How to Money

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Latest Episodes:

The Demographic Dilemma and Your Dollars w/ Melissa Kearney #1046 Oct 08, 2025

Show notes

“Demographics are destiny” is a phrase we’ve all heard. And while the future of America isn’t a foregone conclusion, declining birth rates, rising inequality, and the dramatic increase of single-parent households are having a profound impact on our society, impacting the overall economy. With all of this in mind, another question is raised: how should we respond and what money choices should we be making now? To help answer this question, we’re joined by Melissa Kearney who is an economist known for her extensive research on social policy, poverty, inequality, and the economics of families and fertility. Melissa is author of the book, The Two-Parent Privilege, and she’s a professor of economics at Notre Dame. We discuss:

How pessimism about the economy often contrasts with individual financial well-being
Declining birth rates are a global concern with potential economic consequences
Marriage is not just a romantic arrangement, it has economic implications too
Immigration could be a solution to counteract declining birth rates
Declining birth rates could lead to challenges in social security systems
Investing strategies may need to adapt to demographic changes

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Be sure to check out Melissa’s book, The Two-Parent Privilege!
Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here.
Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical.
Find a thriving community of fellow money nerds by joining the HTM Facebook group!
Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile.

And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money!

Best friends out!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ask HTM - Avoiding the Credit Card Burn, Timing a HELOC, & Solar to Retire Sooner #1045 Oct 06, 2025

Show notes

Let’s kick off the week with some fresh listener questions we have lined up for you! And don't just stand on the sidelines- if you have a question you’d like us to answer, toss your voice memo our way. It only takes about 90 seconds to record and you can find a step by step guide over at HowToMoney.com/ask . Regardless of how random or bizarre you might think it is, we want to hear it!

1 - Credit card autopay: how do I avoid getting hit with an interest charge?

2 - Timing a HELOC: should I apply and open a line of credit before my income drops significantly?

3 - Solar panels: should I take the plunge with solar in order to mitigate monthly expenses in retirement?

4 - Family money talk: how do I convince my parents that taking out a loan for some HVAC work is foolish?

5 - Cellular for wearables: what’s the best option if we’re adding a line for our kid’s watch?

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Negotiating severance during an impending layoff by Financial Samurai.
Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here.
Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical.
Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group.
Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile.

During this episode we enjoyed a It’s Complicated Being A Wizard by Burlington Beer Co! And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money!

Best friends out!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Friday Flight - Underwater Autos, Freelancing FTW, & E-Fund Idiocy #1044 Oct 03, 2025

Show notes

Time for a Friday Flight- our little sampling of the week’s financial news and what it means for your personal finances. There are a lot of headlines out there, but we boil them down to specific takeaways that will allow you to kick off the weekend informed and help you to get ahead with your money. In this episode we explain some relevant and helpful stories like:

Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances:

Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here.
Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical.
Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group.
Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile.

Best friends out!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pulling the Most Powerful Money Levers w/ Professor Kristen Carioti #1043 Oct 01, 2025

Show notes

Our guest today says, “you can’t transform the world if you’re living paycheck to paycheck.” We couldn’t agree more! And money literacy is at the heart of avoiding that fate. Not only did Professor Kristen Carioti literally write the personal finance textbook, but she also found a way to make personal finance classes a requirement at her school, Mount Mary University. Kristen is boots on the ground, teaching the next generation how to think about and handle their finances effectively. We discuss:

Students are eager to learn about personal finance, indicating a demand for a money education
Building good money habits early can lead to long-term financial success
Budgeting should be viewed as a plan rather than a restriction
Trade-offs in financial decisions are often overlooked by young adults
Financial tools should be chosen based on individual needs and effectiveness
And plenty more!

Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances:

Check out Kristen’s site to learn more about her, the personal finance book, and reach out to her on LinkedIn to connect professionally!
Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here.
Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical.
Find a thriving community of fellow money nerds by joining the HTM Facebook group!
Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile.

Best friends out!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ask HTM - Break-Even Bank Switch, Doubling Down on a 457b, & Financing an ADU for Extra Cash #1042 Sep 29, 2025

Show notes

1 - Switching banks and HSAs: what’s the break-even dollar amount for it to be worth it?

2 - Best early retirement accounts: should I prioritize a 457b over a 403b?

3 - Social Security timing: do I start drawing down at 62 and let my retirement portfolio grow or vice versa?

4 - Building an ADU: should I tap a HELOC or save up the cash to build?

5 - Affordable healthcare: what are actual costs if we opt out of actual health insurance?

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Paying the $50 might be worth it for a detailed Social Security analysis.
If you’re looking for a very affordable health care alternative (like by a factor of 6x) that isn’t technically insurance, then you definitely need to check out Medi-Share.
Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here.
Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical.
Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group.
Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile.

During this episode we enjoyed a Cordial Offering: Peanut Butter Cup by Edmund’s Oast! And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money!

Best friends out!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Friday Flight - 'Just In Case' Planning, Consumer Caste System, & Credit Scores Crashing #1041 Sep 26, 2025

Show notes

Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances:

You need a Bare Bones Budget!
Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here.
Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical.
Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group.
Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile.

Best friends out!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eat the Avocado Toast w/ Justin & Haley Brown-Woods #1040 Sep 24, 2025

Show notes

The supposed luxury of avocado toast, along with the latte, has become an “ok boomer” personal finance tip. “Stop frivolously spending your money and you’d be rich!”... we don’t actually believe that here at HTM and even if there’s a modicum of truth to that statement, it presents other challenges like: how long do you sacrifice in the short-term in order to achieve long-term financial success? Which is why we’re pumped to have financial counselors Justin & Haley Browns-Wood join the podcast today because these are the types of questions they guide their clients through on the reg.

Justin & Haley share their story which includes paying off six figures in debt – all on teacher’s salaries, despite burning through a $600,000 settlement. The couple behind Price of Avocado Toast discusses how lifestyle inflation led to their out of control debt, why debt consolidation is risky without behavioral change, examples of how tracking expenses are essential for gaining financial clarity, how shame around debt can be a common barrier to financial progress, but then we also talk about OkCupid and the intersection of intimacy and Dave Ramsey – it turns out that transformative experiences can strengthen relationships!

Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances:

Head to PriceOfAvocadoToast.com to learn about everything Justin & Haley, including their financial coacking.
Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here.
Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical.
Find a thriving community of fellow money nerds by joining the HTM Facebook group!
Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile.

Best friends out!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ask HTM - Best Grocery Cashback Credit Cards, Risking it with Ultra Cheap Car Rentals, & Giving Up on Home Ownership #1039 Sep 22, 2025

Show notes

1 - Selling a home and renting instead: what do we do with cash from the closing table?

2 - Best credit card for groceries: but what about ethical fatigue from asking for annual fee waiver?

3 - High income Roth investors: how do we go about (legally) shoehorning some dollars in there?

4 - Car rental deals: is is worth it to go with the ultra cheap car rental that’s a fraction of the regular cost?

5 - Debt payoff: what’s the best method for knocking out 4 credit card balances?

Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances:

Use Undebt.it to help you figure out a get-outta-debt plan
If you make too much to directly contribute to a Roth, the "backdoor Roth" might be just the thing to get you invested.
Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here.
Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical.
Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group.
Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile.

During this episode we enjoyed a Fat Pug by Maplewood Brewing! And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money!

Best friends out!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Friday Flight - Pricey Porch Pumpkins, Twitter for Trading, & Saving for a Spouse #1038 Sep 19, 2025

Show notes

Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances:

Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here.
Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical.
Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group.
Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile.

Best friends out!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cutting Taxes & Retiring Sooner w/ Cody Garrett #1037 Sep 17, 2025

Show notes

Benjamin Franklin once wrote “... in this world, nothing is certain except death and taxes.” It was true over 200 years ago and it’s true today! But we’re here to argue that there’s another certainty pertaining to taxes: that we all have the ability to change our individual tax rate by our own actions! Our guest today, Cody Garrett, has thoroughly internalized that reality. He is an advice-only CFP at Measure Twice Financial who specializes in helping folks make a comprehensive financial plan. That includes the role taxes play in your ability to meet your goals. His new book, Tax Planning To and Through Early Retirement, helps folks plan intentionally around a giant expense we all face, taxes.

We discuss the number of Americans, often involuntarily retiring before age 65, how Social Security should be factored into retirement planning but not solely relied upon, how small changes in savings rates can lead to significant retirement benefits, why flexibility in financial strategies is key to adapting to changing circumstances, and much more!

Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances:

Be sure and check out the "Tax Planning To and Through Early Retirement" Book: https://www.measuretwicemoney.com/book
- And you can enjoy Cody over at Measure Twice Money on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MeasureTwiceMoney
Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here.
Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical.
Find a thriving community of fellow money nerds by joining the HTM Facebook group!
Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile.

Best friends out!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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