NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast cover art
Podcast · 131 episodes

NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast, page 5

by NerdWallet Personal Finance · English

NerdWallet’s trusted finance journalists answer real-world money questions to help you make smarter financial decisions with confidence. Each episode dives deep into topics like budgeting, saving, investing, home buying, and credit cards, cutting through misinformation to bring you clear, actionable advice backed by thorough research. By the end of every episode, you’ll have the latest financial insights and the tools you’ll need to manage your money wisely, build wealth, and plan for life’s milestones. And if you have questions for the Nerds, you can leave them a voicemail at 901-730-6373. Join hosts Sean Pyles, CFP®, Elizabeth Ayoola, and other expert Nerds as they answer your biggest money questions and share strategies to help you build wealth and reach your financial goals, including: – Investing: Advanced investment strategies, integrating ETFs and mutual funds into a diversified portfolio, tax-efficient retirement planning, understanding Roth IRA conversions, and navigating robo-advisors. – Credit Cards: Top credit cards for travel rewards and luxury perks, balance transfer strategies, maximizing credit card points, and optimizing credit card usage to boost your credit score. – Personal Finance: Advanced budgeting tips, building generational wealth, creating effective savings plans, managing high-income expenses, and developing a strong money growth mindset. – Home: Smart strategies for homebuying in competitive markets, leveraging home equity loans and HELOCs, refinancing for long-term savings, first-time homebuying tips, and budgeting for major home improvements. If you’re searching for the best personal finance podcasts or want practical knowledge to make smarter money decisions, then follow NerdWallet’s Smart Money Podcast. You’ll love NerdWallet’s Smart Money Podcast if you like podcasts like: Planet Money, The Personal Finance Podcast, DIY Money, Afford Anything, How to Money, The Ramsey Show, Money Rehab with Nicole Lapin, NPR’s Life Kit: Money, Popcorn Finance, Money Girl,Money Guy Show, Everyone’s Talkin’ Money, So Money with Farnoosh Tarabi, The Money with Katie Show, All the Hacks with Chris Hutchins, The Stacking Benjamins Show, MoneyWatch with Jill Schlesinger, or Your Money, Your Wealth. NerdWallet Compare, Inc. NMLS ID# 1617539 NMLS Consumer Access: http://www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org/

All episodes, page 5

How to Budget Better With Your Partner and Why Scam Calls Are SurgingThe episode covers two topics: (1) how the government shutdown is affecting scam activity and what to do about it, and (2) how to build a household budget with a partner when you budget differently.30 Oct 2025 · 36 min · 19 chapters
Big Event Budgeting and Credit Monitoring: What to Know Before You SwipeHow to access and understand free credit reports/scores, plus a budgeting check-in from the hosts’ personal lives.27 Oct 2025 · 37 min · 19 chapters
Invest or Pay Down Debt? Plus How to Save Big This Holiday SeasonWhether to invest or pay down a mortgage, plus holiday budgeting and avoiding debt.23 Oct 2025 · 24 min · 18 chapters
Are You Covered? Hidden Gaps in Life Insurance That Could Cost Your FamilyHow much life insurance a family needs after a parent dies, whether to buy term vs whole life, how to calculate coverage (including DIME: debt, income, mortgage, education), how group life insurance…20 Oct 2025 · 39 min · 22 chapters
What Home Sellers Can Legally Hide and How to Master Irregular BillsHome-sale disclosure rules for paranormal activity and non-natural deaths, plus how to budget for irregular expenses (annual/quarterly/fluctuating bills) using tracking, averages, cushions, and…16 Oct 2025 · 34 min · 22 chapters
Feeling Burned Out? How to Know When to Quit Your Job — and What to Do FirstBurnout and career change—how to decide whether to quit a job, consider “quiet quitting” (doing the bare minimum), and what to do financially and practically if you leave without a plan B.13 Oct 2025 · 39 min · 19 chapters
What Fewer Earnings Reports Could Mean for Investors and How to Teach Kids About Money (Video Episode)The episode covers two main topics: potential SEC changes to stock-market earnings reporting and how to teach kids financial literacy.9 Oct 2025 · 40 min · 21 chapters
Watch the Nerds Sweat It Out: Hot Wings Meet Hot Money Takes (Video Episode)NerdWallet’s “Smart Money” does a “hot takes and hot wings” segment, arguing about saving vs investing, consumer debt/BNPL, crypto as an inflation hedge, and budgeting/spending philosophy—then pivots…6 Oct 2025 · 44 min · 22 chapters
Budget Rehab: What Our Hosts’ Spending Reveals About Smarter Money Moves (Video Episode)Money stress and budgeting tips, then a special “Budget Rehab” where hosts Sean Piles and Elizabeth Ayola review each other’s budgets using a 50-30-20 framework.2 Oct 2025 · 38 min · 15 chapters
Stop Overpaying With Miles: The Redemption Rules Smart Travelers Use in 2025How to decide whether to redeem miles/points or pay cash using NerdWallet’s point-and-mile valuations (cents-per-point), plus recent airline/credit-card news and promotions.29 Sep 2025 · 44 min · 23 chapters
Stay Ahead of a Government Shutdown and Learn How to Invest Extra Money WiselyWhat to expect from a potential federal government shutdown (funding impasse, furloughs, service impacts) and how to invest extra money after building an emergency fund.25 Sep 2025 · 31 min · 19 chapters
Preparing Finances for Fall and How to Help Parents Who Haven’t Saved EnoughPreparing for fall spending and open enrollment, then a deep-dive on how to help aging parents who haven’t saved enough for retirement.22 Sep 2025 · 31 min · 21 chapters
The Fed Just Cut Rates — Here’s How to Make the Most of It (Plus: How to Freeze Your Credit)The episode covers two main topics: a Federal Reserve rate cut and how to freeze your credit.18 Sep 2025 · 29 min · 16 chapters
Tap to Pay, Tap to Overspend? Mobile Wallet Traps and Money Conversations That Pay OffWhether paying by phone (mobile wallets/tap-to-pay) increases overspending versus cash or credit cards, plus how to have more intentional money conversations.15 Sep 2025 · 30 min · 16 chapters
AI Stocks May Be in a Bubble, and Car Prices Could Rise Soon — Here’s What to KnowWhether AI stocks are in a bubble (vs justified by structural change) and how to navigate hype; plus a listener question on used-car loan term (48 vs 60 months) amid high car prices and tariff…11 Sep 2025 · 33 min · 19 chapters
Estate Planning Made Simple and How to Handle Family LoansEstate planning basics (wills, trusts, powers of attorney, living wills) plus informal lending/family loans and how to structure repayment and where to save/invest money for repayment.8 Sep 2025 · 32 min · 15 chapters
Why Refis Are Spiking and How to Optimize Your 401k Target-Date Fund for Long-Term GrowthThe episode covers two main topics: (1) why mortgage refinancing is spiking even without Fed rate cuts, and how to decide if refinancing makes sense; (2) how to optimize a 401(k) target-date fund for…4 Sep 2025 · 28 min · 19 chapters
Smart Buying Tips from Your Mama’s Kitchen and How to Change Banks WiselyTwo-part episode. First, Michelle Norris (Your Mama’s Kitchen) shares smart “where to spend” kitchen-buying advice.1 Sep 2025 · 37 min · 16 chapters
How to Talk Finances Before Cohabitating, and Why Coffee and Tea Prices Are SurgingMoney talks for couples before cohabiting, plus a news roundup on surging coffee and matcha prices.28 Aug 2025 · 32 min · 17 chapters
Bank Account Denied? Overcome Verification Hurdles and Maximize Sign-Up BonusesListener asks why online identity verification blocked their new checking account; episode also covers bank “blacklists” (ChexSystems/EWS), how to get unblocked, and when bank sign-up bonuses are…25 Aug 2025 · 27 min · 14 chapters
Budget Rehab: Can a Family Rebuild Their Emergency Fund and Still Afford the Life They Want?NerdWallet’s Smart Money episode combines a weekly finance news roundup on car insurance price increases with a “Budget Rehab” segment.21 Aug 2025 · 34 min · 18 chapters
How to Pay Less for Your Prescriptions and Brace for a Health Insurance Shake-UpNerdWallet Smart Money episode about managing prescription-drug costs and preparing for an ACA health-insurance shake-up if enhanced premium tax credits expire end of 2025.18 Aug 2025 · 31 min · 14 chapters
What Happens When You Trade Your Home for a Debt-Free Start?Back-to-school spending stress and how parents can manage budgets; then a listener’s question on whether to sell a rental house to pay off about $75k in debt (credit cards, car loan, plus mortgage).14 Aug 2025 · 32 min · 20 chapters
Stop Living by One-Size-Fits-All Budgets — and Paying for One-Size-Fits-All Financial AdviceThe episode argues against one-size-fits-all personal finance rules and advice.11 Aug 2025 · 37 min · 19 chapters