This is Money Podcast

What makes a good consumer story to take up the cudgel on and fight a reader’s corner – and why don’t companies and organisations just do the right thing?A year ago, This is Money started its Grace on the Case column, where reporter Grace Gausden fights for reader’s rights and tries to solve their problems each week.Over those 12 months, roughly £381,000 worth of victories have been racked up – more than £1,000 a day.On this week’s podcast, Grace takes us behind the scenes of the column and talks about the cases she has tried to help with.She joins Georgie Frost and Simon Lambert to discuss the biggest issues that have emerged, and how things have played out when This is Money took on firms and organisations for readers.Also, on this week’s podcast, do you know how much tax you pay? Most people only have the vaguest idea based on their headline rate, but what percentage or amount do you actually pay, and where are the sneaky glitches in the tax code that catch people out.Plus, the LitterLotto where you can win money by putting stuff in the bin, whether Black Friday is a con or a golden opportunity, and finally, would you swap items in your shopping or lifestyle to beat inflation? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Inflation hit its highest level in a decade this week off the back of soaring energy costs and petrol prices.Why is the cost of living on the rise, when will interest rates go up, and how will all this affect the pound in our pocket?This week, Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Mike Sheen take a look at the 4.2 per cent CPI figure and how it is becoming harder to ‘inflation proof’ your finances.It looks like the state pension triple lock could be doomed – that 3.1 per cent rise pencilled in for next year doesn’t look generous considering the rise in the cost of living.There is a special delivery for Royal Mail shareholders while major banks are not only shuttering branches, but are increasingly telling customers to serve themselves.And finally, TSB is the latest bank to offer a prize draw, is it a good alternative to Premium Bonds or simply a gimmick? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is it better to leave the heating on low all the time, or switch it on in smaller bursts?Does an electric heater cost less to heat a room?Is the electric blanket cheaper than a kettle-filled hot water bottle?On this week's podcast, Georgie Frost, Grace Gausden and Simon Lambert, tackle the burning questions of our time (well, the common energy saving ones people often debate at least).The team reveal a cunning way to work out when you can use Avios points to book flights.Plus, Simon explains why he's not a crypto investing genius, why you probably aren't too and what the point of regularly reminding yourself that you aren't an investment guru in crypto, shares, or anything else is.And finally, a This is Money reader recently moved home and doesn't have a doorbell and their landlord won't provide one, do they have to... and exactly who is this reader? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Did the Bank of England bottle raising interest rates or should a rate rise have never been on the cards in the first place?Inflation is mounting but hiking the base rate will do little to tame soaring energy prices, an oil price spike or the supply crunch.On the other hand, the emergency 0.1 per cent base rate arrived at the start of the coronavirus crisis and the economy looks far better now than was expected then.So where should rates be? And did the Bank of England make the wrong decision for the right reason?On this week’s podcast, Georgie Frost, Tanya Jefferies and Simon Lambert dissect the Steady Eddie move that got the Bank of England labelled an ‘unreliable boyfriend’ again.Plus, our pension agony uncle Sir Steve Webb joins the podcast to discuss state pension delays and what has happened since he and Tanya Jefferies exposed the situation.And finally, it’s time for some council tax rants… just why is the tax so seemingly crazy and in terms of fixing it, should we be careful what we wish for? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Wednesday, Chancellor Rishi Sunak delivered another Budget alongside a Spending Review.Much of what it contained had previously been revealed, including the forthcoming National Insurance hike, frozen income tax bands, triple lock suspension and a flurry of information over the weekend.Georgie Frost, Simon Lambert and Lee Boyce run the rule on the latest Budget and updated figures on inflation and base rate predictions, alongside where the economy is at… and potentially heading.The Chancellor didn't reinstate the Universal Credit uplift, instead lowering the taper while also rising the minimum wage to £9.50 an hour – will that help working families?With a cost of living crisis that seems to be looming with petrol, food and energy prices rising, were there any measures to help combat this?Could base rate really reach 3.5 per cent by 2023, and should homeowners be worried about potentially rising mortgage costs? And what about the threat of rising inflation, now predicted to be plus-4 per cent next year?There was an update about cladding and changes to short haul flight taxes alongside a promise to fix a tax quirk that deprives low-paid workers of pension cash which is paid to better off colleagues – but not until 2025. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Going green used to be presented as a way of saving money, but the stark reality that dealing with climate change will mean us spending more is dawning.The carrot of £5,000 grants to help people ditch gas boilers and install air source heat pumps or other more eco-friendly heating was dangled by the Prime Minister this week. There was a hefty caveat though, there is only enough cash for 90,000 being made available and it seems like the rest who want to get greener heating will need to foot hefty bills themselves. People can stall but eventually the stick will come, with banks encouraged to only give the best mortgage rates to those with efficient homes.Likewise, another carrot was dangled in the form of green savings bonds from NS&I, so savers could put their money to work helping the nation’s green projects.Once more, there is a big caveat: the rate on the three-year bonds is a measly 0.65 per cent. That compares to the best standard three-year savings fix of 1.81 per cent.Maybe Kermit was right, it’s not easy being green.But will our good intentions overcome the higher costs and lower returns and people be willing to pay the price for going green?On this week’s podcast, Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert, discuss green bonds and better alternatives and greener homes, their costs and whether there is also better options that we are being presented with right now.Plus, we had closure on the axing of the triple lock this week, with an inflation figure that set the next state pension increase, and bitcoin hit a record high. And finally, Lee explains the This is Money headline of the week: ‘I fished my daughter's third birthday present out of a skip’ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Premium Bonds are probably Britain’s best loving savings product but are they worth holding?The savings lottery delivers 100% government-backed protection, a theoretical 1% return – dependent on luck – and relatively easy access to your cash.But a new report this week highlighted just how unlikely people are to win big prizes. In fact, unless you have a sizeable amount in bonds, you should expect a long wait for anything over £25.But does the study stack up? What about all the readers telling us they’ve won lots? And does it matter that you’d have to wait ages to win £50 or more – or are those uninspiring regular £25 prizes a much more useful source of returns?On this week’s podcast Georgie Frost, Adrian Lowery and Simon Lambert dig into Premium Bonds, looking at the odds, the study on big prizes, what our readers have told us, and also how many people hold.Plus, interest rate rise chatter has stepped up a gear this week. Is a hike really imminent?Also under discussion are the energy saving measures you can take to try to cut your bills as the price spike sends more providers bust and threatens household finances.As Meghan and Harry get the ethical invest bug, we a look at ESG, greenwashing and how to invest to make an environmental impact.And finally, the topsy-turvy Covid world has thrown a new curveball: one-year-old used cars are now more expensive than brand new ones. How does that work? The team try to explain and reveal the used cars rising in value the most. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With inflation on the rise, homeowners nearing the end of their mortgage deal could be tempted to lock in for longer – especially with murmurs of a base rate rise.It comes as rates continue to fall, even on tracker deals. What are the pros and cons on a two, five and even a 10 year fix, and does the flexibility of a tracker mean it could be a worthy option to consider?Lee Boyce, Helen Crane and Georgie Frost discuss what those remortgaging and home buyers need to consider when getting a new home loan.And landlords haven't been left behind in the mortgage battle either. There is now a sub-1 per cent buy-to-let mortgage rate – and sticking with the property theme, yet another huge monthly bump for prices.Elsewhere, should you sell old Premium Bonds to buy a new set for 'better luck' and just how much have lockdown savers poured into the NS&I product?Lastly, how about a career change as an… HGV driver? We look at what salaries are on offer and how to train as a lorry driver. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Savings rates are on the rise but even if you do find a best buy, don't get complacent because inflation is running hot too.On this podcast, Lee Boyce, Georgie Frost and Simon Lambert look at why savings rates are rising, whether interest rates will follow suit and quitehow long it might be before we get back to a normal situation of a savings account consistently beating inflation.Simon discusses whether attack may be the best form of defence in the form of stock market investing - and why the 'just buy bitcoin' comments shouldn't be entitely heeded.Plus, could you or would you want to live off grid? What would it entail? And would it actually save money? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The week began with an energy crunch, as households woke up to the problems sending gas prices spiralling - and the impact that could have on their bills.It ended with a needless rush on petrol, as people were told there was no need to panic buy fuel… and some promptly panic bought it.The petrol issue we’re told is to do with a shortage of HGV drivers to deliver fuel, the gas problem is unfortunately far more complex.The immediate impact for households is that some are finding their energy supplier has gone bust and they are being transferred elsewhere, others are discovering they can’t switch, and many are staring down the barrel of a potential big imminent price cap rise followed by another next spring.In this podcast episode, This is Money’s energy and consumer correspondent Grace Gausden explains what’s happening and Georgie Frost and Simon Lambert discuss the implications with her.In the second part of the podcast, Tanya Jefferies joins to talk about the National Audit Office report into underpaid women’s state pensions, which highlighted her and our columnist Steve Webb’s work in exposing the fiasco,Tanya updates us on their investigations and what may happen next.And finally, there’s a new bank in town: Chase. Well it’s actually a very old one, because it’s JP Morgan launching current accounts in the UK under the Chase brand. It’s got 5% interest, with a catch, 1% cashback and some nifty features. Is it worth getting? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The cost of living jumped by the largest amount on record to hit 3.2 per cent in August – is it set to run out of control and prompt the Bank of England to raise interest rates?Meanwhile, a gloomy report has lead some economists to talk about stagflation once more. What is it, is it a threat and does it matter?This week, Simon Lambert, Lee Boyce and Georgie Frost discuss the 'flations' and what it could mean for the coming months, and the pandemic recovery.Alongside this, there are supply chain problems and staff shortages. Can we expect higher prices in shops and is Britain set for a hiring boom?It's not just shops that are suffering, soaring costs and tradesmen shortages are leaving families doing home improvements themselves - or stuck with half-finished renovations.And we go inside the pocket sized houses aimed at first time buyers in London. We left the cat at home: there wasn't enough room to swing it… Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you’re going to break one manifesto promise, then why not break two?Why not distract from telling pensioners they can’t have their potential 8.8 per cent triple lock state pension rise by hiking taxes for everyone.That appeared to be the theory this week, as two pledges to not raise taxes and keep the triple lock went out the window.Boris Johnson has been bold enough to be the Prime Minister who finally tries to fix Britain’s social care problems, with a 1.25 per cent national insurance rise and then new tax to pay for this and getting the NHS to play catch-up after the pandemic.Coupled with a corresponding 1.25 per cent NI rise for employers, this amounts to a 2.5% hit to people’s pay.Will that be enough to sort the problem, does the cash risk just being swallowed up by the NHS, and are our social care problems just about funding?Along with those questions, why was the triple lock turned double for a year, was this a close shave for its existence and could there have been a better way of dealing with wildly skewed wage growth figures?On this week’s podcast, Tanya Jefferies, Georgie Frost and Simon Lambert tackled those questions and more on the triple lock and social care.Plus, Tanya explains how she uncovered major delays for people who are starting to get their state pension and what the Government plans to do about it.Also on this week’s show, what to do when a share you hold takes a tumble – and how to when to hold ‘em and when to fold ‘em.And finally, why the AA says people’s range anxiety over electric cars is massively overcooked. Clue that’s not why most break down. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are you a mover, a flipper or a forever-homeowner?Among its many surprises, the coronavirus pandemic has delivered a property boom. In pretty much the exact opposite of what all the experts thought was going to happen the property market has hit fever pitch over the past year and a bit, with more people moving and house prices soaring.But amid all the fuss, which property tribe are you in? Are you a mover – for whom the grass always looks a bit greener, perhaps in a house with extra space, more bedrooms, a bigger garden, or with a slice of the country life or even a prime location in the city? Or would you choose to be a flipper, happy to buy and sell regularly to try to make some money and climb the ladder quicker – maybe doing places up and turning ugly ducklings into swans as you go along? Or is your chief desire to be a forever-homeowner, the kind of person who wants to either stay put where you are forever, or find the one place you can do that and then stop moving.On this week’s podcast, Georgie Frost, Helen Crane and Simon Lambert take a look at the property market tribes and how they are driving the market, from those who love to move, to those chasing a quick buck, and those whose sole desire is to find the perfect place to stay put.Also on this week’s show, the team discuss how to learn from your investing mistakes rather than beat yourself up over them.And take a look at both sustainable banking and investing and what that means and why the new greener E10 petrol is causing a kerfuffle. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When it comes to state pensions, there has been plenty of talk in recent weeks about the triple lock and what could mean next month when it comes to an uplift.However, more than 2million receive less than £100 a week in state pension payments – is there a way to boost it?Tanya Jefferies, Lee Boyce and Georgie Frost discuss and reveal the common reasons why you might not receive the full state pension.Sticking with the pension theme, we talk through a case of an ex-Judge who faced a hefty 'advice' fee when he made a decision on a drawdown pot.Spain is still the top choice for those planning to retire overseas – but has the pandemic and Brexit put more people off a life in the sun?Lee reveals why it is now time to be chasing savings rates again and his tips for making sure a challenger bank you've never heard of is a good spot for your cash. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Britain's streets are filled with drivers whizzing deliveries around, there's a new top scam in town.Parcel and package delivery scams are the most common type of 'smishing' text messages, a report said this week.Fraudsters are sneaking into people's text messages, pretending to be couriers that missed you while you were out, or need to arrange or rearrange a delivery. Click the link and you could end up being scammed.This is being enabled by the wave of online deliveries in the pandemic, as online shopping stepped up a number of gears, and the somewhat chaotic way some drivers are delivering those parcels: who doesn't recognise the 'leave it on the doorstep and run away tactic'?On this week's podcast, Lee Boyce, Georgie Frost and Simon Lambert look at what uou can do to avoid falling victim, what are the risks if you do, and can we do anything about the rise in fraud?Also on this week's podcast, its squeaky bum time for the triple lock. Wages are officially up 8.8 per cent and the reference month for pension increases is rapidly approaching, so what will Chancellor Rishi Sunak do? Will a bumper increase for the state pension arrive, or the breaking of a manifesto pledge?Plus, the blink and you'll miss it mortgages, as top rates hang around for a very limited time - and the chip shortage that means people are struggling to buy new cars and sending the price of used ones soaring.And finally, is the current account battle back on? As Nationwide bungs people £100 to sign up, the team take a look. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How low will mortgage rates go? The lowest two-year fixed rate has been cut to 0.83 per cent and five-year fixed rates are available at 0.99 per cent.That’s cheap money – and while these super low rates are only reserved for those with the biggest deposits, it’s clear that the mortgage price war is back on.The question is will rates keep falling and get cheaper still? Some experts say believe they won’t and this is the floor but others suggest they could come even down all the way to 0.5 per cent.On this week’s podcast, Georgie Frost, Helen Crane and Simon Lambert look at what’s driving mortgage rates down and the house prices up and whether it’s ever worth jumping ship to a potentially cheaper deal from an existing home loan?Also on this week’s show, are you a property snooper, spying on friends, relatives and colleagues’ house prices and homes?Plus, how to avoid getting too emotionally attached to your investments and is it worth tracking down DIY investing platforms and apps that offer fractional share dealing? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From October, millions of households can expect to pay even more on their energy bills. Ofgem is raising the energy price cap for the second time in a year, due to rising wholesale costs.The cap is now at a record high and it means those who are on a standard variable tariff, or a prepayment meter, could be facing hundreds of pounds added to their annual bills.Lee Boyce, Grace Gausden and Georgie Frost take a look at the price cap, what it means and how to potentially beat it.When it comes to future technology, will we soon see the death of the landline to be replaced by phone calls over wi-fi?Additionally, with growing numbers of households – especially rural ones – turning to satellite broadband, we explain how it works and the potential costs.When it comes to current accounts, we tend to stay loyal. But those who have switched, Starling Bank and Virgin Money have been the most popular destinations.It's a tale of two different switching mentalities – those who want branches and bribes, and those who simply want a sleek app and good customer service.Lastly, Grace on the Case launched 10 months ago. In that time, our senior reporter Grace Gausden has managed to claw back a total of nearly £206,000 for readers.She takes a look back at some of her most satisfying wins and her passion for helping This is Money readers achieve a fair result from a variety of different firms. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ministers want us to ditch gas boilers and line our houses with insulation to save the planet, but do the sums add up for cash-strapped homeowners?Simon Lambert, Lee Boyce and Georgie Frost take a look at the Government's aims, if green measures in your home can pay for themselves in the long-run and what it could take to pull Energy Performance Certificate ratings for homes higher.Simon takes aim at London's low emission zone expansion - it's less than three months away and riddled with inconsistencies.It will leave at least 300,000 residents with older cars facing a fee of £12.50 each time they get behind the wheel – and these schemes could be coming to a town or city near you.Value and quality are in, income and momentum are out… we explain the latest investing trends - and bust some jargon too.Tesco closes all its current accounts - so where next for their nearly a quarter of a million customers?Is Barclays a good option? You can now earn Avios points and get a free upgrade once a year – but there's a catch… Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Government is planning a major crackdown on fake reviews. Under proposals, it will become illegal to pay someone to write, or host, bogus online ratings.How much weight should we put behind buying decisions when it comes to reviews and ratings, and what exactly are the plans to prevent this kind of consumer manipulation?This week, Simon Lambert, Lee Boyce and Georgie Frost discuss this, along with the others measures the Government is planning, including on subscription traps and Christmas savings clubs, and how it'll be enforced.How much are you saving? You might think a lack of a rainy day pot is solely an issue for those on low incomes, but you'd be wrong.A quarter of Britain's wealthiest households do not have one - why is this the case?That comes as fixed-rate deals nudge higher, but Lee warns listeners not to get too excited.Are you paying for too much mobile phone data? And would you take part in a home swap in order to save on your summer holiday? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Just when you thought that you could book to go back in the water. As if sorting a holiday, ensuring the country you want to go to is okay for long enough to get there, or dodging quarantine roulette wasn't enough, now car hire inflation is biting.In a sign of the inflationary times, the cost of renting a car has rocketed to about three times the price of last year and it's being blamed on the semiconductor shortage.How can a lack of computer chips drive up costs so substantially at the car hire desk? And what on earth has this got to do with the price of a bag of crisps?On this week's podcast, Georgie Frost, Grace Gausden and Simon Lambert look at holidays and inflation and the points where supply and demand are intersecting to create very odd scenarios, plus Simon expands on his crisp-based inflation explanation.Also on this week's podcast, Grace investigates unpaid Dartford Crossing charges that spiralled into a £3,000 bill and Simon looks at what happens if you want to give your house to your child and whether that's an inheritance tax risk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The triple lock has always been a hot potato but things have stepped up another gear as it could deliver a bumper 8 per cent state pension increase due to a statistical quirk.The state pension pledge means that payouts rise by the greatest of inflation, wage growth or 2.5 per cent.Yet, wage growth numbers are being skewed this year because the Covid crash a year ago saw millions put on furlough on a maximum of 80 per cent of earnings, workers suffer temporary pay cuts, and many lose their jobs.Job cuts disproportionately hit the low paid and continue to do so, taking them out of the figures and bumping up the average wage, workers coming back from furlough are seeing pay go back up to their full amount, and short-term pay cuts have been reversed.All this makes average wage growth look artificially high, despite many public and private sector workers suffering pay freezes or negligible rises.The Office for Budget Responsibility forecast that distortion could lead to an 8 per cent wage growth figure in the month the triple lock reading is taken from, delivering a £14 weekly increase to the state pension and £3billion bill.Is it fair for pensioners to get a bumper increase based on a distortion caused by the pay pain suffered by workers in lockdown? Some say ‘no’, others say ‘stick to the deal’.On this week’s podcast, Tanya Jefferies, Georgie Frost and Simon Lambert look at what is causing the triple lock anomaly and what the Government might do. Will they pay up or fudge it?Also this week, the painful cases of those who cannot afford funerals for loved ones, the return of gazumping to the property market, and finally, the crazy NatWest banking rule that has forced a reader to have their employer’s bank accounts mixed with theirs in online banking. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yet more people caught up in the underpaid state pension scandal have been unearthed by This is Money – and tragically, in the two cases we highlight this week, they weren't alive to see justice.Two bereaved daughters received sums of £42,000 and £71,000 because their mothers were underpaid state pension for more than a decade before dying in their 90s.The payouts are all thanks to the intrepid work of investment and pensions editor Tanya Jefferies and our pensions agony uncle Sir Steve Webb.They join deputy editor Lee Boyce and Georgie Frost to talk about these latest cases, and what it means in terms of inheritance tax and care fees – could you, a family member or friend have been caught up in the scandal?We also talk about pensions in more details – do you know what yours is invested in and what it's worth?It will matter even more than usual if the Chancellor gets his way and taps into our retirement pots and parcel it out to fast-growing businesses, transport projects, real estate and carbon-friendly investments.We also discuss the new green savings bonds from NS&I: how long is the term, what's the rate and just how green are they?There's a chink of light for easy-access accounts and if you leave Georgie and Lee to organise the podcast, they will inevitably add a section in about sport - we talk about this booming trend during Euro 2020. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How big a pension pot do you need to save for a comfortable retirement?Pension and investing editor, Tanya Jefferies, discusses research that puts a figure on what people need to retire on, in this excerpt from the This is Money podcast.Alongside host Georgie Frost, she talks about Which? research into pension savings and how people can build the pot they need.Also, This is Money's assistant personal finance editor Helen Crane looks at whether you should prioritise getting on the property ladder ahead of a pension or pay equal attention to both.And the team look at how younger workers can build the retirement savings they will need. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Home buyers are engaged in a last minute race to beat the stamp duty deadline – with some facing a potential double false economy.House prices have bounced over the past year meaning that the £15,000 maximum saving of a year ago would now come on a property that potentially costs £50,000 more.That has led to claims of a false economy, but it would be doubly so for any buyer who then missed the deadline too and ended up with an extra £12,500 tax bill as they only get the tapered bit of the stamp duty holiday not the whole thing.On this week’s podcast, Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert look at the last minute stamp duty rush and what might happen next to the property market, with Simon outlining that it’s not just a tax cut driving the pandemic boom.At the other end of the property ladder, the team look at how to make sure you don’t end up paying off a mortgage in retirement and what you can do if you are approaching your pension years or in them with a home loan still to clear.It’s likely that those borrowers could face higher rates than the rock bottom mortgage ones now too, but will rising inflation send interest rates up sooner than people think?Meanwhile, what can a new £50 note and what happened to the value of the last one introduced in 1981 tell us about inflation? And why is continental Europe so much happier about taking big notes.And finally, if you wanted to beat inflation you wouldn’t usually buy a nearly new car, but there are some now six-year-old motors out there that have held their value better than others and amazingly some that are worth more now than they were in 2018. We reveal which. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sneaker investing – those in the know don’t call them trainers, apparently – has become a big thing in recent years and as values have risen, so has the volume of fakes.It’s not just knock-offs aping standard sneakers anymore, some of the counterfeiters are dabbling in shoes that could go on to be worth thousands of pounds.Can anything be done, does it matter and what’s the attraction if investing in sneakers anyway?This is Money’s Grace Gausden went behind the curtain with eBay, which has its own crack team of fake sneaker spotters, to find out more and tells podcast listeners all about it here.Alongside, Georgie Frost and Simon Lambert, Grace discusses the tests that can spot a fake and why eBay is cracking down.Meanwhile, Simon looks at the comparisons between sneaker investing and other more established alternatives, such as art, wine and classic cars and, of course, the new kid on the block, crypto.Also, on this week’s show the team discuss the courses for those who haven’t driven in years and the best cars to insure new drivers on.Simon looks at why smart Chancellors can’t help inflating house prices and why the holiday part was the problem with the stamp duty cut.And back on an investing tip, if sneakers are a bit too down to earth for you, how about backing a space investment trust? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Does loyalty pay or is it just a bizarre concept we have allowed businesses to convince us might exist while they take advantage?As banks and building societies hint at better rates for those who have stuck by them and insurers find themselves forced at regulatory gunpoint to at least not sting existing customers, this week’s podcast looks at the loyalty reward and penalty.At what point does the corporate idea of loyalty rewards meet the reality of whether it’s worth sticking with the same provider?Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert discuss loyalty, its rewards and its drawbacks on this week’s podcast.Plus, Britcoin, a new idea for the Bank of Mum and Dad and beach huts… are they a cheap property goldmine? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Another week, another house price index stating record growth.This time it was the turn of Nationwide, which said prices had risen 10.9 per cent in the year to April, reaching a new high of £242,832 - up by £23,930 compared with 12 months earlier.Most experts say this is down to people's changing lifestyles during the pandemic and the incentive provided by the Government's stamp duty holiday. But are there other forces at play?Fred Harrison, a British author and economic commentator, successfully predicted the previous two property crashes years before they occurred - and his 18-year property cycle theory says that house prices should continue to boom before crashing in 2026.His theory is based on analysis of 300 years of data, and suggests that the underlying force behind rising prices in the property market is the finite supply of land.This, he says, combines with greed and speculation to turbo-charge sentiment and send prices spiralling before a bubble bursts.Given that early predictions of a house price crash during the pandemic were wildly inaccurate, does his model provide a better idea of what might really happen?On this week's podcast, Georgie Frost, Tanya Jefferies and Helen Crane also look at the other factors shaping the housing market, including tantalisingly cheap mortgages with two-year fixed rates as low as 0.99 per cent.But aside from these headline-grabbing rates, the typical mortgage has actually become slightly more expensive in the last year - so why are experts saying locking in for five years is still a good idea?One group that isn't so happy about this year's house price increases is first-time buyers - especially those who took out Help to Buy loans a few years ago and are now paying back inflated sums into the Government coffers based on their homes' increased values.Helen discusses whether they should hold off paying back the loans in the face of spiralling interest - and whether today's first-time buyers should still consider using Help to Buy at what is widely tipped to be the top of the market.Do you want an 'essential', comfortable or luxurious retirement? New research explains how much you will need to put away to get the lifestyle you want in your later yearsAway from housing, we talk about the latest research telling us how much we need for a decent retirement - depending on whether we want an 'essential', comfortable or more luxurious time of it in our older years.Tanya explains how much people should be putting away, and how that changes if you are single rather than part of a couple.We also discuss controversial comments made by Paul Johnson from the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), who said most people don't need to worry too much about saving into their pension until they are in their 50s.Is it really wise for younger people to push pensions down their list of financial priorities?Finally, we answer a question from a reader who took £20,000 out of their pension pot to deal with Covid cashflow issues - but is now worried that their tax-free annual allowance has taken a hit. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Another week, another house price index stating record growth.This time it was the turn of Nationwide, which said prices had risen 10.9 per cent in the year to April, reaching a new high of £242,832 - up by £23,930 compared with 12 months earlier.Most experts say this is down to people's changing lifestyles during the pandemic and the incentive provided by the Government's stamp duty holiday. But are there other forces at play?Fred Harrison, a British author and economic commentator, successfully predicted the previous two property crashes years before they occurred - and his 18-year property cycle theory says that house prices should continue to boom before crashing in 2026.His theory is based on analysis of 300 years of data, and suggests that the underlying force behind rising prices in the property market is the finite supply of land.This, he says, combines with greed and speculation to turbo-charge sentiment and send prices spiralling before a bubble bursts.Given that early predictions of a house price crash during the pandemic were wildly inaccurate, does his model provide a better idea of what might really happen?On this week's podcast, Georgie Frost, Tanya Jefferies and Helen Crane also look at the other factors shaping the housing market, including tantalisingly cheap mortgages with two-year fixed rates as low as 0.99 per cent.But aside from these headline-grabbing rates, the typical mortgage has actually become slightly more expensive in the last year - so why are experts saying locking in for five years is still a good idea?One group that isn't so happy about this year's house price increases is first-time buyers - especially those who took out Help to Buy loans a few years ago and are now paying back inflated sums into the Government coffers based on their homes' increased values.Helen discusses whether they should hold off paying back the loans in the face of spiralling interest - and whether today's first-time buyers should still consider using Help to Buy at what is widely tipped to be the top of the market.Do you want an 'essential', comfortable or luxurious retirement? New research explains how much you will need to put away to get the lifestyle you want in your later yearsAway from housing, we talk about the latest research telling us how much we need for a decent retirement - depending on whether we want an 'essential', comfortable or more luxurious time of it in our older years.Tanya explains how much people should be putting away, and how that changes if you are single rather than part of a couple.We also discuss controversial comments made by Paul Johnson from the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), who said most people don't need to worry too much about saving into their pension until they are in their 50s.Is it really wise for younger people to push pensions down their list of financial priorities?Finally, we answer a question from a reader who took £20,000 out of their pension pot to deal with Covid cashflow issues - but is now worried that their tax-free annual allowance has taken a hit. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have Premium Bonds turned you into a savings winner, or are you one of the losers who have been missing out on prizes for years?On this week’s podcast we dive into Britain’s beloved savings lottery, looking at who holds the most Premium Bonds, who wins and who doesn’t.NS&I revealed exclusively to This is Money this week that an astonishing 43 per cent of bonds are held by just 4.3 per cent of savers – that’s £56billion out of the £107billion total.Or to put it another way every £2 out of £5 saved belongs to less than 1million savers out of a total 21.4million.That may go some way to explaining why close to three-quarters of Premium Bonds savers haven’t won a prize in 14 years.Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert dig into the statistics, deliver a theory on how much you might need to hold to bag at least one prize a year, and look at whether Premium Bonds are worth having.They are certainly popular and that’s why Nationwide has launched a savings lottery – is that worth signing up to as well?In crypto corner this week, we discuss the crash, the rebound and the slump again, along with banned adverts and Chinese crackdowns: is this the end of the recent hot phase or just another average week for bitcoin to take in its stride?Also, on the show, paying bills with commemorative coins – and what legal tender really means, why self-storage is the latest thing in short supply and who is investing’s Czech Sphinx? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The UK’s official inflation figure more than doubled to 1.5 per cent in April, it emerged this week, as the stronger than expected recovery continued to push up the cost of living.Meanwhile, as we discussed on last week’s podcast, a wave of demand is meeting a shortage of supply for some items, sparking fears of an inflationary spike.But while this is bad news for the pound in your pocket – which will buy less – and for savers, who will see their measly interest rates fail to keep up with how inflation erodes their cash, wasn’t the whole point of all that money printing and rate cutting to get a stronger recovery and inflation back towards the 2 per cent target?On this week's podcast, Georgie Frost, George Nixon and Simon Lambert look at why inflation has become a hot topic, how it will affect savers and investors, and what it could mean for the game we all thought we could stop playing for some time: when will interest rates rise? George runs through the impact for savers, who now can't find an account that beats inflation, but he explains a trick to get a better rate through laddering.And Simon discusses what inflation could mean for investors and why the jam-tomorrow growth stocks that have delivered over the past decade may not be the ones to hold for the next ten years.Or will they? We also discuss moonshot investing and how backing disruptive companies that if they get it right, can absolutely take off and compound spectacular gains, has paid off for investors such as Scottish Mortgage.Simon highlights the academic research showing why most stocks don't make money and the most successfully often fall by 40 per cent, as Scottish Mortgage's James Anderson highlighted in his recent fund manager's note.But is this attitude the same as that of the bitcoin true believers, who have been having their faith tested again this week? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Holidays abroad are back on… or are they? The much-heralded green list proved to be something of a damp squib, with the only popular British holiday destination on there being Portugal.There was no place for Greece, France, Spain, Italy, the US, or other regular stars in the list of Britons’ favourite travel spots.Some rushed to book trips to Portugal, but travel giant Tui reported this week that holidaymakers are cancelling and delaying bookings and rival On The Beach scrapped all its summer holiday departures before the end of August.Concerns over Covid variants and worries about countries being rapidly pulled from the green list for travel are likely to prevent many from booking, but there is still a big desire from many vaccinated Britons to enjoy one their beloved trips abroad. So, will there be a surge of bookings, a last minute wait and see game, or a race to grab the few remaining staycation places during the summer holidays?On this week’s podcast, Georgie Frost, Simon Lambert and Grace Gausden look at the state of play for the travel industry and holidaymakers – and how to protect your hard-earned cash if you do book.Highlighting the need to do just that, Grace explains why Teletext Holidays is under fire for still not refunding some customers for last year’s cancelled trips.Also on this week’s show, Simon runs through his anecdotal inflation theory and why trying to buy bikes or garden furniture, find a builder, or fill up a car tells a very different story to the official 1 per cent inflation rate. He also explains why worries over higher inflation are causing markets to throw a wobbly.And finally, we all know about how the Bank of Mum and Dad has to fund many of their children when it comes to buying a home, but what if you need to help your parents buy a property? A reader asked if there is a potential tax trap – the team explain the answer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week saw the launch of new book - Never Go Broke: How To Make Money Out Of Just About Anything, co-written by This is Money personal finance editor Lee Boyce.In this podcast special, Lee is joined from Los Angeles by his co-author, Storage Hunters TV star Jesse McClure, to explain all to Georgie Frost and Simon Lambert.Jesse and lee discuss how they met, how the book was created, and their three step approach to putting more money in your pocket with a little bit of entrepreneurial endeavour and reselling.The book is broken down into three parts: how to build up a cash pot, learning the resale blueprint and investing the pot for resale profits.Step one is all about properly selling items in your home, making cash legitimately – and safely – online, and even making money from stuff you might think is trash. This is good both for your wallet and the environment.Step two sees Jesse outline some of the tips and tricks he uses everyday as a professional buyer and seller, while step three is all about hunting down spots to buy items to make even bigger profits – from car boots, to charity shops.While it won't make you a millionaire overnight, the pair believe it can be a great hobby, a way to stay afloat, or to set the foundations to becoming a professional at it.The authors also share some of Jesse's big wins and tips for getting started straightaway. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are you itching to spend or planning to save? Lockdown savers are forecast by the Office of Budget Responsibility to have stashed away £180billion by the middle of this year. That collective cash pile has been built up by those who have been fortunate enough not to see their finances hit by the pandemic, but have seen their outgoings drop substantially. We’ve already seen some big spending themes come out of this, as people splash out on everything from home improvements, to luxury garden furniture, expensive pizza ovens and hot tubs. The expectation is that as lockdown eases and people are released into the hoped for freedom that vaccines bring, they will go on a spending spree. But will that definitely happen and will the economic rebound be strong enough to create a virtuous circle that delivers the much-talked about Roaring Twenties? Or will people be more cautious and adopt their newfound savings habit more permanently? On this week’s podcast, Georgie Frost, Helen Crane and Simon Lambert, dig into the save vs spend debate and look at how the giant behavioural and psychological experiment that lockdown represents might play out for the economy and people’s personal finances. Also on this week’s show, the team look at both investing in the big themes of the coming decades and buying a holiday let for profit. And finally, if a fence comes down how do you find out who has to pay for it and is there any truth in the old ‘yours is the one on the left’ rule? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Life is tough for first-time buyers. House prices were already expensive before the coronavirus lockdowns and defying all logic a mini-boom has sent the average house price up £20,000 further over the past year.At the same time mortgage lenders have indulged in a flight to safety, canning the vast majority of 95 per cent loan-to-value mortgages and bumping up the gap between rates on 90 per cent mortgages and those for borrowers with more equity.Once more into the breach has stepped the Government, with taxpayer aid for banks and building societies to offer more 5 per cent deposit mortgages.But is this a wise move? Should we stop meddling in the mortgage and property market, as short-term assistance ends up meaning long-term pain as more credit is extended and house prices climb ever higher?And could it be that while the 95 per cent mortgage push is the wrong move at the national economic level, on a personal level taking one might prove a good move for some, who could end up paying less than they do in rent.On this week's podcast, Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert discuss the 95 per cent mortgages, the rise in house prices and whether buy-to-let is still a good investment.Also this week, the lowdown on the Barclaycard customer service meltdown as long-standing customers see their credit limits slashed.And finally, you want a shed-office (aka a shoffice) to work in down the bottom of the garden, but can you power it with solar panels? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Was the blockbuster Coinbase stock market listing a coming of age for bitcoin and cryptocurrency or a top of the bubble moment?The world’s leading crypto exchange platform listed on the US stock market this week and at one point hit a hefty $100billion valuation, before slipping back to $60billion.That’s still a very big number, especially for a business that made $322million last year.But Coinbase is profitable, its earnings are growing rapidly, it can cash in whether bitcoin and crypto prices rise or fall, and the cryptocurrency genie is well and truly out of the bottle.So, could it prove to be a Facebook or Google of the crypto world? On this week’s podcast, Georgie Frost, Tanya Jefferies and Simon Lambert look at the Coinbase float and what it means for the crypto and investing world.They also discuss the Spac frenzy, how it’s leading to lucky dip investing for some but also more companies coming to market, and whether once you know what’s in a Spac it could ever be worth investing.Also, on this week’s podcast, the team look at low risk investments that could be an alternative to a paltry 1 per cent five-year fixed rate cash Isa and Tanya updates on the women underpaid state pensions.And finally, Barclaycard has slashed customers’ credit limits and left many of them baffled and annoyed, so what on earth is going on? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Monday, we take a step towards normality – you can get your hair cut, have a beer outside at the pub and visit a clothes shop.But what about the future of the office? Will we ever go back full-time, or is a hybrid model more likely – and if you're tempted by a shed office, what should you look out for?On this week's podcast, Lee Boyce and Georgie Frost discuss the future of work and the pros and cons of WFH life, including the 'shoffice.'Elsewhere, should you claim home working tax relief and how much could you get for doing so? And what can you do if you want to change career, whether that is a huge leap or a 'bridging' one.Plus, are workers heading for a horrible shock when it comes to retirement and what can be done to navigate it? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Financial scams are on the rise. The coronavirus lockdowns have seen a fresh burst of investment cons with fraudsters impersonating legitimate companies to steal tens of thousands of pounds.Unwitting savers are being lured into fake savings and investments, such as fixed term bonds or share schemes, and transferring large sums to fall victim to clone fraud.What’s behind this burst of crime and how can people protect themselves?On this week’s podcast, Georgie Frost and Simon Lambert discuss the rising tide of fraud, how to stay safe and what more can be done to combat it.Also, on the show, the pair look into the cases of the mortgage prisoners, trapped paying high rates ever since the financial crisis while others have seen their monthly payments slashed.The Deliveroo float is also on the agenda – why did the shares slump as it hit the stock market?And finally, campervans are in hot demand, making this a good time for VW to be launching its new mini Caddy California: with sleeping space for two and an optional tent that turns into a home on wheels for all the family. Would you want one? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The headlines are telling you the property market is running hot, that the stamp duty holiday extension is stoking the fires, and buyers are ignoring the economic slump to pile in.There’s just one problem: your home is on the market and you aren’t even getting any offers. Perhaps you are in a property coldspot.As property watchers will tell you, the house price index-driven view of a national housing market is something of an illusion. In reality, there are lots of different local property markets and they don’t all blow hot and cold at the same time.At the moment, while some areas are running hot, others are cold – and it’s not as simple as city vs village, or urban vs rural. Even within London, there are some areas with high demand and others just a few miles away where it is tough to sell.On this week’s podcast, Georgie Frost, Adrian Lowery and Simon Lambert look at how to take the temperature of your local property market and how that can help you buy or sell.They discuss what next for house prices – and whether they can possible keep rising at such a robust pace from here, or if we could see more stability and an end to Britain’s casino property market.Also on this week’s show: how to invest in companies that will help improve the environment, the FCA’s warning on thrill-seeking young investors and the best Isa investments of all time.And finally, the electric car grant has been cut and will be axed for all cars costing more than £35,000. Is this foolish as we try to wean the nation off petrol and diesel, or a wise move to stop subsidising those already wealthy enough to buy an expensive brand new motor? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What’s the point in an Isa? This is a regular grumble as savings rates are now so low that earning 1 per cent would be a big deal.But wouldn’t you rather have all of a small amount instead of a small amount minus tax?And if you are investing, an Isa makes a lot of sense – embracing your gains and dividends in a nice tax-free wrapper.On this week’s podcast, Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert talk Isas: from the classics, cash and stocks and shares, to the upstarts the lifetime and junior strands.The team discuss why an Isa is worth having, even a cash one when the personal savings allowance exists and rates are rubbish.And Simon gives his quick guide to investing easily in an Isa, with a whistle-stop tour through the ‘why, how and what’ that could help you grow your wealth long-term.The team also discuss whether a lifetime Isa is worth having and whether a junior Isa or a slice of your own is the best place to save for children.And finally, if you’d like to both turn a profit and make your money do some good, what about ethical investing?Is the ESG label (environmental, social and governance) just a marketing ruse and how ethical are these funds? We run through the spectrum of investments that try to be ethical and give some ideas on what might fit the bill Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is the economy primed to bounce back?That might sound like a strange question when you’ve just had the news that UK GDP fell by 2.9 per cent in one month, but January’s lockdown slump was nowhere near as deep as expected.It seems that despite a tough lockdown being imposed, shops and big chunks of the economy being shut and schools being closed, the UK has adapted to restrictions better than thought when it comes to doing business.On this week’s podcast, Georgie Frost, Jayna Rana and Simon Lambert discuss the prospects for recovery and also the businesses that have pivoted and started-up over the lockdown year.While economies have suffered, stock markets have rebounded strongly – and in the case of the US and its growth star stocks, repeatedly surpassed previous record highs. That’s been good news for UK investors backing the growth story, particularly the legions of savers with money in the giant Scottish Mortgage investment trust.But a growth stock wobble in the US has sent Scottish Mortgage sliding – with the trust down 27 per cent at one point on its January peak – followed by a rapid bounce back to erase some of those losses.Should investors be worried or is it a buying opportunity – and what is the one key investing lesson that Simon says this highlights?Also on this week’s show, the mortgage that lets you fix for life – bringing potentially a 40-year fixed rate until 2061.And finally, would you buy your local pub to rescue it from the threat of closure? If the answer’s ‘yes’ then there’s some good news: Rishi Sunak wants to help you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Budget this week was notable for two things: Firstly, The Chancellor decided to delay settling the coronavirus bill to another day and, secondly, the true scale of the women's underpaid state pension scandal was laid bare at £3billion.The collossal short-changing of married women on their state pensions was uncovered by This is Money columnist Steve Webb and journalist Tanya Jefferies just over a year ago.Their investigations, campaigning and tenacity has paid off and now women affected should get what they are owed - to the tune of an astonishing £3billion, according to Budget documents.Tanya joins Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert to explain the issue on this week's podcast, as the team also trawl through the Budget to explain what it means for people.One day Britain might have to try to balance the books and pay the bill for the coronavirus rescue, but that day didn't arrive with the Budget.The Chancellor Rishi Sunak openly indulged in some stealth taxation by freezing personal allowances and income tax thresholds in the future and said corporation tax would rise, but kept the cash flowing to aid economic recovery.Furlough was extended, there will be an encore at the stamp duty holiday party, the business investment of Eat Out to Help Out was launched, and a new 5% deposit mortgage scheme has been launched (without being called Help-to-anything, so that's something at least).The self-employed also got some more help, with new entrepreneurs getting assistance, but bizarrely those who previously earned more than £50,000 as sole traders and paid lots of tax are still left out in the cold.The tax burden is set to rise but this was no austerity Budget and Britain's debt and deficit are scarily big.So will Rishi's third Budget in a year be what Britain's economy needs to achieve escape velocity as lockdown eases (and hopefully never comes back)? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rumours are swirling ahead of the Budget that Rishi Sunak will extend the stamp duty holiday by three months?The idea is that this would help stop the collapse of chain after chain as buyers pull out, renegotiate or have to find more money if they miss the deadline.The excuse being given is that conveyancing delays are holding up sales.But wouldn't a three-month delay just kick the can down the road by another 12 weeks and lead to another cohort of buyers potentially affected?Would it be better to just make the stamp duty holiday a permanent vacation? Cut the tax properly, with no time limit, accepting that high stamp duty tax is a barrier to people moving?On this week's podcast, Georgie Frost, Grace Gausden and Simon Lambert discuss the stamp duty break, whether it was a good idea and whether it should be extended or the tax cut altogether.Also this week, Grace fills us in on the latest Grace on the Case and Simon puts forward his idea for improving Isas.And finally, you might be bold enough to book an overseas holiday but would you be brave enough to start a travel company now? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since the stamp duty holiday came in last summer, there has been a property market mini-boom despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.Is it losing puff yet and if not, when is it going to run out of steam and will we see the tax holiday extended?The typical home added £20,000 of value in 2020 according to the Office for National Statistics, while prices of detached homes are growing far quicker than other housing stock.On this week’s podcast, Simon Lambert, Lee Boyce and Georgie Frost take a look at the latest property market data to dissect what it means.On 3 March, we will have a Budget. Will it give an indication as to how we could foot the huge bill linked to the pandemic? Will there be tax rises? And are there simple ways to protect your wealth?How many shares should you hold to diversify and is fund manager Neil Woodford really about to stage a comeback.Meanwhile, Lee gives a free wine course from Aldi a go as part of his consumer trends column – does he have what it takes to become a Master of Wine? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The double dip recession is off. The GDP figures are in for the final three months of 2020 and the UK economy grew by 1%, according to the ONS, despite widespread expectations that it would shrink again.This means that even if the latest – and hopefully last – lockdown shrinks the economy in the first quarter of 2021 then we will avoid the dreaded double-dip – as you need two consecutive quarters of negative growth (forgive the economics speak) for a recession.Of course, we don’t know when this lockdown will end or how heavy an impact it will have on the economy, so what happens in the first half of 2021 is up in the air.But why didn’t GDP fall in the final stretch of last year, is there any way we could we claw our way to growth in the first chunk of this year, and how bad was the coronavirus year of 2020 for the UK?On this week’s podcast, Georgie Frost, George Nixon and Simon Lambert dive into the GDP numbers to take a look at what this all means.Also on the show, are we finally going to see an end to the scam refund lottery from banks for those conned into sending money to fraudsters, George explains what people need to know about that and also the issue of disabled children child trust funds.Plus, why has Tesla bought bitcoin, what does it mean and what on earth is Elon Musk playing at with his crypto tweets at the moment.And finally, should you head for Oxbury Bank – the farmer-focussed lender with a new top savings rate? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mistakes. We all make them, but whether we will admit them freely often depends on what they are and how we made them.Investing mistakes can be among those that are tough to swallow and own up to. Often the easiest thing is to brush them under the carpet and try not to think about it too much.But looking at where we went wrong and learning from it is an important part of long-term investing.On this week’s podcast Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert discuss investing blunders. Simon confesses some of his and what he thinks he’s learnt from them over the years, the team look at new research on why people give up investing and how big a part loss aversion plays in that.And This is Money invites listeners to get in touch and reveal their investing slip-ups to feature in a future show (no names need to be mentioned, of course).Also on this week’s show, is the Bank of England flirting with negative rates or just indulging in Maradona monetary policy?And what on earth is an estate rent charge on a prospective new home and should it put you off? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

‘It’ll end in tears.’ How many times did you hear your parents sound that warning - and how often did you actually pay attention?The army of traders playing with fire in the GameStop stock market frenzy this week have had their warning from a plenty of those who supposedly know best.But it’s fun, they feel a common sense of purpose, they’re giving the big boys a bloody nose, and for now they’re winning. And so the game continues?But should it have been allowed to get this far? Should the trading platforms have tried to nip this in the bud, should watchdogs have stepped in, or in a free market should we just let people get on with stuff – even if it’s punting call options on ramped up shares?On this week’s podcast, Georgie Frost, Helen Crane and Simon Lambert discuss the Reddit-led rebellion, where small traders got together on the Wallstreetbets thread to take GameStop from a beaten-down and heavily-shorted stock to a cause celebre.The bedroom traders piling in realised that by combining forces they could make the share price rise and beat the hedge funds at their own game, putting them in a short squeeze.But is this really a rallying point for a financially disenfranchised generation still angry at the financial crisis and its after effects, or a get-rich-quick bandwagon that’s being jumped?Will those who hold the line win out, or as with any bubble will it be the little guys and girls who lose big?Also on this week’s show, the team discuss the property tech tricks that can help you get a hedgie-style edge when buying a home (or at least convince you that you know a little more than the next person) and whether a five-year fixed rate mortgage is a no-brainer.The latest Grace on the Case investigation that won £13,500 for a widow given the runaround by VW Financial Services over her late husband’s car is explained.And finally, just in case we are ever allowed to fly anywhere ever again, is it worth taking Nectar’s new Avios deal. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In case you hadn’t noticed, bitcoin went on bit of a tear recently. And as the price of the leading cryptocurrency soared again, so did the number of stories written about it.Bitcoin is an interesting tale, a welcome diversion in a Covid-bound world, and the circus around cryptocurrency is the gift that keeps on giving for journalists.But the vast majority of those column inches focus on two things: bitcoin’s price and should you invest?A question that’s not so much asked is what should you do if you’ve reaped handsome profits on bitcoin or another cryptocurrency? Should you cash in those gains or – to combine a couple of crypto phrases - hodl on the basis that it really could go to the moon? (Where that moon is and when it’s been reached is as yet undefined.)On this week’s podcast, we dive into the story of a This is Money reader and listener who told us about what it’s really been like to hold bitcoin long-term and how although he’s not quite got Lamborghini money, he did buy a Skoda and pay off some of his mortgage.Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert also look at the rival cryptocurrencies to bitcoin and Argo Blockchain, the small UK listed company that’s come from nowhere to place among investors top recent share buys.On a more pedestrian note, the team also discuss inflation-beating savings accounts and where they can be found – spoiler alert, don’t get too excited – and property guardians: would you live in an empty building for cheap rent?And finally, there are some new concocted financial terms doing the rounds – how many can Simon and Lee guess correctly? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

More than five years since pension freedom arrived a solution to take the pain out of investing in retirement is being lined up.Before pension freedom many savers were locked into buying an annuity with their personal pensions or defined contribution work schemes – and a lot of them felt they were getting a raw deal.That’s meant that keeping a pension invested and drawing on it as you choose in retirement has proved a very popular option. It is also a very tricky one to navigate – but now some simple help is at hand, so will it crack the conundrum of pension freedom without the pain?Tumbling annuity rates, an industry that failed to make sure people shopped around and the gamble on life expectancy that meant if you died early then you and your family would lose out, made annuities hugely unpopular.So, Chancellor George Osborne came up with a big bang approach that meant nobody had to if they didn’t want to anymore. The problem is that many people had simply opted for a ‘pay money into my pension while working and not think about it’ approach and so had no real idea how to invest for retirement.Now the industry has come up with a solution that involves savers being offered four ready-made investment deals when they first dip into their pension pots, if they do so without financial advice.On this week’s podcast George Frost, Tanya Jefferies and Simon Lambert, discuss whether this is the answer that savers need.They also look at the tsunami of pension and investment scams, what people can do to protect themselves and ask whether it’s the FCA or Google and the social media companies that should be doing more to crack down on it.Simon outlines his theory on why just as we are about to be able to get out and enjoy ourselves again, some big ticket inflation might hit.And the team look at another Santander 123 account rate cut – is it time for customers to finally give up, or is it a deal still worth having? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Happy new year, happy new lockdown.2021 has seen off 2020, but schools and large chunks of the economy have shut down again and people have been ordered to stay at home, as across the UK the nations adopt their own version of lockdown. It’s probably been the gloomiest start to a year for as long as many can remember and a tough winter for people, businesses and the economy lies ahead.So what happened? The UK stock market jumped, of course. Contrary as this may seem, there is some logic to investors buying into the hope that better times lie ahead.We have Covid-19 vaccines being rolled out that will hopefully make this national lockdown the last people have to endure – and we also have a Brexit deal.On this week’s podcast, Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert look at what the fresh lockdown means for the economy and why investors are choosing to look straight through it and develop a new appetite for buying British.Are UK shares undervalued and a great opportunity for 2021 and beyond – and will a strong consumer rebound once the economy is reopened prove the catalyst the FTSE needs?The team also discuss the potential implications of the Brexit deal for people’s finances and businesses.Meanwhile, the FTSE 100’s gains may have been substantial for a week on the stock market, but they are nothing compared to bitcoin’s continuing rise. The cryptocurrency cracked $40,000 this week: what’s going on, are people making real money out of this, and is there any idea what could happen next?Also, on this week’s podcast, the team talk moving home and getting your property looking attractive for a sale and with everyone stuck at home again, how to improve your wifi. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Making predictions can be a mug’s game and never has that proved more true than for any made at the start of 2020.It’s been an astonishing year, when the lives and freedoms we took for granted were dramatically disrupted – and one where ordering people to stay at home triggered the biggest economic crash in the UK since the Great Frost of 1709.While looking forward to what might happen in 2020 will have proved fruitless, looking back certainly provides a few things to talk about.On this week’s podcast, Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert look back over 2020 and by popular podcast listener demand combine it with the return of a socially-distanced Zoom Christmas taste test.The team look at the low points, the high points and the bits in the middle of the year that has passed so far – and probably still has more to give.From the economic nosedive, to the flirtation with negative rates and the stock market and housing market’s surprising buoyancy, they pick through the main issues.And they look for the stories that provided some light relief, including Britain’s unlikely pandemic spending spree and hot tub boom. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.