TikTokLooking for tips to make your January budget go further? Well, this week's Creator Spotlight is the one for you! @tempahtime, aka Timothy Paul, is on a mission to get the TikTok community talking about money and sharing their budget-friendly hacks.
Timothy's content is fun and easy to engage with, offering mortgage explainers, personal finance tips, and explaining how important government changes will impact your personal finances. He also covers everything to do with student and business loans, for those who are struggling to wrap their heads around the small print!
As if that wasn't enough, Timothy also provides other life hacks like how to get a McDonalds discount, process your TFL refund and travel tips.
With his amazingly informative content, it's clear to see why Timothy is so popular among his 539.5k followers, and the wider TikTok community! We sat down with him to chat all things budgeting, his growing TikTok account, and his favourite creators!
We love your content! If you could share one piece of money saving advice this January, what would it be?
My money saving advice for the new year is simple: track where your money has gone so you can start to take control of where it SHOULD go. And what do I mean by this? Quite simply: get rid of bad habits! Go into your online banking and look at all of your monthly expenses from the last 3 months of 2022 (yes ALL of them!). And if you’re anything like me, you are guaranteed to find tens of wasted pounds on things you simply don’t or didn’t need. The best way to improve your finances moving forward is to look backwards and make changes.
What first inspired you to create on TikTok?
I made my first TikTok during the lockdown of 2020, just after I graduated from university in the summer. Having just completed a 3-year finance degree (and with a job lined up in financial services), I thought why not put my knowledge online for others to see. My main motivation for doing this was to take a stab in the dark at the world of content creation through the lens of finance and careers tips!
Have you been surprised by the response to your content?
Surprised is an understatement! When I uploaded my very first TikTok about Lifetime ISAs over 2 years ago, I gained about 20 views in the first few hours. I’m sure you can imagine what was going through my head: Tim don’t waste your time! People don’t want to see finance stuff on TikTok! Boy was I wrong! Fast-forward 24 hours and my video has reached over 200,000 views and tons of likes. From that moment, I realised one thing… people REALLY do want to see finance content, and especially the younger generation who simply haven’t been taught the basics of money management at school. And that’s where my journey began.
What is your goal on TikTok?
My goal on TikTok is pretty simple. I want to educate and entertain as many people as possible. Whether it’s explaining the latest government budget, spreading awareness on retailer discounts and freebies or even making a comedy sketch, I simply want to provide value to anyone who watches my content. Attention is everything on TikTok, and even to this day I am blown away by the amount of attention my videos receive. And I feel that with a young impressionable audience like mine, I have an obligation to use that attention to add value to people's day.
What other creators are on your For You feed?
My honorable mentions list is as follows: @jackdamz, @JeremyLynch, @f0urbr0thers, @thejunglebadger, @dylan.page. And that list is certainly not exhaustive (I could go on and on). But if you’re looking for comedy, entertainment, advice, creativity - these guys truly have it all.
What do you love most about the TikTok community?
The TikTok community is like no other I’ve come across. What I love most is the passion I see in the comments. People sharing their thoughts, feelings and opinions - even if they don’t always align. But that’s what creates a sense of community. A place where people can come together to share their honest thoughts, without fear of judgment. I wouldn’t want it any other way.
What is your favourite TikTok you have made to date and why?
Now that’s an easy one. My first TikTok will always be the one I look back on and remember most fondly. It signifies the beginning of my journey as a content creator on TikTok. And if it hadn’t performed as well as it did, needless to say I wouldn’t be where I am today. Lifetime ISAs all the way.
New to TikTok and want to explore more #savingmoney content? Getting involved couldn’t be easier, simply download the app for free via the Apple App Store, Google Play or Amazon.
