Real Money, Real Life ™

How can women prepare for the Great Wealth Transfer before the money actually arrives? On the Real Money, Real Life® podcast, Linda Grizely and wealth coach Halle Eavelyn look beyond the enormous dollar figures and focus on the women who may suddenly find themselves managing assets, making financial decisions, or becoming the primary decision-maker. Preparation starts before an inheritance arrives...

How does your personal brand affect your income and career opportunities? On the Real Money, Real Life® podcast, Linda Grizely and brand strategist Brooke Foley break down how the reputation you build over time can influence negotiating leverage, pricing, promotions, and the financial opportunities available to you. Your personal brand is not just how you look online. It is the evidence people use...

What do you need to know about Medicare at 65, and what decisions actually matter once you are enrolled? On the Real Money, Real Life® podcast, Linda Grizely and Medicare and retirement expert Marcia Mantell break down the rules, costs, enrollment decisions, and annual reviews that can make Medicare feel so overwhelming. The first thing to know is that turning 65 does not automatically mean everyo...

Buying a car without overpaying takes more than negotiating the sticker price. On the Real Money, Real Life® podcast, Linda Grizely and former dealership owner Mark Benson show you where the numbers can move and what to look at before you sign. The key is to stop negotiating around the monthly payment alone. Slow the process down and look separately at the vehicle price, trade-in, financing, inter...

What should you do with an old 401(k) after leaving a job? On Real Money, Real Life®, Linda Grizely explains why the answer is not automatically "roll it over" and what you need to understand before you move the money. You generally have four choices: leave the money in your former employer's plan, move it into a new workplace plan, roll it into an IRA, or cash it out. But the choice itself is not...

Real Money, Real Life® recently passed the one-year mark, and Linda Grizely is giving the podcast a reset for a new season. The show is for people who feel behind financially, think they should know more by now, and want to build confidence making money decisions that work in real life. Guest conversations are staying, but Linda is making more room for solo episodes built around the questions peop...

Why do high-achieving women burn out even when they know they need to slow down? On the Real Money, Real Life® podcast, Linda Grizely and Dr. Julie Merriman look at what happens when you have spent years being responsible, productive, and available to everyone else. Burnout is not always about needing a vacation. When you keep living past capacity, rest can feel uncomfortable, your body can stay b...

What should you do with extra money after your kids move out? On Real Money, Real Life®, Linda Grizely and Lena Nebel look at the financial decisions empty nesters face when the money, time, and energy once centered around their kids finally begin to shift. The answer is not simply to save everything or finally spend everything. It starts with deciding what you want this next chapter to look like,...

How do you teach kids about money without creating shame, fear, or entitlement? On the Real Money, Real Life® podcast, Linda Grizely and Dr. Julia Myers show parents how everyday money conversations can help kids build confidence, maturity, and values. The answer is not one perfect lesson. It is paying attention to the messages kids already pick up from your tone, stress, silence, spending, and ch...

Making six figures but still feeling behind financially can be confusing and frustrating. On the Real Money, Real Life™ podcast, Linda Grizely and Jackson Larimer explain why earning more money does not automatically create clarity, stability, or financial progress. The answer is not always that you need to make more. Your spending, systems, expectations, and financial behavior may not have caught...

How to prepare for retirement emotionally and financially is about more than reaching a savings goal. On the Real Money, Real Life™ podcast, Linda Grizely talks with Jesse Hurst about why retirement planning also requires a clear picture of the life you want to create. You can have the money and still struggle with the transition. Lifelong savers may find it difficult to give themselves permission...

How to start values-aligned investing can feel confusing if investing already feels intimidating. On the Real Money, Real Life™ podcast, Linda Grizely talks with Jensyn Hallett about what it means to look at your money through the lens of values, impact, and financial confidence. Values-aligned investing means considering both financial return and real-world impact, so your money is connected to w...

Financial freedom when you feel behind can sound impossible, but it may be more flexible than you think. On the Real Money, Real Life™ podcast, Linda Grizely talks with Jeremy Schneider of Personal Finance Club about FIRE, Coast FIRE, investing, and what financial independence can look like in real life. Financial freedom does not always mean quitting work forever. It can mean having more breathin...

Should I sell my home by owner? On the Real Money, Real Life™ podcast, host Linda Grizely and guest, Tim Street, helps listeners think through one of the biggest financial decisions many people make: whether to hire a real estate agent or try selling without one. The answer is not always yes or no. Selling by owner can make sense for someone with the time, discipline, emotional detachment, and wil...

Should I sell my life insurance policy? On the Real Money, Real Life™ podcast, Linda Grizely and Mark Mrky help listeners understand a lesser-known option before walking away from a policy that may still have value. A life settlement is when you sell a life insurance policy to a third party for a cash payout instead of surrendering it back to the insurance carrier for cash surrender value. What if...

Getting started with Bitcoin can feel overwhelming, especially if you already feel behind financially or unsure what questions to ask. On Real Money, Real Life™, Linda Grizely sits down with Shawn Owen to help make Bitcoin feel less intimidating and more understandable, without turning it into financial advice. The simple answer is this: you can start understanding Bitcoin by learning what it is,...

How to divorce without going to court is a question many people do not know they are allowed to ask. On Real Money, Real Life™, Linda Grizely talks with collaborative family law attorney and certified mediator Manisha Patel about what can happen when divorce becomes less about winning and more about protecting your future. A divorce does not always have to become a long, expensive court fight. Col...

How shared housing can save money is not just a question about rent. On the Real Money, Real Life™ podcast, Linda Grizely talks with Annamarie Pluhar about how having a housemate can reduce expenses, create more comfort, and help adults rethink what independence really means. Shared housing can save money by helping adults share the ongoing costs of home, from housing payments to utilities, househ...

Women finding their financial voice is not just about speaking up. On the Real Money, Real Life™ podcast, Linda Grizely and Jennifer Edwards talk about how women can understand their money, ask better questions, and take ownership of financial decisions with more confidence. The answer starts with awareness. If you do not know where the accounts are, what debts exist, how retirement is being plann...

How to review a life insurance policy before it quietly fails. On the Real Money, Real Life™ podcast, Linda Grizely sits down with Tony Steuer to break down what most people never realize about permanent life insurance policies, cash value policies, in-force illustrations, and policy lapses. If you've ever wondered whether you still need life insurance, whether your policy is performing the way yo...

Social Security explained in plain English. In this episode of the Real Money, Real Life™ podcast, Linda Grizely sits down with Social Security and retirement expert Marcia Mantell to break down how Social Security really works, what "going bankrupt" means, and how to avoid making emotional claiming decisions that could permanently reduce your retirement income. If you've ever wondered whether you...

What does it really mean to give yourself permission to make more money? On the Real Money, Real Life™ podcast, Linda Grizely sits down with Cortney McDermott to talk about money, receiving, self-worth, and why so many people quietly cap what they allow themselves to earn. The answer is not just to "think positive" or force yourself into a new money mindset. It starts with understanding what money...

How to pay off your mortgage faster without more income is something a lot of people are quietly searching for—and questioning whether the traditional 30-year mortgage is really the best path. On the Real Money, Real Life™ podcast, Linda Grizely sits down with Ann Pells to challenge the idea that a 30-year mortgage is the "normal" or smartest way to build financial stability—and explore what might...

If you're wondering why retirement feels empty—or worried it might—this episode of the Real Money, Real Life podcast with Linda Grizely will help you rethink what comes next. Retirement isn't about stopping work. It's about having the freedom to choose what your life looks like. 👉 Retirement feels empty when you've been working toward an ending instead of building toward something meaningful. Why...

How do you align your money with your life so it feels meaningful—not just optimized? This episode breaks down money and life alignment in a way that finally makes sense. In this episode of Real Money, Real Life™, Linda Grizely sits down with Carl Richards, Certified Financial Planner™, author, and creator of The Sketch Guy column in The New York Times. Carl shares why money is never just math, ho...