The thing nobody tells you
The financial decisions that are costing you money aren’t always the big ones you’re worried about.
They’re also the quiet ones. The subscription you meant to cancel three months ago. The student discount you didn’t know you could claim. The phone contract you’re overpaying for because you didn’t realise you could compare your options.
Being bad with money isn’t a personality trait. It’s usually just a knowledge gap. The vibe is: “I want to get it right. I just don’t know what ‘right’ looks like.”
That’s the gap. You care and you want to do better. But nobody’s shown you how, and now the volume of information out there is so loud you can’t hear what’s actually useful.
Your parents learnt from their parents. You’re learning from TikTok.
And honestly? That can be both a good thing and a bad thing. It’s just harder to navigate.
Our research shows that parents are the number one source of financial guidance for 18-24 year olds.
Your parents’ generation likely learnt about money from their parents, who learnt from their parents. You’re still learning from your parents (though some of you told us you learnt bad habits from them, not good ones) but also from a mix of TikTok finfluencers, ChatGPT, advice from friends and more.
But nearly a quarter of you told us you don’t know who to trust. This isn’t about you making bad choices, it’s about everyone telling you different things and not knowing which voice to follow.
You’re not behind. You’re exactly where you need to be.
Here’s something we need you to hear – nearly half of people your age told us they feel like they learnt financial skills too late. 33% said they know very little about pensions, 26% about taxes, and 23% about credit scores.
But feeling behind doesn’t mean you’re bad with money. It’s not too late to learn. Everyone starts somewhere.
You do have gaps in your knowledge, and that’s completely normal. The good news? You have something on your side. Time.
Learning to budget today means knowing where your money goes each week and making it count, now and in the future.
That forgotten subscription costing you a fiver a month? Cancel it now and over a few years, that’s hundreds saved. Small actions now become big wins later.
What we’re actually doing about this
This research is part of our Cost of Not Knowing campaign. We’re pushing to make financial education a right, not a privilege. Not just in school, but throughout life. Because the cost of not knowing isn’t just about money. It’s stress. It’s shame. It’s opportunity.
Over the next few months, we’re sharing content specifically for you. Practical, bitesized information that helps you make more informed decisions. Because that’s the key.
You deserve better than figuring this out alone
You shouldn’t have to trial-and-error your way through your early twenties. You shouldn’t feel ashamed for not knowing things that were never explained. And you definitely shouldn’t be stuck in this gap between wanting to know and knowing.
So let’s say it once more: you’re not bad with money. You just haven’t been given the tools yet.
Financial education should be a right, not a privilege. Until it is, we’re here.
Join our Cost of Not Knowing campaign. Sign our open letter to make sure the people in power know about the financial education crisis. Share this with a friend who needs to hear it. Follow us on social media @moneyreadyuk. Let’s close the gap – together.
The Cost of Not Knowing
Every day, people across the UK make financial decisions that shape their lives. But too often, those choices are harder than they should be. Read more about our cost of not knowing campaign and how you can get involved.