Cardiff hosts major initiative to get savers investing

• Welsh savers encouraged to "take the next step" as nearly 4 in 10 in Wales (39%) people say they want to learn more about investing.  

• Investing is discussed less frequently in Wales than anywhere else in the UK with almost 8 in 10 (78%) people saying they rarely or never talk about it.

• Yet, more than 1 in 3 (38%) say speaking to someone they know would make them feel more confident about getting started.

• 20-22 May, independent Cardiff café (The Coffee Spot) is transformed into a space for local people to have informal and open conversations about investing with finance educator and author (@MrMoneyJar) and Cardiff-based ‘everyday’ investors.

An independent Cardiff coffee shop is being turned into “The Savvy Coffee Spot” on Wednesday 20 May as part of a major effort to get Wales talking more openly about investing.

Residents and visitors to Cardiff will be invited to drop in for an informal conversation about taking the next step to invest their savings, as part of a first-of-its-kind, coordinated initiative from the financial services industry. The focus has turned to Cardiff after new research¹ suggests nearly 4 in 10 (39%) people in Wales say they are curious to learn more about investing but many don’t know where to start.

The barriers holding Wales back from investing

Many people in Wales want to make their money work harder over the long term, but investing still feels risky, intimidating or simply “not for people like me”. The research finds over half of savers in Wales (52%) are held back by concerns about losing money, over 1 in 4 (28%) say they do not know how to get started, while only 1 in 5 (22%) feel investing is something that people like them do.

Yet while fear of loss is one of the biggest barriers, leaving too much money sitting in cash over the long term can also carry risks, as its value can be eroded by inflation. Analysis from the Investment Association shows that if a saver had put £1,000 into a cash ISA a decade ago, inflation would mean it is worth around £840 in real terms today. Invested in a Global Equity Fund over the same period, it would be worth more than £1,970.

Wales is the UK nation least likely to talk about investing

Almost 8 in 10 (77%) savers in Wales say investing feels like “a big step” and part of the reason for that may be because it is so rarely talked about openly in everyday life.

8 in 10 (78%) say they rarely or never discuss investing, the highest figure anywhere in the UK, despite almost 4 in 10 (38%) saying they would feel more likely to invest after a conversation with someone they know.

The research highlights a clear opportunity to normalise investing and build confidence by making investing conversations more visible and accessible.

‘The Savvy Coffee Spot’ aims to spark no nonsense conversations about investing

The newly named ‘The Savvy Coffee Spot’ will offer the public free hot drinks in exchange for taking part in informal conversations about money and investing - creating a space where people can ask questions, hear real-life experiences and talk more openly about long-term financial goals in a relaxed, everyday setting.

Financial educator and author, Rotimi Merriman-Johnson, will join customers, alongside Damyan Bochev, owner of The Coffee Spot, who used investing to help turn his ambition of owning a business into a reality. Together, they will share practical insight into investing, how they got started, and explain why open conversations about money could help more people in Wales feel confident taking the next step to invest.

The work in Cardiff is part of a UK national campaign, Invest for the Future, launched in April 2026 with backing from major financial firms, many with a significant presence in Cardiff, such as L&G, Barclays and NatWest.

Paula Llewellyn, CEO of L&G DC & Workplace Savings: “In Wales, lots of people are curious about investing, but too often it can feel complicated, intimidating or something other people do. Yet the reality is, investing is already happening through people’s workplace pension, it just doesn’t always feel like it in the way people expect. That’s why normalising these conversations matters. The more people hear real stories, ask questions and talk openly about money and long-term goals, the more investing starts to feel understandable, accessible and part of everyday life.”

Rotimi Merriman-Johnson DipFA, financial educator and author, said: “What I love about being here in Cardiff is that it proves investing conversations are for everyone. You can talk about investing anywhere - over a coffee, with a friend, and in your community - and this research shows that nearly 4 in 10 people here genuinely want to learn more. That tells me the curiosity is already there - people just need a welcoming space to ask questions without feeling judged or overwhelmed. Nobody is born knowing this stuff. I certainly wasn't. But once you start having these conversations, something shifts. Investing starts to feel less like something 'out there' and more like something that could genuinely be part of your story too.”

Damyan Bochev owner of the Coffee Spot in Cardiff said: “Investing was never really something that was on my radar before going to university. Once I started learning more about it and understanding the long-term benefits, it completely changed the way I thought about money and what might be possible in the future. That’s why I wanted to support this campaign. So many people are interested in learning more about investing, but don’t know where to begin or feel too intimidated to ask questions. Hopefully this creates a relaxed space where people can have honest conversations, hear real experiences and realise investing doesn’t have to feel out of reach.”