Chapter 3 of 10 in the Personal Finance Curriculum.
Investing Basics
Understand the fundamentals before you put money to work.
What you'll learn
- How ISAs and index funds work for UK investors
- Why low-cost passive funds beat most active managers
- How to read an ETF factsheet before you buy
- The power of compound interest over time
Beginner's Guide to Investing UK
ArticleEverything you need to know to start investing in the UK, from ISAs to index funds.
How to Start Investing in Index Funds UK
ArticleA step-by-step walkthrough of opening an account and buying your first index fund.
Low Cost Index Funds
ArticleWhy low-cost index funds are the simplest and most effective way to invest.
Compound Interest Calculator
See how your investments grow over time with regular contributions and compounding.
Read the guide
How to Read an ETF Factsheet
ArticleLearn to decode the key numbers on an ETF factsheet before you buy.
Popular UCITS ETFs for UK Investors
Article10 widely held UCITS ETFs and what makes each one worth knowing about.
Accumulation vs Income ETFs
ArticleHow Acc and Dist ETFs handle dividends, tax differences, and which type suits you.
VHYL vs VWRL
ArticleHigh-dividend yield vs total market - which Vanguard ETF is the better choice?
Understanding Investment Returns
ArticleCAGR, IRR, and TWRR explained - know which return metric to use and when.
Reasonable Rate of Return
ArticleWhat returns should UK investors actually expect? The gap between the 10% headline and reality.
Knowledge check
Test what you learned
1. What is an index fund?
2. Why do low-cost passive funds tend to beat most active managers over the long run?
3. What is the main benefit of an ISA for a UK investor?