AJ Bell Money Matters

On the AJ Bell Money Matters podcast this week, Danni and Laura reveal that more than half of Brits in relationships are keeping some spending secret from their partner - find out what they’re buying. We also hear from Abbie Glew, accountant at The Orenda Collective - as 2025 comes to an end, the deadline for self-assessment tax returns draws closer. But how do you know if you need to file one? We break down all the key dates and share Abbie's top tools to set yourself up for a great 2026.

This week on the AJ Bell Money Matters podcast, Danni and Laura explain how finances have changed in the past 50 years for women in the UK. We also speak to Elena Assimakolpoulos, a social media influencer with thousands of followers, who shares her top tips on making money from side hustles. From starting with selling books and then clothes in 2021, she's been able to make it her full time job and start investing for her future.

In this week's episode of the AJ Bell Money Matters podcast, Danni and Laura discuss how taxes could change in this month's Budget, and break down what they actually mean for your finances. Ahead of International Men's Day, we also hear from Lee Chambers from Male Allies UK, who helps challenge systems and barriers that historically elevate men and leave women behind. He shines a light on how men need to be involved in creating equitable workplaces, and what steps men can take to support our cause.

This week on the AJ Bell Money Matters podcast, Danni and Charlene discuss rumours about the upcoming budget and how they could affect your finances. We also hear from Alex Farrell from the AJ Bell Investments team as we answer one of our listeners' questions. We're all about removing jargon, so what does active investing and passive investing mean? We're breaking down firstly what ETFs and funds are, and how they can be used to build a portfolio based on your long-term financial goals.

This week on the AJ Bell Money Matters podcast, Danni and Laura share tips on how to keep your finances safe from cyber attacks. With M&S and Jaguar Land Rover facing cyberattacks, what steps can you take to look after your money? We also hear from ex-wealth manager Zoe Burt as she helps de-jargon economics. The UK economy is frequently in the news and impacts our household finances, but with terms like 'GDP' and 'fiscal drag' hitting the headlines, it can be tricky to stay in the loop. Zoe and Danni walk through these financial terms to boost your knowledge and help you feel better about your finances.

This week Danni and Laura simplify the complicated rules and thresholds around inheritance tax. We also speak to Lisa Webster, AJ Bell's senior technical consultant, about how to prepare for retirement considering women tend to have longer lives than men. The gender pension gap affects single women the most, so what steps can you take now to look after future-you? Life has a particular way of throwing us curve balls, so hear our experts share their actionable tips, no matter your circumstances.

On the AJ Bell Money Matters podcast this week, Danni and Charlene discuss how the gender pension gap varies from state pension to private pensions, and why this matters for your retirement planning. We also speak to Chair of The 30% Club, Pavita Cooper, about how to get ahead in the workplace. She shares her top tips to gaining a promotion, insightful observations about social media's influence on our careers, and how she has sculpted a fulfilling career led by ambition and balanced with family commitments.

On this week's episode of the AJ Bell Money Matters podcast, Laura and Danni discuss a whopping gender gap when parents gift money to their children, and why this strangely might not be such bad news. We also hear from Liz Dimmock, CEO and founder of mentoring enterprise Moving Ahead. From a corporate life to following her instincts, and now supporting women across the UK get the help they need to succeed, Liz shares her top tips plus some great money confessions. As a single mum, Liz also explains how she's learnt to let go of rigid planning and embrace change.

On this episode of the AJ Bell Money Matters podcast, Danni and Laura discuss common financial changes in the summer months with both of them on the cusp of big life events. We also speak to Anna Hemmings, chief executive of our charity partner Smart Works. The mission? To support unemployed women across the UK who need help getting into work through coaching, clothing and confidence. Anna shares how she got the job herself and how to set yourself up for career success.

This week on the AJ Bell Money Matters podcast, Danni and Laura discuss parental leave with a focus on paternity pay as the government plans an overhaul that benefits not only the economy, but also women's wallets. We're also joined by our guest Funmi Olufunwa, a financial educator, qualified mortgage adviser and finance lawyer, who recently gave evidence to the Treasury Committee about the Lifetime ISA. We walk through the main features of the account, as well as recommendations from the Government on how it could be improved to ensure you get the most bang for your buck.

On this episode of the AJ Bell Money Matters podcast, Danni and Laura discuss how to spot an investing scam and when a finfluencer's posts online are too good to be true. We also speak to best-selling author and life coach Linda Davies about her extraordinary life. She shares how she started out on Wall Street in the world of investment banking to save up to become a best-selling author, as well as how she overcame a kidnapping and breast cancer to fulfil her dream of becoming a life coach. Linda also shares her top tips to building a healthy view of money.

This week on the AJ Bell Money Matters podcast, Danni and Laura discuss new legislation being proposed around Buy Now Pay Later schemes. As these loans become increasingly popular, do consumers really understand what they're signing up for, and why has it taken so long for regulators to step in? We also hear from Troy Asset Management's Charlotte Yonge as we talk through how to focus on long-term views when markets (and headlines) are panicked. From doing your homework to diversification, Charlotte shares her top tips.

In this episode of the AJ Bell Money Matters podcast, we talk about all things art with Jennifer Conner, UK Regional MD of the Affordable Art Fair. Jennifer shares her top art-buying tips, explains the story behind the Affordable Art Fair, and shares her one rule when buying art as an investment - you have to love it! Laura and Danni also de-jargon interest rates, breaking down the basics and explaining how the recent cut affects mortgages and savings.

On this week's episode of the AJ Bell Money Matters, Danni and Laura are celebrating World Earth Day with an episode all about investing for positive change. You might have heard the term ESG it stands for Environmental, Social and Governance but what does that actually mean when it comes to your money? From the basics of what ESG actually means to understanding what a sustainable fund manager weighs up when building their portfolio, we're peeling back the layers with the help of Schroder's Roberta Barr. The team also discuss the good news stories... plus a pension error which means some women are owed thousands.

In this episode of the AJ Bell Money Matters podcast, Danni and Laura hear from the team's children spanning from four to eighteen. We know money habits start early in life, so how do they feel about money, do they have any worries, and are we teaching good habits? Find out which kind of account grandparents and relatives can pay into to help boost your child's long-term finances. We also breakdown recent news of markets spiralling following President Trump's tariffs, and how to avoid making rash decisions which could impact your financial future.

On this episode of the AJ Bell Money Matters podcast, Danni is joined by Charlene Young and Rachel Vahey for a tax year end special. The team are breaking down jargon to help you understand what is changing and how to make the most of your money.  Tax year end can be daunting and complicated, but it can also be a brilliant time to reset your finances. We're covering ISA allowances, tax thresholds, pensions and more with our friendly experts. The team also touch on the £100,000 cliff edge which is generating a lot of interest on TikTok and talk you through some of the benefits you might be missing out on. 

On this episode of the AJ Bell Money Matters podcast, Danni and Laura walk through the changes hurtling towards us in April including energy price caps, broadband and council tax. We also hear from AJ Bell's sales director Alison Mollard and business development team leader Georgia Swallow who are mentor and mentee respectively. When Alison began her career, the financial services sector looked particularly different as she was often the only woman in the room. Both Alison and Georgia share their stories and insights, plus why mentoring is still essential.

On this special episode of the podcast which coincides with International Women’s Day 2025, Danni and Laura talk through our new research which sheds light on the £6.6 billion gender ISA gap. Lots of women have ISAs but they tend to keep their savings in cash which means the growth potential is likely to be lower. Simplifying ISAs, ditching jargon and helping women become more confident with their financial choices are all part of the solution which will hopefully help close the wider gender investment gap.   We’ve also got a very special guest. Jenny Halpern Prince is the founder of charities the Lady Garden and Access Aspiration, plus she runs her own  PR and brand company and just in case she’s got a few hours spare, she’s also a mum of three. We also hear about the lessons she’s learned over the years and how she feels we can all #AccelerateAction which of course is the theme of this year’s IWD. 

On this episode of the AJ Bell Money Matters podcast, Danni and Laura discuss love and money. Often taboo in relationships, they share their own money stories as well as top tips for those managing joint finances and for people experiencing the single tax. We also hear from husband-and-wife Matt & Claire Towe who set up a business together. Meet Margo's mission is to make mortgages easy with a focus on women's finances; set up at Matt & Claire's dining table, the couple chat about balancing work and personal lives, managing finances, and creating a company around flexible working.  https://meetmargo.uk/

On this episode of the pod, Danni and Laura discuss trends from the latest Unemployment Index curated by our charity partner Smart Works. We also speak to Georgina Taylor from Invesco who walks us through the key things to consider for those preparing to take pension payments, as well as top retirement tips for all ages. Georgina also explains what 'lifestyling' is, and talks about buying an annuity vs taking money in drawdown (and if you can use them together). Plus how she nearly turned down becoming a fund manager at 40.