What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? Tell Old Mutual Wealth for a chance to win a £300 voucher! NOW CLOSED

[AngelieMumsnet]

Old Mutual Wealth has asked us to find out the best pieces of advice Mumsnetters have ever been given.

Here’s what they say, “Old Mutual Wealth is a big advocate of advice. In life and in financial matters, the guidance of someone you trust can make the difference between failure and success.”

So, what’s the best piece of advice someone's given you? Maybe someone has shared a genuinely life changing tip? Perhaps they passed on the secret on how to get your kids to clean their room/go to sleep/eat their greens. We’d also, more specifically, like to hear about the best financial piece of advice you’ve ever received. Whether it’s on how to save? Or maybe on what to do with your savings? Whatever they are, we’d love to hear them!

Everyone who posts on this thread will be entered into a prize draw to win a £300 Love2Shop voucher!

Thanks
MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs apply

Take a deep breath and count to ten! Everything in life seems easier to deal with once you step back and put things into perspective - knee-jerk reactions are never the best...

always keep a clean tissue handy. You'll need it for 101 things!

When tempted to buy that new pair of shoes and you have 100s of pairs already, ask yourself 'Do you want it' or 'Do you need it'. Good advice but can't say I've ever really stuck to it.

Don't let money burn a hole in your pocket is another one- rather invest wisely for the future.

I was once told, work out what your hourly salary is and then when you are shopping and something takes your eye and you really want it work out how many hours you would need to work to buy the item, is it still worth it? Nine times out of ten I put the item back.

Never argue over money.

From a school friend who was getting a divorce the same time I was planning my wedding.

better to regret þe things you've done than the ones you havent

Never run upstairs to change a stinky nappy unless you're very fit and won't be out of breath.??

Don't go to bed on an argument. Very true and we've pretty much followed it.

My great grandmother always said "Never refuse money." I thought this was fine advice, but no-one has ever actually offered me any...

The best advice I ever received was to throw away the baby books.

"Your baby can't read"

It made life so much easier!

When in trouble rely on yourself - you will never be deserted

The best advice I have ever received was on here.

You can't change someone elses behaviour, just your reaction to them. Comes in very useful at times (especially when being cut off at a roundabout when some knob decides to go in the right hand lane to go straight on - happens a lot at a particular roundabout on the way home from work)

Always view a loan you give as a gift, if you get it back thats a bonus

Some people you meet will like you, some people you meet wont, most will be indifferent and most of the time you wont be able to change that so why bother trying or getting upset Of course it works the other way too and its perfectly fine to not like or get on with someone as long as you treat them nicely.

Im liking the saving 10% of the wages one. I should do that. I stopped saving as soon as I moved out as my mum 'ecouraged' me to save £100 a month. Sometimes this was too much. 10% is better. Im going to start that. Ive never heard it before

We learnt from advice from others to give to those less fortunate financially via various charities we support - It means we learn to live on less and get to help children living in poverty.

My Mum always said if you've nothing good to say then don't say anything at all. It's served me well.

Mine is failing to plan is planning to fail.
Financial advice --- pay yourself first before settling any bill.

Best financial advice received: save little and often
Favourite financial advise received: you can't take it with you; there's no pockets in shrouds!

To save 10% of every wage or pay or better job you will still have 90% so will feel better off and if you take any sort of loan (Inc mortgage) to overpay by at least 10%. The second best piece of advice I gave everyone of my friends and family who sadly all ignored it was in the 90's to take a lifetime trackert fixed rates my mortgage cleared 5 years early was a flexible lifetime tracker on base rate plus .8 %

*not fixed rate

Everything will be ok in the end. If it's not ok, it's not the end.

Never a failure, always a lesson.

Better to have tried and failed than to never try.

Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.

Treat others how you wish to be treated.

A man who conquers himself is greater than one who conquers a thousand men in battle

My all time favourite... A ship is safe in harbor, but that’s not what ships are for.

'There's nothing to fear except fear itself' I love this advice someone gave me and it has given me confidence to do things and be less anxious. The best money advice I have had is to put away all loose change and it's amazing how it adds up. Saving little and often basically. DD loves hunting for money around the house to go in the savings jar!

Be kind. For everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.

Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.
Love this! That'll help me to feel less guilty about watching TV instead of doing something more constructive!

Don't put petrol on a lit fire.

If it ain't broke don't fix it

Applicable in most spheres of life.

And Don't spend what you haven't got is a good one for the financially-worried.

Never spend more than you can afford. Always have your own bank account.