Personal Finance
A set of blog posts which broadly discuss personal finance – from saving and investing through learning how to negotiate a pay rise and how to be more intentional with your money.
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Why additional contributions into a large portfolio don’t matter
In the early years of your investment journey, progress feels slow. Every pound saved is hard-earned, and the gap between where you are and where you want to be feels enormous. But as the portfolio grows, there’s a moment in the journey when things begin to feel different. Compounding begins to take hold, giving your…
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How long does it take to reach £200k invested?
If £200k is the point where investing starts to feel different, the natural question is: How long does it actually take to get there? In the early years, this can feel like the hardest part of the journey. Your investment growth is driven more by your savings rate and consistency than compound interest. Progress can…
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Why £200k is investing’s magic number
In the early stages of investing, progress feels painfully slow. You’re putting money aside each month, investing consistently into the market and doing all the right things – but the results don’t always feel meaningful. £5,000 becomes £10,000. £10,000 becomes £25,000. Yes, it’s progress, but it doesn’t quite feel life-changing. Building an investment portfolio that…
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Vanguard’s Four Key Principles for Successful Investing
I’ve referred to these in a few past blog posts, but I thought I’d give Vanguard’s four key principles for successful investing their own post, since they have had such a profound impact on my own investing psychology. These principles are intended for building long-term wealth. They are not a get-rich quick scheme (and any…
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How to Make the Most of Your Workplace Pension
One thing that really drives me crazy is when people leave money on the table at work. No, not literally. I haven’t seen physical money at work in years. I’m talking about contributions you could be getting from your employer and the government, simply by participating in your workplace pension. Shockingly, around 20% of employees…
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The 4% Rule – how to know when to retire
How do you actually know when you can retire? Is it when you hit £500k… £1million… or some other arbitrary number that just “feels” right? The truth is, most people have no clear answer – which is why so many either delay retirement unnecessarily or worry they’ll run out of money. Fortunately, there is a…
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How to make the most of your ISA
Everyone over the age of 18 in the UK can start investing into the greatest wealth-building tool of all time, the stock market. And you have access to fantastic tax-sheltered accounts like an ISA. Let’s take Bob, who’s been investing into an ISA for 20 years, from age 20 to age 40. He now has…
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Why your £4 coffee actually cost £360
Whenever I go out and find myself considering to buy a Costa coffee or a Greggs vegan sausage roll, I stop myself and consider how much money I’m really spending. And it’s not just a few quid either – the true cost of everyday spending is far more than most of us realise. But to…
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How to buy a new (used) car
If you, like me, need a car to get around, you’re certainly in the majority. Outside of big cities with good public transport, a car is often the easiest way to get around. But cars are expensive to buy and expensive to maintain. They can be a big drag on your finances if you’re not…
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A £20,000 car actually costs you (at least) £5,204 per year
140 years after the automobile was invented by Carl Benz in 1886, the car is more ubiquitous than he could have ever imagined. Cars are everywhere. In many countries, it’s unusual not to own a car. However, as we shall investigate in this blog, the motorcar is insanely expensive to run – while it may…
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The Best Way to Spend Tesco Clubcard Points (February 2026)
Tesco offers one of the best rewards schemes available to UK shoppers. But most people don’t realise they’re not using it to its full potential. If you’re wondering about the best way to spend Tesco Clubcard points, the answer isn’t as simple as using them in-store. If you do this, you’re leaving money on the table.…
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The Major Money Milestones as you Build Wealth
Building wealth can often feel like an arbitrary process – something you do throughout life because you know you should. Eventually – someday in the far future – you’ll be able to retire. Before then, you must keep working your ass off and advance in your career. It doesn’t have to be like this –…
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Why cash back is better than Clubcard and Nectar points
Tesco Clubcard points and Sainsbury’s Nectar points are fantastic. I’ve used both for years. I’ve always casually shopped at Tesco and have done the main shopping at Sainsbury’s. But a recent conversation with a colleague at work changed this, when I found out that Clubcard points are worth twice as much as Nectar points (and…
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No Emergency Fund? Build one NOW!
Ah, the Emergency Fund. The first step on your financial roadmap. This is the foundation – the bedrock upon which your entire financial life is built. Many of my audience may already have one and know what I’m talking about, so I may be preaching to the choir. But then again, 32% of UK adults…
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How Many People Invest in the UK?
The number of Britons actively investing in the stock market is shockingly low. According to Finder, in 2023, only 18% of us actively invested – although there was an increase to 23% in 2024. When you look at how many people invest in the UK, the numbers reveal a surprisingly sparse investing landscape. Why are so…