Name: Jamie Gane
Age: 25
Income: £13,000 a year
Occupation: Motivational speaker, athlete, accountant and personal trainer
I was 22 when I had my right leg amputated. Severe plantar fasciitis meant I’d been a full-time wheelchair user since I was 12. By the time I was 16 I just wanted my leg off. It took six years for the doctors to operate as they insisted on waiting until I was older and in a good enough place mentally. I held off until I finished my degree. Afterwards, with a prosthetic leg fitted, the world felt like a different place. I’d not walked in years. Suddenly I was a lot taller and no longer in any pain.
When I was in a wheelchair I discovered a real love for sport. I started to para powerlift and compete in wheelchair racing, and soon found I was good at javelin and discus throwing. I started competing in Tough Mudder [an endurance event series], progressing from walking with crutches to blade running. I now compete in sports internationally and have won the silver medal for adaptive judo at the World Judo Games.
At the time of the surgery I worked as an accountant, but I soon realised I didn’t want to be sitting in an office all day as I’d been in a wheelchair for so long. As soon as the revision surgery was complete, I handed in my notice.
My career took a different path after I was asked to be a guest presenter for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards. Now I speak to schools, colleges and organisations about a wide range of subjects such as disability, discrimination, disability in sport, LGBT issues and perseverance. I share my own personal stories, whether that’s how I lost my leg and what I learnt from it, my perseverance, and how I followed my dream.
Now most of my income comes from working as a motivational speaker, which I’ve been doing full time for a year. I make sure I charge an adequate amount. As you can imagine, it’s quite seasonal, though I’m looking to get more into the corporate world. Earnings from this vary but on average I’ll receive £300 plus expenses for a half-hour talk. In the past year I’ve signed up to Zebedee Management, a talent agency, and have recently worked with them on a project looking at breaking the stigma attached to those with limb differences.
I also work as an accountant for two days a month, which brings me in about £200. It’s good to keep these skills ticking over. And I run a personal training business, which I set up at university. I make about £50 to £100 a month through this.
I regularly rent out my bedroom (I sleep on the sofa) or my whole flat through Airbnb when I’m away competing. I’m booked up about 80%-90% of the time. On average I make about £800 a month. It’s easy income: it more than pays off my mortgage for my one-bedroom flat, which is £300 a month.
I’m quite frugal. When I was a student I worked full time as an accountant, life coach and personal trainer. I didn’t spend any of my student loan – I used the money as a deposit on my flat.
I don’t drink. I don’t go clubbing. I try not to spend much money. I have Amazon Prime and Netflix, but otherwise I keep my expenses very low. I think my frugal nature comes from seeing my mum spend a lot of money when I was growing up, which I didn’t really like.
I prefer to spend my money on training and events. Last year I competed in multiple events such as judo and obstacle course racing in countries like Iceland, Germany, Dubai and the Netherlands. Entering a competition might set me back £1,200. There’s also other fitness costs: I spend £35 a month on the gym, judo membership is £45 a month, and I have a season pass for obstacle course racing which is £500 a year. I also spend £40 a month on a sports massage therapist.
As for savings, I don’t set myself a certain amount. I just know that my expenses are less than my income. I would like to buy another place, but ultimately I love what I do and, if I continue to inspire others to do what they want to in life, then I’m happy.
