Podcasts from Ask Sarah related to Personal Finance

With the help of guests, Malcolm McLean, from Barnet Waddingham, Claire Walsh, head of advice at Unbiased, Cleona Lira from 2Plan Wealth Management and Caroline Siarkiewicz from the Money Advice Service. Sarah looks at how you can get a head start on your finances in 2017

Between 2001 and 2011, the number of whiplash claims for car accidents doubled, despite the number of accidents going down by 40%. This is allegedly costing us £40 a year extra in insurance costs which has caused the government to decided to clamp down on fake claims. Joining Sarah to talk about what this means to the public are, Amanda Stretton, from Confuesd.com and David Williams, technical director of AXA Insurance

Want to get the best deals on your Christmas Shopping? Not sure how to make the most of Black Friday? Never fear! Sarah Pennells is joined in the studio by Martyn James, Independent Financial Expert and Commentator, Katy Phillips from Idealo, and James Walker from the complaints website Resolver.co.uk, to share top tips on securing that must have bargain as well as answering your consumer rights questions.

This week, Sarah is joined by Kelly Eroglu from the Reduced Grub website, Jordon Cox "The Coupon Kid" at Money Saving Expert, and Steph Poulson from Wowcher, to look at where to get the best deals, discounts and freebies online and in store, and how to keep abreast of the latest offers.

Sarah and the panel answer questions about how to save money without making an effort, by switching utility and telephone providers, getting the best from online discounts and vouchers and how to keep your food spend down. She's joined by Hilal Kanafani, co-founder of Flipper, Naomi Willis, co-editor and founder of the Skint Dad website and Kevin Pratt of MoneySupermarket.

When you’re on holiday, the last thing you want is for the flight to be delayed, the hotel to be unfinished or the beach to be nowhere near the resort. But problems do happen, so what should you do when disaster strikes? Sean Tipton, from ABTA, lists the most common disasters that people experience and discusses the future of EHIC cards after the EU Referendum. Frank Brehany, from Holiday Travel Watch, looks at how some disasters can be avoided before going on holiday; Nel Mooy, Head of Travel for AXA Insurance, explains who you can claim from in an emergency and what are the costs involved.

A new study by the Institute of Inertia has shown that half of British parents don't have life insurance and that over three quarters would be able to pay the mortgage if the main breadwinner dies. Sarah Pennells is joined by Emma Thomson, Head of Customer Care at LifeSearch, Andrew Jenkinson, Director of Drewberry Insurance, and Anna Sofat, from Addidi Wealth. Together they guide listeners through the maze of insurance and explain which policies are need and what to look for if you're going to buy one.

Many people don't switch broadband, mobile or TV provider - not because switching is confusing, but because finding the best deal can be a challenge. Sarah Pennells is joined by Peter Earl, Head of utilities at ComparetheMarket.com, Matt Powell, Editor at Broadband Genie, and Naufal Zamir, CEO of RightCallApp, to discuss how to save money on broadband bills.

This week Sarah Pennells explores the issues revolving automatic enrolment pensions, the government's programme to encourage more people to save for their retirement through a workplace pension. While millions of people are being placed into their workplace pension, new research from pensions provider Aviva shows that one and a half million don't know what their money is invested in. Sarah is joined by Chris Daems, from Cervello Financial Planning, Ranila Ravi Burslem, from NEST, and Malcolm Goodwin from Aviva to discuss the topic.

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.