How to build an emergency fund (UK)
How to size a cash buffer, where people often hold it, and how to rebuild after you use it. Educational only; not financial advice.
Guides
These articles sit alongside our calculators. They are for general education: they explain concepts, outline common trade-offs, and point you to tools that let you plug in your own numbers.
Each guide is written in plain UK English without product recommendations or personalised advice. We focus on how the maths works, what assumptions calculators make, and where real-world rules (tax bands, lender stress tests, student loan plans) can change the picture. Read a guide first if you are new to a topic; use the linked calculator to test scenarios with your own figures.
New guides are added as we expand coverage across savings, borrowing, and everyday money. The glossary defines individual terms; guides connect those terms into longer explanations. Nothing here is financial, tax, investment, or legal advice. See the disclaimer for the full terms of use.
Saving & growing money
Cash buffers, compound growth, pensions, and realistic assumptions for UK savers.
How compound interest works
Simple vs compound growth, AER on UK savings, and why time and regular contributions matter as much as rate.
How to set and reach a savings goal (UK)
Choosing a realistic target, picking a timeline, separating short- and long-term pots, and staying on track without rigid rules.
UK pension contributions and salary sacrifice
How workplace pensions, tax relief, employer matching, and salary sacrifice interact — and what online calculators can and cannot show.
Borrowing & debt
Loan repayments, mortgages, affordability, overpayments, and paying off balances.
Understanding loan repayments and interest
Amortisation in plain language, why early payments reduce total interest, and how APR helps you compare borrowing costs.
UK mortgage affordability explained
Income multiples, lender stress tests, deposits, and how to sanity-check your own budget before applying.
Paying off debt: avalanche vs snowball
Two popular payoff orders, when maths beats motivation (and vice versa), and UK debt help resources.
When extra loan payments are worth it
How overpayments shorten your term, when lenders charge fees, and how to compare lump sums against other uses of cash.
Everyday money
Payslips, tax, fuel costs, commission structures, and household budgeting.
UK take-home pay: gross vs net
What typically comes off a payslip — Income Tax, National Insurance, pensions, student loans — and how to sanity-check estimates.
UK fuel economy and running costs explained
Imperial MPG, miles per kWh, real-world efficiency, and how to compare petrol, diesel, and electric running costs fairly.
Understanding tiered sales commission
Marginal commission bands, worked examples, and what to check in your employment contract before forecasting earnings.
Health & fitness basics
What common body composition and calorie estimates mean, and how to use them responsibly.
BMI, body fat, and calorie needs: what the numbers mean
How screening tools differ from clinical measurements, and why online health estimates are starting points — not diagnoses.