Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel

Latest Episodes:

What Americans Are Asking Google and ChatGPT About Us—and Money Feb 16, 2023

Show notes

Technology, personal finance, jury duty—Rachel and George cover some hard-hitting topics as they answer the internet’s most popular “How to get out of . . .” questions (and also share a few thoughts on the Wendy’s franchise). You don’t want to miss this one!

In This Episode: 

· George discusses fanny packs and his time in the Arabic Baptist Church.

· You’ll hear top Google searches and some financial limericks written by ChatGPT.

· Rachel compares her husband, Winston, to a mysterious 90s sitcom character.

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. Click here to get started today!

· Be entered to win a $100 Visa gift card when you take our listener survey! Click here to let us know what you think.

· 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 Hurricane

Ingredients:

· 1 ounce light rum

· 1 1/2 ounces dark rum

· 3 ounces passion fruit juice

· 3 ounces orange juice

· 1 tablespoon grenadine

· Orange slice and maraschino cherry to garnish

Add rums, juices and grenadine to a shaker filled with ice. Shake to combine, then pour into an ice-filled glass. Garnish with an orange slice and a maraschino cherry for extra color and enjoy!

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Football vs. Finance: What the Big Game Is Costing America (and You) Feb 09, 2023

Show notes

Goooo sports! It’s almost time for the big matchup between the Eagles and the Chiefs––or as George likes to think of it: cheesesteaks vs. BBQ. Whether you’re a football fan or a Rihanna stan, we’re breaking down how this all-American tradition is bound to give you (and maybe your budget) some sticker shock.

In This Episode:

· The minimum amount you need for a solo trip to the big game IRL 🤑

· Rachel and George brainstorm some ballin’ nonmonetary bets (#savethebudget)

· Three money-saving tips you need if you got volunteered to host the party on Sunday

Helpful Resources:

· Be entered to win a $100 Visa gift card when you take our listener survey! Click here to let us know what you think.

· 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. Click here to get started today!

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

· Ramsey Solutions Privacy Policy

This Week’s Happy Hour Special:

Mango Michelada

· 1 bottle Corona Light beer

· 1/2 fresh lime, juiced

· 3/4 cup mango juice

· 1 tablespoon ancho chili powder

· Hot sauce (optional)

Pour ancho chili powder on a small plate. Rub a lime wedge around the rim of your favorite glass, then press the rim into the chili powder until the rim is fully coated.

Partially fill the glass with ice. Add lime juice, mango juice and a few drops of hot sauce if desired. Stir to combine, then top with Corona beer. (Have beer left over? Serve it on the side!)

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“Spare” Change: Prince Harry’s 8-Figure Book Deal (and Our Takeaways) Feb 02, 2023

Show notes

Rachel and George are here to unpack Prince Harry’s tell-all memoir, Spare. Find out if Meghan is really to blame for all the drama, whether or not Harry is a fan of The Crown, and what multimillion-dollar celebrity book deals have to do with you.

In This Episode: 

· Spare or Snare—Rachel quizzes George on Prince Harry trivia

· The magic dollar amount Rachel and George would charge to spill their tea

· How to avoid major regret when making money decisions involving family

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. Click here to get started today!

· Be entered to win a $100 Visa gift card when you take our listener survey: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/7014625/cf367876c335

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

· Ramsey Solutions Privacy Policy

This Week’s Happy Hour Special:

Paloma Hermosa

1 egg white

1 1/2 ounces white tequila

1/2 ounce St-Germain elderflower liqueur

1/2 ounce grapefruit juice

1/2 ounce agave nectar

1 lime wedge

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add the egg white. Give it a good shake until the egg white turns into froth, then add in tequila, St-Germain elderflower liqueur, grapefruit juice and agave nectar. Pour the cocktail into chilled glass with ice, garnish with fresh lime, and enjoy!

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What “Bennifer” and Other Power Couples Prove About Money Jan 26, 2023

Show notes

Some things––and people––are just better together! (Tomdaya, anyone? 😍) Rachel and George ask what defines a power couple and why unity is such a key ingredient in building wealth.

In This Episode:

· An Urban Dictionary definition that actually feels spot on 🎯

· What a sourdough starter and a Tamagotchi have in common

· The rise of the “dinkwad”—and no, that’s not an insult 👰‍♀️🐶🤵‍♂️

Helpful Resources:

· Be entered to win a $100 Visa gift card when you take our listener survey! Click here to let us know what you think.

· 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. Click here to get started today!

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

· Ramsey Solutions Privacy Policy

This Week’s Happy Hour Special:

Cherry Limeade Mocktail 🍒

6 ounces Sparkling Ice® (black cherry)
1 ounce lime juice
Sonic-style ice

Swing by Sonic and get a 10-pound bag of fancy ice for $3.50. When you get home, fill a highball glass with your newly acquired ice. Pour in black cherry Sparkling Ice®. Top with lime juice and enjoy!

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The Pink Tax: Does Life Really Cost More for Women? Jan 19, 2023

Show notes

A red and blue debate in this episode? No thanks. Pink? Absolutely! 💕 Rachel Cruze and George Kamel discuss the pink tax and investigate other gender-related price differences in everyday products.

In This Episode: 

· Why women are spending $40K more than men by age 30

· Male versus female price comparisons (including haircuts, deodorant, razors and more!)

· Rachel and George propose new taxes they think would be fairer than the pink tax

Helpful Resources: 

· Be entered to win a $100 Visa gift card when you take our listener survey! Click here to let us know what you think.

· 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. Click here to get started today!

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

· Ramsey Solutions Privacy Policy

This Week’s Happy Hour Special:

The Pink Señorita Margarita

4 ounces tequila
4 ounces grapefruit juice
1 ounce simple syrup
Splash of cranberry juice
Fresh mint for garnish

Pour your go-to tequila, grapefruit juice and simple syrup into a cocktail shaker with ice. Give it a good shake, then strain it over ice in a rocks glass. Add a splash of cranberry juice until it’s your preferred shade of pink. Garnish with fresh mint and enjoy! 🍹

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2022’s Biggest Pop Culture Moments (With Even Bigger Price Tags) Jan 12, 2023

Show notes

Last year’s iconic pop culture moments don’t just jiggle, jiggle––they fold! From Harry Styles’ world tour to Inventing Anna to the Depp-Heard trial, Rachel and George break down the money moves behind 2022’s major trends and memories.

In This Episode:

· The forbidden show George had to sneak-watch at Grandma’s house

· Rachel and George name the official song of Smart Money Happy Hour karaoke

· The $13 BILLION loan that rocked the internet

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. Click here to get started today!

· Be entered to win a $100 Visa gift card when you take our listener survey! Click here to let us know what you think.

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

· Ramsey Solutions Privacy Policy

This Week’s Happy Hour Special:

The OG Daiquiri

2 ounces light rum
1/2 ounce Demerara sugar syrup
1 ounce lime juice

Fill your favorite cocktail shaker with ice. Add rum, Demerara syrup and lime juice. Shake with gusto, then strain into a vintage glass and enjoy the classic Cuban vibes. 🏝🇨🇺

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A Magic Salary for Happiness? (And a Tell-All From People Earning It) Jan 05, 2023

Show notes

Maybe you can slap a price tag on happiness! 🤑 Rachel and George crunch the numbers on actual budgets from people making the “ideal” salary according to science to see if we are miserable because of our mindset or our money.

In This Episode:

· The six-figure salary number research says we need for peak happiness

· Pearl snap shirts, chunky statement necklaces and other 2010s fashion confessions from Rachel and George

· The real reason George bought a king-size bed

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. Click here to get started today!

· Be entered to win a $100 Visa gift card when you take our listener survey! Click here to let us know what you think.

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

· Ramsey Solutions Privacy Policy

This Week’s Happy Hour Special:

Classic Jack and Coke

· 2 ounces Jack Daniels

· 4 ounces Coca-Cola

Pour Jack Daniels over ice in your favorite glass. Top with Coca-Cola. Now relax and take a load off–we know that was a strenuous one to make. 😉

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The REAL Reason Concerts Are So Expensive (Taylor’s Version) Dec 29, 2022

Show notes

Is Ticketmaster the reason for the teardrops on your guitar? Rachel Cruze and George Kamel reveal why concert tickets are so expensive and how you can see your favorite artists without busting your budget.

In This Episode:

· Rachel reveals what she would pay to see ’N Sync

· How JOMO can help you save money

· Why George is afraid of being canceled by the air fryer community

Helpful Resources:

· Be entered to win a $100 Visa gift card when you take our listener survey! Click here to let us know what you think.

· 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. Click here to get started today!

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

· Ramsey Solutions Privacy Policy

This Week’s Happy Hour Special:

Boulevardier

· 1 1/4 ounce bourbon (or rye)

· 1 ounce Campari

· 1 ounce sweet vermouth

· Dash of bitters

· Orange twist (for garnish)

Pour bourbon, Campari, sweet vermouth and bitters into a mixing glass and add ice. Stir until chilled. Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice. If you’re feeling fancy, garnish with an orange twist.

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Mariah, Dolly, Darlene, Lindsay and the "Christmas Queen" Controversy Dec 22, 2022

Show notes

Are Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” royalties enough to crown her Little Miss Queen of Christmas? Rachel and George check out the competition and decide for themselves who the real winner is. 👸🎄💰

In This Episode:

· A candid comparison of the iconic divas out here making major Christmas cash

· The Dolly Parton merch that left Rachel and George speechless

· The unlikely starlet that made Rachel’s prayer list

Helpful Resources:

· Be entered to win a $100 Visa gift card when you take our listener survey: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/7014625/cf367876c335

· 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. Click here to get started today!

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

· Ramsey Solutions Privacy Policy

This Week’s Happy Hour Special:

Peppermint Martini 🍸

1 ounce peppermint schnapps

1/2 ounce vodka

1 1/2 ounces crème de cacao

1 1/2 ounces heavy cream

Peppermint candies (optional)

Want the freshest happy hour breath of your life? Rim your glass with peppermint! 👉 Finely crush a handful of peppermint candies and spread evenly on a plate. Wet the rim of a martini glass with water. Set the glass top-down on the crushed candy and rotate until fully coated.

Now for the drink! Add peppermint schnapps, vodka, crème de cacao and heavy cream to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until frosty. Strain into your candy-rimmed glass and go find some mistletoe. 😉

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The Shocking Cost of Tying the Knot (and a Better Way to Spend Your Money) Dec 15, 2022

Show notes

Can you hear the wedding bells? Whether you’re getting married, in a bridal party, or still wondering why you didn’t get a plus one 🤔, Rachel Cruze and George Kamel talk all things weddings and how to celebrate big without going broke.

In This Episode:

· A hard-hitting testimony from a bachelorette partygoer on required dress code

· Why prematrimonial expenses cost more than a high-end jet ski

· How George won an all-expenses-paid wedding (and which animal named Cowboy made a guest appearance)

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. Click here to get started today!

· Be entered to win a $100 Visa gift card when you take our listener survey! Click here to let us know what you think.

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

· Ramsey Solutions Privacy Policy

This Week’s Happy Hour Special:

Trader Joe's Blanc de Blancs Brut– $6.99/bottle

Rachel’s tips for popping champagne:

1. Wipe down the bottle with a towel (it gets slippery when you chill it).

2. Loosen the wire cage and foil wrapped around the bottle neck and over the cork.

3. Tilt the bottle at a 45-degree angle so the cork won’t hit you in the face when it pops.

4. Using your other hand, grip the cork with your palm, wrap your fingers around the neck of the bottle, and twist the bottle (not the cork).

Keep on twisting until you hear that fssszz. Then remove the cage and cork and pour that bubbly!

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