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Where do you stand on smart meters? This seemingly common sense technological advance in how we are billed for energy has proved hugely divisive. From concerns over security and surveillance, to a mistrust of energy companies, and a botched and sometimes accused of bullying rollout, smart meters have not proved the popular success it was hoped they would be. Now things have stepped up a gear, as an Ofgem change will lead to smart meters being able to send half hour updates to energy providers - opening the door for electricity pricing to change at different times of day. The idea is that this will help smooth usage and make the transition to green energy easier and cheaper, while saving customers money. That makes sense: why not charge your electric car or run the tumble drier when demand is low and so are prices? But it also creates the potential for a troubling scenario for many, where energy pricing is used to change our behaviour. Meanwhile, people also question whether private companies that sell us power are likely to give up profits and allow our energy bills to get cheaper overall. Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert look at the latest smart meter controversy and whether we are overthinking this. Also, there’s some number crunching on what people need to do to combat inflation’s effect on their spending, income and wealth. The team discuss the weird world of rising second hand car prices and used cars worth more than new ones. And finally, friend of This is Money, Dave Fishwick – of Bank of Dave fame – is going to be the subject of a movie. Lee updates on what Dave briefed him about earlier.

Warren Buffett called it the "single-most important decision in evaluating a business". If a business can raise prices without losing customers, it tends to be rewarding for shareholders. It also shows up in some of the companies Ron Gross and Jason Moser analyze as they discuss: - Disney's surprising 1st-quarter results in Parks and Disney+ subscribers - Peloton changing its leadership and tightening its purse strings - Affirm Holdings accidentally tweeting its earnings results too early - Pepsi & Coca-Cola telling similar stories with profits and higher costs - Cloudflare gearing up for 2022 - The latest from CVS, Chipotle, and Zillow - Two stocks on their radar: Brookfield Renewable Corp. and The Trade Desk Plus, Bill Shea from The Athletic offers an advertising preview of Super Bowl 56 and discusses how streaming video platforms are influencing the ad-buying landscape in live sporting events.

Disneyland may be "The Happiest Place On Earth" but The Walt Disney Company is the subject of the widest range of differing opinions in some time. Despite strong 1st-quarter results, Wall Street analysts have very different views on varying parts of the business. Today Bill Mann analyzes: - The strength in the Parks division - How Disney+ was the company's life raft - The brand-extending powers of streaming video - Bob Chapek's track record in his 2 years as CEO Asit Sharma and Emily Flippen discuss an underrated financial metric to know about before investing in any consumer goods or subscription business.

Emotions can be stirred by memories from the past or anxiety for the future - they're not just in the present. This short episode uses the metaphor of a boat on the water, where your emotions are represented by the waves: sometimes pleasurable, sometimes unsettling. However just like the waves, our emotions are all temporary, and we have the capacity to handle them.

Adam Cox is joined by Valentine’s Day Gifting Expert from Haute Florist, Maryam Ghani, to discuss new research which reveals Brit's Valentine’s Day gifting habits. They look at why buying flowers from a proper florist could be a better choice, and what Haute Florist is doing for the Valentines season. https://www.hauteflorist.co.uk/

Adam Cox is joined by Patrick Folkes, from Graphenstone UK, to discuss the Nobel-Prize winning material Graphene, and how it is being used in paint to absorb CO2 from the air. They discuss some of the issues with traditional paints, and how this Graphene based paint may be the future of paint. https://graphenstone.co.uk/

Adam Cox is joined by Richard Denton, Partner and Head of Private Client for North London firm, OGR Stock Denton, to discuss the rise in probate fee's and how this may affect applications. They look at the process of probate, and what the current wait times are, and Richard explains the main benefits of using an experienced solicitor firm of specialises in probate. https://www.ogrstockdenton.com/

Victoria Scholar of Interactive Investor assesses the fortunes of some US tech stocks in the news recently, including Peloton, Uber and Disney. With inflation unexpectedly rising again to a 40-year high, she considers what the Federal Reserve might be able to do with its demand-side tools, when many problems are on the supply side of the economy.

Professor Tim Evans of Middlesex University looks at the shocking growth in NHS waiting lists and wonders if providing tax breaks on private health provision for the elderly might prove a helpful way forward. He also considers the crisis in policing, suggesting a possible solution, even though few politicians might be willing to think long enough ahead. And he ends on an optimistic note, hoping that the recent breakthrough at JET might herald a coming age of nuclear fusion.

James Cameron-Wilson looks at the first box office chart since Covid to have 5 films taking over £1m at the weekend. #2 is Jackass Forever ("sickeningly awful") while Roland Emmerich's Moonfall is #4 ("so bad it's enjoyable"). Only making #17 is Oscar-nominated Jessica Chastain in The Eyes of Tammy Faye. On Apple+ is the disappointing The Sky Is Everywhere but James loved Munich: The Edge of War on Netflix with Jeremy Irons as Chamberlain. He also runs down the list of Oscar nominations, contrasting them with the odd nominations from BAFTA.