Set It and (Actually) Forget It: The Lazy Professional’s Guide to Financial Progress
If the phrase “I really need to sort my finances out” has lived rent-free in your brain since 2020, but you’ve done absolutely nothing about it — welcome. You’re amongst friends.
You’re not alone. Most people aren’t avoiding financial planning because they’re reckless — they’re just busy, tired, and allergic to admin.
But here’s the good news: you don’t have to become a spreadsheet wizard to build wealth. You just need to set up a few smart systems and let them run in the background.
Let’s break it down.
📥 1. Direct Debits & Standing Orders Are Underrated
Forget apps you’ll never open again. Just automate your savings.
Want to save £500 a month? Set a standing order to leave your account the day after payday, so it’s never even “spendable” money.
Split it across accounts — Emergency fund, ISAs, investment accounts, holiday pot.
Out of sight, out of temptation.
This is budgeting for people who hate budgeting.
📈 2. Use Multi-Asset Funds and Move On
Picking individual stocks is not a flex. Not when you’ve got six meetings, 74 unread emails, and a dinner you forgot you were hosting.
Instead, use multi-asset funds . They’re diversified, automatically rebalanced, and require exactly zero maintenance.
It’s like the slow cooker of investing — throw it in, walk away, come back years later to something that smells delicious.
💳 3. Get Your Debit/Credit Game in Order (Once)
Set up your bills on a rewards debit/credit card. If you opt for a credit card, ensure you pay it off in full every month, and collect the points without ever thinking about it again.
It’s like loyalty points for being an adult.
And yes, you can do the same for your emergency fund — park it in a decent-rate easy-access savings account and forget it exists until life happens.
👀 4. Check In Occasionally (Not Obsessively)
Once a quarter, log in. Check your investments. Review your spending. Rebalance if needed. But that’s it.
You don’t need to track your net worth every week or obsessively compare your pension pot to a stranger’s on Reddit.
You’ve got better things to do — like living your actual life.
📌 Final Thought
Financial progress doesn’t require hustle culture. It requires a few smart defaults and less faffing about.
So if you’re time-poor but income-rich — automate, delegate, and let your systems do the heavy lifting. Because the laziest people often end up the richest — they just set things up well… and got out of their own way.
p.s. not advice obvs!
This article would be correct as at the time of writing but as we know; rules and regulations can change. Seek advice before taking any action.