If money’s been on your mind a lot recently, you’re not alone. The cost of living crisis has made us all more aware of our spending – whether that’s on bills, food or non-essential items – and many of us are looking for ways to make our money work harder.

And that’s one thing our experts on this week’s Stylist Live Sessions podcast – writer and We Need To Talk About Money author Otegha Uwagba, Black Girl Finance founder Selina Flavius and TikTok educator Anna Brading, aka @MoneyForMillennials – know a lot about.

Taking to the main stage at Stylist Live, Uwagba, Flavius and Brading got down to business discussing all things financial wellbeing, pay rises and dealing with debt in front of the packed crowd – but it was their final words of wisdom that really caught our attention. And now, you can hear their best advice as an episode of our podcast. 

Asked by Stylist’s editor-in-chief, Lisa Smosarski, to share their number one money tip for navigating the next few months, the trio provided a wealth of excellent, straightforward advice. For Brading, the answer was simple: money pots.

“I love an account with pots,” Brading said. “I go on and on about them, but I just love it – it changed everything when we took our budget from a spreadsheet and put it into real life.”

She explained: “So, we took our [budgeted] spending money for the month, put it into the app – we use Monzo, but there are loads out there – and then split that money into different budgets and spend from those pots. And then when I go into Sainsbury’s it’s like, ‘Oh, that money comes out of the food budget.’ And it just lets you track it as you go in real-time. I know it’s quite detailed, but it really works for us.” 

Uwagba’s advice also touched on how she tracks her spending – by using push notifications and texts from her bank.

“Something that really works for me and is good if you struggle to keep a handle on your spending, is something that most banks do inside their apps or via text message these days, which is being sent notifications when you spend – I get them when I spend on my credit card,” Uwagba said.

“And it just helps to keep me in check – by actually being reminded of what I’m spending on a daily basis – and you get a weekly balance text, too.” 

Last but by no means least, Flavius shared her number one money tip. And in contrast to the previous experts, Flavius focused her advice on financial wellbeing and how we can all become more comfortable and relaxed around money.

“My tip would be to think about your money as part of your self-care routine and prioritise your financial wellbeing,” she said. 

“I think sometimes we can think about our needs last, but money is one of those things we need to think about – and not just in terms of getting in the money, but also so you can take care of yourself properly, so you can have conversations with partners and your employer. It’s part of self-care.” 

Flavius continued: “So for me, having a pension and having savings is all part of self-care. It’s something non-negotiable whether I’m employed by someone, whether I’m self-employed, whether I’m in a relationship or whether I’m single – my financial wellbeing is important.”

If one thing’s for sure, Brading, Uwagba and Flavius gave us plenty of food for thought – and we’ll definitely be keeping their advice in mind in the months ahead.

Speak to a financial adviser registered with the Financial Conduct Authority before taking any financial advice, and think carefully before making any decision. 

Images: Bronac McNeill