NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast

NerdWallet Personal Finance
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Feb 21, 2022 • 34min

Lifestyle Creep, and Booking Cheap Travel

Lifestyle creep — where your growing expenses outpace salary increases — can deflate your budget and prevent you from building wealth. To start this episode, Nerds Sean Pyles and Sara Rathner talk about how to determine if you’re succumbing to lifestyle creep and how to be more intentional about your money, while still enjoying the finer things in life. Then Sean and Liz Weston answer a listener’s three-part question about whether to pay off student loans while they’re paused, what to do with their savings and how to find the best deals when booking travel.To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email podcast@nerdwallet.com. If you like what you hear, please leave a review and tell a friend. We appreciate it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Feb 17, 2022 • 29min

Nerdy Book Club: Building Your Financial Smarts With Bola Sokunbi

Taking charge of your own financial education can help you get ahead and avoid classic money mistakes. In this episode, personal finance Nerd Kim Palmer talks with money author and educator Bola Sokunbi about her book, “Clever Girl Finance: Ditch Debt, Save Money and Build Real Wealth.” Sokunbi discusses how her mom taught her about money growing up, financial mistakes she made and learned from, and why she says it’s so important to have a side hustle.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
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Feb 14, 2022 • 26min

Credit Union Perks, and Getting Into the Housing Market

Where you bank can have a big impact on your community. To start off this episode, Sean and Liz talk about the benefits of credit unions, including how they can offer lower rates on loans and higher rates on savings accounts — while keeping your money local. Then Sean and occasional co-host Sara Rathner answer a listener’s money question about how to get into the housing market.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.Timestamps:This Week in Your Money segment: 0:00 - 3:46 Money Question segment: 7:08 - 24:30 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Feb 7, 2022 • 29min

Stock Market Shakiness, and Car Buying in 2022

Has the recent stock market shakiness left you feeling jittery? To start off this episode, Sean and Liz talk about how you can manage your anxiety — and your portfolio — in moments of volatility. Turns out, sometimes doing nothing is the best thing you can do.Then they answer a listener’s money question about buying a car in 2022, including when the market might calm down a little.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.Timestamps:This Week in Your Money segment: 0:00 - 10:36 Money Question segment: 10:37 - 27:44 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Jan 31, 2022 • 30min

No-Spend Month, and Making Money While Raising Kids

A no-spend month can help you reset your money habits and save cash. To start this episode, Sean and Liz kick off their no-spend month challenge and talk about how you can craft a plan that works for your lifestyle and budget.Then they answer a listener’s question about how to earn more money while raising kids. 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.Timestamps:This Week in Your Money segment: 0:00 - 9:07 Money Question segment: 9:08 - 28:41Also, we are running a sweepstakes ahead of our new Nerdy Book Club series. You can enter for a chance to win Bola Sokunbi's book "Clever Girl Finance: Ditch Debt, Save Money and Build Real Wealth" by emailing podcast@nerdwallet.com with the subject "Book Sweepstakes” during the sweepstakes period. Include the following information: your first and last name, email address, ZIP code and phone number. Check out our book club page for more info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Jan 27, 2022 • 17min

Make a Plan to Achieve Your Dreams

Knowing what you want from your life and your money is one thing. Actually knowing how to make it happen is another. In this episode, Sean and Liz interview Andrew DaCosta, a pilot who has sky-high ambitions, but needs some help to get them off the ground. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email podcast@nerdwallet.com.Enjoying the podcast? Please take a minute to rate and review. We appreciate it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Jan 24, 2022 • 26min

COVID Tests, and Reversing a Credit Score Drop

Finding (and paying for) COVID tests is overly complicated. This episode, Sean and occasional co-host Sara Rathner start off by talking about how you can navigate getting COVID tests right now. They also talk about avoiding COVID testing scams.Then Sean and Sara answer a listener’s question about how to reverse a credit score drop. 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.Timestamps:This Week in Your Money segment: 0:00 - 8:49 Money Question segment: 8:50 - 24:40Also, we are running a sweepstakes ahead of our new Nerdy Book Club series. You can enter for a chance to win Bola Sokunbi's book "Clever Girl Finance: Ditch Debt, Save Money and Build Real Wealth" by emailing podcast@nerdwallet.com with the subject "Book Sweepstakes” during the Sweepstakes Period. Include the following information: your first and last name, email address, zip code and phone number. Check out our book club page for more info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Jan 20, 2022 • 20min

Making Your Dream Life

Living in a van, traveling the country and working wherever you want might sound like an odd dream, but that’s the life NerdWallet travel writer Sam Kemmis designed for himself. To continue our series about financial dreams, Sean and Liz talk with Sam about his experience and his tips for making your dream 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
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Jan 17, 2022 • 23min

How Nerds Choose the Best, and Paying for College

Sifting through financial products can be a pain. That’s where NerdWallet comes in. Our Nerds just released the 2022 Best-Of Awards so you can find the best products for your money goals. To kick off this episode, Sean and Liz talk with the head of the NerdWallet Content team, Hanah Cho, about how you can make the most of the Best-Of Awards and how NerdWallet maintains editorial independence. Then they answer a listener’s question about how to pay for college.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
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Jan 13, 2022 • 18min

Saving for Your Dream Retirement

Vacations across the world, spending quality time with your friends and family and — most importantly — not being obligated to work a 9-to-5 job: Your retirement is supposed to be about freedom. Getting to that point takes time, money and focus. To continue our series about financial dreams, Sean and Liz talk with personal finance YouTuber Marissa Lyda about how she plans to save in 2022 for her dream retirement. They also discuss how she’s made a full-time job out of YouTubing.To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email podcast@nerdwallet.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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