NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast

Eating a plant-based diet doesn’t have to be expensive — or boring. In this episode, Nerds Sean Pyles and Kimberly Palmer talk with Toni Okamoto, author of “Plant-Based on a Budget Quick & Easy,” about how to save money on your groceries by making healthy, vegan meals. 

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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Deciding whether to keep on renting or get serious about buying a house is rarely easy. But in an area where houses are expensive and many apartments aren’t amenable to your four-legged friend, the choice gets even more complicated. This episode, the Nerds talk with a listener about how she’s working through this predicament.

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

Timestamps:

This Week in Your Money segment: 0:00 - 9:43

Money Question segment: 9:44 - 33:03 

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Climate change is going to have profound effects on our lives — including our money.

To kick off this nerdy deep dive into climate change and finance, we explore how personal finances and economies could be affected by natural disasters. Then we talk about how to manage the emotional dread around climate change — and how to prevent it from bogging down your financial goals.

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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Knowing how much you could get from Social Security is a big part of retirement planning (and, yes, cynical listeners — you will be getting these benefits!). To kick off this episode, Sean and Liz talk about a new tool that can help you estimate your benefits. 

Then Sean and Sara answer a listener’s question about tax efficient investments for retirement accounts. 

Need help with a money question? Call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. You can also email us your voice memos. 

Timestamps:

This Week in Your Money segment: 0:00 - 10:45 

Money Question segment: 10:46 - 31:02 

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

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It’s here at last: This episode, the simple formula to your happier, more prosperous life will finally be revealed! Just kidding. Turns out, happiness is work. But you can take steps to improve your levels of happiness and the role money plays in shaping your happiness. 

To round out this Nerdy deep dive into money and happiness, Sean talks with Dan Harris of “Ten Percent Happier"; University of California, Berkeley professor and host of “The Science of Happiness” podcast Dacher Keltner; and financial therapist Ashley Agnew. They explore what it means to define your own happiness and how you can use your money to build a happier life. 

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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You don’t have to be a Taylor Swift fan to feel like you’re being personally attacked by hidden fees and surcharges. These so-called junk fees can be unrelenting, but the tide may be changing. In this Money News episode, Sean talks with Anna Helhoski about the latest on junk fees and what you can do about them.

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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If your partner hid tens of thousands of dollars in credit card debt from you, would you bail — or help them pay it off? In this episode of the podcast, Sean and Sara tackle a listener’s question about financial infidelity. They also talk about managing money when you’re neurodiverse. 

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

Timestamps:

This Week in Your Money segment: 0:00 - 7:31 

Money Question segment: 7:32 - 27:02

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

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Let’s wheel out the cliche “money can’t buy happiness.” In truth, we know that’s not really the case, right? Research shows that the more money you have, the more well-being you have. But you can find happiness without steadfast reliance on cash. 

In this episode of our deep dive into money and happiness, we explore how much money you really need to be happy — and what it’s like to create a happy life where money plays a less important role. 

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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If you wanted to dramatically upend your life overnight, you probably could — but it could have unintended consequences. 

You do have the power to transform your life, though, from your job, to where you live and how you manage your finances. In this episode, Sean and Sara talk with Jill Schlesinger — CBS business analyst, host of the “Jill on Money” podcast and author of “The Great Money Reset” — about how you can enact the changes you want in your life.

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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What is your first money memory? And how is it influencing your finances today? In this episode of our deep dive into money and happiness, Sean explores how you can dig into your financial history to build a happier — and more financially fruitful — future.

Have questions about money and psychology? Share them with the Nerds! 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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