Share Sounds. from This is Money presented by Georgie Frost related to Personal Finance

The Bank of England held base rate once again at 5.25%, the fourth hold in succession – but this time, it was a genuine split by MPC members. So, when will we start seeing rates fall – and will inflation really be at the target 2% by April? Simon Lambert, Lee Boyce and Georgie Frost discuss what another interest rate pause means for you – and what that means for savings and mortgage rates, along with investors. Where do you stand on the smart meter debate? With This is Money readers getting in touch to say they’re stuck with faulty devices, are they worth having? Lee says he still has no plans to get one of the marmite devices while Simon believes they can be worth it, especially for those who are rubbish at submitting meter readings. We also go back to school and have a maths lesson from Mr Lambert to reveal the six real world calculations you should have in your arsenal to improve your financial health. And we get on the money therapist’s couch to discuss the pitfalls of getting - and over-using - a joint bank account… should a partner ever be made to feel guilty for spending?

Britain's disposable income has dropped substantially over the past 14 years compared to where it should be, according to a new report this week. The Centre for Cities said that the average household's disposable income has fallen £10,000 behind where it would have been if pre-2010 growth rates had been maintained. On average we have got better off, but we are well below what would have been expected. Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert look at what the problems could be, why aren't we getting richer quicker, why are we falling behind our international peers and what can be done. Plus, while our living standards aren't rapidly accelerating, house prices have and the average seller made more than £100,000 last year - are property inflation and the slowing in disposable income growth linked? Simon, thinks it's part of the problem. Savings rates have started to slip, so do dividend-paying investment trusts yielding 5% or more look like an attractive move? And finally, some tips on how to make the most of Avios points - but who on the team is the Avios winner, and who is the self-described Avios loser?

The Government wants us to get heat pumps fitted in our homes and it's offering up to £7,500 for us to do so. Now Worcester Bosch is bumping that up by an extra £2,500 - if you pick one of theirs of course. But with the devices cost between £8,000 to £30,000 to buy and fit, would it tempt you? Georgie Frost, Helen Crane and Lee Boyce reveal all... and talk the 'boiler tax'. Is inflation back on the rise? How worried should we be by the latest figures? And where next for interest rates? And millions face a big price hike for their mobile and broadband from March. Isn't it time these inflation-busting mid-contract increases were banned? Also, following campaigning by This is Money for years for fair treatment for parents who do not qualify for child benefit, parents denied state pension credits WILL get them. Tanya Jefferies explains all you need to know. Tanya also talks about a bungled handover to a new administrator that has left BAE Systems retirees suffering drastic cuts of up to 50% in their pensions. And Crane is on the Case, this time over a robot vacuum cleaner...

After a good year for Premium Bonds when the only way was up for the prize fund rate, savers got a blow this week as a cut arrived. The prize fund rate is being cut to 4.4% from 4.65%. That edges the average return - which you may or may not get - from Premium Bonds further below the best savings deals, so should you save instead? Or would many Premium Bond holders be better off investing? Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert discuss whether Premium Bonds stack up. Plus, as the US securities regulator approves bitcoin ETFs, is the price now headed for $200,000 as some suggest, or could this be enticing more naive investors into the volatile world of crypto that's been dogged by fraud? Later, Lee reveals his car insurance woes - and shares tips on how to deal with your own renewal quite pain-free. And finally, find out who on the podcast team is not drinking for January, who is taking an extremely haphazard approach to it, and who is planning to go all the way to Easter, as we discuss the no and low-alcohol beer boom and the ones we rate the best.

Have you ever sold anything on Ebay, Vinted or Facebook Marketplace to make a bit of extra cash? Those who do may have been worried this week, as news that the websites will now be required to report sellers' activities to the taxman caused panic online. So what are the rules - and is HMRC really going after people who sell the odd frock or mobile phone? Lee Boyce, Helen Crane and Georgie Frost explain what's really happening, how to tell if you are a 'trader' - and why most people having a clear-out of their old clothes won't need to worry. Mortgage lenders have started 2024 with a bang, with the likes of HSBC, NatWest and TSB announcing rate cuts left, right and centre. There is now a five-year fix with a rate of 3.94% - so what does that tell us about how low the base right might go this year, and will these cheaper home loans start to drive up house prices again? As we get back to reality after the festive break, we are also approaching Divorce Day. The first working Monday of the year is supposedly when unhappy couples are most likely to call it quits. If that is you, we are on hand to explain what you need to know about splitting your property, pension and more with an ex. Finally, Lee, Helen and Georgie discuss what they learned about their finances in 2023 - and the mistakes they won't be making again this year.

Georgie Frost, Simon Lambert and Tanya Jefferies run the ruler across 2023 and look ahead to 2024. Are we in for recession, recovery, and what impact will elections have both in the United Kingdom and the United States? The team consider the outlook for the stock market, bonds and gold. Also — a question over the Boots pension scheme.

The Bank of England has reached the peak with interest rates in this cycle. That's the firm view of the markets and most analysts, despite three members of the nine-strong Monetary Policy Committee disagreeing and voting for a rate hike this week. The question has now shifted from how high will rates go, to when will they be cut? The boldest predictions are for more than 1% to be shaved off the base rate next year. Does that fit with the Bank's 'hawkish hold' of the base rate this week? Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert look at what next for interest rates both here and in the US - and whether markets are running away with themselves. Plus, two years after they finally started to properly rise, what does heading back to a point where rates may fall mean for borrowers, savers and investors? Also on this week's show, is it better to use the central heating or an electric heater, the 'better' plan for a state pension triple-lock replacement, and the reasons Lee wants you to get in touch. And make sure you listen to find out why the team want to know how long your kettle takes to boil...

What drives you mad about going to the supermarket? Is it self-service tills, scanning receipts to get out, loyalty scheme dual pricing, or prices being hiked well above inflation? Many of us want to support bricks and mortar retail, but there are times when shops seem to mainly be involved in testing our patience. In a week in which the competition watchdog fired a broadside at the consumer brands giants for pushing up prices, a practice dubbed ‘greedflation’, and sounded a warning to Tesco and Sainsbury’s over Clubcard and Nectar Prices, the This is Money podcast team head down the shops. Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert discuss what’s good, what’s bad and what really gets their goat. Plus, will a new online fraud charter make any difference? The team discuss investing legend Charlie Munger and financial crisis Chancellor Alistair Darling, who both died last week. And finally, what makes a house price hotspot – we look at the UK’s top 30 this year.

The Autumn Statement was the definition of a mixed bag. There was a National Insurance cut, but the stealth income tax raid continued. The ISA system got an improvement, but the allowance remained frozen. Meanwhile, the triple lock was delivered along with a pension pot-for-life plan but inheritance tax remains firmly uncut at 40%, with all its weird quirks intact. So, was that an Autumn Statement to fire Britain on to growth, as the Chancellor claimed, or a damp squib? Georgie Frost, Tanya Jefferies, Helen Crane and Simon Lambert dive into the details to reveal what the Autumn Statement means for you and the economy. From the Office of Budget Responsibility forecasts to being allowed multiple ISAs and the seemingly mad plan of allowing family homes to be easily converted to flats, the team take the measure of Jeremy Hunt’s plans. And they look ahead to whether there will be more tax cuts to come in the Budget – and whether Britain’s stealth tax and marginal tax trap mess will ever get sorted.

The Autumn Statement arrives next week and the rumour mill has gone into overdrive. The idea of it being a simple update on the economy seems to have been abandoned and instead there is talk of an ISA overhaul, tax changes, and even inheritance tax being cut from 40% to 20%. But if you were Chancellor for the day, what would you do? Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert look at what could be on the cards as Jeremy Hunt stands up and delivers his Autumn Statement next week. On their agenda: Stealth tax - will the income tax thresholds freeze end? Inheritance tax - will the rate be cut to 20%? ISAs - will the allowance be boosted and the system improved? Savings - could the personal savings allowance get a rise?