Posts in Articles
How to Assess Your Investment Risk Tolerance

Investing in stocks and shares can be a rewarding way to grow your money over time, but it also involves some risks. How much risk are you willing to take with your money? And how does that affect your investment strategy? These are important questions to ask yourself before you start investing, as they can help you choose the right investments for your goals and preferences. Today, we will explain what investment risk tolerance is, how to determine yours, and why it matters for your investment strategy.

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Road to Wealth #7 - Investing with Confidence: Make Your Money Work for You

📈 In this episode, we delve into the world of investing. Join us as Helena Wardle, Founder of Money Means and Partner and Chartered Financial Planner at Smith and Wardle, shares insights and strategies to bolster your investing confidence and broaden your portfolio. Together, we'll explore the significance of diversification and learn how to strike the right balance between risk and return. In a high-interest rates environment, we'll address the dilemma of whether to prioritise mortgage repayments or continue investing. 

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Road to Wealth #6 - Inheritance & Protecting Your Money

In this episode, with Chartered Financial Adviser Lisa Conway-Hughes, we talk about vital strategies for navigating this complex and emotional process, covering topics such as protecting your financial future, maximising savings allowances, securing insurance, and safeguarding against scams. We also explore the personal dynamics of inheritance, including factors that influence distribution decisions, such as close relationships, financial needs, and caregiving responsibilities.

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Lifestyle Creep: Avoiding the Trap of Upgrading Your Lifestyle

Ever found yourself wondering if you're spending too much money? Let’s talk about "lifestyle creep."

You might not have heard of it before, but chances are you've experienced it at some point in your life. It's that gradual increase in your spending as your income goes up, which can lead to financial stress and hinder your long-term goals.

So, let's dive in and explore what lifestyle creep is, how to recognise it, and most importantly, how to deal with it.

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REPLAY: Do I need a financial adviser?

📺 Are you wondering, "Should I work with a financial adviser? How do I find one that suits me? And how much does it actually cost?" Well, you're not alone. In a sometimes complex financial landscape, managing your finances effectively is crucial, and sometimes, getting help and support is essential. Today's episode is all about demystifying the world of financial advice. I recently had a fascinating conversation with Karen Barrett, the Founder and CEO of Unbiased, and she shared valuable insights on what you can expect from a financial adviser and how they can add value to your financial journey.

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Road to Wealth #5: Wealth and Wellbeing: Finding the Balance

In this episode, we speak to Helena Wardle - Founder of Money Means as well as Partner and Chartered Financial Planner at Smith and Wardle - about finding that golden balance between money and our well-being, how to avoid lifestyle creep and still feel fulfilled, the best ways to avoid retail therapy and more.

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Road to Wealth #4 - Feel the Fear of Taxes But Do It Anyway

Taxes. That word alone can send shivers down your spine. But today, with the help of Chartered Financial Adviser Lisa Conway-Hughes, we’ll try and make taxes a little less scary for you. Lisa provides valuable insights on avoiding common mistakes, staying organised, and ensuring you have sufficient funds.

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Road to Wealth #3 - Debt: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Today, we tackle the often misunderstood and stressful topic of debt. Financial Planner Abigail Banks leads us in the discussion of the different types of debt that women face, as well as strategies for paying it off and avoiding common misconceptions. Whether it's student loans or mortgages, we provide tips and advice for effectively using and managing debt at every stage of life.

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The Essential Lessons I Learned From Morgan Housel's 'The Psychology of Money'

📺 Have you ever wondered why some people seem to effortlessly build wealth and achieve financial success, while others struggle? Today I’ll be exploring some of the lessons learned from Morgan Housel's 'The Psychology of Money' and how improving your relationship with money can help you build the life you truly want. Money has little to do with how smart you are, but rather, it’s all about your mindset. Instead of just focusing on financial formulas and ratios, Housel shows how our behaviours and attitudes towards money play a crucial role in our financial success. With 20 insightful stories, he explores how these "soft skills" can help us make better financial decisions and build long-term wealth.

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Road to Wealth #2 - For the Love of Money: Talking to Your Partner About Finances

💸 In this episode, we dive into the often tricky and emotionally charged topic of money and relationships. Our expert guest shares insights on managing joint finances, communicating effectively about money, and aligning financial goals with your couple goals. We also explore practical strategies for optimising tax benefits, the cost of being single, navigating divorce, and more.

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Is It the Right Time to Invest?

📺 Trying to maximise returns by timing the market is often a losing game. Instead, focus on spending "time in the market" and maintaining a long-term investment approach with a diversified portfolio. Stay invested for years, even during market volatility, to achieve steady, long-term growth. Major market crashes in history, like the 2008 financial crisis and the dot-com bubble burst, resulted in substantial losses, but markets have shown resilience and the ability to rebound over time.

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Road to Wealth #1 - Beyond the Grave: What Happens to Your Money When You Die?

💸 In today's episode as part of our new series, we get into the topic of death. While many of us avoid thinking about our own mortality, it's crucial to plan for the unexpected. What happens if we were to pass away tomorrow? How can we protect our assets? And how can we care for aging parents at the end of life? Join us as we discover the significance of estate planning and delve into topics such as life insurance, digital assets, trusts, and the importance of regularly updating your estate plan.

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How Do I Get Started Investing?

📺 Are you hesitant to invest in the stock market? 

Do you think you need a lot of money to start investing? 

Does investing feel like gambling to you? 

Unfortunately, these myths have also created a stereotype that investing is only something that men do.

However, the truth is that investing is accessible to anyone. In fact, studies have shown that women are often more successful investors than men due to their long-term approach and skepticism of impulsive decisions.

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To or Not to Buy?

📺 Ever been triggered to buy something that you later regretted? Instant gratification involves a powerful hit of dopamine that can be hard to resist. But how do we decide whether a purchase is worth it or not? In this video, we'll explore some strategies for making smart purchasing decisions, avoiding buyer's remorse, how to navigate the complex world of consumerism and make choices that align with your values and priorities.

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Learning About Money Can Make You £70,000 Richer in Retirement

📺 Did you know that most of our money habits are set by age 7? According to a study, 40% of people who didn’t receive financial education have no savings at all. On the other hand, people who did receive financial education as a child could be £70,000 richer in retirement. Teaching financial responsibility early creates a foundation for a lifetime of good money habits. So I was wondering how as parents, how do we instil healthy habits into our kids?

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Book club takeaways: It’s not that radical by Mikaela Loach

For too long, representations of climate action in the mainstream media have been white-washed, green-washed and diluted to be made compatible with capitalism.

We are living in an economic system which pursues profit above all else; harmful, oppressive systems that heavily contribute to the climate crisis, and environmental consequences that have been toned down to the masses. Tackling the climate crisis requires us to visit the roots of poverty, capitalist exploitation, police brutality and legal injustice. Climate justice offers the real possibility of huge leaps towards racial equality and collective liberation as it aims to dismantle the very foundations of these issues.

In this book, Mikaela Loach offers a fresh and radical perspective for real climate action that could drastically change the world as we know it for the benefit of us all. Written with candour and hope, It's Not That Radical will galvanise readers to take action, offering an accessible and transformative appraisal of our circumstances to help mobilise a majority for the future of our planet.

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