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I’ve always been pretty frugal. Born from humble beginnings in a large northern town, I was raised to live within your means and not spend extra money on things that could be bought cheaply. That hasn’t changed much since moving to London 12 years ago.
When I came here I was earning £15,000 a year and was in debt. The low-budget life I had led up to this point had paid off; restaurant prices were checked in advance, “bring your own booze” places were a priority, and I rarely went to nightclubs or expensive bars.
But since then my salary has increased and the pressure on my finances has almost completely disappeared.
I recently inherited a significant amount of money from my grandparents, which meant I could finally pay off my student loans. This increased my take home pay which is a nice extra treat each month.
This also means that the need to save is a little less these days, but the fun of bargaining remains. The discount section of the supermarket is still the first place I look; I never dare spend money on hotels and I am famous among my friends for buying the cheapest train tickets possible.
I cycle to work and still live in a simple shared house with three other people. Like many people my age, I love football, socializing and traveling. What really matters is when I can combine all three; As for the bachelorette party, I’m ready to move on this week.
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Age: 39
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Annual salary before tax: £40,000
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Monthly salary after tax: £2,693
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Rent: £785
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Household bills: £80, shared between flatmates
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Subscriptions (Netflix, mobile): £36
1 day
Since fruit is free, paying for breakfast is a thing of the past at my new job. We all benefit from this, despite strict signs saying you should only buy one piece.
For lunch I eat the £3.50 Sainsbury’s meal deal lunch, complete with Coca Cola, crisps and a wrap. I have a five-a-side game on Monday nights, which means I need energy.
Matches are usually followed by a visit to the pub, but after a frustrating 4-4 draw many players disappear home.
Thanks to the train strike, I made do with a six-hour Tube and bus round trip for £5.55. I’m starving and when I’m out I opt for a KFC burger, which adds another £1.99 to my day.
When I finally get home before midnight, I throw some of the leftover pasta out of the fridge.
Total: £11.04
2 days:
I live cheaply and stay here every night because I’m flying out to a friend’s bachelorette party on Thursday.
I’ve done the food shopping in advance, so I take a sandwich to work and eat a hearty spaghetti bolognese from the freezer when I get home.
The bike gets me to and from work for free. But then I lose £10 on football bets trying to raise money for an expensive weekend ahead. Girls’ math, I guess.
Total: £10
3 days:
Just a day after the big trip, I went back to Sainsbury’s for a lunchtime meal deal (what a lunch).
I cycle home at the end of the day but pop into Sainsbury’s again to pick up a £3 stir-fry meal to boost my veg intake before the inevitable attack begins within 24 hours.
Total: £6.50
4 days:
Since I’m on the train today, my spend starts with a charge of £3.70. I’m being taken out for lunch by a client, so this represents a significant saving, which somehow comes in handy after being charged £18.40 for a single person to Gatwick. That’s all there is to being a Trainline wizard.
I grab two bottles of Peroni for the train journey for £3.99 each for a quick sharpener before arriving at the airport, then don’t forget to buy some travel insurance at the end for £23.94.
I have a feeling it’s better to be safe than sorry this weekend.
I go to Wetherspoons and buy a beer for myself and a friend for £13.40 before investing £5.99 in a Pret sandwich for the flight and two beers on board (£10). We are going to Munich for a few days.
My contribution for an Uber from the airport is £7.50 before I check in and head to a bar. Withdrawing €50 from the ATM comes with an agonizing €6 charge, amounting to £48.52, but the cash will last the rest of the night and fund a halloumi wrap to boot. We return on foot early in the morning.
Total: £129.45
5 days:
The rest of the gang is heading to a museum, so our splinter group wanders around the city before heading to a beach cafe.
I opt to buy schnitzel and beer to start the day at €28 (£24), then head to another bar to check if schnitzel is a meal for everyone.
When the bill totals €55 (£47) I grab four glasses and a bottle of water before considering calling the German police. After the laughter died down, I was told I could skip my three friends’ round.
When it’s my turn, €27.50 (£23.63) for four pints during a very competitive game of beer pong makes a lot more sense.
The next stage of the tour ends at the funfair, where I bought two beers for 10 Euros (£8.60) and a hot dog for 8 Euros (£6.88) with the remaining money. We stagger home for free again.
Total: £110.33
6 days:
We wake up late and try to keep track of the rest of the group. When it fails miserably, we park for a nice lunch of spare ribs, fries and another beer. Another €50 (£43) later and I’m ready for the hen’s biggest day.
I buy four beers – two for me, two for the groom, the man of the moment – for €22 (£18.96) over the course of an hour before heading to a restaurant.
I order an enormous pork knuckle and a glass, which really did the trick. It also hits the wallet at around €60 (£51.60), but it’s worth every penny.
While most people drift home, I spend €17 (£14.66) on another round and raid the ATM to get another €50 (£43) in cash. We decide to continue the night by meeting locals who take us to a karaoke bar. The gin and tonics flow until 5am and my money lasts throughout that time.
Since the sun hasn’t risen yet, I skip buying a metro ticket and go home for free.
Total: £171.22
7 days:
The hangover and fatigue combine and the struggle becomes real. Another £7.50 in Uber gets me to the airport before I invest €9 (£7.74) in a sandwich for the flight. I fill my water bottle for free.
When I returned to London I came across two words no one wanted to hear: railway replacement. My journey home costs £12, but its duration is more than double what it should be.
I’m in no mood to cook, so I decided to invest £18 in a subpar Indian takeaway before a much-needed early night.
Total: £45.24
Weekly Total: £483.78
As told to Madeleine Ross.