NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast

NerdWallet Personal Finance

Budgeting

Personal Finance

Financial Planning

Investing

Tariffs

Retirement Planning

Inflation

Debt Management

Life Insurance

Open Enrollment

Credit Cards

Interest Rates

Housing Market

Credit Card Debt

Artificial Intelligence

Credit Scores

Emergency Fund

Federal Reserve

Consumer Spending

Stock Market

NerdWallet’s trusted finance journalists answer real-world money questions to help you make smarter financial decisions with confidence. Each episode dives deep into topics like budgeting, saving, investing, home buying, and credit cards, cutting through misinformation to bring you clear, actionable advice backed by thorough research. By the end of every episode, you’ll have the latest financial i... more

1.6k ratings

Publishes	Daily	Episodes	612	Founded	9 years ago
Number of Listeners		Categories	How ToEducationBusinessInvesting

Listen to this Podcast

Guests Hosts Reviews Charts Talking Points

Latest Episodes

Spring Homebuying in 2026 and the Case for Never Paying Off Your Mortgage

Is spring still the right time to buy a home, and does carrying a mortgage forever actually make more financial sense?

Before entering into the “forever mortgage” debate, hosts Sean Pyles, CFP®, and Elizabeth Ayoola are joined by senior news writer ... more

Today • 36 min

Pet Insurance vs Savings Account and the APR vs APY Rules That Could Save You Cash

Learn when pet insurance is worth the cost and how APR and APY affect your loans and savings accounts.

Is pet insurance worth the monthly premium, or is a high-yield savings account the smarter play? Host Elizabeth Ayoola moderates an in-studio deba... more

27 Apr 2026 • 41 min

USPS’ Cash Crisis Hits More Than Your Mailbox, Plus The Debt Settlement Trap to Avoid

Can the post office survive its cash crisis, and is a debt relief program actually making your debt situation worse?

What does the USPS financial crisis mean for your everyday life? Senior news writer Anna Helhoski talks to Elena Patel, co-Director ... more

23 Apr 2026 • 36 min

AI in the Home Buying Process: What Works, What Doesn't, and When to Call an Expert

Find out how AI tools can help navigate the home buying process and where human expertise still matters most.

Can AI help you buy a house with reliable information? What would you do if you had only ten years to live, received a $100,000 windfall, o... more

20 Apr 2026 • 45 min

Key Facts

Accepts Guests

Accepts Sponsors

Contact Information

Podcast Host

Number of Listeners

Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Smart Travel: Upgrade Your GetawaysNerdWallet Travel

The Personal Finance PodcastAndrew Giancola

Money GirlQuickAndDirtyTips.com

Throwbacks with Matt Leinart & Jerry FerraraMatt Leinart, Jerry Ferrara

Money Guy ShowBrian Preston and Bo Hanson

Recent Guests

Cody Goff

Data expert on Smart Money

NerdWallet

Episode: AI in the Home Buying Process: What Works, What Doesn't, and When to Call an Expert

Ryan Sterling

Wealth advisor with NerdWallet Wealth Partners

NerdWallet Wealth Partners

Episode: What AI Gets Wrong About Your Money and What a New Study Reveals About Credit Card Debt

Anna Helhoski

News colleague, reports on the NerdWallet study

NerdWallet

Episode: What AI Gets Wrong About Your Money and What a New Study Reveals About Credit Card Debt

Kurt Woock

Study author, NerdWallet contributor

NerdWallet

Episode: What AI Gets Wrong About Your Money and What a New Study Reveals About Credit Card Debt

Tom O'Saben

Director of Tax Content for the National Association of Tax Professionals

National Association of Tax Professionals

Episode: Talking Taxes With a Tax Professional: What's New in 2026 and How to Navigate Filing Season

Joel Jacobs

Data reporter at ProPublica

ProPublica

Episode: Why Credit Report Errors Are Harder to Fix and How to Prepare for Involuntary Early Retirement

Kim Palmer

Personal finance writer

NerdWallet

Episode: Frugal Fatigue Is Real: How to Stop Saving Burnout and Start Spending on Purpose

Anthony Palomba

Media scholar and assistant professor at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business

University of Virginia Darden School of Business

Episode: Will Your Streaming Bill Jump? Plus, How to Pick a Budgeting App You’ll Actually Use

Lourdes Casanova

Senior Lecturer at Cornell University's SC Johnson College of Business

Cornell University

Episode: Tariff Uncertainty After Supreme Court Decision and Budgeting With Sinking Funds

Hosts

Sean Pyles

Host of the podcast, providing insights on personal finance with a focus on practical advice for managing money and building wealth.

Elizabeth Ayoola

Co-host known for relatable discussions on financial topics aimed at helping listeners navigate their financial decisions effectively.

Reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars from 1.6k ratings

Don't count on 8% returns
Working can indeed be boring, but without compounding and growth you might not be able to save enough to retire.
Apple Podcasts
5
Interested bystander
United Statesa month ago
Unrelated Filler
Why are you analyzing dating trends and giving relationship advice for (at least, I had to stop listening) the first 5 minutes of a podcast that’s supposedly about comparing Medicaid vs private pay for long term care?
Apple Podcasts
1
E. chandelier
United States2 months ago
One of my favorite podcasts
NerdWallet’s Smart Money podcast is informative, engaging, and genuinely fun to listen to. Elizabeth and Sean are funny, relatable, and clearly know their stuff, making complex finance topics easy to understand.
I love how they break down current events in money and explain what actually matters for everyday people. The way they thoughtfully connect finance to social issues and values-based spending really sets this podcast apart. A smart, approachable listen for anyone looking to make better m... more
Apple Podcasts
5
Robyn JD25
United States3 months ago
Just for rewards
Great listen
Apple Podcasts
4
Gsjxicjsbbsd
United States5 months ago
Finance savvy
Good financial advice
Apple Podcasts
5
TAL34.
United States5 months ago

Embed These Reviews on a Website

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Hosts make complex topics relatable and easy to understand, helping listeners make informed financial decisions.

Valuable insights into personal finance and budgeting, particularly for younger audiences.

Listeners appreciate the practical advice and actionable recommendations provided in various episodes.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts	#21	United States/Business/Investing
Apple Podcasts	#92	United States/Business
Apple Podcasts	#164	Canada/Business/Investing
Apple Podcasts	#51	Philippines/Business/Investing
Apple Podcasts	#72	South Korea/Business/Investing
Apple Podcasts	#76	Denmark/Business/Investing

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

What Warflation Costs You and Whether a Short-Term Rental Beats Investing Your Home Sale Proceeds

Q: Hi Sean and Elizabeth, my boyfriend and I are selling our condo in California to move to Texas. We're weighing renting vs investing the proceeds, and Becca asks if real estate and a short-term rental could diversify her portfolio or pose risk.

Lisa explains that diversification is possible with real estate, but the decision should be grounded in cash availability, risk tolerance, and lifestyle goals. Remote management adds risk, so use a local property manager, consider using some proceeds for liquidity, and evaluate whether partial real estate exposure combined with stock investments might balance returns with risk. New construction brings high costs and complexity, so a blended approach—buying a property partway and keeping some cash for stocks—can offer diversification without over-concentrating in one asset class.

Is Your Portfolio Ready for Energy Price Swings? Plus, Tackling Debt on a High Income

Q: How should Melise prioritize debt payoff given her six‑figure salary and multiple payment plans?

Adopt an avalanche approach to target the highest‑interest debts first, consider consolidating or strategically transferring balances to zero APR cards, and automate payments to reduce mental load while focusing on paying off credit cards and private loans before tackling taxes.

Talking Taxes With a Tax Professional: What's New in 2026 and How to Navigate Filing Season

Q: What should people look for when choosing a tax professional?

Look for experience, ongoing education, whether they sign the return, avoid ghost preparers, assess their ability to explain the law, and verify credentials beyond just a branded title; ensure you will be able to sign and take responsibility for the return.

Talking Taxes With a Tax Professional: What's New in 2026 and How to Navigate Filing Season

Q: When might someone want to use a different tax preparation tool or hire a new tax professional?

If the current software or service is wonky, or the user wants a better experience or customer support, trying a different platform or CPA/EA can yield a better experience; don't assume a particular credential guarantees quality—experience and service matter more.

Impulse Spending Fixes and PSLF Choices When You’re in Grad School

Q: Should Sydney focus on paying off her PSLF loans now or put money toward a down payment on a home?

Kate Wood and the hosts suggest prioritizing current goals and evaluating the likelihood of PSLF success, but, given the uncertainty around policy changes, a balanced approach is advised—pay what you can toward forgiveness while also bulking up emergency savings and considering a home down payment as a separate objective.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast

What is NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Focused on practical personal finance, this podcast offers insightful answers to real-world money questions with a strong emphasis on budgeting, saving, investing, home buying, and credit card management. The hosts, experienced journalists in the field, simplify complex financial topics, providing listeners with actionable advice intended to help them manage their finances more effectively and build long-term wealth. Each episode features different aspects of personal finance and encourages audience interaction through listener questions, making it an approachable resource for anyone looking to enhance their financial literacy. Notably, the podcast aims to dispel common misinformation surrounding finance, reinforcing its commitment to evide... more

Where can I find podcast stats for NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast have?

To see how many followers or subscribers NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast:

1. Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways
2. The Personal Finance Podcast
3. Money Girl
4. Throwbacks with Matt Leinart & Jerry Ferrara
5. Money Guy Show

How many episodes of NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast are there?

NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast launched 9 years ago and published 612 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast?

Recent guests on NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast include:

1. Cody Goff
2. Ryan Sterling
3. Anna Helhoski
4. Kurt Woock
5. Tom O'Saben
6. Joel Jacobs
7. Kim Palmer
8. Anthony Palomba

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.

Try it free for 7 days