NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast

Learn why it’s a good time to check your credit card interest rates, and why to start planning your holiday travel now.

01:03 This Week in Your Money: NerdWallet’s Rosalie Murphy joins host Sean Pyles to discuss rising credit card interest rates and how they can impact debt repayment. They offer tips on adapting to higher interest rates and how you may be able to negotiate a lower rate or payment plan with your credit card issuer if you're struggling to make repayments. They also discuss balance transfer credit cards that offer 0% APR intro periods and non-profit credit counseling organizations that could help you create a personalized debt payoff plan.

06:35 Today’s Money Question: Travel Nerds Elina Geller and Sally French join Sean to explain why now is a good time to start planning for this year’s holiday travel season. They discuss the best time to book flights, the least and most busy travel dates around Thanksgiving, and restrictions on basic economy seats that could prevent you from reaching your destination if anything goes wrong with your flight. They also dive into travel insurance, Apple AirTags, and deals that allow credit card holders to use points for airport perks beyond ticket costs. The Nerds also weigh the pros and cons of booking flights on short notice, and discuss what you may want to consider when deciding whether to drive instead of fly.

In their conversation, the Nerds discuss: rising credit card interest rates, annual percentage rates (APR), holiday travel, credit card management, travel tips, budget travel, last-minute booking, travel planning, elite status qualifying trips, travel insurance, Apple AirTags, luggage tracking, debt repayment, credit card reward points and miles, managing debt, and the busiest Thanksgiving travel dates.

To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected].

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Understand how legal restrictions and policies are increasing health care costs, especially for marginalized communities.

This episode explores rising health care prices at the intersection of law, policy and personal health decisions. Investing Nerd Sam Taube interviews Vina Smith-Ramakrishnan, a senior policy associate on the health care equity and reform team at the Century Foundation, about the systemic barriers to accessing health care faced by the LGBTQ+ community, people of color, and low-income individuals. Sam also talks with Jose Abrigo, the director of the HIV project at Lambda Legal, about recent court cases. They highlight the legal battles over issues like abortion, birth control and gender-affirming health care that affect insurance coverage and overall health care spending. The conversation offers an in-depth analysis of the financial hardships associated with health care and their long-term effects on marginalized communities. The hosts also discuss out-of-pocket costs for reproductive care and how these costs significantly burden these communities.

In this conversation, you’ll learn about: health care restrictions, marginalized communities, law and policy, the Century Foundation, health care equity, systemic barriers, LGBTQ+ health care, low-income individuals, financial hardships, health care services, reproductive care, out-of-pocket costs, abortion laws, birth control, gender-affirming health care, insurance coverage, health care spending, bodily autonomy, financial security, maternal health access, health care equity and reform, health care disparity, abortion bans, reproductive rights, health care reform, health care access and health care inequality.

To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected].

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Learn about federal student loan payments resuming, alongside an analysis of this week’s biggest financial stories.

Before discussing this week’s resumption of federal student loan payments after a three-and-a-half-year pause due to the pandemic, hosts Sean Pyles and Anna Helhoski break down this week’s most relevant financial headlines. The discuss the recently averted government shutdown, the impact of crude oil costs on gas prices, an update on Delta’s SkyMiles program, and a new Pew Research Center survey looking at the share of women in top leadership positions at US companies.

Turning their attention to student loan payments, Sean and Anna guide listeners on ways to prepare for this financial milestone, emphasizing the importance of staying informed, making payments if possible, and exploring income-driven repayment plans like the new "Saving on a Valuable Education" (SAVE) plan.

In their conversation, the Nerds discuss: financial headlines, federal student payments, income-driven repayment (IDR) plans, Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE), averting a government shutdown, oil prices, Delta Airlines’ SkyMiles frequent flyer program, a new Pew Research Center survey on women in leadership, business leaders, loan servicers, the Fresh Start program, interest accrual, and personal finance.

To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected].

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Understand how to avoid “dark patterns” companies use to trick you, then learn different financial approaches for buying a car.

01:11 This Week in Your Money: Dark patterns are manipulative tactics used by companies to influence customer decisions, often to the consumer’s detriment. To start the show, hosts Sean Pyles and Liz Weston explain how you can spot dark patterns, which are not exclusive to sketchy websites. Sean and Liz also discuss confirmshaming, a tactic companies use that could make it difficult for you to cancel paid subscriptions.

12:12 Today’s Money Question: A 19-year-old listener named Belenus joins Sean and Liz to get help thinking through how to navigate the financial predicament of needing to pay for both a new car and tuition for college. Despite having $20,000 in savings, Belenus is cautious about going into debt. Sean and Liz talk to him about the advantages and disadvantages of leasing versus buying a car and offer some tips for how to prepare before going into a dealership to make a car purchase. They also discuss the differences between student loans and auto loans.

In their conversation, the Nerds discuss: car buying and selling, the auto industry, dark patterns, FTC crackdowns, private mortgage insurance, auto loans, federal student loans, budgeting, car payments, student loan debt, roadside car buying, vehicle history reports, car appraisals, and depreciating assets.

To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected].

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Learn why the Fed paused interest rates. Plus: the Supreme Court's CFPB hearing, NFT prices, and a new GameStop movie.

Join hosts Sean Pyles and Anna Helhoski as they break down the latest headlines in the world of personal finance. They explain the Supreme Court's upcoming hearing on the constitutionality of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's funding structure, the risks of investing in "dumb money" like the Powerball lottery and NFTs, and the new movie "Dumb Money," which tells the story of the GameStop stock-buying phenomenon.

They then have an in-depth discussion about the impact of the Federal Reserve's interest rate decisions on the financial lives of Americans. They explain how interest rates work and how they can impact the economy and individual financial lives. They also offer some tips for Americans who are concerned about the impact of rising interest rates.

In their conversation, the Nerds discuss: the Supreme Court, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the lottery, NFTs, Dumb Money, GameStop, meme stocks, the Federal Reserve, interest rates, the US economy, credit card interest, inflation, and personal finance news.

To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected].

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Learn methods for planning a wedding that makes sense for your budget, then hear how the Nerds think about gift-giving etiquette.

01:12 This Week in Your Money: Get an inside look at the latest trends in wedding planning, as Zola.com Director of Communications Emily Forrest joins host Sean Pyles to discuss findings from a recent survey of more than 2,000 American adults. They discuss the financial challenges many engaged couples face during the wedding planning process, ways to prevent money matters from being overlooked in pre-wedding conversations, and tips for initiating these critical financial conversations. The discussion then moves on to the wedding budget, with Emily offering her expertise on using a budget calculator to estimate expenditure and strategies for cost-cutting without compromising the wedding experience. Emily also addresses the reality of a “wedding tax” and how to think about the costs for your special occasion.

18:22 Today’s Money Question: NerdWallet’s Liz Weston and Kimberly Palmer join Sean to discuss how to navigate the pressures of gift-giving, managing expectations for birthday party guests, and the art of selecting the perfect present that strikes a balance between thoughtfulness and price. They explore the complexities of gift-giving culture, including what to anticipate from gift recipients and how to avoid feeling obligated to spend money. They also offer a fresh perspective on how you could choose to opt out of gift-giving culture and instead focus on the celebration itself.

In their conversation, the Nerds discuss: wedding budget calculators, financial conversations, gift-giving, wedding costs and surcharges, personal finance decisions, cost-effective weddings, wedding gift options, budgeting tips, gift-giving culture, birthday party gift etiquette, and party planning tips.

To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected].

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Experts discuss how millennials are redefining the American dream and finding ways to thrive despite hard economic times.

Have you ever wondered how younger generations are maneuvering around traditional milestones in the face of mounting financial hurdles? That’s what Personal Finance Nerd Tiffany Curtis discusses with Dr. Jatali Bellaton, a neuropsychologist and the founder of Brilliant Minds Unite, a youth and adult financial literacy movement. She dives into the daunting financial realities of skyrocketing home prices and crippling student loans, and the impact these have on the dreams and aspirations of millennials and Gen Zers. She explains how to think about investments to make life easier down the road, and the pitfalls of rushing into societal norms without taking time to first reflect on what it is that you really want.

Dr. Michael G. Thomas, Jr. then joins the podcast to unpack the emotional turmoil brought about by financial struggles, particularly within marginalized communities. He analyzes the damaging effects of comparison and the role of shame in deterring people from seeking financial support, and advocates for a shift in perspective in order to alleviate feelings of anxiety and embarrassment. Tiffany wraps up the show with host Sean Pyles in a brief reflection on our special series on millennial money, as well as what it means for how younger generations are redefining the American dream.

In this conversation, you’ll learn about: financial uncertainty, the new American dream, economic challenges unique to younger generations, millennials, gen z, economic barriers, median home prices, societal norms, emotional weight, marginalized communities, how to take advantage of financial opportunities, financial wellness, student loan debt, financial anxiety, and the psychology behind financial shame.

To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected].

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Learn how a government shutdown would impact your finances. Plus: updates on inflation, retail sales and Delta SkyMiles.

In this financial news roundup, hosts Sean Pyles and Anna Helhoski touch on key headlines such as what the latest Consumer Price Index tells us about inflation, the reason why retail sales are surging, and controversial changes to Delta Airlines' SkyMiles program. They then take a close look at the looming threat of a government shutdown in Congress, particularly in the House of Representatives. Learn about the complex backdrop of budget negotiations, the economic consequences of a government shutdown, its impact on federal employees, and precautions you could take in order to prepare for financial challenges during a shutdown.

In their conversation, the Nerds discuss: personal finance news, inflation, retail sales, the Consumer Price Index (CPI), Delta SkyMiles changes, a potential government shutdown, the Fiscal Responsibility Act, budget negotiations, government funding, federal employees, essential bills, financial assistance, federal benefits, interest rates, used car prices, rental rates, airfares, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, SNAP benefits, government shutdown consequences, and bill prioritization.

To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected].

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Learn how to travel abroad on a budget and how to part ways with a financial advisor whose services are unsatisfactory.

1:15 This Week in Your Money: It’s possible to travel abroad on a budget, according to NerdWallet Travel editor Meghan Coyle. She joins hosts Sean Pyles and Liz Weston to discuss the pros and cons of using budget airlines for international travel. She discusses the overall change in flight prices over the last few years, how reliable budget airlines are when compared with other larger airlines, and what to look for in terms of hidden fees and terms so you’re not surprised by unexpected costs. She also offers tips for a better budget airline experience, including in-flight food and entertainment — and investing in a good neck pillow.

13:44 Today’s Money Question: A listener named Melissa joins Sean and Liz to ask for help deciding whether she should fire her financial advisor. Melissa expresses concerns about the performance of her investments and questions the fees she is paying her advisor. She also shares her struggles with balancing debt repayment, enjoying life in the present, and planning for the future. The hosts discuss what to look for in a financial advisor before working with them, then help Melissa understand what it takes to become a financial advisor after she expresses interest in becoming a certified financial planner herself.

40:22 Wrap-up Segment.

In their conversation, the Nerds discuss: international travel, budget travel, debt repayment, financial freedom, cheap flights, safety of budget airlines, financial challenges, Dave Ramsey, living in the present, retirement planning, financial advisors, fee-only fiduciaries, certified financial planners, the Financial Therapy Association, personal finance, grad school loans, financial well-being, high-yield savings accounts, 529 plans for saving for education costs, debt management, travel insurance, cancel for any reason policies, portfolio diversification, index funds, financial advisor fees, fiduciary responsibilities, how to become a financial advisor, and the Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE) movement.

To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected].

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Explore the impact of generational financial trauma on millennials, how social media amplifies it and ideas for healing.

Personal Finance Nerd Tiffany Curtis delves into the complex topic of generational financial trauma, particularly its impact on millennials, with two special guests: Aja Evans and Rahkim Sabree. Aja Evans is a licensed mental health counselor and financial therapist, and Rahkim Sabree is a certified financial education instructor and author. Together, they explore how past financial landscapes can shape our current financial behaviors, the double-edged sword of social media in shaping financial perspectives, and the importance of understanding these impacts, especially for marginalized groups.

The episode also delves into the Black community's discussions around self-reliance and reparations. The speakers challenge the notion that achieving financial success is an antidote to generational trauma and expose how these misconceptions can breed competition among marginalized communities. Wrapping up the episode, the hosts stress the importance of financial literacy while discussing its limitations in closing racial and gender wealth gaps. 

In this conversation, you’ll learn about: generational financial trauma, millennials, social media echo chambers, marginalized groups, how people define financial success, racial and gender wealth gaps, mental health counseling, financial therapists, financial education instructors, reparations, trauma healing, financial strain, and distorted financial perceptions.

To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected].

Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend.

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