Overcoming Impulse Spending: How Small Shifts Create Big Wins
When it comes to wealth, most people assume financial challenges are about not having enough. But even for high-achieving women with strong incomes, the struggle with overspending can create stress, guilt, and uncertainty. I recently worked with a wonderful client who found herself spending much more than she wanted – and not on big-ticket items…
Why Wealthy Women Still Struggle With Money (And How to Overcome It)
I love this quote by Coco Chanel: “There are people who have money and people who are rich.” It perfectly captures what I see so often in my work: Abundance and wealth are about so much more than what’s in your bank account. Many of my clients are deemed wealthy by societal standards. On paper,…
Why Charging More and Earning More is Essential for Financial Empowerment (and How to Do It Right)
Let’s get real: Many women – even those who are high earners – struggle with charging what they’re worth. And don’t just click off here, thinking this doesn’t apply to you if you’re an employee rather than a business owner. Charging what you’re worth also includes negotiating a remuneration package that reflects your contribution to…
What’s holding you back from leading the life you really want?
So often women have a fear around money and carry feelings of guilt and shame. You may think these feelings are experienced by women on a low income or women who struggle to meet their spending needs. But these disempowered emotions are not in fact related to how much money you have. You are as…
“Thank you for your directness”
Sometimes coaching needs to be non-directive. You let the coachee get to their own answer by asking the right questions. They then end up with a solution that’s right for them and their circumstances rather than a solution someone else thinks is right. They are then much more likely to want to achieve this.…
What do weight loss and your finances have in common?
So often people have a New Year’s Resolution to lose weight and/or a New Year’s Resolution to manage their finances better. Now, at first thought, you might not think they have very much in common. But actually, there’s a lot of similarities between losing weight and managing your finances. For each, there are some quite…
Are you a perfectionist?
It’s easy to think that being a perfectionist is a good thing. Maybe we have the idea that being a perfectionist helps us to achieve what we want, either in work or in our home lives? It is easy to think so. But, there is a big difference between being a perfectionist and working to our…
Do you ever feel like you’re invisible?
Do you ever feel like you’re invisible? I don’t mean in the fun Harry Potter, Invisibility Cloak type of invisibility. (By the way, wouldn’t that be the best fun ever!). I mean the women who feel that they reach a certain age and then society begins to view them as “past it” and therefore…
Is ignorance bliss?
Is ignorance bliss? I remember the first time I had to give unwelcome news to a client. She was a doctor in her late 50s and had come to take financial advice because she planned to retire at 60 and wanted to check what income she would be able to draw. At that first meeting…
Do you know how much money you need to save for your retirement and future need?
Do you know how much money you need to save for your retirement and future need? Well, you could be asking yourself the wrong question. This is the equivalent of asking “I want to buy a new car. How much will it cost?” If you’re looking for a basic, small 2 door car it will…
Money can’t buy you love
Money can’t buy you love Money can’t buy you love, or so the Beatles reliably informed us in the 1960s. But does that mean money is of limited use? There are many things we need money for, from basic security and food to some of the finer things in life. But how much money do…
It’s not all about work.
It’s not how much money you have that’s relevant, but whether you feel rich. It’s not all about work. Yesterday I had a marvellous afternoon spa day at the beautiful Pennyhill Park. It was exactly what I needed to recharge my batteries after 3 months of yet another lockdown. I had several hours of swimming,…
It’s not how much money you have that’s relevant, but whether you feel rich.
It’s not how much money you have that’s relevant, but whether you feel rich. It’s not how much money you have that’s relevant, but whether you feel rich. I love this quote from Coco Chanel since it encompasses everything I think about money. Abundance is the term I prefer rather than rich since abundance covers…
There’s more to life and money than handbags and shoes
There’s more to life and money than handbags and shoes. Question from a client: “I’ve had this Inheritance and I’m wondering whether to use it to pay off my mortgage or whether to invest it” Such a sensible question. It shows she understands her options and wants to work out which one is best for…
Does your financial adviser understand your needs and values?
Does your financial adviser understand your needs and values? Does the work you do with your adviser centre purely around your money or is it so much more encompassing than that? When my client and I work together it’s really important to me that I’m working with my client as a person, helping her achieve…
How empowered do you feel right now…both economically and financially?
How empowered do you feel right now…both economically and financially? Lockdown influences everyone. For some there is a real concern about their earning capacity and concern about how safe their income is. For others they have more money than normal due to cutting back on travelling, holidays, sports clubs etc. What they’d prefer is to…
Taking control of your financial future
Taking control of your financial future In my last article, “What would you do if you knew you could afford it?” I explored how the experience of living through this pandemic over the last 6 months has prompted a number of us to reassess our lives and priorities. In this article we’re going to look…
What would you do, if you knew you could afford it?
As we approach the six month anniversary since the UK first went into lockdown, I’m thinking about how different things are now, compared to how they were just six months ago. We’ve all had a different experience over the last six months. Some have loved the lack of commute and have had a much more…
Your financial queries answered in just one call.
Do you wish you had the ability to raise your financial queries with an expert? How many times have you spent hours searching the web, only to get conflicting information or information that maybe you’re not sure applies for your specific circumstances? A web search can give you a lot of information, but sometimes it…
Can you have too much money saved?
Many would probably expect me to say that it’s so important to save for the future, and therefore this takes priority. So many people nowadays aren’t saving enough that it seems odd to suggest that maybe you shouldn’t be putting every penny away for that rainy day. Surely its sensible to save for the future,…
Will I run out of money?
“Will I run out of money?” is the question I most often get asked by clients. For most of us it’s the sort of question which will keep us awake at night. For my ongoing financial planning clients this service is provided on an annual basis and updated each year. I would normally only provide…
How much money do I need?
“How much money do I need?” is one of the top questions I so often get asked by my clients. Whether it’s from a female saving towards retirement or someone who’s going through divorce, clients are looking to get a definite number so that they can see how near or how far they are from…
Help…what is happening in the stock market now?
The attached graph shows us what has happened in the stock market since 1925. It’s hard to read but very happy to send you the pdf if you’d like ti so you can view the details. It highlights the Bull markets (increases in the market of 20% or more) against the Bear markets (falls in…
Well, what a week that was..
Well, the past week has been rather interesting hasn’t it? This time last week I was counting down the last working week until my holiday, due to start on Saturday. Today, I’m planning my one daily trip out to get exercise and actually see that other people actually exist! Luckily, I live by the river…
The Coronavirus and Market Declines
The world is watching with concern the spread of the new coronavirus. The uncertainty is being felt around the globe, and it is unsettling on a human level as well as from the perspective of how markets respond. At Wealth for Women, it is a fundamental principle that markets are designed to handle uncertainty, processing…
Do you have enough?
A recent report by Fidelity entitled “Financial Power of Women” highlighted the fact that although many women saved on a regular basis, they were more comfortable putting their money into cash rather than investing in the stock market. Cash savings are very important, and we should all have a cash buffer…our emergency cash. Ideally this should…
Don’t ignore the pension
Data on UK divorces, released this week by the Office of National Statistics, announced that that the average age at divorce is continuing to rise; for 30 years, from 1985-2015, the average age at divorce has increased by over eight years. The average age at divorce for a man in 2015 was 45.9 years, and…
Oh, another lovely award…
A few months ago I was delighted to attend a very swanky awards ceremony and be the winner of CityWealth’s Power Woman of The Year Award as Entrepreneurial Woman of The Year. Last week I attended the inaugural awards ceremony from Women in Finance, held at Grosvenor House- another swanky event. I was delighted to be…
Divorce at over-60
Over 60 and facing separation? You’re not alone. Later life divorce is definitely on the increase – figures from the International Longevity Centre, a respected research organisation, show that between 1990 and 2012 the number of men and women over the age of 60 going through a divorce shot up by 85 per cent. There…
Do you take responsibility for your finances?
As the founder of Wealth for Women, it wouldn’t surprise anyone to hear that most of my clients are female. Typically, they are going through, or have just been through, divorce. In almost every case, the husband has had full responsibility for looking after the joint finances during the marriage and the female has taken…
Are we there yet?
We all remember those time as children when we were on a car journey and very excited to get to our final destination. Within a very short time of starting out we were frequently asking “Are we there yet?”. Despite being told “no” and despite the annoyance of our parents for constantly asking, we still…
And the winner is …
At last week’s Citywealth Powerwomen awards I was delighted to receive the Entrepreneurial Woman of the Year award, having been shortlisted from over 100 other nominees. It was a total delight to be recognised for the difference I’m making in my client’s life by helping her feel confident and secure about her long term financial…
I now feel much more secure, and financially sound
I recently spoke to one of my clients , let’s call her Grace, to ask what benefit she obtained from us working together. What prompted you to have a meeting with me? I was quite anxious about my financial future, and had no clear idea of where I stood. I didn’t know what information I…
Improving your state pension entitlement
Prior to 6th April 2016 if a couple were going through divorce, or dissolution of a civil partnership it was possible to substitute the National Insurance (NI) record from a former spouse/civil partner if they had a better NI record. Therefore, potentially a non-earning spouse could still receive a full state pension if their…
I know nothing about the wine list!
Let me be totally honest with you, I am a total dunce when it comes to wine; and I laugh at the number of times I have bluffed my way through a business lunch or simply nodded in approval when I’ve been lunching with a wine buff. To me, a glass of “plonk” tastes pretty…
I’ve been shortlisted for CityWealth’s Power Women Awards 2017
The reason I decided to specialise in financial advice to women was because I didn’t think the financial services industry was particularly female friendly. Many of the ladies I work with are going through divorce. Often their husband has dealt with the finances during the period of the marriage. Therefore, if things go wrong and they end up…
How rich are you?
I had a meeting with a lovely client recently. Let’s call her Janet. Janet and her husband (let’s call him James) had received a large cash sum following the sale of their business. They needed advice as to how best to invest their money. However, what they needed much more than this was the knowledge…
Are you going to run out of money?
You probably have an idea of how much you have saved in your pension plans and investment accounts. But do you know whether this is enough money to last you for your lifetime and enable you to do all the things you’d love to do. “Fingers crossed it all works out OK” is generally not…
Do men and women need different financial advice?
I’m a female independent financial adviser specialising in financial advice to women, particularly women going through divorce. A number of people (mostly men it has to be said!) think this is sexist and suggest it’s unnecessary since women do not need different advice to men. Most of the females I talk to think it’s a…
Is seeing your IFA like going to the dentist?
There’s not many things in life that really scare me. It’s not because I think I’m particularly rufty-tufty. I just tend to be up for trying most things, without necessarily realising just how scary they will be. (White water rafting was a particular example!). Then once I’ve done it, it’s not that scary anymore. I…
Finding the right expert: So much more than just looking after your money
If you read The Sunday Times on the weekend you would have received the supplement “Your Adviser- Finding the Right Expert” I was delighted to be listed as a Top Rated Adviser, in the section for the London based advisers. The supplement was produced in association with VouchedFor, who are the equivalent of Trip Advisor…
Why I’m happy to be sexist!
Trading as Wealth for Women and being the author of “The Wealthy Woman: A Man is Not a Financial Plan”, tends to split reaction into two camps. Some women (and men) have found it sexist and patronising. One comment left on my Facebook post recently offering a free digital copy of my book was “I…
Don’t spend it all on shoes and handbags!
I’ve recently worked with a lovely lady to do her financial plan- let’s call her Gillian. What she told me in our first phone call absolutely astounded me. It’s not often I’m lost for words, but I was on this occasion. Gillian had savings in her bank account and in various deposit accounts and was…
No, I don’t want to have a meeting with you!
As an independent financial adviser specialising in advice to women, I am often telephoned by a female who asks “Can we have a meeting?” “Can you help me with my finances?” The short answer that I give is “no”. But before you think I’m horribly rude…. there’s as a longer answer. The longer answer is…
Number one IFA!
I’m delighted to have been advised by VouchedFor that I am currently the number one IFA in Esher on the reviews website VouchedFor.co.uk. To see the listings for yourself, take a look at VouchedFor’s list of IFAs in Esher. When you search for an IFA on VouchedFor, the results are based on the number of…
High earners lose out on pension contributions
Under the present tax rules anyone making a pension contribution can get tax relief at their marginal rate. Further details are in Pensions: a 20% off sale! In summary, if you are a basic rate tax payer and wanted to pay £100 into your pension plan your cash contribution would be £80. Your £20 tax…
Changes to the State Pension 2016. What it means for you.
With effect from 6th April 2016 a number of changes are taking place with regard to State Pension. Anyone who is already claiming their state pension and those who reach state pension age by this date will remain under the existing rules. This group will not be affected by the changes. Those who reach state…
Pension not discussed as part of divorce.
The Scottish Widows Women and Retirement Report 2014 noted that among divorced women 84% said pensions weren’t discussed or they couldn’t remember them being discussed as part of any settlement. This is a similar figure to previous years. This is very worrying. Not because I believe 84% of family lawyers failed to discuss the pension…
How much do you need to save for retirement?
In their recent “women and retirement report 2014” Scottish Widows asked thousands of women about their plans for retirement. There was certainly good news, in that the number of women saving into a pension had increase by 10%. However, the report also highlighted that women save 40% less than men. This is a huge difference.…
Pension sharing: two bites of the cherry
A pension sharing order (PSO) cannot be varied at a future date. In addition, if you are awarded a PSO from your partner’s pension you cannot apply for a second PSO for the same marriage on the same pension. It’s therefore important to ensure you take good legal and financial advice during your divorce negotiations. …