

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

Mar 13, 2023 • 33min
How COVID Changed Our Finances — and Our Advice
The COVID-19 pandemic upended the world — and our finances. The tumult created a lot of opportunity and angst in its wake. In this episode, Sean hosts a roundtable discussion about how COVID-19 changed the way we manage and talk about money.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

Mar 10, 2023 • 21min
‘This or That’: Booking With Points vs. Cash
You’ve got a trip coming up. Should you use cash or points to book your travel and lodging? In this episode, Sean Pyles talks with travel writer Meghan Coyle about when you might want to use cash — and when points are your best bet.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

Mar 6, 2023 • 39min
How to Leverage Inflation for Your Benefit
Inflation is affecting a lot more than the price of groceries. It’s also presenting financial opportunities — if you know where to look. In this episode, we share a discussion about how you can leverage inflation for your benefit while minimizing its negative effects on 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

Mar 3, 2023 • 13min
Money News: The Supreme Court Debates Student Debt Cancellation
The Supreme Court is getting closer to dashing or fulfilling folks’ dreams of student debt cancellation. This week, the justices heard arguments that will determine the fate of some 40 million student loan borrowers.In this Money News episode of the podcast, Sean Pyles and Anna Helhoski talk about what happened, which way the court might be leaning 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

Mar 1, 2023 • 21min
‘This or That’: Airbnb vs. Hotel
Airbnb used to be a go-to option for fun, one-of-a-kind lodging. Then the cleaning fees started stacking up. Are Airbnbs worth it anymore, or are hotels the better route to go? In this episode, host Sean Pyles talks with travel Nerd Sam Kemmis about how to decide between an Airbnb and a hotel.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

Feb 27, 2023 • 38min
The Tax Episode 2023
This podcast covers various topics related to taxes, including DIY taxes, IRS Free File program, audit protection, tax loss harvesting, taxation of dividends, and filing taxes for the first time. It provides valuable insights, highlights common mistakes, and emphasizes the importance of seeking assistance from professionals when needed.

4 snips
Feb 23, 2023 • 29min
When Your Family Steals Your Identity
Being the victim of identity theft can be traumatic, especially when your own mother is the perpetrator.In this episode, personal finance Nerd Kimberly Palmer talks with Axton Betz-Hamilton, author of “The Less People Know About Us: A Mystery of Betrayal, Family Secrets, and Stolen Identity.” Betz-Hamilton talks about her experience being the victim of familial identity theft and shares tips on how to protect your identity — and how to recover if you are a victim. 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

Feb 20, 2023 • 38min
Money Hot Takes, and Too Many Credit Cards
It’s time for some money hot takes. To start off this episode, Sean and Liz share their (maybe unpopular) opinions about personal finance topics. Sean goes off about why buy now, pay later loans aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. And Liz shares her thoughts on how the credit bureaus can fix the way they handle your data. Then they answer a listener’s money question about when you might have too many credit cards — and what to do about it if you do. Also, we want to hear how your life — and your money — changed since the COVID pandemic began three years ago. Whether you bought a house, had a life changing epiphany or your life is more or less the same, share your story with us for an episode we're working on. Leave a voicemail or text 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

Feb 16, 2023 • 28min
‘The Color of Wealth’: Investing for Your Family's Future
There are many ways for Black women and mothers to invest to build wealth for their families. Choosing the one that fits best can be a challenge, especially when you have competing priorities. In this episode, we explore different methods to invest, including various retirement accounts and 529 college savings accounts, and how to decide whether to save for yourself or your children when money is tight.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

Feb 13, 2023 • 34min
When to Merge Finances — or Not
At a certain point in your relationship, merging your finances can feel like a natural step … or not.To start this episode, hosts Sean Pyles and Sara Rathner talk about why combining your finances with a partner isn’t always a great idea. Then Sean is joined by Nerds Liz Weston and Kim Palmer to answer a listener's question about how to manage multiple credit card accounts when merging finances.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 - 16:14Money Question segment: 16:15- - 32:51Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices