The Vault with Financielle - "Is It Too Late to Start Investing?” | The Vault Episode 113

Episode Date: April 23, 2026

We asked you for your most ridiculous purchases… and the justifications did not disappoint 💀From designer bags bought out of spite, to $96 Vegas shots, to a saxophone purchased purely for wedding vibes… no one is safe in this episode 😭But underneath the chaos, we’re getting into some very real money conversations:💸 “My Partner Has Been Investing for Years. I Haven’t Started. Am I Already Behind?”💸 “My Shopping Habit Got Me Back in My Overdraft… Twice 😬”Got a money win worth celebrating? Or a dilemma that's been living rent-free in your head? Share it (totally anonymously 🤫) in the Financielle app community or email [e-mail] 💌You don’t have to figure this out alone. More honest money chat at financielle.com 💖💸Connect with our Partner🫶 Protect yourself and loved ones with our friends at Lifesearch **The above is a tracked link, which tells our partner we sent you and may in future result in a payment or benefit to our site.

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Happy Thursday. Happy Thursday. Okay. I'm going to start off with something juicy today. Tell me the most ridiculous purchase and justify it. Ever. Ever. Oh, God.

We don't buy anything now. We're boring. So we asked this on Instagram and we got a few good answers. So Peloton treadmill. I thought that was going to be a key theme, like, loads of gym equipment. Yeah. You, like, my dad's definitely bought a treadmill. Yeah.

He's gone through his face. It's like, oh yeah, I'm going to get a proper spin bike. Never use it. Yeah, I'm going to get a treadmill. Never use it. It was a big lockdown thing, Peloton, wasn't it? She said, bought it in lockdown when we could only go outside once a day. So you spent all, well, that double up.

Do you know what I mean? You shouldn't, I hope you didn't swap one for the other is in, like, oh, I've done my run on Peloton, so I don't need to go out today. I'm going to do both. They were expensive. A lot of people do get them on finance, I think. Yeah, yeah. A lot.

I can't imagine many people pay for them in cash. Definitely on fine. They push that finance deal. Thousands. Are they? For a spinback with a screen. Yeah. And you can get copies and stuff now,

but then you've not got like the Peloton like theme and the community. They built it on that. Do they have to pay for a subscription? I think it's a subscription. Yeah. Louella, your friend was an OG. Yeah, she still does it. Fair play.

If you do, if you bought it in lots. down he's still doing it you are committed and it was not an impulse place i like when people have naughty names in the in the live rides and they read them out that woman is like oh now i'm pissed that woman i need to show you there was what joan mcnally was talking about on a pod her um tour's called pinophile because file is just you're obsessed with something and she was like the peanut files have ruined it for all of us like file just means you're obsessed with something like so a girl like said in her dm's like oh you should call your thing peanut fiends like oh you should call you thing, Pinofile, and she was like, can I

actually do that? And there was one that someone used file at the end of it, and the woman was like, you're out of here, thinking he was being rude, and he was like, no, no, I'm just obsessed. But he's like, pedal file. I said, I'm obsessed with the pedaling. I was, like, Jay P, can't bring your lad.

He was allowed to join the con. She's like, kick him out, get him out. And then Joan's like, this poor guy's like, no, I'm just obsessed with pedaling. Like, I just love, I just love pelotter. The Pee, the files have spoiled it for everyone. That's what John was like, the Pousal and ruin it for all of us. They've ruined it for everyone, obviously. That is a big impulse for like, for what you can run outside.

Yeah, yeah. Or just get a bike. I'll get a bike because it was a bike, yeah. We've got a few handbags. A YSL handbags, a YSL handbags, my ex said I shouldn't buy with my own money. Yeah, so she bought it with her own money and but her ex said don't buy it. I love a spite purchase once in a while. I didn't want it, but you've said no.

I hope she uses it every single day. A 700 euro Loeffay tartan elephant bag. Oh, I don't know what that is, but... This cannot be justified. Fair play. Fair play. We have one from someone sitting on our own couch here. I did respond to our own Instagram.

Laura said, bought a Gucci dress for my birthday. It was ridiculous, so outlandish, and I couldn't re-wear it, so sold it straight after. Don't regret it. Don't regret it, but regretted my hairstyle even. So can I look at the pictures? You can have a look. I think we're going to put it up on screen so people can watch. So it was bright pink.

That bubble gum pink, isn't it? And it was a bubble dress hem, like, and the hair was just so millennial. Look at that. It was like a back home like Amy Winehouse. Bifant, yeah. Fibes. And it was, I got it from half an extra member. It was like iconic for 21st, but it was my first bit.

21st birthday. It was a long time ago now. Yeah, to give some context, it wasn't like last week, it was when you were 21. Does you mean yours? That's my, and I spent a lot of money on that dress. It was a mark by Mark Jacobs dress and we've just been laughing before. I'm going, who do we think we were? Like, honest to God. I think that dress is about four, 500 pounds that I would have bought, like, mum didn't buy and she'll probably message going, I absolutely bought it, but I'm confident that I bought it. They paid for your party. I remember mum being like, you can have a lavish 21st or you can have money towards your wedding. I said 21st so I had to pay for the wedding myself

but the um the it was about two grand new and it was like her was it Colleen Rooney did you see it on her I feel like I feel like that conversation was actually very likely I'm just giving an example of the time so it was when it was like wag high of the wag era yeah and um I'm surprised I didn't try and get some lebutons or something equally as garish to like I want to take When I have a picture taken in. Yeah.

I wonder what shoes I did wear, actually. I don't know. But anyway, I did sell it afterwards, but we were just saying we can't comprehend dropping that amount of money on something now, especially something that you would wear at a party. Yeah, like a dress. It was a different vibe then.

Wear all the time. Facebook was new. It was very different vibes and we'd go out every weekend. You know, like there'd always be a party, something. Whereas now, you know, you can't drag us out. I think mine would probably handbags when I think about how much. which I've spent on handbags over the years and the fact that they're just collecting dust

that's what stresses me out of the moment. Holly hates that. You were really good. You sold your law was very like, I don't wear these Libutons are being sold. I don't wear this Chanel that's getting sold. Like you were quite good at that. I started Finan Shell how many years ago

and like six years ago. So when we first built the playbook and I wanted some help with the tech side of it and the design side of it, I sold a Celine handbag and a Chanel clutch. And I love that one. I know. And actually that's the one thing I'd probably buy back actually

But when But then How often would we realistically It was like Wear it The delicate leather one It was absolutely gorgeous It was but like imagine

I lost it was and cried Yeah cried in a bar And it was in Noho in the Northern Quarter In Sam and Gemma had to go find it And it had been handed in I'd left it on the bar We're on lockdown

Yeah Everyone See this is why I also shouldn't have Big Big Perches Because I sometimes think, oh, I'd love to trade in all the bags that I've got and just get one nice one. And then even then I'm like, I still want to use it. Have you caught rid of your Chanel?

Yeah. No. Ollie's been trying to sell this Chanel bag. I haven't tried very hard. But she just said the resellers are scammers because like they say it's worth this, but then they want all the money off it. They take more than 50%. I'm like, why am I giving you 50%? But it's like, well, we give you the customer.

I'm like, I get it. She got her Chanel. And by the way, when we got our Chanel's like my Chanel, I bought with money from my 21st that I'd saved up and that I've gotten vouchers and I'm 38. So it gives you a context of how much. I think I paid 1,250 quid for it. The same bag is about 6 grand now. Yeah, it's crazy. And Holly got it at Terminal 5 going out to New York for her 21st because she can't do anything in a cell. She has to copy a system. There was no effect on it. But we would never now. Never. I wore it the other day. Me went out for like a day date and I put it on and I was like

A bit icky in it even I was like Oh just like unbothered It's the black handbag out It's a bag of convenience Because it's black I have to use it Not because I want to write it on it

Like I'm not wearing this To see my same way It's just my black bag Sometimes I'd turn it Inwards as well Yeah I do as well Because I don't want the Chanel logo On the outside

I'd be scared to get rubbed I just don't want It's people to judge me I just not a logo person now I think you've been You go the other way Yeah It was a big in the Nautis as well

When we were like In the Gucci It was of the time. It was definitely of the time. But it's frustrating because I know how much it's worth now, but it's finding the customer to buy it and not have to give a resell of 50%. I'm just stubborn in that respect.

It says something that actually, the only... Maybe we need to live our lives a little bit more, be a bit more crazy because we're talking about things that were 15 years ago, 16 years ago. Like, do we have nothing else to bring to the table? Let it go. No. When the question was asked, I was like,

I'm not... I've shared with Laura in the car on the way, here, I'm actually, I've gone the other way I could write a dilemma and I'm struggling to spend money because I'm so obsessed with like investing at the moment. It's not healthy. The tradeoff for you's too big, like you'd rather overpay your mortgage or invest. Like if you think about how much, obviously privately, I know how much you're invested at the moment to catch up after maternity leave. I think I've got up now but I'm like, I'm not stopping. Hey, you could spend that every month on a big, big, big, big,

purchase. I know. It's crazy. My mindset has shifted so much. I'll give us to a bit too much. Like the rains need coming off a bit. What else did we get? Do we get anything else? We've got someone said, I did the Monzo Savings Challenge just to buy a new mulberry. Fair enough. I don't mind that. Four shots in Vegas for $96. Been there. I've been there on a night out where you've gone. Yeah, we'll get. Yeah. That's probably, if you're a frugal, Fiona, that would kick you in the tummy. Like, one of those rounds or Yeah. It's for the vibes. It's when you've gone to a restaurant and you're like, you're so excited to go and it's just like,

I-watering. Someone said horse riding trousers had one 25-minute lesson and decided it was my new favorite hobby, brackets, ADHD. Do you remember it was it in? Amie from the hairdresser's got a collar out. She listens to this. I don't know. I'm going to have to ask you next time we're going, but I think I've shared it with us before rock climbing shoes. No, no. She was like.

Before she'd been. Before she'd been, she bought them off, inted, and then they didn't fit. Then she obviously couldn't return them. Because she bought children's ones, I think. Was that not the story? No, I think the sizing was just like, it's a weird sizing, but like two sizes too small. To be fair. Go on.

Me and Alex went rock climbing once last year, and I had to wear rock climbing shoes that you obviously just rent. And I was like, this is disgusting. Yeah. I don't want a disease. I don't know. It's just like, have you never done the bowling thing? Are you too young?

Yeah. Yeah, but you're not supposed to wear socks with rock climbing shoes. I did wear socks. I wouldn't take it that before. I thought you met for bowling shoes. I was like, oh. Oh my God. We're doing it wrong all this time.

Have you bought ice skates? Yeah. Well, Lydia saw my boot before and it's like paddle racket, wellies, ice skates. For my hobby graveyard. But it's not a graveyard because I do use them all. Ice skate is current, isn't it? I haven't think you've shared that on the pod, have you? I've been doing it for like seven weeks now.

I went on Monday past my level two. Oh, God, yeah, certificate. Terrible. What? Oh my God. I feel like eight years old again. This is a big, life event. When was that Monday?

Yeah. As if you've not mentioned that. Mom was like, send me a picture. You're like when you get a new belt in karate? Literally. Have you been with your dad yet? No. I know your dad's a good skater, isn't he?

Yeah, he's, I think he's scared to break his leg. Oh, yeah. Probably a good idea. As you get older, you do worry about these things. Never thought about it before and then. Well, I don't know. else have we got? Do you have anything, Lydia? Anything? I've typed out a few. Okay, give us your list. This is Lydia's segment. I don't regret any of these, but I know you will find them ridiculous.

An upright piano when I lived in a flat. What does that mean? It means massive wooden, very heavy. Not a grand piano. Not a grand piano. So not like a big one that you can lie on the top of? That. Yeah. Big piano. Yeah. Well. In a flat.

And how did you move that? I just paid men to do it. Because we got one in an old garage and then we literally couldn't move it in at my mom's house. We couldn't move it into the house. So did the garage for us to get delivered? And then it was like, can't use it. And then it was so cold outside to all everything tightened up. We couldn't use it.

She was passionate enough about the purchase that she paid. Well, when we moved house, the men that were helping us move, well, we're almost in tears. Like, trying to think it was, it's so heavy. That's so funny. I'm gonna. Another one I've written down, rock climbing shoes. Yeah.

You're not alone, Amy. But I regret nothing. Like, I don't want to wear someone else's shoes. Do you still use said rock climbing shoes? No, I'm not been in years. No wonder you were so defensive about the barefootness. Oh, yeah? Yeah. It's minging.

It's very good. Maybe you could sell them to Amy if you're the same size feet. Maybe you can wear them around the house like slippers. Got to climb up the wall. Just in case you need to scale a wall. Spider-Rat style Roller skates and COVID when I was in my bedroom

going back and forth about three metres of flam and it flow About your flat When you're in the flat Yeah I was in the basement on that Oh you're allowed That was right

Adult healy's Approved Is they not wrong You send me the link I got them on vinted For a tenor Oh that's alright And the reason was

My children's helies didn't fit me anymore That's allowed I don't regret that at all Probably a lot of joy Seasoned Healy Have you still got them No I did give them away

Oh So I'd say next time you're coming to the pod Pop them on and go past the camera Yeah down the corridor They were like bright pink With like Simpson's donuts on So they were like They weren't

They weren't chill I don't feel like adults Healy can be chill Like if you're gonna do it You're gonna do it You're like We're not gonna go black Or cream it's gotta be like

When they first came out I remember Nana shopping and women going and there's this they just start wheeling these boys and girls

I got them banned in my local Morrison's growing up because my dad used to take me like in the evening because I'd be like it's nice and quiet

then can I go then I love that not to a roller skate park to Morrison's suddenly obsessed with going

the supermarket yeah imagine just a Ruby basket in your hand now my kids turn feral

the minute to step into a supermarket imagine I didn't healy to the mix Woody was Woody's birthday recently

I should have put that on the list What was the question again Because I think I went for like Expense Tell me the most ridiculous purchase And just a fire Ridiculous Like you're winning

Lydia Another one is An IKEA doll bed for my bunny They loved it They used it It was only a fibre On marketplace You're allowed

Yeah that's my list There's more There's definitely more But it would be here all day They made the cut. Alex bought a saxophone a few months ago. We are outing you, Alex, on this part. I know, actually this is a secret.

So if any of my family are listening, don't repeat it. Don't repeat this. Do you and practice him? No, he's never touched in his life. Because he used to play saxophone growing up. And I was like, you should definitely play again. And then when we got engaged, he was like, I'm going to learn saxophone. And then just like break it out at the wedding.

Oh, that's just like the performance. Literally. I've literally got a spare one. Is that true? Of course you have. Well, do you want another one? Because I'm forcing him to sell it. I feel like, do you know and you, Alex?

You're like that one-upmanship stuff. This is you. It's because you've got into paddle. I know you're into it as well, but you've got into ice skating. He was like, right. No, to be fair, this was before. I just did it have his own fruition.

I need something more ridiculous in my life. Come on. I've got nothing. We have nothing to add. It brings joy. Yeah, it does. not for an end goal Holly

Holly especially more than me but Holly needs help with just spend it and fuck it like she does that's the sentence only needs help more than me you need to get a rogue hobby

that includes spending money so it's for a purpose you know what I mean for enjoyment she wouldn't start the hobby because it would cost money what could you start Lydia is a good hobby

what's on the list of things that would you like colour in I do like colouring really expensive Like pottery painting or anything? Oh, I can't ask for that. I've got PTSD taking the kids at Christmas to Jenny Renz in Warrington. My kids would ruin it.

No, you go. Exactly. You go. They don't do it. I probably gets excited about like homework projects that the kids come home with. Then I'm like, not yours. Teddy's got a project and he's got like four months to do it. And last night I'm in bed, I was like, what are we going to do about your North America project?

And he was like, I've not really thought about it. And I was like, well, we could do this. I'm going to move both. He looked at me and he was like, I'm getting quite stressed talking about this. I don't want to talk about anymore. And I was like, I said, but I was like, mummy likes to get things done and out the way

the minute bit of homework is given, I like, I am like the first night I want to get out of my dissertation. As we well know, it was like two months early. And other people were stressing out. Where's the fun in that? The night before, no sleep, stress to the max. I don't want to be doing that with the North America project. So can we get the show on the road?

Let's get the paper mash it on the road. And don't touch any part of it. I think in the next few weeks, We need to chuck in a tenor each, 30 quid, and we give it to Holly. You have to spend that in the next hour. No, no. Like, you need to sit you in Traffat Centre. Oh, it stresses me out.

She's just kind of possible. And it has to be ridiculous. Do I can spend money on? I do you like spending money on interiors. That's my like, that's probably my thing. But not over and above anything that you should be buying. She bought a big sign saying chaos this big. Yeah.

And she's moved it now. and she's in two minds about whether she's to keep it and it needs a lot of screwing to the wall and it'll spoil the wallpaper so it's just lent up at the moment very chaotic I know I was like it's giving chaos it's perfect

sorry I haven't Debbie Downer on this one because I genuinely can't I'm sure I'll think of something yeah right the episode I like a snake to us huh like a snake

yeah bye we're getting a fish we're getting a goldfish guys maybe you should get really into that and become like a fish poster she just want to clean the time and cat potting. No, I've already said I'm not touching the tank.

I'm not touching the fish. So for context, Woody is getting our first family pet. It's a big deal. This week. And it's a pet. And you wanted something furry. It ain't going to happen. Not going to happen.

Right. Moving on to our first time. Oh God. What's our podcast again? What do we do? I know. That's it for today. Thank you for joining us.

On that, if anyone could send us, like, we need inspo for what Holly could get for like something ridiculous. Like, what should she know if Thanksgiving? kind of purchase, what should she do? Tell us. There's a saxophone going on eBay soon. I don't want a saxophone. No saxophone. Spitting in it? No, I've never used it. That's true. No seconds. No seconds is, please.

Should you lend money to family and friends? What is an F-off fund? How do I build my emergency fund? Well, we're so glad you asked. Head over to financialel.com where we tackle the money topics you actually care about. Okay. My partner has been investing for years, and I haven't started. Am I already behind? Hi ladies, I have a confession to make. I've never invested a single penny. My partner, on the other hand, has been investing for years. He talks about his stocks and shares, I sir, his portfolio, compound interest and honestly, my eyes glaze over a bit. But lately I've started to wonder, am I falling behind? With the same age, we earn similar salaries, but he's been quietly growing his money for years and I've just been saving it in cash. Part of me feels like I've missed the boat, but another part of me feels scared about losing money. It just feels so much more risky. then putting it in my savings camp. Is it too late to start and where an earth would I begin?

Great dilemma. Very interesting. And we talk about this a lot of the dynamics between men and women it comes to investing. And it's just, I feel like some men, not all. It's like it's discussed in the circles of like manhood. So like going down the pub. Someone might be like just very open about it.

Whereas women were not really open about money. And if it is, it's about what we've spent it on, not what we're investing in. because if we don't feel like we're equipped to have the conversation, we won't have it. And we always talk about women feel like they need to know everything. And that's like, so many banks and financial services will do these white papers and they're like, women just don't have the confidence to invest. And it's like, well, it's a bit more nuanced than that.

And we dig into that a lot with financial community members. We've done loads of customer interviews. We've got all these dilemmas. And it's not that women need to know everything because they absolutely don't. They just need to know enough. And if you're starting from a place where you don't know anything, it can feel overwhelming. Investing can.

you've done really well in your investing journey. How did you get started and did Alex inspire you? Because I know that he's very much into his investing. Is he the person that sparked that interest? I know you're like one-upmanship, so you're like, if you're doing it and I'm doing it, was it that? Well, when I first met Alex in uni, he was like crypto, bro. Yes.

So I remember there. That's how I probably started. And I think I invested like half of my last student loan bit. which is actually doing very well so good decision from me back in like 2020 but after that it was like wait this isn't what you're supposed to invest in

like every month and then obviously I found financial pretty much straight out of uni anyway so I don't know it's just been pretty regular like routine routine so that was my that was going to be my point

so this dilemma is amazing it actually does reflect a little bit of your experience where you have a partner who is interested in elements of investing that aren't the passive, like I'm sure obviously is doing passive stuff as well. But if you're into it, you're into it. She says her eyes glazed over. Absolutely. Because a lot of the time, we're not interested in it and we don't want to know absolutely everything. Whereas some people do. Some people want to talk about what's up what's down, what bonds are doing, what gold and silver has been doing, you know, everyone loves to chat about that bit if they're into it.

But if you're not, it is so dull. And but the danger is then doing nothing. And I'm so glad that she's written in this dilemma. And I'm so glad that she's suddenly gone, oh, actually, I didn't. It's like, I didn't, it's like a part of being really interested in like running our paddle or something. And you're like going, it's just not for me and going, actually, but exercise is important. Maybe I don't have to do that. I know it's good for you.

So I should probably take some sort of it. Interest, yeah. Like Carl. You're in a... Carl. He's on a running journey. Carl Pomfret, ever since the day I've known him.

Which is actually longer than you, which is weird. And he came to our wedding and they weren't together and didn't speak at said wedding. We didn't. No, they didn't. It's very, very weird, like connection. But he's only ever done, like,

weights or sitting on a bike. And he does his work. It's like notorious. Carl is known for going to the gym with his phone. He has his bike. He's got a real cardio voice told him that doesn't count. Like, is it on the highest cadence. And it's a bit icky really, but I mean on it's like...

On a call, like... There is literally no resistance. His legs are flying. I was like, you're not working. How about your poor muscles are not doing anything? Your heart rate is absolutely not getting up. But we've just always joked about it and accepted that that's Carl, like he doesn't run.

No, like he's... We realize that he's never... His heart rate has probably never gone over, like, a certain number. It's like a science experiment. It's a lot. Zone one forever. Literally. I don't think he's ever,

ever peak, but he's seen you and you've like, it's become infectious because Laura's like so healthy and fit and it's good for your endorphins and it's good for your mental health and it's good for everything. Like, look, he's probably just seen a positive effect all around and gone. I want a bit of that. And a bit of a challenge,

like, you know, the winning things or like achieving things and goals and whatnot. It's infectious. You kind of go, oh, I went in on that, you know, a little bit. And so then I'll do my,

version of it. It is infectious and I think that's the interesting thing about she's suddenly gone, ooh, and the phoma, like have I missed out? Because I, and this is the danger of position in investing is something that you need to fully understand and you don't need to. And the FCA will absolutely back me up on that. You need to understand that your capital is at risk. What that means, because a shoo-by word is that your money can go up and down.

We've talked about this before, about when you're investing, you are buying. an asset that can go up and down in value, but the asset could be like a melting pot, a mixing bag of lots of different types of things. But there's a danger in not doing it. There's a danger in not investing as long as you're in a reputable and a regulated platform and environment.

To not do it means you are potentially missing out on bigger growth than inflation. So if you just keep money in cash, which thankfully she's not spent everything, she's got cash. You're like halfway there, which is great. Like sometimes you get the dilemma. and we get them and they're like, I'm trying to pay off debt and I'm trying to build my urges of

and I know I should be investing. I've spent it for 20 years and now. This person's like, probably could move some money if they wanted to and they need to look into it themselves. Like we can't get financial advice, but could potentially move quite quickly on their investing journey where someone might have had to spend six to 12 months getting themselves so strong financial foundations bill, which we're very keen on people doing if they're going to consider investing. Like being debt free, having an emergency fund, I've been shit in order basically, having access at the end of every month to deploy. to, you know, investable assets.

But she's like halfway there because she's got it in cash. So it's like, what do you want to do with it? I talk about investing a sort of a few times. It's so boring. Like it's such a passive journey for me. If you said to me, what do you actually invest in? Half the time I probably wouldn't know that much. Because you went ETF.

So you went funds, which is like spreading it out. You do a risk questionnaire with the platform that you choose, of which there are so many different platforms. And then, and we've got lots of lazy girls' guide to investing is really good. actually on finchshel.com. Search investing on fanshel.com and see what stuff we've got. But to Holly's point, like she is getting more open to risk, I think, as you're getting more money confident, but inherently a risk of a person. So like, let's be clear. She's not putting all on black. If I'm doing it. Exactly. Exactly. And the way you do that, and she does ask this

in the question actually is, you can build confidence when you protect your position. And so when you are debt-free or low debt and when you have a really good cash emergency fund, you feel better. Other ways that you can build confidence is when you have a budget, making sure that there's a nice gap between your income and your expenses, and that gives you a good excess is what we call it, financial. That gives you confidence because it means you aren't scraping by every month. You're not living paycheck to paycheck. You've got wiggle room. If you lost some income, if it went up and went down, it's kind of manageable. You're not investing money that should be spent on necessities.

Exactly. There's space in it. You know, if mortgage rates went to a part of bills have gone up as they've been going up for people recently. You can manage it so you're not suddenly worried about not being able to kind of sustain a big event, a big issue. Same with like the, having critical illness cover and income protection. All these things all stack up to make you feel better. So then you go,

okay, so I've got that in cash. I've got that. What would I do if is my big thing? And if you can answer it all, then you've got excess cash on top of that that you don't necessarily need. That's a really good time to think could that be working hard? this is where investing comes in.

And so I think if I was her, I would, and she may have done this already, but she speaks really fondly of her husband. She doesn't know like, she hates him. Say, can we have a chat? Don't overdo it. Don't overwhelm me. I don't need to know that ends and outs.

But on a high level, if you were me now, what would you do? Also, you know, like, and I think she trusts him. So he's not going to be like, oh, we're going to do this, we're going to do that. And what's he needs to be, you need to talk.

about your risk profile with him, you know, I'm low risk. I want low risk investments. Where should I start? You know, not going into the crypto, going into big, whatever it might be. We had, I won't obviously share in ends up. We did an amazing session with WorldPay. Is that what you're going to talk about or not? Yeah. And one of our, we had a live dilemma, live vault. So we did like an thing with the team at WorldPay. And someone shared that, long story short, that dad kind of manages the investments for them. And it was super interesting and it was like really heartwarming. There was something really

pleasant about it and feel good that like you have firstly someone in your life that understands this stuff and takes an interest. I think he was recently retired and so like needed to put his energy somewhere. She'd love to spreadsheet. Spreadsheets here. So he sends a like performance updates every month. He's like this is what

your money's done and I'm like that is so good to have someone in your corner isn't it? Literally. And like I said someone that's got your best interest at heart because I think that's what a lot people do. People go you know, not everyone's right for a financial advisor. They don't have the assets relevant. So then if they've no one else like that, you kind of go, oh my God, where do I go?

Now we say you come to us, come look at our articles, come get comfortable, explore some of the providers that we may like share experiences of or even recommending some scenarios and then go through their regulated process, which is honestly so easy. It's like a questionnaire. They hold your hand basically. They truly do.

It's like picking a bank account. I'm dumbing it down on purpose because when I make you feel it's not overwhelming. So if you've not got that person, great. She has and so I'd like, I do this to Carl's like, no, no, no. Yeah. We need, you need a heart rate monitor. I want one or two to choose from. I don't want 42 because then I've switched off and I'm going to do something else. And maybe she can go on her journey, which doesn't have to involve knowing what the folks is doing, knowing what NASDAQ's doing.

Not buying individual stocks. Like you should just be setting, I don't want to give financial advice, but you could set up a direct debit every month, which is what I do. Nice and balanced and then you don't think about it. Every month in my budget, I know what's coming out for what investment. We have got a really good unlocked episode as well on investing, literally starting from scratch. And it's hopefully doesn't make your eyes glaze over. It's really nice and inviting Laura's at home, sat on her couch. So definitely we'll maybe link that in the description.

It's chill. I'm excited. Great dilemma. But yes, you are behind. Yeah. Catch up. Yeah. Struggling to make it to payday

The Fanishall app helped me track my money Pay off debt and finally feel in control I've built savings I've started investing and I actually feel financially well Download the Fanishall app and start your money comeback today We're taking a few steps back here

for a second dilemma My shopping habit got me back in my overdraft twice Hi all I'm looking for a bit of advice relating to shopping I'm really struggling to live within my means. I've had an overdraft for five-ish years, which my partner helped me clear last year.

The issue is, I did not learn my lesson. My spending habits didn't change, and now I'm right back into my overdraft. I have a plan to pay off and will completely get rid of the overdraft so I physically don't have access to it. I find it a bit embarrassing that I can't control myself and just leave the money alone.

I have a stocks and shares Iyser account which I plan to continue to add money to and I will create an emergency fund whilst paying off my overdraft simultaneously. I will start adding a small amount of £50 per month to build it up slowly. I'm at a point where I'm worried I will just use the emergency fund for non-emergencies and just say to myself, oh, this is fine, I'll put the money back from it in my next paycheck. Or that's at least what I've done so far and that's how I got back into my overdraft in the first place. I'm just looking for some advice regarding shopping habits if anyone has been in a similar situation.

Is there anything in particular that helped you like getting off social media, etc? I feel like Vinted and Pinterest are my two weaknesses which I plan to delete to see if it helps with my shopping habits. Step up Holly. She was made for this answer. She's very good at not shopping. I'm like, can I help?

Because I'm not this person. I think there was some really good comments dropped in on the community for this where people were like, my advice to you is and I'm just going to reel them off the top of my head. And she's already suggested them anyway. identify the trigger. She's already said Pinterest and Vinted 2. And I've been on the Vintage train. Like it's hard. It's so appealing. There's new stuff every day much more than any other website. You could probably imagine there's like niche random stuff. If you've got favorite brands, you're like, but I'm getting a deal.

I'm getting a deal. And people struggle as well when they sell stuff on that they spend more on there. So it is dangerous. Straight into your credit. Yeah. It's a dangerous platform where you're not actually drawing the money down and putting it to stuff. You're just then respend it and then if not spending more. So someone I saw wrote on the community deleting the app. So if you're influenced by people as well, I used to be influenced by particular people on social media, unfollowing them as easy as that. Getting them out your eyesight, unsubscribing from newsletters, they will always try and entice you. And if you've not spent with brands for a long time, 10% off, 20% off, it's Black Friday.

The ridiculous ways that they position spending money and buying from them is crazy. It'll be Easter weekend, it'll be bank holiday. There's always a reason to spend with a brand. They're not looking out for you by giving you a discount code. They just want you to part with money. So it's like removing the triggers as much as possible, I would say. And, you know, we've done no spend weeks, days, months, years. People have done.

Lucy's done them. She can give you the, you know, scars and war stories on that. But I think writing down on your phone, on your notes at, what is it that you want to spend? Yeah. And how much is it? And how much would that have been? That helps you. Didn't it?

The month? Yeah, it did. It was so fun to look back at as well. I should scroll back on my notes and be like, and do you honestly think hand and heart that if you went back and read them, half the things you'd even be bothered about or remember what they are?

No. I'd be like, thank God I didn't spend on that. So in that moment, that feeling of impulsivity, if you can delay it even by 24 hours, I think we've talked about, you genuinely go back and read it the next day and go, why did I want the bunny hammock because we've laughed about it of Lydia before,

you know, the various things. When you look in your wardrobe, everything at one point was like a shiny new item. It's like, I'm going to wear this all the time. Everything in there was new at one point. And now it's just like, yeah, it's clutter. The charity shop piles that you end up giving,

you know, we've been there and gone. You know, and sometimes you hold on something just because it costs quite a bit and you're like, oh, it's a principle. It's a principle of it. I think you're right. I think there's always, when it's overspending and it's triggering,

like, poor money habits, there's two things. there's going to the spending and doing this like like Instagram at the moment is an absolute but we know TikTok shops, TikTok shop, that's bad. But Instagram every second or third swipe is an ad. You know, we spend time on Instagram because that's obviously where we see a lot of you guys and we speak to a lot of you guys. But it's, I'm like, I think I did a, I didn't do it as an experiment, but I just took

notice one day of between the organic content and the paid ads, I was being sold to almost every, if it was an influencer with a code or if it was an outfit check and the links are below and then it was ads and then it was something else like brand shoot everything. I suddenly was like actually, you know, often you're not even seeing your friends and the people that you follow. It's the people with the highest engaging content, which is typically a celebrity who's on Instagram to sell you something and not Instagram to do anything else. I was like, oh my God, like this is over well. And if you take a step back, everything on there is literally selling. So whilst we're on there, like imagine if you, I say this like,

if you can't, if you deleted social media today and didn't want it all day today, what happens if a really good deal was put on? You'd be fine. Like, you'd survive. You wouldn't die. Like it's that kind of, you're not missing out on something because it is a game and it's a game that is a hamster wheel and it just, it never stops. Literally will never stop. There'll always be another deal, there'll always be another product. There'll always be something that'll give you that dopamine hit. Literally. Like, I'm, I'm really. I'm, just thinking like what would be what's happening at the moment like we're in spring like we're moving into summer it's everything's going to be launched new with pastel colors so if you've already got a

stanley or a similar a stanley dut which i've got in the studio today they're going to bring it out in yellow and duck egg blue like we know you know the score i could write it for you i've worked in our pleasure is going to be in pastels literally and then there's like hot pink in the summer literally that we could write the script for what's going to be sold to over the next six months like we've all lived it and we've all done it like i i i was saw an influencer with some leggings that I loved the leggings actually that is my protein, I'm going to promote them, sorry, my protein like tempo or something, but like they don't move, they're really good for my high intensity stuff and I bought two pairs this time

last year and probably like February last year and they had them in this gorgeous like fudge and I've not got anything brown and I'm still wearing these now, the great quality. So I was ticking all the boxes of justifying it to myself and I and then I was like, so then I want a matching tops and I looked for a top and they didn't have top of my size and I suddenly went, I'm going a minute, what are you doing? You don't need the stuff. Yes, it looks nice. You can't buy the top. So you've all, it's like, come back, come out of it. And I was like, how did I even get onto my blogging.com? It was via a girl that I follow that was working out that linked them

and said, these are the best leggings ever. And she was telling the truth. Like, they are because I've got them. But I brought myself back down, right? That was yesterday. My life's not changed. I'm not upset that I didn't get them. I'm not thinking about them. And then coming back to the list that you talked about Lucy, that's where you. you can give yourself a bit of grace and space and then go, actually, yeah, I do want that set. And I am going to buy it. But I've had time and it's not just been the impulsivity. The other side, so it's identifying your triggers, like absolutely think about coming off social,

absolutely thinking about unsubscribing for things, absolutely thinking about the not going physically to play. Delete vintage. Like, your life won't change if you don't see it that day unless you are actively hunting for one particular thing. Come off it, delete it. because their job is to get you back on the app. So think about all those things, if it's in person or if it's digital, remove them.

But the flip side, now you need to build a proper plan because if shopping is, you know, what's it called, derailing you, and we've taken shopping out of the equation because you're going to work hard on those triggers,

you still need a plan to sort of what's going on. Because what's the motivation otherwise? You need a goal for it. And so what you need to do is you need to set, you need to set the order of how you're going to pay you. these things off and how you're going to do them.

So she's a little bit, I'm going to invest in stocks and shares eyes over here. I've got an overdraft moment. I'm like, stop doing that, pay off your debt, get out your overdraft, shut it down. And build up the emergency fund. So as a minimum, you need to focus on the emergency fund, then move on to overdraft. Make it mini, don't make it a big emergency fund. But if you start doing the overdraft, you'll need an emergency fund and then you'll go back into overdraft.

So treat it like a debt, an overdraft is a debt, and it's the top of the snowball. Well, if it's small enough, it's going to be the top of the snowball. Build a budget that has an excess cash in the bottom, and that excess cash is what you use to build the emergency fund and then move on to overpaying your overdraft before you then remove it. But put spending in your budget. Give yourself a little pot and a little, you may not use. Little treats.

Yeah, when you give yourself permission, it's not as fun. So you actually don't spend. People call it, in the way it's it impulsive spending pot. Yeah. You literally name it that because it's calling a spade of spade. Yeah. That is for moments of weakness. And what you know is if you put £50, if you put £100 in a month,

I can afford it if it's in my budget. It doesn't derail everything else because it's in the plan because at the end of the budget, I've still got £200 and that's going to go in my emergency. It's not fun anymore when you've got the budget. It's like not taboo anymore. Not is it? Yeah, I think that's a good plan. Overdrafts are so sneaky though.

Yeah, they are. I remember in uni. It was so easy to just... You were like encouraged to go into an overdraft. You got to student overdraft. It was like a product that you agreed to. with the thing that they were just debt. They were not a percent a lot of the time as well,

so it just did feel like free money and then people, we know, so people still in the community, still in them, they're turning to a graduate one. Yeah, from being a student, still in your overdraft, I get it. And it's that, it's the most expensive way to, well, sometimes it's an op-cent for like 100 quid,

150 quid, but, you know, I've talked about this on the BBC quite a lot, and the best thing you can do is get out on overdraft and then speak to the bank and remove it. And sometimes if you're getting out of it and edging out of it, getting them to reduce it. Yes.

So like if it was a £500 overdraft and you pay a couple hundred pound off, get them to reduce it to $300. People do that in the community. Yep. Yeah. Every time they do it, they ring and they go, can you reduce it again? Can you reduce it again? And it literally gets to see it because you're so much more resilient.

You don't want to use it as a crutch because you don't need it if you budget effectively. My only worry is, I think you made a good point is the goal section of it because you're trying to do a bid into my stocks and shares and you're trying to do it. And I'm like, no, no, no, literally go to the playbook. Start from the beginning. you'll knock a few things on the head and then you'll be able to do those things. Because she's already talking about

she's worried that she's going to dip into her emergency fund and that is a reality for lots of us. It is tempting if you've been a person that dips but if you've got a plan and a structure and if the budget works, you shouldn't need to. That's the point. Realistic budget, not too tight.

Having some spending in it is better to start there than to go super, super intense and then let yourself have no real. and then you go to your emergency fund and then you're like, this system doesn't work. Like, this isn't for me. I'm never going to be able to do this.

Yes, you are. You literally set yourself up to fail. Give yourself a win that first month. Even if actually the first month there's no excess cash but you don't go any further in true overdraft. Yeah. That's sometimes a big win, isn't it for people?

That's a win. A win is a win. It is. Okay, that is all of this episode. The Vault is now closed. And just a quick disclaimer, The Vault is just a chat around life and money topics. We're not giving financial advice.