In this episode, I speak to Sara Williams, a debt advisor with over 20 years of experience and the voice behind Debt Carmel since 2013, to help us demystify the world of credit scores.

We discuss whether credit is always good and why we've all become so accustomed to using it. We also explore what a credit score is, the main credit agencies in the UK, and how credit scores are calculated. Plus, we uncover how to check your score for free, ways to improve it and debunk common myths.

Women often shoulder two-thirds or more of the unpaid domestic work and childcare responsibilities for their homes and families. This has significant effects on relationships, wealth, and overall well-being. In this episode, Eve Rodsky discusses how to make societal change one partnership at a time, aiming to redistribute domestic work and redefine relationships. We look into actionable systems outlined in her book and platform Fair Play, addressing mental load, returning to work, and the importance of prioritising alone ‘unicorn’ time.

Join us as we explore the emotional journey of divorce with Tosh Brittan, a divorce empowerment coach and counsellor with over 17 years of experience. Discover how to prioritise your well-being amidst challenging relationships, overcome emotional hurdles, and find support in navigating the complexities of divorce and family conflicts.

It’s time to Spring clean your finances! Today's episode focuses on setting financial goals for yourself. Only one in six Brits (17%) confess to having no defined financial goals, and 80% haven't discussed their financial goals with their bank. 

Laura Newman, Head of NatWest Premier Financial Planning, shares insights and tips on the timing of setting financial goals. She suggests now is a good time for a financial Spring cleaning, eliminating unnecessary direct debits and subscriptions while focusing on clear future objectives.

We discuss how to set financial goals, prioritise them, and determine when to review them. We explore the importance of designing the life you want to live.

On March 3rd, 2024, Vestpod's Money Matters festival took centre stage at the iconic KOKO in Camden, London. Our second panel discussion included Clare Seal, Claer Barrett, Lisa Picardo and Tiwalola Ogunlesi who shared their unique paths to building wealth and finding fulfilment.

On March 3rd, 2024, Vestpod's Money Matters festival took centre stage at the iconic KOKO in Camden, London. In this panel discussion, we deep dive into ways to empower women financially and tackle important challenges, such as the gender wage gap, limited access to financial resources, and barriers to career progression.

Today's episode is all about breaking the silence around salaries and how to navigate those conversations. What are the common misconceptions people have about discussing salaries? How do we navigate discussions about finances when there's a significant income disparity between partners? How can working with a financial planner help you plan for the future? To gain clarity on these questions, I interviewed Laura Newman, NatWest Premier’s Head of Financial Planning.

As January comes to a close, I hope you're settling into 2024 with a sense of excitement and enthusiasm for what lies ahead. As we prepare for an eventful year, we want to pause and extend our heartfelt appreciation for your ongoing support.

We've got so many exciting projects and plans in store, and we can't wait to share them with you.

But first: to kickstart 2024 with a financial boost, we have prepared a Hotline episode featuring valuable tips to transform your financial situation this year. Whether it's fostering a positive money mindset or implementing practical strategies for saving, we've got all the tools you need to make this your most financially successful year to date.

What are some of the things that we are most afraid of or most dread when it comes to money? What is lifestyle creep? How to plan for your finances in 2024?

In this episode of The Wallet, I interview Laura Newman, Head of NatWest’s Specialist Client Advice and Investment Services. We discuss the financial challenges and opportunities for 2024, such as inflation, interest rates, lifestyle creep, and wealth management. Laura shares her insights and tips on planning, overcoming obstacles, and growing wealth.

Are you familiar with the name Jordan Belfort? If not, you might recognise him as the infamous 'Wolf of Wall Street'. Belfort's journey in the financial world is nothing short of exhilarating — starting from his humble beginnings as a door-to-door salesman to becoming the mastermind behind Stratton Oakmont, a fraudulent brokerage firm that swindled millions from unsuspecting investors.

Keith Gill, aka RoaringKitty and DeepFuckingValue, was a financial analyst and online trader who challenged Wall Street with GameStop, a retailer on the verge of bankruptcy. He shared his trades on Reddit, attracting a crowd of followers who bought GameStop shares, driving up the price and hurting hedge funds that had shorted the stock.

In this episode, I speak to Martha Lane Fox, the co-founder of lastminute.com, Europe’s biggest travel and leisure website. She started the company in 1998 with Brent Hoberman, and sold it in 2005 for a whopping £577 million when she was only 31.

Today, we’ll be looking at Patrick Foster’s story. Patrick had a promising career as a professional cricketer, until gambling came into the picture. In this podcast, he shares his journey from being a sports star to a compulsive gambler who ended up in £250,000 of debt, revealing how he got hooked on betting, lost his job and his friends, and how he tried to escape his addiction by moving to a different city and becoming a teacher.

We’re used to hearing about stocks, credit or commodities being at the centre of bubbles, but never a flower. Today, we’ll be looking at tulip mania - a period in the 1630s when the prices of tulip bulbs in the Netherlands soared to unprecedented levels, driven by a speculative frenzy. I’ll be talking to Anne Goldgar, an American historian and academic, who argues that tulip mania was not a widespread frenzy that affected the whole society, but rather a limited phenomenon - and that accounts of the subsequent crash may be more fiction than fact. However, there are key takeaways from this story that we, as investors, can learn from.

In today’s episode, we cover one of America’s most prominent cases of financial abuse. Brooke Astor was a well-known figure in New York high society and one of the 20th century's great philanthropists. You'll hear from Brooke's grandson, Philip, about the personal financial crime that unfolded within his own family. He started his own investigation, questioning staff and realised that a significant amount of money has been moved around and legal documents have been altered.

📈 In this episode, we delve into the world of investing. Join us as Helena Wardle, Founder of Money Means and Partner and Chartered Financial Planner at Smith and Wardle, shares insights and strategies to bolster your investing confidence and broaden your portfolio. Together, we'll explore the significance of diversification and learn how to strike the right balance between risk and return. In a high-interest rates environment, we'll address the dilemma of whether to prioritise mortgage repayments or continue investing. 

In this episode, with Chartered Financial Adviser Lisa Conway-Hughes, we talk about vital strategies for navigating this complex and emotional process, covering topics such as protecting your financial future, maximising savings allowances, securing insurance, and safeguarding against scams. We also explore the personal dynamics of inheritance, including factors that influence distribution decisions, such as close relationships, financial needs, and caregiving responsibilities.

In this episode, we speak to Helena Wardle - Founder of Money Means as well as Partner and Chartered Financial Planner at Smith and Wardle - about finding that golden balance between money and our well-being, how to avoid lifestyle creep and still feel fulfilled, the best ways to avoid retail therapy and more.

Taxes. That word alone can send shivers down your spine. But today, with the help of Chartered Financial Adviser Lisa Conway-Hughes, we’ll try and make taxes a little less scary for you. Lisa provides valuable insights on avoiding common mistakes, staying organised, and ensuring you have sufficient funds.

Today, we tackle the often misunderstood and stressful topic of debt. Financial Planner Abigail Banks leads us in the discussion of the different types of debt that women face, as well as strategies for paying it off and avoiding common misconceptions. Whether it's student loans or mortgages, we provide tips and advice for effectively using and managing debt at every stage of life.