I lead a very different life now to that of my 20s and 30s, when I used to run bars and club nights and I over-consumed. Sex, parties, drugs, alcohol and cigarettes – you name it, I exhausted it all. I must have spent about £100 a week on cigarettes alone.

Everything changed after I was seriously assaulted and ended up in hospital. That was the turning point. I’m not blaming myself, but I would have handled the situation better if I hadn’t been so drunk. After that, I completely changed my life. Now I don’t smoke, do drugs or drink alcohol. The amount of money it has saved is phenomenal – I didn’t realise how much I was spending on my excesses.

Now I work as a lecturer and tutor, teaching English and preparing students for exams. I absolutely love my job. I spend half the year in Margate, where I moved to last year, and the other in Asia, teaching in places such as Thailand, Laos and Taiwan. My income varies depending on the contract – some months I might earn £1,000, others £2,000. I am poor, but all these things are relative, and I work with people in Asia who are a lot poorer. I’ve learnt to be frugal.

In Margate I live in houseshares, which cost about £400 a month including bills. I cycle to work. Most of my income goes on food – I spend about £40 to £80 a week. I eat a lot, maybe four to five meals a day. I buy fresh fruit and vegetables, and I follow mostly a vegan diet. I’ll eat out twice a week, say brunch or dinner, but it only comes to about £20 as I don’t drink. When I’m working in Asia, the university will usually pay for my flights and accommodation so I’m able to save. I do have about £24,000 of student loans to pay back, which I accumulated as a mature student during my English literature and creative writing degree.

I do worry about money – it’s in the back of my mind. Although I always try to have about £500 in savings, I don’t like the fact that I don’t have a pension or my own house. But I don’t wake up thinking about it.

Also, because I’m not a big spender and I’m not in debt (other than my student loan), I don’t feel the trappings of that life. Many people get trapped in the idea that to enjoy life, you have to have certain things … a house, a good job, a car, nice clothes. I disassociate myself from all that.

I’m single, don’t have a family or my own house. Although that might not sound positive, it has an affirmative impact on the way I see the world. I feel very OK with that – I don’t need things. A very strong part of my philosophy is to lead a minimal life. I have two suitcases with everything in.

Songwriting and performing as Tommy Poppers is my love, my passion and my catharsis. I cherish my two ukuleles which I can take everywhere with me. I have patrons and sponsors who help me record my music and pay for music videos, which cost about £1,000 a time. I sometimes perform locally at places such as the Tom Thumb Theatre, and at bars in Asia, but I don’t make money. It’s a zero-sum game.

Due to a pre-existing health condition, I’m saving for stem cell treatment. I can’t get it on the NHS, but in Bangkok it’s about £6,000.

It might sound depressing, but I’m looking to save money for assisted end of life, which will cost about £4,000 to £6,000. Choosing when you want to die is a personal choice, and it’s liberating. I’m also quite realistic that I don’t have that many working years left, I don’t have a pension, and I don’t think the state pension will exist [in the future].

As for now, I lead an incredibly rich life. I’ve travelled the world, have lots of friends, and I spend a lot of my free time helping out at Margate Pride. Wherever I live in the world I’m always involved in the community and voluntary projects. I’ve learnt that I don’t need a house full of stuff to make me happy. I just need my ukulele and a sailor suit.

We are keen to hear how you spend it: maybe you’re a “squeezed middle” just about coping financially; someone who has invested wisely; or a young adult saving furiously for a home. If you would like to appear in this column, contact spend.it@theguardian.com

