Rephonic
Artwork for This Is Uncomfortable

This Is Uncomfortable

Marketplace
Money
Financial Therapy
Community
Prenups
Gaza
Financial Anxiety
Mental Health
Personal Finance
Money Management
Divorce
American Dream
Friendship
Happiness
Fast Fashion
Grief
Financial Communication
Workplace Dynamics
Parenthood
Office Relationships
Oscar Romero

This is Uncomfortable is the award-winning show about life and how money messes with it. Each week, Marketplace’s Reema Khrais explores how money shapes our decisions, relationships, and sense of self through conversations that are intimate, surprising, and deeply human. From the economic headlines that hit our wallets to the choices that keep us up at night, the show digs into the money questions... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes207Founded7 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
BusinessNews

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for This Is Uncomfortable

Latest Episodes

Ever look back and wish you could stop your past self from making a financial mistake? Yeah, us too. This week, Reema talks to researchers Abigail Sussman and Hal Hershfield about how to handle financial regrets, why our past choices look so much cle... more

How much should parents budget for daycare? Does it make more financial sense for both parents to work and pay for childcare, or for one parent to stay home and care for their child? And why is childcare so expensive if childcare workers aren’t paid ... more

Tight grocery budget? Try a "recession recipe." Reema talks producer Alice Wilder about her trip to meet Kiki Rough, a TikTok creator who makes hyper affordable recipes. Kiki learned how to to cook on a shoestring budget while on food stamps and has ... more

How were you raised to think about money, and how do you know when the values you inherited no longer fit? What do we owe other people, and when is generosity a duty? Reema talks with Abigail Disney, the grandniece of Walt Disney, about family, legac... more

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.

Recent Guests

Taryn Morrissey
Professor of Public Policy at American University
American University
Episode: How does anyone afford childcare?
Emily Fear
Listener who shared her family's childcare experience
Listener
Episode: How does anyone afford childcare?
Alice Wilder
Producer and reporter guiding the Kiki Rough story
Marketplace
Episode: "If this is your first time being poor..."
Abigail Disney
Philanthropist and filmmaker; grandniece of Walt Disney
Disney family; Daphne Foundation
Episode: Abigail Disney: “There is such a thing as too much money”
Lance Ulanoff
Tech journalist and editor at large at TechRadar
TechRadar
Episode: Subscribe and save... or not?
Hanna Horvath
Financial planning and psychology expert
Your Brain on Money (Substack)
Episode: Subscribe and save... or not?
Elizabeth Kolbert
Climate journalist and author of Under a White Sky
Columbia/Author
Episode: Bonus: Should we mess with nature? From "How We Survive"
Ben Lamb
CEO of Colossal, founder of de-extinction efforts
Colossal
Episode: Bonus: Should we mess with nature? From "How We Survive"
Laura Griggs
Set out to build a life off the grid with her husband and seven children
Former homesteader, featured guest
Episode: Confessions of a former homesteader

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 5k ratings
  • Journalism?

    This show was once a bright light, mixing up human elements and financial literacy. Now there is only anecdotal commentary and people making a lot of assumptions that aren’t fact checked on the show. Where is the data? Where is the global perspective to American societal struggles? Where are stories of people finding real solutions out of their financial hardship? The privilege of the host and her guests on this show is over the top. Very upper middle class problems. Some people might relate to ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    100 :-)
    United States2 months ago
  • Informative, intelligent, and always evolving

    I‘m a long-time listener of TIU and I cannot say enough good things about it. Reema is a triple threat when it comes to podcasting: she’s a masterful storyteller, an empathetic listener, and a skilled researcher armed with the right amount of data points to educate (without overwhelming) her listeners. I‘m happy to see that more episodes are being released this year. Thank you, and please keep up the excellent work!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    An American in Germany
    Germany3 months ago
  • No more experts please

    I used to love listening to this podcast because the stories were all told from the perspective of ordinary individuals who had unique experiences. Now each episode just features an “expert” who has studied this topic, which makes the show boring and just like any other boring podcast. Please bring back the ordinary individuals and stop interviewing the “experts.”

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Occasional iPhone user 123
    United States4 months ago
  • Beyond the Balance Sheet: Relatable Stories on Life’s Most Taboo Topic

    Marketplace has a true gem in This Is Uncomfortable. The show consistently delivers a superb selection of topics that go far beyond simple budgeting, diving into the messy ways money tangles with our relationships, identities, and secrets.

    What sets this podcast apart is the perfect balance of storytelling and authority. By bringing in top-tier experts, the show provides actionable wisdom without ever feeling clinical or dry. A standout example for me was the episode on prenuptial agreements. It... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Dark Horse Lover
    United States5 months ago
  • The new show is not for me

    What I loved about this show was how human it was. It spent a long time talking to one person and going deep with empathy and open mindedness.

    Now it’s becoming just another show with experts talking about a subject .

    I particularly got an “ick” when one of those experts talked about “one of my patients just this last week said” — anonymous to us, sure. But my god, that patient knows he’s talking about him. This man leveraged his patient for an interesting sound bite and this show gave him a ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    CuriousOmen
    United States5 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Many fans appreciate deep, relatable conversations that connect money with daily life and relationships.
Some listeners feel recent formats lean more toward experts, missing ordinary individuals.
A number of reviews emphasize high-quality interviews and thought-provoking topics.
Feedback highlights value of actionable takeaways and caution on perceived biases.
Listeners praise the show for humane storytelling and practical money wisdom, with strong appreciation for host empathy and research.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#211
United States/Business
Apple Podcasts
#125
Canada/Business
Apple Podcasts
#188
Philippines/Business
Apple Podcasts
#188
Ireland/Business
Apple Podcasts
#241
Finland/Business
Apple Podcasts
#248
South Africa/Business

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

How does anyone afford childcare?
Q: Are you a parent yourself?
Yes, the host is a parent and the guest expert explains the practical realities of wait lists, nanny shares, and the high costs they encounter while managing family life.
Abigail Disney: “There is such a thing as too much money”
Q: What role did personal guilt versus shame play in your early decisions about giving away wealth?
Guilt motivated me to act when I was younger, but shame often kept me from fully embracing a public stance; I learned to separate those feelings and let action be guided by principles rather than self-criticism.
Abigail Disney: “There is such a thing as too much money”
Q: How did your family respond to your decision to start The Daphne Foundation and later speak out publicly?
My parents were angry and embarrassed; we were estranged for a time as I moved away from safeguarding the family's legacy toward supporting workers and communities.
Abigail Disney: “There is such a thing as too much money”
Q: What sparked your interest in wealth inequality and tax policy?
I began by noticing the gaps in how wealth is treated and the conversations around estate taxes, which led me to engage in public discourse and eventually align with groups advocating higher taxes on the very wealthy.
"If this is your first time being poor..."
Q: How did Kiki's videos start and gain traction?
Kiki created recession recipes that used very affordable ingredients, starting with cinnamon toast; the videos resonated widely, and she gained tens of thousands of followers overnight, revealing a strong demand for accessible cooking in hard times.

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 This Is Uncomfortable

What is This Is Uncomfortable about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A narrative-driven exploration of money's influence on everyday life, exploring intimate stories and rigorous analysis about how finances shape decisions, relationships, and self-identity. Recent episodes span subscriptions and consumer behavior, workplace dynamics and career pivots, wealth and parenting in affluent circles, chosen families and nontraditional caregiving, wedding culture and debt, and the ethics of tech interventions in climate and society. The show frequently balances personal storytelling with expert insight, mixing compassionate conversations with data-driven context to help listeners feel less alone in financial complexity. Its strength lies in humanizing money topics—turning abstract issues into relatable experiences—wh... more

Where can I find podcast stats for This Is Uncomfortable?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for This Is Uncomfortable. 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 This Is Uncomfortable and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does This Is Uncomfortable get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for This Is Uncomfortable, 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 This Is Uncomfortable?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for This Is Uncomfortable, 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 This Is Uncomfortable have?

To see how many followers or subscribers This Is Uncomfortable 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 This Is Uncomfortable?

These podcasts share a similar audience with This Is Uncomfortable:

1. Marketplace
2. How We Survive
3. Death, Sex & Money
4. Planet Money
5. Marketplace Morning Report

How many episodes of This Is Uncomfortable are there?

This Is Uncomfortable launched 7 years ago and published 207 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 This Is Uncomfortable?

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 This Is Uncomfortable?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for This Is Uncomfortable 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 This Is Uncomfortable?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of This Is Uncomfortable. 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 This Is Uncomfortable?

Recent guests on This Is Uncomfortable include:

1. Taryn Morrissey
2. Emily Fear
3. Alice Wilder
4. Abigail Disney
5. Lance Ulanoff
6. Hanna Horvath
7. Elizabeth Kolbert
8. Ben Lamb

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