"My in-laws are sponging off me - how do I stop them?"

When the time comes for our children to grow up and settle down with someone, we can only hope and pray that they choose that person wisely.One couple who know this only too well are Malcolm* and his wife, Penelope, who did all they could to raise their three children to have good judgement. Yet have been horrified by every one of the long-term partners they have each brought home.Malcolm and Penelope have worked hard to build an estate of around £2,000,000, and they wrote to the Telegraph's Money Confidential podcast with fears that when their children eventually inherit this money, it could end up with the unsuitable partners. Their plan is to leave their entire estate equally among their children, but they want to know: how can they keep their hard-earned fortune out of the "bad" partners' hands if their relationships don't work out?✍️ Need your awkward money problem solved? Email Katie on [email protected] or leave a voicenote on Whatsapp - 07892 793324. You can also fill in the form here: https://telegraph.co.uk/moneyconfidential. It can be 100% confidential!💰 Discover more of our leading Money journalism: telegraph.co.uk/money📰 Subscribe to the Telegraph here: https://telegraph.co.uk/moneypodcast💬 Follow Katie Morley on Instagram: @MoneyBackMorley Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since her younger brother was born when she was six years old, Melanie* has always felt he was treated differently by their parents. Whereas she was shipped off to boarding school at the earliest possible opportunity, only coming home to visit twice a year, he attended a local school and lived at home until the age of 24.  Recently, Melanie and her brother were called to their parents house where they were told that they had changed how they were going to be distributing their inheritance after both of them eventually die. Instead of splitting it 50/50 between Melanie and her brother as they had previously planned, they announced they had decided to divide it into six parts, four parts for Melanie's brother (so include his partner and their twins), and two parts for Melanie and her only son. For Melanie being told her inheritance had been drastically reduced, while her brother's had increased, felt like a huge slap in the face.On hand to help is Psychological Consultant, Jessicca McGawley, who deals with emotionally charged family situations like Melanies' every day. Melanie and her brother clearly have very different relationships with their parents, but is it ever justified to treat siblings unequally when it comes to money and inheritances?  ✍️ Need your awkward money problem solved? Email Katie on [email protected] or leave a voicenote on Whatsapp - 07892 793324. You can also fill in the form here: https://telegraph.co.uk/moneyconfidential. It can be 100% confidential!💰 Discover more of our leading Money journalism: telegraph.co.uk/money📰 Subscribe to the Telegraph here: https://telegraph.co.uk/moneypodcast💬 Follow Katie Morley on Instagram: @MoneyBackMorley Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There are few more joyous occasions than the weddings of our nearest and dearest, but for one anonymous Telegraph reader, a friends' upcoming nuptials are giving her sleepless nights. A close friend of 25 years has chosen to be a bride in Mauritius, and she's given our reader, who we'll call Ellie, the honour of being a bridesmaid. Though delighted to be asked, Ellie confesses to the Money Confidential podcast that she can't afford to attend the wedding, meaning she will have to decline the invite. Ellie is desperate not to let her friend down, but at the same time she feels she needs to put herself first. She says the cost of going to the friend's wedding will delay her future plans to settle down, and at 31, she feels she doesn't have time to waste.✍️ Need your awkward money problem solved? Email Katie on [email protected] or leave a voicenote on Whatsapp - 07892 793324. You can also fill in the form here: https://telegraph.co.uk/moneyconfidential. It can be 100% confidential!💰 Discover more of our leading Money journalism: telegraph.co.uk/money📰 Subscribe to the Telegraph here: https://telegraph.co.uk/moneypodcast💬 Follow Katie Morley on Instagram: @MoneyBackMorley Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The wine is delicious, the food is perfectly cooked, the conversation is relaxed and flowing. Yet there is one thing, especially for us Brits, that can really turn the sweetness of a perfect evening with friends bitter: the awkward matter of who pays for what.On this week's episode of Money Confidential, Katie hears from two listeners at opposite ends of the wealth spectrum, and with very different dilemmas: Maggie* is fed up of being rinsed, while Charles* no longer wants to be lavished.✍️ Need your awkward money problem solved? Email Katie on [email protected] or leave a voicenote on Whatsapp - 07892 793324. You can also fill in the form here: https://telegraph.co.uk/moneyconfidential. It can be 100% confidential!💰 Discover more of our leading Money journalism: telegraph.co.uk/money📰 Subscribe to the Telegraph here: https://telegraph.co.uk/moneypodcast💬 Follow Katie Morley on Instagram: @MoneyBackMorley Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Despite owning his own advertising agency which is on the verge of turning over £1m a year, 40-year-old Atem admits he is crippled with feelings of inadequacy. It would be easy to assume that such an affluent, successful and confident character would feel contented, but sitting in an underground nightclub within a private members club (a client of his) at 10am in the morning, Atem confesses he is haunted by what he describes as "imposter syndrome". ✍️ Need your awkward money problem solved? Email Katie on [email protected] or leave a voicenote on Whatsapp - 07892 793324. You can also fill in the form here: https://telegraph.co.uk/moneyconfidential. It can be 100% confidential!💰 Discover more of our leading Money journalism: telegraph.co.uk/money📰 Subscribe to the Telegraph here: https://telegraph.co.uk/moneypodcast💬 Follow Katie Morley on Instagram: @MoneyBackMorley Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After her father walked out when she was six, the stable childhood Catherine had always known was ripped away. Her childhood set her up to be fiercely self-reliant and her attitude to money was also forged in those early years. She rarely spends money on herself and as a result she's saved a total of £200,000. Her wealth feels like a burden and it's keeping her up at night. Since having an intense dream about dying recently, Catherine has been haunted by what it might be like to pass away. She admits putting off the not insignificant task of creating a will, and deciding who she will leave her £200k estate to.Savings deals mentioned in this programme were available as of September 30th, 2024, rates may change.  ✍️ Need your awkward money problem solved? Email Katie on [email protected] or leave a voicenote on Whatsapp - 07892 793324. You can also fill in the form here: https://telegraph.co.uk/moneyconfidential. It can be 100% confidential!💰 Discover more of our leading Money journalism: telegraph.co.uk/money📰 Subscribe to the Telegraph here: https://telegraph.co.uk/moneypodcast💬 Follow Katie Morley on Instagram: @MoneyBackMorley Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Susan*, a 76-year-old widow, has plundered her pension over the past 18 months to fund her son's start-up business in the Philippines. But she hasn't seen a penny back and has decided that enough is enough. But how can Susan resist her son's intense requests for more money? Katie brings in a psychotherapist, Dr Aaron Balick, to help.*Name has been changed.✍️ Need your awkward money problem solved? Email Katie on [email protected] or leave a voicenote on Whatsapp - 07892 793324. You can also fill in the form here: https://telegraph.co.uk/moneyconfidential. It can be 100% confidential!💰 Discover more of our leading Money journalism: telegraph.co.uk/money📰 Subscribe to the Telegraph here: https://telegraph.co.uk/moneypodcast💬 Follow Katie Morley on Instagram: @MoneyBackMorley Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Listen to the brand new series from Wednesday 2nd October.✍️ Need your awkward money problem solved? Email Katie on [email protected] or leave a voicenote on Whatsapp - 07892 793324. You can also fill in the form here: https://telegraph.co.uk/moneyconfidential. It can be 100% confidential!💰 Discover more of our leading Money journalism: telegraph.co.uk/money📰 Subscribe to the Telegraph here: https://telegraph.co.uk/moneypodcast💬 Follow Katie Morley on Instagram: @MoneyBackMorley Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

John's* brother-in-law moved in for a couple of months. He didn't move out for 5 years... On today's episode - how much do we owe our in-laws? Following an anonymous letters from someone who's worried at the level of financial support their partner is giving to their mother mother-in-law, Katie Morley hits the road to speak to 'John' to see what can happen if you give someone an inch, and they take a mile. also in the episode, professional mediator Becs Dhillon on what other families facing similar situations could do and the Telegraph's chief reporter, Rob Mendick, chiming in with some rather unconventional advice...*Name has been changed.If you want help or know someone who would benefit from professional mediation, please head to becsdhillon.com.✍️ Need your awkward money problem solved? Email Katie on [email protected] or leave a voicenote on Whatsapp - 07892793324. You can also fill in the form here: https://telegraph.co.uk/moneyconfidential. It can be 100% confidential!💰 Discover more of our leading Money journalism: telegraph.co.uk/money📰 Subscribe to the Telegraph here: https://telegraph.co.uk/moneypodcast💬 Follow Katie Morley on Instagram: @MoneyBackMorley Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Imagine earning millions but feeling too ashamed to tell anyone about it? That's the problem facing Jack*, who following a decade of debt is now making 100k a month. Jack can’t help feeling terribly guilty when he sees friends slogging it out in more noble careers and earning significantly less. Without knowing it, Jack is suffering from "sudden wealth syndrome", terrified of being ostracised by family and friends. On today's episode - what’s it like suddenly coming into serious money when you’ve previously been on the breadline? Most of us will never know, but could there be a secret millionaire in your friendship circle? And if there was, would you want to know? Should we all be more open about money and salaries? Katie talks to Dr Stephen Goldbart who coined the term "sudden wealth syndrome" in the 90s, as well as Lisa, another self-made millionaire brought up on a council estate, previous dragged down by decades of debt. ✍️ Need your awkward money problem solved? Email Katie or send a voice-note to [email protected] or fill in the form here: https://telegraph.co.uk/moneyconfidential. It can be 100% confidential!💰 Discover more of our leading Money journalism: telegraph.co.uk/money📰 Subscribe to the Telegraph here: https://telegraph.co.uk/moneypodcast💬 Follow Katie Morley on Instagram: @MoneyBackMorley Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.