Meet the couple who spend hours every week talking passionately about stocks and shares By HILARY MOIR Updated: 21:55 GMT, 15 February 2025 I barely thought about money for the first 15 years of our marriage. I worked, I got paid and my salary disappeared into our joint account to cover the bills. Yet today, investing is a shared passion, the hottest topic between my husband Sebastian, 56, a procurement consultant and me, a performance coach. And firing that passion is our desire to retire in five years so we might travel the world. Our kitchen table isn't a place for gossiping or arguing over what we'll watch on TV. It's where we discuss whether it is finally time to ditch Diageo or brag about which one of us has made the best investment. It's ignited a healthy rivalry which keeps the spark alive. I like to remind him of when I spotted a news story about the success of Games Workshop. I knew the store well. Sebastian is a devoted Dungeons & Dragons fan, happily spending hours painting the tiny figures they sell, but it wasn't just him. That was it. I burst through our front door and announced: 'I'm investing in Games Workshop.' Let's just say my snap decision paid off. The shares took off, and I still have bragging rights about it to this day. Sebastian eventually invested, but the price had already doubled. The shares are now worth £14.43, I bought them in March 2019 for just £2.87. These days, that's how our relationship works – one of us declares we want to buy a stock and the discussions begin. Over eggs and coffee we decide whether to trust my gut or Sebastian's spreadsheets. Shared hobby: Hilary and Sebastian have ditched date night for a monthly meeting to discuss their investments I vividly remember the moment that sparked our investment journey. Back in 2012, a work colleague casually mentioned she was using her Isa savings to buy a house. I nodded along, pretending I knew what she was talking about. But over drinks that night I asked Sebastian, 'What's an Isa?' He didn't know either – they don't exist in New Zealand. That was the beginning of a new hobby that has enriched our marriage. When it comes to investing, we have very different styles. Sebastian takes a thorough, methodical approach. I trust my gut. If I see a company thriving, that's it, I want in – and now. We didn't have a fortune to invest. Moving to the UK from New Zealand halved the value of our savings so we weren't exactly rolling in spare cash. But that is the beauty of investing – you don't need a huge amount of money to start. You just need to start. So we opened an investment account with Hargreaves Lansdown and started with £30,000. We've never been date night people, instead we have a monthly meeting to go over our investment portfolio – nothing makes Sebastian happier than a well-organised spreadsheet. But he knows he can only keep my attention on those little squares for 30 minutes, maximum. The rest of the time our investment chats occur while we walk the dog or during a boring car journey. Our shared love of investing has given us confidence in our future, so we don't worry so much about today. It allowed us both to say goodbye to stressful jobs. Of course, not every investment has been a success. In 2019 we bought shares in Carnival Cruises. Then the pandemic struck and the stock tanked. We couldn't have predicted it but we've stuck with the stock, believing it will recover and we have even invested a bit more. Another disaster began over a Saturday night takeaway. While Sebastian tucked into a Thai green curry, I stared at my massaman and thought about monetising what we enjoyed. Deliveroo drivers were regularly dropping off curries, Chinese takeaways and pizzas to our house. Surely, if two mid-lifers like us were ordering so often the younger generations must be too? Sebastian wasn't convinced – he warned me that analysts weren't impressed by Deliveroo's finances. He was right. Deliveroo flopped. RELATED ARTICLES Expert reveals whether you should buy in or cash out as... Should cash Isas be made less generous to encourage us to... Share this article HOW THIS IS MONEY CAN HELP How to choose the best (and cheapest) stocks and shares Isa and the right DIY investing account Investing has transformed the way we communicate as a couple. The first 15 years of our marriage were focused on getting ahead – careers, who could get home first to sort out dinner. Then in 2014, our focus shifted. We started thinking about the future – our pensions, savings and what we wanted from our retirement. Would we move to Spain? Could we afford winters in the sun? These discussions forced us to get serious about financial planning. More importantly, they brought us closer together. It turns out, talking about money isn't just about numbers – it's about trust, teamwork and having a shared vision for the rest of your lives, which in turn strengthened our relationship. For many, finances remain a taboo subject. Our advice is: talk! There are so many couples who don't even know how much the other earns. Discuss what you learned about money growing up. We are from very different backgrounds. Sebastian's family lived from paycheque to paycheque while my parents were focussed on saving for the future. Understanding how that impacted our attitude to finances has made a huge difference. Sebastian's childhood means he likes to have all our finances laid out in front of him on a screen so he can be reassured we are in a comfortable position. I like to plan for the future and talk about strategies and how we'll ensure our investments provide an income in later life. By talking and combining our two styles we've put ourselves in a strong position. What began as us simply trying to figure out how to manage our money in a new country has blossomed into something much bigger. It has become part of our everyday conversations. It's a shared passion and so much better for our marriage than one of us vanishing for the day to play golf or to go fishing. More importantly, our shared hobby has strengthened our financial confidence, turning what once felt overwhelming into something exciting. Now, after 14 years of investing our focus is shifting. We're thinking more about income-generating investments that can pick up the slack as our working lives wind down. We're investing in the EdenTree Responsible and Sustainable Income Trust and still enjoy generous dividends from Game Workshop. Our aim is to build up an investment income that will allow us a comfortable lifestyle, regular travel and dream of spending our winters in the sun. But whether we're celebrating a win or commiserating after a loss, investing will always be our passion. As told to Ruth Jackson-Kirby DIY INVESTING PLATFORMS Easy investing and ready-made portfolios Hargreaves Lansdown Hargreaves Lansdown Free fund dealing and investment ideas interactive investor interactive investor Flat-fee investing from £4.99 per month Get £200 back in trading fees Trading 212 Trading 212 Free dealing and no account fee Affiliate links: If you take out a product This is Money may earn a commission. These deals are chosen by our editorial team, as we think they are worth highlighting. This does not affect our editorial independence. Compare the best investing account for you Share or comment on this article: Meet the couple who spend hours every week talking passionately about stocks and shares Add comment Some links in this article may be affiliate links. If you click on them we may earn a small commission. That helps us fund This Is Money, and keep it free to use. We do not write articles to promote products. 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