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American Financial Influencers/Educators Simply Aren't Able to Speak to Average People in the UK
They're often not really able to talk to the average American, in most cases, though some are better at that than others.
American financial information is almost entirely centred around investing. In the UK, investing doesn't offer anything like the same compound interest rates, and therefore the same returns, as it does the USA. Investment vehicles beyond pensions are also not as readily accesible for the average person in the UK as they are in the USA.
The UK has a similar problem to the USA with a lack of financial literacy.
We aren't taught functional finance in school. Many people never do any in depth reading, with independent research around the original reading, once they've left mandatory education - on any subject, but particularly on finance. There is a strong belief that "finance is maths, and I've never been any good at maths." (Finance is to maths what Italian chain restaurants are to Italian cuisine...only very vaguely connected.)
In every situation where we feel we don't know as much as we perhaps should know, people can become dismissively snarky about finance - "Yeah, well, the rich just scam the rest of us forever! What else do you need to know?!"
People like to complain about "not benefitting from generational wealth" without ever really appreciating what that 'wealth' can look like. A lack of generational wealth also seems to be the one cycle people aren't that invested in breaking.
Absolutely, generational wealth can be investments, property, passive income, a seat on the Board.
But generational wealth is also:
> People providing rent-free space where you can live safely while you build or rebuild
American financial information is almost entirely centred around investing. In the UK, investing doesn't offer anything like the same compound interest rates, and therefore the same returns, as it does the USA. Investment vehicles beyond pensions are also not as readily accesible for the average person in the UK as they are in the USA.
The UK has a similar problem to the USA with a lack of financial literacy.
We aren't taught functional finance in school. Many people never do any in depth reading, with independent research around the original reading, once they've left mandatory education - on any subject, but particularly on finance. There is a strong belief that "finance is maths, and I've never been any good at maths." (Finance is to maths what Italian chain restaurants are to Italian cuisine...only very vaguely connected.)
In every situation where we feel we don't know as much as we perhaps should know, people can become dismissively snarky about finance - "Yeah, well, the rich just scam the rest of us forever! What else do you need to know?!"
People like to complain about "not benefitting from generational wealth" without ever really appreciating what that 'wealth' can look like. A lack of generational wealth also seems to be the one cycle people aren't that invested in breaking.
Absolutely, generational wealth can be investments, property, passive income, a seat on the Board.
But generational wealth is also:
> People providing rent-free space where you can live safely while you build or rebuild
> People offering childcare or petcare on a "general exchange of services" basis - eg, they watch your kids while you're at work, you help them with "life paperwork". They look after your pets while you're on holiday, you do their garden for them.
> People being willing to promote your name in spaces you can't access
> People being willing to recommend you, and to accurately review your services
> People lending equipment, lifts, and expertise
There may well be "an app for that" - but apps don't build generational wealth for people beyond the heads of the companies that own them. Apps don't build communites. And without genuine community, you don't have true generational wealth.
If you really want to "stick it to the system!", express your disappointment and frustration with political leaders, etc - build community. Build offline. Trust people. Talk to people. The system thrives when ordinary people are surviving in low-trust situations, isolated from one another, and dependent on technology (which is never really owned, and can be readily taken away.)
> People being willing to promote your name in spaces you can't access
> People being willing to recommend you, and to accurately review your services
> People lending equipment, lifts, and expertise
There may well be "an app for that" - but apps don't build generational wealth for people beyond the heads of the companies that own them. Apps don't build communites. And without genuine community, you don't have true generational wealth.
If you really want to "stick it to the system!", express your disappointment and frustration with political leaders, etc - build community. Build offline. Trust people. Talk to people. The system thrives when ordinary people are surviving in low-trust situations, isolated from one another, and dependent on technology (which is never really owned, and can be readily taken away.)
Twice a month, this page will have a new financial literacy lesson uploaded. Lessons will be short, simple, designed for ordinary UK folk.
There will be the option to purchase more indepth, one-to-one, tailored engagement sessions, but absolutely no obligation to do so.
There will be the option to purchase more indepth, one-to-one, tailored engagement sessions, but absolutely no obligation to do so.
The Lessons:
Lesson One: How Do You Make Money When You Don't Have Money?
Making money when you already have money is fairly easy - investment. Stock market, buying businesses, buying assets, buying and renting out commercial property (it's a lot easier to make money being a commercial landlord than a residential one, and a bit more ethical), starting your own business and achieving profitability fairly quickly...Lesson One: How Do You Make Money When You Don't Have Money?
When you don't have money, even the most obvious, basic way to make money - get a job - isn't necessarily a route you can pursue.
Getting a job costs money.
You have to be able to afford some form of internet access - you can "just use a library computer", but, honestly? If you're having to treat looking for a job as though it is your job, that's not really practical for more than a couple of weeks. And, right now, it's almost always going to take a lot more than two weeks to even get your first interview.
You have to be able to afford to reliably travel, often a considerable distance; if you manage to convince the DWP you're eligible for welfare support (honestly a job in itself), you'll be expected to travel an hour and a half, each way, just to look for work. And you're expected to be looking for work at least 5 days out of 7, for at least 7hrs a day. And no, the welfare support you get does not even come close to the pay for 35hrs of work at the UK minimum wage. That's fuel for your car, if you drive. If you don't, it's bus fare, train fare, sometimes taxis, if public transport doesn't co-operate with your interview time.
You have to be able to afford postage, because even in 2026, there will be companies who expect you to print out and post back paper application forms. Oh, yeah - and you'll need to be able to afford printing, either a printer and ink for your home, or to pay for printing from libraries or similar.
You have to be able to afford to reliably have clean, dry, well-presented formal clothing - which, for men, is less available in charity shops, Vinted, etc - and to be well-presented yourself; for women, that usually means affording makeup, for men, it means affording good haircuts.
If you are disabled, these costs may be increased - but don't rely on the DWP recognising that reality, or reflecting it in any of the additional welfare support payments that the media and government insist people are getting in literally 5mins, simply for reporting that they "feel sad sometimes."
If you follow GB News et al, you may well be thinking "Well, the easiest way for me to get money when I don't have money is just to sign on!" - good luck with that. There's a minimum five week wait, before you'll even be assessed. And then there's a further wait, typically of five weeks, before you'll actually get your first payment (assuming you haven't been told to just get a loan from somewhere, regardless of your credit score, and stop bothering them.) And you won't be getting anything like the kind of money you'd get even in a minimum wage job.
Market stalls require a rental payment. You'll also be obliged to have insurance. Then you'll need your own gazebo to trade in all weathers, you'll need to be able to afford to buy or manufacture stock.
An online business is going to cost a lot of money to drive traffic to when you first set it up. Increasingly, people on social media sites are not tolerant of people promoting their businesses, which means unless you're paying the site owners, your business posts will get buried. Most "out of the box" retail sites charge hosting fees, commission on sales, etc. If you're having a website, you'll need to buy a domain name, pay hosting fees. And, of course, you'll need to have more or less 24/7 internet access. Which you'll need to pay for.
You have to be able to afford to reliably travel, often a considerable distance; if you manage to convince the DWP you're eligible for welfare support (honestly a job in itself), you'll be expected to travel an hour and a half, each way, just to look for work. And you're expected to be looking for work at least 5 days out of 7, for at least 7hrs a day. And no, the welfare support you get does not even come close to the pay for 35hrs of work at the UK minimum wage. That's fuel for your car, if you drive. If you don't, it's bus fare, train fare, sometimes taxis, if public transport doesn't co-operate with your interview time.
You have to be able to afford postage, because even in 2026, there will be companies who expect you to print out and post back paper application forms. Oh, yeah - and you'll need to be able to afford printing, either a printer and ink for your home, or to pay for printing from libraries or similar.
You have to be able to afford to reliably have clean, dry, well-presented formal clothing - which, for men, is less available in charity shops, Vinted, etc - and to be well-presented yourself; for women, that usually means affording makeup, for men, it means affording good haircuts.
If you are disabled, these costs may be increased - but don't rely on the DWP recognising that reality, or reflecting it in any of the additional welfare support payments that the media and government insist people are getting in literally 5mins, simply for reporting that they "feel sad sometimes."
If you follow GB News et al, you may well be thinking "Well, the easiest way for me to get money when I don't have money is just to sign on!" - good luck with that. There's a minimum five week wait, before you'll even be assessed. And then there's a further wait, typically of five weeks, before you'll actually get your first payment (assuming you haven't been told to just get a loan from somewhere, regardless of your credit score, and stop bothering them.) And you won't be getting anything like the kind of money you'd get even in a minimum wage job.
Market stalls require a rental payment. You'll also be obliged to have insurance. Then you'll need your own gazebo to trade in all weathers, you'll need to be able to afford to buy or manufacture stock.
An online business is going to cost a lot of money to drive traffic to when you first set it up. Increasingly, people on social media sites are not tolerant of people promoting their businesses, which means unless you're paying the site owners, your business posts will get buried. Most "out of the box" retail sites charge hosting fees, commission on sales, etc. If you're having a website, you'll need to buy a domain name, pay hosting fees. And, of course, you'll need to have more or less 24/7 internet access. Which you'll need to pay for.
People will breezily tell you you can easily make money instantly doing baby sitting, pet sitting, cleaning, gardening, or taking away peoples' rubbish - not in the UK, you can't. The expectation now is that you'll have public liability insurance and be DBS checked - which cost money. (And take forever, in the case of the DBS.) To take away peoples' rubbish? You'll need a waste disposal licence - which costs money. If people are paying you to do their garden, they're expecting you to have your own tools - which, if you don't already have your own tools, cost a lot of money.
People aren't buying second hand clothes the way they used to; they want top-quality designer gear. This sort of stuff does not routinely just hang around on charity shop rails.
I've had things listed for over 6 weeks on Gumtree before I had any interest - and then I got bargained down. I've had things, useful things, in good condition, that I couldn't give away. (Literally - they were for free, and no one wanted them.)
Great; now I feel completely hopeless. What's the point? What the heck can I do to make money when I don't have money?
1. Offer weeding-only services; you won't really need tools, people feel more chill about not expecting you to have insurance or a DBS check, as you'll only be outside. You can also include lawn mowing services - if people have a lawn, they probably have a lawn mower. Weeding and mowing also don't require any actual garden skills. However, you're limited to a few weeks of the year for making the bulk of your money, and you do sort of need to live in an area where a lot of people actually have gardens - especially if you're disabled in a way which means driving isn't an option, or you can't afford to run a car, because you won't be able to easily get to multiple properties without a vehicle.
2. Renting things you already own; Prioritise things you're a little less worried about losing. Examples may include: mountain bikes, standard road push bikes, kids' bikes, wetsuits, hiking and camping gear, tools. This does require having the money to afford to print some very basic black and white flyers for your neighbours, although you can also list things for free on Gumtree, and in local Facebook groups.
If you have a spare room, that is already set up for someone to sleep in (basic bed, basic clothing rail, bedside unit), the easiest way to rent that is simply to list it on Gumtree. (If you're a council or private sector tenant, you will need to confirm that your tenancy allows you to technically sublet a spare room.)
I've had things listed for over 6 weeks on Gumtree before I had any interest - and then I got bargained down. I've had things, useful things, in good condition, that I couldn't give away. (Literally - they were for free, and no one wanted them.)
Great; now I feel completely hopeless. What's the point? What the heck can I do to make money when I don't have money?
1. Offer weeding-only services; you won't really need tools, people feel more chill about not expecting you to have insurance or a DBS check, as you'll only be outside. You can also include lawn mowing services - if people have a lawn, they probably have a lawn mower. Weeding and mowing also don't require any actual garden skills. However, you're limited to a few weeks of the year for making the bulk of your money, and you do sort of need to live in an area where a lot of people actually have gardens - especially if you're disabled in a way which means driving isn't an option, or you can't afford to run a car, because you won't be able to easily get to multiple properties without a vehicle.
2. Renting things you already own; Prioritise things you're a little less worried about losing. Examples may include: mountain bikes, standard road push bikes, kids' bikes, wetsuits, hiking and camping gear, tools. This does require having the money to afford to print some very basic black and white flyers for your neighbours, although you can also list things for free on Gumtree, and in local Facebook groups.
If you have a spare room, that is already set up for someone to sleep in (basic bed, basic clothing rail, bedside unit), the easiest way to rent that is simply to list it on Gumtree. (If you're a council or private sector tenant, you will need to confirm that your tenancy allows you to technically sublet a spare room.)
3. Live modelling for art schools - this does, of course, mean you need to have a local art school, who do live drawing, and who actually both want models, and want to pay them; it's not a long-term income stream, but it's a start, and also means you get to meet more people.
4. If you have a planted garden, take cuttings from your best plants, and sell them - again, you'll need enough money to buy some plant pots and compost, but other than that, an ad on Gumtree and local Facebook groups should do the trick. You won't make a lot of money, and it will be very limited in seasonality, but, again, it's a start.
5. If you keep fish, and know what you're doing with them - breed them. Ad on Gumtree, approach local aquarist pet shops. Another "probably won't bring you much money, or a regular income stream, but is something, when you currently have nothing."
6. Begging - the ultimate "I literally have nothing, not even a home, but I need to eat." Results very much vary, as does your treatment by the locals and the police. If you live in a Reform-governed area, your councillor will not like you, and will stir up anyone and everyone they can to make your life hell. Begging is likely to be more successful if you combine it with some kind of performance - people appreciate being entertained.
While you're pursuing these very basic ways to get a hard-scrabble trickle of an income, either without bothering the DWP, or while you're waiting for them to agree to step in and keep you in a position where you can contribute to the economy by actually being able to spend money on things which have VAT attached to them, apply for literally any job you could conceivably do and get to.
I've already covered the fact that the DWP require 35hrs of "work related activity" per week. That's 7hrs a day, five days a week.
That can feel like a lot, especially if you have family commitments as well.
So, let's break the 35hrs of work-related activity per week demand down into something that's realistic:
I'm going to be assuming that this is for someone who has school-age kids, as that's often where the challenge lies:
Monday-Friday:
10am-12.30pm (2.5hrs): Online Jobsearch:
30mins - Indeed
30mins - LinkedIn
30mins - Facebook
30mins - Instagram
30mins - Reed/Total Jobs/Jooble/CV Library (these can be done one per day, as they don't really update that much.)
4.30pm-7pm (2.5hrs): Skills Research:
1hr: Reading through job ads for (in priority order):
. Dream jobs (Monday and Friday's focus)
. Jobs you wouldn't be too upset about doing (Tuesday's focus)
. Meh, it's a job jobs (Wednesday's focus)
. Complete bs jobs (Thursday's focus)
4. If you have a planted garden, take cuttings from your best plants, and sell them - again, you'll need enough money to buy some plant pots and compost, but other than that, an ad on Gumtree and local Facebook groups should do the trick. You won't make a lot of money, and it will be very limited in seasonality, but, again, it's a start.
5. If you keep fish, and know what you're doing with them - breed them. Ad on Gumtree, approach local aquarist pet shops. Another "probably won't bring you much money, or a regular income stream, but is something, when you currently have nothing."
6. Begging - the ultimate "I literally have nothing, not even a home, but I need to eat." Results very much vary, as does your treatment by the locals and the police. If you live in a Reform-governed area, your councillor will not like you, and will stir up anyone and everyone they can to make your life hell. Begging is likely to be more successful if you combine it with some kind of performance - people appreciate being entertained.
While you're pursuing these very basic ways to get a hard-scrabble trickle of an income, either without bothering the DWP, or while you're waiting for them to agree to step in and keep you in a position where you can contribute to the economy by actually being able to spend money on things which have VAT attached to them, apply for literally any job you could conceivably do and get to.
I've already covered the fact that the DWP require 35hrs of "work related activity" per week. That's 7hrs a day, five days a week.
That can feel like a lot, especially if you have family commitments as well.
So, let's break the 35hrs of work-related activity per week demand down into something that's realistic:
I'm going to be assuming that this is for someone who has school-age kids, as that's often where the challenge lies:
Monday-Friday:
10am-12.30pm (2.5hrs): Online Jobsearch:
30mins - Indeed
30mins - LinkedIn
30mins - Facebook
30mins - Instagram
30mins - Reed/Total Jobs/Jooble/CV Library (these can be done one per day, as they don't really update that much.)
4.30pm-7pm (2.5hrs): Skills Research:
1hr: Reading through job ads for (in priority order):
. Dream jobs (Monday and Friday's focus)
. Jobs you wouldn't be too upset about doing (Tuesday's focus)
. Meh, it's a job jobs (Wednesday's focus)
. Complete bs jobs (Thursday's focus)
Note the skills you would realistically need to acquire or update.
1hr: Researching what the options for acquiring these skills are - in person training, online training, books you could read, volunteer options for gaining experience, etc.
30mins: Consider what skills you already have which may be transferable for the skills you need
1hr: Researching what the options for acquiring these skills are - in person training, online training, books you could read, volunteer options for gaining experience, etc.
30mins: Consider what skills you already have which may be transferable for the skills you need
9pm-11.30pm: Updated Awareness Review
1hr: Reading/listening to news/podcasts about current affairs in your country, and your local area
1hr: Reading/listening to podcasts about business, finance, politics, and HR (HR is going to become very, very relevant.)
30mins: Thinking of local businesses you could visit, and using social media to identify new businesses in your area.
For in-person jobsearch, use the time you're returning from dropping your kid/s at school, or are travelling to collect them, as well as time you're handling life demands in your nearest town/city centre, even if you have your child/ren with you - as you've already covered your 35hrs minimum with the above activities, this can literally be whatever time you can grab, so that you "win" the "dealing with the DWP" game, and are seen as an "engaged claimant."
Be aware also - the DWP will not pay for anything - even if having the thing would make it more likely that you'd get a job sooner. (I've spent years trying to convince them to pay for me to take CIPD training for HR, as that is a job which is more accessible given my disabilities and care commitments mean I need to work remotely, and is somewhat more resilient against AI than pretty much any of the rest of my skillset...hasn't got me anywhere, even though reaching the level typically required for actually being employed in HR would cost a minimum of £5k...which, if I had that spare, I wouldn't be allowed to claim welfare support anyway...)
If you would be interested in hiring me to work in a group setting, my fee for this is £20pp, plus travel expenses (I will advise of these on confirmation of booking acceptance; expenses will need to be paid in advance, while standard payments are on 7 day terms.)
For one-to-one, tailored support, I can offer 1hr remote sessions for £20ph, payable on booking, or half-day in person sessions for £75; in person sessions are only available in central Lowestoft, Norwich city centre (Surrey Street to Riverside), and Great Yarmouth town centre, and are payable on booking.
If you're happy to just take the freebies, and figure out how to fit them to your circumstances yourself? That's mostly why I'm doing these lessons. I know what it is to not have money, in a very literal sense, and I don't want people feeling they "have to" pay for support. Equally, I know some people are in a position to pay for customised support, and are happy to do so - it's whatever feels comfortable for you.
1hr: Reading/listening to news/podcasts about current affairs in your country, and your local area
1hr: Reading/listening to podcasts about business, finance, politics, and HR (HR is going to become very, very relevant.)
30mins: Thinking of local businesses you could visit, and using social media to identify new businesses in your area.
For in-person jobsearch, use the time you're returning from dropping your kid/s at school, or are travelling to collect them, as well as time you're handling life demands in your nearest town/city centre, even if you have your child/ren with you - as you've already covered your 35hrs minimum with the above activities, this can literally be whatever time you can grab, so that you "win" the "dealing with the DWP" game, and are seen as an "engaged claimant."
Be aware also - the DWP will not pay for anything - even if having the thing would make it more likely that you'd get a job sooner. (I've spent years trying to convince them to pay for me to take CIPD training for HR, as that is a job which is more accessible given my disabilities and care commitments mean I need to work remotely, and is somewhat more resilient against AI than pretty much any of the rest of my skillset...hasn't got me anywhere, even though reaching the level typically required for actually being employed in HR would cost a minimum of £5k...which, if I had that spare, I wouldn't be allowed to claim welfare support anyway...)
If you would be interested in hiring me to work in a group setting, my fee for this is £20pp, plus travel expenses (I will advise of these on confirmation of booking acceptance; expenses will need to be paid in advance, while standard payments are on 7 day terms.)
For one-to-one, tailored support, I can offer 1hr remote sessions for £20ph, payable on booking, or half-day in person sessions for £75; in person sessions are only available in central Lowestoft, Norwich city centre (Surrey Street to Riverside), and Great Yarmouth town centre, and are payable on booking.
If you're happy to just take the freebies, and figure out how to fit them to your circumstances yourself? That's mostly why I'm doing these lessons. I know what it is to not have money, in a very literal sense, and I don't want people feeling they "have to" pay for support. Equally, I know some people are in a position to pay for customised support, and are happy to do so - it's whatever feels comfortable for you.
Lesson Two: How Do I Apply for a Job?
Lesson one taught us that "applying for a job" is not a solution for "I have literally no money, and expenses I need to meet right now" - but a regular job is essential for being able to engage properly with your finances. You need to be able to make reliable income predictions. You need to be able to see what your income progression over time is likely to look like.
Applying for jobs is absolutely as soul-destroying, frustrating, disorientating, and exhausting as all the memes on social media present it as being. In reality, the UK has over a million more unemployed people than there are available jobs.
The reality is most people are going to have to employ themselves - but there's no government support for people without money to achieve that. So, again, the only realistic solution is to get a job, any job, to have some financial stability while you're building your self-employment, which is going to give you long-term stability.
What job should I be looking for? You want to identify the job at which you can work at 75% of your capacity 90% of the time, and still be seen as a good, hardworking employee. That will mean you have capacity spare to attend to your health, your domestic responsibilities, and to work on building more reliable employment security.
Lesson one taught us that "applying for a job" is not a solution for "I have literally no money, and expenses I need to meet right now" - but a regular job is essential for being able to engage properly with your finances. You need to be able to make reliable income predictions. You need to be able to see what your income progression over time is likely to look like.
Applying for jobs is absolutely as soul-destroying, frustrating, disorientating, and exhausting as all the memes on social media present it as being. In reality, the UK has over a million more unemployed people than there are available jobs.
The reality is most people are going to have to employ themselves - but there's no government support for people without money to achieve that. So, again, the only realistic solution is to get a job, any job, to have some financial stability while you're building your self-employment, which is going to give you long-term stability.
What job should I be looking for? You want to identify the job at which you can work at 75% of your capacity 90% of the time, and still be seen as a good, hardworking employee. That will mean you have capacity spare to attend to your health, your domestic responsibilities, and to work on building more reliable employment security.
What that job will be will vary from person to person; if you want tailored support, you can book in for a one-to-one remote session with me for just £20 per hour (minimum 1hr). Email theproductivepessimist@yahoo.com to schedule a call.
You will need to consider the cost of your commute - which absolutely should be included in your 75% capacity focus. The cost of you getting to and from work needs to be deducted from your pre-tax income; do not accept a job which, after the cost of your commute and after tax and NI, leaves you with less than the minimum wage. (That's currently £12.71 per hour for over 25s.) This isn't the DWP; we're not here for "a job, any job."
Your "perk priorities" should be:
. Private health coverage - this saves you time if you need health care, it means you are likely to be able to schedule appointments to suit you, it means you are likely to be back at work sooner.
. Company pays for eye tests and glasses - most jobs now involve a lot of computer use; your company absolutely should be compensating you for the damage screen use causes to your eyes. Your sight is one of the aspects of health you cannot get back once it's gone.
. An open sick leave policy, including for medical appointments - having been there myself, believe me, you do not want to be having to use your holiday entitlement to accommodate medical appointments, especially if you have chronic health conditions or disabilities.
. More than 35 days annual leave; this whole "28-33 days" is the bare legal minimum; that is not a "perk". Also, it usually covers time that the company itself is closed - it is not actually acceptable that you have to use your annual leave - ie, reduce the amount of time you can take for yourself when you need it - to cover the company deciding the senior executives don't want to come in, or that it costs more to trade than the company makes.
. Remote working, if you have chosen to pursue a job which can be done remotely, and you personally feel comfortable working remotely; for me, remote working massively reduces the time I would otherwise be taking off to handle kinship care and the impacts of my own disabilities and health challenges.
You need to consider all your commitments to be part of your "working hours", not just the hours you're paid by your employer.
If you spend 40hrs per week in paid employent, 10hrs a week commuting to that paid employment, 20hrs a week managing your children, 10hrs a week doing workouts which support your physical and mental wellbeing, and 15hrs a week managing household responsibilities, you're working 95hrs a week.
You only have a total of 168hrs in a week. Taking away the 95hrs committed to things which maintain roof, health, family - the essentials of your budget that we learned about in our first lesson - that only leaves you just over 10hrs a day. You'll be sleeping for at least 7 of those hours - that's also essential for the priority of supporting your health. 3hrs a day that just for you to do fun, non-essential things.
Is that enough for you?
You need to know what salary you should be pursuing.
Use a take-home pay calculator, which will tell you what you need to be earning before tax and National Insurance in order to make the kind of income you want to have - which, remember, should be at or above the minimum wage after tax and commuting costs.
Once you've identified your target salary, commit a time, every day, to researching what jobs pay that salary, what qualifications, skills, and experience is required to get into those jobs, and how you can acquire them. Focus your social media time on building a LinkedIn profile, and following/connecting with people who are already working in the jobs you've identified. Prioritise following companies where the salary you want is achievable on Instagram and TikTok, so you can get a sense of how those companies expect you to communicate, what they respond positively to, what their focus is.
If you're on Universal Credit, you'll be told to "just apply for as many jobs as possible" - that doesn't work. You need to have a targeted plan, with primary, secondary, and tertiary areas of focus:
Primary - the exact jobs/sectors which offer the salary and working style you want.
Secondary - jobs/sectors where you may have to compromise on the working style you want, but you can achieve the salary you want.
Tertiary - jobs/sectors where you may not get the exact salary you want, or the working style you want, but which are in alignment with your skills, and offer a progression into secondary or primary area jobs/sectors.
Remain committed to this plan, and be clear about your motivations when you speak to your work coach.
I hope today's lesson helped you.
If you would be interested in hiring me to work in a group setting, my fee for this is £20pp, plus travel expenses (I will advise of these on confirmation of booking acceptance; expenses will need to be paid in advance, while standard payments are on 7 day terms.)
For one-to-one, tailored support, I can offer 1hr remote sessions for £20ph, payable on booking, or half-day in person sessions for £75; in person sessions are only available in central Lowestoft, Norwich city centre (Surrey Street to Riverside), and Great Yarmouth town centre, and are payable on booking.
For one-to-one, tailored support, I can offer 1hr remote sessions for £20ph, payable on booking, or half-day in person sessions for £75; in person sessions are only available in central Lowestoft, Norwich city centre (Surrey Street to Riverside), and Great Yarmouth town centre, and are payable on booking.
Lesson 3: WTF Is A Budget?
The most common mistake people make when they say they "tried to work to a budget" is that they assume a budget is simply "writing down what you spent last month (or last week, or yesterday, or last year, whatever period you're working to.")
The second most common mistake is that people assume a budget is what you think you'll spend.
A budget is what you will not spend more than in the various categories that make up your life.
Yes, this does require some looking back; it's no good announcing "I won't spend more than £50 a month on groceries!" when every month you spend between £150-200; in that scenario, you could say "I won't spend more than £180 a month on groceries".
A common response to budgets is "I've tried budgeting, and it just doesn't work; I just end up spending more than the budget says I should." The answer to that is that, if you need to spend more in one category, it has to come from a different category. This means you need to know what your non-negotiable categories are; the categories in which you either cannot spend less, or very much do not want to spend less.
For most people, the obvious non-negotiables will be their housing costs (rent/mortgage, council tax, utilities), probably followed by transport costs.
My own budget includes pets as a non-negotiable category, while my primary negotiable category is socialising; this may be one of your non-negotiables, because most people value socialising considerably more than I do; honestly, as long as I get out at least once every couple of months to meet with other people, I'm fine. If I can't afford an event I'd intended to go to, I'm momentarily disappointed, but it's a very passing disappointment - I don't go into a spiral over it.
You have to budget your fixed costs - the things you can't pay less on, the things you can't not pay - first.
Once you've taken those out of your income, you budget your priorities - mine are, in order:
Pets
The second most common mistake is that people assume a budget is what you think you'll spend.
A budget is what you will not spend more than in the various categories that make up your life.
Yes, this does require some looking back; it's no good announcing "I won't spend more than £50 a month on groceries!" when every month you spend between £150-200; in that scenario, you could say "I won't spend more than £180 a month on groceries".
A common response to budgets is "I've tried budgeting, and it just doesn't work; I just end up spending more than the budget says I should." The answer to that is that, if you need to spend more in one category, it has to come from a different category. This means you need to know what your non-negotiable categories are; the categories in which you either cannot spend less, or very much do not want to spend less.
For most people, the obvious non-negotiables will be their housing costs (rent/mortgage, council tax, utilities), probably followed by transport costs.
My own budget includes pets as a non-negotiable category, while my primary negotiable category is socialising; this may be one of your non-negotiables, because most people value socialising considerably more than I do; honestly, as long as I get out at least once every couple of months to meet with other people, I'm fine. If I can't afford an event I'd intended to go to, I'm momentarily disappointed, but it's a very passing disappointment - I don't go into a spiral over it.
You have to budget your fixed costs - the things you can't pay less on, the things you can't not pay - first.
Once you've taken those out of your income, you budget your priorities - mine are, in order:
Pets
Savings
Being able to afford an overnight in a hotel
Socialising
Being able to afford an overnight in a hotel
Socialising
Your priorities will be different. And that's as it should be. You'll notice I don't include investments - I have accepted that it is very unlikely I will ever be able to afford to invest enough to achieve a non-working future, I will not be having children, and I have no younger siblings; I'm therefore planning a "ramp-down", rather than a "retirement": a space where I will still earn my income, but I will be able to earn it in fewer days of work.
Every so often, I use my unallocated money - which I label "discretionary spending" - to buy gold or silver. I also collect antique porcelain, and I keep a percentage of savings for a specific annual porcelain auction I attend regularly.
Those are things I can immediately sell for a decent price if I need to.
I also do have a small number of investments, which I add to occasionally - maybe two to three times a year - but I don't expect anything exceptional from those, and they're certainly not a priority for me.
What should I be spending this 'discretionary' money on? The short answer is; whatever genuinely brings you joy. A lot of mine gets spent on clothes and jewellery for my wife, tattoos, and piercings, as well as the gold, silver, and porcelain I've mentioned. This month (June 2026), I spent some of it booking tickets on a coach tour to a wildlife reserve that's taking place in September.
There have been many times in my life where I haven't had discretionary money - all of my income was allocated to fixed costs. That's where the importance of both flexible mindset and free hobbies comes in.
A flexible mindset allows you to consider almost anything as a viable and acceptable way to make extra money.
Free hobbies means you don't feel the pain of the lack of discretionary, or "fun" money as much.
My free hobbies are:
. Reading (libraries exist, as do free e-books, and peoples' blogs)
. Walking (which is distinct, for me, from hiking, which does come with costs, even if that's just food and a new water bottle)
. Photography - I work digitally, and I already have a camera and computer, so when I have literally no money, I can still do photography
. Kickboxing - I have been well-trained in the art over the years, so, even when I can't go to classes, I can enjoy a shadowboxing session, which I can do in sweats, pyjamas, or even buck naked
Every so often, I use my unallocated money - which I label "discretionary spending" - to buy gold or silver. I also collect antique porcelain, and I keep a percentage of savings for a specific annual porcelain auction I attend regularly.
Those are things I can immediately sell for a decent price if I need to.
I also do have a small number of investments, which I add to occasionally - maybe two to three times a year - but I don't expect anything exceptional from those, and they're certainly not a priority for me.
What should I be spending this 'discretionary' money on? The short answer is; whatever genuinely brings you joy. A lot of mine gets spent on clothes and jewellery for my wife, tattoos, and piercings, as well as the gold, silver, and porcelain I've mentioned. This month (June 2026), I spent some of it booking tickets on a coach tour to a wildlife reserve that's taking place in September.
There have been many times in my life where I haven't had discretionary money - all of my income was allocated to fixed costs. That's where the importance of both flexible mindset and free hobbies comes in.
A flexible mindset allows you to consider almost anything as a viable and acceptable way to make extra money.
Free hobbies means you don't feel the pain of the lack of discretionary, or "fun" money as much.
My free hobbies are:
. Reading (libraries exist, as do free e-books, and peoples' blogs)
. Walking (which is distinct, for me, from hiking, which does come with costs, even if that's just food and a new water bottle)
. Photography - I work digitally, and I already have a camera and computer, so when I have literally no money, I can still do photography
. Kickboxing - I have been well-trained in the art over the years, so, even when I can't go to classes, I can enjoy a shadowboxing session, which I can do in sweats, pyjamas, or even buck naked
. Bodyweight workouts - as per the kickboxing; I don't need special clothes (or even any clothes!), or any equipment
I hope today's lesson helped you.
If you would be interested in hiring me to work in a group setting, my fee for this is £20pp, plus travel expenses (I will advise of these on confirmation of booking acceptance; expenses will need to be paid in advance, while standard payments are on 7 day terms.)
For one-to-one, tailored support, I can offer 1hr remote sessions for £20ph, payable on booking, or half-day in person sessions for £75; in person sessions are only available in central Lowestoft, Norwich city centre (Surrey Street to Riverside), and Great Yarmouth town centre, and are payable on booking.
For one-to-one, tailored support, I can offer 1hr remote sessions for £20ph, payable on booking, or half-day in person sessions for £75; in person sessions are only available in central Lowestoft, Norwich city centre (Surrey Street to Riverside), and Great Yarmouth town centre, and are payable on booking.
To book an extended, tailored session, email; theproductivepessimist@yahoo.com
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