Debt & Borrowing
Credit Cards: How to Use Them Without Getting Into Debt
Used well, a credit card can offer protection and help your credit score. Used badly, it gets expensive fast. Here is how to stay on the right side.
19 October 20263 min read
Plain-English UK money guides
Money, finally explained properly.
A step-by-step guide to money in the UK — no jargon, just clear answers. Start where you are, one clear step at a time — from your first payslip to your first investment.
General information, never pushy sales — and never FCA-regulated advice.
Latest guides
Fresh explainers on the things people actually get stuck on.
Budgeting
Sinking Funds: How to Stop Irregular Bills Wrecking Your Budget
Car MOTs, annual insurance, Christmas and birthdays all arrive on time but never feel expected. A sinking fund turns those surprises into small, painless monthly savings.
19 October 20263 min read
Property & Mortgages
Fixed vs Tracker Mortgages: Which Is Right for You?
Fixed, tracker, variable: mortgage jargon can feel like a different language. Here is a plain-English guide to how each type works and who it tends to suit.
18 October 20264 min read
Investing
Index Funds and ETFs Explained for UK Beginners
Index funds and ETFs are a popular, low-cost way to invest without picking individual shares. Here is what they are, how they differ and what to check before you buy.
18 October 20264 min read
Goals & Planning
One Goal, One Account: Matching Your Money Goals to the Right UK Product
Putting an emergency fund in the stock market or a house deposit in a locked bond are easy mistakes to make. Here is a simple way to match each goal to the account that suits its timeframe.
7 October 20264 min read
Browse by topic
Ten topics that cover the whole picture, in the order most people need them.
01
Money Basics
The building blocks: payslips, tax, bank accounts and where your money actually goes.
02Goals & Planning
Turning vague hopes into a plan with dates, numbers and next steps.
03Budgeting
Simple systems for tracking spending without spreadsheets taking over your life.
04Debt & Borrowing
Credit cards, loans, overdrafts and how to pay things off in the right order.
05Saving & Emergency Funds
How much to keep back, where to keep it, and how to build a buffer that works.
06ISAs
Cash, Stocks & Shares and Lifetime ISAs explained in plain English.
07Pensions
Workplace pensions, employer matching and why starting early matters so much.
08Investing
Index funds, risk, fees and long-term investing without the hype.
09Property & Mortgages
Deposits, mortgage types, affordability and the real cost of buying a home.
10Insurance & Protection
Life cover, income protection and the policies actually worth paying for.
About this site
Read more about usWritten for people who were never taught this
Most of us left school knowing more about quadratic equations than tax codes. Money Made Simple works through UK personal finance in plain English — what each thing is, why it matters and what to do next — without hype, hard-selling or making you feel behind.
It's an independent publication, written by the Money Made Simple Team and free to read.
Money Made Simple gives general information about money in the UK. It is not FCA-regulated financial advice and does not take your personal circumstances into account. The site is free to read.