Skint

Strap in, it’s tax season, and yes, there’s a lot of it.

Mik runs through some of the key changes from the latest budget, including the freeze on tax thresholds and why that matters more than it sounds. Yes, technically nothing has changed, but somehow you might still end up paying more.

Connie and Mik unpack how things like salary sacrifice and dividend tax fit into the picture, what they mean in practice, and where people can easily overlook how the rules affect them.

They also talk through what to actually pay attention to this tax year, what might impact your take-home pay, and how small changes can quietly add up over time.

If you have seen headlines about the budget or the new tax year and thought “I should probably understand this,” this episode keeps it simple, practical, and very normal-person friendly.

For education and entertainment only. Not financial advice.

Gold, that shiny metal - and yes, Trump is involved.

Mik opens with why gold is back in the spotlight and how political decisions, including Trump’s tariffs, can push investors toward it when uncertainty rises. Turns out when things feel unstable, people tend to like things that have been around for a few thousand years.

Connie and Mik unpack what actually drives the price of gold. Why it goes up and down, how it reacts to inflation, interest rates, and global events, and why it is often seen as a “safe haven” even if it does not always behave that way.

They also talk through what it means for everyday people, whether gold is something worth paying attention to, and the different ways you can get exposure to it without needing a vault.

If you have heard people talking about gold again and wondered what is actually going on, this episode breaks it down simply, practically, and very normal-person friendly.

For education and entertainment only. Not financial advice.

You owned the flat but not the ground under it? ... sounds silly - (it's real, and on its way out)

For the first time in a long while, the idea of owning your home without also renting the ground beneath it might actually become normal. Revolutionary, we know.

Connie and Mik talk through how commonhold works, what the reforms are trying to fix, and why the current leasehold system has been criticised for so long. Yes, this does involve some creative tactics from property developers along the way.

They also touch on how leasing structures have been used in the past, why reforms are being pushed now, and what could happen to the property market if ownership gradually shifts toward freehold and commonhold models instead.

If you have ever wondered why someone can technically “own” a flat but still pay ground rent, service charges, and lease extensions, this episode breaks it down simply, practically, and very normal-person friendly.

For education and entertainment only. Not financial advice.

Universal Credit - the system designed to simplify benefits… results may vary.

Mik opens with why Universal Credit was created in the first place. The idea behind it, what problem it was meant to solve, and how bringing several benefits into one system was supposed to make support simpler.

Connie and Mik unpack what Universal Credit actually is and how it works in practice. Who it was designed for, how eligibility is decided, and the situations where people might qualify without realising it. .

They also talk about how Universal Credit is meant to work alongside employment, why the system was introduced in the first place, and how it fits into the wider welfare system today.

If you have heard the term Universal Credit and thought it sounded important but never quite understood how it works or whether it applies to you, this episode explains it simply, practically, and very normal-person friendly.

For education and entertainment only. Not financial advice.

Renting just got new rules, because housing was so simple before.

Mik outlines the key changes in the Renters’ Rights Act. What is actually changing, how it could affect your finances, and what it means in practice for both tenants and landlords. It turns out housing policy is a lot more connected to everyday money than most people realise.

Connie brings in what is happening with rent levels right now, and Mik connects the dots between current market pressures and how the new rules might shape behaviour, supply, and prices going forward. Yes, this does involve the uncomfortable reality that housing decisions affect everyone, whether you rent, own, or are just trying to move out at some point before retirement.

If you have been hearing about the Renters’ Rights Act and wondering what it actually means for you, your costs, or the housing market more broadly, this episode keeps it clear, practical, and very normal-person friendly.

For education and entertainment only. Not financial advice.

You’re telling me we can’t predict what’s going to happen… even with all the experts?

Mik explains who actually sits behind major economic decisions. The advisors whose job it is to analyse the numbers before policies are announced. It turns out there are a lot more spreadsheets involved than most of us imagine.

Connie and Mik unpack how government forecasting works, and why even with experts in the room things can still go wrong.

Yes, we talk about Liz Truss, briefly. It would feel strange not to.

If you have ever wondered who is really steering the ship, how much control governments actually have, or whether economic mistakes can be avoided in advance, this episode makes it clear, practical and very normal-person friendly.

For education and entertainment only. Not financial advice.

Tariffs – trade wars, price rises, and why soyabeans have somehow become politically important.

Mik opens with Trump’s tariff plans and how one policy decision can ripple through global trade faster than you can say “supply chain”. Yes, we really are talking about crops, cargo ships, and economics in the same breath.

Connie and Mik get into what a tariff actually is. Not just a tax on imports, but who really pays it, how it moves through businesses, and why it can quietly show up in everyday prices long before anyone notices.

They chat through how tariffs affect the supply chain, what it could mean for the wider economy, what it might mean for us here in the UK, and what has already happened in markets as trade tensions have escalated.

If you have ever heard the phrase trade war and thought “that sounds dramatic” without knowing why - this episode breaks it down simply, practically, and very normal-person friendly.

For education and entertainment only. Not financial advice.

Private assets - big money moves, and investing off the stock market.

Mik tries to explain how companies can buy other companies for a living which sounds fake at first, but is in fact a real job. Think less dragons and castles, more spreadsheets and debt.

Connie and Mik get into the world of private equity and private assets. What they actually are, how firms buy, fix, and sell businesses behind the scenes.

They chat through how private equity works, the trends shaping the space, and why it has become such a big deal in recent years. Most importantly, what it all means for the rest of us who do not have a spare few million lying around.

If you have ever heard terms like private equity, private markets, or private assets and just nodded along pretending you understood, this episode breaks it down simply, practically, and very normal-person friendly.

For education and entertainment only. Not financial advice. ❤️

The AI Bubble - big promises, big opinions, and a lot of hype.

Connie has a moment of realisation that AI hype feels a bit like looking back at old photos and thinking you actually looked good at the time, confusing, flattering, and slightly misleading.

This episode covers the potential risks of investing around AI, the possible rewards if it really does change everything, and how to think about investing with AI in mind without panicking or going all in on the buzz.

If you are unsure whether AI is the future, a bubble waiting to pop, or something in between, this episode keeps it practical, calm, and very normal-person friendly.

Oh, and yes, Mik does attempt to talk about AI without making it sound like the robots are either about to save us or take over. Results may vary.

For education and entertainment only. Not financial advice. ❤️

What IS a divident?

This week, Connie and Mik break down dividends - what they actually are, how they work, and why some people get weirdly excited about being paid for… doing nothing.

Connie learns exactly what a dividend is (spoiler: it’s not free money falling from the sky, sadly), how dividends show up on fund platforms, and why people talk about them so much when investing for the long term.

They also dig into how dividends can be used alongside the so-called 8th wonder of the world - compounding - and why reinvesting those small, boring payments can quietly turn into something much bigger over time.

If you’ve ever wondered why investors care about dividends, how they fit into funds, or whether they’re worth paying attention to at all, this episode makes it simple, practical, and very normal-person friendly.

For education and entertainment only. Not financial advice ❤️