In my 38 years I have experienced wealth, poverty and the squeezed middle, where I am at the moment. Growing up, my family ran a pub in our Devon village and I had tennis lessons and everything I wanted. Then when I was 12 my father became ill and we had to squeeze into my grandmother’s council house in Yorkshire.

Only after four years did my mother manage to scrape together enough money to rent a small housing association house. I moved in with my boyfriend and we lived on nothing while juggling college with part-time jobs.

I’m now a single mother of three on £550 a week and I’m about to become the unlikeliest looking grandmother you’ve ever met. Once I’ve paid the bills and taken care of the kids there’s not a whole lot left, but I do spend pretty much all my disposable cash on gaming. In particular it’s Warhammer, which is a war game played with miniatures that you build and paint yourself.

Other games such as Vampire involve buying costumes for live-action role play. Once I spent £300 on a custom-made tailcoat. I reckon I get through £200 a month on painting materials, figures, rule books and storytelling board game versions which are £40 to £60 each.

The gaming is at the expense of holidays. I’ve never been on one with my six- and seven-year-olds because I can’t afford it, but our house is a short walk from the beach so they don’t miss out.

I’ve always worked in retail – first managing a print shop until it closed and then seven years at Ann Summers until I was made redundant in 2015.

A friend who worked in the local community centre suggested I take over the cafe there, and I got the keys four days after losing my job. I was given the first six months’ rent free and used half of my £6,000 redundancy money on furnishing it and buying food.

The cafe turns over about £800 to £900 a week, of which I take home £250. I get another £200 through working and child tax benefits. I had no experience of catering beyond feeding my family, but the cafe has become a life.

At the behest of the council, I set up a social enterprise to help people who are isolated in the community with workshops and trips out two afternoons a week. I receive £100 a week for this and much of my spare time is spent fundraising for it. I’ve also started a pending cafe scheme whereby regulars pay for items which are then saved for homeless people and those in need.

I spend £500 a month on food for the family – some of it from my wholesale suppliers and a lot from Iceland and Aldi where the bargains are, plus a weekly takeaway because I’ve become hooked on curry.

I keep £300 a month aside for extras such as the cinema, the odd toy or McDonalds. I built up a bank balance of £2,000 with the tax rebate from my first year of self-employment and try never to fall below this. The pending cafe scheme has taught me that we are all a few pay cheques away from penury.

My kids have everything that they need and a lot of what they want. We rent a house for £580 a month. I’d love to get on the property ladder but, being self-employed, it’s hard.

I don’t have a car, and since work and school are a walk away I rarely use transport. Water and utilities cost £260 a month – they’re pricey because I’m on a key meter – and council tax is £90. I don’t own a credit card. I make sure all my bills are paid at the beginning of each month and if I don’t have it I don’t spend it, except the £500 I spent on hire purchase for a sofa.

I work hard for what I have because when you’re a single mum no one else is going to put a roof over your head and I want to set my kids a good example. It’s scary sometimes being responsible for three young people, but my philosophy is that life is for living and if something brings you joy and you’re not in debt, treat yourself.

As told to Anna Tims