Tools and services
A short, opinionated list of tools that genuinely help the kinds of decisions our calculators model - running a small business, securing your accounts, and making day-to-day financial decisions.
Section 1
Small business & sole trader
If you’re running the business behind a break-even, profit-margin or VAT calculation, these two cover the two most common scenarios — taking card payments in person, and selling online.
Card payments
Look for low fees, no contract lock-in, and easy settlement if you only take occasional card payments.
Online store platform
Choose a platform that fits your inventory, checkout and shipping needs before you commit.
Section 2
Books we’d actually read
A short list of the non-fiction finance books worth your time. These come up often in our guides. All links go to Amazon UK.
Morgan Housel
The Psychology of Money
Paperback ~£9
The behavioural classic. Short, genre-defining read on why sensible money decisions are almost entirely about temperament — not spreadsheets. Best starting point for anyone new to personal finance.
View on AmazonPartnerTim Hale
Smarter Investing
Paperback ~£15
The UK-focused companion to the Psychology of Money. Passive index investing, proper asset allocation, tax-wrapper mechanics — all written for a UK audience with UK tax rules in mind.
View on AmazonPartnerJ.L. Collins
The Simple Path to Wealth
Paperback ~£13
US-flavoured but the thesis — live below your means, index invest, minimise fees — maps cleanly onto UK ISAs and SIPPs. The most quoted book in /r/UKPersonalFinance.
View on AmazonPartnerTaxcafe
Running a Limited Company
Paperback ~£25
For directors of UK Ltds. Annual updates covering CT changes, dividend vs salary, expenses, VAT thresholds. Pays for itself on the first chapter for most one-person companies.
View on AmazonPartnerCarl Bayley
How to Save Inheritance Tax
Paperback ~£25
The UK IHT planning standard. Gifting strategies, trusts, Business Relief, 2027 pension changes. Anyone with an estate above the nil-rate band should read this before speaking to a solicitor.
View on AmazonPartnerDavid Genders
Daily Telegraph Tax Guide 2025
Paperback ~£20
Annual UK tax reference updated every April — every allowance, every band, every relief. We keep a copy on the desk year-round for quick lookups while writing the calcs.
View on AmazonHow we use this page
This page collects practical tools and books that support real-world decisions around small business, finance and account security. It is a reference page, not a sales page.