Cash Chats UK Money & Personal Finance podcast

In this week's episode I've looked at fast fashion. Yes it's cheap, but when you factor in quality it can sometimes work out better value to spend more. Then there are the environmental and ethical consequences of producing so much disposable clothing. Listen in to find out what you can do to lessen the impact, including which high street retailers have ethical ranges, and how to get money off new clothes when you donate old clothes to charity rather than chuck them away. More info and links at https://becleverwithyourcash.com/cashchats63/

Oversized luggage, inadequate insurance and expired visas are just some of the ways I've been caught out on holiday. Avoid these and other mistakes by preparing for your summer holiday now. Sorry it's been a few weeks since the last episode - filming for Shop Smart Save Money has been great but cut my available time. Anyway, I'm back, and this week I'm sharing my holiday prep checklist. Essentially these are the things I'll work through NOW - not just before I'm due to fly. Leave these until the last minute and best case scenario it'll cost you more than it needs to. Worst case? You might not be able to go away. Read more at https://becleverwithyourcash.com/cashchats62

The high street has been back in the news with M&S and Carphone Warehouse the latest to announce massive store closures, and a survey from Which? revealing the shops we like the least. It doesn't look great for the high street. I now live in a relatively wealthy part of Yorkshire compared to other parts, and there are lots of independent shops and restaurants. But in the three months I've been here we've lost the H&M, Byron, Maplin, Game, Thorntons, East, Top Shop, Miss Selfridge, Mulityork, Jamies Italian and some local independents too. What's the end game? Where I grew up in Kent the nearby towns are essentially just pound shops and charity shops. And why is it happening? Well in this week's episode I've looked at some of the causes - and shared a few things we can do to try to stop the rot. More over at https://becleverwithyourcash.com/cashchats61

Wedding season well and truly kicks off this weekend, so I wanted to talk about the ways you can avoid spending a fortune, both as a guest and if you're the couple tying the knot. More at https://becleverwithyourcash.com/cashchats60

Another Ask Andy special where I answer your questions. This time I tackle the H&M clothes recycling scheme, paying off credit card debts and why you're getting so many emails from businesses thanks to GDPR. More over at https://becleverwithyourcash.com/cashchats59

Sometimes shopping around to save a few quid isn't worth the time. But when you're spending hundreds of quid you can make some big savings - if you put the time and effort in. Having just moved house we need to buy some new appliances, and over the last few weeks, I've managed to get us far better appliances than we hoped for with the budget we have. So it made sense to share how I do it so you can too. Read more at https://becleverwithyourcash.com/cashchats58

Companies are happy to take our cash, but it's sometimes a different story when they owe us money. This week on the podcast I share how I've had to chase brands, from Council Tax to Three to Travelodge, for money they didn't automatically pay me back. Tune in to find out where you should be checking for some long forgotten cash. More and links over at https://becleverwithyourcash.com/cashchats57

April 6th sees the start of the new financial year, and with it some changes to the money you bring home, and the cost of things you buy. In this week's episode I've given you a quick rundown of the main changes, such as how much tax you pay, and the bills that'll increase. More over at https://becleverwithyourcash.com/cashchats56

I've never been 100% convinced by couponing, so I asked Coupon Kid Jordon Cox to join me on the podcast this week and convince me it's worth the time and effort. We talk about where to find coupons, how to make sure you don't get carried away, "wombling" and why you should tap your loyalty cards to get even more. Get links and more at https://becleverwithyourcash.com/cashchats55

As someone who is passionate about getting the best value for money, I've got issues with Easter. Easter eggs specifically. Nowhere else are manufacturers and supermarkets charging such a premium for something you can get in a different shape all year around for far less cash. So in this episode I've shared how to avoid overpaying for your Easter chocs. as well as some tips to save money all year round. More at https://becleverwithyourcash.com/cashchats54