Between the 15^th and 21^st May 2023, organisations across the UK joined forces to support Mental Health Awareness Week. At Money Advice Scotland, we aim to support mental health and financial wellbeing throughout the year.  

 

There are clear links between mental health and money, showing that money worries can be both the cause of anxiety as well a consequence of poor mental health. At MAS we also use the term Financial Wellbeing, you can read in-depth what this means for us via our website here. In summary, finances and money make up part of the overall picture of our personal wellbeing and can help support our mental health.  

 

During Mental Health Awareness Week 2023, staff at MAS shared some of the organisations and online social media platforms they enjoy reading and following for financial wellbeing. You can read the list below.  

 

Rebecca, one of our Financial Capability Officers, shared one of her favourite social media accounts. Alice Tapper is the name behind the popular account, @GoFundYourself with nearly 100k followers on Instagram. Rebecca likes that on most Mondays, Alice rounds up all the latest finance news and posts it to her stories in a really fun and accessible way, opening a forum for opinions too through polls and question boxes. Rebecca commented, “She also posts some really interesting content on her grid which includes sharing people’s anonymous money stories and financial confessions. It’s really interesting to see people being open and honest about their finances and I feel it helps to break down the stigma around talking about money.” 

 

Our Financial Wellbeing Manager Jenny shared that she really enjoys listening to podcasts. Podcasts can be a great way to hear other people’s experiences with finances and opinions on recent news. Her top two podcasts to listen to are BBC Radio 4 Money Box -  and Which? Money Podcast.

Apart from podcasts, for finding additional information, Jenny also likes to visit the Money Saving Expert (MSE)  as well as Money Helper  and Times Money Mentor. 

 

Hester, our Communications Officer, shared that she often finds accounts on Instagram to read about and listen to people’s experiences with finances and their financial wellbeing journey. “I think some social media accounts can provide a really interesting and useful look at personal experiences with financial wellbeing. Sharing these insights can really help to alleviate the stigma around discussing money worries.” Hester listed one of her favourite Instagram accounts @myfrugalyear   run by Claire Seal, “I really like the honest approach that Claire uses in talking about her experience. Her language and tone when discussing finances avoids being overly complex, and she writes with a holistic approach towards money and wellbeing.” Hester also highlighted that she finds the Money Medics account interesting, an account that focuses on engaging millennials in discussions around money, finances and income. 

 

The internet and social media can be great sources of knowledge and learning about others’ experiences when seeking to understand your financial wellbeing. Many of the accounts our staff have selected, focus on personal experience and opinions. However, some online social media videos, posts and information can be misleading or incorrect, therefore we encourage careful inspection and user discretion when researching financial wellbeing and financial influencers.  

Please note that this blog is for general guidance purposes only. Money Advice Scotland is not regulated to provide money advice. We recommend seeking advice from a regulated money adviser  if you are facing money worries or financial difficulties.