Share Sounds. presented by Georgie Frost

Georgie Frost is joined in the studio by Tom Church, Co-Founder of www.latestdeals.co.uk. Today on the agenda, they discuss boosting your pension pot, the Southern Rail train strikes and dealing with the Post Office despite yet more strikes so close to Christmas. All these stories and more on The News Review.

Welcome to the This is Money and Share Radio podcast, brought to you in partnership with NS&I. Are we seeing the end of an era for ultra cheap mortgages? HSBC is withdrawing its record low 0.99% deal which could usher in a new wave of price hikes. It’s not just mortgages undergoing price hikes though. Rail fares are set to rise 2.3% whilst growing commuter dissatisfaction with poor service has prompted Transport Secretary Chris Grayling to devise a new plan for better management. In the end though train times might be the last of our problems as we hear about one financial expert predicting major financial Armageddon just around the corner. Could we be in for the worst crisis yet? And what can people do to prepare? Gold is being tipped as a favourite but certainly not spread betting which is currently undergoing a crackdown. Georgie Frost is joined by Personal Finance Editor Rachel Rickard Straus and Consumer Affairs Editor Lee Boyce to find out more about this potential money meltdown. Also this week we take a look at Money Mail’s annual Wooden Spoon Awards and see which of Britain’s shambolic businesses have made it onto the shortlist.

Georgie Frost is joined in the studio by Tom Church, Co-Founder, LatestDeals.co.uk. Today on the agenda, they discuss food price increases – apparently being blamed on a potential shortage of EU workers. Plus, the National Grid agrees to sell a majority stake in its gas pipe network. All these stories and more on The News Review.

Christmas is a time for sharing and caring but the majority of us won't visit our elderly relatives on Christmas Day - according to a new study - despite a fifth of us worrying about them being alone then. One woman has made it her mission to make sure no one loses out throughout the year. Share Radio Morning's Georgie Frost spoke to Devika Wood, the co-founder and Chief Medical Officer at care provider Vida. Her personal experience of caring for her grandmother and dealing with par social service’s carers, has driven her to want to improve the quality of care.

Georgie Frost is joined in the studio by consumer editor of Good Housekeeping, Sara Benwell. Today they discuss coffee shop saturation on the high street. Plus a look into junk food ads aimed at children becoming a thing of the past. All these stories and more on The News Review.

Christmas cards may be going out of fashion...but one group of disabled artists say this is threatening their livelihood. 'Show you care - send a card' - is the message from the Mouth and Foot Painting Artists. Every year the MFPA print their original artworks on Christmas cards. But as the tradition for sending physical cards is in decline, so too does their business. Georgie spoke to Rosy Moriarty Simmonds OBE in the studio and MFPA artist Andy Baker on the line.

Legal disputes are costing small firms in England and Wales a whopping £11.6 billion each year. That's according to the Federation of Small Businesses who say nearly three quarters of those issues are down to late or non-payment. Georgie Frost spoke to FSB Policy Director Martin McTague to find out more.

Many of us are beginning to decorate our homes in preparation for the big Christmas holiday. Tens of thousands of Christmas trees from the British Isles are currently being sold from garden centres, but what should we look out for? Georgie Frost speaks to David Mitchell, the UK's leading Christmas tree expert for tips when picking the perfect Christmas tree.

With Christmas now just a few weeks away - now's the time many are stocking up on festive food. With such a wide range on offer choosing a decent spread can be tricky...especially if you want to stick to a budget. The team at Moneywise have taken the Christmas hit and done the hard work for us - trying a range of mince pies, and prosecco. Plus do kids need more toys and games or would the money be better spent setting up saving or investment plans? It will probably be more valuable in the long term - especially when you consider over a third of Christmas toys don't make it past January. £1.2 billion is wasted each year by family and friends buying gifts that get broken or discarded.

For most, Christmas is a fun and exciting time of year. But for many it can also bring a lot of anxiety and stress who have got the money. We know that financial troubles often go hand-in-hand with mental health issues. Help is at hand though, as Georgie Frost is joined in the studio with Money Advice Expert Jane Clack.