Why Child Trust Funds and Junior ISAs matter to you
If you are a young person reading this blog by which I mean someone just turned 18 or who will become 18 by the beginning of 2029 then the information contained in it may well be very valuable to you. This blog is equally of…
Negative Interest Rates and What They Mean to you
At the time of writing, in late August 2020, the UK government is considering introducing negative interest rates for the first time in its history. The UK base rate was reduced from 0.75% to 0.1% in March this year. In the US the rate is…
Is now the time to step onto the property ladder?
At the time of writing, in early August 2020, the UK is gradually emerging out of the coronavirus pandemic into the so-called “new normal.” How long it will take to get back to normal, nobody knows. Judging by past pandemics in history it seems likely…
The ever increasing importance of Ethical, Social and Governance policies for businesses
Companies’ good Environmental, Social and Governance policies, ESG, are more important than ever today. This is because increasing numbers of investors, especially Millennials, expect the companies they invest in to be true advocates of ESG rather than simply paying lip service to it. The concept…
Is now the time to invest in bitcoin?
I first invested in bitcoin in the Autumn of 2017. The price of bitcoin had been rising very fast and I planned to ride the wave with a small number of my investable assets. The return was remarkable. I gained 100% in about 4 months….
Why it is more important than ever for the younger generation to build their own financial independence
The current government lockdown due to the coronavirus has brought into sharp focus the fact that many people in the UK literally live from hand to mouth each month. Millions of working renters are just one pay packet away from losing their home. With little…
The bright financial future of the younger generation
If you are a young person reading this blog, by which I mean anyone born after 1994, then you are highly likely to face a very prosperous future indeed. I know this isn’t what the media tells you and it will appear to be counterintuitive…
How to maximise pension benefits from your employer
Under auto enrolment virtually all employers have to offer pension scheme membership to most, if not all, of their staff. There are large penalties for those employers who a) do not offer an auto enrolment pension to their staff and b) who break the rules…
Are challenger banks the way forward?
The new wave of startup companies on the banking scene can’t be found on the high-street – they’re in your pocket. Buoyed by relaxed regulation and the growing shift of people using their phones to do their banking, these branchless, mobile-only banks are seeking to win…
Make getting your finances in order your New Year’s Resolution
Now that a New Year is upon us, the making of a New Year’s resolution to get your finances in order could be very timely indeed. Of course not only is it a new year but also the start of a new decade. The twenties…
Why digital advice might be right for you
I first became aware of the potential of digital advice, better known as robo advice, about 5 years ago when attending an investment conference on ETFs in Amsterdam about 5 years ago. Jon Stein, the founder of US robo advice company, Betterment, was a main…
How to invest your spare change without even noticing it
There has been a pretty nifty app available since 2016 called Moneybox. It isn’t exclusively available for Millennials but it will be particularly of interest to people in this age demographic. So, what is Moneybox? Moneybox is a savings and investing app that…