HerMoney with Jean Chatzky

Financial success doesn’t come overnight, but it can come if we learn to retrain our brains to achieve our most important money goals. We chat with Barbara Huson, author of “Rewire For Wealth,” about how we can step into the driver’s seat of our money and our careers. Barbara discusses the differences between men and women in how we approach our financial lives, and how we can move past our fears. In Mailbag, we talk about saving for retirement, putting kids through college, and claiming your ex-husband’s Social Security benefits. In Thrive, Jean weighs in on the most essential skills you’re building while working from home. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When’s the last time you got a bargain? This week, we’re talking about negotiating BIG purchases, like houses and cars, with Tonya Rapley, founder and CEO of MyFabFinance.com. Tonya worked as a car salesperson, and just purchased her first home along with her first company. We talk negotiation skills, dealer discounts, no-haggle lots, and the best times of the month (and day!) to pull the trigger on a new ride. In Mailbag, we talk about target date funds, buying a home after living small, and whether it’s possible to hit a $1M savings goal. In Thrive, what to do if your company is reopening, but you’re just not comfortable going back into the office. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

So many of us are struggling right now, and we're tackling listener questions on job loss. We hear from a listener who is unsure which source of income to tap if her job search takes longer than she'd like. We also hear from a woman who is debating a balance transfer and a 401(k) loan in order to manage her credit card debt situation. We also guide a couple debating taking money from their 401(k)s in order to pay off their house, and we advise a woman who is worried about being able to retire as planned. If you've suffered a job loss, the whole HerMoney team is rooting for you. Got a question for us? Email us at mailbag@hermoney.com.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ree Drummond, best known as “The Pioneer Woman,” is one of the most loved chefs in America, and this week she sits down with us to talk about her favorite recipes, cooking for any budget, kitchen mishaps, her most-used gadgets, and how she stays organized. In Mailbag, saving for retirement in an IRA, market volatility, and the best places to save money. In Thrive, our biggest money regrets and how to avoid them.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’ve entered into a new era of workplace communication, one in which we must offer empathy and transparency, and convey urgency and excitement, all without handshakes, lunches, or happy hours. Behavioral scientist Lindsay Kohler breaks down how to keep your productivity up, improve your communication skills, set boundaries, and challenge your own biases while working remotely. In Mailbag, we tackle refinancing a child’s student loan, a backdoor Roth conversion, IRA contributions, and whether $10,000 is best put towards paying off loans or investing in the stock market. Lastly, in Thrive, how Neflix can improve your credit score. (No, really!) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When invested the right way, your money can impact change while also earning big returns. We break down what it means to put your money where your mouth is, with Fidelity Investments’ Eliza Badeau and Nicole Connolly. Bigger ESG funds are up 10% year over year, far outperforming the DOW and the S&P 500. Eliza and Nicole dive into how we can get involved today. Eliza breaks down how Fidelity is addressing the inequalities that different underrepresented communities face, and how the social changes that we’re going through as a nation are impacting the investing landscape, particularly for Millennial investors. In Mailbag, we tackle questions on investing vs. paying down a mortgage, transferring a 529 plan to a different state, doing a ROTH IRA conversion, and getting a prenup. In Thrive, how to do a mid-year financial check-up.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What role does luck play in life? How does luck relate to fate, and how does all of this tie back into what we can and can’t control? We’re discussing it all this week with Maria Konnikova, author of “The Biggest Bluff.” She talks about what good investors have in common, and the truth behind the “illusion of control.”  We discuss emotions, and why they’re so critical to our decision-making process, and we get a crash course on how to bluff — and how to know when we’re being bluffed. In Mailbag, we talk aging parents, target date funds, and caring for a significant other financially. In Thrive, should you take a gap year if your college is closed this fall?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we dive into all your questions on investing in an IRA vs. a money market fund, what to do with your stocks during times of market volatility, and whether you can open a 529 for a child who hasn’t yet been born. We also tackle a question on planning for the financial needs of an autistic older brother, and a question on balancing retirement contributions amidst mortgage refinancing and HELOCs. Got a question for us? Email us at mailbag@hermoney.com.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When’s the last time you took a trip somewhere other than your local grocery store? And what are we supposed to do with all those credit card miles and points we’ve been accruing? We discuss with The Points Guy himself, Brian Kelly. He tells us how to get the safest flight possible for the best price, how to decide if you need a new kind of credit card, and what to do with our points right now. In Mailbag, Jean and Kathryn talk through credit freezes for 5-year-olds, how to allocate retirement investments, and UTMA/UGMA accounts for kids. In Thrive, car insurance companies offering refunds.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Women of color are behind white women in almost every financial and career measurement. Today, we take a look at action steps that white women can take to be allies and advocates, and begin to truly make an impact. Administrative Judge Karen Ortiz and CEO of communications firm CJC Insights, Chanel Cathey, join us to talk about what it’s like to be the only woman of color in the room, and the biases and stereotypes that we all need to watch out for in our daily lives. In Mailbag, we talk about financially supporting our parents and paying down credit card debt with personal loans. In Thrive, the essential items that every woman should build into her budget.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices