NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast

NerdWallet Personal Finance
  • 4.3 (922)
  • Investing
  • Updated Semiweekly

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/

  1. 2d ago

    What You Need to Know About Starting a Business Before You Quit Your Job

    Learn how to manage your finances before starting a business. Plus: what's next for the rapidly growing prediction markets. What should you have in place financially before leaving your job to start a business? Hosts Sean Pyles, CFP®, and Elizabeth Ayoola bring on small business Nerd Rosalie Murphy to answer a question from listener Blake, who is 27 and on the verge of walking away from a steady paycheck to launch their own company. Together, they examine how much cash you really need before going months without income, what to do about existing high-interest debt before you launch, how to handle taxes when your employer is no longer withholding them for you, which retirement accounts could make sense when you're self-employed, and how separating your business and personal finances from day one could protect your personal assets if things go wrong. Then, what are prediction markets, and what happens when billions of dollars start trading on election outcomes? Senior news writer Anna Helhoski interviews Aaron Klein, a senior fellow at the Center on Regulation and Markets at the Brookings Institution, about the booming prediction market industry. They discuss how platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket differ from both stock trading and gambling, whether the legal distinction between a "swap" and a "wager" actually matters for everyday users, how these platforms are navigating state gambling laws, and what it could mean when millions of dollars are wagered on whether a political party wins control of Congress. Resources discussed in this episode: Best Business Checking Accounts of August 2026 Best Business Credit Cards of August 2026 How to Open a Business Bank Account How to Incorporate a Business How to Get Business Insurance: What You Need, Where to Buy It Subscribe to our podcast’s free email newsletter for bonus content and more from our hosts at https://smartmoney-nerdwallet.beehiiv.com/  Want us to review your budget? Fill out this form — completely anonymously if you want — and we might feature your budget in a future segment! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScK53yAufsc4v5UpghhVfxtk2MoyooHzlSIRBnRxUPl3hKBig/viewform?usp=header Smart Money’s YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/@nerdwalletsmartmoney To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email podcast@nerdwallet.com. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. *The show notes were created with the assistance of AI. They have been reviewed by our editorial team for accuracy and quality. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  2. 2d ago ·  Bonus

    You Might Also Like: The Oprah Podcast

    Introducing Is Stoicism the Secret to a Good Life? from The Oprah Podcast. Follow the show: The Oprah Podcast BUY THE BOOK! The Stoic Virtues Series by Ryan Holiday  https://amzn.to/4z0bLeI Oprah is joined by bestselling author and Stoicism expert Ryan Holiday on her porch for a thought-provoking conversation about how the ancient philosophy of Stoicism can help us navigate modern life. Drawing from his bestselling book The Obstacle Is the Way, Ryan explains why this 3,000-year-old philosophy remains relevant today and how its timeless wisdom can help us respond with greater clarity, resilience and purpose to whatever life puts in our path. Ryan breaks down the four core virtues of Stoicism and the three essential Stoic disciplines offering practical tools for overcoming modern challenges. At the heart of the conversation is one of Stoicism’s most powerful teachings: We may not control what happens to us, but we can control how we respond. Oprah and Ryan are also joined by three listeners applying Stoic principles in powerful ways: an emergency room physician who relies on Stoicism to navigate medical tragedy, an entrepreneur rethinking her relationship to success and failure and a mother hoping to teach her tween daughter how to use Stoicism as a tool for resilience and emotional strength. 00:00:00 - Welcome Ryan Holiday, author of “The Daily Stoic” 00:03:20 - What is stoicism  00:04:00 - The 4 virtues of stoicism 00:06:30 - Action is the cure to predicaments 00:08:20 - The story we tell ourselves 00:13:50 - Welcome Dr. Dan Dworkis or Stoicism in the ER  00:16:00 - How philosophy relates to other labels  00:18:38 - Oprah’s favorite quote 00:20:05 - Loving what happens 00:23:10 - Why choose stoicism  00:26:50 - Can you be grounded and driven?  00:29:00 - Is stoicism relevant to today? 00:31:26 - Raising kids with a stoic outlook 00:35:30 - One daily practice  00:39:20 - Nothing is wasted  Follow Oprah Winfrey on Social: https://www.instagram.com/oprahpodcast/ https://www.facebook.com/oprahwinfrey/ Listen to the full podcast:  https://open.spotify.com/show/0tEVrfNp92a7lbjDe6GMLI https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-oprah-podcast/id1782960381 DISCLAIMER: Please note, this is an independent podcast episode not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in conjunction with the host podcast feed or any of its media entities. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the creators and guests. For any concerns, please reach out to team@podroll.fm.

    You Might Also Like: The Oprah Podcast

  3. 5d ago

    When Marriage Ends: How to Protect Your Assets, Update Your Estate Plan, and Survive the Costs

    Learn how divorce can reshape your finances and what steps to take when legal fees and child support strain your budget. What does divorce mean for your financial life? How do you rebuild when child support and rent are already eating up half your income? Hosts Sean Pyles, CFP®, and Elizabeth Ayoola are joined by personal finance Nerd Kim Palmer to tackle a listener's question about surviving the financial reality of a split. Kim walks through what to prioritize when a marriage ends, the real cost of divorce, and how to find room in your budget when housing, child support, and legal fees are all competing for the same paycheck. Elizabeth shares her own experience navigating divorce as a first-time parent, and Sean reflects on the major financial turning points in his life, discussing how big changes can become unexpected opportunities to reset your goals and rebuild on your own terms. Best Debt Settlement Companies of 2026: Compare Fees and Savings https://www.nerdwallet.com/personal-loans/learn/best-debt-settlement-companies  National Debt Relief https://www.nationaldebtrelief.com/  Subscribe to our podcast’s free email newsletter for bonus content and more from our hosts at https://smartmoney-nerdwallet.beehiiv.com/  Want us to review your budget? Fill out this form — completely anonymously if you want — and we might feature your budget in a future segment! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScK53yAufsc4v5UpghhVfxtk2MoyooHzlSIRBnRxUPl3hKBig/viewform?usp=header Smart Money’s YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/@nerdwalletsmartmoney To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email podcast@nerdwallet.com. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. *The show notes were created with the assistance of AI. They have been reviewed by our editorial team for accuracy and quality. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  4. Jul 30

    Sinking Fund Methods That Actually Work, Plus The Hidden Cost of AI Data Centers

    Learn how data centers could be raising your utility bills. Plus: how to use a sinking fund strategy to pay your bills. What does it actually cost your community when a hyperscale AI data center moves in nearby? Senior news writer Anna Helhoski joins host Sean Pyles, CFP®, to break down the growing national backlash against data centers. They discuss what costs communities are left to shoulder — from unexpected spikes in electricity bills to strained water supplies and persistent noise pollution — and why the economic benefits towns were promised may not measure up to what residents end up paying. Once your savings buckets are set up, how do you actually pay your bills without the whole system falling apart? Sean and his fellow host Elizabeth Ayoola tackle listener questions about the most overlooked piece of the sinking fund strategy: managing payments across multiple accounts. They dig into why putting everything on one credit card can become a bookkeeping headache, what it means if you keep pulling from one bucket to cover another, and how your rewards card strategy could actually be working against your savings goals. Read senior news writer Anna Helhoski's full investigation into the hidden costs of data centers: https://www.nerdwallet.com/finance/news/data-center-costs  Subscribe to our podcast’s free email newsletter for bonus content and more from our hosts at https://smartmoney-nerdwallet.beehiiv.com/  Want us to review your budget? Fill out this form — completely anonymously if you want — and we might feature your budget in a future segment! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScK53yAufsc4v5UpghhVfxtk2MoyooHzlSIRBnRxUPl3hKBig/viewform?usp=header Smart Money’s YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/@nerdwalletsmartmoney To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email podcast@nerdwallet.com. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. *The show notes were created with the assistance of AI. They have been reviewed by our editorial team for accuracy and quality. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  5. Jul 27

    Is an Annual Fee Travel Card Worth It? A Guide for Occasional Flyers

    Learn how to decide if a travel card's annual fee is worth it and which card suits occasional flyers. What does it take for a travel credit card's annual fee to actually pay off? Hosts Sean Pyles, CFP®, and Elizabeth Ayoola help listener Lacey understand whether annual fees would be worth her paying for premium travel credit cards, despite only flying home a few times a year. Sally French, travel credit card expert and co-host of the Smart Travel podcast, joins to walk through the cards Lacey already carries and explains what to consider before committing to any annual-fee card. She also discusses why transfer partners matter for cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred and the single gut-check question to ask yourself before signing up for any annual-fee card. Card benefits, terms and fees can change. For the most up-to-date information about cards mentioned in this episode, read our reviews: Chase Sapphire Preferred Review: Strong Option for Travel Rewards Delta SkyMiles Gold AmEx Review: Pricey for What You Get Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards Review: Choose Your Own Bonus Category World of Hyatt Card Review: Lavish Benefits, Reasonable Cost American Express Gold Card Review: Friendly for Foodies, Families Apple Card Review: Extra Rewarding for Apple Fans Want us to review your budget? Fill out this form — completely anonymously if you want — and we might feature your budget in a future segment! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScK53yAufsc4v5UpghhVfxtk2MoyooHzlSIRBnRxUPl3hKBig/viewform?usp=header  Smart Money’s YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/@nerdwalletsmartmoney To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email podcast@nerdwallet.com. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  6. Jul 23

    What Couples Miss When Going Down to One Income

    Learn how to budget for dropping to one income with a baby on the way. Plus: what's really happening to the 50+ workforce? What's driving the labor force participation rate to a 50-year low — and what does it mean for the more than one million Americans aged 54 and up who are still looking for work? Sean Pyles, CFP®, and Elizabeth Ayoola are joined by news colleague Rick VanderKnyff and Gary A. Officer, president and CEO of CWI Works, to dig into the real challenges facing older workers today. They cover why age discrimination costs the U.S. economy an estimated $850 billion a year, how AI anxiety is hitting older workers in physically demanding jobs hardest, why the barriers to re-entering the workforce after retirement are steeper than most people realize, and what a 27% long-term unemployment rate among older Americans says about who the job market is actually built for. When you're expecting your first baby and planning to leave the workforce, how do you know your finances are truly ready for the shift to one income? Sean and Elizabeth sit down with listener Paige, who has over a year of expenses saved and around $100,000 in retirement funds but is still anxious about the jump. They tackle the specific decisions she's wrestling with: what to do about retirement contributions when one partner stops working, which expenses could be safely cut before baby arrives, whether her current life insurance coverage is adequate for a growing family, and how to build a realistic picture of what her budget could look like once the paycheck disappears this fall. Use NerdWallet's 50/30/20 budget calculator to see how your needs, wants, and savings stack up: https://www.nerdwallet.com/finance/learn/nerdwallet-budget-calculator  Estimate how much life insurance your family could need with NerdWallet's calculator: https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/life/learn/how-much-life-insurance-do-i-need  Subscribe to our podcast’s free email newsletter for bonus content and more from our hosts at https://smartmoney-nerdwallet.beehiiv.com/  Want us to review your budget? Fill out this form — completely anonymously if you want — and we might feature your budget in a future segment! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScK53yAufsc4v5UpghhVfxtk2MoyooHzlSIRBnRxUPl3hKBig/viewform?usp=header Smart Money’s YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/@nerdwalletsmartmoney To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email podcast@nerdwallet.com. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. *The show notes were created with the assistance of AI. They have been reviewed by our editorial team for accuracy and quality. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  7. Jul 20

    Don't Let Inconsistent Income Derail Your Finances — or Your Relationship

    Learn how couples can budget around inconsistent income and navigate the financial and emotional strain it can create. What can you do when your partner's income is too unpredictable to plan around? Hosts Sean Pyles, CFP®, and Elizabeth Ayoola answer a question from a listener who is struggling to cover household bills because her spouse's income fluctuates week to week. They examine the financial mechanics of the situation — from which budgeting frameworks could bring more stability to an irregular income household, to whether separate accounts might protect your finances, and what to consider when the budget feels like there's nowhere left to cut.  Then, they get into the messier emotional questions: how this kind of financial imbalance could shift the power dynamic in a relationship, what a "funder and beneficiary" dynamic looks like and when it tips into unhealthy territory, and what it takes to have honest money conversations with your partner before financial stress erodes the trust between you. Sean and Elizabeth also draw on NerdWallet's 2026 Dating Dealbreaker survey, which found that 46% of Americans say a partner asking to borrow money is a dealbreaker in a romantic relationship. Sign up for the Smart Money newsletter for bonus content and behind-the-scenes updates from Sean and Elizabeth: https://smartmoney-nerdwallet.beehiiv.com/  Survey: 17% of Americans Say Credit Card Debt is a Dating Dealbreaker https://www.nerdwallet.com/finance/studies/2026-dating-dealbreakers  Want us to review your budget? Fill out this form — completely anonymously if you want — and we might feature your budget in a future segment! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScK53yAufsc4v5UpghhVfxtk2MoyooHzlSIRBnRxUPl3hKBig/viewform?usp=header Smart Money’s YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/@nerdwalletsmartmoney To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email podcast@nerdwallet.com. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. *The show notes were created with the assistance of AI. They have been reviewed by our editorial team for accuracy and quality. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  8. Jul 16

    It's Not Too Late: How to Reset Your Money Habits at 50

    Can you really overhaul 50 years of money habits — and are the drivers paying the highest prices per gallon actually the ones hurting most from rising gas prices? Host Sean Pyles, CFP© and Elizabeth Ayoola are joined by senior news writer Anna Helhoski and joined by data studies Nerd, Kurt Woock, to unpack why the price on the sign at the gas station doesn't tell the whole story about how gas prices hit your budget. They break down why states like Wyoming, Oklahoma, Montana and Utah saw the biggest jumps in weekly gas spending this year — even though they don't have the highest prices at the pump — and why total spending, not the price per gallon, is what really matters when you're budgeting. Then, Sean and Elizabeth answer a question from a 50-year-old listener named David, who's trying to reset a lifetime of impulse spending and build a real retirement plan on a later timeline. They walk through catch-up contributions for IRAs, 401(k)s and HSAs, why automated savings buckets and an emergency fund matter more than ever at this stage, and how to think through the tradeoffs of claiming Social Security early versus waiting. Gas Costs (Not Just Pump Prices) Hit Some States Harder: https://www.nerdwallet.com/finance/studies/2026-gas-prices-costs Catch-Up Contributions: How They Work and 2026 Limits: https://www.nerdwallet.com/retirement/learn/catch-up-contributions Average Retirement Savings by Age: https://www.nerdwallet.com/retirement/learn/the-average-retirement-savings-by-age-and-why-you-need-more Retirement Calculator: https://www.nerdwallet.com/investing/calculators/retirement-calculator How to Invest With Your HSA — And Why You Should: https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/investing/how-to-invest-hsa NerdWallet Wealth Partners, fee-only financial advisors: https://nerdwalletwealthpartners.com/smart Smart Money’s YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/@nerdwalletsmartmoney Subscribe to our podcast's free email newsletter for bonus content and more from our hosts at https://smartmoney-nerdwallet.beehiiv.com/ Want us to review your budget? Fill out this form — completely anonymously if you want — and we might feature your budget in a future segment! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScK53yAufsc4v5UpghhVfxtk2MoyooHzlSIRBnRxUPl3hKBig/viewform?usp=header To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email podcast@nerdwallet.com. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. *The show notes were created with the assistance of AI. They have been reviewed by our editorial team for accuracy and quality.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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4.3
out of 5
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About

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/

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