IWD 2026: What “Give to Gain” means plus real money tips from women at thinkmoney

International Women’s Day (IWD) is marked every year on 8 March to celebrate women’s achievements and push for gender equality. It’s been a global event for more than a century, growing from early protests about fair pay, working hours and voting rights into a worldwide movement supporting women everywhere.  

For 2026, the global campaign theme is Give To Gain. This theme encourages generosity, collaboration and support; the idea that when we give our time, knowledge or resources to help women, everyone benefits. It’s about lifting each other up through mentoring, sharing skills, offering guidance and creating chances for women to grow. When women thrive, whole communities rise with them. 

Here at thinkmoney, we believe in sharing what we know to help others. So, to mark International Women’s Day, we asked some of the brilliant women who work here to share their top money tips; things they’ve learned that might help other women feel more confident with their cash. 

Najiat: “DIY more — YouTube can save you serious money” 

Najiat’s top tip is to do more yourself. Outsourcing home repairs or even beauty procedures is tempting, but there are so many tutorials out there that can help you pick up a new skill and save serious dosh in the process.  

Najiat says: “DIY everything (within reason)! YouTube is free, so you can teach yourself most things. Want to redo your floor? There’ll be a video on YouTube for laying tiles or floorboards. Like having your nails done? Buy the bits and bobs you need and learn to do it yourself. 

"Paying for people to do things for you when saving money is a luxury, but it doesn’t mean you need to go without if you’re willing to learn to DIY it.” — Najiat Fokeerchand, CRM Executive  

Holly: “Start budgeting around your plans — and always hunt for bargains” 

Holly has a whole host of money saving tips for people with kids. She freely admits she never really budgeted before the kids were born, but she then saw the value of sinking funds (i.e. saving ahead for holidays), and making use of everything from loyalty cards to family attraction passes.  

Holly says: “I’ve always known what my monthly bills cost, and whatever was left became my spending money for days out, food, and general life. Before I had my two boys, I never really budgeted properly or saved with a goal in mind, I just made sure the bills were covered. 

“But after having my children, I started thinking more about what I wanted to plan for in the months ahead, holidays, weekends away, day trips, and building long‑term savings. 

“Now, every month I look at what we’ve got coming up and put money aside for days out and family plans. I’ve also set monthly holiday saving goals, which has really helped us build up a pot for future trips. Anything left at the end of the month goes straight into savings before I start fresh again. 

“I also love a bargain! I’m always checking what offers are on, looking for cashback deals, and comparing prices before buying anything, insurance, broadband, kids’ clothes, days out… all of it. Loyalty cards have been great too: supermarket points, coffee shop rewards, family attraction passes — it all adds up. 

“I’ve been following Money Wellness and thinkmoney’s socials recently, and they share some brilliant money‑saving tips. If you’re not already following them, definitely worth a look!”  — Holly Darlow, Customer Service Manager  

Hannah: “Pause for 24 hours before buying anything you don’t need” 

Hannah shares one of the best ways to avoid impulse buys; and let’s face it, with social media constantly bombarding us with lucrative ads, the FOMO can get real.  

Hannah says: “One money habit that’s really helped me is pausing for 24 hours before making non‑essential purchases. Giving myself that time helps me avoid impulse spending, and when I do go ahead with a purchase, it feels more intentional. It’s made a noticeable difference in how I manage my money without feeling restrictive.”  — Hannah Nasir, People & Culture Project Co-Ordinator  

Louise: “Automate your investments so they grow in the background” 

Louise tells us she recently started investing for the long term by automating her investments on payday. With investing, your capital is at risk, but there are lots of ready-made options out there you could explore if it’s a route you’re considering.  

Louise says: “I started investing last year in Stocks and Shares ISAs. It’s very much a long‑term approach for me; I wanted something that would quietly build in the background without me having to overthink it every month. 

"The biggest shift was treating it as a non‑negotiable and automating it on payday. It’s given me a real sense of control over my future finances, while still allowing me to enjoy life now. Especially because anyone who knows me, knows I love a holiday here and there.  

"For me, money wellbeing isn’t about being perfect with finances, it’s about creating simple systems that support both my future goals and the life I want to live now.” — Louise Gape, Head of People and Culture  

Molly: “Spend smart on the things you rely on every day” 

Molly’s tip is all about spending a little extra on the types of things you use everyday which impact your comfort and wellbeing. Spending a little more on quality at the outset saves you money (and stress) in the long run.  

Molly says: “I learned a lot about money from my parents, especially my mum, who’s always been a strong and inspiring woman in my life. She gave me the independence to think for myself and back my own decisions, and that’s shaped who I am today. 

“Growing up, I was one of only three girls in my local Scouts troop, so I learned early on how to be practical, resilient and prepared. And the best money tip I’ve carried with me ever since is this: Invest in the things that separate you from the ground — good shoes, a good mattress and good tyres.” — Molly Dixon, Pop Culture Editor  

Stela: “Use a credit‑builder card to grow your score from scratch” 

And finally, here’s my top money tip if you’re building your credit score from scratch like I had to when I first moved to the UK. This tip could also work if you’re trying to rebuild a poor credit score; the key is though to keep up with repayments.  

When I first moved to the UK, I didn’t have a credit score at all, which meant I couldn’t get any kind of finance. It’s a real chicken and egg situation; you need credit to get credit.  

What helped me was getting a credit‑builder credit card. I only used a small amount of the limit each month and usually just for my weekly food shop. I also set up a direct debit to make sure the balance was paid off in full every month. 

Over time, this created a solid payment record and showed lenders I could manage money well. Another thing that helped was registering on the electoral roll as soon as I could. Bit by bit, these small steps helped me build a credit score from nothing and eventually made it much easier to get approved for things.  — Stela Wade, Editor-in-Chief