At just 24 years old, Genevieve Jones from Essex has completely overhauled her financial life, turning a modest £200 savings seed into a substantial portfolio worth over £20,000. Her story is a powerful lesson in shifting from a spendthrift mindset to becoming a disciplined, informed investor.
The Wake-Up Call: From Spending to Saving
Genevieve, who works in finance, started earning at 15 but admits her money habits were poor from the start. "I was raised with the money mindset of, just close your eyes and buy it," she confesses. By her final year at university, after six years of earning with little to show, she realised a change was imperative. She managed to save £200, but it felt like a huge effort for minimal reward. This frustration sparked her decision to learn about investing, leading her initially to the risky world of social media finance advice.
The Pitfalls of Stock-Picking and a New Path
Like many young people, Genevieve turned to social media for guidance, where she was drawn into stock-picking. "It was a disaster," she now says. Influenced by online personalities, she bought shares in companies like Tesla and several oil firms, only to learn one had been declining for six years. "I've still got less money than I put in to that account," she admits. This bruising experience, however, led her to Finimize, an online community and newsletter that demystifies financial news. It was here she discovered the principle of passive investing through Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs).
Building Wealth with Passive ETFs
Armed with new knowledge, Genevieve opened an account with InvestEngine. She moved away from trying to pick individual winners and instead invested in ETFs—funds that track entire indices like the FTSE 100 or S&P 500. "I realised I didn't actually need to know anything about investing in companies," she explains. "By investing in passive ETFs, my money's growing with the whole market." Her strategy involves diversification across different asset types. She currently holds funds split between 100% equities and a more conservative 70% equities and 30% fixed income mix.
Beyond these core holdings, Genevieve has also built a thematic portfolio of ETFs focused on areas she believes in for the long term, including:
- AI and technology
- Socially responsible enterprises
- Gold, oil, and emerging markets
- Healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and biotech
- A long-term fund investing in smart cities and renewable energy
She remains unfazed by short-term fluctuations in some themes, viewing them as investments in the future.
Key Advice for Beginner Investors
After four years of consistent investing, Genevieve's portfolio has surpassed the £20,000 mark. Her advice for others starting out is clear and direct: "Ignore social media." She advocates for passive funds, which require little complex jargon. Her mantra is to block out the daily noise of politics and interest rates. "Leave your money where it is long-term and it will look after itself," she advises, emphasising patience and a steady, educated approach over get-rich-quick schemes.
