14.3.20
The gender wealth gap: why aren’t more women investing in their future?
14.3.20I am not a financial advisor. I do not have an MBA, nor formal education in financial services. I simply have one burning question - ...
I am not a financial advisor.
I do not have an MBA, nor formal education in financial services.
I simply have one burning question - why are women underrepresented in the investing world?
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| The gender wealth gap. Not as pretty as this divide in the Jardin de Tuileries, Paris. |
I purchased my first investment property at age 20. Age 25, I created the financial freedom to work part time. Over a year ago I began swing trading on the stock market to educate myself on investing, the markets, economics and politics.
Throughout my research and conversations, I’ve noticed a pattern that’s backed by research - women invest less than men. 61% of women keep their savings as cash, vs 50% for men (1).
We speak of “the gender pay gap”. But what about “the gender investment gap”? Because I can have the same salary as my colleague, yet have a completely different degree of financial freedom. Despite a declining gender pay gap in recent years, women are still likely to retire with $100,000 less than our male counterparts (2).
Add to that the statistics saying women are more likely to step down from paid work to take on family responsibilities, and that women live longer than men (3), and you can see the financially disadvantaged position many women are in.
Are women less interested in creating wealth and financial freedom?
If women drive 70-80% of spending decisions (4), why does this not translate to investing decisions?
Does it come down to women’s appetite for risk? Or our relative lack of financial knowledge? Does it come down to knowing the difference between an asset and a liability?
To me, spending and investing are initiated by the same action - the act of buying something. The key difference is what you buy.
To me, spending and investing are initiated by the same action - the act of buying something. The key difference is what you buy.
When you spend money, you buy a liability:
A liability is something that takes money out of your pocket.
When you invest money, you buy an asset:
An asset it something that puts money into your pocket.
Can you help me understand WHY there are less women out there investing in our future? And how can we change that?
I’ve learned a few things along my journey towards financial freedom, and there’s plenty more I would like to learn. I would love to connect and share with like-minded people also exploring this path. If that’s you, please reply, email or otherwise reach out to me!
Speak soon,
- S x





