People have a number of regrets about how they've managed their money, such as wishing they'd started investing earlier.
Research published this week found that 59% of UK adults wished they'd started investing at an earlier age.
The survey of 1,000 UK adults from investment trust Alliance Witan (ALW.L) found three-quarters of 18-34-year-olds wish they'd begun investing earlier compared to two-thirds (66%) of 35-54 year olds and 45% of those aged 55+.
More than three-quarters (76%) of 18-34 year olds wished they'd invested more frequently, along with 63% of 35-54 year olds and 30% of those aged 55+.
Around half (49%) of respondents said that it took them a long time to get comfortable with the idea of investing. In addition, 72% believed that wider efforts are needed to make investing feel more comfortable to the public.
Read more: What to watch next week: US jobs data, Salesforce, Broadcom, American Eagle and Berkeley
Mark Atkinson, senior director at WTW, which manages the trust, said: “As with much in life, experience is absolutely key to success, and newer, more hesitant investors can lean on those who have been in the game for years to learn valuable skills. With experience comes confidence, and ultimately, comfort.”
“Much is rightly being made of the need to change the culture around investing in the UK,” he said. “Earlier and better education will help build people’s confidence and understanding, empowering UK households to reap the benefits of long-term investing. Those considering starting investing should fully understand the risks, and ensure investment decisions are proportionate to their immediate financial commitments and long-term goals.”
Earlier this week, we asked Yahoo Finance UK readers if they wish they'd started investing sooner. We received 356 votes, with 73% wishing they had, while 18% did not and 9% were undecided on the matter.
Read more:
Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android.
