In this episode of Money Well Studio, hosts Jennifer Lowry and Julie Black continue their Home Buying Series with a deep dive into the role of real estate agents. From their historical roots to the modern-day challenges of commissions and representation, the duo unpacks why agents matter and how to choose the right one. Listeners will learn the difference between agents and REALTORS®, why the right agent can boost both financial outcomes and emotional confidence, and how to navigate the recent changes in commission structures following the Burnett case.

With practical tips, candid conversations, and a reminder that “a great agent is worth every penny,” this episode equips buyers with the knowledge they need to ask the right questions, negotiate fees, and find an advocate who will guide them through the ups and downs of the buying journey.

✨ Perfect for: First-time homebuyers, seasoned movers, or anyone curious about what really happens behind the scenes when you work with an agent.

🥂 "The Open House Spritz"

Ingredients:

·       1.5 oz Aperol

·       1 oz elderflower liqueur (like St-Germain)

·       3 oz Prosecco

·       1 oz soda water

·       Cucumber ribbon and orange twist for garnish

Instructions:

1.     Fill a wine glass with ice.

2.    Add Aperol andelderflower liqueur.

3.    Top with Prosecco andsoda water.

4.    Gently stir.

5.    Garnish with a cucumber ribbon and orange twist.

keywords:home buying, real estate agents, home buying process, finding an agent, real estate commissions, home ownership, buying a home, real estate market, agent benefits, home buying tips

From Dreams to Doorways—Let’s Get You Home.

In this kickoff to our Money Well Studio Home Buying Series, hosts Jennifer  and Julie unpack the emotional highs and financial must-knows of purchasing a home. Whether you're a first-time buyer or just need a refresher, this episode is your real estate roadmap—with practical advice, financial planning tips, and a little inspiration along the way.

We’re talking everything from prepping your finances and choosing the right mortgage, to understanding why celebrating each milestone matters.

🍸 Cocktail of the Episode: “The French 75”
A special shoutout to our good friend De Hansen, a proud member of the Roosevelt Room’s Presidents Club, for suggesting the perfect celebratory sip for this episode: the classic French 75. It's effervescent, elegant, and just fancy enough to toast your future home.

Recipe:

1 oz. Gin

0.5 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice

2 oz. Champagne (we recommend Brut)

Combine Gin, simple syrup, and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously to chill thoroughly and distribute the lemon juice.

Pour into a flute or coupe glass and top with Champagne.

Garnish with a lemon twist and serve.

PODCAST NOTES:

- Clarifies, The FHA stands for the Federal Housing Administration, not Association. Jennifer mispoke

In the final episode of our 3-part series, Money Well Studio hosts Julie and Jennifer kick off their tube socks and dive into the thrilling (and occasionally terrifying) world of risk in personal finance.

From gut-check moments in market downturns to understanding why your brain panics when the stock market drops 5%, they break down how to assess your risk profile, why diversification is your best dance partner, and how to ride the ups and downs of the market without losing your cool (or your briefs).

🍸 Cocktail of the Episode: “The Risk Pool”
Here’s what’s in it:

• 2 oz Old Tom Gin

• ¼ oz Crème de Violette

• ¾ oz Simple Syrup

• ¾ oz Lime Juice

• ½ oz Grapefruit Juice (yellow is best if you can find it — hurricanes have made it harder to source)

Shake it with ice, strain, and serve it up.
A little tart, a little sweet, and just risky enough to keep things interesting.

🍸 Shaken, Not Stirred—But Always Fixed Income.

In this episode of Money Well Studio, Jennifer and Julie suit up to tackle the mysterious world of bonds—not the 007 kind, but the ones that can fortify your retirement strategy. From decoding how bonds work to why credit ratings matter, they explore how these unassuming financial instruments help investors protect what they’ve built, earn passive income, and manage risk like pros.

Whether you’re building a balanced portfolio or trying to outsmart market volatility, this episode gives you a license to chill… your investment risk.

 Bond-Style Vodka Martini (Shaken, Not Stirred)

·       2 ½ oz vodka

·       ½ oz dry vermouth

·       Ice

·       Lemon twist or olive, for garnish

1.    Pour vodka and vermouth into a cocktail shaker filled with ice.

2.    Shake it hard—like you’re trying to shake off a tailing spy. 

3.    Strain into a chilled martini glass.

4.    Garnish with a lemon twist if you're classy, or an olive if you're salty, like many of the spurned Bond girls.

Keywords

bonds, investment, finance, retirement, credit ratings, risk management, municipal bonds, yield, investment strategies, portfolio management

In this episode of Money Well Studio, Jennifer and Julie crack open the vault on the world of investing. With clarity, humor, and a dash of history, they demystify how the stock market works, why equity matters, and how anyone—from novice to seasoned saver—can start building wealth today.

From the swashbuckling days of the Dutch East India Company to the humble beginnings of Wall Street under a buttonwood tree, this episode uncovers how stock ownership has evolved—and why it still matters. You’ll hear how technology has changed the game, how compounding can quietly grow your money, and why managing your own finances is an act of self-love.

Whether you're nervous about your first investment or ready to rebalance your portfolio, this episode is your friendly guide to making smarter money moves.

Keywords: investing, stocks, financial literacy, money management, personal finance, stock market, wealth building.

Go eat at Dishoom! Link to the restaurant that we featured on our podcast.

http://www.dishoom.com/

Cocktail: East India Gimet

SERVES 1

1 lime wedge

1 small sprig of dill, plus an extra sprig to garnish

40ml Rose’s lime cordial

2 dashes of celery bitters

40ml London Dry Gin

Ice cubes

Squeeze the lime wedge into your cocktail shaker and discard the spent skin. Place the sprig of dill on one palm and give it a short, sharp slap with the other hand; this helps to release the oils. Add to the cocktail shaker.

Add the lime cordial, celery bitters and gin. Top up with lots of ice and shake vigorously for at least 30 seconds. Taste the drink; it should be sour, sweet, fairly strong and very refreshing.

Strain into a coupe or martini glass and carefully balance a small sprig of dill on the inside of the glass.

Jennifer and Julie swipe into the world of credit—its ancient roots, modern takes, and how to use it without falling into the debt trap. With a mix of history, humor, and hard truths, they show how credit can be a tool for empowerment or a fast track to financial headaches. Whether you’re building credit from scratch or untangling past mistakes, this episode will help you charge ahead with confidence.

🎧 In this episode:

• The wild origin story of credit (starting in Mesopotamia!)
• Why 1950 changed everything with the first credit card
• Tips for paying off debt without panic
• How to talk to your kids about credit early and often

Cocktail: The Blackcard Margarita 

Ingredients 

2 tablespoon black salt for the rim, or you could do some tajin for a bit of gold sparkle

2 oz tequila 

1 oz orange liqueur I use triple sec 

1½ oz fresh lime juice from 1 lime

⅛ teaspoon activated charcoal powder see safety note below – 

Activated charcoal safety: Activated charcoal is very absorbent and can interfere with medications, including the birth control pill. Enjoy this drink several hours before or after consuming your medications to be safe. If you are concerned, omit the charcoal in this drink.

If building good money habits feels like climbing a financial mountain in flip-flops—this episode is for you. Jennifer and Julie dig into the science of habits and how to make saving, budgeting, and spending smarter feel more natural (and way less painful). They offer real-life tips, and show how small wins can lead to big financial confidence.

🎧 In this episode:

·       Why automating your savings is a game-changer

·       How habit loops work (and how to hack them)

·       Tips for turning budgeting into something you actually enjoy

·       How to ditch bad money habits without shame

Let us know which Money Challenge you tried and leave a comment to let us know how it went! - thx, Jennifer & Julie

Cocktail: The Monk’s Habit

Ingredients

1.5 oz  Light white rum

0.5 oz  Cointreau triple sec liqueur

1 oz     Hazelnut liqueur

3 oz     Pineapple juice

.25 oz  Monin Grenadine Syrup

How to make:

1.         Select and pre-chill a Collins glass.

2.         Prepare orange slice for garnish.

3.         SHAKE all ingredients with ice.

4.         STRAIN into ice-filled glass.

5.         Garnish with orange slice. 

Ready to sign on the dotted line—but not sure what any of it means? Jennifer and Julie demystify the closing process in real estate, breaking down what actually happens at the finish line of home buying. From power of attorney surprises to title company truths, this episode delivers the insider info (and a few laughs) that every buyer needs—whether it’s your first home or your forever one.

Want to learn more about the home buying process. Click here to hear more from mortgage expert, Julie Black: www.julieblack.us

Cocktail: The Closing Argument (or The Last Word)

Ingredients: 

0.75 oz Mezcal (Classico)

0.75 oz Green Chartreuse

0.75 Maraschino liqueur

0.75 Lime juice (freshly squeezed)

How to make:

1. Select and pre-chill a Coupe glass.
2. Prepare garnish of lime zest twist.
3. SHAKE all ingredients with ice.
4. FINE STRAIN into chilled glass.
5. Express lime zest twist over the cocktail and use as garnish.

From cowrie shells to crypto, join Jennifer and Julie as they trace the wild ride of currency—how it started, how it works, and why trust is the real backbone of your bank account. They unpack the difference between money and currency, highlight the overlooked role of women in financial history, and spill the tea on the Wildcat Banking era. It’s a crash course in what gives money its meaning—and why that might be changing.

🎧 In this episode:

·       Why money and currency aren’t the same thing

·       How tech is reshaping our wallets

·       The chaos of Wildcat Banks and the power of public trust

·       The rise of fiat—and what comes next

Cocktail: The Greenback 

Ingredients:

·       2 ounces sweet & sour mix

·       1.5 ounce vodka

·       ½ ounce Blue Curacao

·       1 lemon - cut into wedges, for garnish

·       Top with lemonade 

·       Ice cubes

Steps:

1.     Shaker filled with ice.  

2.     Add vodka, sweet & sour mix, Blue Curacao, lemonade

3.     Strain and pour into a glass.  

4.     Enjoy. Enjoy responsibly. 

In this episode of Money Well Studio, hosts Julie and Jennifer take listeners on a guided tour through one of the most talked-about economic indicators: the inverted yield curve. What does it mean when short-term interest rates outpace long-term ones—and why does it often make economists sweat? From the basics of bond yields to the psychology driving investor behavior, the hosts break it all down with clarity and wit. You'll also hear the fascinating origin story of Campbell Harvey, the Canadian economist who first connected the dots between inverted yield curves and recessions. Along the way, Julie and Jennifer explore the Federal Reserve’s role, the impact of inflation and stagflation, and offer grounded advice for families looking to weather economic uncertainty with confidence and calm.

🍹 Cocktail of the Episode: The Tequila Sunrise

Just like the inverted yield curve, this drink starts sunny and takes a dramatic turn. Sip it as we dive into a conversation about shifting financial signals, investor psychology, and navigating uncertain terrain with style.

Tequila Sunrise Recipe

• 2 oz tequila
• 4 oz orange juice
• 1/2 oz grenadine (drizzled down the side)
• Garnish: orange slice & maraschino cherry

Instructions:

1. Fill a glass with ice.
2. Pour in the tequila and orange juice—don’t stir!
3. Slowly pour the grenadine down the side of the glass. It will sink, creating that signature sunrise gradient.

4. Garnish, toast to clarity, and enjoy!