The Financial Glow-Up with Mia McGrath: For When Girl Math Isn't Mathing
- Erin-Louise
- Jul 18, 2025
- 3 min read
Finance tips for women in their twenties — from investing basics to budgeting for bottomless brunch, with advice from Mia McGrath.
Let’s be real: most of us didn’t grow up dreaming about ISAs, and the words “pension planning” still give us the ick. Finance can feel overwhelming — like a subject we missed the class on (because we literally did). But Mia McGrath, fashion-girlie-turned-finance-enthusiast, is here to change that.
She makes money talk feel like a catch-up with a friend, minus the guilt, jargon, and overdraft shame. Whether you’re still in your girl math era or just opened your first savings pot in your late twenties, Mia’s here to remind you that it’s never too late to start, and it’s always worth learning.
Here’s what she had to say…
Let’s Start Simple — What Are the First Three Things Every Twenty-Something Should Know About Their Money?
"There’s only so much budgeting and ‘penny pinching’ you can do, at some point you have to increase your income to get ahead whether that’s asking for a raise, taking on a side hustle, the amount of energy I put into saving a couple of pounds here and there could have gone to making hundreds more."
"Make use of tax-efficient accounts." Things like a Stocks and Shares ISA sound boring, but they’re one of the smartest ways to build wealth.
"Start investing early and consistently; it’s not as complicated as many people make it out to be."
ISAs, Pensions, Credit Scores… Explain Them Like We’re Exhausted and Still in Our Overdrafts
"The notion of ISAs, pensions, and credit scores is almost guaranteed to make most people yawn. But utilising these things can be a lot more exciting than initially thought. A lot of these things are tools to help us reach financial freedom or an ‘F u fund*'."
*also known as "F u money," is a sum of money saved to provide the financial freedom to walk away from a job, relationship, or other situation without being financially constrained.
Is It Possible to Save and Still Go to Bottomless Brunch?
"It’s possible to save and go to bottomless brunch in fact, it’s important to budget for wants. I always like to set aside some ‘fun money’.
Yes it’s good to not get in the habit of doing these things too often that it becomes unsustainable but the notion that many believe that you can’t eat avocado toast and buy a home is ridiculous as has more to do with the cost of living and house price rises."
What If You’re in Your Late Twenties and Only Just Opened a Monzo Savings Pot?
"It’s never too late to start investing. Even in your 30s and 40s it’s still worthwhile. Over a period of 15-20 years, the risk of losing money significantly reduces, and therefore, you still have time before retirement age."
What Does Building Wealth Mean?
"Real wealth means choice. Not sticking with a toxic job, a toxic partner or feeling stuck because of money. It’s having more time to spend with loved ones and not having to look at the price when grocery shopping."
One Money Myth to Unlearn?
"That you need lots of money to start investing. You can start with small amounts as I did at university, just putting away £50 here and there."
One Finance Hack That Changed Everything?
"Paying myself first - automated my savings and made saving a bill for me, a non-negotiable."
If Someone Reads This and Does Just One Thing Today to Improve Their Financial Future – What Should it Be?
"To stop having limiting beliefs around money. You can achieve anything you want."
Start believing you can change your financial future. Even if it’s just opening a savings pot, watching one video, or switching your bank. You don’t need a full strategy — you just need to start.
Money can feel like a foreign language, and honestly, it’s not your fault — women couldn’t even open their own bank accounts until the 1970s. But now we can, and we deserve to. So if the jargon still overwhelms you, know this: you’re not behind, and you’re not alone. With the right tools (and girlies like Mia in your corner), financial freedom doesn’t have to be intimidating — it can be empowering. It’s not about becoming an overnight expert; it’s about giving yourself the freedom, choice, and confidence your future self deserves.
Follow Mia on TikTok for more financial tips and tricks - @miarosemcgrath
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