Skint

What if the way you think about money is the thing holding you back? This week Mik takes a step back from the numbers and paints a bigger picture. He walks us through the psychology behind how most of us think about earning, spending, status and investing, and why those instincts don't always work in our favour. He breaks down how thinking about risk earlier, understanding probability and spre...

Renters... you just got more rights! Mik breaks down every right renters have gained under the new Renters Rights Act 2026. How it's now easier to hold landlords accountable, and a whole lot harder for them to infringe on your rights as a tenant. Connie reflects on her own experiences as a renter... and let's just say it's a story worth hearing. There's a lot to unpack in this one, but don't worry...

I have to say, the chemistry is off the charts... This week we've got a very special guest. Brenda, who some of you might know as Mik's partner, joins the pod to share her money story from the very beginning. She opens up about growing up when money was tight, the habits that came from that, and why saving became non-negotiable for her. She also breaks down her personal money rules, including the...

What do the world's most successful investors actually know that we don't? Mik walks us through some of the most famous quotes in investing, and goes deep on what each one really means, why it matters and how it actually applies to you! Together they get into the good and the bad. Where following this advice could genuinely pay off, and where it could all go horribly wrong. And yes, Connie...

Hmm... I wonder if Connie is absolutely loving every single second of this challenge. Mik kicks things off by breaking down exactly how Cash Bootcamp works and the thinking behind it. The rules, the reason, and what it actually takes to survive a skint challenge. Connie gets checked in on... is she sticking to the budget or quietly bending the rules? And more importantly, how much did she spend on...

Checked your student loan balance recently ? ... Mik opens with the recent campaigns pushing for change, and breaks down what’s actually going on with Plan 2 specifically -the headlines, the noise, and what it could mean if you’re one of the millions still chipping away at yours. Connie takes a trip down memory lane to her own student loan days, and asks the question everyone’s secretly wondering…...

As of the 6th of April, how we report tax has changed 🥲 Mik outlines what’s actually changing and why this could affect a lot of you. The way we report tax is moving online, more regularly, and with less room for “I’ll sort it later”. Connie asks the practical questions. How do people actually do this, who does it affect, and what it means day to day if you are self-employed or earning outside a...

Cash just hits different. Mik outlines the idea behind the initiative and it turns out when people have tried this before, they often end up spending less without even trying. They also touch on why cash still matters more than people think. Like the Milan blackout, where digital payments suddenly stopped working and cash became essential again. If you have ever checked your bank account and wonde...

Cash just hits different. Mik outlines the idea behind Cash Bootcamp and how people have tried this before, they often end up spending less without even trying! Connie is, understandably, a bit reluctant. But that is kind of the point. Physically handing over cash forces you to think twice, whereas contactless makes it dangerously easy to spend without noticing. They also talk about why cash still...

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...

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...

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 cri...

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...

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...

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 t...

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...

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 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 i...

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....

Cash. The stuff we barely think about until we really need it. From power cuts and dead phones to being stranded with no way to pay, Connie shares why she now keeps emergency cash at home. Mik breaks down the two big questions everyone avoids. Why cash still matters in day-to-day life, and how much of it you should actually be holding as part of your savings or investments. They cover rainy day mo...

This week, Connie and Mik break down how spreading your investments can help protect you from bad luck, bad timing and bad decisions. In other words, diversification. They discuss how much cash to keep, why putting all your eggs in one basket is risky, and how normal people can build a 'diversified portfolio' without needing lots of money or a finance degree. If you have savings, a pension...

Want to know what happens after you decide to invest? Where does the money go, how do you buy shares, and what are all these platforms people keep talking about? This week, Mik explains how investment platforms work, from opening an account and moving your money in, to buying funds, shares, ISAs and pensions. They look at fees, how to choose a platform, and why some are better for small pots while...

If you've ever heard the term “bond” and thought it was related to spy movies, this episode is for you. This week, Connie and Mik explain how large companies borrow money, what corporate bonds are, and how you (yes, YOU) can get paid for lending to them. They cover why some companies pay more interest than others, what makes a bond safer or riskier, and how this kind of investing can fit into...

Connie and Mik explain what gilts are and why they have nothing to do with feeling bad about something you did or said. Mik breaks down how lending money to the government works, how you get paid interest, and how you get your money back at the end. They cover what “coupon” and “maturity” mean, how they're are priced, and why some can be an efficient (and legal) way to pay less tax. If you hav...

Connie has crypto FOMO. Her friends are all seemingly making small fortunes trading digital currencies and wants to know if she has missed the chance. Mik explains what crypto and blockchain really are, why people trade them, and why it's more of a gamble than a real investment. They also look at tax on crypto profits, how HMRC tracks trades, and what happens if you make money. It is a clear,...