This is Money Podcast

After a good year for Premium Bonds when the only way was up for the prize fund rate, savers got a blow this week as a cut arrived. The prize fund rate is being cut to 4.4 per cent from 4.65 per cent.   That edges the average return - which you may or may not get - from Premium Bonds further below the best savings deals, so should you save instead? Or would many Premium Bond holders be better off investing? On this podcast episode, Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert discuss whether Premium Bonds stack up. Plus, as the US securities regulator aproves bitcoin ETFs, is the price now headed for $200,000 as some suggest, or could this be enticing more naive investors into the volatile world of crypto that's been dogged by fraud? Later, Lee reveals his car insurance woes - and shares tips on how to deal with your own renewal quite pain. And finally, find out who on the podcast team is not drinking for January, who is taking an extremely haphazard approach to it, and who is planning to go all the way to Easter, as we discuss the no and low-alcohol beer boom and the ones we rate the best.

This podcast discusses the potential tax implications for online sellers on platforms like eBay and how to determine if you are a 'trader'. They also touch on HSBC's mortgage rate cuts, navigating the financial complications of divorce, and share money lessons learned in 2023. The hosts explore money management, discuss premium bonds and retro gaming, and emphasize the importance of tracking subscriptions and collections.

The Bank of England has reached the peak with interest rates in this cycle. That's the firm view of the markets and most analysts, despite three members of the nine-strong Monetary Policy Committee disagreeing and voting for a rate hike this week. The question has now shifted from how high will rates go, to when will they be cut? The boldest predictions are for more than 1 per cent to be shaved off the base rate next year. Does that fit with the Bank's 'hawkish hold' of the base rate this week?  On this podcast, Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert look at what next for interest rates both here and in the US - and whether markets are running away with themselves. Plus, two years after they finally started to properly rise what does heading back to a point where rates may fall mean for borrowers, savers and investors? Also on this week's show, is it better to use the central heating or an electric heater, the 'better' plan for a state pension triple-lock replacement, and the reasons Lee wants you to get in touch. And make sure you listen to find out why the team want to know how long your kettle takes to boil...

It's been a rollercoaster year for mortgage rates and after the inflation panic spike over summer, lenders have been slashing costs for borrowers. The best mortgage rates are now falling towards 4 per cent, whereas not so many months ago they were rising towards 6 per cent - and many deals climbed above that. So is the mortgage crisis over and how much further will rates fall? On this podcast, Georgie Frost, Helen Crane and Simon Lambert discussa year of mortgage madness, what could happen next and  - most importantly - what can those who need to remortgage or buy a home do. Plus, as gold hits a record high and bitcoin soars again, what's going on and should investors buy in? We discuss the case of the savers whose Isa savings of more than £600,000 went missing thanks to NatWest. And finally, This is Money lost a team member last week. Our development editor Richard Browning, a founding member of This is Money back in 1999, sadly died suddenly. The podcast plays tribute to Rich - the man who helped build the internet and a much-loved and very funny guy.

We love the idea of transforming our homes so much that an entire cottage TV industry has sprung out of it, ranging from Grand Designs, to Ugly House to Lovely House and Your Home Made Perfect.  For Jaemi and Roly Glancy sketching out how they could renovate their properties turned into a start-up helping others envisage what they could do with theirs. In this bonus podcast episode, Simon Lambert of This is Money, speaks to Roly about how they started the business and where it's going.

Topics discussed include supermarket frustrations, loyalty cards, online fraud, investing legends Charlie Munger and Alistair Darling, and UK house price hotspots.

The Autumn Statement was the definition of a mixed bag. There was a National Insurance cut, but the stealth income tax raid continued. The Isa system got an improvement, but the allowance remained frozen. Meanwhile, the triple lock was delivered along with a pension pot-for-life plan but inheritance tax remains firmly uncut at 40 per cent, with all its weird quirks intact. So, was that an Autumn Statement to fire Britain on to growth, as the Chancellor claimed, or a damp squib? On this week’s podcast, Georgie Frost, Tanya Jefferies, Helen Crane and Simon Lambert dive into the details to reveal what the Autumn Statement means for you and the economy. From the Office of Budget Responsibility forecasts, to being allowed multiple Isas and the seemingly mad plan of allowing family homes to be easily converted to flats, the team take the measure of Jeremy Hunt’s plans. And they look ahead to whether there will be more tax cuts to come in the Budget – and whether Britain’s stealth tax and marginal tax trap mess will ever get sorted.

The Autumn Statement arrives next week and the rumour mill has gone into overdrive. The idea of it being a simple update on the economy seems to have been abandoned and instead there is talk of an Isa overhaul, tax changes, and even inheritance tax being cut from 40 per cent to 20 per cent. But if you were Chancellor for the day, what would you do? On this week's podcast, Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert look at what could be on the cards as Jeremy Hunt stands up and delivers his Autumn Statement next week. On the agenda: Stealth tax - will the income tax freeze end? Inheritance tax - will the rate be cut to 20%? Isas - will the allowance be boosted and the system improved? Savings - could the personal savings allowance get a rise? 

We all know pensions are important but most of us rarely engage with them. Yet, with a little bit of time and effort, you can get your work pension working as hard as possible for you - and at some point in the future you will be very glad you did so. On this episode of the This is Money podcast, Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert talk pensions: why you should start early, the reason that it involves free money, how to invest for a richer retirement many years down the line and much more. Also on the agenda, what happens if you get stuck in a mortgage with your ex, why is Lee so annoyed at a sneaky insurance tax that swiftly adds up and can M&S's sales and share price resurgence continue? And finally, listen to the end if you want to find out where Lee buys his socks and Georgie gets her underwear.