Fashion specialist Lucy Bishop, 28, spends about £100 a month on gourmet all-natural frozen dog food for her ex-racing greyhound, Rafiki. She says the dog, who was undernourished when adopted earlier this year, now has radiant fur and healthier skin thanks to the diet.
Bishop recently left a mouse-infested flat in Harringay, where she paid £565 in rent, for a two-bedroom flat in Bermondsey costing £850 plus bills. She now walks two minutes to her office at a vintage fashion auction house, saving on commuting costs that previously took over an hour each way.
Other expenses include about £50 a month on pet insurance, a £45 Hermès silk neck tie for the dog, daily oat milk flat whites, and eating lunch and dinner out every day in Bermondsey, costing roughly £500 a month on food. She also spends about £100 a month on a gym membership and ClassPass.
Bishop says she worries about her finances constantly and has about £2,500 in credit card and overdraft debt, plus two student loans totalling around £40,000. However, she recently made a five-figure profit by spotting a rare piece of vintage that had gone unidentified in another auction, buying it for £180. She plans to put most of the proceeds into savings, possibly a help-to-buy scheme, and pay off debt.
Despite financial pressures, Bishop says quality of life is more important than saving. She could cut back on social life, the gym, or move to a smaller room, but prefers walking to work with her dog and a coffee. 'I consider that money well spent,' she said.
