What ESG investing means, and what it changes about what you own
Two funds, same ESG label. One index targets a quarter of each sector's tradable market value, the other half. That figure is not on your factsheet.
European Finance
Personal finance across Europe, where every border introduces a fresh and sincerely held opinion about your money.
More posts
Sick pay in Europe: who pays you, and from which day
Up to two years of employer-paid sick leave in the Netherlands, none in Portugal. Nine countries, and the percentage everybody quotes rarely decides.
Unemployment benefit in Europe: when nine states stop paying
Nine European states, six numbers each. Whether your record lets you in, by when you must claim, what the state replaces, and the date payments stop.
The three-fund portfolio for European investors
Europe's three-fund portfolio has its own shape. A single all-world UCITS fund owns the whole world, so most first-timers need two funds, not three.
European bond ETFs: how they work, and how they're taxed where you live
Euro government bond ETFs fell about 18% in 2022, never mature like a single bond, and are taxed differently in every country. Here's how they actually work.
How to audit your spending and find where it went
A bank statement is a diary you didn't mean to keep. Here's how to read it back and find where the money actually went.
Warren Buffett's principles, translated for Europe
For 60 years Buffett beat the market, then told everyone else to index. His principles, translated for Europe: UCITS ETFs, the 90/10 rule and tax wrappers.
The 50/30/20 budget rule: a simple plan for European savers, and where it breaks
The 50/30/20 budget rule for European savers, explained plainly: how to split take-home pay, what a need is, and what to do when rent breaks the 50% ceiling.
Employer pension contributions mean five different things across Europe
Cross a border and employer pension contributions become five different things. Ireland and Britain force a minimum in; Spain requires nothing at all.
Loud budgeting: how to turn down plans you can't afford without shame
Someone's booked a hen weekend that costs a week's groceries. Loud budgeting is how you say no to it without sounding cheap, broke, or mean.
ETFs·
What is the MSCI World index, and is one ETF enough?
About 72% of the MSCI World is US shares, and it holds no emerging markets. It tracks 1,283 developed-market companies. Is one ETF enough as your core?
What is financial independence? Not a permanent holiday
Financial independence is a coverage test, not a wealth level: non-work income covers your costs, so work turns optional. Europe changes the maths.