On this episode Danni and Laura are feeling optimistic. More financial education aimed at women and shifts in mindset are helping younger generations feel more empowered about their choices and open to having those tricky conversations. Our research shows that younger generations are more likely to split money equally, have frank conversations about money and have planned their financial futures. We hear from Marianna Hunt, a 28-year-old Money Matters listener, about why uncomfortable conversati...
Oct 18, 2023•33 min•Ep. 50
On this episode Danni and Laura examine the “Single Tax”, which not only impacts your day-to-day money but also has huge implications for your long-term financial plans. They chat to a couple of ladies about how being single has impacted their lives and their ability to save, as well as revealing the latest research that shows how being single affects your money. Plus, Danni finally shares her financial confession.
Oct 04, 2023•27 min•Ep. 49
It’s a very special episode as we celebrate the launch of our new research report. Our founding Ambassador Baroness Helena Morrissey talks through the findings that chart the financial wobbly bits of women’s lives: from our discomfort with asking for a pay rise, to shouldering the bulk of caring responsibilities and then menopause. There are plenty of potholes for women to navigate if we’re ever going to narrow the gender wealth gap. Danni and Laura chat through their own financial wobbly bits a...
Sep 20, 2023•38 min•Ep. 48
On this special episode we chat to model and TV presenter Lisa Snowdon. Now in her 50s, Lisa pulls no punches about the impact the menopause had on her confidence and career. Having recently become a best-selling author, she’s adamant she’s just getting started, but says for all women to embrace the gift of getting older they need to have their financial ducks in a row. Danni and Laura also give listeners an exclusive first taste of our new research, which uncovers the "Financial Wobbly Bits" th...
Sep 07, 2023•36 min•Ep. 47
On this episode Laura and Danni explain everything you need to know about the financial hot potato that is the state pension triple lock. They bust through all the jargon and discuss why the state pension increase is so controversial. And with more people than ever turning to social media for investment and finance tips, Laura chats to the founder of This Girl Talks Money, Ellie Austin-Williams, about how to separate the good from the bad in the world of finfluencers.
Aug 23, 2023•37 min•Ep. 46
On this episode Danni and Laura look into the realities of economic abuse. It’s a tough topic but an important one to tackle as it disproportionately affects women, with one in six women in the UK having experienced economic abuse by a current or former partner. Often it begins at points in life when women can feel isolated or vulnerable, like during maternity leave. Danni talks to Lauren Garret from the charity Surviving Economic Abuse about how to recognise abuse and where to go for help. Plus...
Aug 09, 2023•29 min•Ep. 45
As the Women’s World Cup in Australia gets underway Danni and Laura lay bare the gender pay gap in the sport. While the gap has narrowed considerably since the last tournament, prize money for women is still a quarter of the men’s World Cup. Our interview looks at how both physical and financial health are closely tied, according to Dr Nikki Ramskill aka The Female Money Doc. The GP and money coach talks about how the cost of living crisis and post pandemic waiting lists are having a real impact...
Jul 26, 2023•40 min•Ep. 44
This week Danni and Laura discuss a huge financial event in many women’s lives – motherhood. It’s one of those moments that makes a huge difference to women’s finances – not just in the first months when you are kitting out the nursery and on maternity leave, but also childcare costs and the motherhood juggle. The pair discuss their own family journeys and Danni chats to finance blogger and influencer Tolu Frimpong who took time out from her maternity leave with baby number four to talk about ho...
Jul 12, 2023•34 min•Ep. 43
On this episode we explore why lessons learnt as a child are still negatively impacting your financial decisions today. Laura chats to money and mindset expert Laura Ann Moore from the financial education platform Mind Money Soul, who explains why the way we spend and save now is influenced by our childhood, and gives us some fascinating tips on how we can shake off some of the bad habits we’ve picked up. Amid the doom and gloom of the news at the moment, Danni and Laura unearth various bits of ...
Jun 28, 2023•37 min•Ep. 42
On this episode Laura and Danni tackle the subject du-jour: what’s going on with the mortgage market? They cover what you need to know if you’re re-mortgaging or just looking for that first home loan, the trend towards ultra-long mortgages and why there’s so much mayhem in mortgage markets right now. They’ve also enlisted Charlotte Tollitt, a mortgage broker at Meet Margo , to cut through the jargon and explain the different products, when you should start looking for your next mortgage and ways...
Jun 14, 2023•38 min•Ep. 41
On this episode we are talking career breaks. Lots of women take time out when they have kids, but there are plenty of other reasons you might take a break from work. Laura and Danni give you all the tips to plan ahead so your finances suffer the smallest shock possible – and Danni chats to author and coach Jessica Chivers, from the Comeback Community, who shares the steps you can take to boost your confidence when you make that transition back into a job.
May 31, 2023•31 min•Ep. 40
On this episode Danni and Laura discuss “lifestyle creep”. From increasingly luxurious summer holidays to extra streaming subscriptions to keep the kids happy, it’s easy to get sucked into paying more and more every year. Laura chats to Stacey Lowman from Claro Wellbeing who has tips on how to beat the creep, how to avoid falling victim to social media envy and how to differentiate it from constantly rising inflation. Danni and Laura also discuss investing tactics and the differences between inv...
May 17, 2023•28 min•Ep. 39
On this episode Danni and Laura discuss why pension planning in your 20s can help narrow that gender investment gap. For many retirement might seem a very long way off but making sure you have enough in your pot, so your living standards don’t fall in later life, takes time. To find out how much we really should be saving, and get tips and tricks to make the most out of the system Laura chats to Charlene Young, AJ Bell’s pension and savings expert. Danni and Laura also discuss why food inflation...
May 05, 2023•36 min•Ep. 38
On this episode of the Money Matters podcast Laura and Danni explore the common myth that cohabiting couples have the same rights as married couples or those in a civil partnership under what many people refer to as “common law marriage”. Spoiler alert: they don’t, even if they have children together. And if their relationship breaks down or one of the couple passes away, they could find themselves dealing with a whole lot of unexpected stress and financial pressures. Cohabitation is the fastest...
Apr 20, 2023•34 min•Ep. 37
On this episode Laura and Danni get you up to date on all the price rises that came in on April Fool’s Day – from broadband and mobile costs to council tax and the end of the energy support. They also give you some tips to help spring clean your money. Our guest this week tackles the tricky issue of the lack of women in the finance industry – still only 12% of UK fund managers are women. But Danni chats to one women who is bucking that trend: Hillary Blandy from Jupiter Asset Management, about w...
Apr 05, 2023•30 min•Ep. 36
On this episode Danni Hewson and Laura Suter look at the details of the big childcare promises in the latest Budget. The chancellor’s new proposals for free childcare hours from nine months and up have been cautiously welcomed by many parents, but we lay out how the scheme will actually work and the potential pitfalls. Our guest this week is the Financial Times’ Claer Barrett, who has taken on the role as the nation’s financial agony aunt. The consumer editor of the Financial Times also has a ne...
Mar 22, 2023•48 min•Ep. 35
On this special episode of the Money Matters podcast, we are celebrating International Women’s Day and Danni and Laura discuss this year’s theme which is “Embrace Equity”. Our campaign, which aims to help women feel more confident in their finances and narrow the gender investment gap, has been going just over a year and Laura catches up with Baroness Helena Morrissey, who has been campaigning for diversity in financial services for decades. She asks what Helena thinks has changed over the decad...
Mar 08, 2023•30 min•Ep. 34
Romance is in the air, as Danni and Laura grab the confetti and chat about the rising cost of getting hitched. With the average wedding now costing more than £18,000, the pair take you through different ways to save and where to get the best rates to help protect your cash from inflation. Danni also chats to one woman who made it her mission to have her dream wedding without breaking the bank. Lauren Catton started the blog The Thrifty Bride in the run-up to her big day and has some great tips t...
Feb 22, 2023•35 min•Ep. 33
On the latest episode of the Money Matters podcast Danni and Laura update you on where we stand with those energy bills. With government help being scaled back from April, they discuss what might happen as wholesale energy costs fall and take you through what to do if you’re struggling to pay your bill. With lots of pressures on people’s budgets at the moment, we know money worries can have a real impact on people’s mental health, so Laura catches up with Jenny Somerville, head of the charity St...
Feb 08, 2023•36 min•Ep. 32
On this episode of the Money Matters podcast Danni and Laura go back to basics and talk you through what a recession is, whether the UK is in one and if there’s anything you can do to help prepare your finances for a downturn. Danni also chats to Pearl Akintola from the credit reference agency Experian about credit scores, to find out what they are, how you find yours and what you can do to improve it.
Jan 25, 2023•38 min•Ep. 31
In the first Money Matters podcast of 2023 Danni and Laura discuss New Year resolutions and the pressure to get fitter, healthier and more motivated. January’s dark nights and wet weather might dampen the appeal of heading out for a run, but they’re perfect for getting your finances in shape. We run through five tips to detox your finances and become financially fitter for the year ahead. Danni also chats to Ellie Webb, founder of alcohol-free spirit business Caleño, about why the sector has exp...
Jan 11, 2023•34 min•Ep. 30
On this episode of the Money Matters podcast Danni and Laura give you the lowdown on inflation. It’s been making headlines all year and prices just keep going up and up. But exactly what is inflation, is there any sign things might ease in the new year and how does raising interest rates help to bring it down? One thing’s for sure rising prices are making budgeting this Christmas particularly hard and squeezed finances can sometimes lead to arguments. Laura’s been chatting to bestselling author ...
Dec 21, 2022•47 min•Ep. 29
On this episode of the Money Matters podcast Danni chats to podcast sensations the Scummy Mummies about why money is still a massive taboo. Comedy duo Ellie Gibson and Helen Thorn are currently on a UK tour and while their audience is happy to share stories about parenting failure, sexual misadventures and hangover woes, they very rarely mention money. Both mums have had their own financial trials over the years and share their thoughts on the current cost of living crisis. And with high prices ...
Dec 07, 2022•40 min•Ep. 28
The recent Budget will have a big impact on all our pockets. But fear not, Danni and Laura are here to tell you what all of the economic jargon and boring tax changes mean for your money. And Black Friday is looming, which can be a time to grab a great bargain – but also a tricky time to avoid overspending. To help you navigate (and survive) the big shopping day we’ve enlisted Karen Hasid, the mum behind the brilliant Instagram account @kakasheadoverdeals to talk us through the best ways to maxi...
Nov 23, 2022•37 min•Ep. 27
Laura and Danni are back with a slightly new feel Money Matters podcast and on this episode, they’ve drafted in the big guns, Instagram sensation Heidi Ondrak. The “Duchess of Thrift” shares her secrets for cutting the cost of Christmas this year. She’s got loads of money saving tips and tricks which can help you cope with the perils of pester power and enjoy the festive season without the debt hangover that no one can afford. Danni and Laura also take you through everything you need to know abo...
Nov 09, 2022•38 min•Ep. 26
On this episode of the Money Matters podcast Danni and Laura talk about another life event that can have a huge impact on a woman’s working life. Menopause typically affects women between the ages of 45 and 55 and one in four women surveyed said it had impacted their working life. Confidence takes the biggest knock and 6% of women going through the menopause said they’d had to reduce their hours and 4% said they’d either changed jobs or quit work entirely. Danni shares her own experiences of wor...
Oct 10, 2022•36 min•Ep. 25
On this special episode of the Money Matters podcast Danni and Laura pick apart the new Chancellor’s Budget and explain how the new measures might affect you. From tax cuts and stamp duty being slashed, to help with energy bills and changes to universal credit. They also talk about what the downbeat market reaction has done to the value of the pound and why that really matters – as well as looking at why it might bring on quicker and bigger interest rate hikes.
Sep 26, 2022•32 min•Ep. 24
This episode of the Money Matters podcast is your download-and-keep guide to buying a house. Danni and Laura have enlisted a couple of fantastic guests to talk through the ins and outs of every stage of getting on, or stepping up, the housing ladder. You’ll get tips on how to position yourself as the perfect buyer, the lowdown on all those tricky mortgage terms, and crucially, hear how much everything is going to cost. This episode is aimed at first-time buyers, but there’s also plenty of inform...
Sep 12, 2022•42 min•Ep. 23
On this episode of the Money Matters podcast Danni and Laura tell you everything you need to know about saving for a deposit to buy a home. They chat to two women who took very different paths on the way to fulfilling their house buying dreams. A house is normally the biggest purchase you’ll ever make and one that requires some serious saving in order to cobble together the deposit required. There are government programmes to help, and we talk through whether things like the Lifetime ISA and, th...
Aug 26, 2022•56 min•Ep. 22
On this episode of the Money Matters podcast Danni and Laura are talking kids and money. Many people want to give their children a savings cushion, to help them with everything from education costs to buying a car or house. Laura catches up with Charlene Young, AJ Bell’s pensions and savings expert, about how to navigate all the options from ISAs to pensions, and how investing little and often can really add up by their 18th birthday. They also talk about how to help children develop a healthy r...
Aug 08, 2022•48 min•Ep. 21
