Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel

Latest Episodes:

You’ll Never Guess These BONKERS Money Superlatives Jul 06, 2023

Show notes

What do the highest paid celebrities, the International Space Station, and the George Foreman grill have in common? They all earned pop culture money superlatives from George and Rachel in this week’s special edition.

In this episode:

· Rachel and George’s high school superlatives revealed

· On-point assessments of our most beloved products, entertainment and celebrities

· The shocking credit limits consumers can get, plus a breakdown of consumer debt

Helpful Resources:

· Booking a flight at Going is the best and simplest way to pay less and travel more. Sign up for free today at going.com/smartmoney.

· Get your finances organized, make a plan, build your confidence, and kick money stress out of your life for good with the EveryDollar budgeting app. Go to www.everydollar.com/smartmoney to get a free two-week trial and $15 off your premium membership to EveryDollar.

· Do you have a Guilty as Charged question for Rachel and George? Send a DM to @rachelcruze or @georgekamel on Instagram! Be sure to type “GUILTY?” at the top of your message so we don’t miss it.

· Learn more about your ad choices: https://www.megaphone.fm/adchoices

· Ramsey Solutions Privacy Policy: https://www.ramseysolutions.com/compa...

This Week’s Happy Hour Special: Sloe Gin Fizz

Ingredients:

1 1/2 ounces sloe gin

1/2 ounce lemon juice

1/2 tablespoon powdered sugar

4 ounces champagne

Instructions: Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice. Add the sloe gin, lemon juice and powdered sugar, then shake vigorously until chilled. Strain the cocktail into a glass, add ice if desired, and top with champagne. Cheers!

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Do You Handle Payday Better Than Your Fav Celeb? Jun 29, 2023

Show notes

Most people think the hard part about getting rich is figuring out how to make a ton of money—but the real challenge might be learning to manage your money well. Today, George and Rachel react to the ways celebrities spent their first paychecks and ponder whether money makes us who we are or if it simply reveals what’s already there.

In this episode:

· Rachel’s crappy first paycheck and how George scored $12 an hour as a 14-year-old

· The emotional roller coaster of the average American’s payday weekend—and a better way to payday

· George and Rachel try to figure out how one celeb dropped $15K at The Cheesecake Factory

Helpful Resources:

· Learn more about your ad choices: https://www.megaphone.fm/adchoices

· Ramsey Solutions Privacy Policy: https://www.ramseysolutions.com/compa...

This Week’s Happy Hour Special: The Mint Julep

Ingredients:

· 2 ounces bourbon

· 1/4 ounce simple syrup

· 8 mint leaves

· Garnish: mint sprig

· Garnish: Angostura bitters (optional)

Instructions: In a copper mug (or a Julep cup), gently muddle the mint leaves in the simple syrup. Pour in the bourbon, then fill the glass with crushed ice. Stir until your mug gets a little frosty. Garnish with a mint sprig and a few drops of bitters and you’ll be off to the races.

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Most Ridiculous Things People Actually Pay For Jun 22, 2023

Show notes

Oxygen bars, PH balanced water . . . Are they scams, or are they for real? Food delivery every night? Are these ridiculous things to spend money on? Let George and Rachel be the judges.

In this episode:

· The bougie things Rachel and George (over)pay for

· How to know if you’re splurging for the right reasons

· What Rachel spent money on that made Dave threaten to pull her college tuition

Helpful Resources:

· Get your finances organized, make a plan, build your confidence, and kick money stress out of your life for good with the EveryDollar budgeting app. Go to www.everydollar.com/smartmoney to get started today. Use code SMARTMONEY to get a free two-week trial and $15 off your premium membership to EveryDollar.

· Learn more about your ad choices. https://www.megaphone.fm/adchoices

· Ramsey Solutions Privacy Policy https://www.ramseysolutions.com/compa...

This Week’s Happy Hour Special: The Bees Knees

Ingredients:

· 3 teaspoons honey syrup

· 2 teaspoons orange juice

· 2 ounces dry gin

· Juice from 1/2 a lemon (about 1 1/2 tablespoons)

· Lemon twist (for garnish)

Instructions: Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Pour in the honey syrup, orange juice, lemon juice and gin. Fasten the lid and shake until it’s nice and cold. Pour the mixture into a glass, finish it with a fruit carving—err, twist of lemon—and enjoy!

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Explaining Our Most Hated Financial Advice Jun 15, 2023

Show notes

You can’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but you can always show up with a good cocktail! Rachel and George are responding to the loudest, most common criticisms they receive. Haters gonna hate—but we’re okay with that.

In This Episode:

· Rachel shocks modern women everywhere with her joint bank account stance.

· George defends his frugal eating in vs. eating out strategy.

· Rachel and George read “mean tweets” about themselves (Jimmy Kimmel style).

Helpful Resources: 

· Get your finances organized, make a plan, build up your confidence, and kick money stress out of your life for good with the EveryDollar budgeting app. Go to www.everydollar.com/smart to get started today.

· Learn more about your ad choices. https://www.megaphone.fm/adchoices

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This Week’s Happy Hour Special: The Roy Rogers

Ingredients:

· 6 ounces cola

· 1 tablespoon grenadine syrup

· Maraschino cherry (for garnish)

Instructions: Pour grenadine into tall glass filled with ice. Top with cola. Garnish with a maraschino cherry and enjoy! 🍒

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How to Fund Your Bucket List Before You Die Jun 08, 2023

Show notes

Not sure how to afford your pre-RIP dreams? Rachel and George are here to help! Plus, they’ll reveal America’s most popular bucket list items, react to the internet’s weirdest life goals, and share a few things from their own personal bucket lists!

In This Episode:

· Rachel teaching George the bucket list writer’s anthem (Hint: 🪂🏔️🐂)

· What’s actually motivating America to think about living life to the fullest

· The unexpected experience that showed up on both George and Rachel’s bucket lists

Helpful Resources: 

· Learn more about your ad choices. https://www.megaphone.fm/adchoices

· Ramsey Solutions Privacy Policy

This Week’s Happy Hour Special: Negroni

1 ounce dry gin

1 ounce Campari

1 ounce sweet vermouth

Orange peel

In a mixing glass filled with ice, combine the gin, vermouth and Campari. Stir for 30 seconds (or until cold). Strain mixture into an ice-filled rocks glass. Twist the orange peel over your glass to create an herbal, aromatic drinking experience. Use the orange twist as garnish—enjoy!

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Money Myths From the TV Shows That Raised Us Jun 01, 2023

Show notes

Rachel Cruze, Rachel Green, George Kamel and George Costanza—the gang’s all here! We’re covering the unrealistic paychecks of everybody’s favorite TV show characters. How did NYC’s unemployed population hold down high-dollar real estate, and where did they find such generous friends? We need answers!

In This Episode:

· Danny Tanner’s excellent taste in historical real estate on a sportscaster salary

· What is rent control, and why did it have a choke hold on every ’90s sitcom?

· The concept of Seinfeld finally clicks for Rachel live on the air, and George gets mildly harassed

Helpful Resources: 

· Learn more about your ad choices. https://www.megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ramsey Solutions Privacy Policy

This Week’s Happy Hour Special: The Sundowner Mocktail

Ingredients:

1/2 cup white grape juice

1/3 cup sparkling water

1 mint sprig (for garnish)

Instructions: In a chilled wine glass filled with ice, add white grape juice and sparkling water. Stir, garnish with mint, and enjoy!

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Should We Let the Middle Class Go Extinct? May 25, 2023

Show notes

Who’s feeling middle class fancy? Join Rachel and George as they celebrate “the backbone of America” and try to figure out if the rumors are true . . . Is the middle class really disappearing?

In This Episode: 

· The restaurant that screams “middle class” according to George

· How your income bracket does (and doesn’t) impact the quality of your life

· Costco hot tubs, fondue fountains and more @MiddleClassFancy gold

Helpful Resources: 

· Enter The Ramsey Cash Giveaway for a chance at $3,000! https://bit.ly/SMHHgvwy

· Do you have a Guilty As Charged question for Rachel and George? Send a DM to @rachelcruze or @georgekamel on Instagram! Be sure to type “GUILTY?” at the top of your message so we don’t miss it.

· Learn more about your ad choices. https://www.megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ramsey Solutions Privacy Policy

This Week’s Happy Hour Special: The Waldorf

· 1/2 ounce absinthe

· 2 ounces rye whiskey

· 3/4 ounce sweet vermouth

· 3 dashes Angostura bitters

Grab your favorite cocktail glass. Pour in the absinthe. Give the glass a swirl until the inside is fully coated––then dump out any excess liquid. (Congrats! You just performed an absinthe wash.)

In a separate glass, combine the whiskey, vermouth and Angostura bitters over ice. Stir until chilled. Strain the mixture into your absinthe-washed glass and get to feeling fancy!

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Should You Go All In for All-Inclusives? May 18, 2023

Show notes

Not all that glitters is gold. Rachel and George are here to crunch the numbers, debate the pros and cons, and decide once and for all if all-inclusive vacations are worth your money. Which costs more: a trip to 30A or a week at a resort? Why does late-night crème brûlée from room service hit different? And is it all too good to be true?

In This Episode: 

· The current state (and fascinating history) of all-inclusive vacations

· George’s love of fire dancing and Rachel’s aversion to mass-produced vacation food

· Cost comparisons, nonrefundable contracts and Costco Travel tips

Helpful Resources: 

· Enter The Ramsey Cash Giveaway for a chance at $3,000! https://bit.ly/SMHHgvwy

· Learn more about your ad choices. https://www.megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ramsey Solutions Privacy Policy

This Week’s Happy Hour Special: Sidecar

Ingredients:

· 1 1/2 ounces cognac

· 3/4 ounce Cointreau

· 3/4 ounce lemon juice

· Sugar (for garnish)

Instructions: Coat the rim of a chilled cocktail glass with sugar and set it aside. Add cognac, Cointreau, lemon juice and ice to a cocktail shaker. Shake until mixed and chilled. Strain the liquid into your prepared glass and enjoy!

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Is Caffeine Addiction Draining Our Wallets? May 11, 2023

Show notes

Epic Starbucks orders, lab-grown energy drinks, your hipster friend’s pour-over coffee phase . . . It’s no secret that America loves a good caffeine rush! In this episode, Rachel and George weigh the pros and cons of everybody’s favorite stimulant––and do the math on what caffeine addiction really costs.

In This Episode:

· The number one way to drink coffee according to Rachel and George ☕️

· The real reason Target has Starbucks in their stores

· Coffee alternatives that feel like they’re stalking you on Instagram

Helpful Resources:

· Enter the Ramsey Cash Giveaway for a chance at $3,000! https://bit.ly/SMHHgvwy

· Learn more about your ad choices. https://www.megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ramsey Solutions Privacy Policy

This Week’s Happy Hour Special: The Lazarus

· 1 ounce vodka

· 1/2 ounce cognac

· 1 ounce coffee liqueur

· 1 ounce espresso coffee (hot)

Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice. Give it a good rattle. Strain into your favorite drinking glass and sip until you feel the espresso bring you back to life! ⚡️

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The ’90s Are Back! (And Coming for Our Cash) May 04, 2023

Show notes

Is Blockbuster about to pull an Abercrombie? Rachel and George discuss the rise and fall of iconic ’90s businesses. Which ones are headed for a comeback, which ones are gone but not forgotten, and how does nostalgic marketing affect your spending today?

In This Episode: 

· Are Beanie Babies and other throwback keepsakes a smart investment?

· Has technology ruined our generation and our favorite brands?

· Rachel performing a memorable answering machine rap from her childhood

Helpful Resources: 

· Enter the Ramsey Cash Giveaway for a chance at $3,000! https://bit.ly/SMHHgvwy

· Learn more about your ad choices. https://www.megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ramsey Solutions Privacy Policy

This Week’s Happy Hour Special: Bottoms Up

Ingredients:

· 1 1/3 ounces cognac

· 2/3 ounce Cointreau