This Is Uncomfortable

When Ibby Hanlon started experiencing mysterious and debilitating pain, she put her faith in the medical system to find a solution. After a series of unexpected events forever changed her body — and her finances — her trust in the system shattered. This week, we dissect trust between doctors and patients.“This Is Uncomfortable” is Reema Khrais, Donna Tam, Megan Detrie, Peter Balonon-Rosen, Camila Kerwin, Phoebe Unterman, Marque Greene and Serena Chow.

The more Morgan Curtis learned about the source of her family’s multi-generation wealth — from gold mining, to fossil fuel investment, to slave ownership — the less she wanted anything to do with it. When she started to give away half a million dollars to social justice organizations in her late twenties, her dad told her he may write her out of her future inheritance. In this episode, we hear from them both.For even more Uncomfortable, subscribe to our newsletter! Each Friday you’ll get a note from Reema, a story from a listener and some recs from the Uncomfortable team. It’s all exclusively for our email list, so don’t wait! In case you missed it, here’s the latest issue.

“This Is Uncomfortable” is a podcast about our money and our feelings. And a lot of the money stuff we have the most feelings about we also like to keep secret. In season five, the secret’s out. We’re revealing family secrets, learning about the true cost of divorce, investigating mysterious piles cash and so much more.We’ll have new episodes every Thursday starting this week, on Oct. 14. Listen to the trailer above or wherever you get podcasts. To get even more Uncomfortable, check out our newsletter! Each Friday morning we’ll bring you a note from Reema, new stories from listeners, tough money questions and all the TV, podcasts and TikToks our team is into. Here’s the latest issue.

How do you bounce back from getting scammed? Become a scammer yourself, obviously. The inside story of a young man’s transformation into an online scammer — and the lengths he goes to for money when no one is looking.To keep up with us in the off-season, subscribe to our newsletter! Each Friday you’ll get a note from Reema, a story from a listener and some recs from the Uncomfortable team. You’ll also be the first to hear about our new season. It’s all exclusively for our email list, so don’t wait! In case you missed it, here’s the latest issue.

A man discovers a loophole to avoid paying $200,000 worth of debt. Various instances of exploiting loopholes are discussed, including getting free internet and cheaper drinks. The story of a young man's rise and fall in the wireless industry. Personal experiences of financial struggles and desperation. The exploration of questioning the system and a radical solution to debt. A couple's journey of using loopholes to escape their challenges and the ethical complexities of manipulating systems for personal gain.

Many of us feel pressure to hit life milestones by a certain age. But what if that prepackaged timeline — finishing school, achieving financial stability, getting married, having children — just doesn’t work for you? Ana Sauceda always struggled at school, but her parents put a high value on a college education. She spent a decade trying to fit her parent’s script before throwing it out and writing her own.For more Uncomfortable, subscribe to our newsletter! Each Friday you’ll get a note from Reema, a story from a listener and some recs from the team. Subscribe and read the latest issue at Marketplace.org/comfort“This Is Uncomfortable” is Reema Khrais, Megan Detrie, Hayley Hershman, Peter Balonon-Rosen, Camila Kerwin and Serena Chow.

We live in a world that rewards us for producing, and producing, and producing. But why is it that no matter how much we do, it never feels like enough? This week, we’re going to look at our obsession with productivity — the exhausting effort to be completely optimized in work and outside of it.Plus: Do you have a money secret? The last episode of our season is about them, and funny or serious, we want to hear about it! Give us a call at 347-RING-TIU (347-746-4848).

Mira Celper had always wanted to be best friends with her mom, but their relationship grew strained once her mom started dating the mysterious David, a successful engineer. As her mom fell deeper in love, Mira couldn’t shake the feeling that something about David was off. So she set out to find the truth.Power this podcast! Give any amount today to help us reach our fundraising goal: marketplace.org/giveTIU“This Is Uncomfortable” is Reema Khrais, Megan Detrie, Hayley Hershman, Peter Balonon-Rosen, Camila Kerwin and Marque Greene.

Growing up, Aisha Salaudeen always considered herself middle-class. But when she turned 13, her parents sent her to boarding school in Lagos, Nigeria, where her classmates talked about the designer shoes they bought in France, the mansions they lived in and the international vacations they had been on. This week, we take a deep dive into Aisha’s past to understand why she can’t seem to kick her financial anxiety.For even more “This Is Uncomfortable,” subscribe to our newsletter. It’s exclusively for our email list, so don’t wait! In case you missed it, here’s the latest issue.And cheers to making it through this year! Donate today to get our new mason jar mug and stock market-inspired drink recipes: marketplace.org/giveTIU“This Is Uncomfortable” is Reema Khrais, Megan Detrie, Hayley Hershman, Peter Balonon-Rosen, Camila Kerwin and Marque Greene.

Growing up in Ohio, Diana Wang dreamed of working for a fashion magazine. So when she was offered the position of head intern at Harper’s Bazaar, she thought she’d finally landed her big break. But she didn’t realize her unpaid labor would come with such long hours, tons of responsibility and barely any training. That’s when she knew something had to be done and helped lead the charge of an intern revolt.Donations from listeners power this podcast. Every dollar you give goes directly into helping us tell more stories. Please, give what you can today: marketplace.org/giveTIU“This Is Uncomfortable” is Reema Khrais, Megan Detrie, Hayley Hershman, Peter Balonon-Rosen, Camila Kerwin and Marque Greene.