The Meaningful Money Personal Finance Podcast

Today we revisit the vitally important subject of what the experts call behavioural finance or behavioural economics, which is really the study of how we interact, as emotional human beings, with the cold, hard world of finances. Shownotes: https://meaningfulmoney.tv/BM6

We're carrying on our season of Big Mistakes and today we're covering the mistake of not planning for later life, which is truly a big mistake. There's lots to think about in later life and too many people leave it too late, causing problems for themselves and their loved ones. Shownotes: https://meaningfulmoney.tv/BM5

Today we're going to look at the big mistake of Being Too Cautious, or to put it another way, taking too little risk. Obviously we're talking primarily about investing here, and we want to talk about why risk is your friend and the impact of taking too little risk on your future outcomes. Should be an interesting discussion! Shownotes: https://meaningfulmoney.tv/BM4

We bang on about watching our investing costs all the time. And for good reason - not paying heed to the impact of costs can mean throwing away money unnecessarily. Shownotes: https://meaningfulmoney.tv/BM3

Today we're going to talk our second big mistake: starting late. Of course this may not be a mistake, it may be the result of circumstance, and as we all know, life doesn't always conform to the perfection we'd perhaps wish for ourselves. Shownotes: https://meaningfulmoney.tv/BM2

In this new season covering some big mistakes that any of us can make with our finances, we start with the mistake of listening to the wrong people. But how can we determine who the wrong people might be? Show Notes: https://meaningfulmoney.tv/BM1

Today I am joined by repeat guest and financial planning legend, Chris Budd. He has a new book called the Four Cornerstones of Financial Wellbeing and it's a very helpful read for anyone struggling to keep money in its place, or with the effects that money can have on our mental health. Shownotes: https://meaningfulmoney.tv/session533

Today we're rounding off Season 27 by covering the last of our big ideas - and it's one of the raisons d'etre of Meaningful Money, that most people don't need advice. Shownotes: https://meaningfulmoney.tv/BI10

Today we're covering the ideal order of financial priorities, something Pete and Rog learned early on in their financial planning training. The order was summarised by the acronym PIPSIO Protection Income Protection Pensions Savings Investments Other PIPSIO is nothing more than a useful mnemonic, but it really does serve a purpose. I still remind the advisers at Jacksons of it now and again. Shownotes: https://meaningfulmoney.tv/BI9

Today we're covering a classic piece of financial advice - definitely a Big Idea of investing: Time IN the market, not timing the market! Shownotes: https://meaningfulmoney.tv/BI8

Planning is - or should be - the framework for all financial decisions, but it is misunderstood by many. Hopefully this episode will explain a little about what planning is, how it works and how to go about it. Shownotes: https://meaningfulmoney.tv/BI7

Today we're going to be talking about the importance of prioritising today in your finances. That might sound counterintuitive to some, but we'll put some nuance on it and try and give you some practical things you can do when faced with the dilemma of whether to use your money today or put it away for the future. Show notes: https://meaningfulmoney.tv/BI6

Today we're talking about Behaviour and why really, it's ALL about that when it comes to being financially successful. Show notes: https://meaningfulmoney.tv/BI5

We're continuing our Big Ideas season, talking about the overarching concepts that govern our understanding of money and how to use it. Today's subject is: Looking after Number 1. Shownotes: https://meaningfulmoney.tv/BI4

This week's Big Idea is Simplicity - it's so important to keep your finances as simple as possible for the reasons that we'll cover today! Shownotes: https://meaningfulmoney.tv/BI3

Today we're going to look at arguably the biggest of big ideas - the magic of compounding. Einstein said: "Compound interest is the eight wonder of the world. He who understands it, earns it; he who doesn't pays it" - We reckon that makes it an important subject! Shownotes: https://meaningfulmoney.tv/BI2

Today we kick off a new season which we're calling Big Ideas. The thinking is that we'll deal with some of the big, overarching principles of personal finance, and show you how to put them into practice. Shownotes: https://meaningfulmoney.tv/2024/01/24/big-ideas-businesses-and-bricks/

The Simple Path to Wealth is the most distilled, purest book on wealth-building I've found and I still recommend it all the time. Now the author, JL Collins, has followed up with a new book called Pathfinders, which is full of stories of how people have taken the teaching in the Simple Path, and applied it to their lives. Shownotes: https://meaningfulmoney.tv/session522

Today, we're talking about Financial Planning Priorities and recounting some examples where we have made sure that people got things in the right order… Show Notes: https://meaningfulmoney.tv/RS10

Today we're going to talk about Equity Release, and contentious subject for some but a useful tool in financial planning for older folks who are asset-rich, but cash-poor. We'll recount a couple of real stories from our own experience as advisers and then go over what you need to know and do about using Equity Release for your own financial planning or for your older family members, perhaps. Shownotes: https://meaningfulmoney.tv/RS9

Today we're going to consider the Shape of Retirement and how it doesn't have to be the traditional work-for-40-years-then stop model that has been the norm for most of the last century. We have some simple examples of how clients have done that and also some salutary warnings. Show Notes: https://meaningfulmoney.tv/RS8

Today we're going to look at some real stories around pension planning, but not your usual run-of-the-mill pension planning! We're going to look at SIPPs and SSASs and how we've used them to move our clients' financial plans forward. Shownotes: https://meaningfulmoney.tv/RS7

Today we're going to be talking about preparing for death, which doesn't have to be as morbid as it sounds! But we have to face it, and preparing well for the day we shuffle off this mortal coil is an important part of being intentional about our finances. Shownotes: https://meaningfulmoney.tv/RS6

Today we're going to look at some work that we've done for clients in the area of estate and inheritance tax planning, and draw some lessons that might be useful for you in the same area. Show notes: https://meaningfulmoney.tv/RS5

Today we're continuing in our Real Stories season and we're going to talk about Protection - talking about the life insurance, critical illness cover and income protection that underpins any financial plan. Shownotes: https://meaningfulmoney.tv/RS4

Today we're going to be asking the question How much is enough? And we'll go over some real stories of when we've helped clients answer that question. Show Notes: https://meaningfulmoney.tv/RS3 Retirement Investing Cheatsheet: https://meaningfulmoney.tv/retirementinvesting

This week we want to look at one Real Story of a planning journey with a client that has seen some highs and lows. It'll demonstrate the power of a relationship with a trusted financial planner, and also what can go wrong when someone tries to get too clever. Shownotes: https://meaningfulmoney.tv/RS2 Investment Cheatsheet: https://meaningfulmoney.tv/investment

Today we begin a new season which will be a bit different, because we're going to cover some real stories from our years in the financial advice profession. The idea is that the first part of each episode will be going over one or more examples of real client situations and in a particular area of financial planning - all anonymised of course - and from those we can draw some lessons and other salient points for your information and action. Shownotes: https://meaningfulmoney.tv/RS1

Today I'm chatting with Dave O'Sullivan, a listener who got in touch wanting to share his decades of knowledge of and experience in the car trade. We're going to discuss some key points about buying a car - one of the biggest purchases most of us ever make. Shownotes: https://meaningfulmoney.tv/session511 Car Buyer's Guide: https://meaningfulmoney.tv/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Used-Car-Buyers-Guide-2023.pdf

Today I'm chatting with a colleague, a fellow financial planner, Alasdair Walker. It's a conversation between fellow nerds really, specifically about Alasdair's involvement with the UKPF Reddit community. Shownotes: https://meaningfulmoney.tv/session510

Welcome to another Inbetweenisode where my guest is a senior member of the team at LifeSearch - Alan Richardson. This will be super-useful episode for anyone who has a business of any kind. Shownotes: https://meaningfulmoney.tv/session509

Today I'm bringing you a conversation I had with my friend Justin King for his podcast, which is called the Retirement Cafe podcast. Many of you will doubtless listen to that show as well as this one, and if you don't you definitely should, especially if you're heading towards retirement. Justin asked me to interview him on his show about his book which was released on 12th September - the Retirement Cafe Handbook. I've read a pre-release copy and I'm not exaggerating when I say that it was an outstanding read. Shownotes: https://meaningfulmoney.tv/session508

In this final episode of Season 25, Roger and Pete answer some representative questions sent to us as the season has gone on. Shownotes: https://meaningfulmoney.tv/OS15

Today we need to finish off Season 25 - our finances OS season - by talking about the necessary things to get right in later life. Shownotes: https://meaningfulmoney.tv/OS14

Today we look at how to keep the finances ticking over nicely in retirement by conducting regular reviews. Specifically, we'll be looking at when and how. Show Notes: https://meaningfulmoney.tv/OS13

Today we're going to talk about the DANGER ZONE That's period of time from when you retire to when all your available income sources are coming in, usually the time of your state pension. This is the period where you'll have the best health, so you'll want to enjoy that and spend your money accordingly. Show Notes: https://meaningfulmoney.tv/OS12

We're on the home straight in this season now, and today, we're talking about the decisions we need to make at the point of retirement. It's probably the biggest transition of all in our financial lives, so this is an important episode. Show Notes: https://meaningfulmoney.tv/OS11 Cash flow ladder graphic UK Personal Finance flow chart: https://ukpersonal.finance/flowchart/

Today we're going to look at the things we need to do as we approach retirement. We always say that retirement is THE point in time where everyone would benefit from taking professional advice, but at least we can give you the main things to be thinking about and to talk to your adviser about.

Today we thought we would take stock of where we've come in the season and also to help you with reviewing the transition points of the flow chart, as they apply to your life. A regular review is essential for being intentional with our finances, and it's at those review points that we can take a look at where we are and see if there's anything we need to change. Shownotes: https://meaningfulmoney.tv/OS9

So…this has been a lot of work! 500 episodes over ten and a half years, not to mention over 460 videos. Today we're going to throw out the usual structure of the show and hear from lots of different voices, some friends of the show but also quite a few listeners, which will be excellent! Show Notes: https://meaningfulmoney.tv/session500

Today we'll continue to build on the foundations we've laid and also on last week's discussion of shorter-term goals. We're going to be talking about identifying, costing and building towards long-term goals. Show Notes: https://meaningfulmoney.tv/OS8 UKPF Flow Chart: https://ukpersonal.finance/flowchart/

Today we start to build on what we've talked about so far. We've laid the foundation of debt elimination, creating an emergency fund and having the right protection in place. Now we can start looking to the future and set some goals… Show Notes: https://meaningfulmoney.tv/OS7 UKFP Flowchart: https://ukpersonal.finance/flowchart/

Today, we continue to work our way through the UK Personal Finance Flowchart, using that as a guide to create our Finance Operating System. And specifically today we're going to be talking about completing our wealth foundation with insurance. This is such an important subject because there is simply no point building for the future without putting measures in place to make sure that our financial plans are not completely derailed if the future doesn't wind up like we expect. Show Notes: https://meaningfulmoney.tv/OS6 UKFP Flowchart: https://ukpersonal.finance/flowchart/

Today we're continuing our tip-toe through the UK Personal Finance Flow Chart, and specifically, we're talking about paying off expensive debts. This is an essential part of getting your finances on a firm footing so that you can build for the future. Show Notes: https://meaningfulmoney.tv/OS5 UKPF Flow Chart: https://ukpersonal.finance/flowchart/ UPDATE: Voluntary National Insurance deadline for filling gaps since April 2006 has been extended to 5 April 2025. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/deadline-for-voluntary-national-insurance-contributions-extended-to-april-2025

So far we've covered budgeting - the thing that underpins it all, and also the essential emergency fund - putting a buffer between ourselves and whatever the world can throw at us. It might seem logical now to go on to talk about paying down debt, but according to the UKPF Flowchart, there's a step before that, and we absolutely agree that this is in the right place - we need to talk about PENSION CONTRIBUTIONS Show Notes UKPF Flow Chart

Today we continue our dance through the UK Personal Finance Flow Chart, which is serving as our map for building a kind of Financial Operating System. Last week we went deep into Budgeting, and today we want to talk about the Emergency fund. Might not sound the most gripping of subjects, but it IS important… Show Notes UKPF Flow Chart

Today we're going to be starting our journey proper through the UKPF Flowchart and talking about the foundation of it all - Budgeting. Show Notes Meaningful Money Budget Tracker UKPF Flowchart

I've long been a lurker in the UK Personal Finance Subreddit. One of the key resources that they put out is the UK Personal Finance Flowchart, which is a masterwork, it really is. It's basically a do this, then that, operating system for your personal finances. We'll cover a section of the flowchart in each episode and expand upon it, adding some detail.

Today we have another quick inbetweenisode where I'm talking to Ted Moreau of a very interesting site called Pickafund which I think has the potential to really help a lot of people find the funds they want to invest in.

I this week's inbetweenisode, I have a chat with long-time friend of the show, and one-half of the genius Property Hub duo, Mr Rob Dix about his book The Price of Money, which will REALLY help you understand the current economic state of affairs and what you should do about it…