Money talks - but can you talk about money?

For Talk Money Week 2025, Zena James, money and careers writer at Careershifters, shares how to increase your confidence around finances

How comfortable are you talking about money? Does it feel awkward, overwhelming or just not a topic you know much about? Fear not, there's plenty of support out there to develop this important life skill.

Talk Money Week is a great opportunity to explore many types of advice and help, and get to grips with your financial situation. Not just 'best deals' type guidance, but deeper 'how can I manage my finances better now and in the longer term' conversations.

Even if you have a successful early-stage career, the rising cost of living relative to wages can make it feel like you're living hand to mouth and unable to plan for a secure financial future. Many of us might dream of a 'better' job or a different type of working life, but we think we can't afford to rock the boat, so we stay stuck. But often, a high salary doesn't necessarily mean a happy life.

Sometimes the first serious money conversations we have as independent adults don't happen until we've left home, only to realise we don't know many of the basics. A lack of education and transparency at home and school about finances can lead to us:

• burying our heads in the sand
• getting into debt
• limiting our perceived choices
• being stuck in binary thinking mode, i.e. 'my career has to be a choice between purpose or profit'. (This isn't true, as there are lots of in-between possibilities.)

Is this you when it comes to your finances?

You're in a situation where you:

• don't have a clear grasp of your financial picture, e.g. income/outgoings, debts, interest rates, penalties, etc
• have a patchy understanding of how contributing to a pension, paying off debt or choosing a mortgage works
• want more confidence talking to current/potential employers about salary expectations and non-salary perks to help with your cost of living
• would consider making a career change, but you're worried about the pay impact of switching
• believe you need to choose between a good salary and a purposeful job you actually enjoy.

If so, it's important to uncover your real and perceived barriers about money and get comfortable discussing finances with:

• friends
• employers
• financial support services
• banks
• debt or loan services.

Where do people turn for financial advice?

Several studies, such as Engaging with Gen Z: cultivating a diverse talent pipeline from Hopscotch and the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (June 2025), suggest that many Gen Zers are relying on social media for career guidance and money issues around their careers.

They are increasingly turning to sites like Reddit, YouTube and TikTok for tips on workplace boundaries, targeting specific roles or unpaid overtime.

But for the practicalities of managing money, especially significant financial life changes, real-world conversations with experts are well worth having. There are many reputable sources of accessible financial guidance to help with financial conversations, like how to:

• budget
• deal with debts or loans
• plan your finances for change (planned or unexpected)
• prepare for more financial security in the future.

A new UK survey by Boostworks of 18 to 28-year-olds found that:

• nearly half (44%) of Gen Z employees say financial worries distract them at work
• only 32% have £1,000 or more in emergency savings
• 55% are considering a side hustle or second job, with 19% already working on one (In the National Student Money Survey 2025, 30% of respondents earned money from their own business or a side hustle as students, even before their graduate careers began)
• almost 60% rely on workplace vouchers or rewards to assist with day-to-day costs
• 74% would welcome access to employer-provided financial education and planning
• 35% would welcome employer contributions to savings or investment accounts, as well as free food, bonuses and commuting allowances from their employer.

What about a career change?

It can often feel safer to stay in your current job even when your priorities are shifting. But at what cost? A survey of career changers by Careershifters on how they felt about financing this move showed that 73% of those considering a change are worried about the impact on their financial situation.

In addition, only 8% felt confident enough about their finances to go ahead with a career change at all, while two-thirds had no plans to get guidance about financing it.

But change doesn't have to mean a negative financial impact. It's always worth talking to financial and career experts to test your assumptions about money and financial security, as well as learning to manage everyday practicalities more effectively.

How can I get more confident about money?

Talking about money openly is likely to lead to better, less risky decisions and the formation of good lifetime money habits. Here are some small steps to help reduce financial anxiety and feel more in control:

• Ask your employer about available non-salary perks, or for a chat about the most likely route to a salary rise, or about the option of relocation costs if you feel that living somewhere different would work better for you.
• Have a free conversation with financial charities, banks and pension companies, and explore reliable money sites like MoneySavingExpert for signposts to financial progress without bias.
• Talk to friends and open-minded family members when making big money decisions. Seek perspective from different generations about their attitudes to money and risk. Learn how others manage their expectations, monthly budgets, and financial future plans. There's no right or wrong. It's about working out what feels workable for you.
• Do the free 10-week Rebel Finance School course to help grow your confidence about all things money-related. They also help you in a clear, accessible way to focus on your financial 'why'.
• Make a list of what success means to you in your career, and try to define your version of ‘wealth' and 'financial contentment'. Keep testing and discussing your definitions as you progress in your career - they may well change.
• Look at Glassdoor for real-life accounts of salaries and experiences around negotiating pay rises.
• To explore financing a career change, whether it's an industry change, going freelance/setting up a new business, or shifting from the private sector to the charity/public sector (or vice versa), talk to Careershifters and other organisations in the Careers Can Change campaign.
• Use the campaign's Financing your career change toolkit to discover how to streamline your outgoings and redirect even the smallest savings into a separate account to start protecting your future or building a career transition fund.
• For conversations about budgeting, negotiating financial agreements and taking other positive steps to improve your financial security, even on a low disposable income.
• Talk to helpful non-profits like Better With Money, The Money Charity, StepChange, and the Money and Pensions Service.

Find out more

• Discover how to save money as a student.
• Explore workshops and courses at Careershifters.