HerMoney with Jean Chatzky

On this special HerMoney Mailbag episode, Jean Chatzky is joined by Morgan Housel, bestselling author of The Psychology of Money and The Art of Spending Money, to answer real questions from the HerMoney community.  From investing a lump sum at midlife to managing fear around paying off debt, Jean and Morgan dive into the emotions and strategy behind smart money moves. What You’ll Hear In This Episode: Should I use my savings to pay off credit cards or keep the cash for peace of mind? How to invest a $60,000 lump sum after divorce What to do with “extra” money once you’ve maxed out retirement accounts Why your risk tolerance matters more than market trends How your money personality can shape your decisions, for better or worse 🔗 Resources mentioned: 📚 Order The Art of Spending Money 📘 Read The Psychology of Money — a HerMoney community favorite 🗣️ Join the HerMoney Facebook group for more listener Q&As 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

Morgan Housel, bestselling author of The Psychology of Money, is back with a brand-new book: The Art of Spending Money. In this episode, he sits down with Jean Chatzky to talk about what truly makes us feel fulfilled when we spend, and why we often get it wrong. Together, Jean and Morgan unpack the emotions that drive our financial behavior, from fear and guilt to FOMO and dopamine addiction. You’ll learn why saving money can become a harmful identity, how to redefine success beyond your bank account, and why the best moments in life usually aren’t the ones you buy. What You’ll Hear In This Episode: Why spending is an art, not a science How “happiness = reality minus expectations” can change your financial life What to do if you feel guilty about spending after saving for years How to break the cycle of spending for status or attention The simplest formula for a rich life: independence + purpose 📘Order Morgan’s new book, The Art of Spending Money 📚Get The Psychology of Money, a HerMoney community favorite 🗣️Join our Facebook group for more conversations with the HerMoney community 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 Yahoo Finance senior columnist and author Kerry Hannon — and she’s tackling your most pressing retirement questions. In this episode, Jean and Kerry dive into: Whether to cash out a paid-up life insurance policy How to invest in ESG funds without overpaying on fees What to look for in a financial advisor before you retire How to know if and when you’re truly ready to stop working And Kerry’s favorite tip from her new book Retirement Bites: how to design an ideal week in retirement 🔗 Resources mentioned: InvestingFixx.com (Jean’s investing club — first month is free!)Find a Fee-Only Financial Advisor through WealthrampKerry’s site: kerryhannon.com 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

The oldest members of Gen X are facing retirement, and many are feeling unprepared. Traditional pensions disappeared just as Gen X entered the workforce. 401(k)s weren’t mainstream until much later. And along the way, they endured the tech bubble, the Great Recession, and a pandemic. No wonder headlines call Gen X “the forgotten generation” and warn of a retirement crisis. In this episode, Jean sits down with author and Yahoo Finance senior columnist Kerry Hannon to talk about her new book with co-author Janna Herron, Retirement Bites: A Gen X Guide to Securing Your Financial Future. Together, they dive into why retirement feels so daunting for Gen X, what makes this generation uniquely scrappy, and how to turn worry into optimism. You’ll learn: Why Gen X was dealt such a tough financial hand, and what you can do about it now How debt, student loans, and “lifestyle creep” factor into retirement readiness The HOVER method (Hope, Optimism, Value, Enthusiasm, Resilience) for building a positive money mindset Why downsizing isn’t the only answer — and how continuing to work, re-skill, and find purpose can make retirement stronger 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

We’ve all heard the same story: Americans are facing a retirement crisis. But what if that’s not the whole truth? In this special replay of Your Money Map, Jean Chatzky sits down with Andrew Biggs, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and author of The Real Retirement Crisis: Why Almost Everything You Think About the U.S. Retirement System Is Wrong. Together, they unpack what the latest data really tells us about retirement savings, Social Security, and how financially secure today’s (and tomorrow’s) retirees actually are. Spoiler alert: There’s more good news than you might expect. Jean and Andrew discuss: Why retirees today are experiencing record-high incomes How delayed retirement and automatic savings are shifting the game The real retirement crisis — and why it’s happening at the government level Why healthcare and long-term care costs may not be as scary as the headlines suggest What you can do if you feel behind (even if you’re not) 🔗 For more resources and tools from the Alliance for Lifetime Income, visit ProtectedIncome.org 📬 Sign up for their newsletter: protectedincome.org/subscribe 💬 Like what you hear? Leave us a 5-star review and share the episode with a friend! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Raise your hand if you feel like you’re running on empty. If you’re juggling work, home, relationships, and still coming up short. You’re not imagining it: the pressure to have it all is very much alive in 2025… but let’s be honest, it was never realistic to begin with. In this episode, Jean sits down with Dr. Corinne Low, Wharton professor and author of Having It All: What Data Tells Us About Women’s Lives and Getting the Most Out of Yours. Corinne blends personal experience, economics, and deep research to reveal why the invisible load women carry is still so heavy, and what we can do about it. Together, Jean and Corinne dig into: Why having a child is not a gender-neutral event The concept of your utility function and why it matters more than your job title What it means to be both the breadwinner and the primary caregiver Why true work-life balance requires trade-offs and how to make the right ones for you 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

This week on A Week In Her Wallet, we’re diving deep into what it really means to spend with intention. Meet Amy, a 49-year-old higher education administrator living in Tennessee with her partner. She's in a season of transformation; focused on her health, reevaluating her habits, and redefining what “worth it” means when it comes to her wallet. From zero-spend weekdays and resisting fancy lattes to a boutique shopping spree that lifted her spirits, Amy's week is a powerful reminder that every purchase tells a story. 💬 In this episode, you'll hear: How Amy’s weight-loss journey reshaped her spending habits The hidden financial perks of having a close-knit community What she learned from trying weight loss medications and why she stopped The emotional and practical value of tracking every expense (even the little ones) 📩 Interested in being featured in a future episode? Fill out our A Week In Her Wallet participant form, we’d love to hear your story. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When it comes to money, most of us know the basics. We’ve read the advice: build an emergency fund, stick to a budget, invest for the future. But what if we’re still struggling to feel confident or in control? What if our emotions — fear, guilt, shame — are silently running the show? That’s where financial therapy comes in. This week, Jean sits down with Erika Wasserman, certified financial therapist and author of “Conversations With Your Financial Therapist,” to pull back the curtain on why our money beliefs run so deep, and how we can start to change them. 💡 In This Episode, You'll Learn: What a financial therapist does and how to know if you need one Why religion and culture can impact how you feel about wealth, success, and spending The MONEY Method: Erika’s 5-step tool for better financial conversations Scripts to help you talk to your partner, parents, or adult kids about money 💬 Join our private Facebook group: HerMoney Facebook Community 💌 Subscribe to the HerMoney newsletter ⁠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

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

This week, we’re continuing our special series A Week In Her Wallet, where we follow real women from our community as they track their spending for seven days — and reflect not just on what they spent, but why. Our guest is Kathi B, a 48-year-old school counselor from outside Philadelphia. She's a mom of two teenagers, wife to another educator, and (like many of us) trying to stay on top of both everyday expenses and life’s little curveballs, especially during the summer. In this episode, Kathi opens up about: The “pink tax” and why her Ulta restock rang up to more than expected A sweet (and spendy) day out with her 6-year-old nephew Navigating credit card points, family budgets, and unexpected sports expenses How she and her husband manage shared expenses and prepare for the future 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

Are you doing everything right at work, meeting deadlines, showing up, delivering results, and still feeling stuck? This week, we’re welcoming back one of our favorite voices on workplace equity, Minda Harts, to dive into a topic that impacts every professional woman: trust. Trust at work isn’t just about your manager believing in you. It’s the key to feeling valued, getting promoted, and even building long-term wealth.  ✨ Plus, stick around for a special segment with Armoire CEO Ambika Singh, who shares how fashion rental can cut the cost (and the guilt) of getting dressed. Sign up here for up to 60% off your first month of membership + two free bonus items! In this episode, we discuss: What trust really looks like in a healthy workplace How to rebuild it when it’s been broken Why women of color face unique challenges with trust at work Scripts and strategies to help you advocate for yourself And how AI, layoffs, and hybrid work are shifting the trust dynamic 📚 Read the book: Talk To Me Nice: The 7 Trust Languages for a Better Workplace 🎧 More from Minda: Episodes featuring The Memo and Right Within in our archives ✨ With Armoire, your next look is always waiting. Sign up here for up to 60% off your first month of membership + two free bonus items!  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 episode of A Week In Her Wallet, we head to Chicago to meet Zoe M., a 29-year-old accountant who tracks every dollar with care, not just to budget, but to live in full alignment with her values.  Zoe opens up about what it really means to spend with intention, how she and her boyfriend use a shared Google doc to manage finances together, and why she prioritizes saving 36% of her income each month — all while living in one of the most expensive cities in the country. Tune in to hear: How Zoe manages shared expenses in her relationship with fairness and flexibility Her strategies for avoiding impulse purchases Why spending money on values-aligned experiences is always worth it What it looks like to balance short-term joy and long-term goals 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

When you hear the words estate planning, do your eyes glaze over? Or maybe you assume it's something you'll get to “one day”? In this episode, Jean Chatzky sits down with powerhouse elder law attorney and former New York State legislator Ann-Margaret Carrozza to explain why estate planning is not just for the wealthy, and why it matters way more than most of us think. Ann-Margaret breaks down exactly what needs to go in your plan, how to avoid the biggest (and most expensive) estate mistakes, and how to protect your family from lawsuits, taxes, and unexpected drama.  You’ll learn: What estate planning really means (and why it’s not just about having a will) Why avoiding probate isn’t the only reason to consider a trust The key documents every adult needs — even if you’re single and child-free How to protect your legacy and your peace of mind Learn more about Ann-Margaret Carrozza 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

We’ve officially hit Peak 65, the historic moment when more Americans than ever are turning 65. But retirement in 2025 looks nothing like it used to. In this eye-opening episode of Your Money Map, Jean Chatzky sits down with generational researcher Jason Dorsey to explore how Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, and even Millennials are rethinking retirement — financially, emotionally, and socially. 💬 Topics We Cover: Why 65 is no longer the "retirement finish line" The surprising truth about Gen X’s financial mindset How social media is changing money conversations between generations The rise of working later — not because people have to, but because they want to What the data says about Social Security fears and long-term income planning Why denial is one of the biggest threats to retirement readiness 🎯 Jason’s advice for pre-retirees is both practical and empowering — and it might just change how you think about your own future. 🔗 Resources & Links: Learn more at ProtectedIncome.org Explore Jason’s research at JasonDorsey.com Sign up for the Alliance for Lifetime Income newsletter: protectedincome.org/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Social Security is back in the headlines, and the news isn’t exactly comforting. Words like shortfall and cuts are sparking real fear among retirees, near-retirees, and younger workers who wonder if the program will even be there for them. In this episode, Jean sits down with Michelle Singletary, nationally syndicated personal finance columnist for The Washington Post, to break it all down: What a potential 20–25% shortfall in 2033 could actually mean for retirees. Why your check won’t disappear entirely  The surge in early claims: Should you take the money now, or wait? Why writing Social Security out of your retirement plan is a mistake for Gen X, millennials, and Gen Z. Michelle’s must-do checklist for near-retirees: from eliminating your mortgage to building a realistic budget. 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

This week, we’re bringing you the first episode of our new series: A Week In Her Wallet, where real women track their spending for seven days — every swipe, tap, and temptation — and then reflect on not just what they bought, but why. In this episode, we're joined by Lizzie, a 41-year-old chiropractor, mom of two, and small-town New Englander who is all about spending with intention. She's self-employed, passionate about local businesses, and has a refreshing perspective on budgeting for real life. Lizzie walks us through: Why she skipped $1,000 concert tickets — and doesn’t regret it How her family handles finances and decision-making together What self-care looks like to her Her candid thoughts on gift-giving pressure from her family Why her week felt like a love letter to her town Plus, she reflects on where money seems to “leak” most easily and why she doesn’t mind spending on the things that truly bring value. … 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

Debt isn’t just a number on a statement — for so many of us, it’s tied to shame, secrecy, and the pressure to keep up. This week, Jean sits down with Jamie Feldman, writer, producer, and co-host of the Debt Heads podcast, who went from ignoring her $18,000 in consumer debt to tackling it head-on… and talking about it openly with the world. If you’ve ever felt alone in your money struggles, this conversation will remind you: you’re not. And the first step toward a different future might be as simple as talking about 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

This week, we’re sounding the alarm on a story that hasn’t gotten nearly enough attention but could have major consequences for your paycheck, retirement, taxes, and future. Jean sits down with HerMoney favorite and leading labor economist Kathryn Edwards to unpack the recent firing of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) chief and why it could undermine the very data we rely on to understand inflation, jobs, and the strength of our economy. Also in this episode: 💥 What’s really happening in the job market 📉 Why the economy may be weaker than it looks 📊 How inflation and revisions to labor data could hit your investments 🏡 A candid, eye-opening investor playbook for navigating today’s economic uncertainty 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