logo
episode-header-image
May 2021
26m 33s

Could I borrow to invest?

Financial Times
About this episode

Accountant Peter knows that to grow a business, you have to take on debt. But can he apply that same logic to his personal finances? He tells Claer how he is tempted to take out a bigger mortgage against his London flat and invest that money in a buy-to-let property - or even in the stock market. Has he come up with a brilliant shortcut to making some extra money, or is his plan to leverage up a recipe for disaster? Personal finance expert and FT columnist Jason Butler stresses that debt is no shortcut to wealth, while the FT’s European economics commentator Martin Sandbu looks at recent consumer debt trends.

If you are a regular Money Clinic listener and want to be in with a chance of winning £250, then let us know what you think of the show at www.ft.com/moneyclinicsurvey 

If you would like to be a guest on Money Clinic and chat to Claer about a money issue that’s bugging you, get in touch — our email is money@ft.com

Claer and Jason will be doing an Instagram Live on Tuesday 18th May at 7.30pm UK time discussing the issues raised on this episode. If you would like to take part and ask questions, follow Claer @ClaerB or Jason @JBtheWealthman on Instagram

Further reading

Here’s our Money Clinic episode on how to get out of problem debt, and here’s the one about whether it's a good idea to pay off credit cards 

Follow Martin on Twitter and check out his book, The Economics of Belonging

Jason’s FT columns are available here. You can follow him on twitter and instagram and be sure to checkout his podcast

Jason recommends reading John Kenneth Galbraith’s The Great Crash 1929 and watching Capital in the Twenty-First Century

For the latest on market trends, follow the FT’s markets page.


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Apr 1
Investment Clinic: Should I keep betting on Warren Buffett?
Fifty-eight-year-old Margo has amassed a very healthy retirement fund, in part by buying shares in Berkshire Hathaway, the investment company run by Warren Buffett. When even the ‘Sage of Omaha’ is reducing his exposure to certain US stocks, Margo wonders if it’s time for her to ... Show More
35m 16s
Mar 2025
Investment Clinic: I’m 29 – should I still be taking stock tips from my dad?
Matt started investing at just 22 with the help of his financial adviser father. Now, at 29, and with a wedding on the cards, he’s got an extra reason to be diligent about his money. Some of Matt’s stock picks (such as Glencore) haven’t been performing as he might like. Is it tim ... Show More
28m 43s
Mar 2025
Investment Clinic: I’m almost 50 – is it too late to start investing?
Forty-nine-year-old Jane has always been careful to squirrel money away, and a recent inheritance has boosted her nest egg to £125,000. But there’s one problem: it’s all in cash. Now, with half an eye on retirement, Jane wants to start investing but is unsure about how to do this ... Show More
32m 33s
Recommended Episodes
Sep 2023
824: Bankruptcy to Financial Freedom by Following the “No B.S.” Real Estate Rules w/Jason Lewis
Jason Lewis made it his life’s goal to hit financial freedom by thirty-five. After watching his family go bankrupt, lose their multi-generational farm, and have to give up their dreams, Jason knew that this was NOT what he wanted his future to look like. Instead, Jason would buil ... Show More
1h 3m
Dec 2021
Friday Flight - Tempting Investing Mistakes, Dumb Millennial Millionaires, & Making Personal Finance Funny #456
It's time for a Friday Flight! These episodes are all about the week’s financial news and the impact on your personal finances. There are a lot of headlines out there, but we distill it down to specific takeaways that will allow you to kick off the weekend informed and help you t ... Show More
34m 39s
Oct 2020
TIP318: The Passive Investing Impact w/ Mike Green (Business Podcast)
Michael Green has some fascinating insights surrounding passive investing and the systematic risk it potentially poses to the overall market. Michael is a professional investor who has multiple decades managing tens of billions of dollars. Michael is the former portfolio manager ... Show More
1h 4m
Jan 2024
Jared Dillian on the Keys to Live a Stress-Free Financial Life | #518
Today’s guest is Jared Dillian, the editor of The Daily Dirtnap, a daily market newsletter for investment professionals. Jared’s back on the podcast to talk about his book, No Worries: How to live a stress-free financial life, which just released yesterday. Jared talks about the ... Show More
54m 6s
Sep 2023
Americans Love Borrowing Money (EP.326)
On episode 326 of Animal Spirits, Michael Batnick and Ben Carlson discuss: Future Proof, how markets have changed over the past 70 years, why allocations to stocks are higher than they were in the past, small caps vs. large caps, trading options vs. gambling on sports, why people ... Show More
1h 10m
Jun 2023
Buy Now Pay Later and Mortgage Prisoners
The Chief Executive of the Association of British Credit Unions has told Money Box his members are seeing more people applying for borrowing who already have multiple buy now, pay later loans. We'll hear from a young woman who got into debt that way and get a response from the in ... Show More
25m 28s
Mar 2023
TIP539: The Banking Crisis Explained w/ Shawn O'Malley
On today’s episode, Clay sits down with Shawn O’Malley to provide an update on the banking crisis. For months, many have said that the Fed will continue hiking interest rates until “something breaks”. Shawn breaks down why it feels like the Fed broke something, and what it means ... Show More
51m 50s
May 2024
Analyzing Market Trends and Investment Opportunities - Insights from Matty A and Ryan Breedwell | Money Moves
Hosts: Matty A. and Ryan Breedwell Episode Overview: In this insightful episode of "Money Moves," hosts Matty A and Ryan Breedwell dive deep into current market trends, investment opportunities, and the economic landscape. They discuss significant topics such as the impact of FOM ... Show More
42m 31s
May 2024
4 Ways To ACCELERATE Stock Market Returns!
In this episode of the Personal Finance Podcast, we are going to talk about four different ways to accelerate your stock market returns. How Andrew Can Help You: Don't let another year pass by without making significant strides toward your dreams. "Master Your Money Goals" is you ... Show More
35m 59s
Jun 2024
Hilton CFO on Growth and Expansion
Watch Carol and Tim LIVE every day on YouTube: http://bit.ly/3vTiACF. Hilton CFO Kevin Jacobs discusses the hotel chain investing in new luxury and lifestyle brands. Warren de Haan, CEO at Acore Capital, shares his thoughts on commercial real estate financing. And we Drive to the ... Show More
27m 57s