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This Is Uncomfortable

Author: Marketplace

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This is a show about life and how money messes with it. Each week, Marketplace’s Reema Khrais digs in with stories about the unanticipated ways money affects relationships, shapes identities and often defines what it means to be an adult. How much money do you lend a friend? Who can afford to vote? Can you get your life back after being wrongfully convicted?

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Nicole and Rachel were deeply in love when they had their first serious fight about money. It seemed easily resolvable, but the disagreement dragged on for months and brought a lot more to the surface than they expected. This episode originally aired in 2022 and includes a short update at the end about how Rachel and Nicole are doing today. If you liked this episode, share it with a friend. And to get even more Uncomfortable, subscribe to our newsletter!
Growing up, Haein Shim was taught that if she wanted to succeed, she needed to change her appearance. Shim was raised in South Korea, where a competitive job market and booming beauty industry combined to make careful beauty maintenance all but mandatory for gainful employment. By the time she was a young adult, she was spending hours a day and hundreds of dollars a month on makeup and clothes, until one day her friend asked, “Why do we spend so much money on our appearance?” That question upended Shim’s family, career and sense of self. It led her to join a movement called Escape the Corset, calling for an end to strict beauty standards. In this episode, we also speak to NPR’s Elise Hu, who spent years reporting on the rise of the K-beauty and how it has impacted Korea’s economy and gender politics. Her book on the subject, “Flawless: Lessons in Looks and Culture From the K-Beauty Capital,” examines how women like Haein Shim are changing the face of beauty in Korea.
This week, we’re sharing an episode from another podcast we think you’ll love. “Classy” is a new show from Pineapple Street Studios and Audacy exploring the ways that class infiltrates our day-to-day lives. Host Jonathan Menjivar has some hang-ups about class. In this episode, he takes us from a nightclub outside Los Angeles to the halls of a fancy Manhattan prep school, and asks sociologist Rachel Sherman, “Are rich people bad?”
Four years later, host Reema Khrais checks in with one of our favorite couples, Mandy and Zach. In our first season, they told us about the challenges they ran into early in their relationship around gift giving. Now, life’s latest milestones are forcing them to figure out how to become more fluent in each other’s languages — the ones they use to talk about life, love, and of course, money.
Dream on a deadline

Dream on a deadline

2024-02-1536:401

At what point do you walk away from your dreams? Kashy gave himself a deadline: if he didn’t become a pop star by the time he turned 25, he’d give up music. But years after he left his music career behind, the universe gave him a second chance, thousands of miles from home.
We wanted to share a particularly uncomfy episode from Marketplace’s “Financially Inclined,” a financial literacy podcast for teens. Being a first-generation student can mean facing bigger financial pressures than your peers, with less generational knowledge and wealth. “Financially Inclined” host Yanely Espinal talks to Gigi Gonzalez, the First Gen Mentor, to help you navigate the unique pressures of being the first in your family – whether that’s being a first-gen American, first-gen college student, first-gen professional, first-gen entrepreneur or more! Think you’re financially inclined? Check out these resources: Explore resources for first-gen students from the Collective Success Network Learn more wealth building tips from Business Insider Prepare for a “money talk” with your family using this guide from CNBC Are you in an educational setting? Here’s a handy listening guide. This podcast is presented in partnership with Greenlight: the money app for teens — with investing. For a limited time, our listeners can earn $10 when they sign up for a Greenlight account.
My name is Hana

My name is Hana

2024-02-0847:361

Overnight, Hana’s life became unrecognizable. She used to enjoy quiet mornings in her lovingly decorated apartment in Gaza, but since Israel’s invasion forced her to evacuate, she’s now sleeping on the cold floor of a crowded house, fearful of airstrikes. Hana shares how the war is threatening the life she built for herself and the impossible financial calculations ahead of her.
A conversation with Baba

A conversation with Baba

2024-02-0152:383

In our new season premiere, Reema sits down with her father to reflect on how recent global headlines have been impacting their family in Gaza.
“This Is Uncomfortable” returns for its ninth season Feb. 1, with brand-new episodes about life and how money messes with it. We’ve got stories about medical scams, workplace discrimination, the fast fashion industry and more. New episodes coming Thursdays.
A note from Reema

A note from Reema

2023-12-2002:19

Hey, Reema here. I just wanted to thank you all for listening to “This Is Uncomfortable” this year. We shared some great stories in 2023 and memorable conversations that I’m still mulling over. And we have some great new episodes coming for you soon in our ninth season, which starts Jan. 25. We could not have done this kind of reporting without your support. So thank you! Your support keeps our nonprofit newsroom and podcasts going and helps us bring you the rich, personal stories you love. If you’re able, please consider making a tax-deductible year-end donation today. Contribute what you can at marketplace.org/giveTIU We really appreciate it. 
What would you be willing to live with for free rent? No heat, mice in the walls, a toilet in the middle of an unfinished basement? Chris Badeker and Jake Daugherty went through all of it in an effort to save money and claw their way out of debt. But that free rent became the ultimate test of their friendship.
In the cutthroat world of professional classical music, Eric Abramovitz was headed toward a shining career. Until something — or someone — got in the way. We’re revisiting this episode from our first season with an update about where Abramovitz is now. 
We have a special treat for you today! We’re sharing an episode of the new podcast from APM Studios and Chalk + Blade called “Tiny Huge Decisions.” This is a story about two best friends, Mohsin and Dalia, as they make a life-changing decision: Will Dalia be the gestational surrogate for Mohsin and his husband? It’s emotional, intimate and more than a little complicated. Here’s Episode 1!   Subscribe to “Tiny Huge Decisions” now to listen to the whole season.
You’re heartbroken. You just got out of a relationship, and now you have to figure out who you are and what you want as this newly single you. But that can be expensive. This week on This is Uncomfortable, one woman’s unique way of coping, plus listeners give us a glimpse into their post-breakup splurges.
This is Uncomfortable wants your help: What question would you ask a financial therapist?    How can I stop feeling guilty about spending money? How do I start a hard conversation with my partner about debt? How can I talk to my friends about the difference in our salaries? Whatever your question is, send it our way. Reema’s going to sit down with a financial therapist and get you some answers.    Send us a voice memo at uncomfortable@marketplace.org or call us at ‪(347) 746-4848‬.
A better life

A better life

2023-07-1353:54

When Susan was a teenager, she set out to find answers about her birth parents. As an adoptee, she longed to know where she came from. When she eventually reunited with her birth parents as a teenager, she thought she’d finally feel at peace. She couldn’t have known that many years later, she’d find herself in a very similar position, only this time longing for her own child. We follow Susan’s deeply personal story, taking a look at the interplay of money and adoption, and how history can have a way of repeating itself. Get even more Uncomfortable by subscribing to our newsletter.
Who can you trust with your money? Your parents? Your spouse? Or do you really need to keep control every step of the way? This week on the show, two stories of what happens when people don’t have control of their own finances. Sally, a 79-year-old listener, wrote to us about an experience with her second husband that still haunts her to this day. And we revisit a previous guest on the show, Hayli McKnight, who told us back in season one about the time her father spent her college savings. It turns out, Hayli’s finances have only gotten more complicated since we last spoke, and not just because of her dad.  
Reality (TV) bites

Reality (TV) bites

2023-06-2942:053

When reality dating fans tune into their favorite shows like “The Bachelor,” they expect to see dramatic rejections, hateable villains—all the staple elements of the genre. These formulas keep audiences watching and keep the money rolling in for TV networks. And for a relatively small price—networks don’t have to pay teams of writers, and sometimes they don’t even pay the cast. But while corporations profit, there is a hidden cost for the people who make these shows so entertaining. On this episode, we’ll hear about the long-term costs of making reality dating shows from Nadia Jagessar, a contestant on “Indian Matchmaking,” as well as former “Bachelor” producers Jazzy Collins and Michael Carroll. 
What do you do when you find money? What if we’re talking about a lot of money? “This Is Uncomfortable” joins up with “Snap Judgment” to explore the ethics of finders-keepers.  To get even more Uncomfortable, subscribe to our newsletter.
When Kate Beaton graduated college, she had exactly one goal: get rid of her student debt as fast as possible. The goal took priority over everything else in her life, including the dream of trying to make it as an artist. But when she decided to take a job in the oil sands of Alberta, Canada, she didn’t know she would be entering a workplace that was a world of its own, where the ordinary rules of society would not always apply. 
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Comments (26)

Habia Khet

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Feb 5th
Reply

Joe A. Finley II

She couldn't understand why her mom had bad vibes about husband-to-be #2??!! Uh, he wasn't contributing to the relationship FROM THE BEGINNING!! Red flag you could see from Jupiter!! HUGE shocker he just drove them further into debt post-wedding vows.

Aug 25th
Reply (1)

Lori Freetage

The story is well done and evokes some of the feelings around financial infidelity, but this is a soft version that hardly qualifies as financial infidelity, rather some sins of ignorance and irresponsibility, which she then corrects on her own. A romanticized, warm fuzzy version of "financial infidelity" with a straightforward problem and a simple happy ending. A much more uncomfortable topic would have been to discuss the (often marital) financial infidelity involves lying, cheating, sneaking, breaking the other person's trust repeatedly. The half ass attempts to "get better" and "fix" the debts that assuage the situation temporarily, only degrade again months or years down the road, worse than they were before. Arguing about not incurring new debt or not buying this thing and the other person secretly sneaking around and doing it anyway, and refusing to be honest about what's going on. Or maybe thinking everything is fine and then one day waking up and finding up that your spouse ha

Jun 15th
Reply

Billy Weinheimer

Two people spending and saving responsibly, and no stupid drugs or crimes. How refreshing.

Jan 9th
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YOUSIFDOTUS

Loved it! Thank you for your great work 👍

Jun 23rd
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Vicki J

This episode almost brought tears to my eyes. I understand the feeling of trying to "save" her brother. My brother died as well. It's a shame they didn't have information for her. This was somebody's baby boy. And just because people don't have the finances. The deceased should be valued and loved just as if they were their own. I pray she finds peace. There's nothing worse than not having peace about the deceased.

Jun 7th
Reply

Anna

the whole episode I was waiting for the part of the story where she gets an ADHD diagnosis...

Nov 7th
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Vicki J

Ibby. You are a true saint to be willing to spend that much money to have a child. Also, I wish that doctor was honest with you and told you she had to remove so much!!!! What an ass!!! I would need answers from her. Did she feel it was necessary to not have you have anymore pain?? Were there cysts all over the Fallopian tubes?? I would need answers from her.

Oct 24th
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Vicki J

glad you're back!!

Oct 15th
Reply

Amanda de Boer

ugh, this guy is a big whiny baby coward!

Jun 25th
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Adeline Francois

I'm glad one partner was able to rescue another. Can they copy & paste that google spread sheet to my email. Better yet, sell it! I'd buy it. Great story! both partners in debt is just sad. I should know that is my current situation.

Mar 2nd
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Morgan Watson

This is an episode of marketplace?

Feb 27th
Reply

Jeremy Einhorn

Is anyone else’s “In sickness and in fraud” episode a different podcast?

Feb 26th
Reply

Beauregard Throckmorton

Every time I listen, I think "This IS uncomfortable." Then I smile. Nice work. Love the podcast.

Nov 22nd
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I Hope Someone Relates

So strange to have Venmo be such a big part of a romantic relationship.

Oct 2nd
Reply

Ari Christine

Its my opinion that people feel they need to share all aspects of their lives to others. while I understand the young man's reservation about sharing the details of his inheritance with his friends - I don't feel he was "lying." Money matters are private. He wasn't lying.

Aug 29th
Reply (1)

Maher Hajarat

Great podcast

Aug 17th
Reply

Kristin Chong

Gosh I wish they did a story when both people are in debt.

Aug 17th
Reply

T

great podcast, really relatable.

Jul 20th
Reply

🤨

The premise of this show is false. Money doesn't mess with people. People mess with people.

Jun 30th
Reply (1)
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