If you’ve ever tried to get healthier, you’ve probably felt the same thing many people feel when they first approach financial planning: There are too many options.
Keto, paleo, intermittent fasting, whole-food, plant-based… or maybe just “eat fewer biscuits.”
Similarly in finance: ETFs, bonds, gilts, active funds, passive funds, SIPPs, ISAs, model portfolios, lifestyle strategies… the list goes on.
And of course… It all seems complicated.
Should you cut carbs or cut calories?
Should you pick this fund or that fund?
Is this the right tax wrapper? What even is a wrapper?
When there’s jargon on every corner, paralysis is understandable.
Then there’s the big one: Contradictory advice.
One article says fat is the enemy. Another says fat is your friend.
One adviser says “active funds are essential,” another says “never pay for active management again.”
YouTube offers 300 different opinions before breakfast.
So what do most people do?
They understandably conclude: “It’s just too difficult.”
But here’s the good news - in both dieting and financial planning, a small handful of basic principles get you 90% of the way:
- Spend less than you consume.
- Be consistent, not perfect.
- Automate good behaviours so you don’t rely on willpower.
- Track what matters, ignore what doesn’t.
- Avoid get-rich-quick or get-thin-quick schemes.
- Get support when you need it - especially when the stakes are high.
You don’t need the perfect diet; you need a sustainable one.
You don’t need the perfect financial plan; you need one you’ll stick to.
Most people fail not because they’re incapable but because the environment around them is noisy, overwhelming, and contradictory. Strip away the noise and you’re left with something simple, human and achievable.
If this resonates - or if you want help building a plan you can actually live with - feel free to get in touch.