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Jay and Hollie
My Cash is a collection how individuals spend their cash – and the generally robust choices they should make. Right here, Jay and Hollie, a pair from Liverpool, doc their spending throughout the coronavirus pandemic.
Hollie is 23 and lives together with her dad and mom, whereas her boyfriend Jay, 27, lives at dwelling together with his grandad. They each need to transfer out to hire a spot collectively, however Hollie says she’s an excessive amount of of a spendthrift to save lots of sufficient for a deposit on a flat.
Hollie earns £1,300 a month working for a financial institution. She works 4 days on, 4 days off dealing with calls on fraud, disputes, and normal customer support. Jay works in a bar and earns as much as £16,000 a yr. He was on depart the week of this weblog. Of their spare time, they each love gaming, going to theme parks and doing something spooky – “any stereotypical goth stuff”.
Initially of the week Hollie stated she wasn’t vastly apprehensive concerning the coronavirus danger. She has already had Covid-19 and lives with two individuals who work on Covid wards, so feels extra in danger at dwelling than when she is out and about. However by the top of the week, Hollie’s views had modified.
Hollie and Jay saved their cash diaries earlier than the latest restrictions were announced for Merseyside.
Over to Jay and Hollie…
Hollie: So I’ve began the week by waking up and searching on social media in mattress. Regrettably for somebody who spends loads of effort attempting to not spend an excessive amount of cash on on-line procuring, I occurred to stumble throughout a few adverts for garments that I REALLY favored. I bought a crop high and tote bag from one firm (£33.95) and a crop high and tote bag from one other firm (£38.70). I do know that I actually don’t want two tote luggage and I do not even keep in mind the final time I had the arrogance to put on a crop high… however I actually don’t have any self restraint.
I bought off the bed in an pressing try to get off my cellphone and cease searching garments, and made my approach into the town centre (£2.20 spent on bus fare) to fulfill a buddy for some brunch. On the way in which, I finished off on the nearest store and bought a pouch of tobacco (£20). For brunch, I purchased a vegan membership sandwich, a salted caramel latte with oat milk, a vegan chocolate cake and an iced tea. This got here to £16.80.
Whole spend: £111.65
Jay: We bought the bus into city with Hollie, so I spent £2.20 on the bus fare. I then purchased a pack of cigarette filters, which price £1. I bought myself a margarita pizza and a drink for £4.23 and performed some video games within the arcade while ready for Hollie who was together with her buddy. Then I met up with them to play pool and have a drink. I purchased mine, Hollie’s and her buddy’s drinks, which got here to £9.30.
Whole spend: £16.73
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Jay and Hollie
My Cash
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Hollie: Jay and I made a decision to have a date day in Manchester. I purchased a bottle of kombucha on the practice station as I hadn’t had the possibility to have my morning espresso and was getting fairly cranky! (£3… which made me much more cranky).
After lunch (which Jay paid for) I launched him to my favorite LGBTQIA+ bar and I handled us each to a pint every (least I might do and so they had been solely £2every!). We ended up going to a few extra bars alongside Canal Road, stopping off for a drink in every bar. I paid £5.20 for 2 halves in a single bar and Jay paid within the others. We then ended the evening in a pub near the practice station, the place I paid £10 for 2 pints simply earlier than heading dwelling. We had our masks and hand sanitiser the entire time so we stayed smart.
Whole spend: £22.20
Jay: I booked two practice tickets to Piccadilly Station (£19 for 2). We bought prepared and jumped on the bus into city (£4.40 for 2 bus tickets) and headed straight to the station. As soon as we bought to Manchester, we stopped off at a close-by bar and bought a pint of beer every, which got here to £9.60 altogether. We then walked across the nook to our favorite restaurant, which we had a reserving for at quarter previous twelve. Within the restaurant we ordered two beers every, two burgers, mac and cheese and loaded fries.
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Jay and Hollie
We hadn’t tried among the meals that we ordered but so we determined to halve every little thing to share. All in all, meals price £50.10 (costly however so value it). After we completed our meals, Hollie took us to the Homosexual Village for some drinks. I had not been earlier than and Hollie actually likes among the bars there so we determined to have a bar crawl. Hollie purchased me a few drinks whereas we had been out, so I solely paid for a spirit and a pint for us in a single bar (£6) and a pint every for us in one other (£8.30).
I’ve all the time been cautious and conscious of the Covid dangers, as a result of I dwell with a susceptible particular person, so I take additional precautions with usually sanitising and preserving distance, however working within the hospitality trade I am already in danger as it’s.
Whole spend: £97.40
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Jay and Hollie
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Jay and Hollie
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Jay and Hollie
Hollie: On Wednesday I had deliberate to go go to a buddy for a catch up in a pub we usually go to. I awoke and jumped on the bus straight into the town centre (£2.20). My buddy was already ready for me after I arrived, so I eagerly bought myself a pint of cider (£2.55) and we ordered three small plates of meals to share (£3.75). I purchased myself one other couple of drinks throughout the catch up (£8.20) after which stopped off at a close-by store to purchase some tofu earlier than heading dwelling. While on the store, some vitamin tablets caught my eye, so I ended up spending £1.98 on a block of tofu and £4 on nutritional vitamins for vegans. After I bought dwelling, I watched some TV with Jay and we ordered a takeaway, which he kindly paid for.
Whole spend: £22.68
Jay: I bought the bus into city with Hollie (£2.20) and whereas she met her buddy I finished off at a bar to have a few drinks (£9.40 on drinks). Once we bought dwelling Hollie was going to cook dinner us dinner, however I actually wished a chilly drink and because the retailers had been closed at this level we determined to get a takeaway. I ordered a few cans of sentimental drink and we bought some chips and garlic bread to share (£16.60).
Whole spend: £28.20
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Jay and Hollie
Hollie: At the moment we determined to have a lazy day. I simply wanted to pop to the native store to get some fruit and veg for the remainder of the week so we took a visit across the nook and I spent £16.91 on all the veg and a melon. I used to be planning on cooking us some meals for dinner, however after my mum and stepdad got here dwelling and ordered a Chinese language takeaway, me and Jay bought main meals envy so determined to additionally order one (paid for by Jay).
Whole spend: £16.91
Jay: We spent the day watching TV and gaming. I wasn’t planning on spending any cash right this moment, however Hollie determined that she actually wished Chinese language for dinner so I ordered us a takeaway, which got here to £14.70.
Whole spend: £14.70
Hollie: At the moment was my first day again working (from dwelling) after a stunning six days off, so I awoke an hour earlier than I used to be about to begin work and made myself and Jay some cheese on toast and occasional. I like days when I’m in work, as a result of I simply cook dinner issues that I have already got in the home and I am too busy to spend a lot cash, however on this event I did spend £5 in the direction of a group for a colleague who has not too long ago had a child.
Whole spend: £5
Jay: Hollie was again in work right this moment, so I left her home at about 9:00 and headed again dwelling. I spent the day gaming and watching movies, speaking to Hollie each time she was on her break. I ate meals that I had already purchased from my meals store, so I didn’t spend any cash in any respect right this moment.
Whole spend: £0
Hollie: At the moment was the primary day that I didn’t spend any cash on something in any respect and I’m actually pleased with myself. I awoke and had some honeydew melon and an oat milk espresso for breakfast after which cracked on with work. For lunch, I had some fast noodles with fried greens after which for dinner I made myself some vegan rooster nuggets, onion rings and gravy (random combine, I do know). I then spent the final hour of the day earlier than mattress taking part in just a few video video games.
Whole spend: £0
Jay: I awoke early and did my weekly meals store with my grandad. I ended up spending £38.25 on foods and drinks to final me till subsequent Saturday, after which I headed again dwelling. I made a decision to go meet my finest buddy on the town simply to get out for a bit. I bought the bus into city (£2.20) and stopped off at a close-by store to purchase a can of power drink and a 50g pouch of tobacco (£22.95). Whereas I used to be with my buddy, I ordered a panini and a beer (£3.99). After meals, we moved to a distinct bar in order that we might watch the soccer, and I purchased one other pint for £6. We then moved on to a different bar to fulfill a few of our work associates for a short time. All in all, I spent £23.41 on drinks. I left to go dwelling at about 1:00, and as I had missed the final bus, I spent £9 on a taxi again. After I bought in, I put a movie on and fell straight to sleep.
Whole spend: £105.08
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Jay and Hollie
Hollie: At the moment I awoke and had some melon and occasional for breakfast once more, after which set to work. For lunch, I had some leftover garlic bread from a takeaway that my mum had ordered the evening earlier than with added jalapeños as a result of I like a little bit of spice in my life. I invited Jay over for dinner so he introduced a bag of rice and I made us sushi and vegetable curry (tremendous random combine however we’re so indecisive and could not select between the 2). We ate dinner collectively after which he left once more as a result of I needed to get again to work.
Whole spend: £0
Jay: At the moment I awoke at about 15:00 and determined I’d spend the day watching TV and gaming. I chilled out for a lot of the day, after which Hollie invited me to hers for dinner. She wanted some rice in order that she might make sushi rolls for us, so I finished off at an area store and purchased a bag of rice for £1.99. We ate sushi rolls after which I needed to depart to return dwelling as she needed to proceed with work.
Whole spend: £1.99
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Jay and Hollie
Whole Hollie spent this week: £178.44
Whole Jay spent this week: £264.10
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Jay and Hollie
How do Jay and Hollie really feel about their week?
Hollie: I believe I most likely spent lower than what I assumed I’d spend to be sincere. I believe I did fairly effectively when it comes to not shopping for too many garments or takeaways. It has been a little bit of a actuality examine as to how a lot we spend, particularly on foods and drinks, and that we actually want to chop down if we need to save as much as transfer out any time quickly!
Jay: I used to be paying for many of our issues, in order that’s most likely why Hollie feels as if she’s spent much less. However I believe writing issues down has actually helped us.
Hollie: I had a Covid scare this week, seems it is only a chest an infection but it surely actually put issues into perspective for me and I believe now I might somewhat keep in for a short time. Since doing this weblog, Liverpool has gone into native lockdown so we won’t get buses until going to work and there aren’t any eating places round by us. It is also unlawful for us to enter one another’s homes in the intervening time, so I believe for the foreseeable it will simply be a case of assembly up within the native pub from time to time. It isn’t nice however we make it work – we each ordered a Domino’s on the identical time the opposite day after which simply messaged one another our ideas about it whereas consuming! It is a loopy time for everybody proper now however I do know it is for one of the best. Individuals’s security is much more essential than us going out consuming.
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Jay and Hollie
