‘I'm a vet with £150k in cash, but can't afford to buy a house'
It's been almost three decades since Jessica May received the advice that would shape her life forever. Although aged just nine at the time, she still vividly recalls her mother's sage words: 'Do something that you love.'
Growing up on a Herefordshire farm, it didn't take much soul searching to find the answer.
May says: 'I thought, 'I love animals, and I have spent my childhood with animals'. I just decided I'd be a vet there and then.'
Now aged 37, she's already 14 years into the profession she loves – but wants to know if it has set her in good financial stead to achieve her home-buying goals.
May started out as an equine vet in a journey that took her from Kent to Hong Kong, picking up useful knowledge about the horse racing industry along the way. She's now back in the UK, immersing herself in the emerging technology that's revolutionising an age-old profession.
She says: 'I'm in my third startup, which is a very exciting vet diagnostics company. There's a lot of innovation going on.'
With a fulfilling career secured, May's attention has now turned to planning for the future. In addition to buying a house, she'd like to put enough money away to retire – even though she's not convinced she'll ever want to stop working.
'I don't really plan to retire, but I'd like the option and the financial security if I was forced to for some reason,' she says. 'I volunteer as a careers mentor and a vet for the Riding for the Disabled Association. I will fill my time doing something.'
She's already made significant progress financially, with around £150,000 put away in savings and investments. Some is held in Isas, including £12,000 in a Help to Buy Isa, with another substantial sum sitting in a savings account. She also has around £15,000 invested in whisky despite having no interest in drinking it.
Notwithstanding her level of savings, May is still finding it difficult to reach either of her financial goals. She says: 'I have looked at buying a house many times over the years, but I don't think it's actually affordable. That's obviously a bit of a pain point for me.
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Receive personalised tips on how to improve your financial situation, for free. Here's how to apply or fill in the form below. It's been almost three decades since Jessica May received the advice that would shape her life forever. Although aged just nine at the time, she still vividly recalls her mother's sage words: 'Do something that you love.' Growing up on a Herefordshire farm, it didn't take much soul searching to find the answer. May says: 'I thought, 'I love animals, and I have spent my childhood with animals'. I just decided I'd be a vet there and then.' Now aged 37, she's already 14 years into the profession she loves – but wants to know if it has set her in good financial stead to achieve her home-buying goals. May started out as an equine vet in a journey that took her from Kent to Hong Kong, picking up useful knowledge about the horse racing industry along the way. She's now back in the UK, immersing herself in the emerging technology that's revolutionising an age-old profession. She says: 'I'm in my third startup, which is a very exciting vet diagnostics company. There's a lot of innovation going on.' With a fulfilling career secured, May's attention has now turned to planning for the future. In addition to buying a house, she'd like to put enough money away to retire – even though she's not convinced she'll ever want to stop working. 'I don't really plan to retire, but I'd like the option and the financial security if I was forced to for some reason,' she says. 'I volunteer as a careers mentor and a vet for the Riding for the Disabled Association. I will fill my time doing something.' She's already made significant progress financially, with around £150,000 put away in savings and investments. Some is held in Isas, including £12,000 in a Help to Buy Isa, with another substantial sum sitting in a savings account. She also has around £15,000 invested in whisky despite having no interest in drinking it. Notwithstanding her level of savings, May is still finding it difficult to reach either of her financial goals. She says: 'I have looked at buying a house many times over the years, but I don't think it's actually affordable. That's obviously a bit of a pain point for me.
