Episodes

How do you donate money wisely? I definitely love giving more than receiving…in fact, I’m a terrible gift receiver. Giving effectively isn’t always easy. Our guest, Grace Nicolette, co-host of the Giving Done Right Podcast and Vice President of Programming and External Relations at the Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP), is here to help you figure out how to give effectively whether it’s now at the end of the year or whether you want to create a giving plan for next year. Grace answers some...

Let me share a little secret with you - I have a date every week. But this rendezvous doesn't involve candlelight dinners or dressed-up evenings; instead, it involves my money. That's right, I've been practicing the concept of "money dates," and truth be told, it's been a game-changer in reshaping my relationship with money. In this episode, I'll walk you through how I set up my money dates and how you can structure yours in a way that aligns with what you want and makes them enjoyable. I confe...

Have you ever wondered why we eat turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, and our favorite veggie dish for Thanksgiving? The Thanksgiving meal has evolved so much since the early 1900s and become the holiday we associate with eating until we can't eat anymore. In this reboot Friendsgiving episode, I sat down with the amazing Katherine Spiers, host of the Smart Mouth Podcast, to find out the history behind the Thanksgiving meal and get to the bottom of our pumpkin-crazed eating trends. Katherine shares h...

Open, open, open! You may be too young to remember, but a clothing store named Mervyn’s back in the early ’90s had some great commercials with people camped out by their store just waiting for them to open for the big Black Friday sales day. Now, if you’re like me, you probably don’t go to the store that often on Black Friday. I’d much rather online shop, that is, until I heard what our guest Trae Bodge, our resident shopping expert, had to say about the hefty return fees retailers are now charg...

In this episode, we're talking about Dave Ramsey's terrible retirement advice. Let me put myself in your shoes. No matter how old you are, you’re probably saving for retirement. You’re trying to figure out how much you need to save and what retirement accounts are best - do you go 401K or Roth IRA, etc? And the biggest question is, how much money can you take out each year for retirement? And, you’re hoping, fingers crossed, you’re saving enough. Then, the biggest voice in money, Dave Ramsey, co...

If you haven't heard, Mint is going away in January. In a recent Ask Shannah, I talked all about the Mint transition. In this bonus episode, I'm sharing an update from Monarch, my favorite budgeting app, about how you can easily transfer over your data from Mint. Links Move Data from Mint to Monarch article CNET Mint article Monarch is offering listeners of this show an extended 30-day free trial plus 50% off an annual plan through CYBER MONDAY http://www.monarchmoney.com/ETM Learn more about...

It’s time for another Ask Shannah episode with questions from Abbey and Jacci. In this episode, I break down whether you should take money from your 401K to pay off your student loans and what to do if you are a Mint user; in case you haven’t heard, Mint is going away on January 1st. Links Monarch Money http://www.monarchmoney.com/ETM You Need a Budget https://www.ynab.com/ Student Loan Planner https://www.studentloanplanner.com/ CNET: How to Download your Mint Data article SPONSORS Thanks to...

In this solo episode, I'm breaking down the seven things you should do with your money before the year ends. As a gentle reminder, pick a few things from this list to do. Find what works for you, and forget the rest. You get to make the money rules that work for you, but hopefully, these seven things will spur some ideas of how you can end the year on a high note. Links Freebie - 10 Mindful Money Questions to Ask Yourself Right Now https://etmpod.link/10moneyq Free annual credit report https:/...

This episode is your ultimate guide to afford the holidays without all the stress and debt that can come with it. With that said, I get that it is hard to do. The holidays always feel like a time when you are expected to spend money, even when you might not have money to spend. Maybe you have a family member who is always trying to one-up your gifts, or you feel pressured to have the best gift for your boss. And what about Dad’s? I never knew a good gift to get my dad, so I always overspent when...

Today's vault Ask Shannah question comes from Laquesha: "Hi Shannah. Thanks so much for answering my question. I really want to start investing but I keep getting hung up on all the chatter out there. I can’t figure out if I’m supposed to wait to start investing until I’ve paid off all my debt, or is that not smart to do? Also, it just feels like I need to be an expert at investing to do it well. I know that’s not true, but man, it just feels so hard to figure out investing. I know so many peopl...

It’s National Let’s Talk Money Day, and it’s also my 10-year wedding anniversary today, but let’s focus on the money part. Talkin’ money is what we do every week here on the show, so I’m excited that there’s actually a day dedicated to my mission of making talking about money mainstream. There are lots of different topics we could talk about on Let’s Talk Money Day, but if I had to pick one topic that I think is critical to your money success, it would be getting paid for your value. That is som...

All my fellow female entrepreneurs - this episode is for you. It can be quite challenging being a female entrepreneur. I know personally because I’ve been one since I was 19 in college. You get so busy in the day-to-day trying to grow your business that you overlook one of the main reasons for creating your business - wealth creation. I will tell you something about all the people I’ve worked with financially, the wealthiest of them own a business. But the key is to figure out how to set up your...

If you want to make changes with your money, you have got to understand the messages your brain is sending out. Did you know that your brain can literally make or break your financial success? You could be capsizing your “money boat” just by the way you are thinking. We're going to change that in this episode. Our guest, Ariel Garten, is a neuroscientist, mom, former psychotherapist, former fashion designer, and co-founder behind the start-up Muse. Ariel is here to help demystify what is going o...

Ever wondered how you are never left with any money each month, even though you have a budget? In this episode, I'm featuring a Budget Rescue with Robert, who asks: "Hi Shannah, thanks for taking the time to answer my question. BTW I love the new name of the show. This is one of the only places I feel like we can listen to all different types of conversations, and you always surprise me with the topics. It’s so cool. I’m writing to see if you could give me some insights into my monthly budget. H...

Today, we're talking about a topic that's not just about numbers; it's about people, fairness, and understanding. That's right, we're talking about pay transparency. Ever wondered how this simple concept can make your work life better? Our guest, Hannah Williams, the creator of the viral sensation Salary Transparent Street, has been hitting the streets asking strangers to share what they do and how much they make. Her mission is to combat discriminatory tendencies in employment and close pay gap...

In this episode, I’m sharing 8 Fall Money Moves to set yourself up for success. Bring out the cozy sweats, brew a cup of tea, and let's start talkin' money. Fall Money Move 1: Check in on your spending - make sure you're mindfully spending Fall Money Move 2: Increase your retirement savings by 1% Fall Money Move 3: Figure out your monthly money survival number Fall Money Move 4: Use your credit card rewards for holiday purchases Fall Money Move 5: Call your cell phone and internet companies...

Did you know that your money habits are set by the age of seven? That means it is really easy to pick up some money habits from your parents that don't serve you as an adult. In this episode, I'll explore ways to break money habits from your parents and how to create new habits that work for you. SPONSORS Thanks to EarnIn for sponsoring the show. Just download the EarnIn app in Google Play of the Apple App store and use code Talkin Money under Podcast. Thanks to Factor for sponsoring the show...

If you’ve ever wondered what is the best credit card out there, this episode is for you. We have Ian Salisbury, the Money Editor for Buy Side from WSJ, back on the show to share the best cash-back credit cards, travel rewards credit cards, savings accounts, mortgage lenders, and more in this episode. We’ll break down all the details about why you might choose one credit card over the next and tips to make the mortgage process so much easier. We also chat about the biggest money trends this year,...

Living simply is one of the best ways to create wealth. Living in only 150 square feet for years, Ryan Mitchell has learned a thing or two about living simply. From downsizing to life simplification and designing a life that’s right for you, Ryan brings a lot of experience and practical knowledge to the table. He built his own tiny house in 2012, learning as he went along, which inspired him to help others in their journey to live small. Today he still lives in his tiny house full time and off g...

In this Ask Shannah episode, I’m covering some of my favorite tips to save money inspired by a question from Brett. This question comes from Brett – "Hi, Shannah, thanks for taking the time to answer my question. I’ve listened to this show since 2016, and even though you’ve changed it up over the years, it’s still one of my favorites. There are a lot of dude money podcasts, but I really like a softer approach and one that feels very non-judgmental. So thank you. I’m in my late 30s and doing pret...

Two percent of venture capital money goes toward women-owned businesses. Still, in 2023. It’s still somewhat shocking to me. Our guest, Melody McCloskey, co-founder and CEO of StyleSeat, the premier platform for booking beauty and wellness appointments, is one of those lucky 2 %. She started her business in 2011, ironically right next to the two Instagram founders who would ask her thoughts on what Instagram photo filters she liked. As a woman, she’s learned how to grow a business from the groun...

What do you think about manifesting? Maybe you don’t believe it’s possible, or you’ve tried it, and it never seems to work. Kathleen Cameron, a world-famous manifestation coach who has worked with Hollywood celebrities and Wall Street heavy hitters and is the author of, The Best Of Yourself, wants you to know that you can’t just create a vision board and cross your fingers hoping it will all work out. Instead, Kathleen says, “Manifesting is becoming aware of a version of yourself already there a...

Should I get a prenup? A question from Brian and Tracey inspired this episode of Ask Shannah.

Did you know that you could build wealth with franchise investing? The idea of franchising started way back in the Middle Ages, but it really started to pick up steam in the 1960s with the creation of turnpikes and President Eisenhower’s Interstate Highway System. That’s when franchising really had its heyday, but in the last couple of decades, franchising has been looked down on and passed over as an opportunity to build wealth. But the tide is changing. Our guest, Kenny Rose, CEO and founder o...