The London Diaries: the actor, singer, songwriter and waitress
Job: Actor/singer/songwriter/waitress
Time living in London: 6 years
Area: Finchley
Salary range: Almost impossible to say as it varies so much. Roughly £15k
Relationship status: Single
Rent: £680 per month
Tuesday
Started the day with a 5k run and a hot yoga class as I’m trying to stay fitter and do some regular exercise – it’s easy to feel like you don’t have the time for this sort of stuff when you live in the city and everybody’s always in a hurry, but as the world’s currently ending I thought I might as well go out looking good. I do hot yoga at Fierce Grace, which I highly recommend to anybody (trial month for £40, £90 after that – expensive but so worth it to have found a form of exercise I actually enjoy).
Hit the charity shops and bought a pair of £8 boots and a £2 sports bra – I rarely buy anything new, in fact I can’t remember the last time I did. Sustainable shopping at affordable prices!
Took myself for lunch and took my last opportunity to make use of the ‘Eat Out To Help Out’ scheme. I went to a little handmade pasta place called Emilia’s at St Katherine’s Dock (£12 for a glass of wine and bowl of walnut and mushroom pasta – totally delicious). Then went for a long walk around the area. I never get bored of just walking around London and taking it in.
Went home and set up my new recording equipment to use for home recording and live streaming. This is the new normal for singers really, the only way we can get anything out there or sing for people is online these days. Spent a lot of money to be able to roll with the times…
Did a bit of audiobook prep before bed. Basically I’m recording a book and therefore have to go through the whole thing and annotate it beforehand. It’s a varied lifestyle!
Total spend: £22.
Wednesday
Went to work at Abuelo café in Covent Garden. I know I work there so I’m biased but if you want a new brunch spot, this is your place – very tasty, very instagrammable food. I get free lunches and had the ‘brekkie roll’ (avocado, egg, caramelised onion and prosciutto in a brioche bun – delicious), which would usually cost you £9. Serving people coffee all day can be pretty tiring but ultimately I like my job. As non-creative jobs go, it’s the best I’ve had by a very long way and it all comes down to working with great people. The thing that becomes mentally draining is knowing that as far as your customers are concerned, this is what you do. You’re a waitress. I have to remind myself that it’s ok (and correct) to say ‘singer/actor’ when someone asks me what I do.
Home for catch up TV (Bake Off, obviously), followed by another hot yoga class.
Total spend: £0.
Thursday
Nothing exciting to report! Another day at the café followed by yet more hot yoga.
Total spend: £0.
Friday
At the café until 4pm and then met up with a friend who I hadn’t seen for well over a year. We went to Maxwell’s in Covent Garden, shared two £20 bottles of wine and some £16 nachos. I’m sure it’s quickly becoming clear that right now, while work is limited and times are tough, I’m spending more than I’m earning. I make £9.10 an hour at the café and although I’m still on part-time furlough it isn’t enough to cover all my expenses when my expenses involve a decent amount of socialising and expensive forms of exercise – but that is how I stay sane and so I suppose while I have the savings to support me for a little while, I’m allowing myself a little bit of ‘spending beyond my means’. Right now it’s less about ‘work/life balance’ and more about ‘worrying about my lack of work and watching my industry struggle to survive/life balance’.
Total spend: £28.
Saturday
Another run. Another hot yoga class. Then in the evening I went to visit my friend in Canada Water who’s just bought a puppy – so that pretty much made my entire week. Some cheap socialising – spent £5 on some snacks and dessert and ate some tasty home-cooked food. Whilst staring lovingly into the eyes of a tiny whippet pup, of course.
Total spend: £5.
Sunday
A productive and creative day. Started with another hot yoga class (it’s a pretty great addiction to have), then went to a meeting with the writer/director of a film company I’ve been working with a lot. They’re trying to fund their next feature film (starring me) and I’m going to do a live online gig to kickstart their crowdfunding campaign, so we went over ideas for that. Can’t wait to perform again, even if it’s to 3 cameras.
Then went over to east London for a writing session with some writers/producers. Hoping to start releasing my original music in the new year (and hoping that by then I’ll be able to perform it live to an audience that’s allowed to touch each other).
Total spend: £0.
Monday
Started the day with a run and then went to visit a friend in Northampton (spent £30 on trains to do so and £15 on cider and oven pizzas once I was there – need to get better at the ‘cheap night in’ thing).
Total spend: £45.
Expenditure
Groceries: N/A
Dating: N/A
Rent: £680
Travel: £30
Gym: £40
Dining + Drinks: £60
Clothing: £10
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