Cash Chats UK Money & Personal Finance podcast

I'm answering your questions this week on the podcast, including changes to Childcare Vouchers, Lifetime ISAs vs Help to Buy ISAs, and exactly how bank switching works. More info and links can be found at https://becleverwithyourcash.com/cashchats53

I love going to the cinema, but I hate paying full price which can easily hit £15 or more. So I've hunted out the best savings which I've shared in this week's podcast. From how anyone can get student prices, through to the best loyalty perk it's possible to pay around £5 on average. More over at https://becleverwithyourcash.com/cashchats52

There's a good chance your Council Tax bill will be bigger from April 2018, so I've taken a look at the ways you can potentially save some money - and possibly even get a backdated refund. Councils are allowed to hike your Council Tax bill by 3%, and some as much as 5.99% when the new bills are sent around in late March, adding yet more to the bills we have to pay. But there are a few ways you might be able to save. Most of you should be able to get 1% or 2% back from a couple of banks, which is better than nothing. Some of you might also be eligible for a discount, and a few of you - if you're willing to put some work in - might even be able to get your Council Tax band downgraded. I've discussed all of these on this week's podcast, and there are more links over at https://becleverwithyourcash.com/cashchats51/.

We've all got different reasons for picking the supermarket we shop in. It could be price, it could be quality, it could just be whichever is nearest. But we've all got our favourites too. So in this week's episode I've been joined by three other money bloggers to argue which is best. I've championed Waitrose, while Katy Stevens from Katy Kicker is on the side of Aldi, Helen Dewdney from The Complaining Cow advocates Tesco and Jane from Lady Janey speaks up for Sainsbury's. Tune in to hear us discuss and compare customer service, quality and pricing. Read more over at https://becleverwithyourcash.com/cashchats50

It's been a while since I've tackled the questions you've sent me via email, Twitter and through comments on the blog, so I picked four of the recent ones to share my answers. Here's what's in this episode. - Do you have to keep putting the O2 SIM in your phone when you use the O2 Priority Moments app trick? And can you use it for priority tickets? - Should you cancel an unused credit card? - Can you still use the Monzo card as a prepaid account? - How do you spend Nectar points in Sainsbury's stores? Find out more on these in the shownotes on https://becleverwithyourcash.com/cashchats49

Get your money in shape so you can start working on your dream job. Five years ago I knew I want to do something different, something outside the normal corporate working regime. Now, I'm my own boss, doing something I love (that's this blog and podcast by the way). So how do you get yourself to something similar? Well there's a lot of hard work for sure, but one of the biggest barriers is money. So I asked Ravi Rajani to join me on this week's podcast to talk about the things we've both done to make sure we could give our dreams a go without worrying (too much) about bills. Read more at https://becleverwithyourcash.com/cashchats48

Banking is boring, right? Well, it doesn't have to be! I've made thousands of pounds over the last four and bit years by making sure my back account is working for me. So in today's episode of Cash Chats I share what you can do to get free cash, earn the highest interest, get cashback and reduce your overdraft fees - all from moving your business to a different bank.

Did you set a money resolution at the start of the year? We're at that point where willpower starts to falter and all our best intentions are forgotten. So in this episode I talk to money bloggers and journalists Faith Archer and Jane Wallace to share how you can keep motivated and stick to those financial goals. Read more over at https://becleverwithyourcash.com/cashchats46

If you're worried about your lack of savings or are looking over your shoulder at mounting debts it's time to take action. In this episode I share how you can start clearing debt and how to take back control of your finances.More and links at https://becleverwithyourcash.com/cashchats45

In the first episode of the podcast's second season I want to share how being clever with your cash can save you a huge amount of money this year. When I started the blog in 2014 I set myself a challenge. I wanted to see just how much money I could save in a year. And not through being frugal and cutting back. Instead it was just through making simple decisions to ensure I got the best value for money every time I could. And it worked. I was managed to save close to £14,000 over those 12 months. Tune in to hear me explain a little but more about how you can follow the same principles this year. More at https://becleverwithyourcash.com/cashchats44