On this episode Danni and Laura dig into the findings of a survey that reveals that more than 7 million households are still struggling to make ends meet despite falling inflation. And as Barbie celebrates her 65thbirthday we’ll be chatting to one woman who made her living playing the role.

Charlotte Clemie was employed by Mattel to be their official Barbie in the UK before she became a mum of three boys and moved to the other side of the camera, launching her own businesses as a photographer. She’s brutally frank about how difficult she found getting her finances in order when she first started her self-employed journey.

On this episode of the AJ Bell Money Matters podcast Danni and Laura chat to AJ Bell’s Head of Public Policy and pension guru, Rachel Vahey. They discuss the increasingly important issue of lost pension pots and how to find them. Rachel also talks through how consolidating your pensions into one pot could make life simpler and help you plan for retirement. She explains the pots you should leave alone and how some part-time workers, who miss out on auto-enrolment, can get in on the workplace pension action.

Danni and Laura also discuss an Ombudsman ruling that the Waspi (Women Against State Pension Inequality) women should get up to £10 billion in compensation because the government failed to notify them about changes to the state pension age in 2018. The campaign says an entire generation of women were negatively impacted because they didn’t get time to adequately prepare for their changing financial futures.

On this episode of the Money Matters podcast, we put all your burning money questions to Financial Adviser Jane Gow, who is founder of Clear Cut Chartered Financial Planners. You asked about a wide range of issues from when you should lock in interest rates on cash savings, to how to start a pension and whether to prioritise saving for a house or retirement in your 30s.

Danni and Laura also take you through their tax-year-end checklist, so you don’t pay too much tax or miss out on valuable allowances. They also have good news for parents relating to child benefit and free childcare hours.