Squanderlust with Martha Lawton

This week’s topic is blended families, which is to say families where at least one partner has children from a previous relationship. Our guest is financial adviser and coach Catherine Thomas-Humphreys who specialises in helping parents and families create new, confident, positive money relationships that work for them, to support what they want to really enjoy in life so they can focus on what really matters most to them.We discuss breaking up and keeping a "channel of civility", finding new partners and getting the money side right from the start, and handling grandparents and your ex's new romantic interest.Support the show with a donation or affiliate purchase Buy us a coffeeIn the UK or Spain and need to complete a tax return? Get 10% off at TaxScouts Check out our Bookshop.org store Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ugh taxes.... so stressful and boring.... Most of us just want someone else to sort our tax returns without us having to think about it, but tax experts are kind of expensive, right? You'd think in the digital age there would be a better way.That's the problem that TaxScouts co-founder Tram Abramov set out to solve and it seems to be working. Along the way he's faced some highly relatable business challenges and made an excellent, though unintended, contribution to women's empowerment.In the end though, as he tells us, even though he runs a tech business, the most important place for him to focus is always on the people.Tram gives us some tips for making taxes less stressful whether you use TaxScouts or DIY.Squanderlust listeners can get 10% off their first tax return with TaxScouts by clicking the link:https://taxscouts.com/squanderlust/ (This is an affiliate link. First time users of TaxScouts services who sign up via this link will also be supporting the show.)Support the show with a donation or affiliate purchase Buy us a coffeeCheck out our Bookshop.org store Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Automating aspects of your finances is convenient and ensures that you won’t forget to make important payments. On the flip side, automation leads to disengagement, when your finances seem to manage themselves why take the time to pay attention to them? This is especially true for people who lead busy complex lives and those who have mental health needs or are otherwise neurodivergent.There are areas of our finances where it’s important to be aware of what’s happening, especially because companies combine automated and manual processes carefully to make us pay more for goods and services than we might otherwise do.This episode is about finding the balance between convenience and mindfulness when it comes to our money. What needs our attention and what can we set up and allow to run itself?This episode was recorded at home and without editing. Please be understanding about the sound, ums and ahs.Support the show with a donation or affiliate purchase Buy us a coffeeIn the UK or Spain and need to complete a tax return? Get 10% off at TaxScouts Check out our Bookshop.org store Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

While we're between seasons, Martha drops in with a round up of favourite episodes from 2021 and some suggestions for getting over the January financial blues. 2021 faves: ep 28. Patrick Hill on recovering from job loss; ep 30. Grace Lordan on applying behavioural science to your career; ep 31. Nick Elston on managing money anxiety; ep 32. Otegha Uwagba on why we need to talk about our own money to reduce racial, gender and class inequality; and ep 41 Will Rainey on teaching children about money.For a brighter financial new year see ep 1. "Resolution Fail" and ep 23. "Debt Advice Avoidance".You can also get 10% off a self-assessment tax return completed by an accredited accountant at https://taxscouts.com/squanderlust thanks to our new listener deal from Tax Scouts (we receive affiliate payments from this).Martha is offering financial coaching. Send enquiries to Martha care of hello (at) squanderlustpod (dot) com to book a free call and find out more.You can find books from the authors who have been on the show and more at our bookshop.org store: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/Squanderlust There are also show notes and ways to support the show, so we can keep the wonderful team at Wardour Studios in coffee and pizza, at https://squanderlustpod.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Interview with money coach, financial planner and author, Catherine Morgan from The Money Panel about her own money journey, why women often need specialist money coaching and her new book “It’s not about the money: 3 steps to become a wealthy woman” which takes a trauma-informed approach to understanding money behaviours, building wealth and financial resilience. Catherine is host of the podcast "In Her Financial Shoes". (Not, as Martha incorrectly stated, The Money Panel Podcast. Oops!)Support the show with a donation or affiliate purchase Buy us a coffeeIn the UK or Spain and need to complete a tax return? Get 10% off at TaxScouts Check out our Bookshop.org store Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When a gift seems very high cost compared to the income or wealth of the giver or the receiver, it can cause feelings other than gratitude. Questions arise about motives and expectations. Can they afford it and what do they want in return? And can I afford that? Some people give for the pleasure of giving, but some give to be recognised, to hide feelings of inadequacy or to place the receiver in their debt.What can we do to make gift giving a pleasurable experience all round? And how can we react when gift giving goes wrong?With Dr Jane Major, clinical psychologist and relationship therapist from The Room Between therapy practice.Support the show with a donation or affiliate purchase Buy us a coffeeIn the UK or Spain and need to complete a tax return? Get 10% off at TaxScouts Check out our Bookshop.org store Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have you ever thought that your children see you spending money in shops, but they probably don’t see when you’re saving, investing or paying the bills? So what are they learning about money from what they see you do?Wouldn’t it be great if you knew how to teach your children the right lessons about money at the right ages so they grow up with the mindset and habits to build wealth and be confident around money even from a young age.This week our guest is Will Rainey from Blue Tree Savings who is an expert in teaching kids to be great with money. Will makes money easy and fun with stories and games. He has ideas about how your child can practise money skills before they even start school, learning more and more as they get older, preparing them, step by step, for adult life.Will is the author of "Grandpa's Fortune Fables: Fun stories to teach kids about money".Support the show with a donation or affiliate purchase Buy us a coffeeIn the UK or Spain and need to complete a tax return? Get 10% off at TaxScouts Check out our Bookshop.org store Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever struggled to control your spending, get around to your financial admin, negotiate a raise or navigate arguments about money in a healthy way?Wish you could just let go of financial anxiety and shame and just... do what needs to be done so your finances work to support the rest of your life.Squanderlust is the podcast about the emotional side of money with Martha Lawton a financial educator, coach and former financial adviser. Martha talks to expert guests, like financial planners, coaches, writers, and psychologists to understand why we think and act the way we do about money and what to do about it.Support the show with a donation or affiliate purchase Buy us a coffeeIn the UK or Spain and need to complete a tax return? Get 10% off at TaxScouts Check out our Bookshop.org store Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Interview with author and broadcaster Iona Bain about the increase in stock market and other types of investing amongst young people. Includes discussion of online investing cultures, finfluencers, apps and social media, memestocks like GameStop, and how young people can invest in ways that reduce risk and are likely to bring long term rewards.We also discussed Iona’s new book Own It!. Squanderlust listeners can get 30% off a copy of Own It! from Harriman House by entering code SQUANDERLUST30 at checkout.Support the show with a donation or affiliate purchase Buy us a coffeeIn the UK or Spain and need to complete a tax return? Get 10% off at TaxScouts Check out our Bookshop.org store Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chris Murphy became addicted to gambling at age 17, within weeks of placing his first bet he was gambling daily and beginning a downward spiral that eventually led to a suicide attempt. He’s now employed at Sporting Chance as a communications manager and gambling education facilitator as well as working as a darts commentator.This is his inspiring story of resilience and recovery.Support the show with a donation or affiliate purchase Buy us a coffeeIn the UK or Spain and need to complete a tax return? Get 10% off at TaxScouts Check out our Bookshop.org store Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever played a video game long after you meant to stop? What about staying in a toxic workplace or relationship? Ever looked back and thought "Why did I keep doing that?!"It might be operant conditioning - the way we respond to rewards especially unreliable and unpredictable rewards.Skinner Boxes (developed by BF Skinner) are a tool psychologists use to study animal behaviour, which can teach us about our choices as humans, and why we sometimes act against our own interests. Especially when we're faced with casinos, high-stress jobs, and charming but moody people.In this solo episode Martha explains how to spot a Skinner Box and how to get out before it costs you a fortune.Support the show with a donation or affiliate purchase Buy us a coffeeIn the UK or Spain and need to complete a tax return? Get 10% off at TaxScouts Check out our Bookshop.org store Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Accidental business coach, Jo Casey, knows it can be uncomfortable to ask to get paid. She has lots of great advice on getting over that feeling and becoming confident to state your price and ask for the money.Support the show with a donation or affiliate purchase Buy us a coffeeIn the UK or Spain and need to complete a tax return? Get 10% off at TaxScouts Check out our Bookshop.org store Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Carl Jung said “Until we make the unconscious conscious, it will rule our lives and we will call it fate.” This is as true in our relationship with money as with anything else. So, how can we uncover the subconscious and become the rulers of our own financial fates? Well, money archetypes can help. This episode's guest, Dennis Harhalakis is a money coach who helps his clients reveal the balance of money archetypes they relate to most strongly. They can then use this knowledge to develop a happier relationship with money.Support the show with a donation or affiliate purchase Buy us a coffeeIn the UK or Spain and need to complete a tax return? Get 10% off at TaxScouts Check out our Bookshop.org store Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do you think if only you talk about your wishes in just the right way the universe will give you whatever you want? Do you believe fortune is a result of positive thinking and being "energetically aligned" for success? We hate to break it to you, but what goes on inside your head stays there. Only what makes it out in the form of your actions, words, tone and body language are affecting the course of your life. So why do people persist in believing that if they daydream just right their wildest fantasies will be manifested? And what's the harm in wanting a little magic in our lives?Support the show with a donation or affiliate purchase Buy us a coffeeIn the UK or Spain and need to complete a tax return? Get 10% off at TaxScouts Check out our Bookshop.org store Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Would I Lie to You?" is a tense, fast-paced novel about a woman who has spent the family emergency fund and desperately needs to get it back before her newly unemployed husband finds out. We talked to author Aliya Ali-Afzal about financial infidelity; spending styles in relationships; money, power and motherhood; and writing flawed characters.Support the show with a donation or affiliate purchase Buy us a coffeeIn the UK or Spain and need to complete a tax return? Get 10% off at TaxScouts Check out our Bookshop.org store to get your copy of Aliya's book. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Financial Coach, Cathy Boddy, has achieved financial independence and made work optional for her. She's done it without hustling 24/7/365, getting caught up in high risk day trading, owning a string of rental properties, inheriting stacks of cash or compromising her integrity. She talks about some of the mental barriers and misconceptions people have around investing and gives tips and information to help you get started building towards your own financial freedom day.Support the show with a donation or affiliate purchase Buy us a coffeeIn the UK or Spain and need to complete a tax return? Get 10% off at TaxScouts Check out our Bookshop.org store Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Otegha Uwagba is a Sunday times bestselling writer, speaker, podcaster and much more. Her latest book, "We Need to Talk About Money" is part memoir, part cultural commentary on the culture surrounding money in modern Britain. We talked about damaging secrecy around salaries; how social status is more complicated than just being upper, middle or working class; media representation and the race beat; and why being "good with money", in the sense of being very frugal and saving every penny, is not the same thing as financial wellbeing.Support the show with a donation or affiliate purchase Buy us a coffeeIn the UK or Spain and need to complete a tax return? Get 10% off at TaxScouts Check out our Bookshop.org store to get your copy of Otegha's book. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Does thinking about your finances make you anxious? International speaking star, Nick Elston, is known for giving practical tips and techniques for managing anxiety that you can start using today. Nick has forged his lived experience of mental illness into a inspiring career helping others to engage with the topic of mental health. He is a big man with a big heart who shares his story with brutal honesty and gives some great advice.Support the show with a donation or affiliate purchase Buy us a coffeeIn the UK or Spain and need to complete a tax return? Get 10% off at TaxScouts Check out our Bookshop.org store Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do you love your work? What do you want to do long term? How can you build a future career you will not only succeed in, but also enjoy? Dr Grace Lordan, Associate Professor of Behavioural Science from London School of Economics tells us how to use our innate psychology to make wise choices in the workplace and find jobs that are rewarding and fit our skills and personalities.Support the show with a donation or affiliate purchase Buy us a coffeeIn the UK or Spain and need to complete a tax return? Get 10% off at TaxScouts Check out our Bookshop.org store for your copy of Grace's book, "Think Big" Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Does it matter if you don't tell your partner everything about your finances? What about actively keeping secrets about your spending, saving, debts and more? How will they react if they find out? How would you feel if your spouse was keeping money secrets from you? Clinical psychologist and relationship therapist, Dr Jane Major, unpacks the tricky topic of keeping secrets about money in our most intimate relationships.Support the show with a donation or affiliate purchase Buy us a coffeeIn the UK or Spain and need to complete a tax return? Get 10% off at TaxScouts Check out our Bookshop.org store Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.