HerMoney with Jean Chatzky – Details, episodes & analysis

This week, we're spending seven days inside Shannon’s wallet, a 41-year-old teacher, mom of two, and money-minded multitasker who lives in a suburb of Washington, D.C. With summer break just beginning, Shannon uses her time off to reflect on her relationship with money, childhood financial trauma, and the emotional tug-of-war between responsible budgeting and spontaneous joy. 🎙️ In this episode, you’ll hear: How Shannon and her husband manage money as teachers Why she’s focused on paying off her credit cards daily, and what that’s done for her mental health The role of sinking funds in keeping her finances on track (yes, even for fun things!) How her childhood shaped the way she spends and saves today The internal negotiations she has before “want” purchases What she’s teaching her daughters about money If more financial confidence sounds good to you, then you might want to try… ⁠4-Week Coaching Program⁠: Identify and understand your spending, build a strategic plan, and take control of your money. ⁠6-Week Pre-Retirement Program⁠: We’ll help you prepare financially and emotionally for this exciting milestone. 📈⁠InvestingFixx⁠: Learn, connect, and start investing—your first month is completely free. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever dreamed of walking away from your job — not forever, but just long enough to breathe, explore, rest, or chase a big, bold adventure? This week, we're talking about a radical reframe: What if we didn’t retire once at 65… but instead took many retirements throughout our lives? Jean sits down with Jillian Johnsrud, author of Retire Often: How Anyone Can Take Multiple Career Breaks To Unlock Adventure, Advance Their Career, and Find Financial Freedom. By 40, Jillian and her husband had taken more than a dozen mini-retirements; all while raising six kids, building a real estate portfolio, traveling the world, and staying financially afloat. 💡 In this episode: What exactly is a mini-retirement,  and how is it different from a vacation or sabbatical? How to afford time off even on a normal salary The 6.5% savings trick that could fund a lifetime of breaks How to negotiate a month off from your employer Why taking time away from your career could actually make you better at it If more financial confidence sounds good to you, then you might want to try… ⁠4-Week Coaching Program⁠: Identify and understand your spending, build a strategic plan, and take control of your money. ⁠6-Week Pre-Retirement Program⁠: We’ll help you prepare financially and emotionally for this exciting milestone. 📈⁠InvestingFixx⁠: Learn, connect, and start investing—your first month is completely free. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this special HerMoney Mailbag episode, Jean Chatzky is joined by financial feminist icon Tori Dunlap, founder of Her First $100K and host of the Financial Feminist podcast. Tori returns to tackle some of your most pressing financial dilemmas. 💳 One listener is drowning in $100,000 of credit card debt despite making $180K/year. What can she do next when consolidation loans and HELOCs are off the table? ✈️ Another wants to know if her premium travel credit card is still worth the sky-high fee now that her lifestyle has changed. Should she downgrade and preserve her credit? 💼 And a couple wonders if their $4 million net worth (including real estate) means they're ahead of retirement benchmarks or behind. Whether you're reevaluating your spending, saving for retirement, or simply wondering if you're doing enough with your money, this episode is full of insight, empathy, and financial empowerment. … Does more financial confidence sound good to you, then you might want to try:  🚀 FinanceFixx – HerMoney’s 4 or 8-week Money Makeover financial coaching program that will help you get your finances on track!  📈 InvestingFixx – HerMoney’s investing club for women who are ready to learn market lingo, and grow their wealth. Your first month with us is completely free!  Have a question for us? Write to us (or send us a voice note!) at mailbag@hermoney.com.  While you’re at it, join the HerMoney community! For the latest episode drops and financial news-you-can-use, subscribe to our newsletter at Hermoney.com/subscribe! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every week on the HerMoney podcast, we talk about how to get control of your money, and in most cases, that means getting in control of your spending and knowing exactly where your money is going. Having this knowledge is so important because the truth is that many of us may be sabotaging ourselves financially.  Sarah Newcomb, applied behavioral scientist at Edward Jones, and the author of Loaded: Money, Psychology, and How to Get Ahead without Leaving Your Values Behind, joins us to talk about why we financially self-sabotage and how to stop.  CHAPTERS: 00:00 Introduction 06:00 What is Financial Self Sabotage 17:00 Setting Long-Term Financial Goals 28:00 Impulse Spending and Emotional Triggers 38:00 Mailbag Question 1: Should I stretch my budget to purchase my dream home? 43:00 Mailbag Question 2: I’m in a lot of credit card debt, will credit card companies negotiate it with me?  TAKEAWAYS: Financial self-sabotage can manifest in many unconscious ways. Women often prioritize caregiving at the expense of their financial goals. It's essential to balance short-term desires with long-term financial health. Emotional health is deeply intertwined with financial education and success. Learn more about our Finance Fixx program here. Use code PODCAST for a $100 discount.  Thank you to Gainbridge® for supporting the HerMoney podcast. Gainbridge® created ParityFlex™, a multi-year guaranteed annuity, to offer women security and flexibility at a time when they need it the most—retirement. Learn more about ParityFlex™ here. The HerMoney with Jean Chatzky podcast is sponsored by Edelman Financial Engines. The podcast team and its host are neither employees nor clients of EFE, however, the show does receive fixed compensation and is a paid endorser and therefore has an incentive to endorse EFE and its planners. To learn more about the sponsorship, please visit PlanEFE.com/HerMoney. Please contact advertising@airwavemedia.com if you would like to advertise on our podcast, and to learn more about Airwave, head to www.airwavemedia.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you listened to our episode with Sabrina Corlette, founder of the Center for Health Insurance Reforms, you are already armed with the information that you need to make a decision about which healthcare plan you want to choose when open enrollment rolls around.But no matter which one you choose, it's also inevitable that at some point you are very likely to receive a medical bill that you didn't expect. That's where negotiation comes in. Our guest today, Braden Pan, founder and CEO of Resolve, a company that negotiates your medical bills on your behalf. He's joining us to talk about how you can do this yourself, how to negotiate your medical bills down, when to settle and pay up, and when to get your insurance company to step in and cover more. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 10:00 Tips For Negotiating Medical Bills 16:00 How To Be Your Own Advocate 25:00 What To Do If You Can’t Pay the Bill Takeaways: - Before negotiating, gather as much information as possible about your medical bills. - Persistence is crucial when negotiating medical bills.  - Make allies, not enemies. It may take multiple attempts to reach an agreement.  - Many hospitals offer financial aid programs and will be flexible with you.  Learn more about our Finance Fixx program here. Use code PODCAST for a $100 discount.  Thank you to Gainbridge® for supporting the HerMoney podcast. Gainbridge® created ParityFlex™, a multi-year guaranteed annuity, to offer women security and flexibility at a time when they need it the most—retirement. Learn more about ParityFlex™ here. The HerMoney with Jean Chatzky podcast is sponsored by Edelman Financial Engines. The podcast team and its host are neither employees nor clients of EFE, however, the show does receive fixed compensation and is a paid endorser and therefore has an incentive to endorse EFE and its planners. To learn more about the sponsorship, please visit PlanEFE.com/HerMoney. Please contact advertising@airwavemedia.com if you would like to advertise on our podcast, and to learn more about Airwave, head to www.airwavemedia.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s that time of the year again: yes, it’s spooky season, but it’s also time for open enrollment. This year, it’s absolutely essential that we do a thorough review of all our health insurance options, and make sure we’re choosing the best plan for us — without paying a penny more than necessary. Sabrina Corlette, research professor, founder, and co-director of the Center on Health Insurance Reforms (CHIR) at Georgetown University shares the mistakes she wants you to avoid when choosing a healthcare plan this year.  Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 04:00 What’s New For 2025 Open Enrollment  10:00 Evaluating Plan Options 22:00 Shopping Around For Healthcare 24:00 HSAs vs FSAs 29:00 Mailbag Question 1: Can I open an HSA outside of my employer?  33:00 Mailbag Question 2: I’m coming up against hefty healthcare costs, how do I pay for them without draining my emergency fund?  Learn more about our Finance Fixx program here. Use code PODCAST for a $100 discount.  Thank you to Gainbridge® for supporting the HerMoney podcast. Gainbridge® created ParityFlex™, a multi-year guaranteed annuity, to offer women security and flexibility at a time when they need it the most—retirement. Learn more about ParityFlex™ here. The HerMoney with Jean Chatzky podcast is sponsored by Edelman Financial Engines. The podcast team and its host are neither employees nor clients of EFE, however, the show does receive fixed compensation and is a paid endorser and therefore has an incentive to endorse EFE and its planners. To learn more about the sponsorship, please visit PlanEFE.com/HerMoney. Please contact advertising@airwavemedia.com if you would like to advertise on our podcast, and to learn more about Airwave, head to www.airwavemedia.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are bringing you a mailbag with listener Amy. She’s in her early 40s and she is wondering if she should hit the brakes when it comes to saving for retirement because of the other things on her plate. She's working on paying down credit card debt and she wants to be able to afford to move into a nicer home.  So, what's the order of operations here? We’ll dive into some timely advice for her. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Financial Priorities 02:57 Understanding Current Financial Situation 06:00 Exploring Debt Management Strategies 09:07 Retirement Contributions and Future Planning 12:12 Real Estate Considerations and Options Have a personal finance question for us or want to jump on a call with Jean so you can get all of your follow-up questions answered? Write in at mailbag@hermoney.com. Learn more about our Finance Fixx program here. Use code PODCAST for a $100 discount.  Thank you to Gainbridge® for supporting the HerMoney podcast. Gainbridge® created ParityFlex™, a multi-year guaranteed annuity, to offer women security and flexibility at a time when they need it the most—retirement. Learn more about ParityFlex™ here. The HerMoney with Jean Chatzky podcast is sponsored by Edelman Financial Engines. The podcast team and its host are neither employees nor clients of EFE, however, the show does receive fixed compensation and is a paid endorser and therefore has an incentive to endorse EFE and its planners. To learn more about the sponsorship, please visit PlanEFE.com/HerMoney. Please contact advertising@airwavemedia.com if you would like to advertise on our podcast, and to learn more about Airwave, head to www.airwavemedia.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every year during hurricane season, we see that many of you have questions about how to lower the cost of homeowner’s insurance. And we get it — it’s so difficult to know exactly which policies are right for your specific property.  Ben Keys, the Rowan Family Foundation Professor of Real Estate and Finance at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, shares how to know how much coverage we really need, and walks us through the steps to take to get a better deal on our policies.  Chapters: 00:00 Navigating Homeowners Insurance in a Changing Climate 05:58 Understanding the Rising Costs of Homeowners Insurance 11:52 Assessing Your Insurance Needs and Coverage 17:59 What to Do When Your Insurer Drops You 24:00 Practical Tips for Lowering Your Insurance Premiums Learn more about our Finance Fixx program here. Use code PODCAST for a $100 discount.  Ben Keys NY Times Op-Ed: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/07/opinion/climate-change-homeowners-insurance-housing-market.html Thank you to Gainbridge® for supporting the HerMoney podcast. Gainbridge® created ParityFlex™, a multi-year guaranteed annuity, to offer women security and flexibility at a time when they need it the most—retirement. Learn more about ParityFlex™ here. The HerMoney with Jean Chatzky podcast is sponsored by Edelman Financial Engines. The podcast team and its host are neither employees nor clients of EFE, however, the show does receive fixed compensation and is a paid endorser and therefore has an incentive to endorse EFE and its planners. To learn more about the sponsorship, please visit PlanEFE.com/HerMoney. Use promo code HERMONEY at the link below to get an exclusive 60% off an annual plan at https://incogni.com/hermoney. Grab the exclusive NordVPN deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/hermoney and get extra subscription time. Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Thanks to NordVPN for sponsoring our show.  Please contact advertising@airwavemedia.com if you would like to advertise on our podcast, and to learn more about Airwave, head to www.airwavemedia.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We know that aging is a privilege, but there is still so much negativity wrapped up with aging — particularly for women who are still thriving in their careers. There’s perhaps no greater blow than to be made to feel we’re “past our prime” just when we finally hit a point in life where we have more clarity and more to offer the world than ever.  Tamsen Fadal, "The Midlife Mentor" on Instagram, joins us to talk about what she’s letting go of now that she’s in her 50s, and the misconceptions we all need to push back on about midlife. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 05:00 Changing Careers After 50 09:00 Menopause Support At Work 14:00 Debunking Myths About Productivity in Midlife 22:00 Tamen Fadal’s Fashion and Personal Style 25:00 Mailbag: I’m a recent widow, should I sell my historic home to free up cash for traveling? Learn more about our Finance Fixx program here. Use code PODCAST for a $100 discount.  Thank you to Gainbridge® for supporting the HerMoney podcast. Gainbridge® created ParityFlex™, a multi-year guaranteed annuity, to offer women security and flexibility at a time when they need it the most—retirement. Learn more about ParityFlex™ here. The HerMoney with Jean Chatzky podcast is sponsored by Edelman Financial Engines. The podcast team and its host are neither employees nor clients of EFE, however, the show does receive fixed compensation and is a paid endorser and therefore has an incentive to endorse EFE and its planners. To learn more about the sponsorship, please visit PlanEFE.com/HerMoney. Use promo code HERMONEY at the link below to get an exclusive 60% off an annual plan at https://incogni.com/hermoney. Grab the exclusive NordVPN deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/hermoney and get extra subscription time. Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Thanks to NordVPN for sponsoring our show.  Please contact advertising@airwavemedia.com if you would like to advertise on our podcast, and to learn more about Airwave, head to www.airwavemedia.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we're bringing you an extra special mailbag with friend of the show and Director of Personal Finance and Retirement Planning at Morningstar, Christine Benz. If you listened to our “New Rules for Retirement” episode, then you know all about Christine and why she thinks women need a new playbook for retirement.  We are going to tackle a few of the follow-up questions that came from our viewers on YouTube, go check out our channel if you haven’t already! Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 03:00 Mailbag Question 1: I have 425k saved and want to retire early, what am I missing?  08:00 Mailbag Question 2: I have 700k saved, how much can I safely start to withdraw without running out of money? 12:00 Mailbag Question 3: I’d like to begin converting money from my 401k to my Roth before I retire, is that possible? 17:00 Mailbag Question 4: I’m 62 and after a series of setbacks I’m basically starting over financially. How do I get started saving for retirement this late in the game?  Have a personal finance question for us or want to jump on a call with Jean so you can get all of your follow-up questions answered? Write in at mailbag@hermoney.com. Join our free budgeting webinar on October 15th at 7 PM ET! https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_GXkmVlwFRVGfi39jim9xZQ#/registration Learn more about our Finance Fixx program here. Use code PODCAST for a $100 discount.  Thank you to Gainbridge® for supporting the HerMoney podcast. Gainbridge® created ParityFlex™, a multi-year guaranteed annuity, to offer women security and flexibility at a time when they need it the most—retirement. Learn more about ParityFlex™ here. The HerMoney with Jean Chatzky podcast is sponsored by Edelman Financial Engines. The podcast team and its host are neither employees nor clients of EFE, however, the show does receive fixed compensation and is a paid endorser and therefore has an incentive to endorse EFE and its planners. To learn more about the sponsorship, please visit PlanEFE.com/HerMoney. Use promo code HERMONEY at the link below to get an exclusive 60% off an annual plan at https://incogni.com/hermoney. Grab the exclusive NordVPN deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/hermoney and get extra subscription time. Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Thanks to NordVPN for sponsoring our show.  Please contact advertising@airwavemedia.com if you would like to advertise on our podcast, and to learn more about Airwave, head to www.airwavemedia.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices