Finance Archives - Holborn Assets Cyprus

6 reasons why women should invest

Michael Hiden — Fri, 04 Mar 2022 14:59:30 +0000

There are many reasons for women to invest their hard-earned money but stats are sometimes conflicting. Despite efforts from institutions and women’s associations, the gender pay gap still exists, especially in the financial services industry. Financial equality is still just a figure of speech in many countries.

Many women start their professional life with a disadvantage in regards to salaries. To make things worse, research shows that women don’t seem to invest as much as men, with the percentage of women investors being much lower.

Stats about women investing

According to a survey published by Kantar, 10% of women in the UK have a stocks and shares ISA, compared to 17% of men. The ratio of male to female customers among the top 10 DIY investment platforms is reported to be 68 to 32.

Another survey published on behalf of Fidelity Investments at the end of 2021 was more optimistic. According to it, “on average, women investors achieve positive returns and surpass men by 40 basis points, or 0.4%. The figure is based on an analysis of annual performance across 5.2 million accounts from January 2011 to December 2020.”

What could lead women to invest?

As noted earlier, women have tons of reasons to review their approach to money management and especially investing. A balanced portfolio can become their safeguard against adverse conditions. Below you can read why women should build an investment plan.

Income gap

The income gap between men and women exists and it is likely to continue to exist in the next few years. Women get paid less than their male colleagues in the same job positions. This is substantiated by surveys conducted in many countries.

Having a lower income means that women are not able to achieve their financial goals. That’s why women should be taking advantage of investment opportunities and set long-term goals to compensate for their reduced income.

Unpaid labour

One more reason for a woman to seek financial advice and engage in an investment process is unpaid labour. Around the world, women spend two to ten times more time on unpaid care work than men, as a report published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) suggests. Analysts at the OECD note that “gender inequality in unpaid care work is the missing link in the analysis of gender gaps in labour outcomes, such as labour force participation, wages and job quality.”

Pregnancy and childbirth may require women to take unpaid leave, depending on the country they live in and national legislation. Motherhood should not limit opportunities for women to invest and achieve financial security.

Career gaps

After a career break, nearly 1 out of 2 women face unequal pay, followed by a lack of career advancement possibilities and professional development opportunities. Creating a family is usually one of the main reasons for a career gap in a woman’s CV.

Working with a financial planner who could suggest the right investment strategies allows women to make the life choices they really want without stress and uncertainty. The lack of funds affects our daily lives, so a comprehensive investment approach is needed to achieve economic growth.

Savings only?

A report by the ONS showed that 26% of people living in the UK have less than £1,000 in savings. If the question is: “do men or women save more money?”, then the answer is quite disappointing for the female gender. Researchers at Raisin UK noted that men in the UK do save more, adding that “men have almost double (£13,140.61) the average savings of women (£6,869.84).”

Having a savings account is the first step towards achieving our savings goals. However, central banks have reduced interest rates to all-time lows. This means that low rates combined with high inflation hurt your savings. There are many investment products to match your financial plans. All you need is a financial advisor who would suggest the right ways to build your financial wealth.

Divorce or death of a spouse

Your marriage will end one day. It might sound gloomy but that is the reality and you should be prepared for it. In many cases, couples have a common financial plan that includes having joint bank accounts. This choice simplifies things when you are in a good relationship with your spouse or when your spouse is still alive.

But what happens when things don’t go according to plan? When your relationship is close to its end or when an unexpected event takes your spouse out of your life? Financial advisers suggest that a thorough financial plan should include an emergency fund for such situations. There are many financial products that could give you the investment returns you seek. Advisers urge women not to neglect to safeguard their future and take advantage of the presented investment opportunities. You may also want to look into a life insurance policy that pays out when either husband or wife passes away, meaning you don’t struggle with any financial hardship.

Worry-free living

Stress, uncertainty and anxiety dominate our lives. Worrying if you have enough money or if you’ll be financially ready for retirement puts a strain on your way of thinking, dreams and financial freedom.

Having a comprehensive investment plan in place could help you grow your wealth and relieve yourself and your loved ones from the stress. You’re well on your way to constructing a well-balanced portfolio once you’ve identified your current and long-term objectives. With a financial adviser’s help, you can succeed in enjoying the lifestyle you always wanted.

Investing with Holborn Assets

With the gender pay gap still growing, financial experts note that financial planning is vital for women. It becomes essential if you and your partner have children or if you have to cover your family’s needs as a single mum.

With regards to investments and savings, there is no “one size fits all” approach. If you’d like, you can allocate a portion of your budget to various investment products. The most important thing is to choose the right products for your needs and objectives.

If you’re ready to start investing, Holborn Assets has the experience and expertise to assist you in determining which types of investments are right for you. Please contact our independent financial advisers today.

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Filing Your Personal Income Tax Return In Cyprus

Michael Hiden — Fri, 17 Sep 2021 11:11:00 +0000

*This blog has been updated on June 22nd 2022

Albert Einstein commenting on his tax returns, said: “This is too difficult for a mathematician. It takes a philosopher.” As the Cyprus tax filing deadline is getting closer, our blog will give you some basic information on what you have to do to get your tax return straight if you live on the island. The Cyprus Tax Department has announced that the deadline for the timely submission of the Income Tax Return is July 31st 2022. According to the Tax Department, the digital Income Tax Return for employees and self-employed/individuals who do not prepare audited financial statements (FormT.D.1) for the year 2021 is now available for submission.

How to apply for a Cypriot tax number

An individual who spends more than 183 days in the Republic is a tax resident of the Republic of Cyprus. If you need to apply for a Cypriot tax number, the process is quite easy.

All you need to do is fill in the form TD2001 given to you by the Cypriot Ministry of Finance. Once the form has been completed, you should submit it to the local district office of the Tax Department accompanied by copies of your passport, a recent utility bill and your permanent registration certificate (yellow slip for EU nationals).

You can either submit the documents yourself by going to the local tax department offices or email the copies to specific email addresses that you can find here. The process is quite simple and usually, it takes 48 hours to get your unique Tax Identification Code (TIC).

TAXISNET Registration

Once you have received your unique TIC number, you can register to the Tax Department’s online portal called TAXISNET. Registering to TAXISNET is an easy and secure process.

To successfully register to TAXISNET, you will be asked for your TIC, your phone number, an email address that you use and a unique registration number which you can find in the TIC document that the Tax Department has sent to you.

We have to note that the user interface may look simple but sometimes it could be difficult to navigate, so we advise you to use the Draft document function before submitting any forms. That’s how you will be able to double-check if any data is wrong, avoiding costly mistakes.

Tax Rates in Cyprus

Tax rates in Cyprus are among the lowest in the European Union. Income and capital gains taxes are low when compared with the rest of the eurozone countries, whilst there is no inheritance tax. View our graph for the personal income tax rates in Cyprus:

For more information on taxation in Cyprus, you can request our comprehensive tax guide by filling in the contact form below.

Expat living in Cyprus? We have the answers

Expats living in Cyprus usually have many questions regarding their finances and how the Cypriot tax system works. While the system is not so complicated when compared with other countries, it is best to have fully qualified and experienced advisers by your side.

Holborn’s advisers have the necessary financial knowledge to assess your financial situation and give you guidance that would help you achieve your goals. Get in touch with us by filling in the contact form below or even come to visit us in one of our offices in Limassol or Paphos.

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Should Gen X Be Concerned for their Financial Future?

user — Mon, 13 May 2019 07:18:14 +0000

From baby boomers to Millennials, every generation has different financial needs.

Generation X – or Gen X – are the most influential consumers in the UK. This may seem like a bold claim but this is based on a 2018 study by Experian. Born between 1966 and 1980, Gen X earn, spend and contribute more than any other demographic. However, a recent report by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) warns that Gen X is more financially stretched than before. Here’s what you need to know.

How does Gen X compare to other generations?

Gen X have an average net income of just over £873 per week based on data from Experian. The subsection aged 41-45 has been the highest earning group for the past six years and that looks set to continue. The credit reporting agency predicts the net income of those aged 41-45 is set to rise 3.2% in 2019. It’s not just salary that has increased. According to wealth projection figures from the Office of National Statistics, Generation X has an average mortgage term of 30 years, five years longer than their baby boomer counterparts.

Should Gen X be concerned for their financial future?

In short no but there are some things that they should be aware of. Saving for the future appears to be one of the biggest challenges. Gen X has accumulated less wealth than previous generations at the same age according to the FCA, that’s despite higher salaries. The net financial wealth for Gen X is £2,000 on average and £18,000 for baby boomers. Gen X missed out on the improved pension rates that baby boomers enjoyed and most were in their 40s when the workplace pension became a legal requirement. With an expected retirement age of 68, Generation X has less time to build a sizeable pension pot. To put things into perspective, as of December 2018 the average pension wealth stands at £32,000 for Gen X and £117,000 for baby boomers. The past decade has seen a steep increase (50%) in private renting and a decrease (24%) in home ownership with Gen X and Millennials the most likely cohort to rent. Renters not only spend significantly more per month than home owners, they also sacrifice wealth gained from housing equity. It’s not all doom and gloom for Gen X. They do benefit from low borrowing rates but this is a double-edged sword as Gen X also has the most unsecured debt. With greater unsecured debt than other generations and lower cash savings, Generation X are more prone to financial shocks. This means that unforeseen problems like redundancy could lead to financial problems.

What are the best financial options for Gen X?

This may seem like bad news for Gen X but being aware of generational risks and keeping on top of your finances goes a long way. Preliminary findings by the FCA suggest property and pension are the main drivers for personal wealth. For Generation X there is more of an emphasis on investment due to the lower average pension contribution. The financial regulator also advises that Gen X could benefit from financial planning. Speaking with an independent financial advisor can help if you want more information about planning for your future.

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Can You Marie Kondo Your Finances?

user — Wed, 03 Apr 2019 07:23:50 +0000

Spring clean your personal finances with Marie Kondo!

In the UK, the clocks have gone forward and the season of Spring has begun. It’s time for a financial Spring clean. And why not take some celebrity tidying-up tips from Japanese “organising consultant” Marie Kondo? “Tidy your space, transform your life.” Says Kondo on the website for her KonMari brand. She’s talking about household items, like clothes, books and furniture. But her principles apply to personal finances too!

What’s the KonMari method?

“First, put your hands on everything you own, ask yourself if it sparks joy, and if it doesn’t, thank it for its service and get rid of it. Second, once only your most joy-giving belongings remain, put every item in a place where it’s visible, accessible, and easy to grab and then put back.” And that’s it – a great summary of Kondo’s New York Times best seller The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying up by style blog One Kings Lane. Can you begin to see how the Kondo clean-up method for the home might work (with a little adjustment) for personal finances? Just follow the same two basic steps: STEP 1: REVIEW & OPTIMISE: Assess your entire financial picture and get rid of anything that no longer makes any sense (or “sparks joy” as Kondo puts it). STEP 2: MAINTAIN & REVIEW: Now you’ve got your financial machine lean and clean, keep it under regular review. Enjoy your new-found sense of clarity and financial flexibility! A great place to start with Step 1 (Review & Optimise) is to tackle any outstanding debt, particularly credit card debt. There’s no point in having healthy investments and great financial habits if debt interest is eating away at your financial situation from the inside. You will also want to review any investments you have, and particularly your pension arrangements. As an expat in particular, powerful ways to make the best of your money can open up; but only if you are prepared to be ruthless about changing your old ways! You just need somebody to point you in the right direction and ensure you fully understand every risk that comes your way. If you are a Brit living in the UK and thinking of transferring your pension, it is actually a UK government requirement that you take professional financial advice “if you have what’s called ‘safeguarded benefits’ – in particular if you’re in a defined benefit pension scheme or have a guaranteed annuity rate – and your benefits are worth £30,000 or more.” (moneyadviceservice.org.uk) Whatever your plans, if you are serious about giving your finances a brush-up – get an IFA! An Independent Financial Advisor (IFA) is ideally suited as a qualified professional to guide you through reviewing, optimising and maintaining your overall financial picture. This is what IFAs do for a living, so you can expect exactly the rigorous approach to cleaning out your financial cupboards that Marie Kondo recommends for the home: Kondo Top Tip 1: Tackle the Big Picture Kondo’s first rule is to tidy by category rather than location. If you’re tidying up the home, that means tidy all your clothes at once (for example) rather than tidy up room by room. In the world of personal finance, this means not getting bogged down in local detail. This means holistic personal finance (in which Holborn IFAs specialise). As an absolute priority, you must look at your finances as a holistic whole; at how the pieces link up. Decide what life goals you want to support with your finances, and make sure your whole machine is working together in the right direction. Kondo Top Tip 2: Purging feels Great Kondo treats tidying up the home as a spiritual experience of cleansing and revitalisation. She lights a candle and says a prayer before purging a property of junk. Maybe that’s not for you when it comes to detoxing your financial situation. But it’s certainly true that an honest cull of toxic financial obligations and investments can make you feel a lot better than you expect to when you first face up to them. It’s OK to fear change. But only change can lead to better things! So talk to an IFA and be prepared to shine a light onto a brighter financial future. Kondo Top Tip 3: Rediscover your Style Ever positive, Kondo points out that sorting out your clothes leads you to rediscover all sorts of style successes that you had in the past (and style failures too, no doubt!). In the world of personal finance, the lesson here is positive too: once you have given your finances the once-over, you will be able to see “what is what” in your life generally; maybe gain a whole new clarity and resolution about your life goals. Your finances are your future, after all!

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Why Hire an IFA in 2019?

user — Tue, 01 Jan 2019 00:59:34 +0000

Brexit is coming!

Brexit will continue to impact the financial affairs of all Brits – and not just expats living in the EU and EEA. Uncertainty is affecting all areas of finance, from currency to mortgage prices. So financial planning is in the spotlight. Brexit has had both positive and negative effects and will continue to do so. One unexpected positive effect of Brexit was in pensions. The price you can get for your Defined Benefit (DB) pension has gone up sharply in the last year because Brexit uncertainty has made pensions more expensive for employers. This rise in Cash Equivalent Transfer Value (CETV) has had the knock-on effect of making transferring out of DB pensions more popular. On the downside of Brexit for expats, we already know that a No Deal could lead to a “cliff edge” of incompatibility between British and European financial systems – leading to potential problems paying private pensions to expats based in the EU. There has even been talk of Brit expats in the EU being sent back to the UK. But experts are agreed that, despite the rumours, expats should be OK. A practical resolution to many future compatibility issues is likely to be worked out between the UK and European countries because there is a strong financial interest in doing so for both sides. For the moment, though, the turmoil is set to continue. So are your finances up to whatever might happen next? An Independent Financial Adviser (IFA) is well-placed to help you make your finances Brexit-proof.

Consumer-friendly IFA regulation mounts

Regulation aimed at IFAs is only getting more intense. This is great news for consumers. Qualifications continue to be the priority, with Level 4 Chartered increasingly seen as respectable for IFAs in expat markets. In October 2018, the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) published “new rules aimed at improving the advice people receive when considering transferring their pension.” Christopher Woolard of the FCA said, “we expect our interventions to improve the quality of the advice …”

Forge a natural alliance

Your IFA stands to gain if your portfolio gains – because it means he or she are great at their job. That’s good publicity for them – particularly with online peer review sites like Trustpilot now being so influential. So team up with an expert with shared goals! Your IFA can bring four factors to the table that you are unlikely to have yourself:

Qualifications in investment and personal finance.
An independent perspective (although your IFA stands to gain if you do, they remain usefully detached – by virtue of having other clients, each with their own unique challenges and goals).
A broad knowledge of what financial products are available, including where the best deals are and which to avoid.
The experience to know how to make all the elements of your own financial picture work together – for a resilient, Brexit-proof 2019.

Quiz your IFA recruits

Due diligence is really important when it comes to scouting for any independent professional. With personal finance, there are certain questions you should ask of any IFA whom you are considering:

How regularly will I able to speak to you if I need to?
How regularly will you get in touch yourself?
How regularly will you review my portfolio?
Do you charge fees, earn commission – or both?
Who are you regulated by?
Can you provide testimonials?
What experience do you have?
What qualifications do you have?
What happens if you leave the company you are with?
Do you have specialist knowledge in some personal finance sectors?

LinkedIn is a good place to research IFAs before meeting them in person. If you are going to hire an IFA in 2019, put them through their paces first!

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Women investors 2018 – wily, but why?

user — Mon, 23 Jul 2018 23:34:29 +0000

Women’s Finance Writer Vicky Bizzell writes: While women have more to invest than ever before, they are less likely to do so than men – but, when they do invest, women marginally outperform men.

Data: women investors outperform men

Testosterone vs oestrogen Openfolio, an online investment platform, collated data about its 60,000 users. It revealed that in 2014, a strong year for the markets, women’s investments outperformed men’s by 0.4%, while in 2015, a weak year for the markets, women investors lost an average of 2.5% compared to a loss of 3.8% for men. Many theories abound about why women outperform men in investing. Generally speaking, women do more research than men and are better at focusing on their investment goals. They are also more likely to hold investments, trade less, and weather market storms and fluctuations with a calmer sensibility.

Do women really invest less than men?

In the UK, the stocks and shares ISA is perhaps the easiest route into investing, allowing investors to save up to £20,000 tax-free per year. Interestingly, data reveals that men in the UK hold over a million stocks and shares ISAs compared with 870,000 women. Women are far more likely to save their money into a cash ISA instead, a seemingly “safer” option. However, low interest rates in recent years means that savings have not risen with the rate of inflation. In real terms, people who put all their money into Cash ISAs are losing out.

So why are women reluctant to invest?

While the lack of women in the world of finance and banking is something we reported on recently, a look at the bigger picture reveals a wider spread issue across society and national borders. Sue Noffke, UK equities fund manager at Schroeders, gives some suggestions as to why women invest less than men: “I don’t think men are any more educated in making these types of decisions – they rarely fully understand what they’re doing,” she says. “The difference is that women want to understand, but get bogged down in all the jargon.” The jargon associated with investing can be off-putting for both genders, but does the difference between investing and procrastinating all boil down to language and terminology? A study conducted by investment firm Fidelity – which aimed to understand why women invest less than men – would seem to support this idea. Fidelity questioned men and women who held cash savings but no investments and found that, of those who responded, more than a third of women said that they had no confidence in investing, compared with 26% of men. This lack of confidence was attributed to insufficient knowledge of investing and the stock market in general. The problem with this lack of confidence is that it can lead women to a kind of inertia, and most certainly raises concerns for long-term retirement saving – given that women generally live longer than men. Sally Krawcheck, CEO and co-founder of Ellevest, a digital financial platform for women, pinpoints this issue as a gendered one in the US: “my real concern is that the retirement-savings crisis is a gender crisis, and we are not talking about it in that way. Women can save more and invest more. They have to find a way that works for them and just do it.” “There’s always a desire to know more, but if you wait, it just gets harder.” This is a situation reflected in the UK too. According to a study by the Chartered Insurance Institute, by the age of 60-64 women in the UK have amassed an average of £35,700 into a pension fund, one quarter of the wealth a man has accrued at the same age.

So how do we address this lack of confidence?

Typically, the world of finance is seen as a male dominated world, something that Dimitrios Tsivrikos, psychologist at University College London, believes is reinforced at a cultural level by the “language and visual aspects of investing.” He says, “even things such as bank notes have more images of men on them. The more we have female figures on money and as visual components in the world of finance, the more [women] will be engaged.”

So how do we attract more women into the world of investing?

This is a question most investment companies would be wise to ask of themselves! Women are earning more than ever before, and are saving more than ever before, and evidence shows that when they make the leap into investing, they are savvy investors, using their judgement and caution as advantages.

Conclusion: gender balance works best for investing

It’s a popular adage in sound investment practice to spread your investments: in simple terms, you don’t put all your eggs in one basket. The same is true of investment advice. Perhaps it is not so much that women make better investors, but rather a balanced approach, and the combined investing qualities of both genders, is the soundest approach in the long run. In fact, a Harvard Business Review study in 2011 revealed that married men outperformed single men in the stock market, suggesting that this was probably due to the influence of a spouse. Investors also have more success when they work as part of a team – something that women can be particularly good at – and it’s a proven fact that talking through your investment ideas, with your spouse, your friends, and your financial advisor, helps you make sounder and more confident decisions in the long run. So, if you find yourself among those women who are stuck and “need to know everything” before taking the plunge into investing, read some good investment books, speak to your Holborn financial advisor, and dip your toe in the waters of investing for yourself. You may find you have a knack for it!

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Top 5 Personal Finance Blogs

user — Fri, 15 Jun 2018 13:38:44 +0000

Keeping on top of your personal finances can seem like a chore – perhaps you find yourself consistently running over your monthly budget, or perhaps you just feel as though you haven’t quite got the grip on things that you would like to have? Whether you want to be more efficient and effective with the money you earn – or whether you feel like you need some basic advice on where to get started with fine-tuning your personal finances and slim-lining your expenses – getting ahead by reading some sound advice and tips can be a good place to start. And, as with so many questions we have in life in this modern age, most of us take to the Internet to find the answer or solution. So, to help you on your journey to personal finance efficiency and mastery, we’ve compiled a list of the top 5 personal finance blogs to get you started. From the general, to the specific, advice is at your fingertips…….

The Money Shed

The Money Shed is the UK’s largest community website with a focus on how to make, and save, money online. Initially started as a small forum for home-workers to discuss and share their ideas and experiences, the Money Shed has grown in scope and popularity. Members range from stay-at-home mums to full-time workers looking to make a bit of extra cash. While there is a strong focus on how to generate extra cash, the site also offers great advice on how to save money and slimline your personal finances. The blog collates articles and advice from finance writers and experts on all sorts of personal finance topics, including life hacks to keep your finances in check, and the importance of not wasting your retirement. Pros: Excellent general advice on all sorts of personal finance topics, covering a wide range of ideas and opinions. There’s literally something for everyone. Cons: Emphasis is on ways to generate extra cash online – if this is not something that appeals to you, the site may be of limited interest.

The Financial Mentor

The Financial Mentor is a US based website founded by entrepreneur and ex-hedge fund manager Todd Tresider. The focus is on investing, with a heavy slant on achieving “financial freedom,” which Tresider claims he achieved by the age of 35 through clever investing. The site is accessible and down-to-earth – like Todd Tresider himself, who calls himself the classic “Millionaire Next Door,” and dresses on the “casual side of average” and drives “ordinary cars.” There is a great range of articles on investing for beginners, right through to pros, as well as lists of recommended books on all sorts of finance topics. Also included are a compilation of useful calculators on everything from mortgages to retirement, and a range of interesting podcasts for you to listen to at your leisure. Tresider claims that it only takes 30 minutes per month to take control of your financial future – with advice like that it’s worth a go! Pros: Plain-speaking, accessible articles on a range of investing topics. Great collation of finance calculators to help you get started. Cons: The focus on business owners and investors may limit the appeal to some people looking for more general personal finance advice.

Monevator

Monevator is a personal blog mainly written by the enigmatic “Investor,” with help from “The Accumulator,” and aimed at the armchair investor. The site has advice on making, saving, growing and even spending money, targeted at inspiring the reader rather than telling them what to do. The site has a wide range of well-written articles that suggest ways in which you can make money, save money and invest money, as well as practical guidelines for managing your personal finances generally. The section on earning is particularly useful and has all sorts of well-pitched articles on everything from tax to outsourcing your job to China! – with lots of inspiration and sound financial tips. Pros: Easy to navigate website filled with useful advice for the “armchair investor.” Cons: Emphasis on passive funds may not excite those with a more active approach.

The Money Principle

Maria Nedeva PhD is a Business School professor who teaches students and speaks with Prime Ministers about innovation, policy and national budgets. She also found herself with a consumer debt of over £100,000 in 2009 – proof that even the smartest people can get themselves into debt! She paid off the debt within three years, acquiring all sorts of sound financial planning and management along the way. In six years she went from being £100,000 in debt to managing investments worth over £2.5 million – quite a turnaround! As you would expect, her blog is peppered with articles on how to transform your finances – from motivational and inspirational stories to top tips on controlling your spending. The site focuses on four main categories: making money; controlling your spending; getting out of debt; and investing for the future – lynchpins of sound personal finance management – and all delivered in a friendly, informative style that comes from experience. Pros: great all round advice that comes not from a high-flying investment guru, but from a clever woman with lived experience and hard won gain. Cons: Great general advice and pointers, but not so much advanced investing advice.

The Young Money Blog

Established in 2011 to help young people get to grip with their personal finances, founder and freelance journalist Iona Bain has since gone on to win Money Blogger of the Year (2016) and act as a governor of the Pensions Policy Institute. With a specific focus on the millennial generation, The Young Money Blog, is a great starting point for the younger generation to acquire sound financial planning and guidance. As a young woman, Bain’s well-written and engaging blogs cover topics like women’s finances and the gender pay gap as well as foregrounding a more holistic approach to finance and the relationship between poor financial management and poor mental health (i.e. debt leads to stress). The site is a great one to introduce to your kids to help instil a sense of financial awareness. There is a great blog entitled “Teen Week” that has suggestions for 12-18 year olds on everything from Saturday jobs to digital banking. Sound financial planning can never start too early! Pros: Engaging and up to date information to help young people grapple with their finances and become money aware from the word go. Cons: There’s little here for you if you are an (ahem) older person, unless of course you use it as a brilliant platform to engage your children (or grandchildren) with the concept of sound financial planning. There are literally thousands of personal finance blogs out there to help you on your journey to personal finance freedom. From tips for stay-at-home mums, investors and those looking to manage their debt, to the truly weird and quirky, there is a blog for just about every personal finance topic, and every individual. Have fun looking!

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