Women are getting recognised for their achievements and success now more than ever. However, there is still much to do in this endeavour, as many women still defer to the men in their lives where key financial decisions are concerned.

A study by Fidelity found that fewer than a third (32%) of the women were confident about reaching their financial goals, and a fifth (19%) didn’t feel they could easily support themselves or their families. In addition, it is a fact that women invest less than men. Therefore their pensions, savings and assets tend to be less than their male counterparts. Train drivers who are mainly male get paid considerably more than nurses, predominantly female, whose job perhaps requires more skill. Is the pay differential justified? We don’t think so!

At Bleyer, we aim to empower everyone to confidently make investments and help them achieve the best outcome for their finances in the future. This article will look at what characteristics make women great investors, why they should invest more and how we can help those less confident in investing to feel prepared.

 

 

Why Women Are Good Investors

Women often assume that they need to understand finance to start investing. As a result, they are constantly told “you won’t get it” or “you don’t have enough money”. But the irony is that women who constantly make difficult financial choices are very capable of handling their family’s finances, if not more so.

The stereotypical belief of women being risk-averse and big spenders is far from the truth. On the contrary, research shows that women consistently outperform their male counterparts in managing investments (Fidelity, 2022). This is because women possess specific characteristics that make for better and stable investing outcomes.

Studies show that women take less risk than men and spend more time researching their investment choices. However, this doesn’t mean that they are risk averse. Instead, they compartmentalise how they think about their money and are more likely to take appropriate risk levels with their investments.

Women deter from behaviours that tend to weaken men’s portfolios, such as chasing trends and trading on whims. They also are more likely to hold investments for the long term, which works perfectly when investing in precious metals like gold and silver (Forbes, 2021).

 

 

Why Women Should Be Investing More

Women should invest more to help save for the future, whether for their pension, emergencies or leaving some money behind for their children.

Unfortunately, due to the gender pay gap, there is also a pension gap which means the average woman’s pension pot is likely to be 11% smaller (by retirement age) than one held by a man (Unbiased, 2022). Therefore starting investing as early as possible can help close that gap and means you can reach your retirement goals.

According to Which? In households, two retired people spent just under £2,340 a month on average to be ‘comfortable’. This included all basic areas of expenditure plus some luxuries, including European holidays, hobbies and eating out.

It’s a given that we all want to live a comfortable and long life, and with an ageing population and increasing life expectancy, retirement planning/saving is necessary.

 

 

Financial Independence

Are you able to stand on your own two feet financially? This includes: earning your own money, knowing which bills need to be paid and when, and having your bank account, savings and pension in your name. While some may answer by saying “yes”, others may say “no because their significant other does it all”.

A study found that just 45% of women say they feel financially independent, 25% of women admit they’re reliant on financial support from other people, and 30% say they’re dependent on their partner (Fidelity, 2022).

These statistics are worrying, and with the future being very unpredictable, who knows what situations you may find yourself in. Therefore having access to money, should you need it, without having to go to someone else, is not only empowering but also essential.

 

We Are Here To Help

One of the main barriers for women and investing is the field itself. The financial industry tends to be male-orientated, failing to cater for female audiences and, therefore, can be very intimidating for women.

Here at Bleyer, we go against the grain and defeat stereotypes of investors and those in the bullion industry. As far as we are aware, Bleyer is the only female-owned Bullion Dealer in the UK that is also run predominantly by a female sales team (with help from a few men externally).

Caroline is the managing director and founder of Bleyer Bullion, here she talks about the struggles she faced within the industry. 

This filters through to other areas, and we have observed through personal experience that in many, though not all, households, men are the major decision-makers. It is, therefore, hardly surprising that many women lack confidence in making financial decisions – we are here doing our bit to change things, though.

Whether female or not, when you’re entering unfamiliar territory, having positive role models within your peer group can make a huge difference to your willingness to step outside your comfort zone.