"My 7-year-old son has his own pension."
+ do you dream about money?
Hi and welcome to The Ladybird Purse, my weekly newsletter about women and money. I’m not a financial advisor but I can make you a great money playlist.
Do you remember your dreams? I’ve always remembered mine and I have so very many. Years ago, I tried to keep a dream diary but the more I wrote the more I remembered and soon it was taking up too much of my day, so I stopped.
For a while now - certainly since 2020, but I think also before - my dreams tend to be stressful and exhausting. I am forever ranting about how ridiculous it is that SLEEPING and DREAMING aren’t RELAXING. How is waking up feeling refreshed too much to ask, ffs??
Anyway, I bring it up because recently I dreamt someone was giving me money advice. I don’t know who they were. I think maybe I have a vague sense of a no nonsense older woman? Elizabeth Warren maybe? Anyway, in the dream, she told me to make sure I put £10,000 away in a savings account. She said that because we rent, at any time we could be forced to move and did I want to be responsible for my children not having a nice, safe place to live because I hadn’t put the money away?
In my dream, I was like “Damn, Maybe Elizabeth Warren! Way harsh!” And then I woke up and thought, well, that would be nice. But I haven’t got a hope of saving £10k. And then I realised I wouldn’t need £10k, I’d need like £2k. And I’m working on that all the time.
But I did wonder… why that dream at that time? Maybe it was just a TikTok I watched or a throw-away comment on a podcast or cheese before bed. I don’t know. But it did make me wonder, have you ever been given financial advice in a dream and, if so, did you take it?
Let me know!
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An interview with Yuliya Osipova
Yuliya Osipova is a UK-based bilingual Financial Planner (Dip PFS) at Women’s Wealth, an independent financial planning & advisory firm run by women for women. In addition to her role at Women’s Wealth, Yuliya is deeply committed to giving back to the community. She serves as a Volunteer Director for a residential management company and is the founder of her own small property business.
What is your relationship with money currently?
I would describe my relationship with money as intentional. I've always had a strong interest in personal finance, which began when I started university. At the time, one of the main incentives for academic success was a scholarship awarded to students with the highest exam marks. While many of my peers spent their stipend freely, I was very deliberate with my spending—I had a goal. Ever since the age of 12, I had dreamed of owning a flute, and I carefully saved toward that dream throughout my university years. That experience shaped my financial mindset early on.
Now, as a mother of two, my financial priorities have evolved. My focus is on giving my children the best possible start in life—whether that means supporting their university education or helping them purchase to get onto the property ladder. My approach to money remains purposeful and goal-oriented
What’s your earliest money memory?
Empty shelves... I was born in the Soviet Union, in Russia, and my earliest memory related to money is tied to the word Perestroika. Anyone who lived through that time in Russia will understand the weight of that word. I can still picture the scenes and recall the words my family used to describe the difficult reality we faced.
Scarcity—that’s the feeling that defined those years. There was a shortage of everything: basic food, clothing, and everyday necessities. I vividly remember my mother flying to a major city and standing in line for days just to buy a fur coat, a pair of jeans, or even simple treats like sweets.
What advice would you give your younger self about money?
When it comes to money, I believe there are three essential skills: earning, saving, and protecting. I'm proud to say I'm particularly strong in saving and protecting. However, the first skill which is earning, is foundational.
As an immigrant to the UK, I faced limitations in career opportunities due to visa restrictions. It hasn’t been an easy journey; I’ve had to make significant sacrifices to build the life I have today. I’ve never taken any of it for granted, and I deeply appreciate everything I’ve achieved.
What’s the biggest money mistake you’ve made?
One of my biggest financial regrets is not starting to invest earlier. Inflation quietly eats away at the value of money every single day, regardless of where you live. That’s why having a financial plan in place as early as possible is so important.
This belief is something I’m already passing on to my children. My 7-year-old son has his own pension, and I’m actively teaching him the concept of long-term planning. My goal is that, when I’m no longer here, he’ll be equipped to manage it independently and understand the true value of investing. We regularly talk about what his pension pot is invested in, whether it’s stocks and shares or fixed interest, so he grows up with both awareness and confidence around money.
What’s the best thing you’ve ever spent money on?
It would have to be a family trip to the Maldives. The experience was truly unforgettable—turquoise waters, pristine sandy beaches, and breathtaking sunrises. It’s a place we’d love to return to someday.
Do you have a pension? If not, do you have a plan?
As a Financial Planner, my answer is a definite yes, I have a pension, and so does every member of my family. I'm actively saving for retirement, although, in truth, I don't see myself ever fully retiring. I believe in staying engaged and purposeful throughout life.
What would you do with £10,000?
That’s a great question. I’ve always approached money with intention, so if I had £10,000, I would invest it, but how I invested it would depend on my specific goals across the short, medium, and long term. The timeline for when I’d need access to the funds, whether for a house purchase, university fees, or business funding would guide my decision. There are many options to consider, and I’d tailor the strategy to match both the purpose and the timeframe.
What little treat would you buy with a tenner?
With a tenner, I’d treat myself to a Vogue subscription, it's worth every penny to me. I love the stunning imagery, the coverage of fashion shows, the aesthetic beauty, and most of all, the celebration of successful women in the fashion industry.
If you were me, what would you want to ask women about money?
Why is financial and business literacy still not being taught in secondary schools? It’s a fundamental life skill, one that can have a profound impact on a person’s future success, yet it remains overlooked in most education systems. Understanding money, investing, and how to build financial independence should be just as essential as learning math or science.
Book a free 15-min discovery call with Yuliya.
Women's Wealth Ltd is an appointed representative of Professional Financial Planning Group Ltd which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, no. 950921.
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US reader here - pensions are clearly different in the UK… is it essentially a private brokerage account? On dreams: I too have very full nights and I went through a period of a few years where I woke exhausted from them, and at some point I asked (myself? the field of consciousness?) for a break and less rigorous dreams, and it worked! I think I did this over a few weeks until it fully took hold. I’m trying to recall if I’ve had any nocturnal money advice, and while it wasn’t exactly that, I did have several dreams about gifting a close family member a not small amount of cash, and I did that, and it helped them a lot (and made me feel like I had given back to them fairly more than just giving), and last week I was buying a particular broad market ETF in my dream so I followed through the next morning.