Money
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You’re Already on the Ladder
For years, I played the guitar. I practised regularly. I learnt new songs. I slowly improved. Yet if someone had asked me whether I was a musician, I would probably have laughed. “No,” I’d have said. “I just play a bit of guitar.” The funny thing is, many of my friends from university played guitar…
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Ask Better Questions
Sometimes the biggest changes in our lives don’t start with a new job. Or more money. Or a lucky break. Sometimes they start with a better question. One simple question has changed the way I approach almost every challenge in my life. It’s this: “How could I?” The Wrong Question For years I dreamt about…
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My Experience with StepChange
Back in 2009, I’d just completed several months of therapy. With Maurice’s help, I’d finally stopped drinking. It was one of the biggest achievements of my life. But as the dust began to settle, another huge problem was staring me in the face. Debt. I owed around £25,000 in unsecured debt, on top of a…
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What Gets Measured Gets Managed
Nearly 20 years ago, when I quit smoking, I stuck a small piece of paper to my computer monitor at work. At the time, I smoked around 25 cigarettes a day. Instead of counting the days I’d been smoke-free, I did something slightly different. Every morning, I’d add another 25 to a rolling total. The…
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Starting Your Emergency Fund
“I’d love to have an emergency fund, but I’ve only got £5 spare each month.” If that’s you, I’d say this: That’s more than enough to start. £5 might not seem like much, but it could buy you some food if you really needed it. More importantly, it’s the beginning of something much bigger. Because…
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My Bankruptcy Story
Just days after my 32nd birthday I walking into a courtroom to declare bankruptcy. It wasn’t part of the plan. But neither was addiction, debt, or the long climb back to something like peace. This is the story of that day, and what it taught me. The Kind Lady I was looking smart in a…