Love Island’s Gabby Allen: People threw money at me after I was on TV

In our How I Manage My Money series, we aim to find out how people are spending, saving and investing money to meet their costs and achieve their goals. This week, in our celebrity edition, we speak to Love Island star and fitness entrepreneur Gabby Allen, 34, who reveals how her family’s finances changed after her father’s death and how she managed to buy a London flat before she turned 30. What was money like in your household when you were growing up? Both my mum and dad had their own businesses and were grafters. My mum had her own clothes boutique, and my dad had a fruit and veg shop before he moved into property development when I was a teenager. My brother and I always had the best of everything. We both went to private school, and on gorgeous holidays. We had money, but it was through hard work. Shorts I think that’s what’s instilled in both me and my brother. I like to be busy all the time. My manager is always saying, “Chill out,” but I like to know what’s coming in, what I’m doing and where I stand financially. Did things change after your dad died? Yes. Just before I did Love Island, my dad passed away when I was 20, and along with that, there were a lot of money troubles because his business kind of went under and my mum was the guarantor. We basically went from having everything to not a lot. Luckily, I’d got a scholarship to drama school because otherwise it would have been about £50,000 a year. But once I graduated, it was pretty much down to me to look after myself financially. I was working full-time as a waitress while auditioning, and then I naturally moved into the fitness industry because dancing just wasn’t reliable enough. At one point I was teaching between 25 and 40 fitness classes a week, because if you don’t teach, you don’t get paid. There wasn’t any inheritance from my dad. For my 21st birthday I got £2,100, my brother got £1,800, which was really sweet because it was from his estate. Why did you decide to go on Love Island? The producers actually reached out to me. I’d never watched the show before, so I did a bit of research. Instagram was just starting to become a thing, and I had about 1,500 followers. I genuinely thought: “If I get more followers, I’ll be able to charge more for personal training sessions.” I’d literally just got a job teaching spin at Third Space when I got the call. I told them I’d be back in a couple of months. I just never went back. Did you expect the money and brand deals afterwards? Not at all. I used to write little manifestation notes and stick them on my mirror. I remember one of them said, “Gifting from PLT”. I’d done this massive PrettyLittleThing order before I went into the villa and thought maybe one day they’d send me clothes instead of me paying for them. She has run her own fitness business since before the show (Photographer: Anna Fowler) I remember coming out and seeing this mountain of gifts waiting for me. I got a clothing deal with Quiz Clothing doing a Christmas edit with loads of sequin dresses, which is funny because it’s nothing I’d wear now as my style has changed. When you first come off the show, people are throwing money at you because your engagement is so high. I was kind of just thinking, “Take it while it lasts.” How much did Love Island change your finances? The biggest thing for me was that I never had to ask my mum for money again. Instead, I could take her on holiday or buy things for her. She absolutely hates me spending money on her, but it’s such a rewarding feeling because after everything she’d done for me, I finally had the opportunity to give something back. What was the first big thing you bought? A pair of Jimmy Choo shoes. They were about £1,000 and they’re actually wedding shoes. I’ve only worn them once. I was clearing out my wardrobe recently and nearly sold them, but then thought: “No, I’m going to keep them because they remind me of that time in my life.” Maybe one day I’ll wear them when I get married. What’s the best investment you’ve ever made? My house. I bought my London flat before I turned 30 and I honestly never thought I’d be able to own property in London. I don’t know what I’d have done without my mum because she was the one saying: “You need to buy somewhere. You can’t just leave all that money sitting in your account.” Love Island completely changed my life and set me up financially. I’ll always be grateful for that. What’s your biggest money regret? When I first came out of Love Island, I wasn’t really thinking long term. I didn’t have an accountant who was equipped for the kind of earnings I suddenly had. He was my parents’ accountant and, while he was lovely, I don’t think he really knew what to do with someone in my position. I was also just spending. I don’t regret enjoying myself because my dad died at 53 and that’s always shaped the way I think about money. The future isn’t guaranteed. If I’m going to spend money, I’d rather spend it taking my mum to Ibiza than buying something expensive that’s just going to sit in a cupboard. How do you manage your money now? I’m much more organised than I used to be. I’ve got my business account, an ISA, a pension, and I think I’ve got some stocks and shares. I’ve only had my pension for about a year, but I pay into it every month by direct debit. I’ve also got a financial adviser now, and they just tell me what to do. When all your money is sitting in one account, it feels reassuring because you can see the number. Then suddenly you’ve invested it, and that number looks smaller. You have to trust the process and remember it’s working harder for you elsewhere. What’s your long-term financial plan? My goal is to build my own business because that’s recurring revenue every month. Instagram is brilliant, but I see it as the bonus. If you could give your younger self one piece of money advice, what would it be? Find your niche and stick to it. When I first came out of Love Island, I was posting loads of fashion content because that’s what everyone expected. Eventually I realised I wasn’t enjoying it, so I went back to fitness, which is what I’m passionate about.