One of our highlights of the month is the monthly finance meeting. Katie and I get excited days beforehand, and actively spend time planning our monthly finance meeting. We find a cool location for a wonderful breakfast or brunch, open the spreadsheet and input the numbers and work out which direction our finances are going in!

This is the exact opposite of most of the population who don't like to look at their finances at all; scared of what they might find.  Your average person uses the "bury your head in the sand strategy" to manage their finances; with an occasional peek at the current account to see if they can afford things.  

If the saying "what get's measured; gets improved" is true; then why are so many people so scared of looking at their personal finances??

This got me thinking, "Am I a risk taker?"  What does the rest of the world see as risky that I see as the safe bet?

Do you think it is risky to start a business?  Do you think it is risky to invest in the stock market?  Do you think the safe thing to do is to get a job and stay there for the rest of your life?

How do you calculate your net-worth?  The first step to change is to take a good look at where you are right now.  If you don't know your starting point it is difficult to know if the change you are creating is moving you in the right direction or not.  If you can't clearly give a £ or $ figure for your net-worth then this article will help you figure it out.

Sounds like a good idea but my biggest concern is that this leads to stock picking and therefore worse performance (profit for us) over time.  Katie and I wanted to dig into my preconceived notions and ideas to find out the truth behind ESG funds and all the hype that surrounds them!

These funds have huge promise and we wanted to dig in to find out what you are actually buying when you purchase a global index fund.

So many people seem to be talking about it.  Millennial Revolution are mining it in their Airbnb's, the Escape Artist is writing about it and the highs and lows.  It seems to be in the press in different ways every single day. 

With all the hype I wanted to stand up and give a different opinion.  These are my reasons why I don't invest in crypto and won't tell anyone to do it either.

If you are looking to let go of the feeling of "I should invest in crypto" or you want some balance to the reasons for investing then this article is for you.  If you love crypto and don't like to be challenged you aren't going to like this one!

These 3 clear barriers are what we tackle first and this helps people make progress quickly.  The objective is to build a business making money doing what they love, but first we need to get past the barriers!

​My wife, Katie, and I have become fascinated by finances and since running our first finance course we have been trying to understand what stops people from getting their finances in order. 

At the beginning of that course we asked everyone that signed up "What stops you having your finances the way you want them?" What do you think they said? What do you think stops people from fixing their financial situation?

Almost every blog talks about cutting out streaming services, reducing expenditure and not going out to eat.   I have a slightly different take on it.  

​There is almost an air of resignation when I ask people about how much money they make.  It is as if they earn what they earn and that is it.  Well I am here to tell you that there maybe a floor to how much you can reduce expenditure but the is NO ceiling to the amount of money you can make!  You want to pull a lever that is going to supercharge your finances and your path to financial independence?  This is the one!

I originally wrote this on the 26th of May 2020 and updated it this week for you on 15th of June 2021.   Has the advice changed following the pandemic? 
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So here are all your questions about the 4% rule, early retirement and financial independence answered!  Let's jump straight into "How much does it take to retire? The Q&A" with Alan...…..

I came across an incredibly simple formula for knowing when enough is enough. I will show you the straight forward maths behind calculating how much you need to invest to retire.

This was first written on the 26th of August 2019 and updated on the 15th June 2021.  I am now 42 years old now!  How time passes. We have reviewed and updated the article given everything that has happened since I wrote it in 2019!

This is a warning against unscrupulous companies that are going to try and take advantage of you during this time.  They are going to do it under the guise of helping you through the pandemic but in reality they are going to leave you far worse off in the long run than if they didn't help at all!

A year after I wrote this last paragraph I have now begun to realise that it is not just in moments of crisis that they will try and take advantage of you.  They are out their right now taking advantage of people; it just feels more shocking at the height of a pandemic.   There are teams of people currently working out the best way to get you to take on more debt. 
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Update 25/08/2020: This  was written just as lock down was starting on the 25th of March 2020 and this is still going on now and always will do.  Car dealerships make more money on the financing and insurance than they do the car itself.  Online catalogue companies offer you "anything you want" buy now, pay later at 39.9% APR. Companies that lend money make more, when you pay slower!  The debt warning isn't just for the height of a pandemic it is something you need to be wary of always! 

Update 18/05/2021: They are still after you.  Nothing has changed.  In fact they are getting smarter at putting you into debt.  This warning is needed now more than ever.  I get the feeling when I review this article in a year's time I will be writing that it is even more needed then.

This post is about lifestyle inflation, conscious spending and buying the future you really want!  We all earn money and then make decisions on what we spend that on.  My desire is to help you become conscious of your spending and make conscious decisions on future spending. 

If you do this you will either get comfortable with your current spending or change it to buy more happiness.  After all isn't happiness the goal?

Updated 27th April 2021

How can this be possible? How can we have more money than we earnt? Does that mean that we have lived for free for our entire life so far? Is this normal? Could you do the same? Do you have anything to show for your years of labour?

For an overview of which Index Fund to choose start here.  This article is to help you decide whether to invest in the Vanguard Developed World Ex. UK Fund or the Vanguard FTSE Global All-Cap Index Fund and what the differences are!

​We are going to break down the differences between the two funds and, given that nearly all of our money in invested in the Developed world fund, whether we are going to change that going forwards. 

We do not receive sponsorship from Vanguard or anything in return for promoting their products.  I kind of wish we did; lol. 

What is an index fund? The language of investing can be hugely complex at the best of times! Even a simple term like index fund takes a lot to properly explain.  If you want to feel confident investing then the first step is to build your investing knowledge and financial vocabulary. The more you understand something the more confident you will feel starting!  Writing this article has doubled Katie's and my knowledge about index funds!  We hope it does the same for you!

The short explanation: Index funds give you an easy and cost-effective route to diversify your investments across the globe and partake in the growth of the global economy. Sounds sexy; but what the hell does it mean! What is an index fund? What is contained in an index fund? Which index funds should I buy? Why do I care? Let's get geeky together!

Updated: 22nd June 2021

You financial philosophy is the set of beliefs, values, your identity and relationship with money.  It is the way you think about your finances and yourself which controls your actions and in turn determines your financial destiny.  I want to help you uncover your financial philosophy, take control of it and develop it to create a brighter financial future. 

Have you ever taken the time to consciously consider what you believe about money and how it is affecting your life?

I use supply and demand theory in my business to this day ​but no one taught me about personal finance. I learnt through books, courses that I paid to go on and through trial and error; the good old fashioned way.  I have paid a high price for the skills I have developed and I think it is time I gave it all away for free...…...

I have been doing that with entrepreneurship for the last decade now. Giving away the course I wish I had when I was launching my business.  Katie and I have decided to do this for personal finance next. 

If you finances weren't in a good state when Covid hit this situation probably did nothing to help.    So many business and families lost their income overnight and they weren't prepared for it!

The people that benefit the most from the opportunities arising from Covid19 are the ones that are in the best financial position.  

​Now is the time to take control of your finances and set yourself up for the future

Yes.  You really can!  It has even ended up in the top 10 best finance movies of the decade!!!  I went to the London Premier and then saw it in Los Angeles a month later and was lucky enough to meet Scott and Taylor the stars and executive producer of the doc in Portugal this year at Chautauqua. 
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Read on for the full review of the documentary...…….

The movement in the UK is a lot smaller.  It has taken more time to catch on but it is growing fast.  Is it possible to be Financially Independent (FI) in the UK? Are there any good blogs about Financial Independence from a UK perspective? Is there a community? Read on to find out more about Financial Independence in the UK

Created 20th August 2019.  Updated: 22nd of June 2021

Income from passive sources is greater than expenditure; equals financial independence.  Sounds simple?  There are some nuances!

This article was first published 4th February 2019.  Updated 8th September 2020 and then again on 1st June 2021