Share Sounds. related to Personal Finance

Are you “financially fit”? According to a recent study, the cost of monthly bills is leaving some people forced to cut back on essentials like food, daily travel, and even medication. In this episode of the Share Interview, Vicky Sayers speaks to Mary Johnson – spokesperson for free home management site, Hoppy – to find out how we can improve our financial wellbeing. (first broadcast - September 2019)

Adam Cox is joined by TV vet, Dr Bolu Eso, to discuss new research from Butternut Box which reveals the 5 types of dog owners. He explains how important it is for owners to understand their dog's health, and he gives advice to listeners on how best to care for their pet. www.butternutbox.com

Adam Cox is joined by Jonathan Hewlett, CEO at w'air, who talks about how the ever-increasing trend known as ‘bracketing' — the act of buying products with the intention of sending them back - is damaging the environment. He explains who w'air are and what they do, in addition to giving tips on how consumers can reduce the effects of fast fashion. www.justwairit.com

Adam Cox is joined by Malcolm Flanders, a Director at Golden Charter, one of the sector's largest providers, to discuss new funeral industry regulation on market standards from the Financial Conduct Authority (FSA). They look at how the rules could be damaging for some funeral plan providers, and how consumers with pre-existing plans will be affected, He also explains how Golden Charter will be able to assist consumers when the changes come into effect. www.goldencharter.co.uk

Adam Cox is joined by Marcus Eyles, Horticultural Director at Dobbie, to discuss new research that has found a huge number of Brits can't wait to get back gardening now that Spring is here. He predicts some of the big gardening trends this year, and how to enjoy gardening without an outdoor space. He also discusses the importance of the local gardening centre. www.dobbies.com

Adam Cox is joined by Tim Vetters, Managing Director at SIXT UK, to discuss new research suggesting Brits are worried about the rising cost of car ownership, and how this will affect the car industry. He explains the shift away from car ownership and towards rental or subscription services, and how SIXT UK is involved in this discussion. www.sixt.co.uk

This week has seen a number of changes to our personal finances in the wake of energy bill and council tax rises, along with a number of key utilities such as broadband and mobile contracts. It also marks the start of a new tax year and with it a National Insurance rise, a meagre state pension hike and the start of new 'no fault' divorce system. Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Helen Crane run through what these changes potentially mean for you and why they're important. Renting is set to become cheaper than mortgage repayments for the first time in 14 years according to a study. This could signal 'trouble ahead,' as the data shows that when this happens, often a recession follows shortly afterwards. We discuss why. The pandemic boom could also leave high-earning homeowners trapped and unable to move, if they've overstretched themselves to buy. They may be unable to remortgage as lenders consider their squeezed incomes during the cost of living crisis. And finally, with the energy price cap soaring, are there gadgets that could help you save money? Lee comes with a warning with his own 'smart' thermostat.

It's the time of year when we are urged to put our money into an Isa or pension, but faced with the choice which should you pick? After all, most of us don't have the £52,000 needed to max out both (£20,000 into an Isa and £32,000 into a pension plus the £8,000 tax relief added). So, we must make a decision: take the upfront tax relief of a pension and that lovely boost to the money you pay in, but not be able to get the cash until at least age 55, or opt for the tax-free gains of an ISA and its flexibility, but no contribution booster. Georgie Frost and Simon Lambert look at the perks of each, where the drawbacks are and how you can make an informed decision. Plus, is the Lifetime ISA a better option for your hard-earned cash? Also, they discuss the child benefit mess and how many mums are missing our on vital state pension credits, whether Chase's bank account is now Britain's best, and how to work out if buying an expensive electric car might save you money.

Much bigger energy bills are on their way to households for and a warning was sounded this week that there is much worse to come. Energy bosses told MPs that 40% of households could end up in fuel poverty and raised the prospect of a ‘truly horrific’ winter, with the price cap tipped to rise another 30% or more in October just as the heating goes back on. Energy firms are not responsible for the surge in gas and electricity prices but watchdog Ofgem warned that some may not be treating customers fairly on monthly direct debit payments. Meanwhile, This is Money has been contacted by reams of customers struggling to get incorrect bills fixed but being threatened with debt collectors by bullying energy firms. What can be done to help customers struggling with soaring bills? Will Rishi Sunak have to step in with more meaningful help than his £200 off now, pay it back later deal? Should wealthier customers subsidise the bills of the poorer? And how do we make energy firms get their act together? All these questions and more are tackled by Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert. Also on this show, how do you know if you are saving enough for retirement and are there any positives to encourage you, as more gloom-laden warnings about our pension pots pot being big enough land? Plus, why has the Great British Rail Sale managed to get not one, not two, but all three of our podcasters riled? And finally, why is Netflix having a wobble and does it mark a change in consumer and investor behaviour?

Is there any point trying to save when inflation is so high? Interest rates are rising and savers can now get a far better return than a year ago, but compare those rates to inflation and they are losing even more money. So why bother? That's the question that Georgie Frost and Simon Lambert tackle in this podcast. From what the best rates are and where you can get them, to why you should avoid what Simon calls your bank or building society's 'insult account' – with a special mention for Nationwide - and how to turn a savings habit into an investing one that should hopefully get you a better return, the podcast team talk all things saving. Also on the agenda: where are the best places to start investing a small amount, and why that has got so much easier in recent years? Simon shares a bit of behind the scenes knowledge on investing platforms and why they are pushing so hard for new investors – and gives some tips on getting started the easy way. But not everyone will be feeling like they have money to stash away right now: the cost of living crisis is seeing people cut back, the ONS, revealed this week – and that's before most bills spiked. Where are they cutting back and is there anything we can do to help them? (Bonkers two-year MOT ideas excluded). And finally - just when you thought printing at home couldn't get any worse, printer firms came up with a way to make it better… and then made it worse.