Most of us think of college as an investment… one that hopefully pays off over decades. And for a lot of people, it does. But with costs skyrocketing, it’s not quite the slam dunk it used to be. So what if you could flip that equation? What if instead of paying for college, college paid you? Our guest today did exactly that. Nia Baiyeroju earned over a million dollars in scholarships and now she’s helping others do the same. She’s here to break down how it works and how you can take advantage of...
May 20, 2026•51 min•Ep. 1142
We’re kicking off the week by answering your listener questions! And if you have a question that you’d like for us to answer on the show, we’d love for you to submit your own via HowToMoney.com/ask , send us your voice memo. Regardless of how random or bizarre you might think it is, we want to hear it! 1 - Kid IRAs : How do I go about setting up a Roth IRA for a minor? 2 - Advisor fees : By my math, most folks are paying closer to 20-25% for financial advice! 3 - Pension credits : Should I spend...
May 18, 2026•53 min•Ep. 1141
Time for a Friday Flight- our little sampling of the week’s best financial news and what it means for your personal finances. There are a lot of headlines out there, but we boil them down to specific takeaways that will allow you to kick off the weekend informed and help you to get ahead with your money. In this episode we explain some relevant and helpful stories like: Waiting till 8th Secondhand tech Cities with all the jobs Mistaken starting salaries Slow state of play in the housing market C...
May 15, 2026•45 min•Ep. 1140
The vast majority of HTM listeners are Gen Z and Millennials - people who are starting early and taking the bull by the horns. But that’s not true for everyone in our audience, and it’s certainly not true for the average American. Our guest today didn’t even start thinking about financial independence until age 50. But he made up for lost time in a big way and now he’s helping thousands of other late starters do the same. Bill Yount is an emergency room physician on a mission to help people esca...
May 13, 2026•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 1139
We’re kicking off the week by answering your listener questions! And if you have a question that you’d like for us to answer on the show, we’d love for you to submit your own via HowToMoney.com/ask , send us your voice memo. Regardless of how random or bizarre you might think it is, we want to hear it! 1 - Coast FI : How intentionally should I shift my retirement portfolio to bonds if I’m nearing financial independence? 2 - Credit card bonuses : Does it make much sense for me to budget and track...
May 11, 2026•56 min•Ep. 1138
Time for a Friday Flight- our little sampling of the week’s best financial news and what it means for your personal finances. There are a lot of headlines out there, but we boil them down to specific takeaways that will allow you to kick off the weekend informed and help you to get ahead with your money. In this episode we explain some relevant and helpful stories like: Bad bunnies (cost money) Negative car equity A car loan opportunity cost breakdown VOO the GOAT Flipping fleece jackets Recycle...
May 08, 2026•42 min•Ep. 1137
Shark attacks, plane crashes, and lightning strikes… these are the dramatic and headline-grabbing events that are terrifying but incredibly rare. The odds you’ll ever experience those unfortunate events are tiny, so is it technically risky? Meanwhile, something as ordinary as driving to work should be considered more often since in the US, there are 6 million car accidents a year! When you start looking closely, risk and reward show up everywhere in our lives. And for investors especially, under...
May 06, 2026•56 min•Ep. 1136
We’re kicking off the week by answering your listener questions! And if you have a question that you’d like for us to answer on the show, we’d love for you to submit your own via HowToMoney.com/ask , send us your voice memo. Regardless of how random or bizarre you might think it is, we want to hear it! 1 - Debt-fueled lifestyle inflation : Should I sell a rental property to pay off my 401k loan used to install a pool? 2 - Car financing : Does it make more sense to pay for a new/used car in cash ...
May 04, 2026•57 min•Ep. 1135
Time for a Friday Flight- our little sampling of the week’s best financial news and what it means for your personal finances. There are a lot of headlines out there, but we boil them down to specific takeaways that will allow you to kick off the weekend informed and help you to get ahead with your money. In this episode we explain some relevant and helpful stories like: 3-year bachelor’s degrees and degree hacking Private student loans around 3% Insurance premium factors Predictive credit scores...
May 01, 2026•36 min•Ep. 1134
Most of our best memories (and stories) come from trips we’ve taken. Some were incredible international adventures while others were ridiculously cheap road trips across different parts of the U.S. It’s been said that travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer, and we’re inclined to agree. Our guest today does too. Kyle Potter is the Executive Editor at Thrifty Traveler , a site dedicated to helping people travel more for less. He’s been to more than 30 countries, and his passion is ...
Apr 29, 2026•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 1133
We’re kicking off the week by answering your listener questions! And if you have a question that you’d like for us to answer on the show, we’d love for you to submit your own via HowToMoney.com/ask , send us your voice memo. Regardless of how random or bizarre you might think it is, we want to hear it! 1 - Torn : We’re behind when it comes to investing but it seems silly when we don’t have enough liquid savings… what do we do?! 2 - Pension : How aggressively should I invest my Roth IRA dollars w...
Apr 27, 2026•56 min•Ep. 1132
Time for a Friday Flight- our little sampling of the week’s best financial news and what it means for your personal finances. There are a lot of headlines out there, but we boil them down to specific takeaways that will allow you to kick off the weekend informed and help you to get ahead with your money. In this episode we explain some relevant and helpful stories like: $23 apples Allbirds AI audacity Returns that are too good to be true One more year syndrome ALTs in 401ks Boycotting college sa...
Apr 24, 2026•42 min•Ep. 1131
The housing market is currently at a massive crossroads, and frankly, the old rules don't seem to apply anymore. We’re seeing a landscape of shifting interest rates, a potential reset in supply, and a level of volatility we haven't seen in decades. That’s exactly why we're going to hear from Dave Meyer - the Chief Investment Officer at BiggerPockets and a grounding voice in real estate data. We’re going to dig into the forces shaping the market right now in 2026, and then zoom out to look at the...
Apr 22, 2026•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 1130
We’re kicking off the week by answering your listener questions! And if you have a question that you’d like for us to answer on the show, we’d love for you to submit your own via HowToMoney.com/ask , send us your voice memo. Regardless of how random or bizarre you might think it is, we want to hear it! 1 - Financial advisors: What’s a good price for a financial advisor and is it worth the cost? 2 - Paying for a minivan : Should I pay cash or take the 1.9% loan they’re offering? 3 - Set for life ...
Apr 20, 2026•53 min•Ep. 1129
Time for a Friday Flight- our little sampling of the week’s best financial news and what it means for your personal finances. There are a lot of headlines out there, but we boil them down to specific takeaways that will allow you to kick off the weekend informed and help you to get ahead with your money. In this episode we explain some relevant and helpful stories like: Stocks at all-time highs Bag fees and fuel surcharges Surging HOA fees This old house Spending those tax refunds You’re owed so...
Apr 17, 2026•40 min•Ep. 1128
Let's talk about Social Security. More than music, clothing, or even political views, Social Security might be the single biggest generational fault line in America right now. Boomers are thrilled to finally be collecting on a promise decades in the making while Millennials and Gen Z are quietly wondering if there'll be anything left by the time we get there. And honestly? That concern isn't crazy! Social Security almost certainly isn't going away entirely, but it's probably not going to look ex...
Apr 15, 2026•56 min•Ep. 1127
We’re kicking off the week by answering your listener questions! And if you have a question that you’d like for us to answer on the show, we’d love for you to submit your own via HowToMoney.com/ask , send us your voice memo. Regardless of how random or bizarre you might think it is, we want to hear it! 1 - Free Fidelity Funds: Are they the “cheap” option or a great way to get wealthy?! 2 - 3% Cashback: Will paying for a Robinhood Gold membership allow me to get my hands on the Gold credit card? ...
Apr 13, 2026•56 min•Ep. 1126
We’re kicking off the week by answering your listener questions! And if you have a question that you’d like for us to answer on the show, we’d love for you to submit your own via HowToMoney.com/ask , send us your voice memo. Regardless of how random or bizarre you might think it is, we want to hear it! 1 - How should I account for inflation when using the 25x rule to forecast my retirement? 2 - Are sites like RateGenius and Autopay legit places to refinance my car? 3 - I have the cash on hand to...
Apr 10, 2026•53 min•Ep. 1125
“The Budgetnista” needs no introduction, but here’s a quick one anyways: Tiffany Aliche has helped millions of people change the trajectory of their finances through her books, courses, and podcasts. What I especially love about Tiffany is that she’s a teacher at heart which is something shaped by a decade in the classroom and a master’s degree in education. Her passion for helping people truly thrive with money is contagious. It’s been 7 years since we’ve had Tiffany on the podcast so listen as...
Apr 08, 2026•55 min•Ep. 1124
We’re kicking off the week by answering your listener questions! And if you have a question that you’d like for us to answer on the show, we’d love for you to submit your own via HowToMoney.com/ask , send us your voice memo. Regardless of how random or bizarre you might think it is, we want to hear it! 1 - Coast FIRE: How are we doing based on how much we’ve got in our state retirement accounts? 2 - Savings Bonds: What do I do with these 30 year old savings bonds that I was gifted back in the 90...
Apr 06, 2026•1 hr•Ep. 1123
Time for a Friday Flight- our little sampling of the week’s best financial news and what it means for your personal finances. There are a lot of headlines out there, but we boil them down to specific takeaways that will allow you to kick off the weekend informed and help you to get ahead with your money. In this episode we explain some relevant and helpful stories like: Best affordable eyeglasses Stellar staycations Avoiding travel fuel surcharges Recession reminder Dr. Doom sounds reasonable! P...
Apr 03, 2026•43 min•Ep. 1122
You might expect someone who experienced homelessness as a kid to grow up angry at the financial system. Instead, John Hope Bryant set out to understand it and help more people succeed within it. Our guest today believes financial literacy isn’t just helpful but foundational to economic opportunity and even human dignity. John is the founder, chairman, and CEO of Operation HOPE, one of the nation’s leading organizations focused on financial literacy, credit access, and economic empowerment. Toda...
Apr 01, 2026•52 min•Ep. 1121
We’re kicking off the week by answering your listener questions! And if you have a question that you’d like for us to answer on the show, we’d love for you to submit your own via HowToMoney.com/ask , send us your voice memo. Regardless of how random or bizarre you might think it is, we want to hear it! 1 - Marriage goals: Now that we have more cash coming in, should we invest more or have a wedding? 2 - Skipping life insurance: Why shouldn’t I just forego term life if I can claim social security...
Mar 30, 2026•56 min•Ep. 1120
Time for a Friday Flight- our little sampling of the week’s best financial news and what it means for your personal finances. There are a lot of headlines out there, but we boil them down to specific takeaways that will allow you to kick off the weekend informed and help you to get ahead with your money. In this episode we explain some relevant and helpful stories like: Tooth fairy inflation WTD with Long Airport Lines ( Qsensor ) Rent now pay later Accidental landlords I regret buying a house T...
Mar 27, 2026•37 min•Ep. 1119
This show exists to help you make smart decisions with your money. But if we’re being honest, How To Money might not be as necessary if the financial system weren’t so confusing in the first place. For a lot of people, navigating modern money realities feels like swimming in shark-infested waters with high stakes, unclear rules, and the potential for costly mistakes at every turn. Our guest today is Professor John Campbell, author of the book Fixed: Why Personal Finance is Broken and How to Make...
Mar 25, 2026•53 min•Ep. 1118
We’re kicking off the week by answering your listener questions! And if you have a question that you’d like for us to answer on the show, we’d love for you to submit your own via HowToMoney.com/ask , send us your voice memo. Regardless of how random or bizarre you might think it is, we want to hear it! 1 - International investing: Should I look outside of the US if I’m concerned about “Mag-7-nondiversification” in the S&P? 2 - Grunt work: Is it frugal or cheap to work for beer at my local cr...
Mar 23, 2026•52 min•Ep. 1117
Thanks to Justin for having Joel on his show, FI Minded! --- The FI community is incredibly good at effort, optimization, and doing hard things for a long time. But somewhere along the way, many of us forget how to stop. Even after gaining more control over our time, we fill it back up with projects, commitments, and expectations, leaving us busy, tired, and quietly stretched thin. Joel Larsgaard shares what it looked like to recognize that “doing it all” was no longer sustainable, even when the...
Mar 21, 2026•43 min
Time for a Friday Flight- our little sampling of the week’s best financial news and what it means for your personal finances. There are a lot of headlines out there, but we boil them down to specific takeaways that will allow you to kick off the weekend informed and help you to get ahead with your money. In this episode we explain some relevant and helpful stories like: Listener side hustles like Star Craft Cocktails ! Not so high prices at the pump? Spooked mortgage interest rates Warflation He...
Mar 20, 2026•38 min•Ep. 1116
Every year, patients are billed and stuck with $14 billion in medical debt that should be wiped out under existing hospital financial assistance rules. This debt isn’t inevitable, it’s unnecessary! Given the fact that medical debt is the number one cause of bankruptcy and a huge source of stress for families, is it a step too far to say that there is a medical debt crisis in America? We don’t think so and our guest today is doing something about it. Jared Walker is the founder of DollarFor, an o...
Mar 18, 2026•51 min•Ep. 1115
We’re kicking off the week by answering your listener questions! And if you have a question that you’d like for us to answer on the show, we’d love for you to submit your own via HowToMoney.com/ask , send us your voice memo. Regardless of how random or bizarre you might think it is, we want to hear it! 1 - Mortgage recast: Should we take a windfall and recast our mortgage or use the lump sum to invest? 2 - Trump accounts: Where should 530a accounts land among the Money Gears… high or low priorit...
Mar 16, 2026•57 min•Ep. 1114
