Share Sounds presented by Sarah Pennells (1) related to Personal Finance - Savings

Ever thought of turning your hobby into your dream job? From baking to arts and crafts, Sarah Pennells looks at what financial aspects one should consider when thinking of setting up a business. Kerry Ann Duffy, a photographer specialising in weddings and portraits, Bethany Armitage, from Make it Betty, and Helen Reed, founder of The Wool Kitchen, share their stories on how they set up their businesses. The guests explain what financial support they received and how they made their way into their dream career.

Sarah Pennells explores the definition of robo-advice, its pros & cons, and why more and more companies are using them when giving advice about your money. Keith Churchouse, from Saidso, and Jason Butler, founder of Bloomsbury Wealth Management, explain what happens if a customer is wrongly advised. Michelle Pearce, from Wealthify, looks at how customers pay when using this type of service, while Lesley James, from Simplified Money, defines what kind of help robo-advice actually offers to customers.

If you're close to retirement, or thinking of setting up a pension pot, where do you start when it comes to choosing a private pension? Lorna Blythe, from Royal London, explains to Sarah Pennells what pensions are and how they work; Danisha Chada, a chartered and certified financial planner with Smith and Williamson, looks at how much help could a pension company give to its individual customers, Alan Chan, from IFS Wealth and Pensions, explains what the first steps are when taking out a pension for the first time.

As part of Dying Matters Awareness Week, Sarah Pennells and her guests look at the legal and financial aspects of funerals and why those arrangements can still be a taboo subject. Poppy Mardall, from Poppy's Funerals, and Gemma O'Driscoll, Funeral Director at G.E O’Driscoll & Daughters, discuss different types of funerals available and how funeral directors can offer help and support. Toby Scott, from the Dying Matters Coalition, explains how you can take part in the debate, and Rod Smith from Stone King Solicitors and part of the Law Society Wills and Equity Committee looks at wills and how to take care of them.

How much did you spend on a cup of coffee this week? Sarah Pennells is joined by this week's Young Money Champion Rachel Healey, Jasmine Birtles, founder of Money Magpie, and Justin Urquhart-Stewart, Head of Corporate Development at Seven Investment Management. Together they discuss how the cost of coffee can add up, how you can save money and what you could spend your money on instead.

Sarah Pennells is joined by Mike Edwards, founder of the DIY Doctor, Michael Holmes, property expert for The Homebuilding & Renovating Show and chair of NaCSBA (The National Custom & Self Build Association) and Simon Warpole, home insurance expert at Aviva, to talk about the practical repairs you can do to your home, and how to cut costs, as well as making sure you're covered by insurance for any DIY disasters!

An increasing number of people are choosing to live together, rather than get married or form a civil partnership. But, while it’s becoming more commonplace, the legal status of cohabiting couples remains something of a mystery to most of us. Sarah Pennells is joined in the studio by Mary Marvel of Advicenow and Law for Life, Paula Myers, a lawyer with Irwin Mitchell, and over the phone by Christine Webber, a writer, broadcaster and psychotherapist, to discuss the various different issues moving in with a partner can have, and how best to deal with them.

This week Sarah looks into weddings and the costs they can accumulate. Although for many couples it is the happiest day of their lives, it is often also one of the most expensive. Joining Sarah are Andy Webb from Be Clever With Your Cash, Charley Beard from The London Bride, Rachael Southwood from Wedding Ideas Magazine, Alison Hargreaves from Guides for Brides and Rosie Ames from Green Union.

Sarah Pennells is joined in the studio by our Young Money Champion, Rachael Healy, to talk about pay transparency, and how to know whether you're being paid a fair amount. To help discuss this and share tips, Sarah and Rachael are joined by Charles Cotton, a performance and reward adviser at the Charterd Institute of Personnel and Development, by DeeDee Doke, editor of Recruiter Magazine, and by Robin Williams of rwLaw.

Sarah Pennells is joined by Amelia Murray, Senior Personal Finance Research Journalist at The Telegraph and Anna Bowes, Director of Savings Champion, where they look at the worst ISA season yet. Together they discuss what an ISA season is, ISA rates, whether they are better than ordinary savings accounts and why banks and building societies abandoned them.