I’ve always had a knack for saving money.
This began, firstly when I got my first job and actually started getting a
regular wage into my account, but ultimately when my parents split up. My mum
was on her own and struggled a bit with having the mortgage and bills to pay,
as well as all the food bills, anything for my sister and I (we were in our
early teens) whilst trying to have some sort of social life too. I wanted to
help her so bad but I was too young to work at the time, so I swore I’d do
whatever I could to help her and I’d never put myself in a position where I
struggled with money. I got my first job when I turned sixteen and have worked
ever since.
After receiving my first pay slip I opened
an ISA and began saving a certain amount of it each month, increasing the
amount whenever I earned a little more. Once I was at university I had two
part-time jobs and saved the entirety of my wage from one job and lived off the
other wage. I also saved whatever was left from my student loan after I’d paid
off my accommodation and any bills, etc. Eventually there came a point where I
had to leave one job and attempt to focus on my studies, but that only lead to
me working 64 hour weeks alongside my studies… more than I was working with two
jobs rather than one! I admit I lost focus on my studies and preferred to earn
a living, so I was earning a good wage and saving almost half of it.
And then real life hits you, like an
enormous wrecking ball to the face… I got a promotion at work, in which I
received my first ever salaried position (fantastic news for me, obviously!),
but along with it came a hefty amount going out of my account the second it
went in…
- Tax
- Student
Loan Repayments
- Pension
- Bills
- Rent
…and that’s all before I even see the money
in the first place. So I save considerably less than I did now, but that’s
okay. As I say, my flat is beautiful and I wouldn’t change it, I live my life
and don’t tend to restrict myself from much, and I thank myself for saving so
much when I was younger!
Next on the agenda is saving for a house…
my current savings will contribute to that but I do need to assess my finances
and look at saving that little bit extra to contribute more towards it and make
my dream a reality.
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