When you stop to take a serious look around your home, you may find yourself shocked by just how much stuff you own! Most of us know that we need to make the time to have a serious declutter but finding the motivation to do this can be a little on the hard side. If you’re searching for something to get you motivated and to start a process of lifestyle simplification, it’s worth bearing in mind that your clutter can be used as a great way to make extra money.

Have you ever struggled to know your worth? Does the idea of negotiating your rates or salary fill you with dread? What can we do, in practice, to help build our confidence to ask for more?

These are some of the questions we discussed with Insaff El Hassini, an expert and a coach on salary negotiation, a career and business mentor, and a fierce advocate for women’s economic and financial rights. Having traveled the world to teach over 5,000 women how to defend their fair value on the job market, she is the perfect expert for this subject.

💸At the start of a new year, it’s tempting to dive into making a list of resolutions – only to quickly get overwhelmed. Today, I’d like to talk you through some things you can do to boost your financial health in 2023, while keeping your head cool and not falling prey to exhaustion.

💸How can you boost your finances with investing and make your money work for you? What are meme stocks? How do you pick an investment platform?

These are some of the questions we discussed with Kalpana Fitzpatrick, a financial journalist and author of Invest Now: The Simple Guide to Boosting Your Finances, released in December 2022.

Inflation is still high, with cost of living having increased drastically and there is a lot of uncertainty. But investing is key for the long term. And so is financial resilience. If you’re looking to start investing or consolidating your knowledge, this episode will help you get started!

It may seem that retirement is a lifetime away, but the reality is that it’s never too early to start saving so that you can ensure that you have the retirement that you deserve. If you’ve ever read a pension guide before, you’ll already know that it’s difficult to say exactly how much everyone needs to save as we all have unique circumstances.

That being said, it’s well worth taking the time to experiment with a pension calculator so that you can get a better idea of what you’ll need to do. Before you do that, here are some factors that you’ll need to consider..

💸This year has definitely not been the easiest financially. It’s been especially tricky for anyone with a mortgage or considering buying a home - with higher interest rates and inflation, making a decision on what the best options are for your money is difficult to say the least. 

We decided to speak to independent freelance investment journalist Moira O'Neill to get her opinion on whether it makes more sense to pay down your mortgage or invest in the stock market, the best ways of reviewing your existing mortgage, how to prevent inflation from eroding your savings, and more

Have you ever stopped to consider your money mindset? Have you ever really stopped to examine your money beliefs? If not then now is the time to change that. That’s because what you think and believe about money really matters.

💸Blockchain technology, crypto and Web3 - you may have come across these terms, but what exactly do they mean, and how will they affect our lives? What is the technology all about and why have there been so many controversies surrounding crypto?

Please note an important point: cryptocurrency exchange FTX, at one stage the second largest company of its type in the world, filed for bankruptcy in November leaving many users unable to withdraw their funds. Its CEO, Sam Bankman-Fried, has since been arrested and charged with fraud. We recorded this episode prior to his arrest.

Regardless of the controversies, we thought it would still be valuable to understand the tech behind Web3, which is why today, I speak to Marieke Flament. Marieke is a French-born computer engineer and CEO of the NEAR Foundation, a Swiss-based non-profit that oversees the governance and development of its namesake blockchain.

Christmas may well be the most wonderful time of the year but it’s also got to be the most expensive. With the cost of living only heading one way, there are plenty of people looking for a cheaper Christmas this time around.

Even those who are used to going all out at this time of the year are exploring ways to cut back where they can. The problem though is that people worry that a frugal Christmas means a second-rate one. We’re here to show you that’s not the case. Here are 10 ways where you can have a fantastic Christmas without the cost of living spoiling your fun.

💸According to the Bank of England (2020), "a typical UK household spends over £700 more in December compared to other months".⁠ Considering that this year is financially tough on so many families, the pressure to spend money on countless presents, Christmas decorations and mountains of festive food can feel especially difficult.

Inflation is at a 40-year high, the cost of everything is rapidly rising, and households are increasingly worried about the current economic and political environment. So how do we best navigate the cost of living crisis?

We live in a day and age whereby everyone posts their amazing, glamorous lives on social media, and we can start to feel like our lives pale in comparison. Of course, people exaggerate and portray themselves in the best possible light. However, it can still make us feel like we’re missing out.

💸One in six UK women will experience economic abuse, which exists in 95% of domestic abuse cases.

And this is worsening for victims since the pandemic and the cost of living crisis.

On today’s episode, I speak to Marisa Bate, a freelance journalist, author and commentator on feminist issues. She covers stories that impact the lives of women. Marisa is a passionate advocate for women’s rights, and today we discuss how to recognise economic abuse, where to find help and the long term impact on survivors.

Thank you! Make sure you visit the Money Matters page for recording of the talks and main takeaways!

And we can’t wait to see you next year!

Welcome to Money Matters. Before we start I have one rule for you: today, I want you to set an intention for yourself about money and share it with someone in the room before we say goodbye tonight. We gave you these friendship bracelets as a reminder of this. Enjoy our day because MONEY MATTERS.

💸 Our relationship with money is emotional. It can trigger a range of emotions, from fear, and excitement to guilt or shame. In this talk, we will explore how we can see money as a tool, build a purpose and make our way towards financial independence.

Vicky Spratt is a journalist and author of Tenants. Her 2016 campaign ‘Make Renting Fair’ led to letting fees in England and Wales being banned. In this talk, Vicky explains why the British dream of homeownership has faded and the social consequences. But she’s also fighting for radical steps to give everyone the chance of ownership.

💸 There are many challenges when it comes to managing finances as women. We’ll try to understand what the current economy is like, and what can be changed. From pension to wealth gaps, to the structural issues and what women are tirelessly doing to try to and change the game.

Aja Barber is interviewed by Meera Kumar, our The Wallet podcast producer. Aja holding those in power to account by campaigning for a sustainable, inclusive fashion industry that doesn’t exploit workers and our planet.