Arlene Phillips: Winning Oliviers and dancing towards every opportunity

On this episode of the AJ Bell Money Matters podcast, Laura and Danni dip into the murky world of scams. They break down jargon like “push payments” and highlight some of the ways people are being taken in, as well as how the regulator is planning to trip up scammers and reimburse victims. Danni also chats to The Sun newspaper’s “Consumer Champion” Laura Purkess about the art of complaining, and why more people should follow through with enquiries. From incorrect goods being delivered, to lack of compensation for delayed flights and the furore around “dynamic pricing” for concert tickets, Laura explains how to fight for your rights and the sense of accomplishment she gets from helping people win their battles.

As requested on our Instagram page, on this AJ Bell Money Matters pod, Laura and Danni share little financial wins. From switching current accounts and energy providers, to cashback deals, combining pensions and budgeting, the Money Matters team explain how small changes to your personal finance habits can make a big difference. Our guest this week is Joy Foster, founder of TechPixies, who tells us how investing in yourself and learning new skills shouldn't stop after school. Career breaks, which women take more than men, can leave us feeling left behind as technologies change, so Joy's advice to keep learning and top tips in this episode are invaluable.

On this episode of the AJ Bell Money Matters podcast, Laura and Danni walk through a beginner’s guide to mortgages. From the differences between fixed rates and trackers, to how the Bank of England’s interest rate decision plays into what you pay, the pair discuss how rates have changed over the years and what might happen next. Plus, we’ve drafted in Kalpana Fitzpatrick, financial journalist and author of “Get to Know Money”, to breakdown the best ways to talk to children about managing money. She explains top tips to help you answer your kids’ money questions, whatever their age.

On this episode of the AJ Bell Money Matters podcast, Laura and Danni discuss why the UK economy couldn’t shake off the Taylor Swift effect. Spending by fans on hotels, travel and tickets to the singer’s Eras tour helped UK inflation hold steady in June, although the impact is expected to be short lived. We also hear from Mind, Money and Soul’s Laura Ann Moore about why language plays a huge part in women’s attitude to risk. With almost half of all women telling us they aren’t comfortable with any investment losses, we discuss why understanding risk is such an important part in the journey to narrow the gender investment gap.

On this episode of the AJ Bell Money Matters podcast, Danni and Laura chat to two mums who launched a biscuit bakery that allowed them to work around their children’s lives. Saskia Roskam and Lisa Shepherd started “The Biskery” during the pandemic with the aim of creating a business that worked around school hours for them and their employees. Plus, as a new government gets its feet under the table, we dig into what a Labour landslide might mean for your finances and the workplace with plans for menopause policies and enhanced gender pay reporting. The Biskery have also given all AJ Bell Money Matters podcast listeners an exclusive 20% discount sitewide, so head to their website and used the code "MoneyMatters20" to stock up on their sweet treats or send a gift to someone special.

On this episode of the AJ Bell Money Matters podcast Laura and Danni deep dive into student finances. How much debt are you likely to rack up during your time at university, when do you start paying it back, and how do you apply for loans to cover costs like accommodation and food? Laura Brown from Save The Student gives her tips for managing budgets for the first time and we assess how much parents can expect to pay depending on their household budgets. Plus, with inflation falling, when can we expect an interest rate cut and why did rates rise in the first place?

Whether you know Dame Arlene Phillips' work from Hot Gossip, Strictly Come Dancing, her legendary music videos, film work or the West End and Broadway shows she has choreographed, her ability to turn her hand to any brief and keep moving forward is unmatched. On this episode, we learn about how Arlene grew up with grit and determination to earn her own money and ultimately gain independence, taking every opportunity in her stride. As often the only woman in the room, Arlene shares her advice for people starting their careers, how to move on from disappointment and mistakes swiftly, and how she has achieved huge success in her 80s with a recent Olivier Award added to her glittering CV. Danni and Laura also dig into how the cost of living crisis has helped turn us into a nation of savers and why keeping your pot in cash could be costing you thousands of pounds.

A decade on from an historic speech she delivered on misogyny, former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard tells Danni and Laura there has been progress but there’s still a lot more to be done. Now chair of the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership, she’s passionate about closing the gender pay gap and believes we’ll only see real change if more women take on leadership roles. With elections being held around the world, she urges women to get out and vote on issues like childcare and education. Also on this episode, Danni and Laura discuss why the UK’s financial watchdog is cracking down on social media influencers talking about money and investing, as more people turn to them when making investment decisions.

On this episode of the Money Matters podcast we hear from Debbie Wosskow, the serial entrepreneur who’s been appointed to the government’s Invest in Women taskforce. With just 2p of every £1 of business funding going to female-founded companies in the UK, Debbie’s on a mission to raise a £250 million pot to create “once in a generation change”. Best known for selling her multi-million-pound home swap business inspired by Hollywood movie The Holiday, Debbie is hoping more women will become investors in female run start-ups.  Plus, with no change on interest rates, Danni and Laura ask when the Bank of England will start to cut rates and how the status quo is pushing homeowners into mortgages they’ll still be paying off after they reach pension age.

On this episode of the pod, Danni and Laura speak to campaigner Joeli Brearley from motherhood campaigning group Pregnant then Screwed about why politicians have finally woken up to the economic value of getting mums back into work and what more needs to be done to end the motherhood penalty. Also on the episode, Danni and Laura break down the four simple steps to start your investing journey. They give a basic checklist of the different platforms, accounts and investments available and explain some of the jargon that can be off-putting to newbie investors.