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How much spare cash do you have to spend? A new index shows we typically have £836 in disposable income each month. That’s the amount of money you have left over to spend or save after taxes and bills have been paid, according to comprehensive research. Georgie Frost, Simon Lambert and Lee Boyce talk income and ask — does a £100,000 annual salary really not make workers feel wealthy anymore? The annual list of happiest and unhappiest towns to live in Britain has been released, with Slough in Berkshire being labelled the most miserable. Is that a fair tag for any town? Bitcoin topped $100,000 for the first time. It soared in the wake of Donald Trump's election. So, have the crypto evangelists been proved right, can you still make money from bitcoin and what other coins are worth looking into? Lastly, wood stoves are back in the news. What are the rules around them - and are they really a polluting menace?

Some stocks defy gravity, others drive Warren Buffett to sell in less than a year. We wade through them all and put our own twist on Spotify’s annual Wrapped release. Jason Moser and Asit Sharma discuss Ulta leveling out, and why a cheap valuation isn’t enough to keep Warren Buffett and Berkshire interested, Docusign’s strong 2024 and how Veeva Systems is seemingly back on track with their AI efforts, what re-invention Airbnb might be scheming up for 2025, and Spotify’s 2024 Wrapped and Jason and Asit’s “Portfolio Wrapped” for this year. Then, 19 minutes in, Ricky Mulvey and Mary Long dig into the early holiday box office numbers for Wicked and offer up some stocks inspired by L. Frank Baum and the world of Oz. Finally, 34 minutes in, Jason and Asit break down two stocks on their radar: Block and Wingstop. Stocks discussed: ULTA, VEEV, DOCU, ABNB, SQ, WING. Host - Dylan Lewis; Guests - Asit Sharma, Jason Moser, Ricky Mulvey, Mary Long

The crypto bulls were right. Bitcoin's market cap is now about the size of Alphabet. Jason Moser and Ricky Mulvey discuss the murder of Unitedhealthcare’s CEO, what’s contributed to Bitcoin’s rise to $100,000 per token, and Chewy’s trouble finding new customers. Then, 17 minutes in, Motley Fool Senior Analyst Sanmeet Deo joins Ricky to check in on a mall retailer that’s showing signs of a turnaround. Companies/Tickers discussed: UHC, BTC, PLD, KNSL, MKL, CHWY, SPG, ONON, GAP. Host - Ricky Mulvey; Guests - Jason Moser, Sanmeet Deo

Adam Cox is joined by Dr. Frances from Stetson & Associates. With VAT charges on private school fees in place from January, leading inclusivity experts are urging the UK government and local authorities to commit funds to meaningful change. With it being Inclusive Schools Week, Dr. Stetson offers her insight and perspective. https://stetsonassociates.com/

Adam Cox is joined by Dr Juho Jalkanen, the CEO of Faron Pharmaceuticals. They discuss a groundbreaking development for cancer treatment, a promising new drug is set to enter late-stage clinical trials here in the UK. Bexmarilimab offers hope to the millions of people suffering from various deadly forms of blood cancer and leukaemia worldwide – where current treatment options are largely failing. https://www.faron.com/

Is there something about you that troubles you — appearance, body shape, or something else? Many people feel emotionally challenged by such things, needing a boost in confidence and self-esteem. If you're looking for more confidence and control, this episode could be just the ticket.

Professor Tim Evans of Middlesex University wonders if the French Fifth Republic can continue much longer, with its politics increasingly polarised. With the German economy in free fall, even the survival of the Euro may be in doubt. Tim finds Keir Stamer less the heir to Blair than to Wilson and Callaghan, believing he is a catastrophically bad PM who is avoiding anything meaningful while doubling down on his worst ideas. But the Conservatives may not benefit. Badenoch is not doing well enough and Reform could soon surge past the Tories as they professionalise and purge the nasties. Why should they do a deal with the Conservative Party if they could be elected on their own, asks Tim?

James Cameron-Wilson reports that UK box office is up for an amazing 7th week in the row with Disney's Moana 2's £12m opening at #1 being four times that of the original. While the animation is sublime and the music great, it lacks a cohesive storyline. At #5 is Conclave with Ralph Fiennes excellent in a surprisingly thrilling and insightful adaptation of Robert Harris’s novel about the election of a new Pope. James was gripped throughout, finding it a cinematic masterpiece. Although Netflix's second screen version of The Piano Lesson, with Samuel L. Jackson, is a well-made and acted tale, it can't shake off its theatrical roots. He also revisited the John Grisham adaptation A Time To Kill online, finding it has well stood the test of time.

Steve Caplin gives Simon Rose a plethora of tech ideas for Christmas gifts, for others and for yourself. He finds some bizarre advent calendars. The top toy for kids appears to be a Fart Blaster. From the Chinese version of Amazon, Alibaba, he recommends heated gloves, a vacuum phone holder, a portable ceiling fan, sewing needles that thread themselves and a car charger with retractable cables. There's also a camera drone, an impressive iPhone case, rechargeable LED work lights, colour changing LED bulbs, magnetic tool holders and an avocado slicer. He was delighted with his game-playing SteamDeck and also recommends Bridge Command, where you can immerse yourself in a Star Trek-style experience.

Russ Mould of A J Bell discusses the Bloomberg piece pointing out that 45 firms have left the UK market this year through mergers and acquisitions. But is it such a bad thing that almost £50bn has gone to investors or that UK assets are both cheap and desired? It's true that the number of companies quoted in the UK has halved in 30 years but the decline has been true in the US and Australia too. We have too few tech and growth companies and too much stodge but the real problems have come from cheap debt – making riskier shares less attractive – and unduly tightened reporting requirements, making listing more laborious.