Money Box

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Credit at 18 - getting the right deal for you Oct 05, 2019

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Competition in the home and insurance market is not working and loyal customers are being penalised, according to the Financial Conduct Authority. The FCA estimates that six million people pay on average £200 too much - totaling an overpayment of £1.2bn a year. We hear from Huw Evans the Director General of the Association of British Insurers and Matthew Upton, Director of Policy at Citizen's Advice.

Last week Money Box listener Sade emailed us saying she wanted to celebrate her 18th birthday by getting a credit card. So where should she begin? Helen Saxon from Money Saving Expert runs her through some of the options.

And why are so many freehold houses sold with covenants which restrict everything from what vehicle you can park in your drive to whether you can put up a satellite dish? One homeowner told us hers was "not worth the paper it's written on".

Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Dan Whitworth Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Emma Rippon

Fundraising for schools Oct 02, 2019

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Ever had the horror of running a cake stand? Do charity egg and spoon races haunt your dreams? Moneybox is looking to make you the Jeff Bezos of the the bake sale and make your fundraiser go further.

Parent Teacher Associations are changing, their roles and are now more important than ever. With budget cuts in schools and pressure for new technology the need for extra funding has never been greater.

Moneybox Live looks at how school fundraisers can maximise their money, bring in new volunteers, use charitable status to find new funding and adapt to the digital world.

Presenter Felicity Hannah is joined by Carol Rogerson of PTA Plus magazine, Kerry Jane Packman from charity Parentkind and Susan Burton from start-up Classlist to answer listeners' questions.

Contact the Money Box team to tell your stories The number to call is 03 700 100 444, geographic charges apply. The lines open at 1pm on Wednesday. Email moneybox@bbc.co.uk or tweet @moneybox

Struggling with insolvency Sep 28, 2019

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For decades, Stoke-on-Trent was powered by industry, with tens of thousands working in mining and pottery. But when the mines and factories closed, generations of people were left out of work. For some, not working became a culture that stuck.

But that's not the only reason why Stoke is the insolvency capital on England and Wales. The average wage in the area is £5,000 less than the national average, plus there are low levels of literacy, numeracy and IT skills. Poverty and poor health have helped reinforce financial exclusion, trapping many in a spiral of debt and deprivation which they can't get out of.

Now the North Staffordshire Financial Inclusion Group is on a five-year mission to eradicate Stoke's debt issues. It plans to work with schools to get personal finance on the curriculum and actively target people who are struggling.

Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Hazel Morgan and Dan Whitworth Producer: Alex Lewis Editor Emma Rippon

Student Finance Sep 25, 2019

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How do student loans work, when do you start repaying them and what happens when it goes wrong? It can be very confusing for students and their parents alike so we are here to help. Our panel help answer your questions about tuition fees, maintenance loans and how it all works. One of the most common questions is whether parents should pay the fees upfront to avoid their child getting into 'huge debt'....the answer might surprise you.

Contact the Money Box team to tell your stories The number to call is 03 700 100 444, geographic charges apply. The lines open at 1pm on Wednesday. Email moneybox@bbc.co.uk or tweet @moneybox

Panel: Tom Allingham, Save the Student Hayley Borrett, National Association of Student Money Advisers financial capabilty champion

Presenter: Ruth Alexander Producer: Phoebe Keane

Thousands of students forced to pay back overpayments Sep 21, 2019

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A Money Box investigation has discovered that tens of thousands of university students in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland have been forced to pay back millions of pounds in overpaid maintenance loans. The Department for Education says any money owed due to overpayments by the Student Loans Company, should be taken back from students whilst they're still at university except in exceptional circumstances. This can leave them receiving little or no money for months at a time, with very little notice.

Binary options are a bet on whether the price of a commodity like gold or silver will be higher or lower at a certain time. The answer either 'yes' or 'no' and if you guess right you make money - if you are wrong you lose money. Earlier this year the FCA banned the sale, marketing and distribution of binary options to retail consumers as the potential for loss was so great - not to mention the possibility of fraud. So is there ever such a thing as a genuine binary option? And can you get your money back if you fall foul of a binary option scam?

Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Drew Miller Hyndman Producer: Dan Whitworth Editor: Emma Rippon

How do I start investing? Sep 18, 2019

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Have you been thinking about investing but have been put off by the jargon or fees? Do you think that investing is just for the rich, or that you have to have thousands spare to get started? Are you scared of risk, or do you think it seems like a man's game? Our panel explain the basics for first time investors.

Panel: Holly Mackay, Boring Money Anna Sofat, Addidi Wealth Anthony Morrow, Open Money

How digital payments are changing the way we donate Sep 14, 2019

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This week Big Issue sellers have started to accept contactless payments. As donations to good causes dwindle we find out how digital transactions are reshaping the way we donate.

Can 20 somethings who are making the minimum auto-enrolment pension contributions still have a comfortable retirement? A recent study found more than half of savers are confident that they will but experts are concerned that this confidence is misplaced. We crunch the numbers for a couple of volunteers to find out.

And we look at the impact of a project to reduce the cost of the school day on the lives of families in Scotland.

Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Bethan Head Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Emma Rippon

How do you ask for a pay rise? Sep 11, 2019

Show notes

Whether you are a freelancer or working for a big company, talking about how much you're worth can be hard. Have you been too scared to ask for a pay rise? Have you asked but been rejected? Have you dodged negotiating your pay when offered a new position?

We take your calls and offer advice on how to have those tricky conversations.

Contact the Money Box team - email moneybox@bbc.co.uk or tweet @moneybox. Or call us from 1pm on Wednesday: 03 700 100 444 - geographic charges apply.

Join Louise Cooper and her expert panel: Catherine Davies from Pay Rise Accelerator Andrew Chamberlain, Deputy Director of Policy at IPSE Natalie Reynolds author of "We have a Deal" and founder of negotiation consultancy Advantage spring

Producer: Phoebe Keane Editor: Emma Rippon

Former Extra Energy customer shocked at new £4,000 bill Sep 07, 2019

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Money Box reporter Dan Whitworth investigates why a failed energy company is still sending bills to customers. Extra Energy ceased trading ten months ago. Last month former customer Diane received a letter demanding over £4,000 for supplying gas to her 2 bedroom home. Guest: Ellen Fraser, Energy Analyst at Baringa.

A savings account that pays a 50p bonus for every pound you save. Just imagine that. Well actually you don't have to because it exists. It's called a Help to Save Account, is backed by the government and was launched last year to encourage people on low incomes who claim certain benefits to save. The Treasury estimates that around 3.5million people could be eligible for the scheme, recent statistics from HMRC reveal only 132,000 accounts have been opened. Guest: Kelly Sizer, Senior Technical Manager, the Low Incomes Tax Reform Group.

Cara explains how she balances running her international online business with being a 14-year-old schoolgirl. Guest: Julian Hall, the founder of Ultra Education which teaches entrepreneurship in schools to 7 to 18 year-olds.

Presenter: Paul Lewis Producer: Charmaine Cozier Editor: Emma Rippon

Entrepreneurial mothers Sep 04, 2019

Show notes

Have you set up a new business after becoming a parent? What are the challenges and rewards? The number of mothers that are working for themselves has doubled in the last ten years according to IPSE, a society representing Professionals and the Self Employed. There are now almost 600,000 freelancing mothers across the UK. In addition, there are many mums who are running their own businesses and employing others. But challenges remain - lack of access to finance and an absence of role models can hold some women back from striking out on their own professionally. But the Government is hoping to boost the numbers of female entrepreneurs with initiatives including free business mentoring services. From e-commerce, to setting up a franchise, to spotting a gap in a market and making it a profitable business, Money Box wants to hear stories from entrepreneurial mothers and share their top tips.

Join Louise Cooper and expert panel.

Guests:

Entrepreneur Alison Cork – The Government's appointed Champion for Women Entrepreneurs and founder of The National Women’s Enterprise Network, helping women to set up their own businesses.

Ruby Peacock from the Federation of Small Businesses ‘Women in Enterprise’ team

Contact the Money Box team to tell your stories The number to call is 03 700 100 444, geographic charges apply. The lines open at 1pm on Wednesday. Email moneybox@bbc.co.uk or tweet @moneybox

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