NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast
NerdWallet Personal Finance
NerdWallet’s trusted finance journalists answer real-world money questions to help you make smarter financial decisions with confidence.Each episode dives deep into topics like budgeting, saving, investing, home buying, and credit cards, cutting through misinformation to bring you clear, actionable advice backed by thorough research.By the end of every episode, you’ll have the latest financial insights and the tools you’ll need to manage your money wisely, build wealth, and plan for life’s milestones. And if you have questions for the Nerds, you can leave them a voicemail at 901-730-6373.Join hosts Sean Pyles, CFP®, Elizabeth Ayoola, and other expert Nerds as they answer your biggest money questions and share strategies to help you build wealth and reach your financial goals, including:– Investing: Advanced investment strategies, integrating ETFs and mutual funds into a diversified portfolio, tax-efficient retirement planning, understanding Roth IRA conversions, and navigating robo-advisors.– Credit Cards: Top credit cards for travel rewards and luxury perks, balance transfer strategies, maximizing credit card points, and optimizing credit card usage to boost your credit score.– Personal Finance: Advanced budgeting tips, building generational wealth, creating effective savings plans, managing high-income expenses, and developing a strong money growth mindset.– Home: Smart strategies for homebuying in competitive markets, leveraging home equity loans and HELOCs, refinancing for long-term savings, first-time homebuying tips, and budgeting for major home improvements.If you’re searching for the best personal finance podcasts or want practical knowledge to make smarter money decisions, then follow NerdWallet’s Smart Money Podcast.You’ll love NerdWallet’s Smart Money Podcast if you like podcasts like: Planet Money, The Personal Finance Podcast, DIY Money, Afford Anything, How to Money, The Ramsey Show, Money Rehab with Nicole Lapin, NPR’s Life Kit: Money, Popcorn Finance, Money Girl,Money Guy Show, Everyone’s Talkin’ Money, So Money with Farnoosh Tarabi, The Money with Katie Show, All the Hacks with Chris Hutchins, The Stacking Benjamins Show, MoneyWatch with Jill Schlesinger, or Your Money, Your Wealth.NerdWallet Compare, Inc. NMLS ID# 1617539 NMLS Consumer Access: http://www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org/
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jan 5, 2023 • 20min
Your Money in 2023: Use Your Values to Set Your Goals
Setting money goals in the new year is a time-honored tradition. But ditching them after a month (or a week) is all too common. This year, use your values to guide your financial ambitions. In this episode, Sean Pyles and Liz Weston discuss how you can set goals you’ll actually keep in 2023 — and what to do if you still need ideas for your money this year. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email podcast@nerdwallet.com.Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 2, 2023 • 25min
Student Loans and the Cancellation Debate, Part 1
Student loans are a tool, as well as a dreaded financial reality, for most Americans who attend college.In this two-part Nerdy Deep Dive into student loans, Sean and student loans Nerd Anna Helhoski explore how taking on huge amounts of student debt has become the norm in America. They also discuss what’s shifting now in today’s student debt conversation. In Part 1, we trace the origins of student loan debt and how college got so expensive.To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email podcast@nerdwallet.com.Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dec 26, 2022 • 23min
Single-Income Couples, and When to Use Your HSA and FSA
Going from a two-income household to a one-income household is not solely a financial challenge. But this change also creates opportunities to strengthen your relationship and set clear expectations. To start off this episode, Sean and Liz discuss how to manage finances in a one-income household.Then Sean and Liz answer a listener’s money question about using HSAs and FSAs. Both can cover health care expenses, but only one can be used as an investment vehicle. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email podcast@nerdwallet.com.Timestamps:This Week in Your Money segment: 0:00 - 10:45 Money Question segment: 10:46 - 21:17 Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dec 19, 2022 • 27min
What We Learned About Our Money in 2022
A lot can happen to your finances in a year. Raises, curveball expenses, luxurious vacations. Each step along your money journey in 2022 has its own lesson. And in this episode, Sean Pyles and Liz Weston look back at the year that was and celebrate what our listeners did with their money during the year — and what they’re most excited about in 2023. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email podcast@nerdwallet.com.Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dec 12, 2022 • 32min
Rising Interest Rates, and Budgeting With Apps
The Fed is poised to raise interest rates — again. To kick off this episode, Sean Pyles and Liz Weston talk about who’s actually hurt when the Fed raises rates and what you can do about it.Then they answer a listener’s question about which budgeting apps are the best and whether you might want to use multiple budgeting apps to track your money. Also, next year, the Smart Money team wants to talk with you, on the podcast, to answer your money questions. We’ll be able to explore what’s really driving your money questions, provide even Nerdier information and help you make even smarter decisions with your money. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email podcast@nerdwallet.com.Timestamps:This Week in Your Money segment: 0:00 - 8:59 Money Question segment: 9:00 - 30:33 Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dec 9, 2022 • 30min
How to Find the Humor in Money Management With Joe Saul-Sehy
Talking about money doesn’t have to be boring. In this episode of our Nerdy Book Club series, NerdWallet writer Kimberly Palmer talks with former financial advisor Joe Saul-Sehy, co-author of “Stacked: Your Super-Serious Guide to Modern Money Management” and co-host of “The Stacking Benjamins Show” podcast, about setting money goals, recovering from big financial mistakes and how to have a good time while figuring out your finances. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email podcast@nerdwallet.com.Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dec 7, 2022 • 15min
Money News: What the Jobs Report and Recent Layoffs Mean for You
The job market is strong — but thousands of workers have been laid off in recent months. So, what’s happening? And what does this mean for the labor market in 2023?In this episode, Sean Pyles and Anna Helhoski talk about the latest jobs report with NerdWallet data writer Liz Renter, including why the job market is so weird right now and what it means for you. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email podcast@nerdwallet.com.Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dec 5, 2022 • 30min
The End of Credit Card Rewards, and When to Cancel Luxury Credit Cards
Credit card rewards programs might be on the chopping block in Congress. To start off this episode, Sean Pyles and Liz Weston talk with a credit card Nerd about what’s happening and what it might mean for your credit card rewards.Then Sean is joined by personal finance Nerd Kim Palmer to answer a listener’s question about when to cancel a luxury credit card.To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email podcast@nerdwallet.com.Timestamps:This Week in Your Money segment: 0:00 - 11:29 Money Question segment: 11:30 - 28:08 Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nov 28, 2022 • 29min
Questioning the 50/30/20 Budget and Company Stock
The 50/30/20 budget is a simple way to organize your finances. But as rent prices soar and inflation impacts everything from gas to groceries, does this budget still make sense? To start this episode, Sean and Liz discuss the merits — and limits — of the 50/30/20 budget.Then they answer a few listeners’ questions about navigating company stock.To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email podcast@nerdwallet.com.Also, for a special end-of-year episode, we want to hear your financial rose, thorn and bud of 2022 — aka the best and worst thing that happened with your money this year, and what you’re most excited for in the new year. Leave us a message on the Nerd hotline, or email podcast@nerdwallet.com. Timestamps:This Week in Your Money segment: 0:00 - 8:28Money Question segment: 8:29 - 27:14 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nov 21, 2022 • 32min
Crypto Crash, and Growing Money Fast
Shockwaves rippled through the crypto world with the collapse of the crypto exchange FTX. To start off this episode, Sean Pyles and Liz Weston discuss what happened — and what it might mean for your finances.Then Sean talks with personal finance Nerds Kim Palmer and Kate Wood about how to grow your money quickly ahead of home improvement projects. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email podcast@nerdwallet.com.Also, for a special end-of-year episode, we want to hear your financial rose, thorn and bud of 2022 — aka the best and worst thing that happened with your money this year, and what you’re most excited for in the new year. Leave us a message on the Nerd hotline, or email podcast@nerdwallet.com. Timestamps:This Week in Your Money segment: 0:00 - 8:17 Money Question segment: 8:18 - 30:50 Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
