In this special Mailbag edition, listener Carolyne calls in to ask whether it’s time to leave the nonprofit job she’s had for more than three years. Her organization is facing major changes and challenges, and she’s unsure whether to stay and embrace the chaos or look for something else that offers more stability and better pay.
In our news of the week, we break down why you should be aiming to get as close to $0 back on your tax refund as possible. If you already got a big return this year, Jean dishes on how you can make it happen next year. Head to https://www.irs.gov/individuals/tax-withholding-estimator to find out what your break-even point is.
More money advice when you need it! Get the latest and greatest updates on all things investing, budgeting, and making money. Subscribe to the HerMoney newsletter at Hermoney.com/subscribe!
The HerMoney with Jean Chatzky podcast is sponsored by Edelman Financial Engines. The podcast team and its host are neither employees nor clients of EFE, however, the show does receive fixed compensation and is a paid endorser and therefore has an incentive to endorse EFE and its planners. To learn more about the sponsorship, please visit PlanEFE.com/HerMoney.
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Mailbag: I love my nonprofit job, but are they taking advantage of me?

Anyone who tells you women don’t need financial advice specifically for them is wrong. Women, whether they’re the caretakers, the breadwinners, or both, face a unique set of financial challenges. That’s where HerMoney comes in. In her frank, often funny, but always compassionate way, Jean Chatzky takes every audience of women through the steps they need to take today to live comfortably (and worry-free) tomorrow, offering the latest research, expert tips and personal advice. Want more money news when you need it? Get the latest and greatest updates on all things investing, budgeting, and making money. Subscribe to the HerMoney newsletter at HerMoney.com/subscribe!

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In this special Mailbag edition, we hear from a listener whose daughter is getting her first summer job. She’s wondering if it’s best to put the money in a high-interest savings account, or a Roth IRA. We also hear from someone who subscribes to the FIRE movement (Financial Independence, Retire Early) and is so focused on saving that she’s not able to keep money in an emergency account for true emergencies. 
In our news of the week, some steps you can take if you’ve been waiting weeks (or months) for your tax refund and why eating out may be your biggest budget-killer. 
Join the HerMoney community! For the latest episode drops and financial news-you-can-use, subscribe to our newsletter at Hermoney.com/subscribe!
Takeaways:

Consider opening a Roth IRA for a teenager with earned income to take advantage of potential higher growth.

A homegrown 401k can be a way to provide access to money for immediate needs while still saving for the future.

Separate your money into different accounts with barriers to prevent easy access.

Set up a separate account for vacations to pre-fund trips and avoid using credit cards.

Loosen your grip on your financial goals and allow yourself to enjoy life today.


Chapters:
00:00:00 - News of the Week
00:03:08 - Benefits of Opening a Roth IRA for Your Kid
00:11:08 - Advice on Managing a High-Yield Savings Account
00:11:45 - FIRE Movement and Emergency Funds
00:18:12 - Setting Up Separate Savings Accounts for Different Goals
00:21:04 - Balancing Financial Independence with Living for Today
00:25:07 - Final Thoughts

The HerMoney with Jean Chatzky podcast is sponsored by Edelman Financial Engines. The podcast team and its host are neither employees nor clients of EFE, however, the show does receive fixed compensation and is a paid endorser and therefore has an incentive to endorse EFE and its planners. To learn more about the sponsorship, please visit PlanEFE.com/HerMoney.
Please contact advertising@airwavemedia.com if you would like to advertise on our podcast, and to learn more about Airwave, head to www.airwavemedia.com.
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Mailbag: The best place to keep summer job money, plus how to keep an emergency fund.

Lately, have you been more intentional about the time you spend working? What about putting more effort into finding financial freedom? These are two hot-button topics with Millennials these days, particularly with regard to the time we spend working — specifically, the four-day workweek. 
About a month ago, Bernie Sanders proposed legislation that could make this the new reality for all of us. But Holly Trantham and her company, The Financial Diet, were ahead of the curve when they implemented a four-day workweek three years ago. Trantham joins us to talk about why they’ve never looked back, and how we can all realize a definition of financial freedom that works for us. 
In Mailbag, we hear from a listener who can’t seem to get past the first round of job interviews, and we dig into the finances of egg freezing. In our news of the week, we discuss why the Fed is flip-flopping on cutting interest rates this year, what the heck the Bitcoin “halving” means, and why starting a business may lead (counterintuitively) to less stress. 

Takeaways:

Implementing a four-day workweek can lead to happier workers, lower turnover, and greater efficiency.

Financial success should be measured by factors like financial stability, security, and the ability to live the life you want, rather than traditional markers like homeownership.

The happiness threshold, or the idea that once you make a certain amount of money, your happiness plateaus is not a one-size-fits-all concept.

Focusing on your future self and setting financial goals can provide motivation and a sense of security.

Community and relationships play a significant role in personal finance and can contribute to overall happiness and well-being.


Chapters:
00:00:00 Introduction and Financial News Update
05:05 The Four-Day Work Week
08:09 Redefining Financial Success
27:58 Focusing on Your Future Self
35:25 The Importance of Community in Personal Finance

Join the HerMoney community! For the latest episode drops and financial news-you-can-use, subscribe to our newsletter at Hermoney.com/subscribe!

The HerMoney with Jean Chatzky podcast is sponsored by Edelman Financial Engines. The podcast team and its host are neither employees nor clients of EFE, however, the show does receive fixed compensation and is a paid endorser and therefore has an incentive to endorse EFE and its planners. To learn more about the sponsorship, please visit PlanEFE.com/HerMoney.
Please contact advertising@airwavemedia.com if you would like to advertise on our podcast, and to learn more about Airwave, head to www.airwavemedia.com.
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Ep 420: What Financial Freedom Means For Millennials

A recent essay in the Wall Street Journal made the case that women are both happier — but also overall but sadder — in our daily lives than men are. Why? We’re juggling countless competing priorities on our never-ending to-do lists, including managing our jobs, wrangling our kids' schedules, and keeping up with everything at home. 
Betsey Stevenson, economist and professor at the University of Michigan, has conducted groundbreaking research in this field. She joins us to talk about why women’s happiness has been on the decline since the 1970s — despite so many great strides for women’s equality since then. And while we have her, we also do a mini-economic check-in for 2024. What’s really going on in America’s economy right now? 
Use the code "PODCAST" TO GET $100 OFF OF OUR FINANCEFIXX PROGRAM: https://hermoney.com/shop/product/financefixx-finance-coaching-program-by-jean-chatzky/
Takeaways:

Women's happiness has been declining despite progress in women's equality.

Women constantly make trade-offs and face challenges in balancing multiple responsibilities.

Income is correlated with life satisfaction but not necessarily day-to-day happiness.

Women should prioritize mental health and well-being to improve life satisfaction.

Men also face their own crisis in a changing economy.

The economy is experiencing unexpected trends, such as low unemployment and higher inflation.


Chapters:
00:00:00 - Introduction and News Update
00:04:39 - Interview with Betsy Stevenson Begins
00:09:22 - Discussion on Women's Happiness and Economics
00:13:31 - Exploring Day-to-Day Happiness vs. Life Satisfaction
00:19:37 - Income, Well-being, and Gender Roles
00:27:32 - Economic Trends and the Role of Men and Women
00:34:48 - Current Economic Conditions and Future Outlook

Join the HerMoney community! For the latest episode drops and financial news-you-can-use, subscribe to our newsletter at Hermoney.com/subscribe!

The HerMoney with Jean Chatzky podcast is sponsored by Edelman Financial Engines. The podcast team and its host are neither employees nor clients of EFE, however, the show does receive fixed compensation and is a paid endorser and therefore has an incentive to endorse EFE and its planners. To learn more about the sponsorship, please visit PlanEFE.com/HerMoney.
Please contact advertising@airwavemedia.com if you would like to advertise on our podcast, and to learn more about Airwave, head to www.airwavemedia.com.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An Economist Weighs In On Being A Woman

Navigating money issues with your family is hard. Navigating money issues with your family is even harder when you’re a first-generation American. First-generation children of immigrants face unique cultural and emotional barriers and often find themselves at the intersection of building a financial life for themselves and supporting their parents financially. 
Gigi Gonzalez found herself facing this dilemma when she got serious about her finances and realized the information she was reading didn’t align with her lived experience or her values. So, she started posting about it on TikTok. Eventually, she quit her job in finance to become a full-time content creator. She offers her best advice on what to do when your personal finance goals clash with your family's money expectations. 
In Mailbag, we talk about the best investment options for a young kid, and a listener who doesn’t have much saved for retirement is wondering if she should take out a loan to pay her mortgage. In our news of the week, we cover the new magic number for retirement, the best time to sell your house this year, and what to do if you still owe the IRS money.
Use the code "PODCAST" TO GET $100 OFF OF OUR FINANCEFIXX PROGRAM: https://hermoney.com/shop/product/financefixx-finance-coaching-program-by-jean-chatzky/
Takeaways:

TikTok can be a powerful platform for spreading financial literacy and building a personal brand.

First-generation Americans face unique challenges in wealth building due to cultural expectations and a lack of financial education.

Setting money boundaries with family can be challenging but necessary for financial well-being.

It is important to find a balance between paying off debt and investing.


Chapters:
00:00:00 - Introduction and Financial News Update
00:06:07 - Gigi's Financial Education Journey
00:09:04 - Transition from Finance Job to Content Creator
00:11:43 - Challenges as a First-Generation American
00:15:24 - Setting Financial Boundaries with Family
00:23:55 - Improving Financial Habits in Marriage
00:26:01 - Investing While in Debt
00:27:49 - Mailbag Segment
00:29:59 - Listener Question on Investing for Child's Future
00:33:54 - Listener Question on Managing Finances Pre-Retirement

Buy Cultura and Cash: https://www.thefirstgenmentor.com/my-book

Join the HerMoney community! For the latest episode drops and financial news-you-can-use, subscribe to our newsletter at Hermoney.com/subscribe!

The HerMoney with Jean Chatzky podcast is sponsored by Edelman Financial Engines. The podcast team and its host are neither employees nor clients of EFE, however, the show does receive fixed compensation and is a paid endorser and therefore has an incentive to endorse EFE and its planners. To learn more about the sponsorship, please visit PlanEFE.com/HerMoney.
Please contact advertising@airwavemedia.com if you would like to advertise on our podcast, and to learn more about Airwave, head to www.airwavemedia.com.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep 419: What Your Culture Says About The Way You Manage Money

Think, for a second, about all of the things you do before you head to the gym or go out for a run. Do you wear special running shoes? How do you tie them? Do you give yourself a pep talk on days when you’re just not feeling it? Is there a certain playlist you always listen to? 
Dr. Mike Norton, author of: “The Ritual Effect: From Habit to Ritual, Harness The Surprising Power of Everyday Actions,” says while working out at a certain time of day may be a habit, all of these little things we do to get ready are rituals, and paying more attention to them can transform our lives (financially or otherwise).

Takeaways:

The connection between rituals and financial habits.

The difference between a ritual and a habit, with rituals adding emotion and meaning to actions.

How to avoid taking ritualistic behavior too far.

Insights on how rituals can help high performers manage stress.

How to introduce rituals into the workplace without seeming forced or silly.



Chapters:
00:00:00: Introduction and News Segment
00:05:43: Interview with Michael Norton Begins
00:07:38: Connection Between Financial Habits and Rituals
00:10:16: The Emotional Aspect of Rituals vs. Habits
00:12:13: Defining Rituals and Their Impact
00:13:45: When Rituals Become Excessive
00:18:06: Rituals of High Performers
00:19:54: Using Rituals to Prepare for Stressful Situations
00:22:41: Workplace Rituals and Meaningful Work
00:25:24: Where to Take the Ritual Quiz and Find More Information

Join the HerMoney community! For the latest episode drops and financial news-you-can-use, subscribe to our newsletter at Hermoney.com/subscribe!

The HerMoney with Jean Chatzky podcast is sponsored by Edelman Financial Engines. The podcast team and its host are neither employees nor clients of EFE, however, the show does receive fixed compensation and is a paid endorser and therefore has an incentive to endorse EFE and its planners. To learn more about the sponsorship, please visit PlanEFE.com/HerMoney.
Please contact advertising@airwavemedia.com if you would like to advertise on our podcast, and to learn more about Airwave, head to www.airwavemedia.com.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mailbag: I love my nonprofit job, but are they taking advantage of me?

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