Money Diary: A 29-Year-Old PA With A Side Hustle Making Candles On 35k
Tags: Money Diary, Salary, Saving, Money, Careers

Money Diary: A 29-Year-Old PA With A Side Hustle Making Candles On 35k Refinery29 UK Follow Dec 8 · 26 min read

By Anonymous

Welcome to Money Diaries, where we’re tackling what might be the last taboo facing modern working women: money. We’re asking a cross-section of women how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period — and we’re tracking every last penny.

This week: “I’m 29, have lived in London my whole life and have just moved to a small village in Surrey. My boyfriend and I bought our first flat together just before lockdown with the majority of the deposit coming from my dad (I appreciate how fortunate I was to get this). I’ve been in my job as a PA for just over seven years now and although I could do my job in my sleep and don’t feel particularly challenged, I love working with such a fantastic group of people and genuinely love going into work on Monday mornings. Very grateful to still be in full-time employment this year.”

Industry: Property

Age: 29

Location: Surrey

Salary: £35,000 with a bonus of around £10,000 annually.

Paycheque amount: £2,020 after pension, NI and student loan deductions.

Number of housemates: One, my boyfriend, A. All bills/mortgage are split equally between us.

Housing costs: Mortgage £510

Utilities: Circa £200 each

Loan payments: £139

Transport: Used to be free but now have to split fuel costs with A as we commute together, circa £40 for fuel and circa £120 for buses and Tubes.

Phone bill: My mum pays, don’t @ me.

Other: Spotify £4.99, gym £35, Netflix: I sponge off my sister’s account. She always used to steal my clothes so when she drunkenly told me her password one evening, I jumped straight on that.

Savings? Currently back to £3,000 after using savings to go towards the flat deposit.

Laser hair removal: I have £120 left on the balance which will be payable after my fourth session. I’m seriously impressed with the results already and I’m still trying to convince my boyfriend to pay for half as he’s the one who gets to enjoy it.

Online PT: £120. I used to be a keen gym-goer but since gyms reopened I’ve felt uneasy about going in them, even with the reduced numbers. Somehow I can see germs crawling all over the equipment! I’ve kept my membership up though as I currently alternate one week on, one week off. My online PT is fab, we do weekly check-ins and she keeps me on track and accountable for my diet and fitness, and I’m really impressed with the results so far.

Credit card: Currently £500 on my Amex. I started making soy wax candles at home a few weeks ago to sell in an attempt to save more money and my supplies arrived two weeks ago. I’m hoping the initial hit of money will be made back within the next few weeks, I have already made £100 in sales in the last few days so keeping everything crossed.

Day One

8.20am: I’m working from home this week which means a two-hour lie-in compared to when I’m working in the office as we normally have to commute from deep, dark Surrey to London. My alarm goes off just as my boyfriend, A, kisses me on the cheek on his way out to appointments. The cat is snuggled up on my chest and it takes every ounce of willpower to get out of my warm cocoon and into ‘business up top, lounge down below’ attire ready for my morning calls. I feed the cat because he is shouting at me for his breakfast.

9am: First team call over, I carefully make two bergamot and patchouli candles that were ordered last night (it has taken me a week of extensive testing to get the melted wax to behave when setting and I’ve now got it downnnnn and am so happy with them). It’s also a good excuse to get up from my kitchen table that was definitely not designed for the work-from-home setup.

9.35am: I carefully bubble wrap, handwrite a note and pack two candles that were made a few days ago; one for my best friend and one for an influencer who is vegan and loves candles and has agreed to promote my business for free on her Instagram so I am super happy. I take time making sure that the packaging is PERFECT.

10am: Time for my second workout of the week. As I’ve only got a few dumbbells and lightweight kettlebells I have to seriously increase my reps in order to feel the burn as much as I do when I’m in the gym using heavier weights. The 45-minute session passes by in a flurry of shoulder presses, press-ups, lateral raises, tricep dips, burpees (they seriously never get easier) and renegade rows. These make me feel like vomming in a good way. When I’m done I take my weekly progress pictures for my trainer and compare them to last week’s — definitely looking stronger!

10.50am: Hop in the shower. A month ago I Braved The Shave for Macmillan and I’m now rocking a buzzcut which has seriously changed my morning routine. It takes me literally two minutes to shower, shampoo (with HASK coconut shampoo) and shave my legs, then I chuck on some moisturiser (Drunk Elephant Protini), get changed into jeans and a sweatshirt and head out to the post office to post my candles. £6.20 for postage.

12.30pm: After another hour of calls I’m suddenly ravenous so I heat up a bowl of broccoli-stilton soup that A made yesterday and have it with a plain ham wrap because I have to up my protein intake on this fitness plan. Yum.

2pm: Another afternoon of calls and diary management, and I realise I’m running out of vape liquid. I buy this in bulk to save money and only need to get some every two/three months. I know it’s not the healthiest habit but since quitting smoking eight years ago I’ve found it so hard to stop vaping and it’s helped massively with my stress levels because #2020. £43.75

2.30pm: I buy 500ml of mince pie candle oil to make my candle range more seasonally appealing. I’m not one for sweet-smelling candles but the reviews are fantastic and it’s the kind of gift (I’m hoping!) people will buy as stocking fillers and Secret Santa presents. This amount should make 25 candles. £28.99

5pm: A has been obsessively watching Rick Stein and gets inspo for a sea bass dish to make for dinner tonight (which we have so much of in our freezer from his fishing trip a few weeks ago) so he heads out to get the ingredients for it: lentils, cabbage, pancetta, chicken stock, ale and shallots. He pays as I bought the last few top-up shops.

6pm: Finished work! I celebrate by pouring a Clean Gin and slimline Fever Tree tonic. This drink has changed my life over lockdown. When we were first told to stay home, I found adjusting to working from home really difficult and would always end up pouring a G&T to signal the start of my evening. One drink became two, two became three etc… After a few weeks of getting into that habit I found my anxiety and depression were really bad. I came across an ad on Instagram for Clean Gin, which has a very low alcohol percentage and tastes delicious, and now I feel like I’m still having a grown-up drink just without the awful hangover the next day.

7.30pm: Sea bass time and it doesn’t disappoint — god bless you, Rick.

8.30pm: After some snuggles on the sofa with A and the cat, I run myself a bath and light a few of my candles (perks of the job). Having a buzzcut means I don’t have to worry about getting my hair wet in the bath anymore and I slip down into the bubbles with the new Lisa Jewell book (Invisible Girl). I finished The Fall last week which used to be my go-to bath binge but my eyes are very grateful for the blue-light break.

9.30pm: Nicely chilled after my bath, I pop a mirtazapine (I have been taking 30mg before bed for about two years, and have been on and off other antidepressants for 11 years — this particular pill helps me to have an uninterrupted night’s sleep, which I really struggled with before my GP recommended it), tone my face with Simple toner, slather on Drunk Elephant marula oil and crawl into bed. A joins me shortly after, *insert whatever euphemism Money Diary readers can tolerate* and it’s lights out for us all.

Total: £78.94

Day Two

7am: I wake up to the cat sitting on my chest, shouting at me for his breakfast again. His little meows start off really quiet and sweet (which I try to ignore) but after two minutes of not responding to him, he starts walking up and down my body and the meows get harder to ignore. At least I know I won’t need an alarm clock if my phone decides to die on me in the night. I feed the beast and then go back to bed for snuggles with A for another hour and a half before my real alarm goes off. The cat joins us again after he’s eaten and lies in the middle of us in a food-drunk coma. I manage to drift off to sleep again.

8.45am: First call of the day. This one doesn’t require participation from me so I mute myself and make a cappuccino and oats with peanut butter, frozen berries and a scoop of chocolate brownie protein powder. I catch sight of my hair in the microwave and it’s sticking up in so many different directions, I look like Oliver Twist.

9.45am: That was a long call and 70% of the contents could have been shared in an email. Sigh.

10am: A heads out on appointments for the morning and I contemplate putting on my workout gear to go for a run but it’s grey and miserable and definitely not a day for outdoor activities. I have a malted milk biscuit, make a cup of lemon and ginger tea and bring my laptop over to the sofa to crack on with some emails while snuggled up in my favourite blanket.

11.30am: I wrap up and package my two candles I made yesterday and write a little note to go with them to thank the buyers for their support. I get so excited knowing other people will get to enjoy my candles!

12pm: I brave the rain in what can only be described as a fisherman’s cagoule (I look utterly ridiculous), grab my mask and head to the post office to post today’s candle deliveries. The guy in the post office is so excited for me and my new orders — you just don’t get this community spirit living in London and it is without a doubt the best thing about moving to a village. £6.20

12.35pm: My mum is coming to stay with us on Friday (she lives on her own so A and I are her ‘bubble’) so I strip the bedding in the spare room, pop it in to wash so that it dries in time and try to tidy up the candle paraphernalia that has taken over the bedroom. It might look messy but at least it smells like a spa in there.

1pm: Another call. This time I have to contribute so I quickly slap on some Max Factor Masterpiece mascara (the only mascara I will ever, ever use) and plaster a smile on my face for the camera. Must…Look…Professional. The meeting flies by and it’s actually really good to see a lot of my colleagues who I haven’t been able to see in person for seven months. The next happy hour we go to whenever we are allowed out in large groups is going to be savage.

4.30pm: I’ve managed to sort out my inbox, reply to most of the emails I’ve received this afternoon and am feeling very organised and on top of my workload! I’ve also started a presentation that I need to work on over the next few days about marketing strategies. Just as I finish up and in perfectly timed style, my downstairs neighbour, D, knocks on the door to see if I fancy a coffee in the stairwell. We started this tradition in lockdown 1.0 and it was a great way of making friends while being socially distanced. Two of my neighbours are elderly and it was lovely to be able to give them some interaction when we were all cooped up at home, at a safe distance of course. We had spaced-out summer BBQs, drinks and parties when there was a lockdown birthday and we are now all really good friends. Another reason to love living in a village. Plus there are always people around to sign for packages now.

6pm: Finished! I’m a creature of habit so I pour myself another Clean Gin and slimline tonic and settle in to catch up on last week’s Great British Bake Off. It’s chocolate week and I sit on the sofa watching through my eyes, my heart rate at 120 bpm. This show will never not be stressful. I can’t be the only one who’s obsessed with Lottie’s levels of sass?

7pm: It’s dinnertime and A’s obsession with Rick Stein continues. Today’s seafood delight is moules marinière with a cream, garlic, parsley and shallot sauce with a huge French baton on the side. *Kisses chef style* It is très bon and I am feeling very full and French when I’m finished.

8pm: Time to indulge in a little more Lisa Jewell before taking my meds. I cleanse and tone my face, cover myself in DE marula oil and I’m asleep before 9.30pm. Rock ’n’ roll lives here.

Total: £6.20

Day Three

2.30am: I wake up, confused as to why A and the cat aren’t in bed. I stumble into the living room and they are both fast asleep on the sofa. A’s been having trouble sleeping recently because of work stresses and I quite often find him in the living room. I hate falling asleep to the TV — the light and sound drives me insane — but A can’t sleep without it so we take it in turns to fall asleep to Attenborough documentaries (with the brightness turned right down) and just listening to sounds of the sea or rainforest, which I love. Still, at least he’s trying to be considerate and watch TV in the living room. I go back to bed and make the most of starfishing in the bed on my own.

8.30am: Alarm goes off and I’m unsurprised to find myself on A’s side of the bed.

10am: After an hour of morning calls with various teams, I make myself some scrambled eggs on toast with lashings of butter and then get started on tidying the flat and putting away the washing and making my mum’s bed for tomorrow. My dad is coming over today to fit some shelves in our storage cupboard and hang some pictures up. At nearly 30 years old, is it still acceptable to call my dad to help with DIY issues? I probably should know how to do this stuff but now that he’s retired he likes to feel useful, so I’m happy to oblige! (He also lives on his own so we are his support ‘bubble*’ too, in case anyone questions our COVID responsibility.)

10.45am: Back to my desk for more emails, I work some more on my presentation from yesterday and then my dad does his usual ‘three rings’ to let me know he is half an hour away. Does anyone else’s dad do this?!

11.20am: Dad has arrived and it’s so good to see him. He is armed with his DIY kit, some snacks from Aldi for me and A and even has some goodies for the cat. He’s a treasure and I’m so sad that we don’t live near each other anymore. We catch up, he tells me that my grandma (who has been in a home for three years) is doing great and has made some new friends who are the new staff at the old people’s home. I was so worried about her during the first lockdown when there were horror stories of old people’s homes getting infected but her home managed to come away unscathed.

2pm: We now have shelves and pictures on the walls! I offered to help my dad but he insisted I crack on with my work and let him get on with it. It’s so nice having him around and I’m super grateful for having such an incredible, hands-on dad.

2.15pm: We tuck into the snacks that we were given earlier and take my dad to the pub in the village to say thank you. I feel guilty as I’m still on the clock but I haven’t seen my dad since August so I text my boss to let him know I’ll be popping out for a while and he tells me to go and enjoy myself. £12.75 for drinks.



6pm: Back at the flat and it looks so much better now that our pictures are up on the wall. It’s cosier somehow and I’m so pleased that’s the last thing on the list of DIY jobs to do around the flat (for now).

7.10pm: We order pizzas from the outdoor pizza stall in the village square. They are open once a week and are the thinnest, crispiest, most flavourful Neapolitan pizzas I have had outside of Naples. £32 for three pizzas, I’m treating Dad for all of his hard work today.

7.40pm: Pizzas devoured, my dad heads back home. I run myself another bath with Lisa Jewell for company, take my meds and then we are all tucked up in bed watching Frozen Planet by 8.30pm. Bliss.

Total: £44.75

Day Four

6.30am: The usual wake-up call from The Beast. I feed him and then go back to bed to spoon A until my alarm goes off.

8.40am: Managed to snooze through my first two alarms and realise I have five minutes to log into my computer and sign into Microsoft Teams to make the morning call I have to take minutes for. I am two minutes late and in my rush I forget to turn my camera and microphone off — all 20 of my senior colleagues on the call get to see my bed hair and dressing gown combo. Quickly turn the camera off and put myself on mute. Shit. Shit shit shit. At least I was wearing clothes? Try to regain composure and spend the next 40 minutes frantically writing notes which I’m praying I can decipher when the call ends. I’m really flustered and embarrassed and finding it hard to concentrate on all the figures flying around but I manage to regain composure and make some sort of sense with my notes. Hopefully they all found it funny…

9.30am: My boss calls me and laughs down the phone, it’s the first time he’s seen my hair so short since shaving it off and he thought someone had hacked into my computer! Lol. We catch up, run through the list of outstanding points I’ve noted down for this week and make a plan for next week which will be easier as I will be office-based and will have a printer and scanner handy. It’s been so hectic at work recently that it’s been hard to find time to catch up properly, and the longer my list of things to do gets, the more anxious I become. I hate carrying things over to the next day.

11.30am: Minutes typed up and after some more work on my presentation, A and I head out to Aldi to do a food shop. My mum will be staying tonight and I’m going to make steak, garlic rosemary potatoes, béarnaise sauce and I had planned to finish off with a crème brûlée but I check myself, realise I’m definitely no Delia Smith and settle for a homemade tiramisu instead. We write a list before leaving as we are both known for sneaking things into the trolley that we absolutely don’t need and I’m trying to be super economical as I’ve spent a small fortune on candle supplies this month.

12.45pm: Unpack the shopping. Items included in the shop were: various veg for slow cooking this weekend, rump steaks, chicken thighs, mascarpone cheese, ladyfinger biscuits, high-protein yoghurt, salad, tomatoes, figs, couscous, pasta, chickpeas, manchego and red, red wine. £48.92 for my half.

1pm: Check my Lotto account and I’ve won £10 on Thunderball, woohoo!

3pm: I promise I do work when working from home! I’ve managed to make some good progress on my presentation, collate the weekly figures from everyone and make a tiramisu that I hope my mum will be proud of! She’s Italian and is my biggest fan and my worst critic. The cocoa powder has managed to get everywhere but it looks authentic enough and I’m pretty pleased with myself. I also whizz up a quick salsa verde for the steaks later: tarragon, parsley, basil, a lot of garlic, capers, olive oil and salt.

4.30pm: Finish up work for the afternoon and hop in the car to pick my mum up from the local station. It’s absolutely pouring with rain and we manage to pull up at the station just as my mum is walking out of the exit.

5pm: Get home, Mum unpacks her things and gets into her pyjamas (another trait that I have definitely inherited from her! Bra off, tracksuit on and makeup off ASAP). We catch up over a G&T and my heart is so full and happy, it’s so good to see her! Mum mentions that the Royal Albert Hall is putting on socially distanced performances of The Nutcracker so I quickly book two tickets for the afternoon showing on New Year’s Eve. It wouldn’t be Christmas without seeing the show and I haven’t been for at least five years. Very excited for A to see it as he’s never been to the ballet before. £101

7.30pm: The steak and tiramisu are a success! Mum says the tiramisu is every bit as delicious as the one my nonna used to make and I’m over the moon. And so full I feel sick. But I keep eating tiramisu until my sides hurt because it’s what a good Italian would do.

Midnight: We have played a million games of Shithead and Chase the Ace and we’ve laughed until we cried. I always do this when we’re together and I go to bed still very full, quite drunk and the happiest I’ve felt in a very long time.

Total: £149.92

Day Five

6am: The Beast shouts at me for breakfast, and I am very hungover. I poke A and tell him to be a good cat dad and feed him.

9am: I blearily wake up to smell coffee and hear laughter from the kitchen — seems like A and my mum have been awake for a while. I get out of bed, guilty that I’ve slept in when I’m supposed to be entertaining, and get in on the coffee action. The cat is running around chasing a laser pen and I get to work on making bacon sandwiches. My mum is currently doing intermittent fasting and told (read: bored) us all about it yesterday. She normally has a boiled egg for breakfast, almond milk with milled chia for lunch and then basically gorges on cheese, hams and whatever else she fancies eating for dinner and is somehow still losing weight? I prep enough bacon for me and A and start to boil Mum up an egg when she walks in to say how much she would love a bacon sandwich! As we only have enough bacon for me and A, I die a little inside and offer her mine (which she scoffs) and I settle for soggy Weetabix instead. What a sad start to the day. After breakfast we get ready to go for a long walk and show Mum the woods around our village which look particularly beautiful at this time of year.

11.15am: We stop at the local bakery to pick up a poppy seed cobb loaf for us to have with baked camembert when we get home. Apparently, Mum isn’t intermittently fasting today…

2.30pm: Home and wiped out after that walk! We collected lots of autumn leaves and acorns for me to use for my candle photos that I’ll take next week, and I stick the oven on to bake the camembert. I bought some ghost-shaped crumpets from the Co-op which I couldn’t resist. £1

3.15pm: As tempted as we are to snooze after that cheesy carb fest, we have to leave to drop my mum back at the station as she has to get home to feed her cat. I’m sad that she has to go so soon after getting here but we promise that we’ll see each other soon and I give her a big bear hug and try not to cry. I feel so sad whenever I have to say goodbye to her! The dream would be to buy a house in the future with an annex so we could keep her around all the time but A doesn’t know this plan yet and I’m not sure how he’d feel about being stuck with the two of us, despite them getting on so well…

4pm: We are home and flaked out on the sofa. Decide to watch the new Borat movie as it’s been hyped up so much and I’m sad to say I find it very average. I’m hoping it manages to shake up Trump’s campaign a bit but sadly he’ll probably stay president for a good few years to come.

4.40pm: I get a notification from my website to say a close friend, M, has bought one of my candles! I pour her order and handwrite a note to say thank you and that I’m missing her a lot. She had a baby in April and I still haven’t met her yet as we’ve both been so busy with work and she moved to Brighton earlier this year.

6.30pm: Apparently all I want to eat today is cheese and carbs so I rustle up a homemade macaroni cheese, which only takes about 15 minutes. I make a basic cheese sauce with butter, flour, mustard powder, garlic and milk, then chuck in half a block of grated mature cheddar. I mix some of the cheese with breadcrumbs, crumble it on the top and then bake it for 25 minutes until it’s bubbling on top. I drizzle mine with sriracha and finish off my gluttonous meal with leftover tiramisu. I normally eat so well during the week that I let myself indulge a little at the weekends, although I dread to think how many calories I’ve eaten today.

8.30pm: We’ve watched Catchphrase and The Chase and I’m at the point now where if I watch another Saturday night game show I’ll probably throw something at the TV so I go and brush my teeth, take my meds and crawl into bed. I love going to sleep in a dark, silent room so I’m asleep within minutes and don’t even hear A and the cat join me a few hours later.

Total: £1

Day Six

6.30am: The cat does his usual shouting at me thing so I feed him his breakfast, mix some mashed steamed veggies into it (because this cat eats like a little prince) and go back to bed to snuggle with A for a few hours. After finishing his breakfast, the cat comes to lie on my chest and I fall asleep listening to his gracious sweet little purrs.

9am: I wake up feeling like I’ve had another night’s sleep and it feels so much later than it should be. It only hits me that the clocks have gone back when I look at my obligatory ‘the clocks have gone back’ text from Dad. I make porridge with frozen sour cherries, peanut butter and chocolate protein powder, have a cup of tea and then get in the shower to get ready. We’re heading into Guildford so I can get Dolly Alderton’s new book, Ghosts, and A wants to get a few more pairs of chinos for work.

9.45am: I put a full face of makeup on for the first time this week. I use Laura Mercier’s tinted primer as a foundation as I have fairly good skin and never need full coverage, use Max Factor bronzer on my cheekbones and add a swipe of Rimmel liquid eyeliner and finish off with Max Factor Masterpiece mascara. I put a quick wash on as I need my favourite underwear for next week (I swear by Hanky Panky thongs — they’re one size and so comfortable!) and then get changed into Zara jeans, my favourite Tommy Hilfiger Looney Tunes edition hoodie and throw some Converse on for good measure.

11am: I’ve been into Waterstones to pick up my book and A treats me to a coffee from our favourite coffee shop just off the high street down a little cobbled lane. I get a decaf cappuccino because coffee doesn’t agree with me since my anxiety has got worse over the first lockdown. It’s delicious.£14.99

11.10am: I get an Insta notification from my influencer friend I sent a candle to the other day; she’s posted my candle on her stories and five minutes later my first Etsy order comes through! I’m so happy and very grateful for the free exposure.

1.30pm: I pick up a Mexican three-bean wrap from M&S because it’s my favourite ‘treat’ lunch whenever I go there, and resist the urge to buy one of the cute borg coats they have on display. They just look so snuggly but I’m running out of extra space now in the flat as I have candle making supplies EVERYWHERE. £3

2pm: We head back to the car and decide to take a drive around the surrounding countryside near Box Hill. The autumn colours are spectacularly impressive and we are in awe of how beautiful Surrey is and so grateful to live in this incredible county.

3.10pm: Back at the flat and I get started on my candle order from Etsy. I pour the candle and handwrite another note to go with it, thanking them for their business and asking if they wouldn’t mind leaving me a review when it arrives. I’m quickly learning that Etsy isn’t the easiest place to sell products as there are so many candle makers on there, so I’m hoping reviews will make a difference to my shop. I also pack up the candle I made yesterday, ready for the post office tomorrow.

4pm: A is watching Levi Roots on TV and decides we’re going to have jerk chicken for dinner. He heads to the Co-op to get some yoghurt as the jerk paste we have in the cupboard is absolute fire.

6pm: Even smothered in yoghurt the chicken is borderline inedible and I’m not looking forward to the pain tomorrow, if you know what I mean. My heart is racing and I feel like I’ve just run 10k so I dive into the last portion of tiramisu in an attempt to cool my poor tongue down and plop down in front of the TV. Great success. (Borat has clearly rubbed off on me!)

7.30pm: I decide to run a bath and finish off my Lisa Jewell book. It’s definitely not as captivating as The Family Upstairs but still very readable. I’m so excited to start Ghosts in bed shortly.

9.30pm: I’m a good quarter of the way through Ghosts already and I force myself to stop reading so that I can make it last longer. I love Dolly’s writing style, and nearing my 30s it’s a really relatable read. (Not the ‘being single bit’ but the ‘having friends who have started to have babies and the excuses they make on nights out’ bits). So funny.

10pm: I take my tablet and it’s lights out just after 10. It’s my week in the office from tomorrow and I’m already dreading the 6am alarm.

Total: £17.99

Day Seven

5am: Oh how I wish I was able to sleep until my 6am alarm, eating my words now! The cat wakes me up with a fright as he’s trying desperately to cough up a furball on my chest and I’m terrified he’s choking. After getting the furball up and sluicing my chest down in the bathroom, there’s no way I’m getting back to sleep so I feed him half his breakfast super early and will feed him the other half just before we leave to go to work. I also realise it’s payday, woohoo! I pay off £250 on my Amex and will pay off the remainder as and when my orders come in. £250

5.45am: I’m showered and have a full face of makeup on already (the same routine as yesterday). I make a decaf espresso and start packing up my candle order from yesterday. I then get a low-down stomach rumble and without oversharing, have a very bad time in the bathroom. I make a mental note to throw away that jerk paste ASAP. A is also up and doing the exact same in the other bathroom, and I can’t stop laughing at this horrible situation. You know you’re in a long-term relationship when you can graphically describe bathroom activities to each other — does anyone else do this?!

6.45am: I’ve read some more of my book, packed my lunchbox (plain chicken thighs, half a baked sweet potato and sweetcorn), had another trip to the bathroom and also had a cup of lemon and ginger tea to help settle my stomach. I feed the kitten the other half of his breakfast which he gratefully wolfs down and we’re out of the door by 7.10am.

8.30am: I manage to get into the office bang on time, only just remembering that it’s half term this week and there aren’t any schoolchildren to take up space on buses. A drives me halfway and then I get a bus for the remainder of the journey. £1.50 for the bus.

8.45am: I pop to Tesco to get some blueberries and raspberries for my protein porridge and go to the post office to post yesterday’s orders. £10.20

12.45pm: I’ve had a busy morning at work and it’s been really nice to catch up with my colleague who I haven’t seen for a week. I sit down to have my lunch and then take a 20-minute walk around the block to stretch my legs and get some fresh air. I always feel like a new person when I come back into the office after doing this.

3pm: I get changed into my gym stuff and head down to the local gym to do a 40-minute leg session. I make sure to sanitise before entering and do a weights-only workout which includes kettlebell swings, deadlifts, glute bridges, reverse lunges and plank variations. I’m not overly sweaty by the end of it and don’t bother showering when I’m finished as I’ve become a bit of a germophobe and don’t want to use a shower someone else has used. I appreciate I’m very lucky to be able to do this during my workday — my employers take mental health very seriously and encourage us to take regular exercise breaks throughout the working week.

4.10pm: I’ve had two more candle orders from Etsy, woohoo! Looking forward to getting home so I can get started on those and take my time on them to make them absolutely perfect.

6pm: It’s been a busy afternoon as my colleague has been out and about all afternoon and I have been trying to work on my presentation and pick up the phones. I tidy my desk and head out to meet A at a local station so that we can drive back to Surrey together. I check my online banking on the train and see that I’ve been paid £45 from some recent candle sales so I use the money to pay off a bit of my credit card balance. £3.40 for the train.

7.10pm: We’re home and I get started on making my candle order. I have just enough wax to make them so I place another order on Amazon which will hopefully arrive tomorrow. £33.70

7.45pm: The candles are poured and smelling beautiful, so I try and think of what to make into a pasta dish from the veg we have left in the fridge. I decide on a simple mushroom, garlic, white wine and cream sauce and serve it with farfalle pasta and some grated parmesan for good measure.

8.30pm: I handwrite some more cards to go with my candles that I will pack up for delivery in the morning, and brush my teeth when I’m finished to stop myself eating something sweet (this trick works 50% of the time). A and I decide to have an early night and get ready for another early alarm tomorrow, which hopefully won’t be another furball at 5am.

Total: £298.80

The Breakdown

Food/Drink: £101.67

Entertainment: £115.99

Clothes/Beauty: £0

Travel: £4.90

Other: £375.04

Total: £597.60

Conclusion

“I feel like I’ve spent more than normal this week on candle-making supplies but working from home definitely means I spend less during the week as I’m not tempted to pop to the supermarket just to get out of the office. I definitely need to make more of an effort to use up more food in the fridge/cupboards before going out to the supermarket and am really trying to rein in my clothes shopping habit, which I seem to have kicked this week! Hopefully the candle orders keep coming in and I am able to pay off the remaining £250 by the end of this month.”