Plain-English money guides
Tax, budgeting and saving, written for the UK and kept up to date.
Self-employment and tax 6
- 31 Jan
How to file your Self Assessment tax return: step by step
What you need before you start, each section in plain English, and how to pay.
- UTR
First Self Assessment? Everything you need to know
Registering, your UTR, what records to keep and the first-year January surprise.
- £
Self-employed expenses: what you can and can't claim
The main categories, working from home, mixed-use items and the trading allowance.
- £30k
Making Tax Digital: does it affect you from April 2027?
Who's in, what changes, the quarterly deadlines and how to get ready.
- £1,000
Side hustle tax: do you need to tell HMRC?
The £1,000 trading allowance, selling your own things, and what Vinted, eBay and Etsy report.
- 20–30%
How much should I set aside for tax as a UK freelancer?
A worked 2026/27 example, the payments on account trap, and a simple rule of thumb.
Everyday money 7
- ±
How to budget when your income goes up and down
A method for freelancers, contractors and gig workers: base budget, buffer and paying yourself a salary.
- 3–6 mo
How much should you have in an emergency fund?
How to size it, where to keep it, and how to build it from nothing.
- £20k
Cash ISA vs stocks and shares ISA vs Lifetime ISA
What each type does, who it suits and how the £20,000 allowance works.
- 1257L
How to check your tax code (and get money back if it's wrong)
What the letters and numbers mean, common mistakes and how to fix them.
- 2 ways
How to pay off debt after Christmas: snowball vs avalanche
Two proven methods, a worked example, and when to get free help.
- 50/30/20
The 50/30/20 budget, adapted for UK households
Where Council Tax, the TV Licence and your ISA fit, with a real take-home example.
- 8 wks
How to plan a Christmas budget you'll actually stick to
Set the total first, split by person, and spread the cost from November.
Tax year planning 2
Homes and saving goals 4
- 5–15%
How much deposit do you need for a first home?
Deposit sizes, the extra costs people forget, and how to save faster.
- +25%
Lifetime ISA explained: bonus, rules and the new withdrawal charge
How the bonus works, what changed in the 2026 Budget, and whether to open one before 2029.
- 2029
The new First-Time Buyer ISA: what we know so far
Announced in the October 2026 Budget: start date, limits, bonus and how it compares.
- £1,378
The 52-week savings challenge: does it work?
How it adds up, the reverse version, and how to stop it stalling in December.