In this special bonus This is Money podcast interview, Simon Lambert speaks to Barney Whiter, whose The Escape Artist blog helps others to try to achieve the same financial independence he has.





Barney tells Simon what financial independence means to him, relates how he got there and his successes and mistakes along the way, gives some tips for budding FIRE savers, and explains why he still choses to do some work.






How I became financially independent: An interview with The Escape Artist

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The Bank of England decided to hold the base rate for the sixth time in a row this week – but was it the right decision?



Should the MPC have been bold and made a cut? What does it mean for our mortgages and savings? And when will a move come - and in what direction?



This week, Georgie Frost, Simon Lambert and Lee Boyce talk about the base rate decision and what happens next.



In the world of property, the number of homes being devalued is on the rise. So, what's going on? And what can you do if it happens to you.



Bungalows are having a moment. They're not just for the elderly and downsizers, young families and first time buyers are also increasingly interested - pushing the price of them higher since the pandemic. .



Energy firms have been trying to push smart meters on us for years. Have they uncovered a new trick to get us to make the swap?



And finally, it's been good news for JD Wetherspoon - the no frills pub chain said it expects annual profits to come in towards the 'top end' of forecasts.



Where do you stand on Spoons? Lee and Simon face-off with different pints of view on the pub giant.






Should the Bank of England have cut interest rates instead of holding firm?

With not one but two mortgage spikes fresh in our minds, a flurry of rate rises have got home owners and potential buyers worried again.



A bunch of major mortgage lenders raised their rates this week - and Santander did it twice.



So, are we about to see another mortgage spike or is this just what brokers and lenders like to optimistically call a mere 'repricing'?



And what does this all mean if you need to remortgage soon or want to buy a home?



On this podcast, Georgie Frost, Helen Crane and Simon Lambert take a look at what's happening in the mortgage market, why rates are rising and whether the Federal Reserve flapping its wings on the other side of the world pushes up our homeowning costs.



Plus, Simon explains why you may not want to put all of your savings into your pension as it might dent early retirement chances.



The team look at how at the other end of the scale someone with a bigger pension than they need could pass it to their grandchildren.



Helen details a worrying Crane on the Case theft and how to protect yourself - and finally we discuss whether a passkey is the answer to our fraud fears.

Mortgage rates are rising again - should we be worried?

You can wait a long time for a FTSE 100 record high but for peak-starved British investors this week delivered a bonanza.



Four record highs were racked up by the FTSE 100, with only Wednesday's slight dip spoiling what would have been a perfect run over a week.



The return to new highs on Thursday came as a mega-mining merger bid arrive from BHP for Anglo American - and that was followed swiftly by one of the UK's few tech stars Darktrace announcing it had accepted a bid on Friday.



Are these the catalysts that fund manager Nick Train was talking about when he said it could take a big takeover to shake UK stocks out of their slumber and get the world investing in Footsie companies again?



On this week's podcast, Georgie Frost, Tanya Jefferies and Simon Lambert look and what's moving the UK market, why it is judged to be cheap and whether you should invest.



Plus, the top investment trusts for retirement investing and the latest twist in the state pension top-ups saga.



Should we cut inheritance tax - or at least sort out the mess - as the take soars?



And finally, are you a backseat driver? See if you can pass the test.

Is the FTSE 100 finally having its moment in the sun?

Is there a risk that inflation falls and then spikes again?

Older people received another boost to the state pension this week taking the full rate to over £11,000 a year.



This year's increase of 8.5 per cent was thanks to the triple lock commitment - a guarantee the state pension will rise each year by the higher of CPI, wages or 2.5 per cent.



What does the future hold? While there is plenty of speculation the state pension may become means tested, in reality it could be incredibly hard to implement.



This week, Tanya Jefferies, Georgie Frost, Helen Crane and Lee Boyce talk state pensions – and how they compare to other countries.



And sticking on the theme, there is another delay for the Government’s new online state pension top-up service. When will it launch?



NS&I; has a four day IT meltdown that makes it a struggle for customers to log-in – and it suggests to one that she may have a ‘time drift.’ What does this bizarre explanation mean?



Crane is on the Case once more, this time Eon is in the firing line after it insisted a part-time dance teacher used £95,000 worth of energy… in a month.



And who on earth would hold an American Express card in their wallet with an APR 704.6 per cent? Lee has the answer.






How I became financially independent: An interview with The Escape Artist

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