The Making Money Simple Podcast

Sign up to ny email newsletter - https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/NewsletterWorkplace pension YouTube video - https://youtu.be/idEI30WR5RYHow I can help you - https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/-----------------------------------------More investing:📝 Download my free investing guide to help you start investing - https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/Free-Investing-Guide📕 Get my book Stop Waiting, Start Investing (available as a physical, digital and audiobook) - https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/swsi-book-----------------------------------------⚠️ Disclaimers: I am not a financial advisor and this does not represent financial advice, it is for entertainment purposes only. Please seek professional advice to get the best information for your personal situation. When investing, your capital is at risk and you may get back less than invested. Past performance does not guarantee future results.-----------------------------------------📥 Get in touch: https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/contact

My website & how I can help you - https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/New Vanguard Global LifeStrategy funds - https://www.vanguardinvestor.co.uk/articles/latest-thoughts/how-it-works/introducing-lifestrategy-global-a-new-way-to-diversify-your-portfolioFreetrade fee change - https://freetrade.io/blog/free-pension-free-funds?lid=3w0mpl2166lw&utm_source=braze&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2026_01_23_Free_SIPP_Free_Mutual_Funds_Service&utm_variant=Variant%201HL fee change - https://www.hl.co.uk/help/income-and-fees/fees-explained/fee-changesPotential LISA changes - https://moneyweek.com/personal-finance/isas/lifetime-isa-reform-new-product-retirement-option-scrappedTimestamps:0:00 - Intro0:48 - New Vanguard Global LifeStrategy funds4:08 - Freetrade fee change 9:06 - HL fee change 13:34 - Potential LISA changes-----------------------------------------More investing:📝 Download my free investing guide to help you start investing - https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/Free-Investing-Guide📕 Get my book Stop Waiting, Start Investing (available as a physical, digital and audiobook) - https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/swsi-book-----------------------------------------⚠️ Disclaimers: I am not a financial advisor and this does not represent financial advice, it is for entertainment purposes only. Please seek professional advice to get the best information for your personal situation. When investing, your capital is at risk and you may get back less than invested. Past performance does not guarantee future results.-----------------------------------------📥 Get in touch: https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/contact

Will from @nextgenngpf joins me on this episode to discuss 5 of the best side hustles to try in 2026.The first two are open to anyone.The remaining three are also open to anyone, but they're more geared towards those who are already making content online.We discuss each side hustle, the pros, cons, earning potential and what you need to know. Listen to the episode for the full details. -----------------------------------------More investing:📝 Download my free investing guide to help you start investing - https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/Free-Investing-Guide📕 Get my book Stop Waiting, Start Investing (available as a physical, digital and audiobook) - https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/swsi-book-----------------------------------------⚠️ Disclaimers: I am not a financial advisor and this does not represent financial advice, it is for entertainment purposes only. Please seek professional advice to get the best information for your personal situation. When investing, your capital is at risk and you may get back less than invested. Past performance does not guarantee future results.-----------------------------------------📥 Get in touch: https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/contact

Should you invest for your children… or yourself first?Owen from 'Owen Talks Finance' joins me on this podcast episode to discuss both:Investing for yourself, as you bring up childrenAnd investing for your childrenIn this episode, we go through: why your own investing and retirement should probably come first, how to invest for your children, balancing investing for yourself vs your children, why even small amounts for kids are so important - and more.Listen to the episode for the full details. -----------------------------------------More investing:📝 Download my free investing guide to help you start investing - https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/Free-Investing-Guide📕 Get my book Stop Waiting, Start Investing (available as a physical, digital and audiobook) - https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/swsi-book-----------------------------------------⚠️ Disclaimers: I am not a financial advisor and this does not represent financial advice, it is for entertainment purposes only. Please seek professional advice to get the best information for your personal situation. When investing, your capital is at risk and you may get back less than invested. Past performance does not guarantee future results.-----------------------------------------📥 Get in touch: https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/contact

How I can help you - ⁠⁠click here⁠⁠It took me 6.5 years to reach £100k invested. But here's what often isn't talked about:Most of that wasn't compounding.It was my own contributions.Early on, how much you invest matters far more than what returns you get.If investing feels slow at the start - that's normal. Don't feel disheartened. Stick with it and be consistent.And if you are feeling like this, then this episode is for you and I hope it makes you feel a bit better and reassured.-----------------------------------------More investing:📝 Download my free investing guide to help you start investing - https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/Free-Investing-Guide📕 Get my book Stop Waiting, Start Investing (available as a physical, digital and audiobook) - https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/swsi-book-----------------------------------------⚠️ Disclaimers: I am not a financial advisor and this does not represent financial advice, it is for entertainment purposes only. Please seek professional advice to get the best information for your personal situation. When investing, your capital is at risk and you may get back less than invested. Past performance does not guarantee future results.-----------------------------------------📥 Get in touch: https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/contact

Listen to our other episode - What to look for when selecting a fundTom from 'Tom's Personal Finance' joins me on this podcast episode to discuss potentially the best global ETF for UK investors in 2026.We analyse the ETF (Ticker: ACWI) - looking at the index it tracks, what it invests into, the fee, and more. You can take this exact criteria and apply it yourself when assessing funds.Finally, we discuss whether this is the best global ETF and how it compares to other popular global ETFs (VWRP, FWRG).Listen to the podcast episode for the full details.Timestamps:0:00 - Intro1:20 - Index3:40 - Holdings6:32 - Fees8:25 - Other details18:41 - Is this the best global ETF?19:42 - Comparison to other global ETFs (VWRP, FWRG)23:42 - How to pick one25:25 - Outro-----------------------------------------More investing:📝 Download my free investing guide to help you start investing - https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/Free-Investing-Guide📕 Get my book Stop Waiting, Start Investing (available as a physical, digital and audiobook) - https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/swsi-book-----------------------------------------⚠️ Disclaimers: I am not a financial advisor and this does not represent financial advice, it is for entertainment purposes only. Please seek professional advice to get the best information for your personal situation. When investing, your capital is at risk and you may get back less than invested. Past performance does not guarantee future results.-----------------------------------------📥 Get in touch: https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/contact

How I can help you in 2026 - click hereWatch this next - Revealing my £180k portfolioTimestamps:0:00 - My 2025 growth2:28 - Exactly what I invested into in 20258:16 - 2025 capital gains11:45 - Top 3 2025 takeawaysListen to the podcast episode for the full details.-----------------------------------------More investing:📝 Download my free investing guide to help you start investing - https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/Free-Investing-Guide📕 Get my book Stop Waiting, Start Investing (available as a physical, digital and audiobook) - https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/swsi-book-----------------------------------------⚠️ Disclaimers: I am not a financial advisor and this does not represent financial advice, it is for entertainment purposes only. Please seek professional advice to get the best information for your personal situation. When investing, your capital is at risk and you may get back less than invested. Past performance does not guarantee future results.-----------------------------------------📥 Get in touch: https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/contact

Listen to this next - What is the best Global ETF? In this podcast episode, we answer a common question:'Do you really only need one global ETF in your investment portfolio?'The answer is yes and no.Yes - if you want to keep your approach as simple as possible.No - due to various reasons. We run through 6 scenarios where you might want to invest into more than just one global ETF. Listen to the podcast episode for the full details.-----------------------------------------More investing:📝 Download my free investing guide to help you start investing - https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/Free-Investing-Guide📕 Get my book Stop Waiting, Start Investing (available as a physical, digital and audiobook) - https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/swsi-book-----------------------------------------⚠️ Disclaimers: I am not a financial advisor and this does not represent financial advice, it is for entertainment purposes only. Please seek professional advice to get the best information for your personal situation. When investing, your capital is at risk and you may get back less than invested. Past performance does not guarantee future results.-----------------------------------------📥 Get in touch: https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/contact

Tom from @tom.tpf joins me on this podcast episode to discuss 10 of the top ETF mistakes that investors make.Investing into too many different ETFs, not understanding what an ETF actually invests in, how FX impacts returns, only focusing on an ETFs fee, just to name a few.Listen to the podcast episode for the full details!Other useful episodes mentioned:1. What To Look For When Selecting An Index Fund or ETF - https://open.spotify.com/episode/2sdBm4cFYer5ljiQAGZNC3?si=ZnEqarGUTj6ShWVVma2m_A2. Are UK Investors Worse Off Than US Investors Due To FX? - https://open.spotify.com/episode/2JorWR1NOSYW1vhkEX31Si?si=XJabxL9cT-S0kbxvVJzZTA-----------------------------------------More investing:📝 Download my free investing guide to help you start investing - https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/Free-Investing-Guide📕 Get my book Stop Waiting, Start Investing (available as a physical, digital and audiobook) - https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/swsi-book-----------------------------------------⚠️ Disclaimers: I am not a financial advisor and this does not represent financial advice, it is for entertainment purposes only. Please seek professional advice to get the best information for your personal situation. When investing, your capital is at risk and you may get back less than invested. Past performance does not guarantee future results.-----------------------------------------📥 Get in touch: https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/contact

I've been investing for over 8 years and have built my investment portfolio to £180,000.In this podcast episode, we go through the 10 most important lessons that I've learnt along the way. Listen to the podcast episode for the full details!-----------------------------------------More investing:📝 Download my free investing guide to help you start investing - https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/Free-Investing-Guide📕 Get my book Stop Waiting, Start Investing (available as a physical, digital and audiobook) - https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/swsi-book-----------------------------------------⚠️ Disclaimers: I am not a financial advisor and this does not represent financial advice, it is for entertainment purposes only. Please seek professional advice to get the best information for your personal situation. When investing, your capital is at risk and you may get back less than invested. Past performance does not guarantee future results.-----------------------------------------📥 Get in touch: https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/contact

Georgiy from @Funancialism joined me on this episode of the podcast to discuss ‘alternative investments’. Including his investments into Pokémon cards and one piece cards. I’m a complete beginner in this space, so was asking as many beginner questions as possible. Georgiy dropped a lot of gems and facts, going on to say that everyone should have at least 1% of their portfolio in alternative investments. Listen to the podcast episode for the full details!-----------------------------------------More investing:📝 Download my free investing guide to help you start investing - https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/Free-Investing-Guide📕 Get my book Stop Waiting, Start Investing (available as a physical, digital and audiobook) - https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/swsi-book-----------------------------------------⚠️ Disclaimers: I am not a financial advisor and this does not represent financial advice, it is for entertainment purposes only. Please seek professional advice to get the best information for your personal situation. When investing, your capital is at risk and you may get back less than invested. Past performance does not guarantee future results.-----------------------------------------📥 Get in touch: https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/contact

The 10 most important things that changed that you need to know after the UK 2025 Budget yesterday.Plus, 8 things that didn't change (that you should still know about).What did you make of the budget? Let me know in the comments below.Listen to the podcast episode for the full details!-----------------------------------------More investing:📝 Download my free investing guide to help you start investing - https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/Free-Investing-Guide📕 Get my book Stop Waiting, Start Investing (available as a physical, digital and audiobook) - https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/swsi-book-----------------------------------------⚠️ Disclaimers: I am not a financial advisor and this does not represent financial advice, it is for entertainment purposes only. Please seek professional advice to get the best information for your personal situation. When investing, your capital is at risk and you may get back less than invested. Past performance does not guarantee future results.-----------------------------------------📥 Get in touch: https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/contact

In this podcast episode, I answer a question from Scott.The question was: 'Have you ever covered how to invest when you’ve maxed out your 20k isa allowance?'We go through the options, starting with a pension and a general investment account (GIA), before moving onto more niche options and some other ideas - from SEIS/EIS/VCT to crypto and gold and more. We also cover limited companies and the 'order of investing priority', including some scenarios of what investment accounts to prioritise based on your situation. Listen to the podcast episode for the full details.Timestamps:0:00 - Question from Scott1:53 - Pension3:20 - Workplace pension or SIPP?4:38 - General investing account6:55 - Accounts are ‘wrappers’7:38 - SEIS and EIS9:13 - VCTs10:33 - Other options - property11:11 - Crypto11:43 - Gold12:35 - P2P lending13:05 - S&S Lifetime ISA14:04 - Don’t forget saving goals15:29 - Limited company investing16:30 - ‘Order of investing priority’20:51 - Summary22:53 - Outro-----------------------------------------More investing:📝 Download my free investing guide to help you start investing - https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/Free-Investing-Guide📕 Get my book Stop Waiting, Start Investing (available as a physical, digital and audiobook) - https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/swsi-book-----------------------------------------⚠️ Disclaimers: I am not a financial advisor and this does not represent financial advice, it is for entertainment purposes only. Please seek professional advice to get the best information for your personal situation. When investing, your capital is at risk and you may get back less than invested. Past performance does not guarantee future results.-----------------------------------------📥 Get in touch: https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/contact

Gold is up big in 2025, but should you invest in it? And if so, how?In this episode, we break down everything you need to know about gold as an investor. From what actually drives gold’s price, to its long term returns (including the real return after inflation), to how much of your portfolio you may want to allocate - the ultimate beginner-friendly guide.We then dive into the 5 main ways to invest in gold, including the pros, cons, fees, and tax implications of each option.These options include: physical gold, ETCs, ETFs, gold mining stocks and digital gold.

In this podcast episode, I answer a question from Jiani.This is a great question and a fairly common question one - is it better to 'lump sum' invest or 'drip feed' / 'cost average' invest.We go through the data, the pros and cons of each approach, some real life examples, what I personally do, and more, in this podcast episode.Listen to the podcast episode for the full details.Timestamps:0:00 - Question from Jiani: Cost averaging vs Lump sum1:24 - What is the difference?2:45 - What the data shows4:17 - Why lump sum investing wins5:13 - Why cost averaging/drip feeding might still be better7:09 - When does each strategy work best?8:31 - Some real life examples10:17 - The ‘lost decade’ where drip feeding won12:08 - The final verdict13:23 - What do I do?14:4 - Outro-----------------------------------------More investing:📝 Download my free investing guide to help you start investing - https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/Free-Investing-Guide📕 Get my book Stop Waiting, Start Investing (available as a physical, digital and audiobook) - https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/swsi-book-----------------------------------------⚠️ Disclaimers: I am not a financial advisor and this does not represent financial advice, it is for entertainment purposes only. Please seek professional advice to get the best information for your personal situation. When investing, your capital is at risk and you may get back less than invested. Past performance does not guarantee future results.-----------------------------------------📥 Get in touch: https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/contact

Mat from @thequidsquid joins me on this episode to discuss all things budgeting.From different budgeting methods, to budgeting techniques, to useful budgeting tools and apps, to juggling your budget whilst investing and saving. Mat shares how he used budgeting personally to save for his own house. As well as how to go about budgeting the average UK salary of £35,000.Listen to the podcast episode for the full details!Timestamps:0:00 - Intro1:17 - Different budgeting methods3:25 - 50/30/20 budgeting7:39 - What techniques did Mat follow to save for a house9:45 - Zero-based budget14:14 - Budgeting for investing17:13 - Other budgeting tips - mindset, LISAs22:23 - How to budget the average £35,000 UK salary26:25 - How much should you save/invest?31:08 - Budgeting apps and tools36:34 - Using multiple accounts41:26 - Final quickfire budgeting tips-----------------------------------------More investing:📝 Download my free investing guide to help you start investing - https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/Free-Investing-Guide📕 Get my book Stop Waiting, Start Investing (available as a physical, digital and audiobook) - https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/swsi-book-----------------------------------------⚠️ Disclaimers: I am not a financial advisor and this does not represent financial advice, it is for entertainment purposes only. Please seek professional advice to get the best information for your personal situation. When investing, your capital is at risk and you may get back less than invested. Past performance does not guarantee future results.-----------------------------------------📥 Get in touch: https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/contact

Tom from @tom.tpf joins me on this podcast episode to discuss a very important question what is the best global ETF for UK investors?As Tom and I discussed on our previous podcast episode, investing really can be made simple - invest into a global fund and do this consistently for decades. However, which global ETF is best? There are many to choose from and the jargon can be confusing. So, in this episode we compare 5 of the most popular global ETF options. What makes them different? Primarily the number of underlying holdings (essentially the number of stocks in the ETF) and the fees that they charge. We go through each of the ETFs and then conclude on which one (or ones) are the best for investors. This episode will be very helpful if you're a long term global fund investor. Listen to this podcast episode for the full details. Timestamps:0:00 - Intro0:58 - Why use a global fund?1:45 - Some global fund aren’t truly global?4:55 - FTSE All World - VWRP & FWRG9:02 - MSCI ACWI - SSAC & ACWI15:35 - Solactive GBS Global Markets - PACW21:35 - Which one is best?26:47 - Final thoughts-----------------------------------------More investing:📝 Download my free investing guide to help you start investing - https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/Free-Investing-Guide📕 Get my book Stop Waiting, Start Investing (available as a physical, digital and audiobook) - https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/swsi-book-----------------------------------------⚠️ Disclaimers: I am not a financial advisor and this does not represent financial advice, it is for entertainment purposes only. Please seek professional advice to get the best information for your personal situation. When investing, your capital is at risk and you may get back less than invested. Past performance does not guarantee future results.-----------------------------------------📥 Get in touch: https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/contact

Will from @nextgenngpf joins me on this podcast episode to explain exactly how he has built his own investment portfolio from £0 to £15,000 by age 23.This includes what specific platforms to look into and what specific ETFs to consider investing into. Investing seems very complicated, which is why reason why many people never start. But it can be made very simple and very passive. Will runs us through his exact approach on how he's done that, his mistakes along the way, as well as how to plans to keep building his portfolio moving forward. If you're looking to start investing, this podcast episode will be a massive help. Timestamps:0:00 - Will’s top 3 tips for beginner investors4:51 - Investing mistakes to avoid8:28 - How can a beginner investor actually start investing?13:14 - What Will invests into in his investment portfolio20:26 - Does investing need to complicated?22:20 - Money psychology investing lessons25:25 - Investing book recommendations28:24 - Will’s future investing plans30:42 - OutroListen to this podcast episode for the full details. -----------------------------------------More investing:📝 Download my free investing guide to help you start investing - https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/Free-Investing-Guide📕 Get my book Stop Waiting, Start Investing (available as a physical, digital and audiobook) - https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/swsi-book-----------------------------------------⚠️ Disclaimers: I am not a financial advisor and this does not represent financial advice, it is for entertainment purposes only. Please seek professional advice to get the best information for your personal situation. When investing, your capital is at risk and you may get back less than invested. Past performance does not guarantee future results.-----------------------------------------📥 Get in touch: https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/contact

Tom from @tom.tpf joins me on this podcast episode to go through exactly what to look for when selecting an index fund or ETF to invest in.Investing really can be made simple - invest into a global fund and do this consistently for decades. However, how can you pick a fund? What should you look for?It can get a bit technical. And in this episode we run through the nitty gritty of exactly what criteria to look for when selecting a fund.This includes the underlying holdings, tracking errors, fees, fund size (or AUM 'Assets under management), and more.On top of this, when it actually comes to then picking a fund on an investment platform and actually investing your money, there are a few more important differences.What are they? They are differences in the fund provider, how dividends are treated and currency.This episode will be a very valuable listen if you are planning to invest into funds for the long term.Timestamps:0:00 - Intro1:34 - What is an ETF?2:25 - Why is this a good way to invest?3:54 - UCITS5:11 - Underlying holdings9:38 - Fees11:39 - Domicile13:50 - Tracking Error17:09 - Fund size, bid ask spreads, liquidity20:14 - Method of replication24:13 - Fund provider26:04 - Income vs Accumulation28:45 - Currency33:16 - SummaryListen to this podcast episode for the full details. -----------------------------------------More investing:📝 Download my free investing guide to help you start investing - https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/Free-Investing-Guide📕 Get my book Stop Waiting, Start Investing (available as a physical, digital and audiobook) - https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/swsi-book-----------------------------------------⚠️ Disclaimers: I am not a financial advisor and this does not represent financial advice, it is for entertainment purposes only. Please seek professional advice to get the best information for your personal situation. When investing, your capital is at risk and you may get back less than invested. Past performance does not guarantee future results.-----------------------------------------📥 Get in touch: https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/contact

Neil from @NeilInvests joins me on this podcast episode for a fascinating and insightful chat where we discussed his entire investing journey to date and his future investing plans.For context, Neil is currently in his 40's and is planning to build his Stocks & Shares ISA portfolio to £500k+ to enable an earlier retirement. Neil runs us through the specific investment platform he uses, why he uses a Stocks & Shares ISA, and why he specifically invests into the S&P 500 and FTSE All World.But that's not all. We cover his biggest investing mistakes, favourite investing books, why he doesn't plan to invest into bonds, how he plans to live off of his investment portfolio, and a lot more.Listen to this podcast episode for the full details. Timestamps:0:00 - Intro1:15 - Neil’s overall approach4:45 - Neil’s investing journey and mistakes10:10 - The difficulty of stock picking12:20 - Do you need a financial advisor?14:36 - Why did you choose Trading212?18:58 - Why a Stocks & Shares ISA?24:05 - Why the Vanguard S&P 500 Income ETF and Invesco FTSE All World Income ETF?27:10 - US or Global ETF?28:50 - Crypto investing31:36 - Why use Income/Distributing ETFs?34:40 - Neil’s exit plan to live off of his investments38:34 - What about bonds?41:09 - Will you take the pension tax-free lump sum?43:25 - Book recommendations to get started investing46:01 - Outro-----------------------------------------More investing:📝 Download my free investing guide to help you start investing - https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/Free-Investing-Guide📕 Get my book Stop Waiting, Start Investing (available as a physical, digital and audiobook) - https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/swsi-book-----------------------------------------⚠️ Disclaimers: I am not a financial advisor and this does not represent financial advice, it is for entertainment purposes only. Please seek professional advice to get the best information for your personal situation. When investing, your capital is at risk and you may get back less than invested. Past performance does not guarantee future results.-----------------------------------------📥 Get in touch: https://www.makingmoneysimple.co.uk/contact