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Rachel Reeves' maiden Budget last week saw the first-ever female chancellor make £40billion of sweeping tax rises in to plug funding gaps in the NHS and schools. While it left many of us with something to be miserable about when it comes to our money, there were also some important dodged bullets, as Simon Lambert, Georgie Frost and Helen Crane discuss. Among the losers were landlords, investors and those who have stashed wealth in their pension, as stamp duty, capital gains tax and inheritance tax all came under the spotlight. The attack on the middle classes was perhaps to be expected from a Government which has told us those with the broadest shoulders must bear a bigger burden. But aside from a rise in the minimum wage and 1p off a pint, did the Budget give enough of a boost to 'working people' — and will changes to employers' National Insurance Contributions indirectly hit them in the pocket anyway? Given growth was the buzzword of the Labour election campaign, did Reeves miss an opportunity to get people excited about British industry and entrepreneurship? We also dig into what wasn't announced in the speech, including a not-so-fond farewell to the short-lived British ISA, and a child benefit change that could have helped single parents found itself on the scrapheap.

Whether you voted Labour or not, with any new government, there is a sense of optimism. Things can only get better… apparently. But within days, Rachel Reeves and co poured cold water over all that - and the gloom and doom about the economy and what then could be (and crucially not be) in the Budget hasn’t stopped. Well, Simon Lambert is fed up. So he has put forward an alternative budget with less than two weeks to go. Do you agree with him? And what would you do? Alongside Georgie Frost and Lee Boyce, the trio talk about budget pessimism. Did it need to be this way? There has been plenty of speculation that NI paid by employers will rise and they may even have to pay NI on pension contributions. What does that mean? This week CPI fell below the Bank of England's 2% target in September, reaching its lowest point in three years. What does that mean for interest rates? More major lenders have put mortgage rates up - where next for home loan deals? And just what is Sonia, if not an Eastenders character or 80s pop star? Lastly, there has been plenty of pre-budget speculation about inheritance tax. But what about the here and now... can you really get caught out by taking your extended family on an annual holiday?

How well do you manage your money? Where would you rate your budgeting, saving, investing and pension efforts in marks out of ten? It's not often that we think about these things but mulling them over and making improvements where needed and patting yourself on the back when deserved, is a major step on the road to financial success. Georgie Frost and Simon Lambert dial down the noise of the news and dive into how we can manage our money better instead. They discuss tips on how to budget, how to boost your savings and returns, how easy or complicated investing should be, and why a pension is the best and easiest way to get rich. They also share an honest look at their own money management and finances, revealing what they do well, what they just about get by at — and the mistakes they make. Plus, when should you decide to get the professionals in and seek financial advice or financial planning? Simon and Georgie discuss that and the costs. And financial planner Dan Beecroft, of Charles Stanley, joins the show to talk about why people seek financial advice and the questions they ask.

It's Menopause Awareness Month! Adam Cox is joined by Marva Williams, Formulator, Menopause Coach and Counsellor & Shhh… Menopause Founder. They discuss her story with menopause and how it led her to found Shhh... Menopause. https://shhhmenopausewellness.com/

Adam Cox is joined by Lucy Diamond, a specialist dietitian who has been a part of new research regarding fatigue. A new study by Lift Activ Energy Boost has revealed that 71% of Brits admit to feeling more fatigued than 5 years ago. https://liftglucose.com/

With just one month to go before the Budget, Georgie Frost, Simon Lambert and Lee Boyce discuss what you might consider doing to prepare for it? Give money away, use allowances (CGT, ISA, pension contributions) to the full, or leave the country? The team reminds us that 'don't panic' is often the best way forward. There's also a couple of interesting readers' questions, about ignoring a father's will and re-marriage to save tax.

The oldest recipient of a Child Trust Fund turned 22 on Sunday 1st September, but the great majority of those allocated by HMRC (due to no action by the young person's parents by their 1st birthday) are unclaimed. This is the story of Joe, who really needs his money to get started in adult life — but he doesn't know anything about his good fortune. The Share Foundation has already enabled over 60,000 young people to claim their accounts, but that's a drop in the ocean compared to the huge number of accounts lying dormant with account providers. So The Share Foundation is now asking Government to implement its 'Default Withdrawal at 21' proposal for HMRC-allocated accounts. Background music: 'Missing Persons' by Jeremy Blake

A bad news Budget looks to be on the cards after Labour continued to pour cold water on optimism following its election victory. Prime Minister Keir Starmer delivered a gloomy speech saying the Budget was going to be painful, hot on the heels of Chancellor Rachel Reeves' own gloom-mongering. But having made a promise not to raise the rates of income tax, national insurance, VAT and corporation tax, where will the Government try to raise cash? Starmer said tax rises would target those with the 'broadest shoulders' but who are they — and are there really enough of the very wealthy to target or will the burden be more likely to fall once again on those in the rich middle? We look at what taxes could rise and what a capital gains tax, pension, inheritance or other raid could mean for people. Plus, Britain's biggest mortgage lender Halifax is upping what it will lend first-time buyers, Crane goes on the case of an Evri bungle and asks: shouldn't you be within your rights to expect a parcel to arrive? And finally, with the Oasis ticket scramble in full effect and ticket prices sky high, can you protect against a potential Gallagher brother blow up or anything else that would stop you going? (If, that is, you can get tickets in the first place, of course!).

Since the suffragette movement, women have had to work hard to gain autonomy in what was once very much “a man’s world”; and when it comes to finances, women are yet to achieve equality. Vicky Sayers is joined in this episode by Tamara Gillan, founder of the WealthiHer Network: created to inspire and empower women to grow and protect their wealth. They discuss the continuing economic inequality of the sexes, and the initiatives put in place by the WealthiHer Network to work towards equality. Replay from 20th March 2020

Some relief for borrowers as interest rates start to edge down — has the economy turned a corner? Georgie Frost, Simon Lambert and Lee Boyce discuss this and the Chancellor's speech on Monday 29 July, looking ahead to the Budget in October. Also — are broadband and phone prices set to soar again?