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Adam Cox is joined by Gemma Mills, from JOMO Club, to discuss research that suggests how much alcohol Brits are planning on drinking this Christmas, and why people may be consuming less. She gives some ideas on alcohol-free alternatives, and what the "Joy of Missing Out" is. https://jomoclub.co.uk/

Savings and mortgage rates rocketed after what must now always be known as the 'ill-fated mini-Budget', but even as the Bank of England continues to raise rates have they already peaked. The top fixed rate savings deals have edged down from their highest levels - a five-year fix can no longer be had above 5%, for example, while the best two year fix is at 4.75%. So, if you want to lock into a good savings deal, should you grab one now? Or did rates simply race ahead of the Bank of England and the next round of base rate rises will bump them up some more? Georgie Frost, Helen Crane and Simon Lambert look at the potential future of savings rates and why even if they are slightly off their peak, you should still move your money from old accounts. But if a dip in the top savings rates is bad, the easing of mortgage rates is good news. Average two and five-year fixed rates rocketed all the way to above 6.5%. The best five-year fix is now down to 5.95%. But this is still way higher than it was, so where will mortgage rates settle and is it worth holding off? The team discuss that and the implication for both house prices and first-time buyers. And finally, an energy double header: on a serious note, the energy price cap (which we won't pay due to the energy price guarantee) has jumped again, this time to £4,279 for the average household over a year. If we won't pay that, why does this matter? And on a lighter note, what happened when Harry Wallop (who refuses to let his family turn the heating on) tried out a bunch of oddball devices designed to warm the person not the room, ranging from an odd foot warmer, to a heated gilet, and a wearable sleeping bag that makes you look a bit like a crazy caterpillar?

Adam Cox is joined by Evelina Galli, from price comparison site PriceRunner, to discuss new research which reveals Brits current shopping habits ahead of Black Friday. They look at if the World cup is likely to affect Black Friday sales, and Evelina advises on things to look out for to ensure Black Friday deals are legitimate. https://www.pricerunner.com/

‘Jeremy Hunt’s mini-Budget was like the tax part of the Corbyn manifesto with none of the benefits of the extra spending.’ That was This is Money editor Simon Lambert’s verdict on the Chancellor’s tax-hiking spree that painted a miserable picture of the years ahead, hit higher earners, and hammered small investors. In a blizzard of hikes – through threshold drops and stealth tax freezes – Hunt worked his way through a painful Autumn Statement, where good news was thin on the ground. The silver linings came from the government sticking by the pension triple lock and uprating benefits by inflation but the focus was on painful years ahead. Was this the right move? Why did Hunt feel the need to inflict tax pain – and spending cuts later on? How did we go from Rishi Sunak as Chancellor with a margin to hit his fiscal rules to Rishi as Prime Minister with a fiscal black hole? Georgie Frost and Simon discuss these questions and more and look at what the Autumn Statement means for people’ finances: How much more tax will you pay? How much will your energy bills rise by? Who came out best and who came out worst? And can Simon come up with a note of optimism to end the show on? — listen to this Autumn Statement tax raid special to find out.

Adam Cox is joined by toy experts, Suzie Howes and Nicola Bergot from Magicbox Toy Company, to discuss new research from the brand which reveals the perceptions of children using digital devices. They look at why children have moved towards digital devices for entertainment, and how more traditional toys can help children learn to be more imaginative and to express themselves. https://www.kookyloos.com/uk and https://www.magicboxint.com/

‘If they could tax the air you breathe they’d do it.’ That age-old moan about taxes going up has sprung to mind over the past week, as rumours about pretty much any tax you can think of being hiked were spread about. So many kites were flown about potential tax rises that even taxing selling your own home and bringing back the 50p rate were floated as potential Autumn Statement ideas troubling Jeremy Hunt and Rishi Sunak’s minds. If all this came to pass it would surely become known as ‘the everything tax raid’. But will it come to pass? Probably not. You get the sense this is a massive exercise in softening up the nation, so that when some but not all taxes go up on Thursday, people breathe a sigh of relief. Yet could this bout of not-officially-encouraged-but-definitely-not-discouraged speculation do lasting harm to the economy? Simon Lambert argues that case, when he says with sentiment already heavily depressed going into a recession, striking the financial fear of God into the population might not be the best move. Simon, Georgie Frost and Tanya Jefferies discuss the tax hikes that have been rumoured and how likely they are to happen: one gets a minus two in five chance of occurring but others seem more likely. Also, will Hunt stage a raid on pension, either via tax relief or the triple lock? Plus, the story of how Tanya helped a podcast listener win back money after paying over the odds for her mother’s care home. And finally — if among all this gloom you’ve still got room to save, should you save or invest the money, or overpay your mortgage?

Adam Cox is joined by the CEO and founder of Octopus Money Coach, Adam Price, to discuss some of the biggest money-related stresses affecting people right now. The look at why people struggle to talk about money, and Adam advises people who are struggling with money. https://octopusmoneycoach.com/

Adam Cox is joined by Superintendent Pharmacist at John Bell & Croyden, Reshma Malde, to discuss why more Brits should be utilising their local pharmacies in order to be more proactive in with their health. They look at the services local pharmacies typically provides, and Reshma explains how the 5-minute blood test works. https://johnbellcroyden.co.uk/

Interest rates rise by the highest amount for decades: what does it mean for your money? But despite rising rates, are savers losing out and what can you do about it? Plus 'stealth' taxes — are they more palatable? And gas prices fall, but does it mean lower energy costs? And finally — should you invest in a BTT? Georgie Frost and Simon Lambert help to steer you through the money maze.

Adam Cox is joined by Jennifer White, from the worldwide animal charity PETA, for Back British Farming Day to discuss how PETA's new campaign plans to support British Farmers. She explains the types of farming PETA would like to see done, and how possible it is for British farmers to grow vegan foods. https://www.peta.org.uk/