April 23rd, 2026 | Andrew Hagger | News

We work hard to plan for our retirement, and reaching pension age is a goal achieved. Once you reach this stage, it’s natural that the pace of life shifts and your routine changes.

However, your finances still require attention. Living longer means your money often needs to last longer too, while everyday costs are constantly in flux.

At this point, you move from building wealth to making it work for you in practical ways. That shift brings new decisions, and the way you respond shapes how secure and comfortable your later years feel.

How financial priorities shift after retirement

When you stop receiving a monthly salary, your relationship with your bank balance inevitably changes.

This could be updates to your everyday expenses. While you no longer need to spend money on your work commute, your utility bills might rise because you spend more time heating your home.

It can also be larger expenses. Perhaps you now prioritise booking that long-awaited trip away or helping a grandchild with university fees.

Effective budgeting allows you to establish what’s essential spending and the things that could be classed as lifestyle spending. By categorising your outgoings, you can build the confidence you need to spend money on the things you enjoy today without the nagging fear that you will run out of funds in your eighties. This balance turns an inflexible budget into a versatile tool for a fulfilling life.

Protecting income and responsibilities

Financial planning involves drawing down a pension, but it also requires you to look at the legacy and the liabilities you leave behind. If you still have a mortgage or have a partner who relies entirely on your joint income to cover the monthly food shop, you’ll need to factor this in.

It is a common misconception that protection is only for the young. Many people consider life insurance for over 60s as a practical method to ensure their family can settle outstanding debts or funeral costs without dipping into their inheritance.

Taking these steps late in life demonstrates a commitment to your family’s future stability. You can review your existing coverage at any age to ensure it still fits in with your current debts and your desire to protect those you love.

Keeping plans flexible as circumstances change

The financial strategy you drafted in your fifties rarely remains perfect for your seventies. Life moves quickly. You might decide to downsize to a smaller bungalow, or maybe you inherit a sum that changes your tax position.

You should revisit your financial arrangements at least once a year to account for these shifts. Small, proactive adjustments, like switching to a better savings account or updating your insurance beneficiaries, prevent minor oversights from becoming major issues further down the line.

By treating your financial plan as a live document, you reduce financial stress and make your money work harder for you. Regular reviews give you the peace of mind that you are prepared for whatever the future holds.

April 22nd, 2026 | Andrew Hagger | News

A survey conducted by Will Aid reveals a growing disconnect between public expectations and UK law, as over half of UK adults (54%) now believe they should be legally permitted to sign and store their Wills electronically.

Despite the rapid digitisation of financial services, the Wills Act 1837 continues to govern inheritance in the UK. To date, a fully electronic Will remains legally invalid. Documents can be drafted online, however, they must still be printed and signed in ‘wet ink’ to be recognised.

A survey of 2,000 people across the UK, carried out by the charity Will-writing campaign Will Aid, has uncovered a significant appetite for reform:

• Electronic Wills: 54% of the public agrees that Wills should be signed and stored online. Men are slightly more in favour (57%) compared to women (52%).
• Video witnessing: 46% believe that witnessing should be allowed via platforms like Zoom or FaceTime, a practice that was temporarily permitted during the pandemic but has since ceased to be legal.
• Resistance to change: Despite the push for technology, caution remains. 16% of respondents oppose electronic signing, and 23% are against remote witnessing, citing potential security concerns.

The Law Commission published its landmark Modernising Wills Law report in May 2025. The report recommended sweeping changes, including the formal recognition of electronic Wills and the permanent introduction of remote witnessing. However, these recommendations are still awaiting government implementation.

Lauren Smith, Partner and Head of Wills, Trusts & Probate at Taylor Bracewell, said: “Unfortunately, the law never seems to move as fast as technology, and often people tend to forget this. Whilst so much of everyday life is now dealt with online it is important to realise that Wills must still meet certain criteria which was set out nearly 200 years ago.

“There are discussions of reforms, but lots of factors have to be considered to ensure that the Will maker is protected – and to ensure that a Will cannot be unlawfully made on behalf of someone else! Professional advice is essential to ensure that your wishes are met, and your loved ones are not left a mountain of problems to deal with after your death.”

“The public is clearly ready for the law to modernise in this respect,” says Will Aid’s Campaign Director, Peter de Vena Franks. “While the Law Commission has provided a roadmap for modernising these Victorian-era rules, we would welcome the changes come in sooner rather than later.

“What is really important when it comes to making a Will is to liaise with a solicitor who will provide the gold standard of Will writing. That’s why the annual Will Aid campaign in November is so special, our firms volunteer their time and expertise to ensure everyone who takes advantage of the scheme has a Will drafted by an expert. Not only does that provide essential peace of mind that your wishes will be met, but it also helps eight of the UK’s most loved charities continue to carry out the exceptional work they do.”

Will Aid is a nationwide campaign that takes place every November and sees participating solicitors across the UK volunteer their time to write basic Wills, waiving their usual fee in exchange for a voluntary donation.

Suggested donations are £120 for a single Will and £200 for a pair of mirror Wills – with all donations supporting the vital work of eight leading UK charities.

These include Age UK, British Red Cross, Christian Aid, Crisis, NSPCC, SCIAF (Scotland), Shelter and Trócaire (Northern Ireland).

If making or revising your Will is on your to-do list this year, you can sign up to be the first to know when Will Aid 2026 opens for bookings. Appointments do go very quickly, so it is advisable to sign up now at https://www.willaid.org.uk/early-bird

April 21st, 2026 | Andrew Hagger | News

Running a trade business in the UK means mastering more than just your craft. With irregular income, fluctuating material costs, and no employer safety net, financial planning is what separates businesses that thrive from those that just survive. Statistics from the construction industry show that there were over 370,000 registered construction firms operating across Great Britain in 2024, with construction output prices rising 3.4% on the year, which is a reminder that margins are tight and forward planning matters more than ever.

1. Understanding your cash flow

Cash flow is the lifeblood of any trade business. Money coming in from completed jobs and money going out on materials, fuel, tools, and tax rarely line up neatly, particularly when clients pay slowly. Start by tracking every transaction, however small, using a basic spreadsheet or an accounting app like QuickBooks or FreeAgent. Set aside a fixed percentage of every payment for tax before you spend it and review your position weekly instead of monthly. Spotting a shortfall early gives you options, and waiting until it becomes a crisis does not.

2. Budgeting for materials and overheads

Good budgeting means forecasting across the full year, not just the next job. Factor in quieter winter months when planning summer spending, and build supplier relationships that give you room to negotiate on price or payment terms. Supply chain disruptions and material price volatility continue to squeeze margins for UK tradespeople, making it more important than ever to source quality stock at reliable prices. For fit-out jobs, stocking up on consistently popular items, such as high-quality white internal doors that offer clean finishes at a competitive price, means you can quote confidently without compromising on the finish that keeps clients coming back.

3. Planning for the unexpected

Every tradesperson should hold at least three months of operating costs in an accessible savings account. Equipment breakdowns, a quiet patch, or a client who delays payment can each cause serious disruption without that buffer. Beyond savings, review your insurance annually: public liability is a baseline, but tool cover, income protection, and professional indemnity are all worth considering depending on your work type. The cost is modest compared to the financial exposure of being uninsured when something goes wrong.

4. Investing in your business and yourself

Reinvesting a portion of profit back into the business, whether on new tools, updated accreditations, or a better van, compounds over time. On the personal side, self-employed workers have no automatic pension contribution from an employer, which makes starting a private pension early important. Even modest regular contributions benefit from long-term growth.

5. Looking ahead as a tradesperson

The tradespeople who build lasting businesses are the ones who treat their finances with the same care they bring to their work. Start with one step: whether that is setting up a dedicated business account, reviewing your insurance, or opening a pension. Small actions, taken consistently, make the difference.

Getting your finances in order is one of the most valuable investments you can make in your trade career. You do not need to overhaul everything at once. Open a separate account for tax, set a basic monthly budget, and check your insurance is up to date. From there, build gradually, and the business you have spent years developing will have the foundations to last.

April 20th, 2026 | Andrew Hagger | News

Resource management is rarely the first thing financial services firms think about when trying to improve performance. It tends to sit quietly in the background, treated as a coordination task rather than something strategic. Yet in firms where revenue is directly tied to billable time, how people are allocated, scheduled, and utilised has a direct impact on profitability.

The difficulty is that this impact is not always obvious. It does not show up as a single operational failure. Instead, it appears gradually. Margins feel tighter than expected. Delivery becomes harder to predict. Teams are stretched in some areas and underused in others. Over time, these small inefficiencies begin to compound.

Resource Management Is a Profit Lever, Not an Administrative Task

Most firms do not set out to mismanage their resources. The issue is that resource management is often viewed through an operational lens rather than a commercial one.

In practice, it sits much closer to the financial core of the business. When the right people are assigned to the right work at the right time, utilisation improves, delivery becomes smoother, and revenue is captured more effectively. When this alignment breaks down, the impact is felt across margins, forecasting, and client outcomes.

This is why firms often only begin to pay attention when performance starts to drift. By that point, the underlying issues have usually been present for some time.

Why Resource Management Becomes More Complex as Firms Grow

The way firms manage resources changes significantly as they scale. What works well at one stage of growth often becomes a limitation at the next.

Smaller firms

In smaller firms, typically under fifty employees, resource management is largely informal. Decisions are made through conversations, quick messages, or direct oversight from senior staff. There is a shared understanding of who is available and what work needs to be delivered.

This approach works because the organisation is small enough for visibility to exist naturally. Communication fills the gaps that systems would otherwise need to cover.

Growing firms

As firms grow beyond this point, spreadsheets usually become the default solution. They introduce a level of structure without requiring a major change in how the business operates.

Initially, this feels like progress. There is more organisation and more oversight. But as complexity increases, the limitations begin to surface. Multiple versions of the same data appear. Updates are delayed or missed. Decisions are made based on incomplete information.

This is also the stage where many firms begin experimenting with lightweight tools such as Resource Guru, which offer a simple, visual way to schedule teams and manage capacity without adding too much complexity. These tools are effective for smaller and mid-sized teams because they improve clarity while remaining easy to adopt.

The process still works, but it requires increasing effort to maintain.

Larger firms

Once a firm moves beyond one hundred employees, resource management becomes significantly more complex. Multiple teams, locations, and service lines introduce new dependencies. Work is no longer linear, and coordination becomes more demanding.

At this stage, the problem is no longer about organisation. It is about structure. Without a consistent system in place, visibility becomes fragmented and decision-making becomes reactive.

The Hidden Costs Most Firms Don’t Measure

One of the reasons resource management issues persist is that the cost is rarely measured directly. Instead, it appears in indirect ways that are easy to overlook.

A common example is misallocation. Senior staff may spend time on work that could be handled at a lower level, reducing overall margins. At the same time, junior team members may remain underutilised, limiting both their development and the firm’s capacity to grow.

There is also the issue of lost billable time. When visibility is limited, opportunities to allocate people effectively are missed. Work may be delayed, assigned inefficiently, or not tracked properly. Even small gaps in this process can result in significant revenue loss over time.

These issues rarely present themselves as a single problem. Instead, they accumulate gradually, making them harder to identify and address.

Why Financial Services Firms Are More Exposed Than Most

These challenges exist in many industries, but they are more pronounced in financial services.

The link between time and revenue is direct. Billable hours are not just a metric, they are the foundation of the business model. At the same time, deadlines are often fixed, whether driven by regulatory requirements or client expectations.

Skills and certifications add another layer of complexity. Not every resource can be assigned to every piece of work, and mistakes in allocation can have compliance implications. In many cases, firms also need to maintain clear audit trails of decisions, making transparency just as important as efficiency.

This combination of factors means that even small inefficiencies can have a disproportionate impact.

The Limits of Spreadsheets and Manual Processes

Spreadsheets remain a central part of how many firms manage resources, and for good reason. They are flexible, familiar, and easy to adapt.

In smaller environments, they often work well. They provide enough structure without introducing unnecessary complexity.

The problem is that they do not scale in the same way the business does. As teams grow and work becomes more interconnected, the need for real-time visibility increases. Leaders want to understand not just what is happening now, but what is likely to happen next.

Spreadsheets are not designed for this level of coordination. They rely on manual updates, which means information is often out of date by the time decisions are made. Over time, this creates a growing gap between perception and reality.

Industry research consistently shows that poor resource visibility is one of the biggest barriers to performance in professional services environments, affecting utilisation, delivery, and overall responsiveness.

Most firms do not abandon spreadsheets because they fail outright. They move on from them because the business outgrows what they can realistically support.

What Better Resource Management Looks Like in Reality

When firms begin to address these challenges, the shift is not always dramatic, but it is meaningful.

The first step is visibility. A single, reliable view of resources across the organisation allows teams to make decisions based on consistent information. Availability, skills, and allocations become easier to understand, reducing the need for constant manual coordination.

From there, planning becomes more forward-looking. Instead of reacting to immediate needs, firms can anticipate demand and allocate resources accordingly. This creates a stronger link between operations and financial performance, improving both utilisation and predictability.

At a mid-market level, many firms adopt broader platforms such as Scoro, which combine resource planning with financial and project management capabilities. These systems begin to connect resourcing decisions with profitability, offering a more joined-up view of performance.

Perhaps most importantly, the responsibility for managing resources moves away from individuals and towards a system. This reduces reliance on informal knowledge and creates a more consistent way of working across the organisation.

How Firms Are Solving This as They Scale

The way firms approach this transition varies depending on their size and level of complexity.

In smaller firms, the focus is often on maintaining clarity without overcomplicating processes. Strong communication and clear ownership of decisions can go a long way.

In growing firms, the emphasis shifts towards consistency. Standardising how resources are planned and tracked helps reduce the friction that comes with scale.

For larger firms, particularly those with more than one hundred employees, the challenge becomes structural. At this point, manual processes and disconnected tools are rarely sufficient. The level of coordination required means that a more formal system is needed.

This is where more sophisticated platforms come into play. Retain, for example, is widely recognised as one of the best resource management software solutions for large financial services firms with over 100+ employees, combining skills-based planning with long-term demand forecasting.

What distinguishes this type of platform is not just scheduling capability, but the ability to model workforce capacity, align skills to demand, and provide real-time visibility across the entire organisation.

At this level, resource management becomes less about managing tasks and more about managing the business itself.

Choosing the Right Approach for Your Firm

There is no single approach that works for every firm, and the right solution depends largely on where the organisation sits in its growth journey.

Smaller firms benefit from simplicity. Introducing complex systems too early can slow things down rather than improve them.

Growing firms need to recognise when their current approach is starting to strain. When coordination becomes more time-consuming than delivery, it is usually a sign that something needs to change.

This drive for operational efficiency and predictable growth extends beyond resource allocation to the meticulous aggregation and analysis of financial data across diverse business units, making robust group reporting and consolidation software essential for comprehensive oversight and accurate financial steering. 

Such systems ensure that complex global operations can reconcile disparate financial records seamlessly, providing a unified view necessary for strategic decision-making and regulatory compliance.

For larger financial services firms, resource management becomes a strategic capability. It is no longer just about assigning people to work, but about ensuring that the business operates efficiently, predictably, and at scale. At this stage, purpose-built platforms such as Retain tend to offer the level of control and visibility that spreadsheets and lighter tools simply cannot match.

Final Thoughts

Firms do not invest in better resource management because they want to improve scheduling. They do it because they want greater control over how their business operates.

At its core, this is about predictability. Knowing that the right people are working on the right things, that capacity is being used effectively, and that future demand can be managed with confidence.

Poor resource management erodes that control over time. It introduces uncertainty into areas that should be stable, and it limits the firm’s ability to grow efficiently.

For those that recognise this early, the shift towards a more structured, system-led approach is not just an operational improvement. It is a step towards building a more predictable and scalable business.

April 20th, 2026 | Andrew Hagger | News

If you want to make extra money online, affiliate marketing presents a flexible way to do it. You can earn cash by promoting products or services you genuinely like, without having to create your own. This guide will show you how to get started and build a steady income.

What is affiliate marketing?

Affiliate marketing is basically a way to advertise where you get paid for results. As an affiliate, you team up with a business (the merchant) to promote what they sell. You get a special link, and if someone buys something through that link, you earn a commission. It’s good for everyone: the business gets a new customer, and you get paid for sending them over.

The process involves three main groups: the merchant (the company selling the product), the affiliate (you, the one promoting it), and the customer. Your job is to connect the merchant with potential customers by creating content that shows why the product or service is valuable. This method has become a significant part of many companies’ marketing strategies because it’s so good at driving sales.

Finding your niche and audience

To succeed in affiliate marketing, you need to be real. The best affiliates promote things they truly understand and care about. This could be anything from managing money and living sustainably to home workout gear or software for small businesses.

Once you pick your niche, you need to know your audience. Who are they? What problems do they have? What kind of content do they like? Answering these questions helps you create content that connects with them and builds trust. For example, if you focus on budget travel, your audience will probably want content about cheap places to visit, travel credit cards, and packing tips. Your affiliate promotions should fit these interests.

Choosing the right affiliate programmes

After you’ve figured out your niche and audience, the next step is to find good affiliate programs. Many companies have their own programs; you can often find a link like “Affiliates” or “Partners” at the bottom of their website. These direct partnerships can pay well, but managing too many can get complicated.

Another popular choice is to join an affiliate network. These networks act as a middleman, giving you access to thousands of merchants and their programs from one place. You can also use special platforms to search affiliate networks across different industries, which makes finding relevant offers easier.  When you choose a program, check the commission rates, how good the product is, and what kind of support they offer affiliates.

Strategies for promoting offers

There are many ways to promote your affiliate links, and the best approach depends on your niche and audience. Always be honest; tell people you’re using affiliate links. Being transparent builds trust and is often required by law.

Here are some common ways to promote:

• Blog Posts: Write detailed reviews, how-to guides, or comparison articles where you can naturally add your affiliate links.
• Social Media: Share your experience with a product on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, or Pinterest, using the link in your bio or stories.
• Email Newsletters: Build an email list to talk directly with your audience and share special offers and recommendations.
• Video Content: Make videos for platforms like YouTube, where you can show off a product or review a service and put links in the description.

Measuring your performance

To make more money from affiliate marketing, you need to keep track of what works and what doesn’t. Most affiliate programs and networks offer a dashboard with detailed stats. This information is key to improving your strategy and focusing your efforts where they’ll have the biggest impact.

Pay attention to important affiliate marketing numbers. These include the click-through rate (CTR), which tells you how many people click your links, and the conversion rate, which shows how many of those clicks turn into a sale. Looking at this data helps you find your most profitable content and channels. This way, you can do more of what works and fix areas that aren’t performing well.

Ultimately, affiliate marketing relies on trust and offering real value. When you focus on helping your audience solve their problems with great product recommendations, you build an income stream that lasts.

April 17th, 2026 | Andrew Hagger | News

With news just in that Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has been taken off the road after a ‘crater’ of a pothole took her Mini Cooper off the road,* the car insurance experts at Go.Compare are urging motorists to claim back their pothole damage – and revealing how to do so.

Research from the comparison site has revealed that between 2022 and 2024, councils across England and Wales paid out £10.2 million in pothole claims** – and Oxfordshire, where the Transport Secretary’s pothole encounter took place, is one of the top ten councils with the highest claims payouts.

Councils paying the most in pothole compensation claims to drivers (2022-2024):

Additionally, not all councils appear to be tackling the pothole problem in a timely manner. Go.Compare submitted a freedom of information request to 171 councils about their pothole repair times and found that Staffordshire was the slowest in 2024, taking an agonising 210 days on average to repair a pothole. Meanwhile, Oxfordshire, where Heidi Alexander fell foul of a pothole, took just 9 days on average.***

Tom Banks, motoring expert at Go.Compare Car insurance explains how you can give your pothole claim the best chance of success: “Potholes are a sadly familiar sight on our roads, so if you’ve hit one, you’re not alone. In fact, there were a reported 1 million cases across the country in 2024 alone.**

“If your car suffers any damage due to a pothole, we recommend making a claim as soon as you can. However, there are a few things to consider. Here’s our advice when it comes to claiming:

• Check it’s really a pothole: to be technically classed as a pothole, the hole needs to be at least 40mm deep, which is about the height of two 20p coins
• Gather evidence: You’ll need to show evidence to back up your claim. If it’s safe to do so, get a photo of the pothole and make a note of exactly where it is. You can use What3words to communicate its exact location, and remember the date and time you hit it. If anyone saw the incident it could be helpful to get a statement from them.
• Talk to your mechanic: Any damage you claim for must be due to impact with the pothole, so if your car has to go to the garage and requires work, make sure you keep a record of everything and ask your mechanic to confirm this in writing.
• Contact the right authority: Depending on the type of road, a different authority will be responsible. For example, red routes in London are run by Transport for London rather than National Highways. You can find out who to contact here.
• Insurance claims: A claim on your insurance policy shouldn’t be your first port of call, but if you do decide to make a claim it’s worth noting that your insurance premiums could rise in the future as a result.”

For more information on how to make a pothole claim, visit here.

April 15th, 2026 | Andrew Hagger | News

The start of a new financial year is the perfect time to address your finances and begin a new and improved chapter. However, you can only do this if the right strategies are in place.

It can sound like a daunting task, but small changes can yield huge improvements. Here are six of the best that you can implement over the coming months.

1- Sell Unneeded Items

When your finances are in poor health, generating a cash injection should be high on the agenda. Selling assets you no longer need is ideal. While garage sales can be used to sell small items, relinquishing more costly assets is equally crucial. Bullion buyers will pay a fair price for gold and silver. This can quickly help you get out of a financial hole.

Selling a car and opting for a cheaper model could be an option too.

2- Cut Down On Hidden Fees

There are many situations in life where you need to pay for experts. Sadly, this is an area where you could quickly overspend. Addressing who to hire when selling a home can save you thousands. Likewise, learning to fix simple home faults rather than calling an expert can be a game-changing tactic. The goal is to pay for the services you need. And nothing more.

It is one of the most effective ways to transform immediate and long-term situations.

3- Pay Down Debts

On a similar note, interest charges on credit accounts are costing you dearly. If possible, you should prioritise clearing those accounts ASAP. You can do this with tactics like the snowball effect. Or you could look to consolidate with a loan that has a lower interest rate than your highest rate accounts. Debt relief is also available if your situation is particularly bad.

It takes time to regain control, but each positive step feels huge.

4- Address Your Credit Score

Whether in debt or not, you’ll probably need to borrow money at some stage. Your options will be limited if your credit history is in bad health. A free credit score check helps you gain a clear insight of the situation. From here, you can focus on rebuilding the score to unlock better lending terms on future agreements. It significantly improves your situation.

Your financial health isn’t dictated solely by money. It’s about options.

5- Create A New Revenue Stream

It would be great to climb the career ladder and land a promotion. That isn’t always possible, though. With this in mind, starting a side hustle could be the best approach. Even if you only make a small amount of money from it, this has a positive impact on your overall financial health. Over time, it could potentially grow into your main source of income.

Similarly, you should find that your leisure expenses fall as a result.

6- Get The Best Deals

Finally, if you want to make your money last longer, you’ll need to spend it wisely. Couponing and price comparisons can be used for purchases big or small. Negotiations may also be possible in a variety of situations. This can range from buying a car to picking home entertainment packages. Even small savings are worthwhile. Not least cumulatively.

Make a conscious effort today, and you’ll notice the rewards in no time.

April 7th, 2026 | Andrew Hagger | News

The average age of a first-time buyer has risen by two years in the space of a decade according to the latest research by Go.Compare home insurance.

The comparison site analysed official government data which showed that the average age of a first-time buyer in 2024 (the latest available) was 33 – two years older than in 2015. This is also one year older than the average age at the start of the current decade, suggesting that it’s now taking house hunters longer to make it onto the property ladder.

The analysis showed that the average first-time buyer age was last at 33 just over 20 years ago, in 2004, and also in 1990, indicating limited progress over the last three decades. A survey by Go.Compare also found that just over two in five (43%) UK adults are yet to buy their own home, and that only around a quarter of under 25s own a property.

As well as this, the survey suggested that first-time buyers may be becoming more reliant on new builds to get onto the property ladder compared to previous generations. Homeowners under 35 are more likely to have bought a new build as their first property, with almost half of this age group saying this compared to just 15% of over 55s.

Just over a third of under 35s said this decision was driven by convenience/availability, while around a quarter (26%) mentioned it was due to cheaper buying costs. However, the main reasons overall were that they thought new builds would have fewer issues (picked by just over half ) and that they’d be able to make savings in the long term due to lower maintenance costs and better energy efficiency (picked by 42%).

Nathan Blackler, home insurance spokesperson at Go.Compare, said: “It’s clear from these figures that it’s now taking Brits longer to get onto the property ladder than it was a few years ago. This is likely down to a combination of the country’s unrelenting high house prices, along with buyers having less disposable income to put towards a house deposit due to a rise in living costs.

“In fact, some of our recent research found that many Brits are giving up on the possibility of home ownership, with only one industry paying an average salary high enough to cover the average house price.

“Although buying your first property may take longer than it would’ve 10 years ago, it’s important not to give up on it completely. Remember that there are ways to minimise your expenses and boost your prospects, especially if you’re able to stay disciplined and stick to your budget.

“With costs remaining high across the board, regularly comparing prices for things like your energy bills and home insurance will help you stay on a cheaper rate. Meanwhile, utilising budgeting apps could help you find areas to cut your spending, like subscription services you aren’t using anymore. Small changes like this can make a big difference over time.”

April 6th, 2026 | Andrew Hagger | News

Your business has its doors open, you’ve got a website up and running, and you’re ready to get to work. That’s all it takes to be a successful business owner in 2026, right? Not quite. You need people to know you’re there as well – even in a hyperconnected, digital world where everyone can be discovered. 

That’s where your marketing focus comes in. The cost can be heavy, with small businesses spending up to 20% of their total revenue on marketing year by year. But when you don’t invest in your marketing, your business can feel like it exists in a vacuum. 

So it’s key to strike a balance between this cost and marketing methods that feel like they’re actually worth your time, effort, and investment. And in 2026, these practices may just be more worth the cash than any other.

Building a Social Media Audience

Social media is a landscape that’s noisy and fast. Content schedules tend to prioritize quantity over quality, and there’s a real issue of FOMO affecting both individual and business accounts. There’s so much to see, and also so much to miss. 

But social media is a personal landscape. It’s the kind of place where both your closest friends and your favorite brands post in equal measure. That meshes these two sides of life together, and allows for a greater content scope. 

As such, there’s more room for creativity on social media. There’s room for video content as well as static posts. Content can also be time-limited, in the case of stories. And it’s much easier to both find and share user generated content from your customer base. 

Plus, social media is a great place to repost the content you’ve made elsewhere. You can recycle and reuse well performing pieces from your blog or Youtube channel, allowing you to engage a whole new audience at a very low cost.

Event Marketing

Hosting industry events is one of the more established marketing strategies you can go for, and it’s easy to see why. Whether you run a product- or service-based business, it puts you in direct contact with people who’ll already have an active interest in what you have to offer.

The trick here is making sure your event is appealing enough to your target market. This could mean including the right kind of activities (both sales-focused and not), the right speakers, entertainment, and more. When done right, however, this could domino into quite a few sales and loyal customers.

Then there’s following up on your event to help improve your ROI. While email marketing is vital for the attendees to help turn them into customers, there are other parts of this, too. By using an event video production company, for example, you can create high-quality visuals for social media and similar channels. This could help lead to more sales in time.

SEO Link Building

SEO is always going to be worth the investment, thanks to its long term success model that means you build up bit by bit. 

However, in the current search engine landscape that prioritizes AI overviews, as well as many ChatGPT users directly asking for recommendations on where to find the product they’re looking for, link building is the number one SEO practice to invest in this year. 

Why? Because link building builds authority. A strong digital PR campaign will have you front and center, where you’re mentioned time and time again on high traffic pages. And when you’re positioned as this expert in multiple places, you’re hard to ignore. 

That’ll get search engines noticing your website, and all due to your expertise – no one would have linked to you otherwise.

When you invest in your marketing, you want some guarantee that you’re going to make a good return. And in 2026, it’s easier than ever to waste your marketing budget chasing traffic down channels that don’t work. Instead, focus on where your customers are, and what they want to see. 

April 2nd, 2026 | Andrew Hagger | News

In a world where we are obsessed with flashy headlines about cryptocurrencies, stocks, or property, the real wealth builders often stay very quiet and can hide in plain sight. Unassuming habits or assets that compound over time without fanfare can quietly multiply into serious wealth. 

For any saver or investor, it’s all about spotting these overlooked opportunities so you can outpace inflation and build lasting financial security. As with any investment, they demand consistency rather than speculation. Here we’re going to think beyond the usual suspects like stocks or bonds and highlight some niche assets that can reward the long game. Here’s a few to watch closely:

Private Number Plates

You might be quite surprised, but private number plates are a great investment, as number 1 registrations, 2×2, or single number, two-letter private number plates have tripled in value over the last 5 years. 

These are not just vanity items, but are actual tangible assets, particularly dateless or prefix/suffix plates that appeal to collectors and high-net-worth individuals. Plates can appreciate steadily as desirable combinations dwindle, and like volatile markets. A plate like “1 ABC” or “AA 12” can fetch tens or hundreds of thousands at auction, with low holding costs beyond DVLA transfer fees. 

The key is about buying low with private sales, then holding on for a decade, and then selling on via specialists. With UK roads growing and prestige being an enduring factor, this niche is quietly earning people a lot of money, and could do the same for you.

Vintage Wine and Whiskey

Fine wines and single malt whiskies from Scotland or Bordeaux offer stealthy returns, typically between 10% and 15% annually. Platforms like Liv-ex track indices showing Bordeaux first growths or rare Islays, often performing equities. 

The key is about starting small and purchasing cases of investment-grade labels via bonded warehouses to defer the duty. Don’t forget to store it in climate-controlled facilities, which may seem like an extra expense, but you’ve got to weigh this up against the actual gains. Recessions barely dent top-tier spirits, because if you start to track auctions at Sotheby’s, you can see how a £5000 bottle turns into £50,000 over 20 years.

Rare Books and First Editions

First editions of classics often fetch a lot of money, but the key is to focus on modern literary gems or Victorian sets. Purchasing graded copies via a bookseller or Sotheby’s is the best place to begin, but then store it in archival conditions, and you will see a return on average of between 8% and 12% every year. 

Another thing to bear in mind is that inheritance tax relief applies to historic items, so that means if you keep your books in mint condition, you will see a starter collection compound as cultural nostalgia swells, which turns more modest investments into a ton of wealth.

Peer-to-Peer Lending Niches

You should skip mass P2P platforms, but instead target niche lending like bridging loans for UK property flips or invoice financing for SMEs. Platforms such as Funding Circle offer 7% to 12% yields, but with careful selection, a curated deal via your network can net you a lot more. The key to this is about diversifying across over 50 loans to mitigate any defaults. 

While mainstream warns of risks, it’s vital to remember that cash-strapped developers can ensure returns, so if you had £10,000 at 10%, this can net £1,000 a year passively, but then scale it over a decade, it can be life-changing if you are patient enough.

Domain Names and Digital Real Estate

Voice.com sold for 30 million dollars, and UK equivalents like cars.co.uk can command six figures in hot sectors. The best way to find this is to hunt for expired domains via GoDaddy auctions, focusing on brandable or keyword-rich names. 

A portfolio of 50 domains could generate easily £20,000 every year through flipping, which can build some solid wealth through digital scarcity. With AI and e-commerce exploding, the value of these can grow predictably, so you could either flip or choose to hold, and with the latter, parking pages can earn ad revenue and sales via Sedo, which can average 20x multiples and low entry domains with negligible upkeep.

Personal Skill Compounding

It’s one of those things that we don’t always consider, but as Warren Buffett said, the best investment he made was in himself. If you can master a high-leverage skill via free resources, you could demand top-tier freelance rates. 

This is all about deliberate practice that pays dividends, as UK freelancers can earn 50k-plus in side hustles, which you can scale to six figures via networks such as LinkedIn.

Vintage Fountain Pens

High-end vintage fountain pens have quietly appreciated among collectors every year. For example, a 1920s duofold in restored condition can rise from £800 to £8,000 over time. Look at a pen specialist auction and focus on limited editions or rare nibs. 

Looking at the fact that executive gifting is big now, and with many people pushing back against technology, analogue writing is resurging. Low entry pens between £300 and £1,500 are going to be minimal in maintenance and can compound as pen craftsmanship becomes scarce.

Small-Scale Renewable Energy Setups

Micro hydro or ground source heat pumps on rural land can deliver between 12% and 18% ROI over 15 years because of government subsidies and energy price hikes. 

It is a very passive earning potential after being set up, and as the UK net zero push ensures demand, you can then tie it to off-grid trends and turn 20k into 100k equity as the technology matures. They are less obvious investments than solar panels, but can be very resilient.

Hopefully, some of these investments are food for thought, but you have to remember that whether you plan on buying a house or want to invest in old books, the fact is a quiet portfolio is going to cushion life’s curve balls, turning modest starts into something far more income-generating than you realise.