Women trapped in violent relationships need to know that there's no shame in talking out and walking out on their abusive partners.

I now consider the money I put into my pension to have been a mistake.

I never got into debt because my parents had drummed into me at a young age: if you can't afford it, you can't have it.

There are times when I feel over-rewarded for what I do for a living, especially when I compare what I can earn to what my brother earns as a firefighter.

My number one financial priority is security. Not having to worry about how I am going to meet the bills and not owing anybody anything. I keep my outgoings as low as possible and save as much as I can.

I have a fall-back fund for the quiet months. I am a single working parent and it gets lonely when things are insecure.

At 16, I got a part-time job selling double-glazing door to door. That was soul destroying but the worst part-time job I did was at university working on reception in a sexually transmitted disease clinic. Because no one else wanted to do it, they paid £8 an hour.