Informed Choice Radio Personal Finance Podcast

My guest for this episode of Informed Choice Radio is Maria Nedeva. Maria is the founder and blogger behind The Money Principle. As you will hear in this interview, back in 2009 Maria and her husband discovered they had £100,000 in consumer debt, accumulated through a combination of the global financial crisis, reduction of income, financial ignorance and an absolute refusal to engage in sound money management practices. Maria had reached a crisis point but, and this is the reason her story is so compelling, managed to turn it all around. In three years, they had repaid all of the consumer debt. A couple of years later, and they have saved a sizable pot of money for the future. As well as being a money blogger, Maris is a Professor at a well-respected business school. She has a PhD, teaches creativity and innovation, and talks to Prime Ministers about wise ways to spent their country’s money on science. In this episode of Informed Choice Radio, I speak to Maria about her incredible journey into and out of debt, why you have to reach a crisis point in order to take control, the difference between an emergency fund and a freedom fund, how frugality sucks but frugalartisty works, and much more. Welcome to Money Principle with Maria Nedeva, in episode 157 of Informed Choice Radio. Some questions I ask -How did you get into £100,000 of consumer debt? -Was being a Professor at a business school helpful in understand how to get out of debt quickly?  -Was being in so much debt the wakeup call you needed? -What makes the biggest difference when repaying debt; cutting expenditure or increasing income? -What's the balance between debt repayment (frugality) and satisfaction with your life? -Can you explain to our listeners what you call the game of wealth? Useful links mentioned in this episode -Maria on Twitter -The Money Principle website 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.  

Have you set your goals and made resolutions for 2017 yet? In this episode of Informed Choice Radio, I share the process I use to establish goals and give them the best possible chance of succeeding. This involves reflecting on 2016, establishing goals for 2017, and using some techniques to make those goals ‘stick’ during the next twelve months. Useful links –Reflecting on 2016 –Books read in 2016 –Chris Guillebeau annual review process –Setting goals for 2017 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. Help us spread the word! Thank you for listening to this episode of Informed Choice Radio. Please use the comments section below to share any feedback you have. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it by using the social media buttons on this page. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe in iTunes and write us a review! Reviews really help us stand out from the crowd and reach more listeners.

Welcome to Best of 2016 Part Three, in episode 155 of Informed Choice Radio. This is the third in a three part episode showcasing the best of Informed Choice Radio in 2016. It’s been an incredible year for the podcast, with more than 27,000 episode downloads in the past twelve months, 89 new episodes and 44 expert guest interviews. In part three of this three-part ‘best of’, we’re sharing some of our favourite guests from 2016. In part one, we revisited guests who talked about money management, ageing and the economy. In part two, the themes were investing, our American friends, and financial scams. Today in part three, we’re bringing you some of the guests who talked about behavioural economics, pensions and FinTech.  Welcome to Best of 2016 (Part Three), in episode 155 of Informed Choice Radio. Interviews mentioned in this episode -Lynda Shaw -Daniel Crosby -Steve Webb -Richard Parkin -Alistair McQueen -Gemma Godfrey -Tom Blomfield 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.  

Welcome to the Best of 2016 (Part Two), in episode 154 of Informed Choice Radio. It’s been an incredible year for Informed Choice Radio, with more than 27,000 episode downloads, 89 new episodes and, 44 interviews with expert guests. In part two of this three-part ‘best of’ episode, we’re sharing some of our favourite guests from 2016. In part one on Monday, we revisited guests who were talking about money management, ageing and the economy. In part two today, the themes are investing, our American friends, and scams. Interviews mentioned in this episode -Tim Price -Robin Powell -Jon Beckett -Jordan goodman -Joe Saul-Sehy -Joan Sotkin -Rodney Hobson -Nick Hewer -Darren Cooke 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.  

Welcome to Best of 2016 (Part One), in episode 153 of Informed Choice Radio. It’s that time of the year, when we look back and reflect, before we look forward to the New Year ahead. It’s been an incredible year for this podcast. We’ve published 89 new episodes this year, moving to three new episodes a week since October. Informed Choice Radio broke through the milestone of 5,000 monthly downloads in November and looks set to exceed that figure again in December. In part one of a three part best of episode, we revisit interviews about money management, ageing and the economy. Interviews mentioned in this episode -Michelle McGagh -Pete Matthew -Jasmine Birtles -Chris Budd -Professor Andrew Scott -Angela Sherman -James Rickards -Stewart Cowley -Cahal Moran 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.  

What had the biggest impact on your personal finances in 2016? What lessons can we learn from these events in order to make better choices in the future? In this episode of Informed Choice Radio, Martin explores the big investment stories from this year. There’s also a roundup of the latest personal finance news. The big personal finance events of 2016 As we approach the end of the year, it’s a good time to reflect. 2016 has been a fairly tumultuous year. We’ve had Brexit, we’ve had Donald Trump, and we’ve had the death of Terry Wogan, David Bowie, Alan Rickman and Victoria Wood, among many others. But what were the big events that had an impact on your personal finances? What can we learn from some of these to make better choices with our money in the future? In this episode of Informed Choice Radio, Martin talks about some of the big investment stories from 2016 and what we can learn from these, in order to make better decisions in the future. Personal finance news update -MPs have recommended the Pensions Regulator is given more powers to deal with rogue employers who fail to properly support their pension schemes. -HM Treasury is set to receive record tax revenues from property sales, despite a fall in the number of property transactions. -Citizens Advice has warned that thousands of people in their twenties are struggling with debt after signing up to buy now, pay later deals. -New research from SunLife has revealed that today’s over 50s are having the time of their lives  – free to do what they want, when they want, and they don’t care what anyone thinks. -The local authority district of Winchester (which includes the City of Winchester) has been named the UK’s best place to live. 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. Help us spread the word! Thank you for listening to this episode of Informed Choice Radio. Please use the comments section below to share any feedback you have. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it by using the social media buttons on this page. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe in iTunes and write us a review! Reviews really help us stand out from the crowd and reach more listeners.

My guest for this episode of Informed Choice Radio is Richard Parkin. Richard is Head of Pensions Policy at Fidelity International. He has over 20 years’ experience in the pensions and investment industries, particularly defined contribution retirement savings. As Head of Pensions Policy at Fidelity, Richard leads their work on assessing the ever changing landscape for pensions and retirement in the UK. His role involves identifying opportunities to help Fidelity’s customers and develop their products and services. He is also responsible for Fidelity’s retirement thought leadership combining with colleagues around the globe to provide fresh insight into the ever more complex issues customers face in saving for and living in retirement. In this episode of Informed Choice Radio, I speak to Richard about whether we can expect a period of stability ahead when it comes to pension changes, if it was right to scrap plans for a secondary annuity market, unfinished business on pensions tax relief, how providers have coped with the introduction of pensions freedoms, and much more. Welcome to Save More Tomorrow with Richard Parkin, in episode 151 of Informed Choice Radio. Some questions I ask -Could we have a period of stability ahead of us when it comes to pensions? -What does the future look like for pensions and pension tax relief? -What should we expect the state pension provision to look like in the future? -How have pension providers coped with implementing pension freedoms, and what were some of the consequences? -Has auto enrolment proceeded as planned, and what do you think it will mean for the next generation of pension savers? Useful links mentioned in this episode Fidelity Richard 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 for this episode of Informed Choice Radio is Claire Walsh. Claire is Head of Advice at Unbiased.co.uk, the UK’s biggest and most versatile search for regulated and independent advisers. Her role includes representing unbiased in broadcast media with recent appearances on BBC News, Channel 4 News, Moneybox and Share Radio. As a practicing independent financial adviser, Claire provides a unique perspective drawing from her day to day experience with clients together with unbiased.co.uk’s data and insights on the wider market. Claire is a Chartered Financial Planner at Aspect8 in Brighton. She was named Young Independent Financial Adviser of the Year at the Unbiased Media Awards 2014 and in the same year was shortlisted for the Financial Times Life and Pensions Adviser of the Year award. In this episode of Informed Choice Radio, I speak to Claire about attracting more young women to financial planning, some hot topics in the world of personal finance, restoring confidence in pensions as a retirement planning tool, taking control of money in the New Year, and much more. Welcome to Unbiased with Claire Walsh in episode 150of Informed Choice Radio. Some questions I ask -Why do you think it is that women don’t tend to become financial planners and what can we do to encourage more women to enter the profession? -How do people go about finding the right financial advisor? -Do you think pensions have still got a positive reputation? -What are some of the other hot topics in personal finance at the moment? -What tips do you have for people who are wanting to take control of their personal finances? Useful links mentioned in this episode Claire on Twitter Unbiased 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.  

This week on the show, Martin has run out of things to talk about in 2016, so instead he’s looking through some seasonal press releases about money. There’s also a roundup of the latest personal finance news. Money matters at Christmas In this episode of Informed Choice Radio, we’re getting festive with a look at some of the seasonal money and personal finance research that has landed in Martin’s email inbox recently. It’s that time of the year, again, when financial services companies try their best to put a festive spin on what they do. Some of it is genuinely interesting and useful; some of it is just fluff. In this episode of Informed Choice Radio, Martin takes a look at some of the best ones. He talks about returning unwanted Christmas gifts, last minute shopping, spending money to avoid upsetting family and friends, the cost of insuring Father Christmas, putting Christmas on credit cards, and a different approach to Christmas shopping. Personal finance news update -Price inflation has been driven higher in the year to November, with the biggest rise in clothing prices in six months a major factor. -Transfer values on offer from defined benefit pension schemes are shooting up, according to pension provider Royal London. -The total value of privately owned housing stock in the UK has grown to over £5.5 trillion for the first time, according to new research by Halifax. -Savings rates offered by so-called challenger banks is double that offered by traditional banks, according to new research. -The government has announced a review of automatic enrolment to encourage more people to save into a workplace pension. -The Bank of England has voted to keep interest rates on hold at 0.25%. 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. Help us spread the word! Thank you for listening to this episode of Informed Choice Radio. Please use the comments section below to share any feedback you have. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it by using the social media buttons on this page. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe in iTunes and write us a review! Reviews really help us stand out from the crowd and reach more listeners.

In episode 148 of Informed Choice Radio, we’re getting ScamSmart with Nick Hewer and Darren Cooke. In this episode of Informed Choice Radio, we’re talking about scams; how to spot them and how to stay safe when the scammers are going after your money. I’ve got a couple of guests joining me today who share their experience and expertise to protect your personal finances. The reason we’re talking about scams is a new campaign from the Financial Conduct Authority. It’s called ScamSmart and it’s designed to encourage consumers to take the time to check before handing over their money. The campaign was launched with new research which found one in five over 55s, with above average incomes, suspect they were targeted by a fraudulent investment scam in the past three years. This rises to one in three of those aged 75 or over. On average, victims of investment fraud lost £32,000 each last year. According to the FCA, recent pension freedoms and low interest rates are making the over 55s increasingly vulnerable to approaches from fraudsters. Despite the high number of people potentially contacted by these scammers, one in eight over 55s which have invested in financial products, such as stocks and shares, spend little or no time researching them before handing over their money. To find out more about the ScamSmart campaign, I spoke to Apprentice star and Countdown host Nick Hewer. Nick is fronting the FCA ScamSmart campaign after himself being targeted by investment scammers. I also spoke to Darren Cooke, a Chartered Financial Planner at Red Circle in Derbyshire, about the petition he launched to ban cold calling for pensions and investments. Darren’s campaign was a success, and in the Autumn Statement the Chancellor Philip Hammond announced the Treasury would consult on a ban. I gave Darren a call to talk about why he launched the petition, the support he received, and how it has raised awareness about this important issue. 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.