Foreign.
Speaker BAnd welcome to the PAT Accounting Podcast with me, your host, Vicki Clark.
Speaker BI'm going to help you get to grips with your finances, save you lots of money and take the stress out of doing your tax return.
Speaker BSo let's get going.
Speaker AWelcome everyone to the first podcast of 2026.
Speaker AI hope you all had a very good new year and are refreshed for what 2026 is going to bring.
Speaker ARather than talking about boring finance today in a sense of tax, I thought I'd bring the lovely woman on again.
Speaker ASo you guys are not for us.
Speaker ASo you guys know who she is?
Speaker AI've just told her off for not posting the group enough.
Speaker ASo that's her goal for 2026.
Speaker AYeah, because you guys need help as far as like the other side of the finance bit goes.
Speaker ASo welcome Romy back to this lovely podcast.
Speaker AHow are you?
Speaker CGood, yeah, I'm ready to get going to 2026 now.
Speaker CWe were just saying before that everything's just go straight away, isn't it?
Speaker CI feel like there's no rest for the wicked.
Speaker ABut yeah, but tell us you got up to last year because you are very, very busy bee and if people don't know you go and check her out on Instagram, he finance woman.
Speaker AMake sure you give her a follow because Romy's always at award shows and I would like to know like how the hell I've never known someone go to so many award shows.
Speaker CWell, last year was just an absolutely mind blowing year.
Speaker CI wouldn't say it was a normal year for us to be honest.
Speaker CIt was just crazy.
Speaker CObviously we spoke at the pet expo which was definitely up there for us.
Speaker CI've never spoken in front of that many people before, so that was a learning curve for sure.
Speaker CLiterally it was, it was a lot.
Speaker CBut you know what, it wasn't as bad as I expected.
Speaker CAnd the feedback was good as well.
Speaker AYou didn't get a sick negative feedback.
Speaker ASo we're all good.
Speaker COkay, that's good.
Speaker CBut yeah, in terms of last year, I think we stood out a lot like in our industry in general because you know, most financial advisors, the fifth in the 50s, they're meant a lot of the time they're in corporate suits and all of that kind of stuff.
Speaker CAnd obviously I'm opposite to all of that.
Speaker CI've got a pink office, got my awards behind me but.
Speaker CBut you know, I don't look like what you'd expect a financial advisor to look like.
Speaker CAnd I think that's just why things blew up for us last year.
Speaker CTo be honest, you know, we work with over 50 accountants, including yourself as well, all over the UK now, which is just mind blowing to us.
Speaker CBut yeah, quite a few awards won, speaking on stages and all this crazy stuff that I would never even even imagine probably this time last year and.
Speaker AWeren'T you in Financial Times?
Speaker COh, yeah, that as well.
Speaker CI've been in quite a few articles and things, just talking about like, obviously the gap of women in the industry, but also the lack of women getting financial advice as well.
Speaker CIt was actually this time last year that I went to a women in business event and everybody around the table said to me I wouldn't go and get financial advice.
Speaker CI don't feel like it's.
Speaker CFor me, I wouldn't feel confident enough to do it.
Speaker CI've never actually seen a woman financial advisor doing it, so I just wouldn't.
Speaker CAnd that was the turning point, I'd say that was when I was just on my mission and it was all up from there.
Speaker AIt's true, though, because I think even I didn't look at it until six years ago, but I didn't start my pension until like when I started this and I. I didn't have a clue A, what the hell I was doing, B, who to go to.
Speaker AAnd you're right, there's a stigma between.
Speaker AI haven't some like, old block, tell you what you need to do and feel like, like awkward.
Speaker AWhereas you break stereotype.
Speaker AThe same with us and accountants.
Speaker APeople think accountants are just two old blokes sat in a suit with like crumbs all over them later.
Speaker AAnd.
Speaker ABut they do, though, and that's why it works, because we break that mold of actually, do you know what, I can talk to this person and ask them what they would deem as a silly question, even though it's not.
Speaker AIt's having that space where they can feel comfortable to do it.
Speaker AWhich is why I think a lot of the pet businesses resonated with you at the Expo, because they.
Speaker AYou did it in a easy way to digest and didn't have that, I think that barrier of like, this person.
Speaker CYeah, yeah, definitely.
Speaker CIt was, it was hard to find the balance, obviously, at the Pet Expo, but I think I'm.
Speaker CI'm quite good at it now, I think, because I know that people don't understand pensions and they can be quite overwhelming as well.
Speaker CThere's so many options in there, just.
Speaker ASo too complicated or something that they can't fix.
Speaker AYeah, and I think that's the issue as well.
Speaker ALike, we see people in the group go, oh, well, I've got like five different pensions with five different companies.
Speaker AThat's going to be too hard and too expensive to sort or it feels like a mammoth task where it always just goes to the bottom of the list.
Speaker COf course it does.
Speaker CYeah.
Speaker CAnd it's also the most boring as well.
Speaker CLet's be real.
Speaker CIt's not to me, obviously, it's my favorite thing in the world, but to anyone else and when you're running a business as well, you know, it's the last thing you want to be thinking about, isn't it?
Speaker CBut just to touch on that, obviously with pension consolidation and putting them all into one pot and things, it is quite complex when you do it yourself.
Speaker CObviously a lot of people see pension B, you know, it's.
Speaker CIt seems like it's the easy.
Speaker CYeah, that's it.
Speaker CIt seems like it's the easier option, but a lot of the time you're actually missing out on features and things like that because it's not advice.
Speaker CYou just say, do this, put it into one pot.
Speaker CNo one's actually looking at the pensions and making sure that you're not going to miss out on anything valuable or make sure you've actually got the best option.
Speaker CSo I've seen.
Speaker CI've seen a few difficult cases with that one where they've actually moved it and now they're missing out on so many benefits that they could have had.
Speaker ATo get me to move mine, the pension B.
Speaker AAnd again, I probably the reason why I didn't is A, I don't understand it enough to transfer and be.
Speaker AI'm like, well, I wouldn't know how to do that.
Speaker AAnd it sounds like a bit of a big task that I don't really want.
Speaker AI can't be asked.
Speaker AYeah, people just don't do it.
Speaker AIt's one of.
Speaker AIt's like the taxes can't be asked.
Speaker ALeave it till January.
Speaker CYeah, well, that's why all of our clients come to us and same with you, you know, to come to us to take it off their plate so that they have.
Speaker CDon't have to do it and they know that it's actually going to be done right as well.
Speaker AYeah.
Speaker ASo what would you say then, for 2026, as a small business owner, they should be doing or should be getting sorted in 2026 that make it their, you know, number one priority?
Speaker CYeah.
Speaker CSo there's a few things, obviously, but I think the one thing people forget about is protecting your income.
Speaker CAnd I'm not even just talking about Income protection.
Speaker CNow I'm talking about like first of all, make sure you've got an emergency fund.
Speaker CI know it's one of them things that's quite difficult to build up, especially when you've got a lot of outgoings and maybe your business isn't growing as fast as you expected or maybe you've got a new business as well.
Speaker CBut I think the emergency fund is just massive.
Speaker CSo that's just basically a pot where it's accessible, it's not invested or anything like that.
Speaker CBut you know, it's there that if you needed it, you've got options, you've got more freedom, you don't have to stay stuck in a situation that you don't want to be in.
Speaker CI'd say that's my number one tip.
Speaker CBut on top of that, even if you do have an emergency fund, if you lose your income as a self employed person, let's say that you can't work because you've got backache or you're struggling with a mental illness, that's your income stopped.
Speaker CSo it doesn't matter whether you've got an emergency fund really if you're off for two years.
Speaker CAfter a conversation with somebody the other day who she's been off.
Speaker CWell, she came to me, I was reviewing her protection policies and she already had income protection in place and she was actually claiming on it at the moment.
Speaker CShe'd been claiming on it for four years for mental illness.
Speaker CYeah.
Speaker CSo that was, that was quite, quite a big one for me because it just showed it in practice and obviously I've got a few clients as well who.
Speaker CIt's just completely saved their life.
Speaker CIt's not, it sounds dramatic but it has.
Speaker AHow are you gonna pay for your bills?
Speaker AYeah, I might for some reason I, and to be fair, I didn't even think of that when I started the Pet Accountant.
Speaker AI didn't think, well a, I didn't know it existed.
Speaker AMaybe, maybe that's an issue is that people don't know income protection exists or they think it's really mega expensive or maybe they've got a few health issues that they think, well, I'm not going to get it.
Speaker CYeah.
Speaker AAnd again it's just having that awareness.
Speaker AYeah.
Speaker AYou can have it.
Speaker AAnd what do you do if you can't work?
Speaker ALike if you're a groom and you fall and break your leg, you're not going to be able to groom for how long?
Speaker AMonths on end.
Speaker AExactly.
Speaker AYou have that pot, it's only going to last so long.
Speaker AYeah.
Speaker CBut also why should you have to use it like the funds that you've built up?
Speaker CLet's say it's for a holiday or something.
Speaker CYou shouldn't have to use that to live off.
Speaker ANo, you should be able to keep.
Speaker CThat to your side and use it for what it was intended for.
Speaker CIt was on the house.
Speaker AWell, exactly.
Speaker ASo what does income protection do then?
Speaker AIn sort of layman's terms?
Speaker CYeah.
Speaker CSo what it does is obviously with business owners, we don't have sick pay, do it.
Speaker CSo if any minor illnesses happen to us, then our income stops immediately.
Speaker CSo what it would do is it would kick in if you can't work for a certain amount of time and it would pay you a fixed income.
Speaker CIf you're a sole trader, then it's tax free and if you're a limited company it's not, but it's a business expense, the premium.
Speaker CDoes that make sense?
Speaker CYeah, yeah.
Speaker CSo that's, that's the simple terms.
Speaker CAnd obviously you mentioned whether you've got like illnesses and things already, they will be taken into account but it doesn't mean that you're not able to get it.
Speaker CIn most cases it might be higher.
Speaker AIf you've got like pre existing issues.
Speaker CIt depends.
Speaker CSo it depends on everything.
Speaker CIt depends on your health as a whole.
Speaker CObviously it depends, depends on like you wear and things like that as well.
Speaker CBut a lot of the time it might just be excluded, but everything else is included in that, really declared.
Speaker CIf you've got one condition, a lot of the time it can lead onto other conditions as well.
Speaker CSo you want to make sure that you're covered even in the future for other stuff.
Speaker AYeah.
Speaker ASo does it cover you forever then or is there like a time limit?
Speaker CYeah, so it.
Speaker CWell what we normally do is set it up till age 67 because that's when most people obviously get the state pension.
Speaker CSo if you want to claim in that time period at any point and for any time length, so the average claim period of income protection something like six years and I think it's, it's six months.
Speaker CSo that's the average time that people claim for, which is mind blowing to me.
Speaker CSo let's say you claim for six years.
Speaker CAfter that, the policy doesn't just end.
Speaker CSo if you go back to work and you can work and everything, it doesn't end, it just goes back into place and the premium stays exactly the same.
Speaker CSo this is a big misconception.
Speaker CA lot of people say, well if, what if I do claim and then they're going to hike the premium up and I can't get cover ever again.
Speaker CSo basically the sooner you get it, the healthier you are, the better because it's going to stay exactly the same for the until you're 67.
Speaker AAlso the monthly amount you pay doesn't go up.
Speaker CNo.
Speaker AWhat, never?
Speaker CNever?
Speaker CNo, not with the way that we set it up.
Speaker CIt's completely level.
Speaker CAnd that's why we say the sooner you can get it the better because each one year makes a difference.
Speaker AWhat happens if you develop a health condition within the policy?
Speaker AWould they not then put it up after that?
Speaker CNo, no, they won't put it up.
Speaker CAnd if you're off work because of that condition, then you're covered for it.
Speaker AYeah.
Speaker AAnd you get a set amount in your bank every month and I'm assuming that change either you just get that amount.
Speaker CYeah, set amount literally until you can get back to work or if you can never get back to work until you retire.
Speaker C67.
Speaker AYeah.
Speaker ASo then really it's a no brainer.
Speaker AEveryone should have it and that really, really.
Speaker AWhen I did it, what, five years ago, I don't do it now obviously because I've got Lee.
Speaker ASo it's not so much of an issue that we have each other, that if one of us needs to go off sick, the work doesn't stop because the other person still length, we're in a good position where we don't need it.
Speaker ABut when I did have it, I'm sure it was only like 26 quid a month or something.
Speaker AAnd I got like at the time, obviously I hadn't built the PET account at that point but it was about, I don't know, 1800 quid maybe.
Speaker AIsh.
Speaker AYeah, yeah.
Speaker ASo it's 30 quid for 1800 quid if you can't work for me is literally a no brainer.
Speaker ABut then why doesn't everyone do it then?
Speaker AIs it just a lack of knowledge or exactly that?
Speaker CYeah, I would say it's a lack of knowledge.
Speaker CAnd also people sometimes think it's a little bit too good to be true.
Speaker CYeah, it's almost, it's one of them.
Speaker CBut obviously it's easy for me to kind of go on about it, but I see the impact in my clients and in, in real life situations and I can, I've got it myself and I, I vouch for it, if that makes sense.
Speaker CBut the problems I see personally from being completely honest here is I see a lot of people setting it up themselves and using like an online one, you know, where you're kind of just searching for the cheapest product and maybe they're not matching it to their income correctly or maybe not.
Speaker CThey're not disclosing everything that they've got.
Speaker CAnd then when they do come to claim, they can't.
Speaker CThey can't claim.
Speaker CAnd I think it gives income protection a bad name, really.
Speaker CWhereas when it's set up.
Speaker AClaire.
Speaker CYeah, but I don't expect, you know, people who aren't a financial advisor to be able to set them up perfectly because you don't do that for a living.
Speaker CThat's what we do.
Speaker CYeah.
Speaker CSo that.
Speaker CI think that sometimes gives it a little bit of a bad name, but it's just because they're not set up correctly.
Speaker CFor example, I had a client come from the pet expo and we looked at her income protection policy and we realized that she was actually paying for, like, too much cover.
Speaker CAnd even if she wanted to, like, claim on her income protection, it wouldn't pay the full amount because.
Speaker CBecause she wasn't earning that much.
Speaker CSo she was actually over.
Speaker CSo what we did is we reduced the COVID which reduced the premium for.
Speaker CAnd her existing one was increasing the premium as well.
Speaker CSo we just kept that level forever.
Speaker CSo we made sure that actually she's paying for the COVID that she can get and it's never going to change as well if her health changes or if she gets older and everything.
Speaker CSo, yeah, they're the main things that I see with income protection out there.
Speaker AYeah.
Speaker AWell, then, if anyone's listening to this, then please let Romy know that you want to get income protection because it seems like an openly brainer, like, for the sake of, like, if you think 30 quid maybe might go up to 50 quid, I don't know.
Speaker ABut even if it was £80amonth, that's like the dogs are kicking on.
Speaker AThat's an equivalent of like having like a couple of takeaways a month.
Speaker AI just think if that's the case where don't go up, obviously if you've got health issues and stuff, it might be a bit more tricky.
Speaker ABut if you're starting a business in like your mid-20s and you're healthy, then, and you know that that premium is not going to go up, then why not do it?
Speaker AI don't flabbergasted that people don't do it.
Speaker ALike, please, one thing takes get some income protection.
Speaker ABecause, you know, I see groomers, especially in walkers, where.
Speaker AWell, actually, our mate Alicia, I swear, she couldn't.
Speaker ANo, it wasn't Alicia, it was someone Else her friend who's a dog walker broke a foot and dog walk so she had to outsource her dog walks to the other local dog walkers.
Speaker AAnd obviously I don't know if she has her income protection but if she didn't then she'd be screwed, wouldn't she?
Speaker AShe wouldn't get nice.
Speaker CThat's it.
Speaker AAnd then she's getting money in her bank while she sat with her foot in a cast.
Speaker AYeah.
Speaker CActually being able to recover and peace of mind as well.
Speaker AJust stress that your mortgage isn't paid for.
Speaker CThat's it.
Speaker CThe band doesn't care, does it, whether you realign what's your foot.
Speaker CYeah.
Speaker AOr you know, broke your arm stumbling out of a pub.
Speaker CYeah.
Speaker CWell it's like dog rumors as well.
Speaker CEverything is so physical, isn't it?
Speaker CWith everything's your hands.
Speaker CSo if you can't use your hands you are actually screwed.
Speaker AAnd a lot of them get like carpal tunnel syndrome and, and arthritis and stuff like that.
Speaker ASo all of these, oh, I need to claim for me massage because I've got a bad back or I need to claim for me chiropractor.
Speaker AYou know what, just get income protection and then if you can't work, use it.
Speaker CYeah, that's it.
Speaker CThat's exactly what it's there for.
Speaker CAnd another thing that people say to me is like, well you know, I could just put that 30 quid aside and have an emergency fund.
Speaker AThis one is not good.
Speaker CThat ain't even going to cover one month.
Speaker ANo.
Speaker AAnd realistically like you said about the pot, I think that's such a good idea that people need a pot and they always say like if you, if you research it or you need like three months salary or six months salary in your reserve front, which realistically is hard to put away of life.
Speaker AAnd then you see, well, just by myself or I'll just go on holiday.
Speaker ASo again, I just think if anyone is listening to this, please, please, please just go and get some income protection.
Speaker ADon't do it your bloody self.
Speaker ABecause we like client A who's paying way more than she needed to and it wasn't even the right one in the first place.
Speaker ASo please, please, please contact Romany.
Speaker AShe will put her contact deals in the group.
Speaker AI will, I promise.
Speaker AThere you go.
Speaker AI still can't see them.
Speaker AI still can't see them.
Speaker AAnd then I bet you people listen to this, they're going to see that.
Speaker AAnd I bet you get an influx of phone calls like you did with the expo.
Speaker AShocked at the expo how many people?
Speaker CI think there were about 30 people that made an appointment.
Speaker ABecause again, I think it helps that you are very approachable and you explain it properly without people feeling thick, like.
Speaker AAnd I, I think that maybe some people in the industry are condescending.
Speaker ASame with accountants.
Speaker AWe get all the time when people have wound up their local accountant and they've gone, oh, what do you do?
Speaker AAnd go, I'm a dog walker.
Speaker AAnd they go, they don't know what to do with that, do they?
Speaker AYeah, it's like, oh, right, okay.
Speaker AAnd then it's just automatic nut.
Speaker ASo I do think that helps.
Speaker ASo tip number one, have a savings pot.
Speaker AEven if you just put in 20 quid in a month, at least you've got something.
Speaker AAnd please, please, please get income protection because it just makes sense.
Speaker ALike, I don't understand why I wouldn't after that.
Speaker ASo do that and then tag Romany in the group and say, I've got it.
Speaker ATiger in the gu.
Speaker AOr you better go through Romany and get it because at least you know, it was set up properly.
Speaker AAnd then I want people to start tagging the group that they've done it and it'll inspire everyone else to do it as well.
Speaker CDefinitely, yeah.
Speaker AAn income protection month.
Speaker AMaybe we should do.
Speaker CYeah, we should.
Speaker AIncome protection month, where everyone just does it goes, right, this month we're going to do it.
Speaker AThis is the one.
Speaker AWe're doing it.
Speaker AYeah, we'll figure it out afterwards.
Speaker AWe'll do like an income protection month.
Speaker AWe've touched on pensions, which I think is again, another important thing that people don't get until it's too late.
Speaker AAny tips on that on the pension front?
Speaker CI'm just going off, like, obviously the clients that I've got from the pet expo, really, I'm hoping that'll be quite relatable to people.
Speaker CBut they tend to be like two different situations and they're quite different.
Speaker CSo the first situation is that, you know, you, maybe you're quite new to pet grooming or dog walking or whatever, then maybe you've got some old pensions and things like that.
Speaker CAnd like you said, they just sat there, maybe they've got five or maybe if they've just got one, but they don't actually feel confident that it's doing enough for them.
Speaker CLike it's not making the money in the background, which again, that does sound a little bit too good to be true.
Speaker CBut the, like, the pensions that we have for our clients, they are just making money in the background without them even having to do anything, which is what you want.
Speaker APoint.
Speaker CYeah, exactly.
Speaker CAnd what I always say to people is that you can't save your way to retirement.
Speaker CSo I have a lot of conversations with people and they say, well, I don't really feel comfortable investing.
Speaker CI don't really understand it.
Speaker CI'd rather just save.
Speaker CAnd realistically, you're not going to have enough money at retirement if you just stick in a savings account.
Speaker AIf it didn't work, one would do it, would they?
Speaker CExactly.
Speaker CBut it, the concept of it, like we said, it's kind of like a lack of knowledge, I'd say.
Speaker AAnd.
Speaker CAnd people think stocks are, you know, really scary markets and they're going to crash and things like that.
Speaker CAnd that just isn't the reality of the investments that we do.
Speaker CWe're all diversified and they aim to grow in the long term.
Speaker CNice and steady.
Speaker CNot an extreme.
Speaker ABut yeah.
Speaker CFirst thing, say that again.
Speaker AYou don't need to look at them.
Speaker AI don't ever look, think, what's the point?
Speaker AI can't access it till I'm like 60 or however old it is now.
Speaker A60, by the time we reach time age, we're currently 75.
Speaker ASo, like, what's the point of, like, worrying about, oh, it might have dipped a little bit, but, like, in 10 years, time might have gone back up again.
Speaker ASo just let it do its thing in the background.
Speaker CDefinite level.
Speaker CThere's two size guys in there.
Speaker AThere's.
Speaker CIf you know that it's in the best place, you've had somebody look at it, they're all in one pot, then leave it, you know, I mean.
Speaker CBut if it's in five different pots, it's in a workplace pension, you've got no idea what it's doing.
Speaker CDefinitely look at it.
Speaker AYeah.
Speaker CYou know what I mean?
Speaker CBecause realistically, you don't.
Speaker AYeah.
Speaker CAnd.
Speaker CAnd what, what upsets me sometimes I get passionate is the fact that, for example, I see a pension that's been left there for like 10 years and it's been going down in value or it hasn't been growing and I'm like, oh, my gosh, like, we've missed out on this much growth.
Speaker CBut it was double and it.
Speaker CAll you needed to do was just have a quick look at it.
Speaker CBut again, it's one of the things that it's hard.
Speaker CIt's hard to get around to that, isn't it?
Speaker AYeah.
Speaker AI think again, it's just educating people on, like, the fact that it's not difficult and they have people that they can go and speak to now like you.
Speaker ASo fabulous.
Speaker AAnything else?
Speaker AWhat?
Speaker AHave you got a third tip for 2026?
Speaker CI would say.
Speaker CLet me have a think because to be honest with you, I'm excited for the next Pet expo because I've got so much up my sleeve to talk about.
Speaker COh, God.
Speaker CHave you not announced that yet?
Speaker ANo, you have.
Speaker AIt's fine.
Speaker AI'm not gonna say I just ruined it.
Speaker ANo, no.
Speaker ARomy is coming back from popular demand in the Expo in October and she's gonna be talking about how things can help you make more money.
Speaker AJust make use of things instead of putting your head in the sand.
Speaker ASo that's gonna be good.
Speaker AI'm looking for.
Speaker AForward to that.
Speaker AI will be there.
Speaker AMy notebook.
Speaker CI think.
Speaker CNo, for that.
Speaker CAnd.
Speaker CAnd obviously today as well, I want to talk a little bit about like isis.
Speaker CI get a common question, actually.
Speaker CIt's something that I want to make some content and things about because I find it really interesting.
Speaker CBut a lot of people say to me, like, what is the point in putting into a pension?
Speaker ALike you are.
Speaker AI see.
Speaker AThat's.
Speaker AYeah.
Speaker AOkay.
Speaker CSo a lot of people ask me that and they say, well, you know, it's tied in until age 57 at the moment.
Speaker CThat could keep just going up.
Speaker CWhat is the point?
Speaker CShould I just put it into an isa?
Speaker CSo, and what anomaly say to that is an ISA and a pension have got two different uses.
Speaker CSo with the pension stuff, whether you're a sole trade or a limited company, it's the tax benefits that you're going to really benefit.
Speaker CThere's nothing more tax efficient than a pension core in life.
Speaker CAnd then you've got ISAs.
Speaker CAnd I would say that's more for flexibility.
Speaker CSo if you did want to retire before age 57, obviously that's the goal.
Speaker CBut if you did want to, at least you've.
Speaker CYou've got that flexibility as well.
Speaker CAnd it's all tax free with an ISO.
Speaker CSo I'd say for the third tip, I'd say making money work harder rather than it just sitting there.
Speaker AYeah.
Speaker CSo I see a lot of people with like money just sat in the business and things like that.
Speaker CObviously it needs to be there for tax reasons and also like buffer for paying staff and things like that, obviously.
Speaker CBut if it is actually just sat there doing nothing or you get like an inheritance or anything, I just then look at ISAs.
Speaker CThere's different types of ISAs and things like that.
Speaker CAgain, I'm going to cover that.
Speaker AI see.
Speaker AWhat a limit though.
Speaker CYeah.
Speaker CSo with an ISA, it's 20,000 currently.
Speaker CSo it's a decent amount to be able to put in every year.
Speaker CAnd you can.
Speaker CIt has.
Speaker CYou don't have like a backlog or anything like that.
Speaker CIt's just 20,000 each year.
Speaker CSo I'd recommend that people make the most of it before April definitely, if possible.
Speaker CI think we're going to be quite busy, obviously up until April as well, making sure that everybody's topping them up.
Speaker CSo.
Speaker CYeah.
Speaker CAnd also like, for example, with the money in your business, is it in a high interest savings account or is it just sat in a rubbish savings account where, again, you're not on the app a lot?
Speaker AI need crappy savings accounts without earning absolutely nothing and it just sits there and then it's like you could be doing.
Speaker AI mean, I don't believe.
Speaker AAnd I'm going to be probably quite controversial.
Speaker AYou're probably going to hate me.
Speaker ABut I'm the person that thinks savings accounts are pointless because they don't give you.
Speaker AI do in some ways.
Speaker AI'm 50, 50 pension.
Speaker APart of me is like, well, it's worth it because it.
Speaker AWhat it does in the background and obviously it gives the money when you retire.
Speaker AAt the same time, the sort of person said, well, I'd rather have that money now whilst I'm able to and spend it because in 30 years time I might be pretty crippled or can't.
Speaker ASo I think what's, what's the point?
Speaker AI'll just keep the money now and spend it.
Speaker ASo I'm, I'm, I'm a bit on the fence with that.
Speaker AThis just.
Speaker AIf anyone's listening, this is just my personal feelings, please don't follow what I'm saying and doing.
Speaker ABut.
Speaker AAnd then, you know, I, I put money in and the premium bonds and I know there's A, they're safe, B, you can get them out.
Speaker AYes, it is completely potluck whether you get money in that.
Speaker ABut then I was chatting to Lee the other day, he's put his money, his tax money in an ISA and what probably earned a couple hundred quid.
Speaker CMaybe that's a cash ISA probably, isn't it?
Speaker ANo idea.
Speaker ALet's just say he's earned a few hundred quid and then I put the same money in their premium bond and then the last two months I've won 1600 quid.
Speaker ANot gonna get under quids offer Isa, unless you put a fair chunk of money in.
Speaker ASo I'm like, just.
Speaker CNo, no, it's fair enough.
Speaker CAnd also like what I normally say to people is.
Speaker AI'll just say I told someone about Premium Bonds on another Live yet, like last year, the year before, and she did it and she won a lot of money.
Speaker AShe put a very small amount of money in.
Speaker AAnd the lucky woman.
Speaker AAnd I'm talking like there was a lot of zeros on her winnings.
Speaker AAnd I was like, you jammy.
Speaker AAnd it's like, I know.
Speaker AAs if she was like, thank you so much it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have done it.
Speaker AI wouldn't have won money.
Speaker AAnd I was like, Well, I want 10%, but it is completely potluck.
Speaker AAnd I had months where I didn't get anything, but then it's.
Speaker AI find it fun just doing the app every month to see if I won something.
Speaker AYeah.
Speaker ASo.
Speaker CWell, that's what I say to clients quite a lot about Premium Bonds.
Speaker CI say it's.
Speaker CI'd say it's more your emergency fund.
Speaker CIt's doing something with your emergency fund rather than that just being sat there.
Speaker AYeah.
Speaker AI just think, take it out your bloody savings pot market in the Premium Bonds.
Speaker AYeah.
Speaker AAnyone wins, though, I want 10.
Speaker CYeah, me too.
Speaker AYou can throw it with me, Roman, if you win.
Speaker ABut it's just less risky, isn't it?
Speaker ABecause it's safe.
Speaker ASo if you're, if you're.
Speaker AIf you're not a risk taker with money, and I do find that, that, that stops people.
Speaker AIs it the fear behind putting all that money in something that could go up and down, which is probably why many people deal in stocks and investing and all that stuff, because it's so like that.
Speaker AWhereas a premium bond saves chips.
Speaker AYeah.
Speaker AAnd then.
Speaker CAnd I think was that they.
Speaker ASo Tegan did in January and I was like, come on.
Speaker ABecause she put a bit of money in there.
Speaker AI was like, let's see what you've won.
Speaker AAnd it went, sorry, no luck this time.
Speaker ATake the gun.
Speaker AShe had it in, like over yen.
Speaker AWhen Absolutely nothing.
Speaker AAnd yes.
Speaker AAnd I said, go on.
Speaker AI mean, she had 100 pound in it.
Speaker ASo, I mean, it's not.
Speaker AYou put in the more likely you are to win.
Speaker AAnd she put like a few grand in there.
Speaker AAnd I thought, look, did it in December.
Speaker AI was like, you'll win something in January, it'll be fine because you've put money in.
Speaker AAnd like, we got so excited looking at the app and it's like, sorry, no, look, this time she's like, right, give up.
Speaker AMine seems to be lucky at the minute, but yeah, it's one of them.
Speaker CIsn'T It, I think if as long as you're not kind of, it's not for your retirement or anything like that, if it's literally just your emergency funds that they just kind of sat there, then absolutely, I think it's a good idea.
Speaker ADo it and let us know if you win.
Speaker ASo income protection, let's not forget it.
Speaker ATag Romney in the group so it makes up or something.
Speaker ACheck out your pensions and make your money money work better for you because it's going to help you in the long run.
Speaker AAnd if you're unsure, please, please, please follow Romania on Instagram and she is part of our trusted partner program as well.
Speaker ASo you will find that details on our website.
Speaker AAnd she should be posting a lot in the group, which I know is our 2026 goal that we've just made for her to be more visible in, in this group and on the page so that you guys can message her and get sorted out.
Speaker ABut we'll, we'll have to come up with some like income protection challenge or something or do something, I'll think something.
Speaker CYeah.
Speaker CAnd if anyone's got any feedback of what they want to see in the group and stuff like that, just let me know, tag me and I'll make some content around that as well.
Speaker APerfect.
Speaker AAnd if you want to see Romney in real life, then come to the expo on the 3rd of October because she will be there, one of our seven fabulous guests.
Speaker AAnd if you like to go clubbing, she might go clubbing with you afterwards as she did with a few people on the last one.
Speaker AAnd then where did you end up?
Speaker CI don't know, it was just like this club and it was just full of 16 year olds so hopefully I won't be taking you there next time.
Speaker ASo yes, there was a simple element to the Expo as well where a lot of people, including Emily, our lovely Emily got slightly intoxicated and was up with clients until 3 o' clock in the morning and then felt slightly iffy on the way home.
Speaker ASo all fun and games but I let's shoot.
Speaker AAnd I know you were very busy as well but I hope everyone found that really useful.
Speaker ALike I say, we will be trying to get Roni Group.
Speaker AI've let her into it now and now it's live so she has to happening.
Speaker AYeah but please, if you do anything for 2026, get yourself some income protection just in case to give you that peace of mind.
Speaker AIt's a no brainer and then we'll catch up with Romany again in a few months and then obviously at the Expo and we'll see what everyone's done between now and then.
Speaker ABut thank you so much for your time.
Speaker AI know you're very busy.
Speaker AAward Winning Cursing Magazines.
Speaker AGoes wild.
Speaker ABut yes, no, thank you everyone.
Speaker AI hope you have a brilliant month.
Speaker AWe will be back next week with another fun topic and we'll catch you all then.
Speaker AAnd of course dates as well.
Speaker ABut brilliant.
Speaker AThank you everyone.
Speaker ATake care.
Speaker BThanks for listening.
Speaker BIf you've enjoyed my podcast, don't forget to subscribe for me.
Speaker BAnd if you want to speak to me, please visit my website@www.petaccountant.co.uk.
Speaker Band if you'd like to join my Facebook group, which is full of like minded pet professionals, then search Accounting for Pet Professionals in Facebook and I will see you there.
Speaker ASa.