Ft Money Show

REPEAT: Have you ever dreamt of starting your own business? It might sound more fulfilling — but being an employee has some perks you might miss. 33-year old Rhiannon set up her first business three years ago, offering virtual PA services. Even though she’s making a profit, Rhiannon is struggling to find a mortgage lender who will help her buy a property. Plus, she’s unsure about whether to leave her savings in cash — or risk tying them up inside a pension. Expert help is on hand from Holly Mackay, founder of Boring Money and mortgage broker Will Rhind from Habito.If you would like to talk to Claer for a future podcast episode, email the Money Clinic team money@ft.com with a brief description of your story. Follow Claer on Twitter and Instagram @Claerb and read her weekly Serious Money column.Further reading:-Writing a will is one thing that’s been on Rhiannon’s financial to-do list for a while. Listen to this Money Clinic to find out how to set one up online.-The pandemic has been tough on the self-employed.

REPEAT: In this week's episode of the Money Clinic, Claer chats to Naureen about getting started in investing. Naureen had a wake up call when she received her annual pension statement through the post, and saw that her projected income in retirement would not even cover the basics. But with so much information out there on investing, she doesn’t know where to begin. Experts Jason Butler, the FT columnist and Charlotte Brayton, financial planner at James Hambro & Partners join Claer to give their two pennies worth.If you would like to talk to Claer on a future episode, please email the Money Clinic team at money@ft.com with a short description of your problem, and how you would like us to help. If you want to read more about the topics covered in this week's episode, check out the following FT articles - some of which are free to read:Even if you are not a fan of 90s rapper Vanilla Ice, Claer’s free primer on the tax advantages of investing through a stocks and shares Isa is a must-read for UK listen

Would you fall for a £17,000 scam? You might think you are too smart to be duped by fraudsters, but under lockdown, criminals have come up with frighteningly convincing ways of parting us from our hard-earned cash. Claer Barrett talks to 31-year-old listener Jenny about how professional scammers conned her out of £17,000 after she clicked on a text message - and the battle she’s fighting with her bank to get the money back. Bank fraud expert Steven McMillan provides practical advice about spotting scams and how criminals use ‘phished’ data to fool victims, and Gareth Shaw from Which? tells listeners how to get compensation if they fall victim.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

When 29-year-old Sam found out that his younger brother had made £30,000 trading bitcoin, he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. The self-employed musician decided to put the last £2,000 of his savings into various cryptocurrencies, hoping he could double his money. However, wild swings in crypto valuations are proving a test of his strategy. Presenter Claer Barrett explores the highs and lows of investing in cryptocurrencies with experts Abhishek Sachdev, a professional investor who has personally invested £20,000, and Eva Szalay, the FT’s currencies correspondent. They discuss crypto’s long-term potential as an asset class and the risks that investors such as Sam need to be aware of, as well as the allure of investing in highly volatile unregulated assets. Review clips: BBC Newsnight, CNBC.If you would like to be a guest on Money Clinic and chat to Claer about a money issue that’s bothering you, get in touch — our email is money@ft.com -— and you can follow Claer on Twitter and Instagram @ClaerB.&nbs

It’s easy to create a budget to manage your spending - but can you stick to it? 32-year old project manager Rosie contacted Money Clinic as she kept making the same mistakes. Despite starting the month with good intentions, online shopping sprees frequently pushed her into the red. Battling with ‘buyer’s remorse’ as she returned her impulse purchases, Rosie asked Claer what psychological factors could be causing her to break the budget? Tim Harford, FT columnist and author, turns to behavioural economics to show how we can train our brains to resist the urge to splurge. Financial coach and blogger Ellie Austin-Williams, known online as This Girl Talks Money, encourages Rosie to explore her ‘money mindset’ and probe her emotional connections with money. If you would like to be a guest on Money Clinic and chat to Claer about a money issue that’s bugging you, get in touch — our email is money@ft.com. Follow Claer on Twitter and Instagram @ClaerB.Further reading:Tim Harford writes the ‘Undercover Econom

Accountant Peter knows that to grow a business, you have to take on debt. But can he apply that same logic to his personal finances? He tells Claer how he is tempted to take out a bigger mortgage against his London flat and invest that money in a buy-to-let property - or even in the stock market. Has he come up with a brilliant shortcut to making some extra money, or is his plan to leverage up a recipe for disaster? Personal finance expert and FT columnist Jason Butler stresses that debt is no shortcut to wealth, while the FT’s European economics commentator Martin Sandbu looks at recent consumer debt trends.If you are a regular Money Clinic listener and want to be in with a chance of winning £250, then let us know what you think of the show at www.ft.com/moneyclinicsurvey If you would like to be a guest on Money Clinic and chat to Claer about a money issue that’s bugging you, get in touch — our email is money@ft.comClaer and Jason will be doing an Instagram Live on Tuesday 18th May at 7.30pm UK tim

Retail is not dead. Brexit could help UK companies. Take a small punt on bitcoin, keep your money invested in fossil fuel companies, and reassess your holdings in expensive tech stocks. These are pretty punchy opinions about the investment world — and they come from one of the FT’s top opinion writers, columnist Merryn Somerset Webb. In this special episode of the Money Clinic podcast, Merryn chats to presenter Claer Barrett about her personal investment strategy — and the forces she believes will shape the stock market in the years to come.Listeners should be aware that the discussion of investment trends on this podcast is for information only, aimed at people who feel confident making their own investment decisions. It doesn’t constitute an investment recommendation, or individual financial advice — if you want that, you’ll need to see an independent financial adviser.Find out more:- Both Merryn and Claer write a weekly column in the FT Weekend and you can follow them on Instagram and Twitter @MerrynSW @Cl

If I take a job outside the UK, what are the options for my investments, property and pension? After months spent in lockdown, 31-year-old finance professional Viktoria is longing for a change of scene, and is planning to relocate overseas.She talks to Claer about her desire to escape the corporate lifestyle in London and her concerns about what would happen to her property, pensions and investments if she were to uproot. David Denton, chartered financial planner at Quilter International, reveals the financial dilemmas commonly faced by Brits taking jobs overseas, and what someone in Viktoria’s position needs to consider. Theresa Wallace of property firm Savills talks through the pros and cons of renting out your home versus selling it when you move to another country. Useful links:For tips and guidance on investing in ISAs, listen to How can I get started as an investor? If you’re considering becoming a landlord and want to know more, check out Should I rent out my property?The FT’s Famil

Anne Boden spent over three decades in the traditional banking sector, watching the world around her being transformed by technology. In 2014, she decided that the time had come for banking to undergo the same shift, and quit her job to found Starling Bank. Since then, Anne has built Starling from an idea into a digital bank with 2m customers. Claer talks to her about making the leap into fintech, the determination needed to turn an idea into a business and how she persuaded investors to back her. Budding business owners should sit tight as Anne shares some of the key lessons she learnt along the way - and why she thinks we should prepare for cash to completely disappear. Read Claer’s review of Anne Boden’s autobiography, ‘Banking On It: How I Disrupted an Industry’. If you want to know more about how Anne Boden set up Starling Bank, you can buy a copy here.Follow Claer @ClaerB on Instagram and Twitter. If you’d like to talk about a real-life money problem on a future episode of the podcast, then dr

Making the ‘greener choice’ comes naturally to listener Ros. As more people become increasingly aware of how their daily decisions affect the environment, Ros is wondering if she can make a difference to the planet - and her pocket - through her bank account, pensions and plans for investing. Claer talks to the FT’s Alice Ross, author of 'Investing to Save the Planet' and Bevis Watts, chief executive of Triodos Bank. Review clip: Global Ethical Finance Initiative.If you would like to be a guest on Money Clinic and chat to Claer about a money issue that’s bugging you, get in touch — our email is money@ft.com or follow her on Instagram and Twitter @ClaerBFurther reading:-Follow Alice Ross on Twitter and check out her book here-To read further about greening your money, check out Ethical Consumer Magazine, Good with Money or Make My Money Matter-You can read an FT interview with Bevis here or check out the FT’s climate hub for the latest on climate change-For a deep dive into ESG investing, listen to this episod

Jenny and her partner are planning to have a baby but, beyond forking out for nappies and a pushchair, she has no idea how much becoming a parent will cost. How big a budget will the couple need to cover parental leave, childcare costs, and other unexpected expenses? Claer talks to Tobi Asare, founder of parental finance blog My Bump Pay, and Maike Currie, FT columnist and investment director at Fidelity International.If you would like to be a guest on Money Clinic and chat to Claer about a money issue that’s bugging you, get in touch — our email is money@ft.com or follow her on Instagram and Twitter @ClaerBFurther reading:-Tobi’s blog My Bump Pay can be found here and has a wealth of resources for soon-to-be parents and she is on instagram @mybumppay You can download her baby equipment spreadsheet here, or use her planner to calculate how to spread out the ‘income shock’ of parental leave-Follow Maike Currie on Twitter @MaikeCurrie and check out her FT columns here-Check if you are eligible for the UK govern

Last October Claer spoke to listener Lucy who was on the cusp of buying a shared ownership flat with her partner — but was getting cold feet. The shared ownership model enables buyers to take out a mortgage on part of the property, and pay rent on the rest. Lucy was hoping that this would be her first step towards being able to afford to own 100 per cent of her home, but worried about how much it would cost. Six months later, is she comfortably settled in the flat or did the couple stay renting? Claer hears from experts, independent property expert Henry Pryor and mortgage broker Andrew Montlake from Coreco.  If you would like to talk to Claer for a future podcast episode, email the Money Clinic team money@ft.com with a brief description of your story. Follow Claer on Twitter and Instagram @Claerb and read her weekly Serious Money column.Further reading: -Henry Pryor tweets @HenryPryor and has a website packed with tips for property buyers-Andrew Montlake tweets @Montysblog and blogs about

In this special ‘What happened next’ Money Clinic episode, Claer catches up with US financial services worker Josh. When they spoke last October, he was hiding thousands of dollars in credit card debt from his wife. Under lockdown, the couple had managed to save up enough money to pay them off - but she wanted to use this cash for a deposit on their first home. The podcast experts had plenty of advice about dealing with credit card debt, and what could happen if Josh took on even more debt with a mortgage. Six months later, has he paid off his debt and cut up his cards, did he buy a property, and are he and his wife still talking openly about money? The experts were Sara Williams aka The Debt Camel, and the FT’s US finance editor Robert Armstrong. The original podcast was released on October 20 2020.If you would like to talk to Claer for a future podcast episode, email the Money Clinic team money@ft.com, with a brief description of your story. Follow Claer @Claerb and read her Serious Money column. Furth

Claer catches up with 30-year-old jewellery designer Roseanna Croft. When they spoke last October, her small business was reeling from the impact of coronavirus and cancelled weddings. Money Clinic experts advised Roseanna on accessing financial support, and finding a new direction for her business under lockdown. Five months on, has she managed to hammer out her financial issues? The experts were Suli Breaks, the entrepreneur, poet and presenter of the 7even Figures Business podcast, and Andy Chamberlain, head of policy at the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self Employed. The original podcast was released on Nov 10th 2020.If you would like to talk to Claer for a future podcast episode, email the Money Clinic team money@ft.com, with a brief description of your story. Follow Claer @Claerb and read her Serious Money column. Further reading:-Claer has written extensively about issues facing small business owners during the pandemic, and has more advice in this recent Money Clinic-Follow Su

Young investors have rushed to open day trading accounts under lockdown, using tips gleaned from chat rooms and social media as they attempt to make a fast buck. But betting on short-term market movements carries a high risk of losing money — something that 19-year-old Ross has found out the hard way trading stocks like GameStop and AMC. If he invested his money for a matter of years instead of a matter of minutes, would he get a better return? Claer Barrett hears from experts Merryn Somerset Webb, the FT columnist and editor-in-chief of MoneyWeek, and Damien Fahy, founder of investment website Money to the Masses.If you would like to talk to Claer for a future podcast episode, email the Money Clinic team money@ft.com with a brief description of your story. Follow Claer on Twitter and Instagram @Claerb and read her weekly Serious Money column.Read more:-Claer’s thoughts about good investment habits to build for the future: Where do the next generation of investors go from here? -Merryn Somerset Webb’s co

Gina Miller’s campaigning spirit has made her front-page news — but what’s less well known is the personal story behind her own financial journey.As one of the highest profile women working in the City of London, the anti-Brexit campaigner has raised awareness of unfair investment charges, the impact of the gender pay gap and the need for women to embrace investing. Her latest fear? That the pandemic has set back women's’ careers and earnings prospects.In honour of International Women’s Day next week, the co-founder of wealth management firm SCM Direct chats to Claer for a special edition of Money Clinic.Aptly, the theme of IWD this year is Choose to Challenge. Follow the hashtags #ChoosetoChallenge and #MoneyClinic on social media, and follow Claer and Gina @Claerb and @ThatGinaMiller.If you would like to be a guest on Money Clinic and chat to Claer about a money issue that’s bugging you, get in touch - our email is money@ft.com If the podcast has left you wanting to learn more about managing your money

Have you ever dreamt of starting your own business? It might sound more fulfilling — but being an employee has some perks you might miss. 33-year old Rhiannon set up her first business three years ago, offering virtual PA services. Even though she’s making a profit, Rhiannon is struggling to find a mortgage lender who will help her buy a property. Plus, she’s unsure about whether to leave her savings in cash — or risk tying them up inside a pension. Expert help is on hand from Holly Mackay, founder of Boring Money and mortgage broker Will Rhind from Habito.If you would like to talk to Claer for a future podcast episode, email the Money Clinic team money@ft.com with a brief description of your story. Follow Claer on Twitter and Instagram @Claerb and read her weekly Serious Money column.Further reading:-Writing a will is one thing that’s been on Rhiannon’s financial to-do list for a while. Listen to this Money Clinic to find out how to set one up online.-The pandemic has been tough on the self-employed. Th

Many people would like to move to a life with less or no debt, but taking the first step requires great courage. This week Claer hears from a couple in their 30s who have each run up large credit card debts. Duncan and his partner found that the pandemic made their debt problems worse. How can they get their finances back on track? Could a debt adviser help? Chris Browning, presenter of US podcast Popcorn Finance, has practical tips, and debt advice specialist Alan McIntosh explores different solutions.If you would like to talk to Claer for a future podcast episode, email the Money Clinic team money@ft.com with a brief description of your story. Follow Claer on Twitter and Instagram @Claerb and read her weekly Serious Money column.Further reading:-If you’re struggling with problem debt, this week’s experts say don’t wait for things to get worse before seeking advice. The earlier you seek help, the more options you’re likely to have-Free UK sources of debt advice include StepChange and Citizens Advice -In

With “Isa season” fast approaching in the UK, Claer explores how young people can use the popular tax-free accounts to invest or buy their first property. This week, she meets Ryan, a 22 year old graduate who confesses he has three Isa accounts, but doesn’t know how best to use them — or how to unlock savings bonuses potentially worth tens of thousands of pounds. Expert and practical help is on hand from Harleigh Reid, who used a Help to Buy Isa to buy her first flat at the age of just 24, and Young Money blogger Iona Bain who explains the rules of the new Lifetime Isa, which can be used for property or investing.  If you would like to talk to Claer for a future podcast episode, email the Money Clinic team money@ft.com with a brief description of your story. Follow Claer on Twitter and Instagram @Claerb and read her weekly Serious Money column in the FT Money section of the FT Weekend newspaper.Further reading:-If you’re new to investing, listen to this past Money Clinic episode on starting out 

This week, Claer meets Lowri, who runs a small events business. She’s had no work for nearly a year, and as a director of her own limited company is one of an estimated 3m people in the UK who has fallen through the cracks of government support. Living on state benefits and reliant on her local food bank, Lowri’s previous experiences of business failure have prepared her for what she fears is to come. Legal and insolvency experts provide practical tips for small business owners in a similar situation, and we have the latest on the growing political campaign for directors to be included in UK government grants. If you would like to talk to Claer for a future podcast episode, email the Money Clinic team money@ft.com with a brief description of your story. Follow Claer on Twitter and Instagram @Claerb and read her weekly Serious Money column in the FT Money section of the FT Weekend newspaper.Thanks to podcast experts Rebecca Seeley Harris, founder of Re Legal Consulting, and Peter Sargent, insolvency