The Money with Katie Show

Everyone says the first five years of your kid’s life will be the most expensive. But do things really get easier? Well, kind of. Financial expert and mother of two, Farnoosh Torabi (@farnooshtorabi), brought some practical advice to the show this week for people who know they want to be parents, but I think it also applies more broadly to setting yourself up to get what you want out of life. Tran...

Rich Girl Allyson T. asks, "What effect does shopping small businesses have on our wallets? What about the small business owner’s wallet? And how does that compare to us buying the same thing at Walmart or on Amazon?" Katie and Henah chat through the landscape of small businesses today, what the "gray area" is when it comes to corporations, and how we can make the most impact with our dollars. Wel...

Today, we’re making the personal and professional case for some extended time off. Who needs a sabbatical, and most importantly, how do you take one? We cover the logistics, finances, and psychology behind stepping away from work—along with three interviews: Jen Fisher, the Human Sustainability Leader from Deloitte, Progress Coach Jillian Johnsrud, and Rich Girl Rachael Levine (@trippingmillennial...

Rich Girl Meredith asks, "I’m interested in taking the plunge and starting a side hustle, but it seems like there are so many upfront costs. How much is reasonable to spend before I even know if I’ll make any money?" Katie and Henah consider the most important costs to invest in first, what can wait, and how to take a calculated bet on yourself. Welcome back to #RichGirlRoundup, Money with Katie's...

2023 has been a year of soaring prices and rising inflation rates. In tough markets like today’s, fixed-income maturities can help provide stability and growth. We review traditional income strategies—such as bonds, deferred fixed annuities, and CDs—as well as new innovations in the space, like fractional CDs. About Fresh Invest: From market shifts to emerging asset classes, Fresh Invest breaks do...

I recently read an r/personalfinance post about someone's financial position: "I have $5,000 in a 401(k), about $10,000 in my Robinhood, $15,000 in Chase, and $1,000 in stocks, and some cash. Am I on the right track?" While this mental model is logically reasonable (where you're physically putting the money vs. the vehicles themselves), it reminded me how powerful it can be to think about the stru...

Rich Girl Laura V. asks, "How would you recommend strategically investing for retirement if you don’t have access to an employer sponsored account or an HSA?" Katie and Henah walk through your other investment options along with some suggestions to help encourage employers to offer access to retirement plans. Welcome back to #RichGirlRoundup, Money with Katie's weekly segment where Katie and MWK's...

Women and men can have very different lived experiences when it comes to money. We talk through what some of these differences are, discuss how they impact financial planning, and explore investing strategies that support women’s unique financial goals. About Fresh Invest: From market shifts to emerging asset classes, Fresh Invest breaks down the current financial climate, what it means to you as...

In 2021, high school boys on TikTok were pumping meme coins and discovering (then misapplying) the concept of exponential compounding. Today, with the benefit of hindsight, we can learn a lot about what crypto's rapid rise and fall might mean about money. Plus, we’re going down the rabbit hole of the competing theories about what money really is: Why do we all agree it has value? What happens if t...

After purchasing a home, listener Ryan says they now regret it and miss the cash cushion they used to have. What can they do now? Katie and Henah run through the various scenarios—and how universal the feeling of "buyer's remorse" can be, even with housing. Welcome back to #RichGirlRoundup, Money with Katie's weekly segment where Katie and MWK's Executive Producer Henah answer your burning money q...

I invested in a startup for the first time as an angel investor, and, honestly, the process was…strange. While public market investing feels comfortable and “safe,” private investments feel like pulling the lever on a slot machine with a few thousand bucks on the line. We're taking Rich Girl Nation behind the scenes of the process, with three guests this week. I'm joined by Arman Hezarkhani, the f...

There's a lot of financial advice out there about what to do in your 20s—but what about your 30s? We also chat through a few pieces of feedback from last week's Rich Girl Roundup on taxes. Welcome back to #RichGirlRoundup, Money with Katie's weekly segment where Katie and MWK's Executive Producer Henah answer your burning money questions. Each month, we'll put out a call for questions on her Insta...

Today we're venturing into the world of taxable investing—aka flexible money you can access at any time. How do we balance building wealth here along with our tax-advantaged accounts like a 401(k) or an IRA? Who should be making this a priority? And how does it actually work? Let's dive in. Reminder: While I love diving into investing- and tax law-related data, I am not a financial professional. I...

Would you rather owe the IRS come tax szn or get a fat refund? There are pros and cons to both, which Katie and Henah walk through—as well as the best way to break even and some tips on properly filling out tax forms. Listener Note: Katie misspoke in the episode when she said schedule K income and meant to say schedule C income—we hope this helps clarify! — Welcome back to #RichGirlRoundup, Money...

Why does the wage gap persist, despite both legislation and a cultural shift that encourages women to participate in the workforce with the fervor of a thousand exploding suns? The gap has barely budged over the last decade or two, stagnating somewhere in the low 80% range. I had to crawl into some objectionable online spaces that are expressly “anti-women” to find out (so you don’t have to!)…and...

One aspiring Rich Girl asked what to keep in mind for long-distance moving—and since Katie and Henah both moved 1,000+ miles in July, they deep-dive into the best tips to keep in mind, "gotchas" to look out for, and their own experiences down to the cost. (Plus, why a relo package or sign-on bonus is a must!) Welcome back to #RichGirlRoundup, Money with Katie's weekly segment where Katie and MWK's...

There are a few key phrases, online tools, and strategies that are key to unlocking this intentionally opaque industry—so we're going to cover it all today. In a marketplace where some hospitals charge 30x their costs and the insurance company “discounts” do little to help, taking matters into your own hands is often your best bet.  I'm joined by two medical billing pros, Braden Pan, CEO of Resolv...

The moratorium on student loan payments will expire starting September 1st, but there's also a new program to be aware of called SAVE. Katie and Henah chat through the new requirements for lower payments, if you should pay off loans more quickly, and a potential hack to get your loans dismissed. Welcome back to #RichGirlRoundup, Money with Katie's weekly segment where Katie and MWK's Executive Pro...

Today's episode throws it back to a concept I first wrote about several years ago: The Hot Girl Hamster Wheel. It refers to the expensive maintenance that “traditional female beauty ideals” prescribe: haircuts, manis/pedis, spray tans...the list goes on. But why is this never covered in personal finance sector, despite how much these costs add up? We dig into the numbers, the effects beauty has on...

One reader notes: Back in the 80s and 90s, marketing reached us via malls and television. But today, it's as easy as opening up your phone and having access to 1-click shipping. How has targeted marketing changed our approach to spending, and where can we draw the line? Welcome back to #RichGirlRoundup, Money with Katie's weekly segment where Katie and MWK's Executive Producer Henah answer your bu...

We recently did a Rich Girl Roundup on how to talk money with aging parents, and the response for a deep-dive was overwhelming. So, we rounded up the most common questions and brought back Kim Davis from the Bahnsen Group to walk us through everything we need to know for our parents' golden years. We put together a comprehensive checklist to walk through with your loved ones—make your own copy her...

Got friends or family interested in investing but don't know where to start or are scared of the risk? Katie and Henah chat through the hesitations they each experienced on their investing journeys, how their own friends empowered them to start, and how they mitigated risk as much as possible. And a reminder, as always: This is not financial advice, and past performance is not indicative of future...

The biggest money question we have is usually: How do I enjoy my life now and plan for enjoying it later? If we go too far in either direction, we're sacrificing the quality of our lives at one point or another. So does the “perfect” save rate exist that optimizes for both now and the future? And if so, what is the ideal percentage of our income to save that would work for most people, most of the...

You're out with friends and only order a $10 salad and water. Meanwhile, they each get expensive entrees and drinks. What's the least awkward way to split the bill? And how can we avoid this situation from happening over and over again? Welcome back to #RichGirlRoundup, Money with Katie's weekly segment where Katie and MWK's Executive Producer Henah answer your burning money questions. Each month,...

The only thing worse than a post-pandemic rental market? A post-pandemic buyer’s market. I sat down with Zillow’s Head of Rentals Communication to talk about how the rental market has evolved over the last three years, and the one variable that might just make buying your home right now worth it. Plus, I share the numbers and rationale behind our own decision to continue renting near Sacramento, C...