Podcasts about debt camel

Today, Emilie Bellet is joined by Sara Williams, a debt advisor with over 20 years of experience and the voice behind Debt Camel since 2013, as we demystify the world of credit scores. Is credit always good? We'll explore what a credit score is, the main credit agencies in the UK, and how credit scores are calculated. Plus, we'll uncover how to check your score for free, ways to improve it, and debunk common myths.PARTNERThank you to our partner PensionBee. With PensionBee you can combine, contribute and withdraw online. Take control of your pension, so that you can enjoy a happy retirement and join over 240,000 customers saving with PensionBee. When investing, your capital is at risk. CONNECT WITH VESTPODIf you want to read the main takeaways from the episodes, subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.vestpod.com/subscribe Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vestpod/ RESOURCESMain takeaways: https://www.vestpod.com/Debt Camel: https://debtcamel.co.uk/ Loqbox: https://www.loqbox.com/Listen to PensionBee's monthly podcast, The Pension Confident Podcast to better understand the world of personal finance and pensions: https://podfollow.com/the-pension-confident-podcast DISCLAIMERWe are not certified financial advisers! The articles and information made available on Vestpod are provided for information and educational purposes only and do not constitute financial advice. You are advised to consult with an independent financial advisor for advice on your specific circumstances. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Most people know that you need a good credit score to be able to borrow money, but how to start building one is a mystery. First aired in June 2022, in this episode of Money Clinic, host and FT consumer editor Claer Barrett sits down with listener Emma, 22, who has never been in debt before, aside from her student loans. Emma has heard that getting a credit card could increase her chances of taking out a mortgage in the future, but before she applies for one, what does she need to consider? In this episode, Claer gives Emma's credit score an MOT with help from Katie Watts, a consumer expert at moneysavingexpert.com, and debt adviser Sara Williams, who runs the Debt Camel blog. Together, they explain the hidden world of credit scores, credit files and tips on how to use credit responsibly, as well as offer tips on how to improve your credit score — and why this might be worth doing.For more tips on how to organise your money, sign up to Claer's email series 'Sort Your Financial Life Out With Claer Barrett' at FT.com/moneycourseIf you would like to be a guest on a future episode of Money Clinic, email us at money@ft.com or send Claer a DM on social media — she's @ClaerB on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok.Want more?Check out Claer's column, A dating app with credit scores: what's not to love?Listen to more episodes, such as Credit scores: when a small debt becomes a big problem, Should I pay off my student loan early?, and more. Presented by Claer Barrett. Produced by Tamara Kormornick and Persis Love. Our executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Sound design by Breen Turner, with original music from Metaphor Music. Cheryl Brumley is the FT's global head of audio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the bills rolling in after Christmas, this week's episode is devoted to helping listeners tackle their credit card debts on a practical and emotional level - no matter how big or small they might be. Host Claer Barrett hears from experienced debt adviser Sara Williams of the popular Debt Camel blog and Instagram account, Helen Saxon, deputy editor of Money Saving Expert, and Dr Pamela Roberts, a shopping addiction specialist at the Priory Clinic. They give tips on balance transfers and on how to resist the urge to splurge. To sign up for Claer's Sort Your Financial Life Out money course, visit FT.com/moneycourseLinks: Business Debtline here Citizens Advice here Stepchange hereDebt Camel Blog hereFor the MSE Credit card eligibility calculator, go here To listen to the Money Clinic episode about shopping addiction, go hereFollow Claer on social media @Claerb and contact the Money Clinic team via money@ft.comPresented by Claer Barrett. Produced by Philippa Goodrich. Our executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Sound design by Simon Panayi, with original music from Metaphor Music. Cheryl Brumley is the FT's global head of audio.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Back in 2010, Money Clinic listener Kalyan bought an iPad with a monthly 3G subscription. Thirteen years later, that long-forgotten purchase might stop him from getting a decent rate on his mortgage. It's a story that shines a light on how credit rating agencies score you and how things can easily go wrong. Host Claer Barrett hears from Sara Williams, who runs Debt Camel, a blog and popular Instagram account, as well as James Jones, head of consumer affairs at Experian, one of the UK's main credit reference agencies. Want more? Free links:UK watchdog calls for reform of credit rating marketHow to improve your credit score If you would like to talk to Claer about a future episode, please email the Money Clinic team at money@ft.com with a short description of your problem, and how you would like us to help. Follow Claer on X, formerly Twitter, and Instagram @ClaerbPresented by Claer Barrett. Produced by Philippa Goodrich. Our executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Sound design is by Breen Turner, with original music from Metaphor Music.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're joined by the fabulous Sara Williams aka @debtcamel in this episode to take a closer look at BNPL.We'll be looking at:How it can be used in a good wayIs it better than a credit card?What if you're thinking of getting a mortgageCan it help build your credit score? Or does it harm it?Are you pretend 'adulting' with BNPL?The pitfalls of using multiple BNPL schemes and how to manage themAnd what may change in the future with the introduction of regulationIf you are looking for some tips on how to manage your money check out episode 26 about budgeting.

In this episode, Brian has a conversation with Sara Williams about debt, credit cards and 'buy now pay later' schemes. Sara is behind the finance blog and Instagram account 'Debt Camel' and has over 20 years helping people with their debt problems. If you are in debt (or even if you aren't) you will get a lot out of this episode.Be sure to check out Sara below;Blog - https://debtcamel.co.uk/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/debtcamel/Twitter - https://twitter.com/DebtCamel Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The new year is a perfect time to rethink and reorganise your financial affairs but where should you start? Host Claer Barrett is joined by Iona Bain of Young Money blog, financial educator Timi Merriman-Johnson, aka Mr Money Jar, and Sara Williams of the Debt Camel. They discuss their own new year's resolutions, whether it's worth overpaying on your mortgage as interest rates are set to rise, and why paying more into your pension could be a good idea. Plus, advice on how to keep to your new year's financial goals.Money Clinic is keen to hear from listeners and readers. If you would like to get in touch, please email us at money@FT.com or DM Claer on social media. She is @ClaerB on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok. Presented by Claer Barrett. Produced by Persis Love. Our executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Sound design is by Breen Turner, with original music from Metaphor Music. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we are joined by Sara Williams aka Debt Camel.  Sara is a debt expert having been a debt adviser for over 20 years.  She  set up Debt Camel in 2013 to write about what really matters to people who have a debt problem and to talk about the common questions that get asked.In this episode we talked about the impact of the escalating costs of living with practical tips on what can be done to counter it.  Sara shares more on Julies favourite Instagram post on her combi boiler tip, the importance of revisiting your budget to identify where savings can be made and our newest Women and Money Cafe Expert (also called Sara!) shared her insight on acceptance and other emotions.Follow Sara aka DebtCamel:Website: debtcamelInstagram debtcamelYOUR HOSTS:Catherine Thomas-Humphreys is a qualified independent financial adviser, will writer and certified financial coach.  Catherine believes money is a force for good and when in the hands of good people can be used to do great things.  She loves working with purpose-led parents who are ready to change  their money habits & beliefs to achieve  financial success for themselves and their family.She founded #TheFinfluencer   as a safe space to coach and empower parents to influence, make, save, spend and grow money, consciously, ethically and positively.  Financial coaching - The FinfluencerMoney Membership FinfluenceCatherine's bitesize money wisdom - InstagramJulie Flynn is an experienced independent financial adviser and financial coach. Justice and equality drive Julie. Which is why she's spent years studying and researching how stress affects our financial decision making.She uses her years of experience and research to support women experiencing or planning significant change in their lives. Julie is best known for her work with women who have lost their partner and coaching financial services business who want to implement fair and transparent charges.Financial coaching - Ebb & Flow Financial CoachingFinancial advice - Bree Wealth & TaxJulie's inexpert social media antics - Instagramand in this Epiosde we introduced a new Host Sara WalkerSara is a financial planner and financial coach with 33 years' experience in financial services. She wants all women to feel financially confident and uses her professional and life experiences to support and educate women over 40 so they in turn feel able to support and be role models for the younger women in their lives. As a woman who herself continues to juggle work, family and hormones, she believes its never too late and every woman deserves the opportunity to flourishSara's Website: sarafranceswalker

Most people know that you need a good credit score to be able to borrow money, but how to start building one up is a bit of a mystery. Money Clinic listener Emma, 22, has never been in debt before, apart from her student loans. However, she has heard that getting a credit card could increase her chances of being able to take out a mortgage in the future. Before she applies for one, what does she need to consider? Plus, if your credit score isn't great, how can you improve it and why is this worth doing? Claer Barrett, Money Clinic presenter and the FT's consumer editor, scrutinises Emma's credit score, with help from Katie Watts, a consumer expert at moneysavingexpert.com and debt adviser Sara Williams, who runs a blog called The Debt Camel (@debtcamel on Twitter and Instagram). Together, they explain the hidden world of credit scores, credit files and tips on how to use credit responsibly. Want more?This free-to-read FT article How to Improve Your Credit Score includes lots more tips and pointers:https://www.ft.com/content/24b2df98-2bae-11e9-9222-7024d72222bcIf you would like to be a guest on a future episode of Money Clinic, email us at money@ft.com or send Claer a DM on social media — she's @ClaerB on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok. Presented by Claer Barrett. Produced by Persis Love. Our executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Sound design is by Breen Turner, with original music from Metaphor Music See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Government recently made some changes to the way in which student loans will work in the future. Because of this, I am joined with Sara Williams, founder of Debt Camel to discuss student loans: how they work in the UK, the recent changes being implemented and how this may affect you. For more All Things Money, make sure you give us a follow on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook! Fancy supporting the podcast? You can do so here.

Every Friday on the pod it's time for Your Money, This Week, looking back at the big personal finance news from the last seven days. Stories covered in this episode include: Inflation hits 3.1% Why we're set to be £1,000 worse off in 2022 How much we take out at the cash machine The government's heat pump grants The most popular songs at funerals & more My guest this week is debt advisor Sara Williams, the founder of the Debt Camel blog. Together we'll help you get up to speed with what's been going on. Plus my deals of the week round up. For links and further reading head to becleverwithyourcash.com/cashchats224 ABOUT CASH CHATS Cash Chats is presented by money blogger and broadcaster Andy Webb. In 2020 the podcast was featured as one of the top money podcasts by publications including Apple, Good Housekeeping, The Sun and the Independent. In 2019 it was awarded Best Money Podcast at the SHOMOS - the UK Money Bloggers community annual awards, and runner-up in 2020. On each Cash Chats episode you can hear Andy share ways to get the most from your money. He's often joined for friendly and accessible conversations by a friend from the UK Money Blogger community to cover topics as diverse as freebies and investments. Andy also runs the award-winning website Be Clever With Your Cash, presented Channel 5's Shop Smart Save Money and founded the community ukmoneybloggers.com. To contact Andy email Andy@Becleverwithyourcash.com ANDY ON SOCIAL Andy's handle is @AndyCleverCash and you can follow him over at: twitter.com/AndyCleverCash instagram.com/andyclevercash     GET ANDY'S WEEKLY NEWSLETTER You'll also get a free Quidco bonus for signing up https://becleverwithyourcash.com/newsletter/ MUSIC The music is Easter Island by Lonely Punk and provided on a creative commons licence     

A Money Box listener has been refused work by two employers because he was unable to provide his National Insurance Number despite the Department for Work and Pensions saying individuals can start work without one. Last year we reported that people coming to the UK with the right to work weren’t able to obtain a National Insurance Number because the government had stopped issuing them. People can now apply - but that process takes up to 16 weeks and trying to get work in the meantime can be tough. Paul Lewis talks to Jonathan Reynolds MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. National Savings & Investments apologises to more than 14,000 customers after it changed the terms and conditions on a savings product without telling them. We hear from Gary Rycroft, a partner at Joseph A Jones solicitors. The regulator clamps down on insurance firms who cut prices for new customers while quietly increasing them for loyal ones. Michael Sicsic, managing director of financial services consultancy Sicsic Advisory, and a former head of supervision for general insurance at the FCA explains all. And this week a judge rejected a 'scheme of arrangement' offer by Amigo Loans Limited to missold customers. What happens now? Paul talks to Sara Williams, founder of the debt advice website Debt Camel. Presenter: Paul Lewis Researcher: Sowda Ali Production co-ordinator: Brenda Brown Reporter: Dan Whitworth Producer: Ben Carter Editor: Alex Lewis

9 in 10 of us use direct debits to pay some or all of our regular bills. 4.5 billion payments were processed in the UK in 2019. It’s a simple way to pay - you sign a mandate with a business or organisation and they take agreed amounts on a specified date. They come with a guarantee which protects you if payments are taken mistakenly. Or at least that’s what a Money Box listener thought when a payment for his gym membership went wrong. Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum have soared in value beyond any other asset. Ten years ago one Bitcoin was worth one US dollar - today one is worth 53,000 US dollars - nearly £42,000 pounds. One big concern with buying, storing, or selling cryptocurrencies is how secure it is. Paul Lewis talks to an investor who discovered £11,000 had gone missing from his account, as well as cryptocurreny expert Kate Boucherel. Last week the High Court ruled that high cost lender Provident could move forward with a scheme to pay redress to customers to whom it had mis-sold loans. Provident has said that it can't afford to pay customers with valid claims the full amount of compensation they should receive - despite other parts of its business being very successful. Paul talks to Sara Williams, founder of the debt advisor website Debt Camel. Presenter: Paul Lewis Researcher: Sowda Ali Reporter: Dan Whitworth Production co-ordinator: Janet Staples Producer: Ben Carter Editor: Alex Lewis

All too often we hear about fraudsters using the phone to trick victims into handing over thousands or tens of thousands of pounds and destroying lives in the process. But how often to we get to hear an actual recording of these criminals in action? We play a recording of a fraud call in progress because a criminal made the terrible mistake of calling our Money Box reporter Dan Whitworth. Paul Lewis talks to Graeme Biggar, Director General of National Economic Crime Centre for the National Crime Agency and MP Steve Baker, who's a member of the Treasury Select Committee. The Government plans to put more regulations in place to address the widespread concerns about the poor practice and behaviour of private car parking operators. A new code of practice will be drawn up, with the system being introduced by the middle of next year. Paul talks to Steve Clark, Director of Operations and Business Development, British Parking Association. The FCA says it has no current plans to take further regulatory action against a compensation scheme set up by the guarantor loans lender Amigo - despite admitting the scheme might not be compatible with its current rules. Sara Williams, founder of the debt advice website Debt Camel, talks us through the latest developments. Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Dan Whitworth Researcher: Jonelle Awomoyi Production Coordinator: Janet Staples Producer: Ben Carter Editor: Rosamund Jones

In this special ‘What happened next’ Money Clinic episode, Claer catches up with US financial services worker Josh. When they spoke last October, he was hiding thousands of dollars in credit card debt from his wife. Under lockdown, the couple had managed to save up enough money to pay them off - but she wanted to use this cash for a deposit on their first home. The podcast experts had plenty of advice about dealing with credit card debt, and what could happen if Josh took on even more debt with a mortgage. Six months later, has he paid off his debt and cut up his cards, did he buy a property, and are he and his wife still talking openly about money? The experts were Sara Williams aka The Debt Camel, and the FT’s US finance editor Robert Armstrong. The original podcast was released on October 20 2020.If you would like to talk to Claer for a future podcast episode, email the Money Clinic team money@ft.com, with a brief description of your story. Follow Claer @Claerb and read her Serious Money column. Further reading:-Free UK sources of debt advice include StepChange and Citizens Advice -In the US the government’s Dealing with Debt has plenty of pointers-Read, for free, Claer’s article on the UK’s biggest debt helpline and advisers’ tips, and her column Six ways to manage money - and not fall out with your partner-For a different take on debt, listen to this previous episode: Starting your debt free journey See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Electricity and gas bills will rise in April by an average £96 a year - an increase of 9 per cent at a time when inflation is less than 1 per cent. Ellen Fraser, energy specialist at Baringa Partners explains why. Static caravan owners are paying £5000 a year or more in holiday park fees. But they have been unable to visit them during the lockdowns and say that they have been denied refunds on their annual bills. Paul Lewis talks to Gary Rycroft, a partner with solicitors Joseph A Jones and Ros Pritchard, Director General of the British Holiday & Home Parks Association. Barclays bank is refusing to refund the costs incurred by a listener after it wrongly told her it had not sold her a payment protection insurance policy (PPI). We hear from Alex Neil, Chief Executive of the consumer complaints website, Resolver. And Paul asks if firms that sell solutions to people in debt are more concerned about generating fee income than helping their customers. Sara Williams, who founded the debt advice website Debt Camel, talks through the issues. Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Dan Whitworth Researchers: Darin Graham and Sowda Ali Producer: Ben Carter Editor: Rosamund Jones

As the name suggests this episode is all about finances. Disordered gambling is extremely likely to have a detrimental effect on your personal finances. In this episode we welcome Ben Holmes for his second appearance on the show to talk about handling large cash sums as part of his job since finding recovery and exploring how that makes him feel. Our second guest Lias Chalk has lived-experience of gambling addiction, and now works for Step Change, and so we catch up with him to learn more about his story. We round off the programme by speaking with Sara Williams, Founder of Debt Camel, to try and gain an insight into the exploitative nature of poor credit lenders ie. payday and guarantor loans. These are often a source of finance for those with an addiction to gambling.

More than 4 million mortgage, credit card and loan payments have been deferred since the pandemic began, and though most have started repaying what they owe, there are still hundreds of thousands of people who could find things even harder after 31st October. In this episode, I'm joined by Sara Williams from the Debt Camel blog to talk through what you need to be doing if you've had a payment holiday, and what to do when your's ends. * Please do leave a review and rating if this saves you money. * FURTHER READING Car finance after a payment break Mortgages after a payment break Priority debts explained Sara's recommended places for debt help Episode 87 of Cash Chats on overdrafts ABOUT CASH CHATS Cash Chats is presented by money blogger and broadcaster Andy Webb. In 2020 the podcast has been featured as one of the top finance podcasts by Apple, Good Housekeeping and the Independent. In 2019 it was awarded Best Money Podcast at the SHOMOS - the UK Moneybloggers annual awards. On each Cash Chats episode you can hear Andy share ways to get the most from your money. He's often joined for friendly and accessible conversations by a friend from the UK Money Blogger community to cover topics as diverse as freebies and investments. Then at the end of each week stay tuned for a bonus “deals of the week” rundown of the hottest offers from the last seven days. Andy also runs the award-winning website Be Clever With Your Cash, presents Channel 5’s Shop Smart Save Money and founded the community ukmoneybloggers.com. To contact Andy email Andy@Becleverwithyourcash.com ANDY ON SOCIAL Andy's handle is @AndyCleverCash and you can follow him over at: twitter.com/AndyCleverCash instagram.com/andyclevercash     GET ANDY'S WEEKLY NEWSLETTER You'll also get a free Quidco bonus for signing up https://becleverwithyourcash.com/newsletter/   MUSIC The music is Easter Island by Lonely Punk and provided on a creative commons licence 

Claer Barrett chats to Josh, a high-earner living in New Jersey who has large credit card bills to settle. The 30-something finance worker has spent $20,000 paying for holidays and unexpected bills on his interest-free cards, but his wife is unaware of how much he now owes. Under lockdown, the couple have impressively managed to save more than $27,000. His wife wants to use their savings towards a deposit on a house, but should Josh come clean and pay off some of his card debt? Experts Robert Armstrong and Sara Williams (aka the Debt Camel) offer their tips.If you would like to talk to Claer for a future episode, please email the Money Clinic team at money@ft.com with a short description of your problem, and how you would like us to help. Follow Claer on Twitter and Instagram @Claerb. Further reading:--Sara Williams writes the independent Debt Camel blog, offering no-nonsense advice for people who want to get out of debt. Covering debt problems and debt solutions, she has won praise for answering common questions about debt without jargon, and has been a debt adviser in the UK for more than 15 years. --Robert Armstrong, the FT’s US Finance editor, recently bought a house in Brooklyn, and is already regretting his purchase, as he explains in this column: Was buying a Brooklyn townhouse just before lockdown the worst trade of my life?--He has also explored the topic of mounting consumer debt in this FT video: Will Covid-19 light the fuse on a debt bomb?--If, like Josh, you find it difficult to talk openly to your partner about your finances, check out Claer’s column, Six ways to manage money - and not fall out with your partner (which is free to read).--Last year, Claer spent a day inside one of the UK’s biggest debt helplines and spoke to advisers about how people of all income levels can and do suffer from debt problems — and heard practical tips on what to do about it. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

During lockdown, those that are still working are likely spending a lot less than normal. There's no commuting, no holidays, no nights out, no childcare costs. So what do you do with this extra cash you wouldn't normally have? In the second of highlights from my recent Lockdown Money Live event, I'm joined by Damian Fahy from Money to the Masses and Sara Williams from Debt Camel to discuss the best options. Find out whether you should be focusing on savings, debts, investments, mortgages or your pension - or even spending it to boost the economy. ---- Don't forget to join the Cash Chats community on Facebook. Please do also leave a review and rating. Here’s how to do it on Apple Podcasts and iTunes.  ------ SUBSCRIBE & LISTEN TO OTHER EPISODES OF CASH CHATS (it's free!):  APPLE PODCASTS      GOOGLE      SPOTIFY Related episodes #120 Save thousands on your mortgage #106 Clearing credit card debts Further reading & links Hacks to boost your savings pot Debt Camel & articles about debt https://debtcamel.co.uk/coronavirus-more-help-debts/ https://debtcamel.co.uk/debt-consolidation-avoid-these-five-errors/ Money to the Masses https://moneytothemasses.com/ Elsewhere on Be Clever With Your Cash The cheapest way to watch the restarted Premier League Deals on Be Clever With Your Cash Watch the other Lockdown Money Live sessions on YouTube MUSIC The music used on Cash Chats is Easter Island by Lonely Punk and provided on a creative commons licence 

Adam Shaw and guests talk to people struggling with bills and finding it hard to access credit. They offer practical advice about how to stay on top of your finances. Guests: Richard Lane from StepChange and Sara Williams from Debt Camel. Email: moneybox@bbc.co.uk Producer: Ben Carter Editor: Emma Rippon

Action to protect workers who would otherwise face redundancy due to the coronavirus outbreak was brought in by the government last month. Known as the Job Retention Scheme it pays 80 per cent of wages for people kept on by their employer up to a maximum of £2,500 a month. At the time there was disappointment from those who missed out because they didn’t start their job before the scheme’s cut-off date of February 28th. This week that date was extended to the 19th of March. The Treasury says the date change is “expected to benefit over 200,000 employees” - but will it? Guest: Heather Self, Tax Partner, Blick Rothenberg. Plans to refund the victims of fraud isn’t "working as well as hoped" according to financial watchdog the Payment Systems Regulator. Data gathered by the PSR shows that two high street banks who promised to refund victims refused to do so in 96% of cases. Money Box hears from the PSR Managing Director Chris Hemsley to find out what his organisation is doing about it, what action it wants to see from the banks… and why it isn’t taking tougher action already. Money Box also hears from the son of one victim whose bank initially refused to refund him after criminals used his bank details to steal his life savings of £90k. The FCA announced more plans to support households struggling to pay bills due to the impact of coronavirus on incomes. They include a three month payment freeze for car loans and a one month interest-free halt on high-cost short-term credit payments like payday loans. The FCA hopes to finalise the proposals by Friday 24 April and expect them to happen shortly afterwards. A three month credit card payment holiday for people with cash problems caused by coronavirus came into force this week. Guests: Sara Williams debt campaigner and founder of the Debt Camel blog and Stuart Masson Editor for thecarexpert.co.uk Presenter: Paul Lewis Editor: Emma Rippon Producer: Charmaine Cozier

This week on Money Bites by Smart Money People, we’re asking ‘Who Can Help You Get Out of Debt?’ It's an important topic to cover, and we're delighted to be talking with Phil Andrew, CEO at StepChange & Sara Williams, the Founder of Debt Camel.  (00:45) - Interview with Phil Andrew, CEO at StepChange (18:13) - Skittlemania with Phil Andrew (20:38) - Interview with Sara Williams of Debt Camel  You can reach us at hello@smartmoneypeople.com, on twitter at @SmartMoneyPPL or visit the website at Smart Money People (https://smartmoneypeople.com) .

The number of mortgages approvals hit a two-year high in July, according to the Bank of England but approvals for first time buyer mortgages remained flat. We look at why it's happening, the problems for young house seekers, the deals that are out there and how to save for a deposit with the help of mortgage broker Rebecca Robertson, the Director of Evolution Financial Planning and first time buyer Ashley Agwuncha, who is also one third of money saving bloggers the Money Medics. The charity Samaritans, which offers a listening ear to people in crisis, has entered into a partnership with betting company Paddy Power Betfair - and is being heavily criticised for it. Our reporter Dan Whitworth investigates their relationship. We also hear from John Myers, whose son Ryan had a gambling addiction and took his own life. And from Carolyn Harris, the Labour MP for Swansea East, who is chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Gambling Related Harm. Nationwide has doubled the overdraft rate for some of its customers, and it's likely to be only the beginning of changes brought in by all banks and building societies - all part of what the regulator has described as the biggest overhaul of overdrafts for a generation. The changes are aimed at reducing the high cost of credit for some consumers and making it easier for everyone to compare, and perhaps switch between, different providers. But simpler does not always mean cheaper, as Money Box listener Cathy from Hertfordshire tells us. We also hear from debt campaigner and adviser Sara Williams, who runs the website, Debt Camel. Presenter: Ruth Alexander Producer: Paul Waters

Andy is joined by Sara Williams from the Debt Camel blog to discuss why an overdraft could be costing you more than you expect, and how changes on the way to simplify charges could be good or bad news for your bank balance. Plus, a few ways to bring down your overdraft.   FURTHER READING: Sara blogs at Debtcamel.co.uk. Here are a few of her articles on overdrafts: Overdrafts – a hard type of debt to clear Will new rules on overdraft fees help you? Will simpler mean lower?    ABOUT CASH CHATS Cash Chats is presented by money blogger and broadcaster Andy Webb. Andy runs the award-winning website Be Clever With Your Cash, presents Channel 5's Shop Smart Save Money and founded the community ukmoneybloggers.com. To contact Andy email Andy@Becleverwithyourcash.com ANDY ON SOCIAL @AndyCleverCash twitter.com/AndyCleverCash instagram.com/andyclevercash

Financial Secretary to the Treasury Mel Stride speaks to Paul Lewis about the forthcoming loan charge. The measure, which comes into force in April, aims to stop disguised remuneration schemes which can be used for tax avoidance purposes. People who have been tricked into authorising payments to bank accounts run by fraudsters stand a much better chance of being reimbursed in future. A new code has been published by the Payment Systems Regulator and agreed by the industry. It includes measures to do more to protect bank and buidling society customers from criminals including reimbursing them in all but exceptional circumstances. The code, which is voluntary, comes into effect on May 28th. Guest: Hannah Nixon, Managing Director, Payment Systems Regulator. Money Box listener David Hardie runs a small printing business. He recently received a letter from HMRC informing him that from next month he must submit his VAT return digitally. It's part of the wider government Making Tax Digital (MTD) initiative to shift people away from paper-based record keeping. The software used has to be MTD compatible so David is now paying for a new accounts program. Tim Woodgates, a tax adviser and chartered accountant with Moore Stephens, suggests ways in which small businesses can be MTD compliant while keeping costs down. We hear a cautionary tale of what can happen when the terms and conditions of a guarantor loan are not scrutinised by the friend or relative being asked to pay off the debt if the original borrower defaults. Followed by Sara Williams, founder of the Debt Camel blog and Nick Beal Chief Regulatory and Public Affairs Officer at Amigo Loans in a wider discussion on guarantor loans. Presenter: Paul Lewis Producer: Charmaine Cozier Editor: Richard Vadon

The cost of living alone, rather than living as a couple, is more than £1000 a year, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics. In the UK nearly eight million people now live alone and spend on average £21 a week more than individuals who live as a couple. Money Box reporter Marie Keyworth visits Sussex to investigate the cost of living, shopping, exercising and holidaying alone. Up to 90,000 people on benefits are at risk of losing their home when the Government stops paying the interest on their mortgage in just over two weeks' time. In future, help with mortgage interest will be paid as a loan not a benefit. But new figures from the Department for Work and Pensions show that around 90% of those who get this benefit have not yet signed up for the loan that replaces it. It will be the same amount and still paid direct to their lender. But it will be a loan from the Government and secured against their home. If they do not sign up for the loan arrangement the money will stop from April 6th. We hear from Kit Malthouse, the Minister for Family Support, Child Maintenance and Housing, and from debt advisor Sara Williams, the founder of the Debt Camel blog. Also - Under Financial Conduct Authority rules, if you want to transfer a defined benefits pension of more than £30,000, you must seek guidance first. It's a safeguard against you making potentially disastrous financial decisions - but not an absolute block. That's because under pension freedom, it's your money and your decision. But one Money Box listener who received advice, but chose a different option, found it impossible to get her confirmation letter - which meant her pension transfer couldn't go ahead. Michelle Cracknell, chief executive of the Pensions Advisory Service explains your rights.. Presenter: Paul Lewis Producer: Paul Waters.

A debt special this week as Andy is joined by Sara Williams from Debt Camel. We talk about signs of debt, why we need breathing spaces for debts and how to complain if you've ever had a payday loan.

Sarah is joined today by Nigel Waterson, chairman of the Equity Release Council, Fiona Tait from Royal London, Sara Williams of Debt Camel and Jane King of Ash Ridge Asset Management to discuss retirement and outstanding debt. First broadcast: 10/09/16

Sara Williams is a debt adviser in London, England. She set up her personal website, Debt Camel, five years ago, wanting to provide good information about debt in a more approachable, easy to read manner than official debt advice websites. She now blogs about everything to do with debt and credit ratings in England, from improving your credit score for a mortgage to asking for a payday loan refund for unaffordable lending. Her aim is to answer common questions with as little jargon as possible.   Welcome!   [2:6] In the US one of the biggest debt problems is student loans, what does the typical millennial struggle with in the UK when it comes to their money? Didn’t used to be a problem at all back in the day, however 20 years ago the loans started coming in 10 Years ago they really started getting high Typically you only need to pay what’s affordable Some advisors believe it puts off a lot of people from wanting to go to university [6:16] What is a debt management plan and how does it work? Get a list of all income, expenses and debts Calculate disposable income from subtracting your fixed expenses from your income You can then start snowballing you debts However if you can’t manage your minimum payments, at that point you need a debt solution The debt management solutions goes to the creditor asking to pay less (typically freezing the interest) It’s flexible so you can adjust amounts   [11:6] We emailed you a while back about negative equity in a car loan and you said it works quite differently in the UK. What are some of the things you can do if you’re given a car loan with unaffordable finance? This is an increasing problem in the UK, some cars are bought on higher purchase PCP purchases are now becoming more common, there is typically a large balloon payment at the end, they have to return the car at the end There are some protection in British law- after you have paid half of the available credit you can often hand back the car   [17:16] A debt hole people fall into are payday loans, do you have any solutions for people that get stuck and have to keep borrowing to repay their old loans? Was a huge problem in Britain, if there’s an expensive thing to cover people take out payday loans and people get stuck in a vicious cycle where they keep using the loans to finance the old loans. The new regulator has reduced the amount to about 1000 APR The regulator has capped the amount of interest people can pay to 100% of your loan value A lender has to check whether a loan is affordable for you, this must be repayable for your income without financial burden, you can typically ask for a refund of the interest you have paid If you borrowed for 5 months in a row, the lenders have to now cut you off   Sponsor   [24:33] Transformation Nation If you are looking for a long term retirement plan look into what a QRP is, head on over to our website to get a free book.   Value Link Round   [25:4] What are some of the steps you’d take if you were starting to setup a sound retirement plan? A lot of pension planning in the UK is orientated around your job There are defined benefit schemes and defined contribution plans Auto-enrollment has now been brought in (5-4 years ago) Currently 8% is now being put in, which is great but it depends on your age how effective this will be   [28:31] Do you have a favorite book? No book recommendation as most people aren’t buying books Check out good websites instead if you’re in debt   [29:40] Favorite quote you like to live by? “Nobody ever made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could only do a little.” ~Edmund Burke   [30:44] Any other parting piece of guidance? The rules do seem to be quite different in different parts of the world so definitely do your research Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/chain-of-wealth-debt-investing-entrepreneurship-wealth-and-more/donationsWant to advertise on this podcast? Go to https://redcircle.com/brands and sign up.