Emily Newport said she has often had to rely on her husband financially but hopes to earn a more stable income in the future
In our How I Manage My Money series we aim to find out how people in the UK are spending, saving and investing money to meet their costs and achieve their goals.
This week we speak to Emily Newport, 35, who lives in Bristol with her husband, James, 38, children, Alife, 15, step-daughter Jess, 14, and Jenny, nine, and their Labrador dog, Reggie. Emily works as a freelance designer and quit a stable job a few years ago, prompting her to rely more on her husband financially. Emily is not saving money in a pension and would like to earn £70,000 a year.
Monthly budget
My monthly income: My income has been a bit wobbly this year and isn’t very consistent. I lost a couple of clients earlier in the year, partly because of people cutting back and artificial intelligence tools have also changed what some clients need. On average, I make between £2,500 to £3,500 per month. I usually pay myself £3,000 per month, depending on how much comes in. I also receive £173.20 per month in Child Benefit. I set aside 20 per cent of any business income for tax and national insurance and I keep some aside for courses, networking events and tools. My husband works as a buyer for a construction company.
Our monthly outgoings: Mortgage, £700, council tax, £200; gas and electric, £127.40, water, £55 – these are all paid by my husband. Groceries, £400; service charge for house, £41.41; broadband, £42.99; my mobile, £48.30; son’s mobile, £7; childminder, £55; car fuel, £60; car insurance, £38.75; house insurance, £29.75; dog insurance; £126.04; eating out and takeaways, £150 – we try to keep this as a treat; clothes, £20; day trips, £100. I pay my husband £400 to £600 per month via standing order to cover the shared bills and repay a car he purchased for me. Our family holiday to Italy this summer is costing £7,000 and will mostly be paid for by my husband.
Growing up in Bristol, my dad had a good salary working for Great Western Railway, while my mum did shift work in the care sector. I have four siblings and our parents were always very sensible with money. Debt was a big no-go in our household and I didn’t own a credit card until I was in my mid-twenties.
After having my first child in 2009 and doing various part-time jobs, I started working as a communications manager and personal assistant for a local secondary school. It was part-time and term-time only, and I was paid £749 a month after tax. It was a lovely job, but I really struggled financially and left the role in December 2021. I knew there would be something out there which gave me the freedom to be with my children but still make good money. I didn’t want to rely on my husband and have always wanted to earn my own income.
I spotted an opportunity to complete a fully-funded marketing course at Bath Spa University. I did this and started working as a freelance virtual assistant. It was exciting but terrifying. It was the first time in my life I didn’t have a traditional job as even as a teen mum I’d always worked. I felt huge guilt that I was putting the financial pressure on my husband. He was supportive and I was grateful for that, but it was hard not having my own steady income.
After I left my job at the school, we had to rejig our finances. I moved all my direct debits to my husband and cancelled anything that wasn’t essential, like the gym membership and monthly beauty box subscription. The changes did shift the dynamic in our relationship. My husband is very cautious with money, while my approach can be a bit more carefree. Not having my own money sometimes made me feel like I had to ask permission to spend, which was frustrating. We don’t talk about money often, so I found it hard to admit I was struggling.
I now work as a freelance designer, focusing on websites, landing pages and brand-design assets for service-based businesses. I love it, but my income is variable. I use FreeAgent and spreadsheets to keep everything in order, but it still feels like a lot of work. I pay an accountant to deal with my tax as that side of things stresses me out.
I live with my family in a four-bedroom house near the outskirts of Bristol, which we purchased in 2017 for £250,000. We’ve been lucky with our mortgage as it hasn’t increased.
I don’t have much in savings at the moment. I have a Plum account that auto-saves small amounts, but I often end up withdrawing it when cash flow gets tight. I do save 20 per cent of all income for tax and national insurance.
I’m not adding money to a pension, but I’ve always been told by my dad to prioritise one. It was his number one piece of advice when I got my first job. I contributed to the NHS pension when I worked there and later had one through my school job, so I have two small pensions, but no idea how much is in them.
I do worry about retirement, especially now I’m in my mid-thirties and working for myself. It’s solely on me to make sure I have enough. I’ve mostly worked part-time since becoming a mum, so I know I need to do more.
I’d like to start putting aside regular pension contributions once my income becomes more stable. I need to learn more about pensions as I have no idea how much I’d need to live on in later life or even how much the state pension is. I’m not flashy at all, so I feel like I could survive on whatever money is given me, but also, life is about living, not just surviving.
I think about money every single day. I suppose that’s part of being entrepreneurial as you’re always trying to grow. I’m not overly materialistic, but I am motivated by what money allows me to do. I want to travel, treat my family, give my kids a good start and have breathing space. In an ideal world, I’d love to earn £70,000 a year. That feels like a level that would let me support my family and have some freedom, without needing to constantly hustle.
I’d like to move into a slightly nicer house and be in a position to support my kids in whatever they want to do. For my career, I’m aiming for consistent income with a solid base of retainer clients and more financial stability. Long-term, I’d like to pay myself a regular salary and not feel like I’m winging it every month. I also wish I understood investments more. Perhaps if or when I make more money, that is something I will look into.
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