NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast

Wedding season is picking up steam. Are you — and your budget — ready? To kick off this episode, Sean and Liz talk about how you can save money attending weddings this year. Then Sean and Liz answer a listener’s question about the risks of going with the mortgage lender your real estate agent recommends.  To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or emai...

Student loans are a tool, as well as a dreaded financial reality, for most Americans who attend college. In this two-part Nerdy Deep Dive into student loans, Sean and student loans Nerd Anna Helhoski explore how taking on huge amounts of student debt has become the norm in America. They also discuss what’s shifting now in today’s student debt conversation.  In Part 1, we trace the origins of stude...

With spring in the air, money tasks might be the last thing on your mind. To kick off this episode, Sean and Liz talk about three easy tasks to knock out so you can have your money on track while you go enjoy the warmer weather.  Then they answer a listener’s question about different ways to take care of their debt. Some routes can save you time and money — others can make a difficult situation wo...

The windfall of a tax refund can be a boon to your savings, help fund a vacation — and more. To kick off this episode, Sean and Liz talk about different ways to use your tax refund and why you might have to wait awhile for yours.  Then they answer a listener’s money question about whether pet insurance is worth the cost.  To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901...

The Federal Reserve is raising interest rates. To explore what it means for you, Sean kicks off this episode with a roundtable discussion about how the rate hike could affect mortgages, day-to-day finances and credit cards. Then Sean and Liz answer a listener’s question about how making family members (or friends, for that matter) authorized users on your credit cards can help them boost their cre...

Going from a two-income household to a one-income household is not solely a financial challenge. But this change also creates opportunities to strengthen your relationship and set clear expectations. To start off this episode, Sean and Liz discuss how to manage finances in a one-income household. Then Sean and Liz answer a listener’s money question about using HSAs and FSAs. Both can cover health...

What does it take to save $100K by your mid-20s? Just ask Tori Dunlap, founder of the blog Her First $100K and the “Financial Feminist” podcast. In this episode, Sean interviews Tori about how she got to where she is today, the lessons she learned along the way and her advice for you to make the most of your finances.  To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-73...

Gas, groceries and just about everything else are getting more expensive. Sean and Liz share tips for protecting your purchasing power, including cutting expenses and using a savings account that earns interest at the rate of inflation.  Then they answer a listener’s question about whether saving for retirement is worthwhile in the face of the climate crisis and other calamities.  To send the Nerd...

Selling your house right now might sound like a great way to inject unnecessary stress into your life. But it could also be very lucrative, if you do it right. To start this episode, Sean and Liz talk about how and why you might want to sell your house.  Then they answer a listener’s money question about how to manage fees on investment accounts.  To send the Nerds your money questions, call or te...

Taxes: You’ve got questions about ‘em, and we’ve got answers. On this episode, Sean and Liz answer a number of listener money questions about filing taxes this year, including how to navigate capital gains, when to hire a tax pro and knowing what you owe. Sean and Liz also discuss how to reduce your tax obligation through credits and deductions.  To send the Nerds your money questions, call or tex...

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’...

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,...

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...

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 Ne...

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 901-730-637...

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? P...

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 ho...

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...

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. The...

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...

It’s not too late to make your money resolutions for the new year. To kick off the episode, Sean and Liz discuss why you might want to take time to detail what you want out of your money in 2022. They also give tips to help you achieve your goals.  Then Sean and Liz answer a listener’s question about how to balance paying off debt while achieving other financial goals like saving for a down paymen...

What would you do to buy your dream house? Move across the country? Maybe even purchase it sight unseen? That’s exactly what one Nerd did.  To kick off our series about financial dreams, Sean and Liz talk with a Nerd who bought her dream house. They also discuss how you can buy your dream home, including preparing your finances and mindset for such a big purchase.  To send the Nerds your money que...

This episode, Sean and Liz share their tips for saving at the pump, including how the way you drive and when you get gas can make a difference. Then they answer a listener’s money question about saving for retirement if your access to a 401(k) or Roth IRA is limited. This is an episode from our archives.  To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or ema...

As 2021 comes to a close, we are continuing our celebration of what our listeners accomplished with their money in 2021. Sean and Liz discuss mortgage refinancing, paying down credit card debt, the benefits of scheduling a day for money tasks and more.  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 ch...

 Did you buy a house in 2021? Maybe you got a new job or finally hit a big savings goal. We encouraged our listeners to brag about what they did with their money this year — and so many answered the call that we made two episodes out of it. Sean and Liz also share what they accomplished in 2021.  To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email podcast...