Informed Choice Radio Personal Finance Podcast

My guest on the podcast today is Jo Thresher, author of What’s Your Excuse for Not Being Better With Money?. Jo is an award-winning financial services professional with almost 30 years’ experience, a trained money coach with a true understanding of the difference between what people want and what typical financial services businesses tell people. Jo’s system of challenges and workshops are tried and tested to gently push people forward to being in a better financial place without being boring or selling anybody anything. Her business is Better with Money, which was established to reduce financial misery and confusion in the UK. They aim to bring money matters to life in an accessible and interesting way, delivered in the workplace to employees helping them think clearly about money so they are less stressed. Better with Money help employees plan earlier for life’s ups and downs and the knowledge and tools gained from the workshops can reduce financial unhappiness, increasing people’s engagement with life, their career and workplace benefits. In today’s episode of Informed Choice Radio, I speak to Jo about the benefits of financial education, whether learning about personal finances can be fun, how improved financial education can reduce workplace stress, and much more. Welcome to Better With Money with Jo Thresher, in episode 187 of Informed Choice Radio. Some questions I ask: -What prompted you to start your new venture, Better With Money? -What are some of the benefits of financial education in the workplace? -Do you think learning about personal finance can be fun too? Should it be fun, or should it be a really serious subject? -How can employers help to protect their employee's health from this impact of financial stress? -Your new book is called What's Your Excuse For Not Being Better With Money? Can you tell us some of the reasons? -Why did you write the book? What was the motivation behind it? Useful links mentioned in this episode: Better With Money What's Your Excuse for Not Being Better With Money? Jo on Twitter Thank you for listening! To get new episodes of Informed Choice Radio sent directly to your device as soon as they are published, you can subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher Your reviews on iTunes are incredibly helpful and really appreciated. We get notified about each one; please leave a note of your name and website URL so we can mention you in a future episode.

My guest on the podcast today is Malene Rydahl, author of the international bestseller, Happy as a Dane. For decades Denmark has ranked at the top of the world’s happiness surveys. How is it that these 5.6 million Danes are so content when they live in a country that is dark and cold nine months of the year and where income taxes are at almost 60 percent? In Happy as a Dane: 10 Secrets of the Happiest People in the World, Malene shares anecdotes and research, and explores how the values of trust, education, and a healthy work-life balance with purpose – to name just a few – contribute to a “happy” population. The book became a best-seller and was awarded the prize of the most optimistic book in 2014. It has been published in Japan, Korea,Taiwan and Russia, and will come out later this year in Spain, Germany and United States. In this episode of Informed Choice Radio, I speak to Malene about the factors that make the Danish lifestyle unique, their approach to work/life balance, how the Laws of Junte underline behaviour towards others, how gender equality contributes towards happiness, why so many Danish citizens are taking ant-depressants, how we can find a sense of purpose in life, and much more. Welcome to Happy as a Dane with Malene Rydahl, in episode 186 of Informed Choice Radio. Some questions I ask: -What factors make the Danish lifestyle unique? -What’s the Danish approach to work/life balance like and how does this contribute to happiness? -Can you tell us about The Laws of Junte in Nordic countries and how these laws underline behaviour towards individuals? -To what extent do you think the Danish model of gender equality contribute to their happiness? -As well as scoring highly on measure of happiness, Danish citizens are reported to be the highest consumers of anti-depressants in the world. How do the two things tally? Useful links mentioned in this episode: Happy as a Dane: 10 Secrets of the Happiest People in the World Malene’s TEDx talk Malene on Twitter Thank you for listening! To get new episodes of Informed Choice Radio sent directly to your device as soon as they are published, you can subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher Your reviews on iTunes are incredibly helpful and really appreciated. We get notified about each one; please leave a note of your name and website URL so we can mention you in a future episode.  

In this episode of the podcast, I take a look at everything you need to know about the final Spring Budget which took place on Wednesday lunchtime. I talk about the current state of the economy, changes to personal taxation for shareholders and the self-employed, and what the Budget means for pensions. Subscribe in iTunes | Click to listen now | Right click to download episode Personal finance news update -Unclaimed cash lying dormant in investment accounts could provide a £2bn windfall for charities and community causes. -Women in some ethnic groups have narrowed the gender pay gap and overtaken the earnings power of men. -The estate agents Foxtons has reported a 23% fall in revenue from its property sales during 2016. -New research has found 40% of people over 40 have no idea of the cost of a basic lifestyle in retirement. -The squeeze on family and public finances will continue until well into the 2020s, according to a prominent think tank. Subscribe in iTunes | Click to listen now | Right click to download episode Get answers to your personal finance questions Do you have a personal finance or investing question for Martin? Email martin@icfp.co.uk or ask on Twitter @martinbamford. You can call our dedicated podcast voicemail line on 020 8144 2745 with your question or visit www.icradio.co.uk/voicemail to leave an online voice message. Subscribe in iTunes | Click to listen now | Right click to download episode Aftershow links Surrey Digital Awards Hit Makers: How Things Become Popular by Derek Thompson

My guest on the podcast today is Diana Chambers. Known as The Family Wealth Mentor, Diana is committed to helping her clients manage their wealth in emotionally intelligent ways. She has always been a trailblazer. Not only was she the first woman hired into management as a member of the strategic planning team at Redland PLC, a major British company, but also she subsequently became the fundraiser for an educational project in Bosnia during the war, and then the team director launching schools of servant leadership in the United States. In these settings and others, Diana reflected on the impact of money on her life and she is now a trusted confidant to others as they address the challenges and opportunities they and their families face when owning, spending, and allocating their wealth wisely. Her new book is True Wealth: Letters on Money, Life, and Love. In True Wealth, Diana gets to the heart of how we feel about money and shows us how to be truly wealthy. If you’ve dated someone who has more or less wealth than you do, tried to talk with your children or parents about sensitive financial topics, struggled to define your unique identity in the context of your family, sought to discern how best to share your wealth with others, or wondered about your impact and legacy, then True Wealth is for you. In this episode of Informed Choice Radio, I speak to Diana about how she became known as the family wealth mentor, the best ways to clarify what you want from your wealth and your intent in life, whether we have similar concerns about money regardless of our levels of wealth, giving children from wealthy families the best possible start in life, and much more. Welcome to The Family Wealth Mentor with Diana Chambers, in episode 184 of Informed Choice Radio. Some questions I ask: -How have you become known as the family wealth mentor? -What's the best way to clarify what you want from your wealth? -Do people face similar challenges, regardless of their wealth levels? -To what extent do our emotional behaviours play a role in the decisions we make with our money? -What was the motivation behind your new book, True Wealth? Useful links mentioned in this episode: -Diana Chambers website -True Wealth: Letters on Money, Life, and Love Thank you for listening! To get new episodes of Informed Choice Radio sent directly to your device as soon as they are published, you can subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher Your reviews on iTunes are incredibly helpful and really appreciated. We get notified about each one; please leave a note of your name and website URL so we can mention you in a future episode.

My guest on the podcast today holds something of a unique position in the world of pensions. He’s been a facilitator, networker, marketer, project manager and campaigner. He’s been quoted as saying:  “To get a pearl you need a bit of grit,” “I see myself as the bit of grit around which the pearl is created. I seem to have the ability to be the catalyst that helps others to do what they can do.” Andy Agathangelou is Founding Chairman of the Transparency Task Force. As you’ll hear in this episode, Andy has been involved in a number of collaborative communities, starting with the Association of Member Nominated Trustees, and more recently the Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals. He created and led the Friends of Automatic Enrollment Group, which had 1,400 members across the UK. Now he’s started the Transparency Task Force and is leading a mission to improve levels of transparency across pension schemes. In this episode of Informed Choice Radio, I speak to Andy about the purpose behind the Transparency Task Force, why now is such a relevant time for this transparency push, the hidden charges being paid by pension scheme members, whether investors are the only losers from a lack of transparency, how the UK compares to other countries, and much more. Welcome to Transparency task Force with Andy Agathangelou, in episode 183 of Informed Choice Radio. Some questions I ask: -Why was Transparency Task Force originally formed? -What makes now such a relevant time for this transparency push? -Can you describe some of the hidden charges paid by pension scheme members? -Are pension scheme members the only losers from opaque and high charges? -How does the UK fare on matters of transparency compared to other countries? -Will the sector clean up its act following recent regulatory scrutiny? -What steps should pension providers be taking? Useful links mentioned in this episode: –Transparency Task Force Thank you for listening! To get new episodes of Informed Choice Radio sent directly to your device as soon as they are published, you can subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher Your reviews on iTunes are incredibly helpful and really appreciated. We get notified about each one; please leave a note of your name and website URL so we can mention you in a future episode.

In this episode of the podcast, I take a look at Warren Buffett's latest annual letter to shareholders and some of the lessons we can learn from it as investors. Warren Buffett is a legend in the world of investing. The 86 year old is widely considered to be one of the most successful investors in the world. He's also the second wealthiest person in the US, with a net worth of close to $80bn. As head of Berkshire Hathaway, Buffett writes a letter to shareholders each year. These letters are designed to report on the performance of the company and he also uses them as an opportunity to share some investment or business wisdom with his investors and fans. In his latest letter, he shares some wisdom about using low-cost index tracker funds, reminds us not to bet against America, considering value when paying for investment advice, and keeping our heads during investment market corrections. Personal finance news update -House prices in the UK rose faster in February, according to the latest survey from Nationwide. -The state pension age could rise to a level above the typical life expectancy of men in the poorest areas of the UK. -Car insurance premiums are due to soar by as much as £75 a year, due a new government ruling. -New research from insurer Royal London has found that those who plan a ‘flexible’ retirement - reducing their working hours in later life and topping up with pension income - could have to work on into their late seventies or beyond to achieve a decent standard of living in retirement. --More than half a million Brits holding at least one kind of interest-bearing debt are paying more than they need to by not moving to a better deal, according to new research by TSB. Get answers to your personal finance questions Do you have a personal finance or investing question for Martin? Email martin@icfp.co.uk or ask on Twitter @martinbamford. You can call our dedicated podcast voicemail line on 020 8144 2745 with your question or visit www.icradio.co.uk/voicemail to leave an online voice message. Aftershow links -Cranleigh Literary Festival, sponsored by Informed Choice -Investment Management Certificate -Stealing Fire by Steven Kotler and Jamie Wheal

How much do you spend each week on food? If you’re anything like me, you probably aren’t as frugal in the supermarket as you could be. When I’m food shopping, I’ve got one eye on the price label, but rarely go hunting for those yellow sticker bargains. Kelly Eroglu is founder of the website Reduced Grub. Her moto is ‘eat like a King for pennies’ and her blog is the home of sharing recipes, information and bargain alerts. In this episode of Informed Choice Radio, I speak to Kelly about finding food bargains in the supermarket, the community that is growing up around reduced grub, how much a family can save each week by shopping for these special offers, the best supermarkets for finding reduced grub, and much more. Welcome to Reduced Grub with Kelly Eroglu, in episode 181 of Informed Choice Radio. Some questions I ask: -What inspired you to start Reduced Grub? -Who does shopping for food bargains tend to appeal to? -How much can someone typically save from their shopping bill? -Do all supermarkets reduce down to the same price levels? -Is there a particularly good time of the day to go hunting for food bargains? -What's the cheapest meal you've cooked using reduced grub? -What difference does shopping for reduced grub make to a family's diet, in terms of quality and health? -Is safety and hygiene a consideration when buying reduced grub? Useful links mentioned in this episode: -Reduced Grub website -Reduced Grub on Pinterest -Kelly on Twitter Thank you for listening! To get new episodes of Informed Choice Radio sent directly to your device as soon as they are published, you can subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher Your reviews on iTunes are incredibly helpful and really appreciated. We get notified about each one; please leave a note of your name and website URL so we can mention you in a future episode.

My guest on the podcast today is Vicky Eves, founder of the blog I Beat Debt. Vicky is in her early 30s and lives in Surrey. As she will explain during our conversation, Vicky found herself in debt following the death of her father. She quickly took control of the situation and now shares her story with other people who want to get out of debt. In today’s episode of Informed Choice Radio, I speak to Vicky about her story of getting into and back out of debt, typical reactions to getting into debt, how to make the biggest impact on your debts, how winning a game show resulted in the repayment of half of her debt in one day, and much more. You can find the show notes, full transcript and useful links for this episode at icradio.co.uk.  If you enjoy listening, please let me know on Twitter @martinbamford. Please also say thank you to Vicky on Twitter @ibeatdebt. I would also massively appreciate your review of this podcast on iTunes. Visit icradio.co.uk/itunes to leave us a review and we will read it out in a future episode. Without further ado, welcome to I Beat Debt with Vicky Eves, in episode 180 of Informed Choice Radio.   Some questions I ask: -Can you share with us your story of getting into debt? -Did the journey into debt happen quickly? -What's the typical reaction to getting into debt? -Is there a difference between functional and problem debt? -Where did you go for help? -What made the biggest impact - saving money or earning more? -You took a fairly unconventional approach to repaying half of your debt - can you tell us that story? -How do you make the serious subject of debt more accessible? Useful links mentioned in this episode: -I Beat Debt -Quiz, and the debt was (half) gone: Clearing debt and quiz show tips all in one, by Vicky Eves -Vicky on Twitter Thank you for listening! To get new episodes of Informed Choice Radio sent directly to your device as soon as they are published, you can subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher Your reviews on iTunes are incredibly helpful and really appreciated. We get notified about each one; please leave a note of your name and website URL so we can mention you in a future episode.  

Investing should be a long-term activity. And when I say long-term, I mean 20, 30 or 40 years. Really, truly, long-term. Getting the asset allocation right, to meet your chosen investment goals, is crucial. But when investing for the long-term, it's also important to think about what the world might look like in the future and which investment themes are likely to perform well. What I share in this episode of the podcast is five different investment themes for the next decade and beyond. These are the long-term investment themes I've used in my own portfolio, over and above of course those strategic asset allocation decisions which drive the bulk of returns. Personal finance news update -Businesses facing financial difficulty could be allowed to reduce pension benefits for staff, in a move suggested by the government. -A global study looking into the saving habits of the self-employed revealed that in the UK, many are not taking adequate steps to prepare for their future retirement. -The North East London Borough of Hackney has seen the steepest growth in house prices in the capital over the past 20 years, according to new research by Lloyds Bank. -A top official at the Bank of England has admitted it will not be able to forecast the next financial crisis or recession. -Self-assessment tax receipts and capital gains tax have boosted income to the exchequer, resulting in the lowest government borrowing for January in 17 years. Get answers to your personal finance questions Do you have a personal finance or investing question for Martin? Email martin@icfp.co.uk or ask on Twitter @martinbamford. You can call our dedicated podcast voicemail line on 020 8144 2745 with your question or visit www.icradio.co.uk/voicemail to leave an online voice message. Aftershow links -Messy: How to be Creative and Resilient in a Tidy Minded World, by Tim Harford -Billions on Sky Atlantic -Sean Walsh -Cranleigh Literary Festival, sponsored by Informed Choice -Master Investor Show at the Business Design Centre in London on Saturday 25th March (use code INFORMEDCHOICE)  

My guest on the podcast today is Kalpana Fitzpatrick, founder of Mummy Money Matters. Kalpana is an experienced financial journalist and broadcaster, who started her blog after she discovered that mums were often overlooked and kept out of the loop when it came to money. As well as editing and writing for Mummy Money Matters, Kalpana appears regularly in the media as an expert commentator on personal finance and is often seen on television. Kalpana was recently shortlisted for the Women in Journalism Awards and the National Press Awards 2016 and also the runner up for Personal Finance Blog of the year SHOMOS 2016. She is extremely passionate about making finance simple and accessible as well as helping consumers make the most of their money. As a parent herself, Kalpana often found that families were presented with jargon, making finance unnecessarily complicated, resulting in many missing out on entitlements and putting their money in poor returning products. In this episode of Informed Choice Radio, I speak to Kalpana about why mums are often overlooked when it comes to personal finances, the importance of financial education for children, favourite ways to scrimp and save money, why women should have a freedom fund, and much more. Welcome to Mummy Money Matters with Kalpana Fitzpatrick, in episode 178 of Informed Choice Radio. Some questions I ask: -What inspired you to get started in financial journalism? -Why are mums often kept out of the loop when it comes to money? -What makes financial education so important for children? -As the financial journalist for Channel 4's Super Scrimpers TV show, what are some of your favourite ways to scrimp and save? -Why is it so important for women to have a freedom fund and keep it secret? -How does a freedom fund differ from an emergency fund? -How should mums approach their personal finances differently from the rest of us? -Are there any particular steps that moms can take when they're planning for retirement? -Can you tell us what the 'pink tax' is all about? Useful links mentioned in this episode: -Mummy Money Matters -Kalpana on Facebook -Kalpana on Twitter -Kalpana on YouTube Thank you for listening! To get new episodes of Informed Choice Radio sent directly to your device as soon as they are published, you can subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher Your reviews on iTunes are incredibly helpful and really appreciated. We get notified about each one; please leave a note of your name and website URL so we can mention you in a future episode.