Money Unshackled Blog
Latest Posts:
The 5 Best Income & Cash Flow Investments
We’re living in an age of rock-bottom interest rates, where investors have largely given up on cash flow in favour
How To Retire With A £1 Million Pension At Age 50
In previous articles we’ve looked at retiring really young, and there were two themes that were evident: 1) You had
InvestEngine Is A Game-Changer! | Completely Free ETF Investing Platform Reviewed
InvestEngine is a game changing new investment platform that lets you trade ETFs for free, beating the popular commission-free trading
Do Index Funds & ETFs REALLY Beat Actively Managed Funds?
S&P Global, the index provider behind the S&P 500 and other stock indexes, provide some great insight into the markets
Don’t Do This… Our 5 Biggest Money Regrets
“It’s good to learn from your mistakes. It’s better to learn from other people’s mistakes.” – Warren Buffett. In today’s
The Ugly Side Of Being Self-Employed
In previous posts we’ve mostly talked highly of turning your back on wage slavery and setting up shop for yourself,
5 Ways To Invest In The Stock Market Using Leverage In The UK
Using debt to invest really does divide opinion. Personally, we think using other people’s money is a great tool at
10 Tips For Supercharged Matched Betting Profits (Easy £500+ A Month)
Do you want to make easy money, sitting on your backside, with a beer in one hand and a pizza
Should You Just Live In A Caravan? | Extreme Financial Freedom Now?
When you’re several years or even decades away from your financial freedom goals, your mind turns to crazy ideas to
Are Middle-Earners Getting Screwed By The Taxman? | New Data Reveals All
What goes through your mind when you look at your payslip, and you see big slices of your money taken
Could A 1929-Style Stock Market Crash Happen Again Soon?
With stock markets continually hitting new highs and looking very overpriced, is it possible that the stock market could crash
From £0 To Rich In 10 Years Using Debt | Your 10 Year Plan
Here we’ve set out to prove that anyone can go from £0 of savings to financially free in just 10
Invest In The Best Cryptos With One Fund! – Crypto 20 Index Fund Review
It’s generally accepted that most investors cannot beat the market by stock picking and those that try will often massively
Just One Fund – Is The S&P 500 All You Need?
S&P 500 vs global diversification. Which is right for your investment portfolio? Which will perform best? Is it crazy to
Top 3 Dividend Stocks For Summer 2021 (Trading 212 Dividend Pie Update)
Now that things have settled down a bit in the economy, we can see more clearly through the fog of
10 Outdated Money Rules That Just Aren’t True
In todays’ post, we’re looking at 10 outdated money rules that just aren’t true anymore or in some cases never
Investors With Kids: What You Need To Do To Secure Their (& Your) Financial Futures
At some point during your financial journey, chances are you’ll end up having to factor in kids. The media is
UK Retirees At Risk Of Running Pension Pots Dry
We spend a lot of time looking at ways to become financially free and retire early should we wish. We
How To Get £1000 Cash Fast – 10 Ideas
So you need an extra £1,000, and you need it quickly. How can you do that? In this article we’re
Best Place To Invest For Retirement
Whether you’re hoping to retire young or at state retirement age, where is the best place to invest for retirement?
Are You Spending Too Much? What The Average Household Spends In The UK
Do you ever think you might be spending too much? We usually cover ways to boost your income and make
The FCA Says You Have No Idea How To Invest – Restrictions Incoming?
Recently the FCA published a report into the behaviours of investors. The conclusion was that newer investors are at risk
The Early Retirement Danger Zone | Hack The 4% Rule & Hold Onto Your Money Forever
Followers of the FIRE lifestyle will have heard of the 4% safe withdrawal rate and will be aiming to build
Emerging Markets: Buy, Buy, Buy!
2021 has not been kind to Emerging Markets investments. While the developed nations have powered ahead on a wave of
Getting to 200 Grand – What I’d Change About My £200k Portfolio
When you reach an investment milestone like £200k, it’s good to reflect on your achievements so far, but more important
What We Discovered When We Analysed The S&P 500.
We all hear a lot of so-called facts that we just accept as gospel. Things like it takes seven years
How To Reduce Your FIRE Number Or Bring Your FIRE Date Forward – Financial Independence
Ok so the plan is to become financially free asap. It’s what’s known as FIRE – financial independence, retire early.
Future Investment Returns Are Expected To Be Dismal
How big will your investment returns be over the years ahead? We’ve seen some huge gains recently despite wider economic
Reviewing My Property Empire – Is Buy-To-Let Still Valid In 2021?
Written by Ben I’ve been reviewing my property portfolio recently, in light of the covid pandemic. Over the last year,
How To Build The Perfect Vanguard Portfolio
Vanguard is one of the best providers of index funds and ETFs. So much so, that Vanguard seems to have
Want To Retire Early? Pick Your FIRE Strategy (FAT/LEAN/COAST/BARISTA)
The Financial Independence and Retire Early movement is not very old but it has gained a lot of traction in
What Percent Of Your Income Should You Invest For Financial Freedom? | Planning For FIRE
What percentage of your income are you saving or investing each month? If you’re like most Brits, it won’t be
Why Every Takeaway Costs You £1000 | The Huge Retirement Cost Of Spending Decisions Now
Today we want to get you thinking about the opportunity cost of your outgoings. The difference between a rich person
Which Stocks & Shares ISA I’m Using In 2021/22
Written by Andy: How do you choose the best Stock & Shares ISA for 2021? Whether you’re a seasoned pro
Checklist For Financial Freedom!
“Let me tell you something. There’s no nobility in poverty. I’ve been a poor man, and I’ve been a rich
ISA Year End Coming! Will You Join The 3%?
The tax year in the UK doesn’t run from January to December like a normal year. Instead, for arcane reasons,
Should You Invest in Alternatives In 2021?
Stocks are expensive, property is expensive, bonds are expensive, and so is gold. Where else can investors turn to in
Tax Dodging Strategy – No Dividend Stock Portfolio
These days everyone raves about index investing because it’s thought that fees are the deciding factor in how big your
Don’t Invest Like Warren Buffett. Here’s Why
Warren Buffett needs no introduction. He has led the company Berkshire Hathaway for several decades now and turned it into
Millionaires Invest In These Funds – Top Investment Trusts
If we want to become millionaires, then surely it makes a lot of sense to do what they do. Recently
Top UK, US & EU Dividend Stocks For 2021 (With Trading 212 Pie)
If you want to invest in the very best dividend stocks in the world, you wouldn’t go far wrong by
How To Become An ISA Millionaire
Surely everyone’s dream is to be an ISA millionaire – to have built up £1m in your ISA. Not only
Quitting Our Jobs, Best Decision Ever – Why You Should Too!
6 months ago, we quit our jobs for the final time. No more staring at the clock waiting for 5pm.
Only Buy Your Home If You Answer ‘Yes’ To These 6 Questions | Rent vs Buying UK
Is buying a property always better than renting? In the UK we’re obsessed with home ownership, and you’ll have heard
Why Your Pension Is Failing You – SSAS/SIPP/Workplace Pensions
Unless you’ve taken a day to sit down and really review your pension situation, your pension is almost certainly failing
These Small Cap Stocks Are Up 33% In 6 Months!
Small cap stocks are taking off! The MSCI World Small Cap Index has absolutely skyrocketed over the last 6 months,
How Much Money We Make On YouTube With 30k Subs
How much money do small youtubers really make? We’ve all heard the stories of how some kid makes millions every
The 3 Big-Money Side Hustles To Start In 2021 | £££
How can you make decent money outside of your job? The long-term solution that we tout on this channel is
Super Stock Portfolio – Automated Stock Picking With Stockopedia (& Trading 212 Pie)
Most investors know that if they build a portfolio of index tracking funds and invest for the long-term, they will
How Did Investors Do In 2020
2020 has been a year to forget – but on the flip side, stock market performance has been a rollercoaster,
Should You Buy Premium Bonds
Should you buy Premium Bonds? Well, if you listen to your gran the answer will probably be yes, but if
How Much People Saved & Invested In Lockdowns
Here’s another in our series of 2020 wrap-ups, this time looking at how saving and investing shot up for most
What Age Do People Really Retire – Retirement Statistics
In the UK, the government recognises age 68 as the age that it’s reasonable to retire. That’s the age you
Investing In The 2020s: Roaring 20s, or a Lost Decade?
A century ago, the 1920s exploded into a decade of prosperity and excess called the Roaring Twenties. Could we be
Should The Minimum Wage Be Doubled? Pros and Cons
Should the UK minimum wage be doubled, tripled or perhaps increased just a smidgen? Or maybe you think it’s too
State Pension UK – How Much Do You Get? Will It Still Be There For You?
When planning for retirement most people will be eligible to receive the state pension, but unfortunately understanding what and how
Why The Debt Bubble Is Due To Burst – Inspired By Ray Dalio
It’s worth understanding how debt cycles work – the periods of time between financial collapses – so that we can
Budget Like A Pro – The Complete Guide To Budgeting The Lazy Way
The thought of budgeting is enough to make the eyes of most people glaze over in boredom. We hear you
Should Debt Be Cancelled? Debt Jubilee
Across the pond, there’s been talk that the new US president Joe Biden could cancel or forgive up to $10,000
How and To Invest In China Stocks From The UK
One in six people on earth live in China, with populations of each of China’s mega regions by themselves the
Triple Your Pension Income – Optimal Safe Withdrawal Rate
How big does your pension pot need to be? The answer comes down to how big your income needs to
3 Super Stocks On Stockopedia For 2021
What’s our number one method of finding winning stocks – stocks that are going to generate double digits returns or
Weak Dollar? Buy Buy Buy! – Currency Risk & Investing
The pound has been strengthening recently against the dollar. Or, more accurately, the dollar has been weakening and losing value
How Big Should Your ISA Be?| ISA Statistics
ISAs are the main investment and savings vehicle in the UK, and every year gov.uk publish a report that gives
The Ultimate ETF Portfolio – Low Fees, Low Taxes, High Returns
We’re always looking to build the perfect ETF portfolio and we think we’ve now come pretty close. While the overall
What Investors Should And Shouldn’t Focus on
Investing is a minefield at the best of times, and there are tonnes of potential traps that investors need to
Trading 212 Pie & AutoInvest Review – Best Investing App?
Trading 212 is the investing app taking the UK by storm and for good reason. One standout feature that we
How Much Of Your Salary Have You Kept?
Over your lifetime how much of your salary have you kept? It’s a big question and the answer has a
Analysing Long-Term Trends With Relative Asset Values – Stocks vs Gold vs Oil vs Property
When investors talk about beating the market, they usually mean picking stocks. That’s one way to do it, but an
Complete Guide To Buy To Let Property
If you have a dream of building a rental property empire, then you’re not alone. There are at least 1
De-Risk Your Investments While Increasing Returns!
The basic premise of investing is that return is driven by risk: the higher the potential return, the higher the
Enemies of Investing Rant – Things To Look Out For
We all need to look out for a number of threats or evils when it comes to investing. If you
Investing: Back The Winners Or Buy The Bargains | Rebalancing The World
A properly diversified stocks portfolio will cover the whole world and be made up of ETFs or funds that allocate
Why 100 Minus Age Rule Doesn’t Work (Shares Vs Bonds Asset Allocation)
A frequent dilemma faced by investors is, what asset allocation is best? What percentage of your portfolio should be in
A 10 Year Plan – School Leaver To Financially Free
Where do you want to be in 10 years? If we’d asked our 18-year old selves that question, the answer
Your Opportunity Fund – Career, Investing & Side Hustles
Everyone gets opportunities to make more money. But most people either aren’t equipped to take them, or don’t see them.
Do It Yourself Or Pay Someone Else?
The Financial Independence Retire Early Movement or FIRE as it’s often known preach doing almost everything yourself with the intention
Plan, Automate, Ignore, Get Rich
We honestly believe that anyone can be wealthy. Wealth is not just reserved for an elite group of people –
What Is A Good Salary And Net Worth – UK – Income and Wealth Percentiles
Where do you sit on the scale from poor to rich? How does your income and net worth compare to
Tax-Free World Portfolio With Synthetic ETFs
We recently did a video showing how the new iShares S&P 500 Swap ETF (I500) could eliminate Dividend Withholding tax
Take Control Of Your Financial Life – You Can’t Rely On Anyone Else!
We see a lot of people whinging on social media and in some news publications about how the government is
How Companies Avoid Tax – If You Can’t Beat Them, Join Them
If we told you a legal way of slashing your tax bill would you do it? Of course you would.
How To Get Paid More
Times are tough for UK workers. The government’s rules are not exactly easy to pin down, but workers are being
The Complete Guide To Vanguard Investing – For UK-Based Investors
Vanguard tends to be investors’ first port of call when it comes to index investing and ETFs, which in many
5 Steps To Quitting All Jobs Forever – Escape The Rat Race
We hated our jobs – all of them. And we’ve had a lot of them over the years. The hours,
Were We Wrong About Bonds?
We’ve said time and again that bonds suck as an investment, and instead have chosen to put the bulk of
Should You Jump Aboard the Clean-Energy Stocks Bull Run?
Clean Energy stocks are well into an established bull market run. It’s a sector with serious momentum behind it:
Make £500 Monthly Risk-Free With Matched Betting (30 Minutes A Day)
If you’re interested in Match Betting and want a boost at the start, check out our dedicated Matched Betting area
iShares Introduces Game Changing TAX-FREE Synthetic S&P 500 ETF
iShares have just launched a new ETF – and we think it could be a game changer. Some of
How Overpaying Your Mortgage Kills You Financially
Paying off your mortgage early will destroy your finances. If you were raised in an average family you were
Top 10 Most Popular ETFs
Our favourite investment product is the Exchange Traded Fund, and it is possible to beat the market by investing in
The US Election Impact On Stocks and ETFs (UK Perspective)
Trump vs Biden. Republicans vs Democrats. The result of the election on 3rd November in the world’s biggest market, America,
How To Make Money With No Effort
Can you make money with no effort? Yes, you can, and in this video we cover 6 realistic ways to
Gaming Industry & Stocks Set To Level Up
The video games industry is now larger than the movie and music industry combined. It doesn’t get the same attention
What Investors Think About Covid And The Recovery
What do investors think will happen next with Covid and the stock market, with Winter fast approaching? Investing is as
Second Lockdown – Invest To Win
Never before have we been so uncertain about the UK economy’s ability to pull through this pandemic. We know that
How To Use Pensions Alongside Your S&S ISA and Retire Young
If you’re like us and want to retire young, then listening to the mainstream media drone on about paying into
I Just Bought This Small Cap Stock – Stock Picking Step-By-Step [UK Market]
I’m really excited about this new video! I’ve just bought shares in small-cap stock CMC Markets PLC, to test out
How To Retire By Age 30 (or within 5 years)
Retiring by aged 30 is the dream for most young people. They join the workforce as young adults with
Trading 212 Invest/ISA Review and FAQs
Trading 212 is an incredible investing app – not just because it’s free but because it’s packed full of awesome
Tickr Review – Ethical Investing App
Today we’re reviewing the Tickr app, a simple investing app that let’s you invest easily into ethical funds. With its
How The UK Government Can Afford to Pay Everyone’s Salary
The UK along with most of the Western World are, for want of a better word, absolutely screwed…. And that
Problems with Day Trading | Short Term vs Long Term Investing
The stock market is one sexy playing field right now – not only are markets down to historically cheap prices
Are Your Investments Protected If The Investment Platform Fails?
If we forget the performance of our investments for just one moment, and instead let’s look at how safe your
Oil is Low – Buy Buy Buy! | Best and Easiest Way to Invest in Oil
Oil prices have collapsed in 2020 following the outbreak of the corona pandemic, down a mega 63% since the start
Vanguard | Invest In Which Global Tracker Fund | Vanguard LifeStrategy vs Vanguard FTSE All-World ETF
On this site we’ve talked a lot about the importance of owning the World when you invest. But there are
Why You Should Care About A Stock Market Crash
A stock market crash affects all of us, whether we invest or not. Your non-investor mates in the office don’t
5 Easy Life Hacks to Massively Boost Your Disposable Income
Disposable Income is what you have left from your pay after you’ve tossed the rest up the wall on bills,
What to Do When Stocks Crash – Don’t Panic
Stocks and shares are constantly going up and down in value. If you can’t stomach this volatility, then you need
Robert Kiyosaki: Legend or Con Artist? Cashflow Quadrant – Rich Dad
Assets, assets, assets. Buy them, hold them, get rich from them. This is the philosophy of Rich Dad Poor Dad
“Be the Bank” – Invest in Commercial Bridging Loans – Loanpad Platform Review
“Be the bank” – not the borrower. We just flipping love owning everything; shares, commodities, property – debt. Banks own
ETFs Destroy All Other Investments – ETFs vs Stocks and Funds
Regular visitors to the site will know that most of the money that we invest in the Stock Market is
Top 10 Investing Mistakes Beginners Make in the Stock Market
Many beginner investors are keen to start investing because of the easy money that can be made. And rightly so!
WHAT WE ACTUALLY INVEST IN – Portfolio Breakdown – Sectors and Geographies
Here it is, investors – the breakdown of Ben’s personal stocks and shares portfolio by Geography and by Sector, in
Retire Wealthy – Vanguard SIPP is Coming to The UK
The announcement that Vanguard are finally going to offer a personal pension, otherwise known as a SIPP, in early 2020,
Property Shares – Should You Invest in REITs vs Investing in Property Directly
Investing in property is a national obsession in the UK, and any way we can make that easier for investors
Dave Ramsey is Wrong – Don’t Blindly Follow If You’re from the UK!
Dave Ramsey is an American radio show host, author and businessman. If you’ve ever been on YouTube before and looked
FIRE vs MORE -Multiple Income Streams for Financial Freedom
If you’re into personal finance, you’ve probably already heard about the FIRE movement. FIRE stands for financial independence, retire early.
How to Own the World with Freetrade – A Global ETF Portfolio with Zero Trading Fees
We recently produced a popular video called How to Own the World with 6 ETFs, but we have since been
Vanguard Lifestrategy vs Robo Investing with Nutmeg
The Vanguard LifeStrategy Funds are amongst the most popular funds out there, being ultra-diversified, ultra-cheap, and managed by Vanguard –
Robinhood is Coming to the UK – What We Can Expect
Robinhood! The app that changed the investment landscape for ordinary investors in the US is finally coming to the UK.
10 Signs You Should QUIT Your Job ASAP!
Today we’re asking a simple question – should you quit your job? Here’s 10 signs that you should quit your
The Best Way to Invest In Peer to Peer Lending (P2P) – Is Orca Any Good?
Peer to Peer Lending is today what the high interest savings account was a decade ago – 5%/6% interest returns
RateSetter Review – Peer to Peer Lending UK (P2P Review)
Do you want to add some safety to your portfolio without sacrificing returns? In this P2P review, we look at
Which Investment Platform is Best? – Choosing An Investment Platform
Which is the best investment platform for buying stocks and funds? The answer is that there is not one but
4 Step Guide to Stock Market Investing
New subscribers to our YouTube channel ask us often which Investment Platform we prefer; what to invest in; and how to get started - so we've written an 8-page, 4 Step Guide to Stock Market Investing that you can download for free!
It’s Your Fault You’re Poor! 5 Reasons Why You Are Poor
It’s your fault you are poor – get over it. In the UK, unless you were born into genuine poverty,
Why You Need to Be Financially Free
Why do you need to be financially free? Ask any of your peers and the majority will cite financial security
How Nutmeg choose ETFs to invest in – Learn to invest from the pros
Nutmeg are the UKs largest and fastest growing digital wealth management service. We reviewed the robo-investing platform back in February
When to Sell Stocks (Alternative Reasons) | Why I Sold my Shares at a Loss
Some people like to do a spring cleaning on their house. Well I just did a purge on my shares
FTSE 100 Index – Investing Risks That UK Investors Need to Be Aware Of
The FTSE 100 is an index of the top 100 companies listed on the London Stock Exchange by market capitalisation.
Why You Are Poorer Than Your Parents
Why is it that young people are poorer than their parents’ generation? It was once taken for granted that each
Middle Class and Broke – Earn Multiple Income Streams
No matter your financial situation, people almost always end up with just enough money to get by. Why is it
Trading 212 Invest App Review
Trading 212 is one of the new zero fee free trading apps in the UK revolutionising how investors buy stocks
Sin Investing for Better Returns – or Socially Responsible Investing?
Is it OK to invest in sin stocks? Sin stocks include companies who deal in gambling, alcohol, tobacco, firearms –
Freetrade Review – Best UK Investment App – Zero Fees
If you’re not careful your investment pot can be decimated by platform fees and trading fees amongst other charges. But
Wombat Invest Review – New UK Investment App – Ideal for Beginners?
We’re proud to bring to your attention a brand-new investment app which could be ideal for beginner investors in the
How to Reduce P2P Lending Risk and Maximise Returns?
With any investment we’re taught to diversify to reduce risk and hopefully maximise returns. But most people fail to do
Work Once Get Paid Forever
Work once, get paid forever. These are the words of millionaire’s the world over, and by following this simple mantra
How WE Would Invest £1000 UK
Updated: 27th November 2020 How would you invest £1000? We get asked this a lot. Should you invest in stocks
Lending Works Review – Best Peer to Peer Lending UK Platform? + £50 Lending Works Bonus
Peer To Peer Lending returns are a great addition to a portfolio and a fantastic way to boost the amount
Investment Property UK – FAQs
Investors who are new to Investment Property always have a ton of questions for us about the basics. Buying a
Side Hustle Ideas UK
Do you want to start a side hustle, but need some ideas to get started? Millennials are turning in their
Investing For Beginners UK – FAQs
Investing for beginners can seem very daunting but it doesn’t need to be this way. In fact, investing is incredibly