Today's episode is all about breaking the silence around salaries and how to navigate those conversations. What are the common misconceptions people have about discussing salaries? How do we navigate discussions about finances when there's a significant income disparity between partners? How can working with a financial planner help you plan for the future? To gain clarity on these questions, I interviewed Laura Newman, NatWest Premier’s Head of Financial Planning.

As January comes to a close, I hope you're settling into 2024 with a sense of excitement and enthusiasm for what lies ahead. As we prepare for an eventful year, we want to pause and extend our heartfelt appreciation for your ongoing support.

We've got so many exciting projects and plans in store, and we can't wait to share them with you.

But first: to kickstart 2024 with a financial boost, we have prepared a Hotline episode featuring valuable tips to transform your financial situation this year. Whether it's fostering a positive money mindset or implementing practical strategies for saving, we've got all the tools you need to make this your most financially successful year to date.

What are some of the things that we are most afraid of or most dread when it comes to money? What is lifestyle creep? How to plan for your finances in 2024?

In this episode of The Wallet, I interview Laura Newman, Head of NatWest’s Specialist Client Advice and Investment Services. We discuss the financial challenges and opportunities for 2024, such as inflation, interest rates, lifestyle creep, and wealth management. Laura shares her insights and tips on planning, overcoming obstacles, and growing wealth.

Are you familiar with the name Jordan Belfort? If not, you might recognise him as the infamous 'Wolf of Wall Street'. Belfort's journey in the financial world is nothing short of exhilarating — starting from his humble beginnings as a door-to-door salesman to becoming the mastermind behind Stratton Oakmont, a fraudulent brokerage firm that swindled millions from unsuspecting investors.

Keith Gill, aka RoaringKitty and DeepFuckingValue, was a financial analyst and online trader who challenged Wall Street with GameStop, a retailer on the verge of bankruptcy. He shared his trades on Reddit, attracting a crowd of followers who bought GameStop shares, driving up the price and hurting hedge funds that had shorted the stock.

In this episode, I speak to Martha Lane Fox, the co-founder of lastminute.com, Europe’s biggest travel and leisure website. She started the company in 1998 with Brent Hoberman, and sold it in 2005 for a whopping £577 million when she was only 31.

Today, we’ll be looking at Patrick Foster’s story. Patrick had a promising career as a professional cricketer, until gambling came into the picture. In this podcast, he shares his journey from being a sports star to a compulsive gambler who ended up in £250,000 of debt, revealing how he got hooked on betting, lost his job and his friends, and how he tried to escape his addiction by moving to a different city and becoming a teacher.

We’re used to hearing about stocks, credit or commodities being at the centre of bubbles, but never a flower. Today, we’ll be looking at tulip mania - a period in the 1630s when the prices of tulip bulbs in the Netherlands soared to unprecedented levels, driven by a speculative frenzy. I’ll be talking to Anne Goldgar, an American historian and academic, who argues that tulip mania was not a widespread frenzy that affected the whole society, but rather a limited phenomenon - and that accounts of the subsequent crash may be more fiction than fact. However, there are key takeaways from this story that we, as investors, can learn from.

In today’s episode, we cover one of America’s most prominent cases of financial abuse. Brooke Astor was a well-known figure in New York high society and one of the 20th century's great philanthropists. You'll hear from Brooke's grandson, Philip, about the personal financial crime that unfolded within his own family. He started his own investigation, questioning staff and realised that a significant amount of money has been moved around and legal documents have been altered.

📈 In this episode, we delve into the world of investing. Join us as Helena Wardle, Founder of Money Means and Partner and Chartered Financial Planner at Smith and Wardle, shares insights and strategies to bolster your investing confidence and broaden your portfolio. Together, we'll explore the significance of diversification and learn how to strike the right balance between risk and return. In a high-interest rates environment, we'll address the dilemma of whether to prioritise mortgage repayments or continue investing. 

In this episode, with Chartered Financial Adviser Lisa Conway-Hughes, we talk about vital strategies for navigating this complex and emotional process, covering topics such as protecting your financial future, maximising savings allowances, securing insurance, and safeguarding against scams. We also explore the personal dynamics of inheritance, including factors that influence distribution decisions, such as close relationships, financial needs, and caregiving responsibilities.

In this episode, we speak to Helena Wardle - Founder of Money Means as well as Partner and Chartered Financial Planner at Smith and Wardle - about finding that golden balance between money and our well-being, how to avoid lifestyle creep and still feel fulfilled, the best ways to avoid retail therapy and more.

Taxes. That word alone can send shivers down your spine. But today, with the help of Chartered Financial Adviser Lisa Conway-Hughes, we’ll try and make taxes a little less scary for you. Lisa provides valuable insights on avoiding common mistakes, staying organised, and ensuring you have sufficient funds.

Today, we tackle the often misunderstood and stressful topic of debt. Financial Planner Abigail Banks leads us in the discussion of the different types of debt that women face, as well as strategies for paying it off and avoiding common misconceptions. Whether it's student loans or mortgages, we provide tips and advice for effectively using and managing debt at every stage of life.

💸 In this episode, we dive into the often tricky and emotionally charged topic of money and relationships. Our expert guest shares insights on managing joint finances, communicating effectively about money, and aligning financial goals with your couple goals. We also explore practical strategies for optimising tax benefits, the cost of being single, navigating divorce, and more.

💸 In today's episode as part of our new series, we get into the topic of death. While many of us avoid thinking about our own mortality, it's crucial to plan for the unexpected. What happens if we were to pass away tomorrow? How can we protect our assets? And how can we care for aging parents at the end of life? Join us as we discover the significance of estate planning and delve into topics such as life insurance, digital assets, trusts, and the importance of regularly updating your estate plan.

In this episode, Nafisa shares her tips on getting better at sales, understanding how to build a useful network and advice on being more efficient.

💸 How do you split your finances when your partner earns much more than you?

How can we spot financial infidelity, and what is financial abuse?

How can we start talking about money with a partner?

A recent survey of 600 therapists shows a third reported an increase in clients talking about relationship problems sparked by rising living costs. The therapists also noted that more clients were finding it difficult to leave their partner because of financial concerns.

Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), which held $200 billion worth of deposits, collapsed, sending shockwaves through the industry. Banking regulators shut down SVB after the bank's valuation collapsed, resulting in the second-largest bank failure in US history after Lehman Brothers. With the help of the government and private sector, the focus was on containing the contagion and ensuring that businesses could stay afloat.

💸 Do you find yourself worried about personal safety and economic security? Are you frustrated by the inequalities women still face in 2023? Do you find yourself increasingly fed up with the patriarchy?

Have you debated whether you should give your kids pocket money?