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
May 14, 2023 • 29min
Why Moms Face a Pay Penalty — and What to Do About It
Becoming a mother can transform your life: providing a new sense of purpose, expanding your family and, potentially, limiting your earning power. In this episode, Sean and NerdWallet writer Amanda Barroso dig into the motherhood pay gap, including what it is, where it comes from and how to fix it.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
May 12, 2023 • 35min
The Cost of Climate Change: How to Protect Your Home From Disaster
If a natural disaster struck your home — whether you own or rent — would you be covered? Many consumers aren’t as protected as they might think. In this episode of our nerdy deep dive into how climate change affects your money, Sean and NerdWallet insurance editor Caitlin Constantine talk about how to really protect yourself when a big storm hits where you live.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
May 10, 2023 • 24min
How to (Really) Save on Groceries
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 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
May 8, 2023 • 35min
The Future of College Debt, and Rent vs. Buy (With a Dog)
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 podcast@nerdwallet.com.Timestamps:This Week in Your Money segment: 0:00 - 9:43Money Question segment: 9:44 - 33:03 Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 4, 2023 • 37min
The Cost of Climate Change: The Big Picture
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 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
May 1, 2023 • 33min
Your Social Security Benefits, and Tax Efficient Retirement Investing
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 podcast@nerdwallet.com. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 28, 2023 • 35min
Money and Happiness: Building (and Buying) Your Happiness
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 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
Apr 26, 2023 • 11min
Money News: What’s the Deal With ‘Junk Fees’?
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 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
Apr 24, 2023 • 29min
Neurodiverse Money, and Financial Infidelity
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 podcast@nerdwallet.com.Timestamps:This Week in Your Money segment: 0:00 - 7:31 Money Question segment: 7:32 - 27:02Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 20, 2023 • 28min
Money and Happiness: Happiness for a Bargain
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 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
