Four calm money Moves 

for the second half of 2026.

We're halfway through the year. Which, depending on the day, either feels like no time at all or like an awful lot has happened already. So now feels like a good time to take stock and think about a few sensible things worth a bit of attention for the rest of the year.  

All four of these recommendations are things that I do myself, and none of them needs a windfall or a finance degree to implement.  

Let’s get into them.  

1.  Expect the unexpected

The first one isn't glamorous, but it's the one I'd never skip: building an emergency fund.

Aim towards three to six months' worth of essential outgoings tucked away in a high-interest, easy-access savings account, so it’s earning a little while still being there the moment you need it. 

I've been banging this drum for years, but it matters more than ever when things feel uncertain. A buffer like this won't make oil prices behave or impact the price of a loaf, but what it does is make those unexpected bills far less stressful.

Because life has a way of lifeing.  The car fails its MOT.  The boiler stops working.  The dog needs an emergency trip to the vet.  None of this is a complete disaster if you have the money already there.  

That’s what an emergency fund really buys you.  Not just a cushion against the bills, but a bit of peace of mind knowing that when (not if!) the unexpected happen, you’ve got it covered. 

Importantly, it also allows you to make good decisions instead of panicked ones, meaning you don't have to reach for a credit card or take out expensive borrowing just to get through the month.

2. Future proof yourself

The second is to invest in you. 

You don’t need me to tell you that with the ever increasing capabilities of AI, the world of work is shifting fast.  The jobs, skills and industries that are valuable today may look very different in five years' time.  In my opinion, the best thing we can do in the face of change is to prepare for it.  

For me, that looks like getting properly to grips with AI rather than burying my head and learning how to use it to work smarter and free up time for the things that really matter.  <<Check out our latest podcast episode about Money & AI>>

Alongside that, I keep investing in my own financial knowledge because I don’t think that’s something you ever get to the end of.  It needn’t cost a fortune either and you certainly don’t need to spend thousands on qualifications.  Some of the best courses, podcasts, YouTube channels and newsletters are completely free.  The point is simply to keep growing, because one of the best investments you can make is your own ability to adapt, learn and earn.  That’s an asset no stock market can take away.  

3. Plant Some Seeds for Their Future

This one's mostly for the parents and carers, although the principle applies to all of us. It's about giving the next generation a head start.

Getting started is harder than it used to be. House prices have risen dramatically, the cost of living remains high, and many young people are starting adulthood with financial hurdles that simply didn't exist when I was their age. 

So in our house, we're trying to tackle it in two ways.

The first is by investing regularly into a Junior Stocks and Shares ISA*. We don't put away huge sums, but that's the beauty of starting early: with a couple of decades to grow, time can do a lot of the work for you. (* Capital at risk when investing)

The second is by teaching our children the practical money lessons that aren't always covered in school. Things like budgeting, saving before spending, understanding debt, spotting marketing tricks, and learning that wealth is usually built slowly rather than overnight. They might seem like small lessons now, but given enough time, I hope that those habits will outlast anything I could put in their account.  

Because whilst I’d love to leave them with some money one day, I’d much rather leave them with the wisdom to know what to do with it.  

4. Generosity goes a long way

And the last one is a simple but powerful move: It’s giving back. 

Now, if your first thought is "Anna, I am quite literally just trying to make ends meet," then please hear me on this: it is not a pressure thing. This is not about feeling guilty or giving beyond your means.  

But I've noticed that finding small ways to be generous, even tiny ones, is one of the most grounding things you can do when the world feels heavy.  It shifts something. Even the smallest acts of generosity have a funny way of ending up being more than the sum of it’s parts.  Buying someone a coffee.  Supporting a local charity.  Dropping off a meal.  Giving your time. They remind us that, even in difficult times, we still have something to give, which is its own quiet kind of wealth.

Financial security isn't just about what sits in your bank account. It's also about cultivating a mindset of gratitude, contentment and open-handedness. SIronically, some of the most generous people I've ever met have had the least to give.

If you’re looking for somewhere to start, it doesn’t have to be complicated.  Check out this book: Infectious Generosity: The Ultimate Idea Worth Spreading , which makes the case, beautifully, that even the smallest acts of generosity can land far bigger than you would ever think.

None of this is dramatic, and that's the point.

In a year that feels noisy and uncertain, the calmest and most powerful thing you can do with your money often isn't one big grand change. It's a handful of small, sensible moves, made consistently over time.   

Build a financial buffer. Invest in yourself. Give your children a head start. Find small ways to be generous. 

You don't have to do all of it at once. You could pPick the one that feels most forlike you this week, and start there.

See you Thursday.

Anna

Everything here is for learning and inspiration, not personal financial advice, so please seek regulated advice before any big decisions.

For more, check out the Money & Us podcast.