Most people don't have an investing problem. They have a starting problem.

You already suspect you should be doing something with your money. You're probably right. The hard part was never picking the investments — it's taking the first step. So let's make that easy. Find yourself below and start where you are.

Which one are you?

Three ways people usually arrive here. Pick the one that sounds like you — each leads to the right place to begin.

If your money's in cash

It's sitting in a savings account or Cash ISA

It feels safe because the balance never drops. But three-quarters of UK ISA money is in cash, earning less than inflation — quietly losing value every year. See what "safe" actually costs you.

Read: The Cash ISA Trap →

If you have an adviser

Someone manages your money for a fee

They take a slice of everything you own, every year. The fair question is whether you're getting it back. Most advisers don't beat a simple index tracker — and you can outperform the majority of them yourself.

Read: Why You Don't Need a Financial Adviser →

If you're just curious

You're starting from scratch, having a look

Nothing's tied up anywhere yet, or you just want to understand how this works before you do anything. Good instinct. Start with the whole approach — three levels, simplest first.

Read: My Portfolio →

Whichever route you take, use your accounts in the right order

Before you buy a single fund, know where to hold it.

Start with an ISA. You can put in £20,000 a year, it grows tax-free, and unlike a pension you can get at it whenever you need to. For most people that's the whole answer.

Next is a SIPP — your own private pension. Put money in and the government adds tax relief on top. The catch is you can't touch it until pension age. You can also move old workplace pensions in and invest them properly.

Last comes a general account — for once you've used up your ISA and SIPP allowances. No limit on what you can put in, but you pay tax on the gains and dividends. Same funds, same plan.

The order is the point. Same investments, fewer taxes, just by filling them in the right sequence.

However you arrived, the first step is the same

Get the free chapters of my book — they show you why this works, and what waiting costs. Read the free articles. And when you're ready to actually do it, that's what the paid letter is for: I'll walk you through the whole setup, step by step, then keep you company every week after that.

You don't need to be clever. You don't need to be brave. You just need to start.

The hardest part isn't investing. It's starting.

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