Feel Better About Money

The budget is later than usual this year - November 26th -- so there's more time for speculation on what the budget might bring. Holly and her experts look at the possibilities, but is it a good idea to try and pre-empt what can be unpredictable! And what happens if you make big decisions about your finances, only to find the Treasury doesn't make the changes you've been expecting after all? For advice on how to keep calm this Autumn, Holly turns to Laura Suter, director of personal finance at AJ Bell, and Nimesh Shah, CEO at business advisory firm Blick Rothenberg. 

Why does spending right now, too often beat planning for retirement later? Why do financial losses sting more than financial wins? And what tiny tweaks can make your brain work with you, and not against you? Holly tries to find the answers with finance coach, Laura Ann Moore, and Ben Kumar - from the investment firm 7IM. And we discover just 'behavioural economics' is - listen and feel (a little bit) wiser!

We are told that by the time you hit 30, you’re 'supposed' to have it all figured out - savings, investments, maybe even a first home. But for many of us, financial milestones feel harder than ever to reach. So what money goals actually matter in your 20s? Holly Mead is joined by financial planner Lisa Conway Hughes to break down the practical money moves that make the biggest difference. Plus, we hear from someone on a mission to tick off 30 goals before turning 30, or as life expectancy lengthens should we just chill a little?

Many of us will have heard the horror stories about people being refused a mortgage or a car loan because they’ve unknowingly racked up a poor credit rating. But how do these mysterious records of what we borrow, pay back and spend really work? Can an unpaid mobile phone bill really resurface in your credit history and scupper you just when you’re trying to get the finance together to buy your first home? Holly Mead is joined by Sarah Williams of online advice blog Debt Camel to dispel some of the myths — and to explain ways to improve your credit score.

Premium Bonds have had their prize rate cut again the third time this year. With 24 million people holding £130bn in them, are they still Britain’s favourite savings product, or just ‘lottery-lite’? Holly Mead is joined by The Times’s George Nixon, financial planner Rosie Hooper, and NS&I’s Andrew Westhead to ask why it's happening and whether Premium Bonds still deliver more than just excitement!Image: Getty

From solar panels to heat pumps, we’re told eco home upgrades will slash our bills and save the planet – but do they really add up? Holly Mead is joined by The Times’ Melissa York and Octopus Energy’s Nigel Banks to explore which improvements deliver real savings, how you can earn money from your energy, and why the benefits are sometimes about more than just pounds and pence.

Results day is around the corner - and so are student finance deadlines. Whether you're heading to uni, supporting someone who is, or just confused about how student loans actually work, this episode is for you. Holly Mead and accountant Arlyne Chinyanganya break down what student loans cover, how the interest on them really works, and whether paying them off early ever makes financial sense.

Why does money cause so many relationship rifts? In this episode of Feel Better About Money, Holly Mead is joined by The Times’ Rachel Mortimer and financial psychotherapist Vicky Reynal to look at why love and money are so often at odds, and how couples can find common ground. They look at how the financial 'blueprints' from our childhoods shape our attitudes to money, and how to make it work when two people have completely different approaches to spending or saving.Guests:Rachel Mortimer, Deputy Money Editor, The TimesVicky Reynal, psychotherapist and author of Money on Your Mind: The Psychology Behind Your Financial Habits.