Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel

Money isn’t everything, but it’s something to consider when choosing your career path. In this episode, George and Rachel talk about the salaries (and cost of education) for some of the top jobs in America. They share what industries they would work in if they could do any job in the world, then talk about celebrity salaries and the amazing thing Taylor Swift did for her truck drivers.  In this ep...

Are we headed toward a cashless society where debit cards are for old people? We don’t know what the future holds, but George and Rachel take a guess and tell you why you don’t need to worry about the future of money. Plus, we’ll dive into which past future predictions were totally ludicrous and which ones were spot on. In this episode: - George and Rachel talking about the future cost of weddings...

George and Rachel answer your burning question: “Am I the jerk?” These 100% real scenarios include secret credit cards, trips overseas, a husband with a “you break it, you buy it” attitude, and so much more. George and Rachel decide whose spicy spending secrets make them guilty, including: ·     A husband who has his wife’s paycheck deposited into his account ·     A wife who secretly paid off her...

From the inheritance scandals to the Antiques Roadshow to pension stealing, Rachel and George uncover wild stories of people who became overnight millionaires. Plus, they’ll walk you through what it really takes to hit your first million. In this episode: ·     The craziest get-rich-quick stories George and Rachel could find ·     Why 70% of lottery winners end up broke ·     How you can become a...

If you learned to navigate adulthood in a plastic car with pink and blue peg people, this episode is for you. Rachel and George reminisce about the 90s toys and games that taught us how to handle our money. In this episode: ·     Rachel reveals which Barbie she wasn’t allowed to play with ·     What a “kidult” is and why toy execs love them ·     What Monopoly and the Game of Life got right (and w...

We love to throw a flag on romantic relationships—whether it’s red, green or now . . . beige? Find out how George and Rachel react to Gen Z’s relationship flags, and discover which ones you’re guilty of flying. In this episode: Candid reactions to Gen Z relationship etiquette  George and Rachel’s personal beige flags Why George dubs Rachel as “America’s Favorite” Helpful Resources: ·     Booking a...

It’s all about conspiracies today, people. Rachel and George are discussing delusion, paranoia, and the dark side of the Denver airport. Is there life on other planets? Was JFK really assassinated? We can’t say for sure, but whistle-blowers don’t lie . . . or do they? In this episode: ·     Rachel’s and George’s hot takes on conspiracy theories ·     The one conspiracy George admits he does believ...

The longevity industry is booming, and the people want to know: Can a cold cream really take 10 years off your face? What are George and Rachel’s skincare routines? Is vampirism the antiaging of the future? Have we gone too far? We’re talking about all of this and more on this week’s episode of Smart Money Happy Hour. In this episode: ·     George and Rachel chatting about the high cost of staying...

What do the highest paid celebrities, the International Space Station, and the George Foreman grill have in common? They all earned pop culture money superlatives from George and Rachel in this week’s special edition. In this episode: ·     Rachel and George’s high school superlatives revealed ·     On-point assessments of our most beloved products, entertainment and celebrities ·     The shocking...

Most people think the hard part about getting rich is figuring out how to make a ton of money—but the real challenge might be learning to manage your money well. Today, George and Rachel react to the ways celebrities spent their first paychecks and ponder whether money makes us who we are or if it simply reveals what’s already there. In this episode: ·     Rachel’s crappy first paycheck and how Ge...

Oxygen bars, PH balanced water . . . Are they scams, or are they for real? Food delivery every night? Are these ridiculous things to spend money on? Let George and Rachel be the judges. In this episode: ·      The bougie things Rachel and George (over)pay for ·      How to know if you’re splurging for the right reasons ·      What Rachel spent money on that made Dave threaten to pull her college t...

You can’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but you can always show up with a good cocktail! Rachel and George are responding to the loudest, most common criticisms they receive. Haters gonna hate—but we’re okay with that.   In This Episode: ·      Rachel shocks modern women everywhere with her joint bank account stance. ·      George defends his frugal eating in vs. eating out strategy. ·      Rachel and...

Not sure how to afford your pre-RIP dreams? Rachel and George are here to help! Plus, they’ll reveal America’s most popular bucket list items, react to the internet’s weirdest life goals, and share a few things from their own personal bucket lists!   In This Episode: ·      Rachel teaching George the bucket list writer’s anthem (Hint: 🪂🏔️🐂) ·      What’s actually motivating America to think abou...

Rachel Cruze, Rachel Green, George Kamel and George Costanza—the gang’s all here! We’re covering the unrealistic paychecks of everybody’s favorite TV show characters. How did NYC’s unemployed population hold down high-dollar real estate, and where did they find such generous friends? We need answers! In This Episode: ·      Danny Tanner’s excellent taste in historical real estate on a sportscaster...

Who’s feeling middle class fancy? Join Rachel and George as they celebrate “the backbone of America” and try to figure out if the rumors are true . . . Is the middle class really disappearing? In This Episode:   ·      The restaurant that screams “middle class” according to George ·      How your income bracket does (and doesn’t) impact the quality of your life ·      Costco hot tubs, fondue fount...

Not all that glitters is gold. Rachel and George are here to crunch the numbers, debate the pros and cons, and decide once and for all if all-inclusive vacations are worth your money. Which costs more: a trip to 30A or a week at a resort? Why does late-night crème brûlée from room service hit different? And is it all too good to be true?   In This Episode:   ·      The current state (and fascinati...

Epic Starbucks orders, lab-grown energy drinks, your hipster friend’s pour-over coffee phase . . . It’s no secret that America loves a good caffeine rush! In this episode, Rachel and George weigh the pros and cons of everybody’s favorite stimulant––and do the math on what caffeine addiction really costs.   In This Episode:   ·     The number one way to drink coffee according to Rachel and George...

Is Blockbuster about to pull an Abercrombie? Rachel and George discuss the rise and fall of iconic ’90s businesses. Which ones are headed for a comeback, which ones are gone but not forgotten, and how does nostalgic marketing affect your spending today?   In This Episode:   ·      Are Beanie Babies and other throwback keepsakes a smart investment? ·      Has technology ruined our generation and ou...

Featuring the very first LIVE audience in the new Ramsey Event Center, Rachel and George tackle a conversation about gender and money from the Smart Conference stage. Is saving and spending always a battle of the sexes? And what’s the biggest threat to getting out of debt: his truck or her Target runs? Listen now and join the party!   In This Episode: ·      Our audience helping us predict money t...

Does saying yes to babies mean saying no to wealth and retirement? Rachel and George talk about the major money fears stopping Millennials and Gen Zers from starting a family––including the estimated $310,605 price tag per child. 👶💰   In This Episode:   ·     Smart Money Happy Hour’s new favorite girl dad ·     How less babies running around eventually means higher taxes for all of us ·     The...

Whether you love MLMs or just love to hate ’em, none of us are immune to getting a “Hey, hun!” in our DMs. But have all the boss babes really been conned? Join Rachel and George as they take a closer look to find out if MLMs are an entrepreneur’s paradise . . . or just another scam.   In This Episode:   ·     The fine line between a pyramid scheme and an MLM ·     George’s and Rachel’s personal ex...

Cheers, old sport! The TikTok teens have spoken, and we’re here to ask the hard-hitting questions on the latest viral hashtag. What is “old-money aesthetic,” and how does it relate to your money? What does it really take to build generational wealth? And if you were a RollerCoaster Tycoon kid, are you an old-money adult now? We tackle it all.   In This Episode:   ·      George advocating for the c...

Smart Money DUUUPE. Just kidding—it’s still the real us. And we’re going to talk about everything from cheap versions of viral high-end products to internet shopping scams and fake cash. Plus, we’ll discuss which name-brand products on your wish list are most likely to be counterfeit.   In This Episode:   ·      Construction workers: Are they the underappreciated fashion icons of our time? ·      ...

It’s about to get awkward! 😬 Whether you think it’s time to confront your aging parents about their iffy money habits or you’re fighting the good fight against splitting the check evenly at dinner, Rachel and George are here to offer their advice for getting through life’s most cringeworthy money convos.     In This Episode:   ·     George admits to charging this close family member rent  ·     H...

There’s genius––and then there’s evil genius. Rachel and George go head-to-head on some of today’s ethically questionable penny-pinching hacks to help us all find the line between smart spending and just acting shady. 🧐   In This Episode:   ·     The streaming platform that George and Rachel temporarily shared a password for ·     How techies tap Google Voice for extra cyber security . . . and sh...