Why do smart people make bad money decisions?

Don’t blame yourself, blame evolution.

It took millions of years for humans to evolve to walk, talk and think logically. So it’s no wonder so many of us haven’t quite got to grips with pensions and credit cards yet - they’ve existed for a mere nanosecond in the history of time.

We’re wired to seek safety, avoid uncertainty and grab rewards when we see them. But while these instincts once helped our ancestors survive, today they can lead us to overspend, under-save and put off important financial decisions.

But it’s possible to change all that. The same ancient instincts that trip us up financially can also be turned into powerful tools. Our inner caveman has evolved remarkable skills — if you know how to harness them.

Drawing on 15 years’ experience as a money journalist, Holly Mead blends behavioural science, expert insight and real-world data to uncover the biggest biases evolution has landed us with. She reveals how they quietly influence everything from daily spending to long-term investing — and, crucially, how to outsmart them.

So whether you want to budget without boredom, start saving for retirement, or finally understand why investing feels so uncomfortable, this book gives you practical, jargon-free tools that actually work.

With clear explanations and hands-on exercises, it helps you work with your brain, not against it — giving you the tools, confidence and habits you need to be better with money for life.

Take that, Darwin!