NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast

Learn how to avoid overspending on investing and brokerage fees, and get smart about how to choose a financial advisor. 01:55 Today’s First Money Question: Investing Nerd Alana Benson joins Sean Pyles and Liz Weston to demystify brokerage fees and explain how you can reduce the fees you’re paying on investment accounts. They discuss the types of brokerage fees and how they can impact your investme...

Improve your longevity literacy so you don’t retire too early (or late!), then learn how debt affects your credit score. 01:31 This Week in Your Money: Sean Pyles and Liz Weston delve into the significant yet often overlooked concept of longevity literacy. They discuss how understanding your life expectancy can greatly influence retirement planning, and they share a life expectancy calculator you...

Learn how checking your bills can prevent you from overspending, how to manage a raise and how to build wealth early. 01:14 This Week in Your Money: Sean Pyles and Liz Weston discuss how you can prevent overspending by double-checking all your bills and share how doing so saved Sean more than $100 on just a single bill. They also discuss some surprising ways bills can demonstrate that you’re getti...

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....

The Supreme Court has struck down President Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan. Sean and Anna discuss what this means for consumers — including when you can expect payments to resume. 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

In vitro Fertilization — or IVF — is an effective way to become pregnant. But is it only for the wealthy?  In this final episode of our Nerdy Deep Dive into the price of parenthood, Sean and Ronita explore IVF and hear from a mother who went through the process.  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 hea...

Feel less awkward about tipping with our Nerds’ tipping tips. Then learn about credit cards with high annual fees. 01:12 This Week in Your Money: Sean Pyles and Liz Weston discuss when to tip, when not to tip and how much you should tip — not just in restaurants but also in places where people haven’t historically tipped, like grocery stores and self-serve frozen yogurt places. They also talk abou...

Egg freezing lets would-be parents put their plans on ice. But is it a realistic option for everyone?  In the third episode of our nerdy deep dive into the price of parenthood, Sean and Ronita explore when egg freezing is a good option for parents — and how much it really costs.  To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email podcast@nerdwallet.com....

Avoid costly travel mistakes with expert tips from our Nerds. Then, learn how to budget for a non-traditional lifestyle. You can help us improve our show! Please take our listener survey at: https://nerdwallet.com/podsurvey  01:00 This Week in Your Money: Summer travel costs are soaring this year — but that doesn’t mean your expenses have to. Sean Pyles and Liz Weston offer tips for planning ahead...

The price of adoption can vary greatly — from under $1,000 to over $60,000.  In this episode of our nerdy deep dive into the price of parenthood, Sean and Ronita explore the various avenues and expenses associated with adoption. A dad now in the adoption process shares his experiences, and a financial planner unpacks questions you should ask if you’re considering adoption. To send the Nerds your m...

Learn about how to avoid the latest money scams and whether it’s worth using your credit score to earn extra income. This Week in Your Money (00:00 - 08:06): Sean and Liz discuss the latest financial fraud to watch out for, including Google Voice scams and AI-generated voice spoofing, and provide insights and advice on how to stay safe and avoid becoming a victim. They also recommend resources for...

Becoming a parent is unavoidably expensive. But this is a financial decision that’s about a lot more than just money.  To kick off our nerdy deep dive into the price of parenthood, Sean Pyles and Ronita Choudhuri-Wade talk about how much it costs to have a child, including the cost of raising one to adulthood.  To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 o...

Learn how to make your hobbies more affordable. Plus, decide what to save for first: an emergency, a house or retirement. This Week In Your Money (0:00 - 12:03): Sean delves into the finer aspects of how you can plan ahead to make affordable gardening possible, including tips for sourcing tools and the surprising benefits of engaging with the gardening community. Liz then explains how you can enjo...

If traditional money advice doesn’t work for you, then you might want to consider a more creative approach.  In this episode, personal finance Nerd Kim Palmer talks with Paco de Leon, author of the new personal finance book, “Finance for the People.” She is also an illustrator, musician and founder of a financial education firm and bookkeeping agency. De Leon shares how to take a visual and creati...

How would you recover if your life was upended by a huge disaster — a fire, hurricane or flood? Getting your affairs in order before a disaster hits — and knowing what help is available afterward — can help you recover faster and more fully. In this episode of our nerdy deep dive into climate change and your money, we talk about how to rebuild your finances after the worst happens. Learn more abou...

A lot of influencers peddle classes with guarantees of helping you become rich and successful. But are they legit — or just another moneymaking scheme? Sean has strong feelings about these classes, and he shares them in another round of Money Hot Takes. Then Sean and Sara answer a listener’s question about when you should leave a job. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd h...

You really want to effect change around climate issues? Put your money to work for you. In this episode of our nerdy deep dive into how climate change affects your money, we discuss ways your banking and investing choices can reflect your climate goals — and how to avoid greenwashing. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email podcast@nerdwallet....

The car market has been a mess for … a while. Is now a better time to buy than a year ago? And how is the car market looking for the rest of the year? This episode, Sean and Sara answer a listener’s question about car buying in 2023. And to kick off this episode, Sean and Liz talk about the issues and providers that consumers are complaining about the most. To send the Nerds your money questions,...

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 podcas...

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 questi...

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...

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...

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...

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?...

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 C...