Hello friend,
Last week, I asked people why they haven’t started investing yet, and the responses flooded in. I ended up grouping them into six main reasons, from “I don’t have enough money” to “Immigration rules keep changing.”
If you missed it, I shared my responses to those reasons here 👉 Check them out
But today’s Dispatch isn’t about why people haven’t started. It’s about those who think they have but actually haven’t.
💰 Money Corner: The most expensive beginner mistake
One of my one-to-one clients reached out, frustrated that her investments weren’t growing. She said, “Chidera, I’ve been investing for months, but the amount hasn’t moved.” Basically, the same amount she put in was the same amount she was seeing on her dashboard 😥.
At first, I was confused. Until we jumped on a call and discovered the issue. She had a Stocks and Shares ISA, but she hadn’t actually invested the money. She was just paying money into the account every month, and it was sitting there in cash.
And honestly, she’s not alone.
This is one of the most common mistakes I see beginners make 🤦🏽♀️. They assume that once you open a Stocks and Shares ISA and deposit money, it’s automatically invested. It’s not (unless you use a platform that auto-invests for you).
Here’s what you need to understand:
A Stocks and Shares ISA is just an investment account. The keyword here being an account.
Money inside it can either sit as cash or be invested into funds, ETFs, or shares.
Unless you’ve actively selected what to invest in, your money might just be sitting idle.
So, what can you take away from this?
✅ Check your platform today: Log in and look for your “cash balance” vs “invested balance.” If most of it says cash, it means you haven’t started investing yet 😅
✅ Know your platform’s setup: Some platforms (like Nutmeg, Plum or Moneybox) invest automatically once you set up your preferences. Others (like Trading 212 or Vanguard) require you to manually choose investments.
✅ Stop waiting for “someday”: The earlier you start investing, the sooner compounding can start working for you. But don’t take my word for it, let’s put it into perspective:
🙍🏽♀️ A 25-year-old investing £200 every month at an 8% annual return will have about £300,000 by age 55
🙍🏽♂️ But a 35-year-old investing the same £200 monthly at the same return rate will only have about £118,000 by age 55
That’s a £182,000 difference! 🤯
All because of a 10-year head start. That, my friend, is the power of compounding. The longer your money stays invested, the more time it has to grow.
The lesson here is simple: You can’t grow money that isn’t working, and the sooner you start, the better.
🌱 What’s Next
This is exactly why I’m launching The Money Method in January 2026 to help you finally move from confusion to confidence with your money.
I’ve seen so many smart people make small, costly mistakes that could have been avoided with the right guidance.
Before we start the full programme, I’ll be hosting a free investing masterclass exclusively for those on the waitlist. It’ll cover:
✅ How to start investing, no matter your income
✅ What to invest in (and what to avoid)
✅ How to set up your first investment portfolio properly
If the waitlist fills up, I may not even post the link publicly, so if you’re serious about doing more with your money in the new year, join now
Let’s start 2026 strong, no more excuses, no more confusion. Just action.
🎥 New Video for the Week
“Your Bank Account is Costing You Thousands”
If your money sits in a regular account, you’re missing out on returns that could change your future. I broke it all down here 👇
💡 Things I’m Loving This Week
📚 Read: The Art of Spending Money by Morgan Housel, a reminder that wealth is about mindset, not just numbers.
🎧 Listen: How to Ask for What You Want by Grace Beverley, an empowering talk on confidence, money, and self-worth.
💭 Quote of the week: “Money sitting idle is money losing value”
That’ll be all for now. So today, log in, check your ISA, and make sure your money is actually invested. And if you haven’t started investing yet, what’s stopping you?
See you next week,
XOXO
Chidera