Money Diary: A Trainee Vascular Scientist On £47,286

Refinery29

18-07-2025

Welcome to Money Diaries where we are tackling the ever-present taboo that is money. We're asking real people how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period — and we're tracking every last penny.
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This week:"I'm a 25-year-old trainee healthcare scientist in the NHS specialising in vascular diseases. I've been living in London for almost three years now and currently share a lovely flat with two other girls in a leafy part of the city. I secured this training position after I graduated from university and made the big move in late summer 2022. I didn't have enough money at the time to cover every aspect of the move myself, so I had to ask my mum if she would be okay with lending me the rest (about £1,500), which I gave back once I got paid. Earning this kind of money for the first time in my life felt quite strange at first, as I was making more than my parents ever had in their lifetime. It interestingly brought up a lot of money trauma from childhood to the point where I felt terribly guilty for spending money on basic needs and constantly feel the need to properly justify every purchase! I've since worked through a lot of these unhelpful behaviours by learning to reframe my approach and attitude towards money and becoming more financially literate. I'm quite an aggressive saver and always make sure I set aside money every month (which is a privilege itself nowadays). I'm a big believer in making money work for you and not the other way around, so I have been investing in S&S, allocating savings to a high-interest account and giving myself a monthly budget to stick to. I'm excited to see these grow over time and I'm proud of the financial foundation I've built for myself so far as it's all I have (literally)! I feel very grateful to have started out on this kind of salary at 22 (with a few pay increases in between) in a field that I genuinely enjoy (although very demanding) and will be getting a 20% salary increase when I fully qualify in the autumn."
Occupation: Trainee vascular scientist
Industry: Healthcare (NHS)
Age: 25
Location: London
Salary: £47,286
Joint income: N/A.
Assets: £20,187 regular savings, £1,750 S&S, £2,046 high interest savings account.
Debt: Student loan.
Paycheque Amount: £2,680
Pronouns: She/her
Monthly Expenses
Monthly Housing Costs: £1,150 rent.
Utilities: £8 wifi, £15.67 water, £101.33 council tax, £60 gas and electric.
Number of Housemates: Two (H and E).
Monthly Loan Payments: £150 student loan.
Pension: I contribute £360 a month and the NHS adds another 20% to that. However, no idea how much I've got.
All Other Monthly Expenses: £40 gym, £7.99 phone.
Did you participate in any form of higher education? If yes, how did you pay for it?
I did my undergraduate here and the tuition fees were covered by student loans. I didn't qualify for a maintenance loan at the time due to living abroad, so I had to cover my own living expenses (savings, summer/part-time jobs, grants/bursaries). I'm also finishing up my part-time master's, which has been fully funded by my employer.
Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent/guardian(s) educate you about finances?
Money was (and still is) a sensitive topic in our household. There were never any open conversations about it and I remember both my parents being quite secretive about it. We never went without the basics and they tried their best. I recall my mum encouraging my sister and I to save when we started working and learning to cover our own needs.
What was your first job and why did you get it?
I was a store assistant in a local clothes shop when I was 15. I was legally old enough to start working, so my mum encouraged me to find a summer job.
Did you worry about money growing up?
To an extent, yes. As a child, I don't think I had the awareness to really understand, but as I got older, I did start to worry. My mum became a lot more vocal about their financial struggles, which didn't help.
Do you worry about money now?
Yes and no. I do because I know what poor financial decisions can do to you (my parents are the perfect example) and I worry that could be me in the future (although I'm careful with my money). I also worry about how the cost of living will evolve over the next few years and how that may impact me, particularly if I choose to buy property or have a family. However, my relationship with money over the last few years has really improved and I've become more financially literate, which has helped ease my anxieties around money. So day to day, I don't worry about it as such, but I do for the future.
At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and does anyone else cover any aspects of your financial life?
When I left home at 18 to go to university. I funded my living expenses through savings, summer/part-time jobs, bursaries/grants.
Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income?
Both my maternal and paternal grandparents opened a savings account for me and my sister when we were born. We were able to access it once we turned 18. I think there was around £3,000 in one and about £2,000 in the other (approx 2,500 euros). Both went towards funding my living expenses for uni.
Day One
06:30 a.m. — Alarm goes off. Get straight into my morning routine (brush teeth, get dressed, skincare, make bed, put coffee on). Make breakfast, which is porridge, protein powder, mixed seeds and a lot (!) of peanut butter. See that I've been charged for yesterday's TfL journey, £5.80.
08:00 a.m. — Do my makeup and get ready to leave for work. My main hospital site is about a 40-minute walk, which I do most mornings. Such a good way to get steps in and some fresh air.
12:30 p.m. — Morning has flown by! Had some really lovely and interesting patients this morning! Scoff my lunch that I brought from home (veggies, smoked mackerel) and help myself to quite a few snacks from our designated snack table.
5:30 p.m. — Pack up from work and head home. Stop off at Aldi and Sainsbury's on my way home to top up some fridge bits (yoghurt, mangoes, chicken, cottage cheese) and chocolate, £11.05.
8:00 p.m. — Showered, skincare and have a very lazy dinner of mango, cottage cheese, granola and almonds. Send my friend £100 to cover my half for the Airbnb we're staying at for our upcoming trip to Paris!
11:00 p.m. — Have a very chilled evening of reading, watching a few episodes of Friends and replying to messages before falling asleep.
Day Two
06:30 a.m. — Alarm goes off. Morning routine, breakfast (porridge again) and coffee. The sun is shining this morning, so I sit myself in the sun trap corner in my room for a bit.
08:00 a.m. — Makeup and head off to work. I also take the bins out on my way.
12:30 p.m. — Another busy morning! Working with my work BFF today which has been great as I haven't seen them for a couple of weeks. We grab lunch together from the hospital canteen. Spicy lentil soup and a roll, £1.59 (bargain!).
5:30 p.m. — Pack up and leave work. Drag myself to the gym for a lower body + core session. Really not in the mood for it, but I know I'll feel better for going.
7:00 p.m. — I actually feel so much better for going! Head home, shower, make some dinner consisting of chicken sausages, veggies, avocado.
9:00 p.m. — Snack on some chocolate, do a bit of admin work and read a bit of my book (it's getting interesting!) before calling it a night.
Total: £1.59
Day Three
06:30 a.m. — Alarm goes off, morning routine and coffee. Breakfast today is Greek yoghurt, blueberries, mixed seeds, granola and a lot of peanut butter. Have a senior moment and decide to put the radio on.
08:15 a.m. — Do my makeup and hype myself up for a walk to work in the rain.
12:30 p.m. — Meet my aunt for a quick lunch at Joe & the Juice. I order their club sandwich and a flat white. Offer to pay for our lunch but my aunt insists on covering it, which was very kind of her to do so.
5:30 p.m. — Another very busy afternoon! It was just two of us today and there was not even time to go to the toilet! It was one of those afternoons, so safe to say I am knackered. Need to do another mini top up shop, so stop off at the supermarket on the way back and find some really good yellow sticker deals! I also buy some chocolate for one of my managers as they've been really supportive recently and want to show my appreciation, £11.44.
7:30 p.m. — Showered and in my PJs. Feel like having a self-care evening so decide to make myself a nice dinner (steak, veggies, potato, olive oil).
9:00 p.m. — Make myself a tea whilst watching Shrek 2 (suchhhh a comfort watch) and do some research for my upcoming trip to Paris.
Total: £11.44
Day Four
06:00 a.m. — Earlier alarm as I'm at a different hospital today, which is further out, so a longer commute. Morning routine and coffee. Make myself breakfast consisting of eggs, yoghurt and granola (weird combo I know) as well as my packed lunch for later (wrap, cream cheese, avocado, chicken, tomato).
07:30 a.m. — Head to the Tube station to start the first leg of my journey. The commute is 90 minutes door to door, which I hate with a passion, but it's once a week, so I'll survive. Get a message from the head midway through my journey asking if I can go to one of the other sites instead due to colleague sickness. Head back in a bit of a rush!
12:30 p.m. — Mad morning! Absolutely ravenous and really looking forward to a nice lunch break with my colleagues after the pressure of managing a full morning list. I really enjoy my job but when you're down a team member, you really notice the absence of a second pair of hands. Devour my lunch and help myself to a few too many biscuits and a muffin on the snack table lol.
5:30 p.m. — Head to a pub with a couple of my colleagues after work. We have some nice chats and I love bonding with them outside of work. Makes you realise just how human we all are. My drink comes to £6.50.
8:30 p.m. — Shower and wash my hair. See that my sister has called me so I call her back. We chat for a bit about life updates and planning what we'll do together when I head back home next month (can't wait!). Make a pick and mix kind of dinner which is so underrated! Chop up some veggie sticks, cottage cheese, hummus, olives and sourdough bread.
10:30 p.m. — Make a tea, read and watch Friends in bed before falling asleep.
Total: £6.50
Day Five
08:30 a.m. — Alarm goes off. I'm working from home today so I always have a bit of a lie-in. See that I've been charged £2.10 for TfL for yesterday's journey (which normally costs £6.40). Notice that I've also been paid! Split my money across the different pots (rent and bills, fun money, S&S, day-to-day living, regular savings, high-interest savings account). Send my mum £20 to buy one of my dad's birthday presents from me. Roll out of bed, put the coffee on and make breakfast.
12:00 p.m. — Head off to the gym for a whole body workout. Drop off a bag of things at the charity shop on the way. Have a mooch around and they have some nice stuff but resist the urge to buy anything.
2:00 p.m. — Really good gym session! Properly felt the endorphins today! Pop into Waitrose on my way back to get some of my dad's favourite chocolate as it's currently on offer plus some cottage cheese, celery and bagels, £7.20.
5:00 p.m. — Have a really productive afternoon catching up on work admin, watching a couple of lectures, putting on a wash and other flat chores. Have a brief catch-up with one of my flatmates who is also working from home today.
8:30 p.m. — Wake up from my nap lol. Shower, make some dinner (sourdough, cottage cheese, honey, hummus, veggies) and watch a film with one of my flatmates before we both retire to bed.
Total: £29.30
Day Six
08:00 a.m. — It's the weekend, but I still set my alarm quite early. I'm such a morning person, so it doesn't bother me. Have a bit of a lazy morning as I know I'll have quite a busy afternoon. Make a coffee, read my book in the sunshine and make some porridge for breakfast (with peanut butter ofc).
11:00 a.m. — Head out to meet my friend for a coffee and part two of our very informal Greek lesson. He kindly pays for my coffee and we have a good catch up before I throw him into the deep end with some of the Greek words! He's picking things up quickly so I must be a good teacher haha.
2:00 p.m. — Head back for a quick lunch before needing to head back out again later. Make myself a nice chicken sausage salad with celery, apple and hummus. Decide on some Paris stuff with my friend.
4:00 p.m. — Head off to meet another friend for some shopping. Have a look around the shops and there are definitely some nice things I want to try on but the changing room queue is enough to put both of us off. Forget just how busy London is at the weekend! Didn't end up buying anything but made a mental note to look up some of the things online later.
7:00 p.m. —We say our goodbyes and head back. I'm starving by the time I get home so make myself a bagel with a thick layer of cream cheese, eggs, sweet chilli sauce and carrot.
11:00 p.m. — Suddenly feel inspired to have a clear out in my room. Play some Ariana Grande in the background. I'm at it for a good hour before deciding I should probably get ready for bed. Watch a few episodes of Friends before turning off the lights.
Day Seven
09:00 a.m. — Sleep through my alarm this morning, which rarely happens, but I feel so well rested! Read in bed for a bit before checking my phone and I can see I've been charged for yesterday's TfL journey, £4. Put the coffee on and make some breakfast which is Greek yoghurt, blueberries, chia seeds, honey and a very generous serving of peanut butter.
12:00 p.m. — Get changed and decide to head to the gym for an upper body and core session. It's not busy today, which is great! Meet a friend for a walk around Primrose Hill afterwards which was lovely despite the wind.
3:00 p.m. — Head home and I'm desperate to get out of my gym clothes. Shower, strip the bed and put on a wash, hoover my room and contemplate life for a moment on the settee.
6:00 p.m. — Decide to have an early dinner of chicken, veggies, olive oil and potato. Still hungry afterwards so snack on a mango. My dad calls me and we have a nice catch up. As much as I love my independence and living away from home, I do miss the familiarity and my parents so I definitely make more effort now to speak to them.
10:00 p.m. — Hang up my washing and fold the previous one away, make a tea and get ready for bed. Decide to watch Sex and the City in bed and to my surprise don't fall asleep until the end of the film, nearly two hours later!
The Breakdown
Conclusion
"Apart from the £100 I sent to my friend and £20 to my mum, I'd say the rest is pretty representative of a spending week. I give myself a monthly budget to stick to rather than a weekly one, as I find it less rigid. Most of my money goes on food and transport, which is fine and I'm naturally more of a saver, but filling this out has made me realise that I don't actually use much from my fun money pot, even though that's what it's there for. I do love being outside and walking as do a lot of my friends so I naturally do a lot of 'free' things, but due to previous money trauma, I find it quite hard to treat myself sometimes. I also think because of my upcoming trip to Paris, I've been a bit more reserved in my spending as I would like to have a bit of a buffer when we go."