NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast

A lot can happen to your finances in a year. Raises, curveball expenses, luxurious vacations. Each step along your money journey in 2022 has its own lesson. And in this episode, Sean Pyles and Liz Weston look back at the year that was and celebrate what our listeners did with their money during the year — and what they’re most excited about in 2023. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Fed is poised to raise interest rates — again. To kick off this episode, Sean Pyles and Liz Weston talk about who’s actually hurt when the Fed raises rates and what you can do about it. Then they answer a listener’s question about which budgeting apps are the best and whether you might want to use multiple budgeting apps to track your money. Also, next year, the Smart Money team wants to talk with you, on the podcast, to answer your money questions. We’ll be able to explore what’s really driving your money questions, provide even Nerdier information and help you make even smarter decisions with your money. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. Timestamps: This Week in Your Money segment: 0:00 - 8:59 Money Question segment: 9:00 - 30:33 Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Talking about money doesn’t have to be boring. In this episode of our Nerdy Book Club series, NerdWallet writer Kimberly Palmer talks with former financial advisor Joe Saul-Sehy, co-author of “Stacked: Your Super-Serious Guide to Modern Money Management” and co-host of “The Stacking Benjamins Show” podcast, about setting money goals, recovering from big financial mistakes and how to have a good time while figuring out your finances. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The job market is strong — but thousands of workers have been laid off in recent months. So, what’s happening? And what does this mean for the labor market in 2023? In this episode, Sean Pyles and Anna Helhoski talk about the latest jobs report with NerdWallet data writer Liz Renter, including why the job market is so weird right now and what it means for you. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Credit card rewards programs might be on the chopping block in Congress. To start off this episode, Sean Pyles and Liz Weston talk with a credit card Nerd about what’s happening and what it might mean for your credit card rewards. Then Sean is joined by personal finance Nerd Kim Palmer to answer a listener’s question about when to cancel a luxury credit card. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. Timestamps: This Week in Your Money segment: 0:00 - 11:29 Money Question segment: 11:30 - 28:08 Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 50/30/20 budget is a simple way to organize your finances. But as rent prices soar and inflation impacts everything from gas to groceries, does this budget still make sense? To start this episode, Sean and Liz discuss the merits — and limits — of the 50/30/20 budget. Then they answer a few listeners’ questions about navigating company stock. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. Also, for a special end-of-year episode, we want to hear your financial rose, thorn and bud of 2022 — aka the best and worst thing that happened with your money this year, and what you’re most excited for in the new year. Leave us a message on the Nerd hotline, or email [email protected]. Timestamps: This Week in Your Money segment: 0:00 - 8:28 Money Question segment: 8:29 - 27:14 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shockwaves rippled through the crypto world with the collapse of the crypto exchange FTX. To start off this episode, Sean Pyles and Liz Weston discuss what happened — and what it might mean for your finances. Then Sean talks with personal finance Nerds Kim Palmer and Kate Wood about how to grow your money quickly ahead of home improvement projects. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. Also, for a special end-of-year episode, we want to hear your financial rose, thorn and bud of 2022 — aka the best and worst thing that happened with your money this year, and what you’re most excited for in the new year. Leave us a message on the Nerd hotline, or email [email protected]. Timestamps: This Week in Your Money segment: 0:00 - 8:17 Money Question segment: 8:18 - 30:50 Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scammers alleging to help you cancel your student debt are coming for you — whether you actually have student debt or not. To kick off this episode, Sean Pyles and Liz Weston walk you through how to outsmart these fraudsters. Then Sean and Liz are joined by their regular co-host, Sara Rathner, to talk about how you can save for retirement when your employer makes you wait to access its retirement plan. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. Also, we’re working on a special end-of-year episode — and we need your help. We want to hear your financial rose, thorn and bud of 2022. What does that mean? Share the best thing that happened to you this year, a struggle you encountered, and what you’re most looking forward to in the new year. Timestamps: This Week in Your Money segment: 0:00 - 12:21 Money Question segment: 12:22 - 37:01 Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is your bank holding out on you? If you haven’t checked on your savings accounts lately, you should — or risk losing out on money you could be earning. In this episode, hosts Liz Weston and Sean Pyles talk about how Liz discovered her supposedly high-yield savings account was anything but. Then Sean is joined by personal finance Nerds Kim Palmer and Sara Rathner to discuss whether you should put your credit on the line to help a loved one by co-signing. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. Timestamps: This Week in Your Money segment: 0:00 - 6:08 Money Question segment: 6:09 - 23:47 Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fear can control your life — if you let it. And when it comes to financial fears, what haunts you can mean the difference between a life of prosperity and one of anxiety. To start off this episode, Sean Pyles and Liz Weston talk about their financial fears — and how you can overcome your own. Then they answer a listener’s money question about whether they should get life insurance, even if they don’t have children. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. Timestamps: This Week in Your Money segment: 0:00 - 10:42 Money Question segment: 10:43 - 27:18 Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Paying off student debt isn’t easy — even for a Nerd who writes about it. In this episode of our “How the Nerds Do It” series, student loans Nerd Anna Helhoski talks about how she paid off her debt, the challenges she faced along the way and how you can find the fastest and most affordable way to resolve your student loans. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Black Friday isn’t the shopping extravaganza it once was. With rolling deals from major retailers, you might be able to get the best price for items on your list weeks — or months — before Nov. 25 rolls around. To kick off this episode, Sean Pyles and Anna Helhoski talk with personal finance Nerd Amanda Barroso about how to approach holiday shopping this year. Then Sean hosts a roundtable discussion with the Travel Nerds about how you can find the best prices when traveling over the holidays, including whether it’s better to drive or fly and how to combat credit card point inflation. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. Timestamps: This Week in Your Money segment: 0:00 - 12:28 Holiday Travel Roundtable: 12:29 - 34:52 Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buying a house takes grit, know-how — and, frankly, a good amount of cash. In this episode of our “How the Nerds Do It” series, mortgage Nerd Kate Wood talks about how she bought her first home, and why she almost fell for a house with a poisoned well. Kate also gives you her tips for buying a house, including the importance of finding a real estate agent whom you can trust. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s finally here: The application to cancel up to $20,000 of your federal student loan debt is live. In this episode, Sean Pyles is joined by student debt and breaking news Nerd Anna Helhoski to walk through the debt cancellation application in real time. They also talk about scams and when you can expect your debt to be canceled. Call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected] to send the Nerds your money questions. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Do you know where your passwords are? To start off this episode, Sean Pyles and Sara Rathner discuss the risks of peer-to-peer payment apps. Then they talk about the one thing you should do this month to protect yourself online. In this episode’s money question segment, Sean and Liz Weston answer a listener’s question about when to sell stock — and when buy-and-hold might be too much of a good thing. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. Timestamps: This Week in Your Money segment: 0:00 - 10:05 Money Question segment: 10:08 - 28:26 Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Points or cash. Bargain hunting or splurging. Deep research or impulse booking. A lot can go into booking the perfect vacation. In this episode of our “How the Nerds Do It” series, travel Nerd Sam Kemmis talks through how he books his vacations and how you can get into the points game yourself. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s time for some money hot takes. To start off this episode, Sean and Liz share their (maybe unpopular) opinions about personal finance topics. Sean goes off about why buy now, pay later loans aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. And Liz shares her thoughts on how the credit bureaus can fix the way they handle your data. Then they answer a listener’s money question about when you might have too many credit cards — and what to do about it if you do. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. Timestamps: This Week in Your Money segment: 0:00 - 12:33 Money Question segment: 12:35 - 35:17 Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Saving for retirement can be a challenge for anyone — even our Nerds. To kick off a new series called “How the Nerds Do It,” Sean talks with investing Nerd Alana Benson about how she maxed out her retirement account. Alana explains what finally made her able to invest and her unique strategy for funding her Roth IRA. She also gives tips to make the most of your retirement savings. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Fed has been in the news a lot lately, raising interest rates and causing recession fears. But what, exactly, do the interest rate hikes mean for various parts of your finances, like your savings and credit cards? We give you the rundown to start off this episode. Then we answer a listener’s money question about how to choose a new bank — including how to find one that fits your family’s needs. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. Timestamps: This Week in Your Money segment: 0:00 - 10:02 Money Question segment: 10:03 - 26:33 Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sometimes checking things off your financial to-do list can be a real slog. If you find yourself procrastinating, know that you have plenty of company. To start off this episode, Sean and Liz talk about how to overcome money procrastination. Then they answer a few recent listener questions about student debt cancellation. And in this episode’s money question segment, they talk about when to unfreeze your credit. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. Timestamps: This Week in Your Money segment: 0:00 - 10:41 Money Question segment: 10:42 - 29:56 Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As we head into fall, is your money where you want it to be? To start off this episode, Sean and Liz give you a few easy money tasks so you can end the year right. Then they answer a listener’s money question about how to save enough money to retire — including when to start spending what you’ve saved up. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The smart way to lose your money gambling, whether now is a good time to invest and how to manage a big financial gift. In the first-ever live episode of the podcast — recorded at a NerdWallet conference in Las Vegas this summer — Sean and Sara cover these topics and more. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The dust is settling after President Biden announced his student debt cancellation and repayment plan. But there are still a number of unknowns. This episode, Sean, Liz and Sara talk about the latest debt cancellation news, including new scams that are popping up. Then they answer a listener’s question about the best way to set up their finances for long-term success. At the end of the episode, they give their tips for the best investments you can make in yourself. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Maxing out a 401(k) is a great step toward saving for retirement, but have you ever thought about front-loading your plan? In this episode, hosts Sean Pyles and Liz Weston talk with investing Nerd Alana Benson about the pros, cons and potential pitfalls of front-loading your employer-sponsored retirement plan. Sean and Liz also talk about how to protect your privacy from companies that want to (literally) track your every move. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373, or email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Medical debt can be confusing and, for some, financially debilitating. In this episode of the Nerdy Book Club series, NerdWallet writer Kim Palmer talks with author Emily Maloney about her personal experience with the health care system — both as an ER worker and a patient. Maloney also sheds light on how quickly medical costs can spiral out of control. In her book of essays, “Cost of Living,” Emily Maloney shares how, after accumulating thousands of dollars of debt, she eventually gets free of it and suggests ways that those currently weighed down by medical debt can do the same. She also offers insight into the debt collection process in light of recent changes. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Disney theme parks are some of the most magical places on Earth. But vacation-wise, they can also be some of the most expensive. From tickets to lodging and food, you can easily spend thousands of dollars on a Disney trip. This episode, Sean and Liz talk with NerdWallet travel writer Sally French about how she booked her dream Disney vacation for cheap — and how you can, too. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Building wealth over your life takes planning — and know-how. This episode, Sean and Liz talk with Angel Grace, a DIY YouTuber who wants to set her family up for success over the long term by investing and saving for her son’s college education. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You’ve heard of crypto, but do you really know what it is? Do you think you could explain it to a family member who is totally clueless about this newfangled digital money? In this episode, NerdWallet crypto writer Andy Rosen attempts to explain crypto to his aunt and uncle, including what drives its valuation, how the underlying technology works and what to consider before investing in any digital currency. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kids aren’t known for having a lot of financial decisions to make, but that doesn’t mean they’re not curious about it. This episode we take on a couple of kids’ money questions that get at some of the more existential aspects of money. Namely, where does money come from, and where does it go? And when you have it, how much should you spend? To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Opening a brick-and-mortar business isn’t for the faint of heart. This episode, Sean and small-business Nerd Rosalie Murphy interview Uyen Le. Le owns Beauty Bar, a full-service beauty salon with two locations in Colorado Springs. Le walks us through the ups and downs of securing financing to open her first location, getting a liquor license, hiring and growing her employees and weathering the COVID-19 pandemic. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 50/30/20 budget is a simple way to organize your finances. But as rent prices soar and inflation impacts everything from gas to groceries, does this budget still make sense? To start this episode, Sean and Liz discuss the merits — and limits — of the 50/30/20 budget. Then they answer a few listeners’ questions about navigating company stock. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. Timestamps: This Week in Your Money segment: 0:00 - 7:44 Money Question segment: 7:45 - 26:32 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Starting a successful business means building the right team — and knowing when not to cut corners when hiring employees and partners. This episode, Sean and small-business Nerd Rosalie Murphy talk with Mariyah Saifuddin, co-owner of IT consulting firm Innovative Solution Partners. She shares what she’s learned over 20 years in business, from choosing the right vendors to continually diversifying your customer base. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Flight cancellations, rising gas prices and a surge of travelers — this year, summer travel might be more expensive (and headache-inducing). To start this episode, Sean and Liz share their tips for making the most of summer travel this year. Then they answer a listener’s question about how to balance conflicting financial priorities. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Taking a side gig to a full-time job is a big — and daring — jump. This episode, Sean and small-business Nerd Rosalie Murphy kick off the new Nerdy Business series, where they interview business owners about how they got to where they are today and the lessons they have for other entrepreneurs. Sean and Rosalie talk with Theresa E. Gonzales, owner of 5-E Leadership and Marketing and host of the podcast “Latinas From the Block to the Boardroom.” She discusses how she identified a target market and leveraged her expertise to grow her consulting work into a full-time business. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The home affordability crisis isn’t just an issue in the United States. This episode, Sean hosts a roundtable discussion with Nerds from Canada, the U.K. and the U.S. to explore what is driving up home prices in each country — and what consumers can do about it. Our countries might have more in common than you think. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. Also, we are running a book sweepstakes ahead of our next Book Club episode. In August, we're talking with Emily Maloney, author of "Cost of Living," a series of essays based on her own experiences about the cost of health care and medical debt. To enter for a chance to win our book giveaway, send an email to [email protected] with the subject: “Book Sweepstakes” during the Sweepstakes Period. Entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. PDT on July 20. Include the following information: your first and last name, email address, ZIP code and phone number. For more information, please visit our official sweepstakes rules page. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You know you should start investing, but do you know the best way to get started? In the first episode of a three-part deep dive into investing, hosts Sean Pyles and Alana Benson explore how to get into the investing mindset, do a bit of myth-busting around investing and discuss how to actually get started. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

LGBTQ+ people face a number of unique personal finance challenges, including higher rates of poverty and a wage gap. As a wave of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation is enacted across the country, how can members of this community protect their money to strengthen their personal resilience? This episode Sean and Liz talk with David Auten and John Schneider, also known as the Debt Free Guys and hosts of the Queer Money Podcast, about how LGBTQ+ people can improve their personal finances while following their morals. David and John also talk about their experience paying off credit card debt. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Inflation is hitting everyone’s budgets — including those of small-business owners. To kick off this episode, Sean and Liz talk about how inflation is impacting small businesses, and how you can still shop local as prices climb. Then they answer a listener’s question about the smart way to earn sign-up bonuses while protecting your credit score. Also, we’re running a short, two-question survey. Please share your feedback to help us improve the show for you. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. Timestamps: This Week in Your Money segment: 0:00 - 10:33 Money Question segment: 10:34 - 28:03 Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The racial wealth gap was created and reinforced over centuries. Can it be solved in our lifetime? In this episode, Sean and Liz talk with journalist Kimberly Atkins Stohr about her series for The Emancipator about solving the racial wealth gap. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eggs — why are they so expensive right now, and what can you do about it? To start this episode, Sean and Liz crack open the factors driving up egg prices at the moment. They also share their tips for making groceries more affordable at the moment, including whether you should start your own chicken coop. Then they talk about how to approach home improvement season in 2022. Materials and contractors can be expensive and hard to come by, so you might need to get creative to accomplish your goals. Also, we are running a short, two-question survey. Please share your feedback to help us improve the show for you. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. Timestamps: This Week in Your Money segment: 0:00 - 9:55 Home Improvement Season segment: 9:56 - 29:37 Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Child care can be a strain on many families’ budgets — but there are opportunities for you to minimize the cost. In Part 2 of this Nerdy deep dive, we talk with two of our own Nerds to highlight existing financial resources for parents at the federal and state level. We also discuss personal finance strategies that can help parents think long term, even if money is tight at the moment. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A recession is (maybe) imminent. To start off this episode, Sean and Liz talk about how to prepare for a recession, including how to think about investing. Then they answer a number of your questions in a lightning round. This time they talk about how to grow money, buying cars and travel credit cards. Also, we are running a short, two-question survey. Please share your feedback to help us improve the show for you. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. Timestamps: This Week in Your Money segment: 0:00 - 9:32 Money Question segment: 9:33 - 30:40 Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Child care costs are pushing budgets to the brink. In the first episode of this two-part Nerdy deep dive, we go behind the scenes to untangle one of the largest budget items for many families. By listening to this series, parents and listeners of all stripes will become more aware of the system and know how to take advantage of supports that currently exist — while the fight for widespread policy changes continues. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Your family or friend needs money in a pinch. Do you help them out, or tell them to look elsewhere for cash? To start this episode, Sean and Liz discuss different approaches to giving loved ones money. Then they talk about all things inflation — what’s driving it and when it might slow down — with Darian Woods from NPR’s podcast “The Indicator from Planet Money.” Also, we are running a short, two-question survey. Please share your feedback to help us improve the show for you. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. Timestamps: This Week in Your Money segment: 0:00 - 12:02 Conversation about inflation with Darian Woods from NPR’s “The Indicator from Planet Money”: 12:03 - 30:05 Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 creative approach to budgeting and making money decisions, including why — and how — to write a letter to your own debt. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You can fly abroad in business class on points alone — if you know how to play the points game. To wrap up our Nerdy Travel Diaries series, Liz talks with travel Nerd Elina Geller about her strategy for booking international business class flights. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Want to get rid of your junk and earn a buck? To start off this episode, Sean and Liz give you tips for a successful yard sale, including how to make your wares look more appealing to buyers and how to price items. Then they answer a listener’s money question about when it doesn't make sense to refinance a mortgage. Send the Nerds your money questions by calling or texting the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373. You can also email your voice memos to [email protected]. Timestamps: This Week in Your Money segment: 0:00 - 13:00 Money Question segment: 13:01 - 29:12 Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After two years of sitting on credit card points and staying at home, you might be in a great position to book some luxurious international travel. In this episode of our Nerdy Travel Diaries series, Sean talks with NerdWallet travel editor Kevin Berry about his recent trip to an all-inclusive luxury resort in Costa Rica that he booked with points. They also discuss how you can use points to book your own international vacation. To send your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Student debt cancellation may be on the horizon. But a new generation of graduates is set to take on another load of burdensome debt. To start off this episode, Sean and Liz talk with NerdWallet data writer Liz Renter about her new report on the debt high school graduates may face — and how they can mitigate it. Then Sean and Liz answer a listener’s question about how to get past the money baggage in their relationship and manifest an exceptional financial future together. To send the Nerds your money questions, email a voice memo to [email protected]. You can also leave a voicemail or text us on Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373. Timestamps: This Week in Your Money segment: 0:00 - 8:20 Money Question segment: 8:21 - 28:08 Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Traveling to Japan can be both expensive and intimidating — but it doesn’t have to be. In this episode of our Nerdy Travel Diaries series, NerdWallet travel writer Sam Kemmis shares how he crafted a vacation in Tokyo that included both luxury amenities and cost-saving travel hacks. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices