Episodes

  • EP 503: Money Tips Every Freelancer Needs: Taxes, Retirement & Getting Paid on Time

    EP 503: Money Tips Every Freelancer Needs: Taxes, Retirement & Getting Paid on Time
    Nov 26 2025
    Thinking about ditching the 9-to-5? Already navigating the ups and downs of freelance work? This episode is your financial playbook for thriving as your own boss. Jean Chatzky sits down with money coach and longtime freelancer Emily Guy Birken to unpack everything from budgeting on irregular income to choosing the right retirement accounts. Emily shares her personal percentage-based money system, explains why separate bank accounts are non-negotiable, and reveals the must-have clauses for every freelance contract. Whether you're freelancing full-time or hustling on the side, these tips will help you get paid, save smart, and sleep better. In This Episode: How to build a baseline budget as a freelancer A smart, percentage-based system for managing income The pros and cons of solo 401(k)s vs. SEP IRAs How to structure your business Why contracts are your best friend in freelance work How to stay emotionally grounded in unpredictable times Resources & Links: 📚 Emily’s book: Stacked: Your Super Serious Guide to Modern Money Management 🔗 More financial tips for freelancers at HerMoney.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    34 mins
  • Mailbag with Beth Pinsker: RMDs, Medical Bills, and Family Loans

    Mailbag with Beth Pinsker: RMDs, Medical Bills, and Family Loans
    Nov 21 2025
    In this Mailbag, Jean is joined by financial planner and author of My Mother's Money, Beth Pinsker, to answer your real-life questions about caregiving, estate planning, and financial decision-making for aging parents. Whether you’re currently managing someone else’s money or prepping your own, this episode is packed with compassionate, practical advice to help you protect your finances and your peace of mind. Mailbag Questions: 1:05: “Should we loan money to a parent for home repairs?” 7:15 “Who pays the medical bills after someone dies?” 13:05: “How do I put my RMDs to work in the market?” Have a question for us? Write to us (or send us a voice note!) at mailbag@hermoney.com. While you’re at it, join the HerMoney community! For the latest episode drops and financial news-you-can-use, subscribe to our newsletter at Hermoney.com/subscribe! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    22 mins
  • Ep 502: Financial Caregiving 101: What You Need To Know Before You or Your Parent Gets Sick

    Ep 502: Financial Caregiving 101: What You Need To Know Before You or Your Parent Gets Sick
    Nov 19 2025
    When you're suddenly put in charge of an aging parent’s finances, the emotional toll is heavy, and the financial fallout can be even heavier. In this episode, Jean Chatzky is joined by certified financial planner and MarketWatch columnist Beth Pinsker, author of My Mother’s Money: A Guide to Financial Caregiving. Together, they unpack Beth’s personal journey of managing her mother’s finances through illness, surgery, and estate settlement. Even with decades of experience writing about money, Beth found herself caught off-guard by just how complicated — and expensive — caregiving can be without the right documents and conversations in place. What You’ll Learn: The most overlooked (and affordable) legal documents everyone needs The difference between joint accounts, POA, and transfer-on-death How to prep for financial caregiving before a medical emergency The unexpected costs of not planning ahead — and how to avoid them How to be “the person who gets called” in a crisis — and what to ask in advance 💡 P.S. Need help getting your own financial life in order before you take on someone else’s? Check out our FinanceFixx program, our signature coaching experience that helps you get organized, take control of your spending, and build a plan that actually works. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    33 mins
  • A Week In Her Wallet: What It Really Costs To Travel Full-Time For Work On A $150K Salary

    A Week In Her Wallet: What It Really Costs To Travel Full-Time For Work On A $150K Salary
    Nov 14 2025
    This week on A Week In Her Wallet, we head to Atlanta to follow Kristen, a 40-something clinical researcher who earns about $150K a year and travels nearly full-time for work. She walks us through a week of thoughtful spending, including a $1,300 mortgage payment, $500 toward her HELOC, a $150 yard sale win (promptly spent on music festival tickets), and the small joys that keep her grounded when she’s on the road so much. 💬 In this episode: Why she bought a home on her own at 30 How she’s navigating a HELOC payoff The hidden costs of business travel (and the perks) Her favorite splurges and values-based spending What she’s learned from tracking her money for one week Want to better understand your financial mindset? Take our MoneyType quiz to learn how your personality influences your spending. And if you’re ready to get serious about your budget, check out our FinanceFixx program — real coaching, real results. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    39 mins
  • Ep 501: AI Slop Is Ruining the Job Search — Here’s How to Stand Out with LinkedIn’s Catherine Fisher

    Ep 501: AI Slop Is Ruining the Job Search — Here’s How to Stand Out with LinkedIn’s Catherine Fisher
    Nov 12 2025
    The world of work is changing fast. AI is reshaping how we do our jobs, learn new skills, and even how we write our resumes and cover letters. But the most trusted source of career advice isn’t AI. It’s people. In this week’s episode, Jean sits down with LinkedIn Career Expert Catherine Fisher to talk about why networking is still the ultimate career superpower. Catherine shares why it’s less about jobs disappearing and more about tasks evolving, what skills are becoming even more valuable now, and how women can use their networks to stay confident, connected, and ahead of the curve. We’ll cover: How to approach AI with curiosity and use it to your advantage Simple ways to keep your professional relationships alive (even when you’re busy) How to make networking feel authentic instead of awkward or transactional The top three profile changes to help you stand out on LinkedIn today 👉 Join the HerMoney Investing Club 📰 Subscribe to the free HerMoney Newsletter: https://hermoney.com/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    33 mins
  • A Week In Her Wallet: How One Couple Manages $200K in Income, a Toddler, and Four Pets

    A Week In Her Wallet: How One Couple Manages $200K in Income, a Toddler, and Four Pets
    Nov 7 2025
    This week on HerMoney’s special series A Week In Her Wallet, we meet Kaitlyn from Madison, Wisconsin. She’s a full-time state program manager with a side hustle, a toddler, three cats, and a dog — so life is full, to say the least. Kaitlyn and her husband bring in just under $200K per year and manage their money through shared accounts and regular “budget nights.” As Kaitlyn tracks her spending for a week, she shares her candid voice notes about side gig deposits, why she swears by a monthly cleaning service, and how her love for thrift stores led to a once-in-a-lifetime vinyl record player find. Her week is about much more than transactions; it’s a journey of intentional joy, family memories, and budgeting for what really matters. 💡 Listen in to hear: Why she happily spends $150 a month on house cleaning How she and her husband use “funding pots” to budget for travel, gifts, and daycare The thrift store jackpot that brought her to happy tears Why they’re winding down their bartending side hustles A powerful mindset shift around spending money on experiences over things How they navigate toddler expenses on a budget — and with intention Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    38 mins
  • EP 500: Is 2025 the Next 1929? Andrew Ross Sorkin on Bubbles, Crashes, and What’s Coming

    EP 500: Is 2025 the Next 1929? Andrew Ross Sorkin on Bubbles, Crashes, and What’s Coming
    Nov 5 2025
    This week, Jean sits down with Andrew Ross Sorkin, bestselling author of Too Big to Fail and the brand-new 1929: Inside the Greatest Crash in Wall Street History—And How It Shattered a Nation. Andrew shares why the patterns of 1929 are repeating themselves, from the rise of new technology and market euphoria to record consumer debt and risky new financial products entering retirement accounts. Jean and Andrew break down what’s happening in the markets, what’s fueling the AI-driven investing mania, and what you should be doing now to protect your financial future. Plus, don’t miss our Insurance Mailbag! Jean and Kathryn tackle your real-life insurance questions, whether you’re downsizing your home, passing down family valuables, or just making sure your coverage fits your next chapter. You’ll learn: Why history says optimism can be dangerous (but useful) How today’s “buy now, pay later” mindset mirrors 1929’s credit explosion What risks may be hiding in your 401(k) Whether crypto and private equity belong in retirement portfolios And how to build a portfolio that can actually weather a crash Empty nest resources from our partners at Nationwide. 👉 Join the HerMoney Investing Club 📰 Subscribe to the free HerMoney Newsletter: https://hermoney.com/subscribe 💬 Got feedback? We love hearing from you. Leave us a review and tell us what you want more of. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    47 mins
  • Your Money Map Replay: How to Prepare for Rising Healthcare Costs in 2026

    Your Money Map Replay: How to Prepare for Rising Healthcare Costs in 2026
    Oct 31 2025
    With healthcare premiums expected to spike and enhanced ACA subsidies set to expire, millions of Americans may be facing a serious coverage crunch. In this timely episode of Your Money Map, Jean Chatzky is joined by retirement experts Marcia Mantell and Jae Oh to break down what’s really happening with the ACA, Medicare, and employer-sponsored insurance, and how you can protect your wallet. We dig into: How the government shutdown could impact Affordable Care Act subsidies The true cost of healthcare in 2026 Why open enrollment this year will be more complex than ever How to budget for Medicare premiums and unexpected expenses Strategies for using guaranteed income (like Social Security or annuities) to cover rising healthcare costs Tips to avoid scams, navigate robocalls, and make smart insurance choices The power of Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and high-deductible plans 🔗 For more resources and tools from the Alliance for Lifetime Income, visit ProtectedIncome.org 📬 Sign up for their newsletter: protectedincome.org/subscribe 💬 Like what you hear? Leave us a 5-star review and share the episode with a friend! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    43 mins