How to start saving and investing in your 20s 💸

From understanding credit, to saving and investing money 💸. Here's everything you need to know about personal finance as a 20-something-year-old in the UK.

*This is not financial advice. When investing, your capital is at risk. Do your own research and seek independent advice when required.

✨ Socials

✨ Who am I
My name is Madeleine or Maddie for short, I'm a 23-year-old Norwegian in London. I make videos about interior design, lifestyle, and London life.

MUSIC

Timestamps
Intro: 00:00
Budgets: 00:35
Emergency funds: 01:49
Understanding credit: 02:49
Credit cards: 04:13
Pay yourself first: 05:58
ISA accounts: 07:00
Investments: 08:48
Dollar-cost-averaging: 11:47
Mortgage savings: 12:44
Savings bonds 14:11

[macerly]

My most requested video in a VERY long time! Let me know if you want to see more of these! ❤

[mld]

For not being british citizen you have a great understanding of UK financials. Your investment knowledge also spot on, well done with your research and putting this together. 👏

[bengt_axle]

For a 20 something, I'd say the most important investment is in your training, whether it is an apprenticeship, university or a trade. It may not be comfortable to live like a student for a few more years, but you'll easily earn more in later life, as a professional. Savings, bonds and mutual funds are just investment products, similar to different jams and jellies you find in a supermarket. Someone else is using your money to build a business or increase their skills, and paying you a return. They are good and useful -- especially for tax savings -- but you need a salary to fund those things, and you should also think about how much more money you can make with better job qualifications. They earlier you complete your training, or the more relevant work experience you have the more it will pay off, and often far more than any investment product.

[Smittenhamster]

For budget I would just add that you should do a spreadsheet that includes monthly cost (rent, phone bill), quarterly (if applicable, for me that's some subscriptions) and annual (insurances mostly). For quarterly and annual you calculate how much money you need to save each month to be able to pay your bills when they come at the end of the quarter/year.

That way you don't end up getting a large bill in January that you cannot pay.

Might be obvious to some, but wasn't to me.

[emmalillay]

I’ve been trying to get it together financially and have binged your Tiktok videos. Just discovered you have a YT channel too so I’m excited to eat up all the long form content 😍

[jas_]

This was so helpful! Thank you for taking the time 😊

[charlotteebutee]

Super helpful, I’d never considered bonds before so will definitely be looking into those ⭐️

[zoefoster]

Thank you for this!! 🌟 You've inspired me to research further

[albin]

You're really good at this. Very useful!

[chrisV]

It’s brilliant to see how young people now are thinking about these things and educate themselves about it. I was raised very traditional, be careful with money and save. Now there is nothing wrong with that obviously. But I was never thought about investing and diversifying savings, I was raised with the idea that it’s to risky. Where did this idea come from? My great-grandfather who lost a lot of money during the Great Depression (the crash in 1929!), that fear was passed on from generation to generation. Now for my grandparents this very careful approach was fine, savings had high profits. (And loans were very high, much higher than now). Only when I reached my 30s did I start learning and understanding about different kinds of investment and how much risk in involved in each.
Guys, believe me, if you are in year early 20, save traditionally, but invest, leave it there, older you will be delighted.

[hillaryvasquez]

Hi thanks for making this helpful videos, I really love your videos and I'm trying to get my kids to watch them too. It's so inspiring ❤ I don't know who needs to hear this saving for a better investment is a great step to financial freedom. You're saving a day off work

[veesvoyages]

Great advice! Thank you so much for this!

[nadialarry]

Thank you so much for the effort! Definitely going to use this <3

[tubatok]

That was so helpful :) I wish I had learned all these financial perception before 🤩

[ncteazen]

Thank you so much for this video! It might be not much for some, but it’s really helpful as someone who’s a young adult. Btw, if its not much Macerly, for the future there would be english subs? Just so we’re able to write along your tips? ❤

[LaurenRogers]

I love your videos I find them very interesting and I love to save money x

[filippobaroli]

Although stocks have higher risks they bear also higher rewards but anyway I agree with you and bonds are definitely better and more safe.

[phoenix-xuxj]

When you keep saying mortgage, I think what you really mean to say is a deposit, a deposit for a house. In other words, downpayment The mortgage is the amount you pay monthly.

[moonbunny]

What is the savings or budgeting software that you us? You show it on one of your shorts moving money into your mortgage savings and Latin America trip fund. Thanks!

[marychristina]

Thanks 🙂🙂 for this inspiring video 👍👍 🌈🌈