on Friday (the end of the month) so that was £201 this month, not much but due to the lockdown my workplace is closed, so it makes sense. By 5pm, I had cashed out £100 and given it to my mum.

A saving technique used in my family: In order for this technique to work you must stay committed and have a trusted family member involved. Ever since working, every payday I cash out £100 and give it to my mum to keep. This is an easier way to save as the money cannot be accessed and isn’t being used.

Total Spending: £100

Tuesday 5^th  May

My day start pretty late so I don’t usually do much till 2pm but after my friend passing away a year ago, I wanted to make my friends feel appreciated, loved and not alone so I decided to do a big buy – dangerous in terms of my spending but whatever helps my friends in this time. After the death of my friend, one of our friends decided to start a sweet treats/bakery in their honour. With it being Ramadan, it’s the time of giving so this is the perfect time to treats my friends. Therefore, I did a big buy of 15 gift boxes which cost me £85. I delivered them all whilst maintaining social distancing. Big shoutout to SanaaSweetTreats.

Total Spending: £85

Wednesday 6^th May

Today was a lazy day. Stayed awake till 5am and then woke up around 4pm. Whoopsies. Spent the day having a pamper and then later I decided to online shop. It is officially my 18^th birthday in one month. Looked at a couple websites like Misguided, Boohoo, SHEIN. Shopping in lockdown is hard because you don’t really want to buy something fancy when there is no occasion but then again, shopping to dress to go to your living room is not so bad. I looked at a couple of dresses and found this cute white and blue tribal print dress for £18.99. The shipping price was not so nice (£5) but my sister has a free delivery code, what a live saver.

Ramadan is all about charity so I’ve been donating money to people who are helping those in need. I donated £10 to one of my friends go fund me page for Kashmir, a state suffering under occupation and natural disasters.

Secret tip: When I shop I always set a budget so I control my spending. Staying committed will help in the long run!

Total Spending: £28.99

Thursday 7^th  May

Lockdown is getting boring but going shopping with my mum has helped maintain my sanity. Prices have gone crazy at the supermarket or maybe we did our normal shop and I’m going crazy, who knows. Whilst my mama did a food shop, I picked up some pink roses for £3 to visit my friends grave, of course while maintaining social distancing. Having a daily mission helps.

Total Spending: £65

Friday 8^th  May

It is now day 15 of Ramadan, I think it’s the perfect time to start ordering presents to be delivered and Eid decorations. I love buying decorations as it helps set the scene and vibe even though we are in a pandemic. I love finding good deals on decorations. Since I’m going for a simple touch this year, I decided to buy a cute decoration set with had bunting, helium and normal balloons. I am very excited for Eid even though it is going to be very different this year.

Total Spending; £21.25

Saturday 9^th  May  

I slept thought majority of the day to the point I have no energy but it’s not long left till I can open my fast which is great, didn’t really order or shop today so it’s been a good day.

Total Spending: £0

Sunday 10^th  May

Today it was a productive day, I cleaned up my room and went for a walk. Staying active is one of the 5 ways of wellbeing which is a good strategy to follow whilst in lockdown. Today I’m craving fudge brownie and ice cream for dessert, quick shop in Tesco to pick something. As my baking skills are not the best, I bought two packets of ready-made brownie bites with a box of soft ice cream. It was so delicious.

Total spending: £4.45

^{Photo credit: Ahmed Aqtai}

The post Spending Diaries Lockdown Special: The month of Ramadan appeared first on Money For Life.

Name: Ellen Casey

Age: 25

Occupation: Bartender/Barista

Status: Furloughed

Even before lockdown my income was a little precarious; it depended on two factors – how much work I took on and the pay points of my two jobs.

Why have two jobs you ask? A good question and one, 8 weeks into lockdown, I’m finding increasingly hard to answer. I worked as a bartender and barista in the now mythical establishments that are cafes/bars, with shifts that could range from 6am-2pm, to 7pm-2am.

One was a chain that mostly served busy city workers, working on a kind of conveyor belt slinging out industrial strength coffee; the other is a local coffee shop, showcasing local art and hosting biweekly jazz nights.

I worked part-time at both and a result, before lockdown, my income would fluctuate between about £980 to £1150 a month, completely depending on shift patterns. Living in London, that’s not a lot of money – my rent alone is £625, so in the leaner months I had to rely on the good graces of past me and her ability to scrimp and save in the face of spring sales.

I was furloughed from both my jobs in March (I was actually asked to join a conference call to be laid off from one job while working the evening shift at the other – this was the day before the furlough scheme was announced) – and received my long awaited 80% of wages on the 29th April. For the first time in years, I’m actually in the enviable position of having some form of a fixed monthly wage.

However, as I know very well, the money tree is not evergreen; so top tips for hanging in there during uncertain times?

Save even though it hurts

The easiest way I found to save without feeling genuinely mournful was to save a relatively small sum (it’s currently £50), and having it come out of my bank as soon as I was paid. That way it feels like it was never actually my money, and I can effectively trick my gullible little self into actually saving.

No online shopping after 10pm

This is the danger hour – you don’t need another crop top.

Shop smart

I’ve genuinely been feeling the burn after having to buy food for myself constantly; the great thing about working at cafes is that you can generally scam a stale bagel or whip up a strange meal out of kitchen leftovers. Left to my own devices I was scranning a shameful amount of chocolate biscuit bars in the first few weeks of lockdown. If you have a discount supermarket like Lidl or Aldi near you then run, don’t walk, and snap up the bargains – but if not, just remember that own brand items are just as good as the fancy branded version. Do not be suckered in by the bright colours and fun little mascots – head for the boring packaging always.

Support local businesses if you can

This is going to sound counter-intuitive, because buying locally is sometimes a little more expensive than those low low supermarket prices. But I really believe that in hard times, we should be supporting the local people that help our communities thrive.

Cash-strapped as I am, I try to support the kind of business that hands out strong tea to the rough sleepers on the high street and knows every regular by name; one that really believes in investing in the community they’ve built their business around. Of course, it’s not always possible, but those times when I can afford to, I’ll go for a takeaway coffee from my local tiny cafe, or books from an independent bookshop instead of defaulting to big businesses.

An important lesson I’ve learned in my years of closely contemplating my dwindling funds is that being financially conscious isn’t just about buying the most stuff for the cheapest amount – the Granny at the Market approach, if you will. At some point, you have to start thinking of your money as not only currency, but an investment in the things you care about, and the delicate ecosystem in which you live your life. Clearly, by my examples, these two things are caffeine and books.

The post How I’m handling furlough as a shift worker – with two jobs appeared first on Money For Life.

About Me

Job: Communications and Marketing Manager

Age: 25

Location: Wigan

Salary: £23,000

Events: £1000. As well as my day job, I run an annual Northern Soul event and make about a grand after.

Monthly paycheck amount: £1500 (after tax) 

Living conditions: With partner’s family

Monthly Expenses

Housing costs: £100 rent

Food Shopping: £50

Car Insurance: £50

Car Tax: £17.50

Parking: £30

Petrol: £50

Phone bill: £100 2 x mobile phone contracts for me and my partner

Savings: £200

Other: Netflix £11.99, Apple £6.99,

Misc. on clothes/makeup/beauty products etc. £100

Total: £716.48

Monday:

8am – Wake up, tidy and get ready for work – Netflix on in the background. On Mondays, I take forever to get out of bed because I sleep in at the weekends.

10am – I leave the house, drive to work. The drive takes about ten minutes, but I usually arrive by half 10 as it can take a while to find a parking space.

12:45pm – Skipped breakfast and I’m starting to get hungry so I nibble on a couple of pretzels from a bag of sour and chive that I buy weekly from Poundland! £1

2pm – I was lazy this morning and didn’t prep any lunch so Subway salad it is! £4.00

7pm – I’d stayed at work a little late to catch up on extra work, but it’s home time now.

7.25pm – My partner usually cooks tea, vegetable thai curry yum!

9pm – Finally in bed watching Netflix

Total spending: £5

Tuesday:

7am – Funnily enough, sometimes Tuesdays are even harder to get up as the weekend’s activities catches up! However, I am up early as I have to take my car for an MOT and get a lift with my partner to work. Saves money on the bus!

8am – Grabbed a bought a cheeky latte with extra shot of coffee £4.00 – YIKES!

12pm – I didn’t nip out for lunch as I was too busy so I just nibbled on food that was in the office! (Sports Manager Dave always has a draw full of sweets).

1:30pm  – Receive a phone call from the garage, it’s looking to cost £500 to fix my car but needed to take it to a different garage!

5pm – I leave work early to pick up my car and take it to the new garage. I’ve got to pay £45 for the MOT, on top of the rest of the work.

6:30pm – I head home, have a cuppa and decide to count the money saved in my piggy bank. I’m so pleased to see £250. I can’t recommend keeping a piggy bank enough. I add money from my ticket sales, loose change and any money I’m lucky enough to receive as a gift. Eventually, it all adds up and can save you on a rainy day (or week).

8pm – I decide to start doing some event promotion to see if I could sell any event tickets. Having a creative side hustle is great fun.

9pm – The shock of the car calls for an early night.

Total spending: £49 (with £500 in the waiting) 

Wednesday:

8.35am – Early to work! I’ve got the office to myself time to do some serious work. Decided not to opt for a coffee on the way to work since the tragic loss of £500 for my car.

1.30pm – lunchtime, I’m hungry and I’m feeling a little low so I go to pound bakery for two vegetarian sausage rolls. £1

7pm – My twin sister picks me up, and we head to yoga. It’s a weekly activity to make sure we spend time together. £7

10pm – I get home, have some toast for dinner and straight to bed.

Total spending: £8

Thursday:

6am – As you’ve guessed I’m not much of a morning person, but  I stomach the energy to go Hell vs Heaven for a gym session. Let me tell you, it was definitely hell! £5

7am – Shower and get ready for work, the boyfriend makes me a smoothie with protein, fruit and oats. I have a bad habit of skipping breakfast but smoothies are a great way of upping my fruit intake and keeping me full until lunch.

1pm – Horrendous phone call, to say that the car will actually cost more like £1000. Gutted!

6pm – I’m a bit bummed out and decide I don’t fancy cooking. I nip into the shops into two chicken salads and a pack of smarty cookies for tea! £12

7pm – Time to start planning the weekend! I buy some polaroid film on Amazon. 2 packs for £30.

8.30pm – Watching Netflix at home, cheesy American High School dramas are my thing! My favourite way to unwind.

Total spending: £47

Friday:

7am – Time to throw together another breakfast smoothie.

2pm – I seem to be little dependent on vegetarian sausage rolls at the moment! 2 for £1

5:30pm – On Friday’s we would usually get a takeaway, or pop out for Italian food, but, in the interests of saving money, I thought I’d make everyone at home my favourite pasta. So off to Tesco to pick up ingredients! £20

7:00pm – I call my mum and catch up then I get ready for the weekend meaning getting my clothes ready, washing hair, face mask and fake tan!

9:00pm – Ring my dad and ask if I can borrow a bit of money for my car. It’s never ideal having to call your family to borrow money as, at this point in life, I feel pretty independent. However, sometimes needs must. I count myself very lucky to have a family I can call on. He says “I’ll see what I can do” so… fingers crossed.

Total spending: £21

Saturday:

10:30am – We have leftover avocados, so avocados on toast for us. Nice to have a restaurant-style brunch at home.

11:00am – Drive for just over an hour to see my brother, niece and nephew. I nip to Greggs on the way and buy a cake for the kids £4.00. One small perk of having no car is saving £20 on petrol because my boyfriend drove 😉

8pm – We set off to a Northern Soul club night in Stoke. I share a bottle of white wine with a friend – £15.  Also, sold a couple of tickets for my own event which I put straight into my piggy bank and balanced the cost of the wine.

1am – Time to head home and straight into bed

Total spending: £19

Sunday:

7am – Early start, we go to a couple of car boot sales to see what records my boyfriend can find and try my luck on finding vintage cameras. No joy on the camera front but I love rummaging around at car boots! Great places for bargains on clothes, homeware, you name it.

10:30am – We make it to McDonald’s just in time for breakfast. We grab two egg and cheese bagels meals – my boyfriend’s treat!

4pm – Went for a long walk with the dogs. We stopped off at Co-op to get some chocolate and pop. £4

7pm – Boyfriend’s parents make a vegetarian Sunday lunch! And relax…

Total spending: £4

Weekly spend £154 +£1000 for the car (next week!)

The post Spending Diaries: Communications and Marketing Manager appeared first on Money For Life.

About Me

Job: Progression Officer – Youth Worker

Age: 22

 Location: London

 Salary: £22,500

 Weekly or monthly paycheck amount: £1,250 (after tax)

 Living conditions: With Family

Monthly Expenses

Housing costs: £250 rent

Any Loan payments:  Loan Repayment £80 a month

Food Shopping: £50

Bus: £50

Phone bill:  £70 phone contract, tablet £46 a month, £15 sim contract
Savings: with Nan here and there for holiday in March (Amsterdam) & April (Barbados), suppose to put £100 minimally per month

Other: Netflix £8.99, Argos Card £50

Total: £719.99

Diary Post

Monday:

8am – Wake up this morning feeling tired and hungry! What can I eat…?

8.20am – finally out of my bed, I go downstairs to make an oats, berry and mango smoothie (ingredients bought on the weekend during my weekly shop), that’s £2.50 saved on breakfast!

8.40am – I left the house to go to my dentist appointment. I use my contactless card to get on the bus as I was running late and had no time to top-up at the shops which would usually cost me £5. – £1.50

9.20am – I caught the bus back to work from my dentist appointment, tapped my contactless card again saving £1.50 as TFL allows everyone to get 2 bus rides for £1.50 within 1hr.

12.45pm – stopped off at Tesco to get a croissant £0.80p to eat with my lunch (tuna and pasta – meal prep, money savings!!)

4pm – I caught the bus home £1.50, so smelly and sticky!

7pm – Dinner time…. hmm I am sitting here thinking what I can eat… I am so hungry; do I cook or get a takeaway to make it quick? Yesterday’s Chinese was so expensive and came in a small portion costing me a whole £6.50! that was for a large king prawn fried rice including £2.50 delivery on Just Eat. Do I go Co-op or order takeaway? Co-op it is!

7.25pm – I walked to Co-op and spent £8.55 on fresh chicken (to cook), chips, Dorito crisps, biscuits, a big bottle of water and Orange juice

11.30pm – Finally in bed Watching Netflix – David Attenborough!!

Total spending: £18.85

Tuesday:

8.30am – I went to sleep quite early yesterday and still woke up late today ☹. I am here thinking; do I get a cab or do I get a bus and message my manager that I am running late to work? Hmmm I am meant to be spending minimally as payday is not until the 25^th  of this month… Bus it is! £1.50

9.20am – Stopped off at Tesco quickly to get some lunch! Today is a busy day full of meetings so no time to go out during the day.

Reduced Chicken Katsu Curry £4.00 – down to £1.82, x2 Croissants 80p each = £1.60

3pm – I left work early today to allow enough time on the bus to get to my art therapy session – £1.50

3.40pm – I got to my appointment early, so I went to Starbucks to get an ice latte coffee to waste a bit of time as I hate waiting around! – £3.95

5.30pm – I stopped off at my friend’s house on my way home, I always say to myself I won’t stay too long as it gets dark and I end up getting a cab home rather than the bus which is more money spending!

7pm – I only just realised the time, ohh shoot I left straightway to get the bus which was coming in the next 5 mins, caught the bus in time, £1.50 spend!

8pm – I walked into my house to see dinner made by mum and my sister did meal prep for me and her yay!! Money saving for me tomorrow with a 20 min extra lie in 😊

10.30pm – Watching Hollyoaks on catch-up E4 and then straight to bed as I am feeling so tired.

Total spending: £11.87 

Wednesday:

8am – I woke up and went back to sleep by accident! Is there such a thing?!

8.35am – I woke back up and realised I am running late! 20mins snoozing slipped into 35mins of going back to sleep!! Rushing to leave no time for breakfast

9am – I walked to work and stopped off at McDonald’s for 2 hash browns & brown sauce £1.79

1.30pm – lunchtime eating the meal prepped by my sister yesterday – food always tastes much better when you don’t make it!

4pm – I just finished work and left to go to the bus stop to go to my meeting in Hackney £1.50.

 4.30pm – I stopped off at Gregg’s on my travels to get a mocha coffee and sausage roll for £2.25! so random but I was feeling a bit peckish and tired, so this has done the job!

6pm – I got on the bus home £1.50 and had dinner which my sister cooked again 😊.

11pm – Watching Hollyoaks on catch-up E4 and then straight to bed

Total spending: £7.04

Thursday:

8am – I woke up this morning so tired, training today at 10.30am. I made some breakfast and went back to bed for 45mins! Some call it lazy, I call it every minute counts 😊

10am – I walked to training as it’s not too far from my house. I stopped off at my local coffee shop to get a regular mocha for £2.50!

12.30pm – Training finished. I walked to work as I have time to waste and could save money on travel.

12.45pm – I stopped off at Co-op on my way to work, what do I want, mmm… chicken pasty it is! £1 😍

6.30pm – On my way home from another late meeting, I get off the bus early to walk home and see if I could find any food shops on my way as I am marvin!!

7pm – I ended up buying a large fat chips and curry sauce from my local fish and chips shop £3.60 and x2 Kinder Buenos from my local shop £1.20 😍

8.30pm – Watching Netflix at home, the final episode of power, who’s going to kill ghost!!

11pm – Off to bed to go to sleep

Total spending: £8.30

Friday:

8am – woke up this morning, walked to work and stopped off at Tesco to buy x2 croissants 80p each £1.60 and a reduced chicken masala microwave meal £2.50 reduced from £4.29

12pm – Lunch time – mmm that chicken masala microwave meal tasted so nice, it’s not everyday bread or salad!

2pm – went to the coffee shop to have a meeting with my manager, they have the best mocha coffees and chocolate brownies!!  £4.50

5pm – left work a little late today, got a bus to my friend’s house. On the way, I picked up Chinese king prawn fried rice & chicken noodles £9.20

7pm – watching Hollyoaks and then went to the shop to get a drink, they have the best American fizzy Fanta flavours. I bought x2 strawberry cherry flavours £2 and a bottle of water £1 £3

10pm – Came home, watched Junior Bake Off on E4, they made the best cinnamon and apple cake which I will be attempting to make next weekend! Check out the recipe here: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/803633/apple-and-cinnamon-cake

Total spending: £20.80

Saturday:

12.30pm – I woke up this morning as I call it naturally! No alarm, no noise, no calls or texts!  I love the weekends because I get to sleep without anyone complaining 😊

3pm – I left my house to walk to the train station for my meeting, stopping off at Co-op to get a meal deal; chicken salad sandwich, ready salted crisps and a bottle of water £3.50

3.20pm – topped up my oyster card at Angel station to get the train to Aldgate East £10

4.20pm – I left my meeting and got the train back to Hackney to go to my friend’s house. On the way I stopped off at McDonald’s to get x2 cheeseburgers no pickles! Double cheeseburger, medium chips and a mini chicken snack wrap £6.55

8pm – I got a Viavan cab home using the app, got in and continued to watch the final 2 episodes of junior bake off £5.25! check out the app for yourself, cheap and quick cabs: https://www.viavan.com/london-launch/

Total spending: £25.30

Sunday:

11.30am – I woke up this morning and watched Hollyoaks catch up on e4, I always watch the whole week all over again 😊

12pm – I went to the café and got a chicken panini and chips for £4.50

1pm – I am staying in for the rest of the day, Netflix and chill kind of day.

4pm – I decided to go for a walk, taking my sister’s dog bailey with me. We stopped off at Co-op to get dog treats and water £2.20

10pm – I decided to go sleep early today after a chilled weekend, back to work on Monday, off to bed!

Total spending: £6.70

Want to follow our young person on Social media?

Youth and community engagement account – @dippedincreativity_yp & @dippedincreativityevents

Personal account –  @_smilerrr

Watch out for the next Spending Diary coming out soon. 

Are you interested in writing a Spending Diary?

Get in touch with veronika.hofmann@ukyouth.org 

The post Spending Diaries: Progression Officer – Youth Worker appeared first on Money For Life.

Job:  Lab Apprentice at GSK (FdSc Applied Bioscience with University of Kent)

Age: 19

Location: Hertfordshire

Salary:  £17,000
Monthly paycheck amount: £1,180

Monthly allowance from parents: £400

Living conditions: With 3 housemates

Monthly Expenses

Rent: £500

Utilities: ~£60 (gas, electricity, wifi, water)

Groceries: ~£80

Car: ~£200 petrol, £75 insurance
Savings: What I can, when I can.

Other: Netflix £7.99, NOWTV £7.99, Gym £23.95

Total: £954.93

Diary:

Monday

8am – Arrive at work. I go to the canteen to buy some breakfast. I buy a pot of fruit, granola and yogurt from the yogurt bar, which came to £1.99.

11:50am – I can’t wait for lunch any longer – everyone in the office can hear my tummy rumbling. I buy a tuna mayo baguette, a packet of salt and vinegar crisps and an apple from one of the cafes on site, £4.40.

4:30pm – I arrive home from work and I walk to Aldi to do a food shop (why anyone would shop anywhere other than Aldi I have no idea). I buy some essentials: frozen chicken, sweet potatoes, yogurt, apples, breakfast snack bars and a few other bits which comes to £16.40.

6pm – I’m not very hungry, so dinner this evening is pitta bread with red pepper humous, and a mini strawberry cheesecake. I cook some pasta for a tuna pasta bake. As always, I have cooked way too much pasta, so I have enough for two meals.

Total spending on Monday: £22.79

Tuesday

7:45 – I’m ready for work and I’m packing my breakfast/lunch. For breakfast, I pack some frozen strawberries/raspberries (I buy frozen fruit because it’s cheaper and lasts longer), a yogurt and a snack bar. For lunch, the tuna pasta I cooked last night.

12pm – I buy a can of coke to drink with my pasta for lunch 99p

6pm – I eat the rest of the tuna pasta for tea (boring I know but can’t waste food). This evening I cook a chicken stir fry and noodles, making two portions so I have lunch again tomorrow.

Total spending on Tuesday: £0.99

Wednesday

8am – Arrive at work and eat my breakfast, which is the same as yesterday and is usually the same every day.

12pm – I eat my lunch, which is the chicken stir fry that I cooked last night. I also have an apple and a pack of crisps.

4:30pm – Tonight my boyfriend, Jamie, is coming to stay, so I go to pick him up from the train station in Watford. On the way home, we go to Asda to pick up some food for dinner. We buy mac and cheese, coke, and way too many snacks, we split the price and it’s £7 each.

Total spending on Wednesday: £ 7

Thursday

8am – I get up and make breakfast for Jamie and I. I drop him off at the local train station, he’s working in London today, before continuing to work.

11am – I’m meeting my boyfriend in London for dinner this evening, so I buy a return ticket £17.40.

12pm – It’s stir fry for lunch again today. I have an apple but I don’t eat it because I’m not very hungry.

4pm – I leave work and drive to the train station, I leave my car in a restaurant car park because I don’t want to pay for parking, I just hope I don’t get a ticket!

5pm – Jamie and I meet in Kings Cross station, and we walk to a Pizza Hut. We each have 3 courses, and we use a TasteCard, so it’s 2 for 1. We split the bill, £16 each, bargain!

8pm – I get the train back, and before driving home, I go to Asda for petrol £52.

Total spending on Thursday: £ 85.40

Friday

7:45am – I’m driving to my home town Shrewsbury tonight, so I pack all of my things into the car. I also pack breakfast, which today is just a breakfast bar and an apple, because I need to do a food shop.

12pm – Lunch is left over mac and cheese from the other night.

4pm – I leave work and start my drive back to Shrewsbury.

7:30pm – After a long drive, I finally arrive at my boyfriend’s house, I pick him up and we go to KFC to get some dinner. I spend £8.58.

Total spending on Friday: £8.58

Saturday

9am – Wake up and give Jamie a lift to football

3pm – I pop to Tescos for some moisturiser and I come out with a top, typical me! £15.50

7pm – Jamie, his parents, my parents and I are going out for dinner together. Kindly, our parents paid for this, so it didn’t cost me anything!

Total spending on Saturday: £15.50

Sunday

11am ­– We pop to the shops to buy some snacks before going to Jamie’s mum’s house for lunch. I buy some deodorant too, £3.20

3pm – I travel back to Herts early today, I am going on a residential and the Uni of Kent, something that we must complete to get our apprenticeship.

6pm – I arrive in Herts, and I get some petrol as the light came on, £53

6:30pm – I pop to the shops for some squash 79p.

8pm – We set off to Kent for our residential for the week!

Total spending on Sunday: £ 56.99

Total Spend for the week: £197.25

Watch out for the next Spending Diary coming out soon. 

Are you interested in writing a Spending Diary?

Get in touch with veronika.hofmann@ukyouth.org 

The post Spending Diaries: Lab Apprentice appeared first on Money For Life.

Every two months Money for Life is teaming up with a young person and publishing their Spending Diary written over a week, tracking their spendings and sharing their money and budgeting tips and tricks.

About Me

Job: Undergraduate Placement Student

Age: 19

Location: Leicester

Salary: £13,000

Weekly or monthly paycheck amount: £1000 monthly (after tax)

Parents: £100

Living conditions: Private Halls with 13 others

Monthly Expenses

Rent: £455

Deposit for student house (one-off): £250

Any Loan payments: Currently none!

Groceries: £80

Utilities: £10

Bus: £73

Phone bill: £10

Savings? These are minimal, but I try to put a little bit away each month as I’m hoping to pass my driving test soon and then I can buy a car!

Spotify Premium: £4.99 – If you’re a student, you can also get this rate. It’s a bargain and can save you some money as the standard price is £9.99 per month.

Total: £882.99

Note: I will not be paid in June, due to starting close to the pay date and therefore will be paid from the middle of July.

Sunday:

9.30am – I woke up ready to take my belongings back to Leicester from Norfolk, ready to begin my placement year on Monday!

11.30am – We started the two-and-a-half-hour journey in the car to the city.

1pm – Coffee break time and time to book my driving test.

4pm – To make sure I was ready for the week ahead, I did a quick food shop at Aldi. This was more expensive than my usual shop as I stocked up on key ingredients and I got a couple of treats like an Angel Cake and some Sweet Chilli Thins. Overall it cost around £45.

7pm – I had a limited amount of time to cook as I wanted to be prepared for the week ahead, so I popped a pizza in the oven from Aldi – much cheaper than an actual takeaway!

10pm – An early start calls for an early night.

Sunday spending: £122

Monday:

6am –  …and it’s the first day of my placement year… eek! I made a packed lunch consisting of sandwiches, grapes and crisps to save worrying about not having any food all day.

8:30am – I’m introduced to the team, given a rundown on the basics and an office/warehouse tour.

5pm – A lot of information later, my first day of work is complete! Looking forward to the rest of the week and all that it entails.

Monday spending: £0

Tuesday:

8:30am – This was my second day in the office, so I made sure I had a packed lunch once again. Luckily for me I work on an industrial estate, so there’s really not many places to buy food apart from a food van here and there!

Tuesday spending: £0

Wednesday:

7am – My alarm wakes me up for breakfast – I can’t go wrong with some toast as it’s definitely cheap and cheerful (well, as exciting as it can be!). Usually I would leave my flat around this time but I’ve been given some tasks to do at home this morning, so a little bit of lay in was required (in my opinion!).

8.30am – I’m learning about the different components which make up a bathroom – who knew there was so much to know! This e-learning and research was definitely a must!

12pm – It’s lunchtime – I cook a large portion of pasta to keep me going for the rest of the afternoon, as I know I won’t eat until quite late.

2pm – Trains, trains, trains and it’s off to London I go ready for an early training session tomorrow (expensed to work!).

5:30pm – I check into the hotel by the Thames and have some time to relax.

7:30pm – Drinks at the hotel bar, followed by a lovely meal of Vegetable Soup and Chicken Tikka Masala, expensed, so that’s dinner sorted.

Wednesday spending: £0

Thursday:

8am – Breakfast is served. I ordered a cheese omelette for breakfast, and grabbed a cup of tea and croissant too.

9:30am – We have to catch a cab to the Gallery, ready to start training at 10am.

10am – The training starts, and we learn more about Laufen as a brand.

1pm – Lunch is laid on and there’s lots of sandwiches.

3:30pm – Calls for the end of the training, time to head home.

7pm – I am finally back in Leicester after a tiring few days in London. I pop some Spaghetti Bolognese leftovers in the microwave and it made for the perfect quick meal, as I had little energy to cook something from scratch.

Thursday spending: £0

Friday:

8:30am – I reached the office and soon realised it was dress-down Friday, and with that also meant there was an office hot lunch order from the food trucks. I decided to opt-out of this food this time around as I hadn’t quite got the change this week.

9:30am – I was given a more thorough run through of the roles of others in my department and the responsibilities we all had.

6:20pm – I resisted a McDonald’s takeaway on my way home and that’s quite hard to do considering I have little choice but to walk past it to get back to my flat in the city centre. Very pleased with my will power!

6:30pm – I opted for fish fingers, chips, and vegetables. Two benefits here: firstly, it’s a lot healthier with a lot less oil and fat and secondly, it’s a fair bit cheaper and this way I can save for nicer meals and treats in the long term with friends and family.

8pm – Definitely time to sit down and relax. I turn on my laptop to watch something on BBC iPlayer.

10:30pm – It’s been a long but exciting first week in placement with lots to take in. Now it’s time to get some well-earned rest.

Friday spending: £0

Saturday:

10am – I’ve woken up later as the rest of the week tired me out! It’s not surprising with the sheer amount of information I’ve had to take in, but it’s been really exciting too!

12 midday – I attempted to make a mug of Mac and Cheese in the microwave in approximately 5 minutes. If you want to try it, you can view the recipe here. Soon after I went to have a cuppa with one of my friends at a local coffee shop. I’ll admit the hot chocolate I had wasn’t the cheapest I’ve ever had, it was £3.50. But to justify, it was pink with cream, marshmallows, smarties and chocolate…mmm.

2pm – I went to my friend’s flat and we played Monopoly and Trivial Pursuit on the Xbox. A great way to have fun and save money!

4:30pm – Popping to the supermarket seemed like the best plan as I needed to use my bananas. I bought a loaf tin, some butter, eggs and caster sugar ready to make some banana bread for the rest of the afternoon.

7pm – I made toad in the hole in my new loaf tin and then put the leftovers in the fridge for a quick meal on Monday night.  In terms of the banana bread, the verdict was that it was the best banana bread they’d tasted – I’d say that wasn’t half bad for my first try!

Saturday spending: £13

Overall weekly spend: £135

Watch out for the next Spending Diary coming out soon. 

Are you interested in writing a Spending Diary?

Get in touch with veronika.hofmann@ukyouth.org 

The post Spending Diaries: Undergraduate Placement Student appeared first on Money For Life.

In all age groups, the average man saves more than the average woman. By the time a woman reaches her late 30s, she has a third less savings than men of the same age, and by her 40s, she will have less than half.

By the time women retire, they have just a fifth of the pension pot that men do.

What is to blame?

To start with, women simply have less money available. The gender pay gap persists and women continue to be underrepresented in high paying industries like finance and overrepresented in lower paid industries such as nursing. This says nothing of the fact that women continue to do the majority of unpaid work in a household, such as raising children or caring for relatives, which also impact their ability to earn and save.

However, inspirational women are leading the way in changing the financial future of the next generation. Anne Boden, one of Forbes’ top 50 women in tech in Europe, founded Starling Bank, a purely online bank that helps you make and keep saving goals and easily control your money. It won Best British Bank in 2018. In the US, Sallie Krawcheck, cofounder and CEO of Ellevest, created the world’s first women-focused investment platform, redesigning an industry created “by men, for men”.

Feeling inspired?

Read these four tips for investing in your financial future this International Women’s Day.

One: Value your financial wellbeing

This International Women’s Day make a resolution to prioritize your financial wellbeing.

Use resources life Money for Life to learn about how to manage your money. Seek out mentors and talk with friends to help you make decisions about how you want to manage your money.

In a world where women come up against so many barriers to financial security, there is nothing selfish about putting your own finances first.

Two: Start a savings habit

Saving even a small amount each month adds up and builds an important saving habit. Setting up a direct debit payment into a dedicated savings account is a great way to make sure you do. Could you afford to put aside ten or twenty pounds a month?

Three: Prioritize your pension

When you start your first job, find out about your pensions entitlements and make sure you sign up! You will benefit from not only the payments you make but also those of your employer. Any pension paid early in your career will grow through compound interest giving you boosting your account balance by the time you retire.

Four: Make your voice heard

Both men and women can work to challenge the wage gap. Ask your employer what they are doing to close it, raise awareness through social media, or volunteer with organisations working for women’s rights.

This International Women’s Day, we want you to take control of your savings. Download Pennies to Pounds today and start your journey to a healthier financial future. For more tips and advice on all money matters, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @MoneyForLifeUk.

The post Why it matters more than ever that young women are financially savvy #IWD2019 appeared first on Money For Life.

Money is “a current medium of exchange in the form of coins and banknotes” but how does the word make you feel?

In a world where social media has taken over and our dream life is constantly on display, money can feel like an illusion. For many people, especially young people; money can bring a sense of pressure and anxiety that we are inadequate because we are not yet achieving this lifestyle. We receive so much information about money – get a good job with a good salary, don’t spend too much on rent, start saving as soon as possible – that it’s no wonder we all feel stressed about it! However, we are not often taught practical money management, how to actually attain financial freedom and how to achieve things on a budget.

My number one rule is: we create our own opportunities and it is so important to remember that we control our finances.

So, what can you do?

Why not try something different and look at budgeting your money as a competition with yourself!

How much can you save? I promise you, when you have your payments up to date and feel on track with things, this will be the best form of therapy – more than retail therapy ever will be, and take that from me… I enjoy both!

Saving money for a rainy day is also very important, even if it’s £10.00 a month!  £10 is also so achievable – sacrificing buying something as simple as one coffee per week and putting that money to the side. Those £10.00 all add up and you never know when you might need them for something important! Try it and see how it goes – if you need somewhere to start you can always try the Money for Life savings app to help you make the most of your money.

A little bit of advice

To those who are struggling to keep up with payments such as utility bills and rent – always keep your supplier in the loop and always check the tariffs.

For example: with your gas and electric, there will always be a tariff at the cheapest rate for you and you can compare providers. If the thought of having to do all of this is overwhelming, there are places called ‘one stop centre’s’ and there will always be somebody to help you get things off the ground. I know firsthand how daunting it can all be, and it is so important that you remember: nobody is judging you. Before I looked for help, I was humiliated at the thought of people judging me. I now know that our personal judgement and harshness can be the biggest hurdle of all. Personally, I would rather feel a little uncomfortable in the moment and do something about it than let all direct debits bounce back!

Who can help?

I remember finding out that I could get help with my bills whilst on a low income. At the time felt like winning the lottery! Companies like Yorkshire Water and British Gas have trusts where you can apply for help (links at the bottom of the blog).

It may take some time but doing a little bit of research can really pay off and help you move forward.

It’s easy to become overwhelmed when you try and sort out your finances but just remember – you’re in control.  Take the time to do some research, try and save a little bit each month and use an app like Pennies to Pounds to work towards your financial goals! Oh…and don’t forget to follow us on @moneyforlifeuk for more useful tips and advice.

The post Advice for Money Savviness in 2019 appeared first on Money For Life.

The truth is, you really don’t need a boatload of cash to become a Youtuber. We’ve all heard of the saying ‘When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.’ In other words, it’s all about how resourceful you can be with the little you have. So here are my top tips on how to start a Youtube channel without breaking the bank.

Use any camera device  

If you’re just starting out on Youtube and not sure how seriously you want to take it, forget about paying for a £400+ camera. Chances are, your smartphone already has HD and can do the job just fine. Or if you have a laptop, why not use the webcam feature? Really, just look around and start with whatever you have. This will save you a hell load of money! And once you get a better feel for what you want to do behind camera, then you can think about other options. Check out these useful tips from vloggers.

Shoot using natural lighting

Lighting can be your best friend or worst enemy. Literally! Even with the best mobile phone, if there’s bad lighting, you will get bad footage. Many people think to get quality video footage, you need a big fancy ‘home studio’ set up, with ring lights and all that jazz. While that can be useful in certain settings, the best light of them all is actually sun light. And thank God it’s free! All you need to do is plan a schedule where you’re up bright and early, and watch Mother Nature work the rest of her magic. Here are some more tips on shooting great videos in natural light.

DIY Home Accessories

Buying fancy photographic backdrops may look good, but at what cost?  If you haven’t got the budget (which can be pricey), you can easily make use of things around the house like bed linin sheets. Or you could go to the fabric store and buying fabric at a fraction of the cost. Watch this video as an example. A tripods is another common accessory you’ll need, but is to use a stack of books. You’d be surprised by how many things you could utilise around the house just by taking the time to get a little creative.

Content value vs production

Making your videos look fancy with amazing production and editing is cool, but actually, it’s not what people really care about the most. What people really want is good content value, which costs absolutely nothing! Whether you’re doing product reviews, entertainment, motivational videos – none of that is dependent on equipment, it’s all about you and your originality. With that being said, make sure you focus on creating strong ideas and use your personality to sell it. Easy peasy!

Free tools

Speaking of equipment, if you are filming from your phone there are hundreds of free editing apps you can download from the App Store or Google Play, which can work wonders for your video production. If you’re unsure where to start, here are some of our top picks. Or if you’re not the savviest person, or you really just don’t have the time, check out Fiver. This is a great place to go as a last alternative, plus you can get videos edited for as little as…you guessed it £5!

Borrow borrow borrow

If all else fails, borrow from the people that are useful around you. If you’re a student for instance, you could ask to borrow some gear from a video production class. Or maybe you have a friend that is a photographer and can volunteer to help them out in exchange for using their equipment. Remember to always look for opportunities where you can utilise the contacts around you.

For more tips and advice about money, follow our socials at @MoneyForLifeUK and don’t forget to download our money savings app!

The post 6 tips for starting up a Youtube channel on a budget appeared first on Money For Life.

Job:  University Student

Age: 20

Location: Norwich

Annual student loan: £3,769

Annual earnings from holiday jobs: £4,000

Term-time monthly allowance from parents:  £600

Living conditions: Student house with 3 other housemates

Monthly Expenses

Rent: £390

Utilities: Around £35

Groceries: Around £160

Petrol: Around £40

Phone bill: £8
Savings?: If I’m lucky!

Gym: £17.99

Total: £633

Monday

10am – Got up late because I have a day off! Need to start buying some back-to-uni essentials today, which I have been bracing myself for by saving a little extra over the past few weeks.

2pm – Off to the shops with my friends. I bought some Tupperware, stationery and sweet chilli sauce (essentials, of course!) in Home Bargains, which only came to £4.

7pm – I’ve sponged off my non-student boyfriend and convinced him to bring some pieces of fish over for dinner. Jacket potato is a staple in my diet and I buy veg in bulk, chop it and freeze it to save money – they’ll go nicely with the tuna!

Tuesday

10am – I’m off to campus having had a nice big breakfast. I’m hoping it will see me through until 2pm when I can go home for a late lunch.

4pm – My housemate and I head to Aldi and I manage to get all the essentials for £35. My student budget doesn’t have room for brand snobbery, so I’ll happily buy anything (from fresh fish to loo roll) from supermarket own-brands to save money.

6pm – I make a double portion of salmon and veg pasta at dinnertime, and put half in my new Tupperware for a packed-lunch tomorrow. The meal deals in the campus shop are a good fall-back, but they’re around £3 a go so they add up if you get them regularly.

Wednesday

9am – I’m up and out of the house with my packed lunch ready for a day at uni. I’ve taken a flask of coffee with me to kick-start my day and avoid spending over £2 on a takeaway one.

1pm – I’ve managed to drop my lunch on the floor and it’s not salvageable… oh well, best laid plans! I nip to the café in the student union and spend £4.80 on a pasty, a yoghurt and some iced tea.

6pm – I resist the temptation of a drive-thru with my housemates and make some eclectic veggie burgers from the vegetables and halloumi I have in the fridge.

Thursday

11am – I’ve woken up late and I have so much reading that I need to get done today so that I can go out later. Instead I procrastinate for a few hours by online clothes shopping, and end up buying nothing because I haven’t got enough money! When will I learn…

1pm – I’m having some fishcakes from the freezer for lunch, but making some tuna pasta for a packed dinner as I’ll be on campus later today. Hopefully I won’t drop this one!

8pm – Packed dinner eaten, I’m off to the bar to meet the new freshers on my course – it’s tradition. I spend £7.40 on two pints, but don’t stay very late as I feel a cold coming on… fresher’s flu?

Friday

8am – My alarm wakes me up and I feel awful. My housemate brings me a cuppa in bed and I fall back to sleep. I wake up late and have to rush to campus for a meeting with my professor – spending £1.50 on a snack bar for breakfast.

12pm – My friends are going to the shops so I ask them to pick up some painkillers and tissues for me, which come to £3. I’m now sat at home making an empty notebook that I have into a planner – I can’t justify the £10-15 that stationery shops seem to be charging for pre-made ones.

7pm – I’ve been in the house blowing my nose for most of the day and really fancy a takeaway. My stomach overrules my budgeting and I spend £14.98 on a Dominos, justifying it with the fact that I would have gone out tonight if I hadn’t felt so rubbish.

Saturday

8am – I have rehearsals for a university production I’m part of all day today. I have breakfast and throw a few snacks in my bag to keep me going.

1pm – I didn’t have time to make a packed lunch so I buy food in the campus kitchen. I spend £3.75 on an all-day breakfast – worth every penny!

8pm – I cook some homemade lasagne that I have in my freezer and eat it as I’m getting ready for a night out. My friends and I pre-drink before going out – the classic student money-saving technique! We go to spoons and then a few nightclubs and I spend around £20 on drinks. I buy some cheesy chips on the way home for £2.80.

Sunday

12pm – I eventually get up and manage a weird mix of scampi and onion rings from the freezer for lunch. It gives me enough energy and relieves enough of my hangover to help me finally get dressed.

6pm – I’m having a homemade curry at my boyfriend’s house and his mum kindly spoons some leftovers into a Tupperware for my dinner tomorrow. Writing this money diary has made me realise how often I make extra or keep leftovers as a student… hooray for the Tupperware!

Total spending: £97.23

The post Spending Diaries: Life of a Fresher appeared first on Money For Life.