This Is Money Show

Interest rates are going to rise in May, if you believe economists, but will things get better or worse for you if they do? A few years ago, Mark Carney told us to enjoy the low inflation world while it lasted, but now wages are forecast to rise and keep inflation sticky, so interest rates are potentially going to inch up. Rising rates are often painted as bad news but for many a world in which they go up will look more enjoyable. What would be even more pleasurable is being paid more, so is Britain really finally about to break out of its low wage growth trap and get a pay rise? On this week’s podcast, Simon Lambert, Rachel Rickard Straus discuss why we don’t get paid enough, what we can do about it and how to look on the bright side of rising interest rates. Contrasting news on the struggles of first-time buyers, at the same time as they are at their highest level for a decade, is also on the agenda. Plus, there is good financial news for unmarried couples, the new car tax madness that is about to bit

Buy, sell, or hold? When stock markets take a tumble, it's decision time. Investors got a shock this week, when the prolonged period without a stock market correction – dubbed the Big Calm – came to an abrupt end. Many were not surprised by the fact that shares fell, after all warnings that a correction must arrive have not been in short supply. But what did catch them off guard was quite how hard they fell and that the only catalyst was the threat of slightly higher interest rates. On Wall Street, the Dow Jones dived 4.6 per cent on Monday, and then after a brief bit of mid-week respite, it tumbled another 4.2 per cent on Thursday. In the UK, shares also fell but not by as much, although some with more high-octane portfolios will be nursing bigger losses. So, is this just a healthy correction, or is it the start of something bigger? On this week’s podcast, Simon Lambert, Alex Sebastian and Georgie Frost look at why shares fell, what investors should do when markets correct, and whether ther

The Chancellor asked for ideas for inheritance tax to be simplified this week, but should we even have a death tax at all? It is highly unpopular, and some who argue against it say that taxing someone when they are alive and then their estate when they die amounts to double taxation. In contrast, others argue for a lower inheritance tax-free threshold and an even higher tax rate than the current 40%. So how do you solve a problem like inheritance tax? On this week’s podcast Simon Lambert, Lee Boyce and Georgie Frost look at how it works, why it is unpopular, and how you can avoid it. Simon suggests his plan to simplify it and get more people paying by removing those fiddly reliefs and slashing the rate to 20%. But we also consider the argument for taxing inheritance (and unearned property wealth) more heavily. Later on the podcast, we discuss the problem of interest-only timebomb mortgages and whether homeowners are burying their heads in the sand. Also on the agenda is what’s wrong with M&S and invest

Could you get duped into sending a fraudster thousands of pounds? Many people think of course they wouldn’t, but then it happens to them. In this week’s podcast Simon Lambert, Lee Boyce and Georgie Frost look into the disturbing rise in fraudsters targeting ordinary people’s finances and how you can protect yourself – we also ask if the banks do enough to help. On the other side of the table from those looking to take your money, are the people who promise to make it for you – fund managers. And there has been one name that keeps cropping up in This is Money’s reader comments as someone who doesn’t get his fair dues, Terry Smith. We dive into his Fundsmith fund, why it has been so successful and having had it explained to him first hand by Mr Smith himself, Simon outlines the Fundsmith investing philosophy. He looks at whether investors need to be wary of putting too much faith in an approach that has done well if conditions change, or whether the top global funds run by managers such as Smith, Nick Tra

The collapse of Carillion this week brought how Britain runs itself into the spotlight, but it also left many workers wondering about their money. And it's not just their wages that are a concern, the safety of people's final salary pensions is a major worry when a company collapses. In this week's podcast, Simon Lambert, Rachel Rickard Straus and Georgie Frost look at how safe your pension is and what backs it up.  They also discuss whether it is wise handing over so much of the UK’s public service and projects to private companies looking to turn a profit for shareholders - and what happens to people's finances when that goes wrong? If you’ve always wanted to understand the business of the private finance initiative (PFI) – this week’s show is a must listen. Alongside that we discuss the continuing madness of the cryptocurrency boom, including the alternatives to bitcoin and how ripple rose 84% in 24 hours. We also reveal the savings rate postcode lottery and ask that all important question, shou

Planning on relying on the state pension to keep you afloat in retirement? After listening to this week’s podcast, you might want to have a rethink. On this episode, presenter Georgie Frost, consumer affairs editor Lee Boyce and personal finance editor Rachel Rickard Straus discuss what’s in store for the state pension. Will it still be around when they come to retire? A report this week suggests something will have to change to make sure it is, whether that be everyone paying more in National Insurance, the retirement age rising again or a means-tested state pension. The team also discuss getting hold of our state pension forecasts – and if they’re at all reliable. And what about those who are already retired? The trio then discuss a growing trend of retirees extracting money from the value of their homes to pay off credit card debts. But it’s not all gloom. Lee has news of a 50p coin that could be worth considerably more than that – and that you can only get hold of by going on a lovely day out. Enj

House prices are coming off the boil, but it is London and the South East that are suffering, while some regional cities do well. But what happens next? Simon Lambert takes a look at the house price forecasts for 2018 and whether property will rise, fall or flatline in the year ahead.

From savings rates, to property prices and the prospects for the UK economy, this week we take a look at what will (might) happen to our finances in 2018. Predictions – as we all know – are a mug’s game, but as it is the start of a new year, it’s time to have a look at what could happen in 2018 in the world of money. Inflation is forecast to subside, while interest rates are only tipped to rise very gently. That would be a boost to people’s finances if wage inflation can get back up above the rising cost of living. A further boon could come from savings rates, which it is suggested could continue to rise. In the property market, house prices are predicted to be flat across the UK, but that will mask a continuing divergence in fortunes between regional cities, where sales are buoyant, and London and the commuter belt, where the market has suffered. Elsewhere in the economy, car sales are falling, consumer borrowing is rising but at a slower pace, and there will continue to be worries we aren’t s

Facts are either right or wrong, right? ...wrong? In this special episode of the This is Money podcast Tim Harford, presenter of the BBC series More or Less and all-round Undercover Economist makes a second guest appearance. We talk about facts and stats - checking them, debunking them, reporting them, baffling with them, battling over them. But that's just the start. Tim argues that we think of facts as being either the truth or lies, but that actually factual claims can form part of our identity. We talk about the importance of factual claims made by those in positions of power - but also of trying to keep some facts out of the political domain altogether. We also discuss the impact of social media on the way in which we consume news and facts. And whether we're too dependent on numbers altogether. Don't believe us? You'll have to listen and see.

Have you ever really thought about what it is that creates the modern economy? These are the things that surround us and we interact with, or depend on, everyday but rarely think about. From credit cards, to shipping containers, batteries and double-entry book-keeping, there are a lot of things that are more interesting than you may think. And for this special Christmas edition of the This is Money podcast we have a treat for you. Tim Harford, author of Fifty Things that Made the Modern Economy, presenter of the podcast of the same name, and Undercover Economist makes a guest appearance. He joins Simon Lambert, Rachel Rickard Straus and Georgie Frost in the studio to talk about what it is that shapes the world around us, why it matters, and how what are commonplace things now were dreamed up and then completely changed the way we live.

It’s time for the annual This is Money Christmas taste test – and our look at how the supermarket business is faring. This year, the contenders are Sainsbury’s for the mass market, Waitrose for the upmarket, and Lidl for the discount challenger. But which will come out on top across a range of Christmas food and who delivered the cheapest bill? Simon Lambert and Lee Boyce take on Georgie Frost’s festive feast to find out in this week’s podcast and discuss whether the big supermarkets are doing better after some difficult years, if the rise of Aldi and Lidl will continue, and how Tesco and Sainsbury’s shares compare. And mingled with the Christmas food is a look at the important money news of this week, including whether higher inflation spells more rate rises, how the property market is suffering due to the reversal of the north south house price rise divide and the worst day ever to go shopping.

It's been a decent year for investors and major stock markets around the world are trading near record highs. Things may continue to go up, but it always pays to have a Plan B just in case they don't and stock markets take a tumble. Simon Lambert, of This is Money, explains how you can build a disaster plan into your portfolio.

Could you train your brain to get richer? Behavioural economics tells us that we regularly behave irrationally – and nudge theory has been used by governments and organisations around the world to try to make us better people. But could you take matters into your own hands, tackle your own temptations and make yourself wealthier, or just happier? On this week’s podcast, Simon Lambert, Lee Boyce and Georgie Frost look at some tricks you can deploy – and whether you can actually turn that old chestnut about not spending money on coffee into hard cash in your bank account, pension or Isa. Also on this week’s show, we discuss why Britain is bottom of the world pension league and whether that is actually as bad as it seems. Plus, we look at why NS&I’s new income bonds are proving such a hit with readers. And finally, just in case all that brain training doesn’t go as planned, Simon outlines how you can prepare an investing plan B for when the market inevitably crashes one day. Enjoy.

Bitcoin has risen more than tenfold this year and doubled in just seven weeks. But can it keep rising as adoption gets more widespread, does blockchain's promise justify the price, and does any of this matter as to whether it is in a bubble or not? In this excerpt from the This is Money podcast, Simon Lambert and Georgie Frost discuss Bitcoin's astonishing rise.

Britain’s car industry is crying foul, as not a single new diesel car avoids the Budget tax hike because the test they have to pass hasn’t come in yet. Car makers claim that new diesels are fine, but can we believe them? Meanwhile, campaigners want extra taxes and a serious crackdown on diesel drivers, but it’s ended up with councils leading the way with a piece-meal approach. Who should we believe, has the drive to get rid of diesel gone too far, and is it employing bad science? This week, Simon Lambert, Tanya Jefferies and Georgie Frost drive into the murky world of diesel cars. And also on the show, we look at a victory for those with small annuities and how to invest for income with ETFs. Former hedge fund manager Lars Kroijer explains why you should stop trying to beat the market and just be a passive investor. Or if that’s not for you, how about joining the bitcoin boom? We look at what on earth is going on with the cryptocurrency rollercoaster and the gold Rolls-Royce that you c

The Chancellor axed stamp duty for first-time buyers in the Budget up to £300,000, but his own watchdog claimed it would drive up house prices. So is the Office of Budget Responsibility right? Simon Lambert says its logic is flawed and that we need to be even more radical on stamp duty - maybe even making the seller pay.

It was billed as a make or break Budget, so did the Chancellor pitch it right? Philip Hammond pulled a George Osborne-sized rabbit from the hat at the end with the abolition of stamp duty for first-time buyers, but was that enough to make us to forget the gloomy economic news and the gags? On the plus side, the Budget brought an income tax cut for most, the promise of more homes being built, and no more stamp duty for most first-time buyers. On the negative side, economists say we are due another lost decade, Philip Hammond’s own financial watchdog said he would drive up house prices, and cough sweet jokes might be catching on. This week, Simon Lambert, Rachel Rickard Straus and Georgie Frost pick apart the Budget to try to find out who the winners and losers will be. From an up to £5,000 tax saving on a first home, to railcards for the under-30s, zero mentions of the word saver, and whether Just Eat can really solve the productivity puzzle, they round up what you need to know. Plus, what exactly was Simon’s

Yes, it’s another Budget. On Wednesday, November 22, Philip Hammond will stand up and deliver his second Budget of the year and this is his chance to ride to the Conservatives’ rescue. After the last Budget mess, the snap election that went wrong, the unexpected rise of Corbynism, and the Brexit arguments that just won’t go away, the Chancellor will be hoping that he’s the one to get everything back on track. So what could he deliver – and what should he? From help for younger people, to stamp duty cuts, pension tinkering, building more homes and just fixing the roads, Simon Lambert, Rachel Rickard Straus and Georgie Frost take a run through what might come up and what it would mean for you. And they outline what they would like to see. The problem for the Chancellor, as he shifts the Budget to the autumn for the first time, is that there is a tension between his desire to do something and his lack of wriggle room due to Britain’s finances. How will he solve that problem? Listen to the podcast to see what we

Have you ever dreamed of retiring early, or at least choosing to work on your own terms? There is a niche but growing movement that’s all about financial independence - it’s not necessarily about stopping work completely, but it is about having the choice to do so. So, could you achieve financial independence, how hard would it be and how long would it take? And why would you even want to retire early? On this week’s This is Money podcast, Simon Lambert, Laura Whitcombe and Georgie Frost stick it to The Man and dive into financial independence. They look at a reader’s question on whether he could reinvest profits from his business and property to retire by 50. They also discuss just how much of your income you might need to save to get there and whether that sacrifice is worth it. Also on the show: • How to invest your pension in retirement • We ask NatWest about its dreadful savings rate • The good news on savings rates that are rising And finally, as the UK’s worst places for using a mobile have been reveal

How quickly does the Bank of England think that the base rate will rise after its first move up? Simon Lambert looks at the figures and outlines the good, the bad and the awkward, in this excerpt from the This is Money podcast.