What On Earth Are We Doing With Our Money?

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Welcome to our new money section! You may already know Refinery29’s Money Diaries… this is our own version of it! We’ve put together a few questions to understand what women are doing with their money. Let’s break the taboo and talk more about finances!

It’s short, snappy, fun and anonymous.


Radio producer living in London. 30 years old. In a relationship.

Financial goals:

Short term (1-5 years): Saving for a deposit

Medium term (5-10 years): Save for holidays with with my family (which doesn't exist yet, but I hope will in a year or two)

Long term (10 years +): Provide a comfortable life for my children, maybe send them to the boarding school I went to

Best buy ever: £30 king size feather duvet and pillows from Lidl. Would be upwards of £400 in John Lewis

Worst buy ever: A friend's hen do. A holiday with people I don't know or like where I had no control over how much I spent. Cost a fortune and wasn't much fun

Things you spend the most money on: Rent, commuter travel, food, holidays

Salary / Income: £30,000

Net worth (what you own vs what you owe, or your assets minus your debts): £25,000 savings - £18,000 student loan = £7,000. But I don't really count my student loan

Any side hustles: Occasional podcast making

Savings: Yes, some in Premium Bonds, some in a Help To Buy

Home: Not yet but planning to buy in the next few years (Ideally in London, but managing my expectations)

Debt: About £18,000 student loan, £75 on my credit card

Investing: I have a workplace pension and a Help to Buy ISA

Pension: Yes, through my work. Should up the contributions a bit really

Insurances: No

What is money for you? Mostly a stresser. A means to enjoy myself when there's enough of it

What is financial independence for you? Earning my own money and making the decisions on how it’s spent


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