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.

Fashion Designer in London. 30 years old. Single.

Financial goals:

Short term (1-5 years): Travelling long term and exploring a career change

Medium term (5-10 years): Investing in the new career / starting a business

Long term (10 years +): Still investing in the career that I enjoy pouring all the hours of the day into so I can have the lifestyle I want long term and a comfortable retirement, whilst being able to look after my mum into her golden years

Best buy ever: Experiences - holidays for the mental and physical benefits. I love my new camera, I think generally anything that genuinely feeds my soul is worth it and that's how I measure it's worth. Last holiday to Thailand £650 total, camera £400

Worst buy ever: UNIVERSITY!!! I studied fashion and left with absolutely no practical knowledge of the business

Things you spend the most money on: Rent, paying my mum's mortgage and food...always food!

Salary / Income: £27,000

Net worth (what you own vs what you owe, or your assets minus your debts): Less than £4,000

Any side hustles: Freelance occasionally

Savings: Just under 4k which I am adding to monthly and trying to add about £500 a month from now on. I need to switch accounts because my 5% monthly saver account is ending this month. I will probably switch to another current account or linked saver

Home: Nope, I rent and no plans to buy

Debt: Student loans of about £35k

Investing: Workplace pension, but I've been exploring the robo-advisors and since going to the workshop event I think it's a great start to explore the investing side of things

Pension: Yes, workplace. Looking to max this out over the next year

Insurances: None

What is money for you? Freedom, the ability to do more of what is rewarding for me and less of the bullshit rat race we can fall into

What is financial independence for you? Feeling like I can really do all those things that truly make me happy and not worry about being able to pay for the basics or long term goals

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