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In a not very happy start to the new year, Ofgem's energy price cap went up on 1 January from £1,717 to £1,738. Energy experts at Cornwall Insight say it will go up again in April - and by more than they initially expected. So why are bills rising? After all, we are a long way from the peak of the gas price crisis back in 2021. Georgie Frost and Helen Crane discuss when they will finally go back to normal — and whether fixed rates are a good deal again. The team also talk about an Octopus energy customer who was charged £5 to make a cup of tea thanks to a new smart meter. For homeowners starting 2025 by sticking their property on the market, we get some tips from estate agents on how to spruce up your home — and which renovations aren't worth the bother. We also discuss whether buyers really care about the smell of freshly baked bread, and what the best colour is to paint your front door. Helen speaks about the companies This is Money readers have moaned about most in 2024, and her highlights from the Crane on the Case column. And we finish off with some sensible tips from financial advisers about how to give your money a makeover in the new year.

Almost 70% of Americans have a financial resolution for the New Year. What’s yours? Tim Beyers and Ricky Mulvey discuss how newer investors can get started, past market performance, pockets of speculation, and what matters for long-term investors, and Squid Game breaking records for Netflix. Also, Alison Southwick and Robert Brokamp discuss the tools that can help you become a better budgeter. Companies discussed: MSTR, NFLX. Host - Ricky Mulvey; Guests - Tim Beyers, Alison Southwick, Robert Brokamp

The S&P 500 finished the year up about 24%, more than double the index’s average annual return. Asit Sharma and Ricky Mulvey check in on the year in investing. They discuss what most of the biggest winners in the S&P 500 had in common, why more investors bought gold and Bitcoin in 2024, a tough stretch for Walgreens Boot Alliance, and their favourite investing discoveries from the past year. Companies discussed: PLTR, VST, UAL, NVDA, AXON, LULU, NFLX, WBA, INTC, DLTR. Host - Ricky Mulvey; Guest - Asit Sharma

In a special episode, we hosted our first live podcast at our offices to celebrate a decade of discussing Britain's personal finances. Georgie Frost, Simon Lambert, Lee Boyce and Helen Crane talk through ten years of huge and unexpected financial developments, from Brexit and President Trump to Covid and the cost-of-living crisis. Some of our valued listeners were in the audience as we covered major themes that have erupted in our financial lives since 2014, including Liz Truss's infamous 'mini-Budget', the rollercoaster property market — and whether we can truly say we have put the cost-of-living crisis in the rearview mirror. In addition to looking at the bigger picture, we drilled into how these events have shaped our personal finances and affected our savings, mortgages, pensions, investments and aspirations. 'Producing a podcast episode every week for a decade felt like something we should celebrate, so I was delighted to welcome our guests – and especially our listeners – to a 10th birthday celebration,' This is Money publisher, Simon Lambert said, 'Launching a podcast was a fairly unusual move a decade ago and it turned out to be a good idea and also hugely enjoyable for us. We always wanted the podcast to make money engaging and accessible, help people improve their personal finances and enjoy the richer life that can bring.' And remember — it all started at Share Radio!

In this special bonus episode, Simon Lambert catches up with Alastair Humphreys about his quest to find adventure close to home. Alastair, a genuine global adventurer, who featured on our 'Making The Money Work' Podcast series in 2020, recently published his book 'Local: A Search for Nearby Nature and Wildness'. It told the story of his year spent swapping travelling the world for exploring the grid squares of the Ordance Survey map centred on his home location. In this extra episode, we find out more about why he did it, what he learnt and how you could start your own money-saving adventure on your doorstep right now.

A disciplined approach to losing weight is not uncommon in the new year, but does it give rise to a feeling of inner conflict and resistance? If you feel coerced into losing weight, perhaps this more harmonious approach might help, using the analogy of a Venn diagram to find the cross-over between rigid self-discipline and enjoyment in order to reduce feelings of impossible expectations.

James Cameron-Wilson celebrates box office soaring 113%, though he can't be dragged to #1 Sonic the Hedgehog 3. He finds the animation in the photo-realistic #2 Mufasa: The Lion King astonishing. A prequel and sequel modelled on Butch Cassidy it is wonderful, being both moving and very powerful. Better Man is a musical memoir of Robbie Williams with him narrating, though on screen he is represented as a chimpanzee. It's very original and inventive and is surprisingly engaging and moving. On Netflix James recommended Carry-On, a thriller with Taron Egerton and Jason Bateman which sucks you into the terrifying action.

As 2025 begins, Professor Tim Evans takes the opportunity to discuss the political economy of seasonality and time and reflect upon the importance of time, which some political regimes have tried to amend. He feels we are starting to see the birth of a new "New Right", 45 years on from Reagan and Thatcher. While Milei, Trump and Farage have many different ideas, it appears that they are consulting each other, which might make 2025 a rollercoaster year. He also considers the unintended consequences of the push to electric vehicles, with a divide growing between those who have driveways (and cheap charging) and those who do not. If the US brings down the price of oil, the attraction for EVs will decline and further embolden those who oppose the rush to Net Zero.

Russ Mould of A J Bell reckons the most significant number of 2024 was 193, the number of global interest rate cuts. For the most part, markets got what they wanted last year. But at the end, bond yields were telling a different message, one which equity markets didn't believe. As for the UK market, yes it's shrinking in terms of listings but it is relatively cheap despite a decent yield, lots of buybacks and M&A activity. Looking at the top 10 performers is yet another sign that investors should always consider what is unloved and he reminds us that 2/3 of FTSE100 earnings come from overseas.

Steve Caplin kicks off the year by reminding us it is 40 years since the first mobile phone call: but do you remember the celebrity who made it? Motorised skis will get you up a mountain. Apple's AirTags could help you locate missing luggage. A Chinese spherical security robot put Steve in mind of The Prisoner. Chat robots add video but don't impress. You can play Xbox games on an Amazon Fire Stick. There's an electronic belt. And there's a roundup of some of the weirdest patent applications in 2024.