NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast

Learn how the E-shaped economy is reshaping middle-class budgets and how to stretch travel points on real trips.

What does it really mean when economists say the U.S. economy has shifted from a K-shape to an E-shape, and where do middle-class households fit in this new picture? Hosts Sean Pyles and Elizabeth Ayoola talk with senior news writer Anna Helhoski about why middle-class earners are increasingly slipping from the top of the K to the middle of the E, what new data reveals about families struggling to afford basic necessities in their own metro areas, and how spending patterns are shifting as essential costs eat up more of each paycheck.

Then, how can you actually make travel points work for a real trip without burning them on the wrong redemption? Sean and Elizabeth are joined by Meghan Coyle, co-host of NerdWallet's Smart Travel podcast, to walk through the smartest ways to use airline miles and hotel points. They discuss how to calculate whether points or cash is the better deal for any booking, why hotel points and airline miles aren't created equal, what happens when you transfer points speculatively, and creative ways to keep earning points without picking up another credit card.

Card benefits, terms and fees can change. For the most up-to-date information about cards mentioned in this episode, read our reviews:

Best Travel Credit Cards of May 2026 https://www.nerdwallet.com/credit-cards/best/travel 

Atmos Rewards Summit Card: Perks as Unique as They Are Valuable https://www.nerdwallet.com/credit-cards/reviews/atmos-rewards-summit 

Atmos Rewards Ascent Review: Well Worth $95 a Year https://www.nerdwallet.com/credit-cards/reviews/alaska-airlines-credit-card 

American Express Platinum Review: Top-Notch Lounge Access, Big Credits https://www.nerdwallet.com/credit-cards/reviews/american-express-platinum 

Is a Bilt Credit Card Worth It? https://www.nerdwallet.com/travel/learn/bilt-mastercard

Resources discussed in this episode:

'K-Shaped' Economy Is Giving Way to an 'E-Shaped' Divide https://www.nerdwallet.com/finance/news/e-shaped-economy 

How Much Are Travel Points and Miles Worth in 2026? https://www.nerdwallet.com/travel/learn/airline-miles-and-hotel-points-valuations 

Points and Miles vs. Cash Calculator https://www.nerdwallet.com/travel/learn/calculator-should-you-book-a-flight-with-cash-or-miles 

The Best Award Travel Search Tool for 2026 https://www.nerdwallet.com/travel/learn/best-award-travel-search-tool 

Want us to review your budget? Fill out this form — completely anonymously if you want — and we might feature your budget in a future segment! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScK53yAufsc4v5UpghhVfxtk2MoyooHzlSIRBnRxUPl3hKBig/viewform?usp=header

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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Hear money lessons from NerdWallet moms and learn how to budget for healthcare on a high-deductible plan.

What does motherhood teach you about money? In honor of Mother's Day, hosts Sean Pyles, CFP®, and Elizabeth Ayoola gather money lessons from NerdWallet moms — including Erin El Issa, Amanda Barroso, Kate Ashford, and Pamela de la Fuente — as well as from Sean's mom, Jeanne. They explore the pressure to keep up with influencers and other parents, the costly belief that core childhood memories can be bought, the role allowances play in helping kids feel the weight of their own money, and what becoming a parent reveals about long-term saving.

How do you budget for healthcare when your employer switches you to a high-deductible plan and bills are coming in faster than you can build up your HSA? Sean and Elizabeth are joined by personal finance writer Kate Ashford to answer a question from a listener whose routine doctor visit ballooned from a $30 quote to nearly $500 out of pocket. They dig into the triple tax advantages of HSAs, the math behind comparing high-deductible and traditional coverage, why the first year on an HDHP can feel especially brutal, and what to do when medical expenses outpace your savings.

Want us to review your budget? Fill out this form — completely anonymously if you want — and we might feature your budget in a future segment! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScK53yAufsc4v5UpghhVfxtk2MoyooHzlSIRBnRxUPl3hKBig/viewform?usp=header

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 what 2026 grads could borrow for college and how solo 401(k) contributions can build retirement wealth.

How much could it cost to go to college in 2026, and is a four-year degree still a smart financial move? Hosts Sean Pyles, CFP®, and Elizabeth Ayoola dig into a new NerdWallet analysis of federal data with senior news writer Anna Helhoski and NerdWallet data writer Erin El Issa. They explore why most Americans say the federal student loan system feels broken even as they still see college as worthwhile, the rising appeal of the trades, how AI is shifting the way teens think about majors and careers, and what new borrowers could expect from the federal repayment options rolling out July 1.

Then, Ryan Sterling, wealth advisor at NerdWallet Wealth Partners, joins Sean and Elizabeth to help answer a listener's question about how to split solo 401(k) contributions between the employer and employee sides of the account to maximize retirement savings. They discuss how solo 401(k)s differ from standard workplace plans, how to think about the contribution split if you also have a W-2 job, when traditional versus Roth contributions could make more sense, how solo 401(k)s stack up against SEP IRAs, the investment flexibility you could gain through a brokerage-based plan, and the common mistakes business owners make when trying to maximize retirement savings.

NerdWallet Wealth Partners, LLC is an affiliate of NerdWallet Inc. NerdWallet Wealth Partners is a fiduciary online financial advisor, offering low-cost, comprehensive financial advice and investment management. Learn more at nerdwalletwealthpartners.com/smart 

Read NerdWallet's 2026 high school grad analysis here: https://www.nerdwallet.com/student-loans/studies/high-school-grad-analysis 

Want us to review your budget? Fill out this form — completely anonymously if you want — and we might feature your budget in a future segment! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScK53yAufsc4v5UpghhVfxtk2MoyooHzlSIRBnRxUPl3hKBig/viewform?usp=header

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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Personal finance influencer Mrs. Dow Jones breaks down what it really takes to build wealth. Then, learn how to combine finances with your partner.

What would you do differently today to make yourself wealthy in the future? Haley Sacks, the personal finance influencer known as Mrs. Dow Jones and author of the new book, Future Rich Person, joins hosts Sean Pyles, CFP®, and Elizabeth Ayoola to discuss the new rules for building wealth. They dig into the mindset shifts required before you can truly reach your financial goals, why quiet quitting won’t get you to the wealth you want, how to break free from the sunk cost fallacy when a job is underpaying you, and what it really means to spend less but better.

Then, Sean and Elizabeth answer a listener’s question from a Spotify comment about combining finances with a partner before getting married. They dive into how to vet financial advisors and what practical financial steps every couple should take before and after saying “I do.”

Inspired to navigate your finances with an advisor? Use NerdWallet Advisors Match to find vetted professionals today at https://www.nerdwalletadvisors.com/match 

Want us to review your budget? Fill out this form — completely anonymously if you want — and we might feature your budget in a future segment! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScK53yAufsc4v5UpghhVfxtk2MoyooHzlSIRBnRxUPl3hKBig/viewform?usp=header

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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Is spring still the right time to buy a home, and does carrying a mortgage forever actually make more financial sense?

Before entering into the “forever mortgage” debate, hosts Sean Pyles, CFP®, and Elizabeth Ayoola are joined by senior news writer Anna Helhoski and mortgage writers Abby Badach Doyle and Kate Wood to examine why 2026's spring housing market is falling short of expectations. They explain what declining home sales data and 30-year mortgage rates hovering above 6% reveal about buyer and seller hesitation, how economic uncertainty is driving different outcomes across local markets around the country, and whether the timing is right to make a move.

Then, Sean, Elizabeth, and Kate unpack the question of whether carrying a mortgage into retirement could actually be a smarter wealth-building strategy than paying it off early. They break down what the life cycle hypothesis says about holding debt in retirement, what happens to the math when you weigh opportunity cost and market returns against mortgage payoff, and what personal and financial blind spots could make or break the strategy for you.

Check out our Mortgage Amortization Calculator: https://www.nerdwallet.com/mortgages/calculators/amortization 

Check out our Mortgage Calculator: https://www.nerdwallet.com/mortgages/calculators/how-much-can-i-borrow 

Inspired to navigate your finances with an advisor? Use NerdWallet Advisors Match to find vetted professionals today at https://www.nerdwalletadvisors.com/match

Want us to review your budget? Fill out this form — completely anonymously if you want — and we might feature your budget in a future segment! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScK53yAufsc4v5UpghhVfxtk2MoyooHzlSIRBnRxUPl3hKBig/viewform?usp=header

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 when pet insurance is worth the cost and how APR and APY affect your loans and savings accounts.

Is pet insurance worth the monthly premium, or is a high-yield savings account the smarter play? Host Elizabeth Ayoola moderates an in-studio debate on whether pet insurance is a sound financial product or mostly an emotional purchase. Smart Money host Sean Pyles, CFP®, and NerdWallet social media content creator Taylor Mitchell weigh in on reimbursement models, breed-specific exclusions, pre-existing conditions, and how to think through a vet bill that could outpace your emergency fund.

Then, Sean and Elizabeth break down annual percentage rate and annual percentage yield, covering fixed versus variable rates, how compound interest builds over time, why the Schumer box matters when you shop for a credit card, and what a 1% swing on a mortgage APR can mean over 30 years.

Free resources from NerdWallet:

Credit Card Interest Calculator https://www.nerdwallet.com/credit-cards/learn/credit-card-interest-calculator 

Compound Interest Calculator https://www.nerdwallet.com/banking/calculators/compound-interest-calculator 

Mortgage Calculator with PMI and Taxes https://www.nerdwallet.com/mortgages/calculators/mortgage-calculator 

What Is APY? Annual Percentage Yield Definition and How It's Calculated https://www.nerdwallet.com/banking/learn/what-is-apy 

Want us to review your budget? Fill out this form — completely anonymously if you want — and we might feature your budget in a future segment! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScK53yAufsc4v5UpghhVfxtk2MoyooHzlSIRBnRxUPl3hKBig/viewform?usp=header

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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Can the post office survive its cash crisis, and is a debt relief program actually making your debt situation worse?

What does the USPS financial crisis mean for your everyday life? Senior news writer Anna Helhoski talks to Elena Patel, co-Director of the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center, to unpack how the post office ended up at a critical financial juncture — and what service cuts, price hikes, and ripple effects across the broader economy could mean for your wallet.

Is a debt settlement program actually worth the risk? Sean Pyles, CFP®, and Elizabeth Ayoola, joining each other live in-studio, tackle listener Edith’s question about National Debt Relief. They examine the real success rates of debt settlement programs, why stopping credit card payments can expose you to lawsuits and credit score damage, and what other debt payoff options exist for people carrying significant credit card balances.

Read our roundup of best Debt Settlement Companies: ⁠https://www.nerdwallet.com/personal-loans/learn/best-debt-settlement-companies⁠ 

Learn more about National Debt Relief:

⁠https://www.nationaldebtrelief.com/⁠ 

2025 Household Credit Card Debt Study: 49% Say Card Debt is Normal https://www.nerdwallet.com/credit-cards/studies/household-debt-study 

Want us to review your budget? Fill out this form — completely anonymously if you want — and we might feature your budget in a future segment! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScK53yAufsc4v5UpghhVfxtk2MoyooHzlSIRBnRxUPl3hKBig/viewform?usp=header

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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Find out how AI tools can help navigate the home buying process and where human expertise still matters most.

Can AI help you buy a house with reliable information? What would you do if you had only ten years to live, received a $100,000 windfall, or lost your job with just one month of emergency savings? Sean Pyles, CFP®, and Elizabeth Ayoola sit down with a NerdWallet colleague to unpack his journey using AI to buy a home. But first, they take turns putting each other through a series of hypothetical — and sometimes grim — financial scenarios, revealing how they'd really handle everything from lending money to a struggling family member to deciding between a millionaire's Camry and a thousandaire's Mercedes.

Then, NerdWallet’s podcast strategist Cody Gough joins Sean and Elizabeth in-studio to share his experience using Claude AI to help him make homebuying decisions. He shares how he used AI to figure out his financing options, find and evaluate agents, work through mortgage applications, and even assess whether specific neighborhoods were the right fit for his family. NerdWallet mortgage writer Kate Wood joins virtually to offer an expert reality check on Cody's experience — weighing in on his financing choices, what the AI got right and wrong about contingent offers in a competitive market, and where tools like NerdWallet's calculators and articles would have served him better than an AI chatbot. 

2026 Home Buyer Report – 48% of Prospective Buyers Will Use AI: https://www.nerdwallet.com/mortgages/studies/home-buyer-report 

Compare Today’s Mortgage Rates: https://www.nerdwallet.com/mortgages/mortgage-rates 

See how far your homebuying budget could take you with NerdWallet’s free home affordability calculator: https://www.nerdwallet.com/mortgages/calculators/how-much-house-can-i-afford 

Want us to review your budget? Fill out this form — completely anonymously if you want — and we might feature your budget in a future segment! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScK53yAufsc4v5UpghhVfxtk2MoyooHzlSIRBnRxUPl3hKBig/viewform?usp=header

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 what rising oil prices mean for your investments and how to make savings work on a high income with heavy debt.

How worried should you be about oil market swings? With global energy prices reacting to geopolitical conflict, senior news writer Anna Helhoski joins hosts Sean Pyles, CFP®, and Elizabeth Ayoola to speak with NerdWallet investing writer Sam Taub about what rising crude oil means for your investments, which portfolio sectors are holding steady, and whether the current calm around a fragile ceasefire is masking deeper volatility ahead.

Then, what do you do when a hard-earned PhD and a $168,000 salary still leave you feeling behind? A listener named Melise shares how decades of living paycheck to paycheck, with $127,000 in debt across eight payment plans, and a late-in-life neurodivergent diagnosis are making financial progress feel impossible — even with her highest income ever. Sean and Elizabeth break down how to navigate scarcity trauma, impulse spending, quarterly tax obligations, and building an emergency fund when you're stretched thin.

Learn how underpayment penalties work: https://www.nerdwallet.com/taxes/learn/underpayment-penalty-what-it-is-how-to-avoid-it

Learn how to set up an IRS payment plan: https://www.irs.gov/payments/online-payment-agreement-application

Learn about the IRS failure-to-file penalty: https://www.irs.gov/payments/failure-to-file-penalty

Learn how estimated taxes work: https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/estimated-taxes 

Want us to review your budget? Fill out this form — completely anonymously if you want — and we might feature your budget in a future segment! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScK53yAufsc4v5UpghhVfxtk2MoyooHzlSIRBnRxUPl3hKBig/viewform?usp=header

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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We discuss real Reddit posts that reveal how people actually think about wealth, financial breakups, frugal habits, idle cash, and 529 overfunding.

What does it mean to be “rich” in 2026? What can you learn about personal finance from scrolling Reddit? Sean Pyles, CFP®, and Elizabeth Ayoola delve into Reddit’s most relatable money posts to explain what Reddit gets right and where the commenters lead each other astray. But first, they kick things off by sharing their own financial confessions, with Elizabeth reflecting on the true cost of a private school decision she second-guessed, and Sean opening up about a years-long pattern of financial avoidance in his early 20s that finally caught up with him at tax time. 

Then the Nerds turn to Reddit, reacting to actual posts from the personal finance and HENRY subreddits. Are you “rich” when you hit an income level, a net worth milestone, or something more personal? When a soon-to-be ex-fiancé secretly builds $50,000 in debt while planning to liquidate his 401(k) for an OnlyFans creator, how do you legally protect your home? Plus: a 27-year-old teacher with $70,000 in cash and zero investments, a parent questioning whether $500,000 in a 529 is overkill, and high earners asking which frugal habits are worth finally dropping.

Want us to review your budget? Fill out this form — completely anonymously if you want — and we might feature your budget in a future segment! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScK53yAufsc4v5UpghhVfxtk2MoyooHzlSIRBnRxUPl3hKBig/viewform?usp=header

Reddit threads referenced in this episode:

What is 'Rich' to you? When will you graduate from this sub? https://www.reddit.com/r/HENRYfinance/comments/1qoftu1/what_is_rich_to_you_when_will_you_graduate_from/ 

Protecting myself from my soon to be ex-fiancée https://www.reddit.com/r/personalfinance/comments/1rf5wpx/protecting_myself_from_my_soon_to_be_exfianc%C3%A9e/ 

What are frugal habits you are looking to break and/or have broken for the better? https://www.reddit.com/r/HENRYfinance/comments/1rbt1hp/what_are_frugal_habits_you_are_looking_to_break/ 

My girlfriend (27) has $70k sitting in cash and no investments, what would you do? https://www.reddit.com/r/personalfinance/comments/1rx7hv0/my_girlfriend_27_has_70k_sitting_in_cash_and_no/ 

Is $500k in 529 too much or right amount? https://www.reddit.com/r/HENRYfinance/comments/1rb9anm/is_500k_in_529_too_much_or_right_amount/ 

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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