Let's Talk Money with Monika Halan cover art

Let's Talk Money with Monika Halan

Let's Talk Money with Monika Halan

Written by: Monika Halan
Listen for free

LIMITED TIME OFFER | Get 2 Months for ₹5/month

About this listen

 Let's Talk Money is your guide to financial stability and freedom. Join Monika Halan, a trusted financial expert, as she delves into a wide array of topics each week. From tackling debt to making friends with the stock market, from gold to mutual funds, Monika's insights are your compass to financial wellness. But that's not all! Monika's here to answer your money questions. Send them in, and she'll help you make informed decisions. It's time to take control of your financial destiny with Monika Halan. So, Let’s Talk Money!Monika Halan Economics
Episodes
  • What Story Do GDP Numbers Tell

    What Story Do GDP Numbers Tell
    Mar 12 2026
    As India’s revised GDP numbers are released with a new base year of 2022–23, Monika unpacks the deeper story hidden beneath the headline growth print. She explains how the economy continues to grow at a stable rate above 7%, driven on the production side by manufacturing and services, and supported on the expenditure side by household savings and government capital expenditure. While consumption remains the backbone of growth, private investment needs to accelerate to complete the virtuous cycle of rising wages, stronger demand, and sustained high growth.Monika walks listeners through why this GDP release is structurally significant. The updated methodology incorporates new surveys, GST data, digital public finance systems, and expanded data sources to better reflect today’s economy. A major shift to “double deflation” in manufacturing aims to measure real growth more accurately by adjusting both input and output prices. She also addresses the recurring debate on data credibility, distinguishing between methodological improvements and allegations of manipulation, and explains why large-scale tampering across multiple data systems is implausible. The takeaway: the data suggests steady, resilient growth — not spectacular, but meaningful in a turbulent global year.In listener queries, Devasri Jegan, a recent BBA graduate, asks how to overcome beginner confusion and where to start investing; Arpita Mondal writes in about rising silver prices and whether she should invest after sharp moves; Vineet Sharma from the Gulf shares his journey of building a ₹4 crore FD corpus through discipline and leverage and seeks guidance on starting mutual fund investing at 48 while redefining life goals; and Saurabh Garg’s recent speech on GDP methodology also comes up in the broader discussion on interpreting official data.Chapters:(00:00 – 00:00) What the New GDP Data Reveals About India’s Growth Story(00:00 – 00:00) Base Year Changes, Double Deflation and Can We Trust the Data?(00:00 – 00:00) Starting Your Investment Journey Without Getting Overwhelmed(00:00 – 00:00) Silver Prices, Commodity Hype and Asset Allocation Discipline(00:00 – 00:00) Starting Mutual Funds at 50 After Building Wealth Through FDsSaurabh Garg speechhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_n71JFcBoDQ&t=728s PIB releasehttps://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2233518®=3&lang=2 If you have financial questions that you’d like answers for, please email us at ⁠mailme@monikahalan.com⁠ Monika’s book on basic money management⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.monikahalan.com/lets-talk-money-english/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Monika’s book on mutual funds⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.monikahalan.com/lets-talk-mutual-funds/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Monika’s workbook on recording your financial life⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.monikahalan.com/lets-talk-legacy/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Calculators⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://investor.sebi.gov.in/calculators/index.html⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠You can find Monika on her social media @monikahalan. Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MonikaHalan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MonikaHalan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MonikaHalan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MonikaHalan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Production House: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.inoutcreatives.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Production Assistant:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Anshika Gogoi⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
    Show More Show Less
    17 mins
  • RBI’s New Mis-selling Rules

    RBI’s New Mis-selling Rules
    Feb 26 2026
    As complaints of insurance mis-selling by banks finally prompt regulatory action, Monika examines the Reserve Bank of India’s draft Responsible Business Conduct guidelines and what they could mean for customers. The proposed rules aim to require suitability assessments, explicit consent, and restrictions on coercive sales practices, signalling a shift toward holding banks accountable for putting customer interests ahead of sales targets. Drawing on years of research and documented evidence, she explains how mis-selling has persisted through opaque disclosures, aggressive commissions, and weak enforcement, eroding public trust in the banking system.Monika argues that while the intent of the new rules is welcome, their effectiveness will depend on clear definitions of suitability, independent monitoring, and reforms to the commission structures that incentivise harmful sales. Without these structural fixes, regulation risks becoming symbolic rather than transformative. She also reflects on how banks could instead build long-term, trust-based relationships with customers by offering transparent financial planning and aligning their incentives with household financial security rather than short-term product sales.In listener queries, Vijay Panchal from Ahmedabad asks whether to combine Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana with equity investing for his daughter’s future and whether to prioritise NPS or PPF for retirement under the new tax regime; Nitin Gupta from Dehradun seeks clarity on the tax and ownership implications of mutual fund investments held in his minor son’s name as he approaches adulthood; and Hemanth Thyagraj from Bangalore asks how to balance home loan prepayments with ongoing mutual fund investing while pursuing long-term financial independence.Chapters:(00:00 – 00:00) RBI’s New Mis-Selling Rules and What They Mean for Bank Customers(00:00 – 00:00) Suitability Framework, Commissions and Fixing Incentives in Financial Product Sales(00:00 – 00:00) SSY vs Index Funds and Choosing Between NPS and PPF(00:00 – 00:00) Managing Mutual Funds Held in a Child’s Name After They Turn 18(00:00 – 00:00) Balancing Home Loan Prepayment with Long-Term Investinghttps://rbidocs.rbi.org.in/rdocs/Content/PDFs/01CBDRAFT11022026ADD95448CA7E4662A409F78D829072C7.PDFhttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S014759671730046Xhttps://m.rbi.org.in//scripts/Bs_viewcontent.aspx?Id=3370https://youtu.be/q9kmG-443vo?si=IuTsFG9pbFmysTMDhttps://drive.google.com/file/d/1E8939c5w16_NIvshQbcUXW1iZtMLJVcS/view?usp=drivesdkIf you have financial questions that you’d like answers for, please email us at ⁠mailme@monikahalan.com⁠ Monika’s book on basic money management⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.monikahalan.com/lets-talk-money-english/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Monika’s book on mutual funds⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.monikahalan.com/lets-talk-mutual-funds/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Monika’s workbook on recording your financial life⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.monikahalan.com/lets-talk-legacy/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Calculators⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://investor.sebi.gov.in/calculators/index.html⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠You can find Monika on her social media @monikahalan. Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MonikaHalan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MonikaHalan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MonikaHalan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MonikaHalan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Production House: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.inoutcreatives.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Production Assistant:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Anshika Gogoi⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
    Show More Show Less
    22 mins
  • What the New Consumer Price Index Means For You

    What the New Consumer Price Index Means For You
    Feb 19 2026
    As India updates the way it measures inflation, Monika explains why the revision of the Consumer Price Index base year from 2012 to 2024 matters and what it really means for households. Drawing on new data from the Household Consumption Expenditure Survey, she breaks down how the CPI basket evolves over time to reflect changing consumption patterns — from the decline of outdated products to the rise of digital services, transport, and other modern expenses. The episode clarifies how shifts in weightages, especially the reduced share of food and the higher share of services, will influence headline inflation and policymaking.Monika also explains why the CPI is an average that may not match individual experience, and how the new index should give policymakers a more accurate picture of real household spending pressures. She highlights that lower food weight may make inflation appear less volatile, while costs that matter most to many middle-class families — healthcare, education, housing, and services — continue to rise faster than the headline number. The key takeaway: inflation data is improving, but personal financial planning should always be based on one’s own spending patterns, not just official statistics.In listener questions, Anonymous asks how global developments such as U.S. debt concerns, de-dollarisation, and shifting geopolitical power could affect Indian markets and whether investors should change their asset allocation or SIP strategy; Djay from Mumbai seeks guidance on retirement planning for couples and how to estimate and invest toward a child’s education corpus; and Ramya Srinivasan writes about deploying proceeds from a property sale, weighing PMS investments against mutual funds, and the best way to move a lump sum into equity over time.Chapters:(00:00 – 00:00) What the New Consumer Price Index Means for You(00:00 – 00:00) How Changes in the CPI Basket and Weightages Affect Inflation and Policy(00:00 – 00:00) Global Risks, Market Crashes and Staying Invested Through Uncertainty(00:00 – 00:00) Planning Retirement as a Couple and Building a Child Education Corpus(00:00 – 00:00) PMS vs Mutual Funds and How to Deploy a Large Lump Sumhttps://www.hindustantimes.com/opinion/why-india-needs-a-new-gold-standard-101770307424675.htmlhttps://www.mospi.gov.in/uploads/latestreleasesfiles/1770893247472-Press%20Relase%20of%20CPI%20for%20Jan26.pdfIf you have financial questions that you’d like answers for, please email us at ⁠mailme@monikahalan.com⁠ Monika’s book on basic money management⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.monikahalan.com/lets-talk-money-english/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Monika’s book on mutual funds⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.monikahalan.com/lets-talk-mutual-funds/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Monika’s workbook on recording your financial life⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.monikahalan.com/lets-talk-legacy/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Calculators⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://investor.sebi.gov.in/calculators/index.html⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠You can find Monika on her social media @monikahalan. Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MonikaHalan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MonikaHalan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MonikaHalan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MonikaHalan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Production House: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.inoutcreatives.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Production Assistant:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Anshika Gogoi⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
    Show More Show Less
    23 mins
All stars
Most relevant
This is the most sensible and informative Money Advice you can get. Also please read or listen to the books. Let's Talk money and Let's talk Mutual funds. These books should be a must read for any group thar deals with money. whether you are a student, are salaried, an entrepreneur or retired, These Podcasts and books definitely have something for you 😊

Sensible Money Advice

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.