AJ Bell Money Matters

Bills are rising, budgets are stretched, and making your money go further can feel tough. This week, Danni and Charlene are joined by Mortgage Free Leigh, who shares how her family overpaid their mortgage by more than £27,000 while juggling maternity leave, childcare costs and family life.

Leigh shares the practical money habits, budgeting techniques and quick wins that helped her make progress, as well as the lessons she's learned about investing, building financial confidence and using social media to become more financially savvy.

Plus, Leigh reveals the £4,000 purchase she made after being influenced online and why it taught her an important lesson about trying to "buy a feeling".

In this episode of the AJ Bell Money Matters podcast, Danni and Jenny explore why more couples are having conversations about protecting their finances before (and after) tying the knot.

They’re joined by family law expert Susie Barter, partner at Burgess Mee, who explains what prenups are, who might benefit from them, and how they work in practice. From protecting family house deposits and inheritances to navigating pensions, property and even pets, Susie tells us all the financial conversations we should be having before and during marriage.

Prompted by the buzz around growing social media interest in prenups and Belle Burden’s book Strangers, they discuss why younger generations are increasingly considering them and whether they’re becoming part of sensible financial planning rather than a sign of distrust.

On this episode of the AJ Bell Money Matters podcast, Danni and Laura take a closer look at the growing trend of solo travel, particularly among women, and what it tells us about changing attitudes to money, independence and life priorities.

They discuss how to plan financially for travel at different stages of life – whether you're building a savings pot for a short-term trip or making sure your retirement plans leave room for adventure.

Joining the conversation is Jen Atkinson, founder of Travel Seen and Club Avandra, who explains why more women are choosing to travel alone, how the industry is evolving, and the realities of costs, confidence and finding like-minded travel companions.

This week on the AJ Bell Money Matters podcast, Danni and Sarah are breaking down how global events affect the prices you see in day-to-day life. Inflation and interest rates fluctuate with both global and national turbulence, and whether you're seeing rising fuel prices or changes to your weekly shop, our experts remove the jargon.

We're also joined by Rachel Springall from MoneyFacts to understand how mortgages and cash savings rates are directly impacted by geopolitical changes.

On this week’s episode of the AJ Bell Money Matters podcast Danni is joined by a new member of the team Eve Maddock-Jones to dig into alternative investments.

From handbags to art, property to precious metals, alternative investments are one way to make sure your hard-earned nest eggs don’t sit in just one basket. With gold becoming a popular choice as its price hit a record high earlier in the year, they are joined by Stuart O’Reilly from the Royal Mint to discuss the different ways of investing in precious metals, when the price of gold might stabilise and why the Spice Girls featured on a recent coin.

On this episode of the AJ Bell Money Matters podcast, Danni is joined by AJ Bell experts Rachel Vahey and Charlene Young to share their thoughts on our new gender pension gap report.

We explore the financial pressures women face in their late 20s and 30s, from childcare and career breaks to part-time work and pension blind spots. We look at why retirement savings often take a back seat, plus practical tips on boosting your pension, making the most of tax relief, and how even small contributions can make a huge difference later in life.

In this week's episode of the AJ Bell Money Matters podcast, Danni and Charlene are joined by Georgina Brittain from JP Morgan as they discuss how to keep a cool head when markets get choppy. As a fund manager who has worked through several stock market crashes, Georgina shares her wisdom and tips to look after your investments with a long-term view.

In this episode of the AJ Bell Money Matters podcast, Danni and Laura break down how to start the new tax year by investing. We're diving into allowances, key dates, debt, emergency funds, budgeting and building a long-term view with the right types of accounts to look after future-you.

This week on the AJ Bell Money Matters podcast, Danni and Laura are joined by Olivia Bowen from Castlefield to talk about wills. We're determined to break down taboos around money, and talking about finances in relation to death is both generally seen as a no-go and also one of the most important decisions you can make.

March is Free Wills month so what better time to discuss common mishaps, pensions, how much a will costs to make and how long it tends to take. We also touch on inheritance tax and how to avoid leaving it "messy" for your loved ones.

This week on the AJ Bell Money Matters podcast, we're joined by tech start-up CEO Victoria Smith and tech recruiter Claire Simpson to share their career tips.

Both finance and tech are still male-centric sectors, so how can women help shape company policies and boost their career prospects? We also discuss the key role of a good mentor and why a battle with confidence can hold women back.