Money Girl

Latest Episodes:

Smart ways to pay less on rising healthcare cost Aug 21, 2026

Show notes

1044. Are rising healthcare costs ruining your budget? Laura answers a listener’s question about how to maximize every tax advantage available for healthcare costs. You’ll learn the rules for deducting them on your tax return or paying them with tax-advantaged savings accounts like HSAs and FSAs. We’ll cover which expenses are tax-free and simple strategies to optimize your healthcare spending.

Key Takeaways:

You can only claim the medical tax deduction if you itemize deductions on Schedule A instead of claiming the standard deduction on your tax return.
You can only deduct unreimbursed healthcare expenses that exceed 7.5% of your adjusted gross income (AGI), making the medical deduction best for years with high medical bills.
Tax-advantaged medical savings accounts are powerful because they allow you to save 20% to 35% on qualified costs without claiming a medical deduction.
Health savings account (HSA) balances roll over forever, can be invested for tax-free growth, and can be withdrawn penalty-free for non-medical expenses after age 65 (subject to ordinary income tax).
Flexible spending accounts (FSAs) and health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs) are employer-sponsored perks for cutting healthcare costs.
You cannot claim an itemized medical deduction on Schedule A for any healthcare expense paid for or reimbursed using pre-tax funds from an HSA, FSA, or HRA.
Lawmakers have expanded HSA, FSA, and HRA qualified expenses to cover various over-the-counter (OTC) medications and products.

Discover more from Money Girl!

Facebook

Newsletter

Transcripts available at QuickandDirtyTips.com.

Email: Laura@LauraDAdams.com or leave a voicemail: (302) 364-0308.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A beginner’s guide to travel hacking using rewards Aug 19, 2026

Show notes

1043. Dreaming of your next getaway, but need to do it on a budget? Laura demystifies the world of “travel hacking” for complete beginners. You’ll learn how to leverage everyday spending to earn valuable reward points, maximize their redemption value for free travel, and strategically use credit cards without hurting your credit scores or accumulating debt. This is your secret weapon to travel more for a fraction of the cost.

Key Takeaways:

Travel hacking isn’t about buying things you don't need, but routing daily bills, groceries, and gas through rewards cards to earn a "rebate" on your regular budget.
High interest rates on rewards cards can wipe out the value of any points earned. If you carry a balance, travel hacking doesn't work.
Various bank currencies like Chase Ultimate Rewards, Amex Membership Rewards, and Capital One Miles are transferrable, giving you freedom.
Instead of shopping directly on a retailer's site, use a shopping portal that allows you to stack rewards on top of card points.
Redeeming points for cash back or merchandise usually yields less than 1 cent per point, which gives you a low value.
Transferring points directly to airline and hotel loyalty programs, especially during bonus promotions, can boost their value significantly.
Once you have bank cards with flexible rewards, add specific airline or hotel cards (like Hyatt or Delta) to unlock status, free checked bags, and annual free-night certificates.

Discover more from Money Girl!

Facebook

Newsletter

Transcripts available at QuickandDirtyTips.com.

Email: Laura@LauraDAdams.com or leave a voicemail: (302) 364-0308.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

8 money rules for happy couples Aug 15, 2026

Show notes

On a road trip, tackling a summer cleanup, or just catching up on podcasts? QDT has you covered with Summer Saturday encores from your favorite shows. See the full Summer Saturday lineup on Spotify and enjoy this episode, which first aired in November, 2024.

Laura reviews money rules for couples who want to avoid common pitfalls and have a healthy financial life.

Money Girl is hosted by Laura Adams. A transcript is available at Simplecast.

Have a money question? Send an email to money@quickanddirtytips.com or leave a voicemail at 302-365-0308.

Find Money Girl on Facebook and Twitter, or subscribe to the newsletter for more personal finance tips.

Money Girl is a part of Quick and Dirty Tips.

Links:

https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/

https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/money-girl-newsletter

https://www.facebook.com/MoneyGirlQDT

https://lauradadams.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Should my first home be an investment property? (Reissue) Aug 14, 2026

Show notes

941. Should you buy a rental property before your first home? Laura answers a listener's question about the pros and cons of 'house hacking' as an investment strategy — including how much you really need to save, what lenders require for investment properties, and whether becoming a landlord first is actually a smart path to building wealth.

Discover more from Money Girl!

Facebook

Money Girl Newsletter

The Money Stack Newsletter

Transcripts available at QuickandDirtyTips.com.

Email: Laura@LauraDAdams.com or leave a voicemail: (302) 364-0308.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Take control of your money, with Intuit’s Mark Notarainni Aug 12, 2026

Show notes

1042. Laura Adams interviews Mark Notarainni, an 18-year veteran at Intuit, to explore how integrated platforms and artificial intelligence (AI) are revolutionizing personal finance. Find out how combining tax data, credit histories, and everyday spending can help you take control of your financial life.

Key Takeaways:

Connecting your tax, credit, and spending data into a single ecosystem gives you a complete picture of your financial health and can improve decision-making.
Credit Spark allows you to build credit history through routine payments, such as utility and cell phone bills, that typically don’t get added to your credit reports.
Using a tool like Card Optimizer can help you identify and claim credit card perks, such as cash back and travel rewards.
Don't wait until January or April to think about your taxes. Mid-year is the perfect time to audit your bookkeeping, organize expenses, and avoid costly year-end tax surprises.
Use AI as an assistant to synthesize complex financial data, find savings opportunities, and present actionable choices, but you should always maintain control over your money decisions.

Discover more from Money Girl!

Facebook

Money Girl Newsletter

The Money Stack Newsletter

Transcripts available at QuickandDirtyTips.com.

Email: Laura@LauraDAdams.com or leave a voicemail: (302) 364-0308.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

8 ways to spend money for a happier life Aug 08, 2026

Show notes

Laura provides tips for using money as a tool for getting more joy from life.

Transcript: https://money-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/8-ways-to-spend-money-for-a-happier-life/transcript

Have a money question? Send an email to money@quickanddirtytips.com or leave a voicemail at (302) 364-0308.

Find Money Girl on Facebook and Twitter, or subscribe to the newsletter for more personal finance tips.

Money Girl is a part of Quick and Dirty Tips.

Links:

https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/

https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/money-girl-newsletter

https://www.facebook.com/MoneyGirlQDT

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Should I pay off a low-rate mortgage or invest? Aug 07, 2026

Show notes

1041. If you have extra cash, should you pay off a low-interest mortgage or invest it? Laura answers a listener’s question about balancing financial math with the emotional peace of mind that comes from being mortgage-free.

Key Takeaways:

Paying off a debt yields a guaranteed return equal to your loan’s interest rate.
Make sure you have a healthy emergency fund before making extra debt payments.
Consistently investing 10% to 15% of your income for retirement and capturing any employer matching should take priority over prepaying a low-interest debt.
Eliminate high-interest debt, like credit cards, as soon as possible.
Low-interest, tax-deductible debt, such as a mortgage should be your lowest payoff priority.
Younger investors benefit from decades of compounding market returns, while pre-retirees should focus on preserving wealth and reducing living expenses.

Discover more from Money Girl!

Facebook

Newsletter

Transcripts available at QuickandDirtyTips.com.

Email: Laura@LauraDAdams.com or leave a voicemail: (302) 364-0308.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Canceling credit cards–smart move or credit mistake? Aug 05, 2026

Show notes

1040. Laura explains the hidden risks of canceling credit card accounts. You’ll learn how credit utilization works, when closing an account is and isn’t worth it, and how to protect your credit if you do decide to close a credit card.

Key takeaways:

Closing a credit card shrinks your available credit, which causes your credit utilization ratio to spike, resulting in an immediate reduction in your credit scores.
Canceling a card you’ve owned for a while lowers your average age of credit, which can lower your scores.
Before canceling a high-fee card, consider applying for a replacement so you maintain your total available credit and won’t see your credit scores go down.
If you don’t want a card or its annual fee outweighs the perks, closing it can be worth a temporary credit score dip–unless you plan to make a significant purchase, like a car or home, within the next six months.
If you’re not disciplined with credit cards, closing them can be worthwhile to prevent overspending and future financial problems.

Discover more from Money Girl!

Facebook

Money Girl Newsletter

The Money Stack Newsletter

Transcripts available at QuickandDirtyTips.com.

Email: Laura@LauraDAdams.com or leave a voicemail: (302) 364-0308.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A 7-point mid-year checklist for money success Aug 01, 2026

Show notes

Take stock of your finances with Laura’s mid-year checklist for more money success.

Money Girl is hosted by Laura Adams. A transcript is available at QuickandDirtyTips.com

Have a money question? Send an email to money@quickanddirtytips.com or leave a voicemail at 302-365-0308.

Find Money Girl on Facebook and Twitter, or subscribe to the newsletter for more personal finance tips.

Money Girl is a part of Quick and Dirty Tips.

Links:

https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/

https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/money-girl-newsletter

https://www.facebook.com/MoneyGirlQDT

https://twitter.com/LauraAdams

https://lauradadams.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Should I consolidate old retirement plans? Jul 31, 2026

Show notes

1039. Laura answers a listener’s question about managing multiple 401(k)s with her current and previous employers. Find out the pros and cons of holding old retirement plans, how to streamline your strategy, and simultaneously reach other financial goals, like homeownership.

Key takeaways

Consolidating old retirement plans into one low-cost IRA or your current employer’s plan simplifies your asset allocation and protects your retirement growth from redundant account fees.
Always request a direct trustee-to-trustee rollover when moving funds between retirement accounts to eliminate the risk of missing the strict 60-day deadline.
Workplace retirement plans offer federal protection against creditors with no dollar limit.
IRAs are protected by state-specific laws, making plan-to-plan rollovers an attractive choice for those prioritizing maximum creditor protection.
First-time homebuyers can withdraw up to $10,000 penalty-free (but not tax-free) from an IRA ($20,000 for qualifying married couples) for a primary residence.
Early retirement withdrawals for a home down payment should generally be secondary to building a dedicated home down payment savings fund.

Discover more from Money Girl!

Facebook

Money Girl Newsletter

The Money Stack Newsletter

Transcripts available at QuickandDirtyTips.com.

Email: Laura@LauraDAdams.com or leave a voicemail: (302) 364-0308.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.