

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

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

Nov 14, 2022 • 39min
Outsmart Scammers, and Waiting to Save for Retirement
Scammers alleging to help you cancel your student debt are coming for you — whether you actually have student debt or not. To kick off this episode, Sean Pyles and Liz Weston walk you through how to outsmart these fraudsters. Then Sean and Liz are joined by their regular co-host, Sara Rathner, to talk about how you can save for retirement when your employer makes you wait to access its retirement plan.To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email podcast@nerdwallet.com.Also, we’re working on a special end-of-year episode — and we need your help. We want to hear your financial rose, thorn and bud of 2022. What does that mean? Share the best thing that happened to you this year, a struggle you encountered, and what you’re most looking forward to in the new year. Timestamps:This Week in Your Money segment: 0:00 - 12:21 Money Question segment: 12:22 - 37:01 Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nov 7, 2022 • 25min
When Your Bank Stiffs You, and Co-Signing Risks
Is your bank holding out on you? If you haven’t checked on your savings accounts lately, you should — or risk losing out on money you could be earning. In this episode, hosts Liz Weston and Sean Pyles talk about how Liz discovered her supposedly high-yield savings account was anything but.Then Sean is joined by personal finance Nerds Kim Palmer and Sara Rathner to discuss whether you should put your credit on the line to help a loved one by co-signing. 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 - 6:08 Money Question segment: 6:09 - 23:47 Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 31, 2022 • 29min
Financial Fears, and Do You Need Life Insurance?
Fear can control your life — if you let it. And when it comes to financial fears, what haunts you can mean the difference between a life of prosperity and one of anxiety. To start off this episode, Sean Pyles and Liz Weston talk about their financial fears — and how you can overcome your own. Then they answer a listener’s money question about whether they should get life insurance, even if they don’t have children.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 - 10:42 Money Question segment: 10:43 - 27:18 Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 27, 2022 • 24min
How the Nerds Do It: How a Student Loans Nerd Paid Off Her Debt
Paying off student debt isn’t easy — even for a Nerd who writes about it.In this episode of our “How the Nerds Do It” series, student loans Nerd Anna Helhoski talks about how she paid off her debt, the challenges she faced along the way and how you can find the fastest and most affordable way to resolve your student loans. 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

Oct 24, 2022 • 36min
Black Friday Is Canceled, and How to Get Holiday Travel Deals
Black Friday isn’t the shopping extravaganza it once was. With rolling deals from major retailers, you might be able to get the best price for items on your list weeks — or months — before Nov. 25 rolls around. To kick off this episode, Sean Pyles and Anna Helhoski talk with personal finance Nerd Amanda Barroso about how to approach holiday shopping this year.Then Sean hosts a roundtable discussion with the Travel Nerds about how you can find the best prices when traveling over the holidays, including whether it’s better to drive or fly and how to combat credit card point inflation.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 - 12:28 Holiday Travel Roundtable: 12:29 - 34:52 Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 21, 2022 • 24min
How the Nerds Do It: How a Mortgage Nerd Bought a House
Buying a house takes grit, know-how — and, frankly, a good amount of cash.In this episode of our “How the Nerds Do It” series, mortgage Nerd Kate Wood talks about how she bought her first home, and why she almost fell for a house with a poisoned well. Kate also gives you her tips for buying a house, including the importance of finding a real estate agent whom you can trust. 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

Oct 19, 2022 • 14min
Money News: How to Cancel Your Student Debt
It’s finally here: The application to cancel up to $20,000 of your federal student loan debt is live. In this episode, Sean Pyles is joined by student debt and breaking news Nerd Anna Helhoski to walk through the debt cancellation application in real time. They also talk about scams and when you can expect your debt to be canceled. Call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email podcast@nerdwallet.com to send the Nerds your money questions.Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 17, 2022 • 30min
Zelle Scams, and When to Sell Investments
It’s Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Do you know where your passwords are? To start off this episode, Sean Pyles and Sara Rathner discuss the risks of peer-to-peer payment apps. Then they talk about the one thing you should do this month to protect yourself online.In this episode’s money question segment, Sean and Liz Weston answer a listener’s question about when to sell stock — and when buy-and-hold might be too much of a good thing. 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 - 10:05 Money Question segment: 10:08 - 28:26 Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices