This week on the pod we’re answering your questions! 1 - What’s the difference between annuities and life insurance? 2 - Ways to improve my credit score after a chapter 7 bankruptcy? 3 - Robo advisors: are they too good to be true? 4 - Should I open a college savings account for my toddler? 5 - What kind of equipment do you use to record the podcast?

And if you have a question for us, we’d love for you to submit your own via HowToMoney.com/Ask

During this episode we enjoyed a Bio-Rhythm by Southern Grist Brewing which you can find on Untappd. A big thanks to Jamie and friends up there in Nashville for donating these beers to the show! And if you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts, Castbox, or wherever you get your podcasts- we’d love to hear from you.

Best friends out!

 Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

This week on the pod we’re answering your questions! 1 - What’s the difference between annuities and life insurance? 2 - Ways to improve my credit score after a chapter 7 bankruptcy? 3 - Robo advisors: are they too good to be true? 4 - Should I open a college savings account for my toddler? 5 - What kind of equipment do you use to record the podcast?And if you have a question for us, we’d love for you to submit your own via HowToMoney.com/AskDuring this episode we enjoyed a Bio-Rhythm by Southern Grist Brewing which you can find on Untappd. A big thanks to Jamie and friends up there in Nashville for donating these beers to the show! And if you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts, Castbox, or wherever you get your podcasts- we’d love to hear from you.Best friends out! Learn more about your ad-choices at <a href="https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com">https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com</a>

Best friends Joel and Matt are the co-hosts of How to Money which is all about providing the knowledge & tools that normal folks need to thrive in areas like debt payoff, DIY investing, and crucial money tricks that will provide continuous help along your journey. We believe that access to unbiased and jargon-free personal finance guidance is more necessary than ever before. When you handle your money in a purposeful, thoughtful way that works for your lifestyle, you can really start living a rich life.

How to Money

Ask HTM - Annuities vs. Life Insurance, Improving Credit Scores, and Robo Advisors #084

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/063a8935-14c8-4ce3-93a9-ae32003eea3c/transcript

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 - Pet insurance: As I’m expecting some big vet expenses, should I continue to pay for insurance for my dog?

2 - Roth vs 529: Should we save for our son’s college in a Roth since it gives us more flexibility?

3 - HSA: Can I backfill my health savings account to invest, after I pay for an expensive medical procedure?

4 - Cashless kid: What’s the best way for my 14 year old to pay for expenses while at a cashless summer camp?

5 - 0% balance transfer: Are there good balance transfer cards that have good cashback as well?

 

Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances:
Credit card perks: Check out our favorite credit cards that we use to maximize rewards and optimize our spending.
Other money nerds: Find a thriving community of fellow money nerds by joining the HTM Facebook group!
Newsletter: Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical.
Money Gears: knowing what to do with your money is crucial to your personal finance journey.
MG7: and maybe you’re well on your way to financial independence but you’re looking for some financial reassurance, that’s when heading over to HowToMoney.com/Advisor and getting matched with a highly vetted financial advisor makes sense.

 

During this episode we enjoyed a Grapefruit Substance by Bissell Brothers! And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money!

 

Best friends out!

We&rsquo;re kicking off the week by answering your listener questions! And if you have a question that you&rsquo;d like for us to answer on the show, we&rsquo;d love for you to submit your own via <a href="https://www.howtomoney.com/ask/">HowToMoney.com/ask</a> , send us your voice memo. Regardless of how random or bizarre you might think it is, we want to hear it!
&nbsp;
1 - Pet insurance: As I&rsquo;m expecting some big vet expenses, should I continue to pay for insurance for my dog?
2 - Roth vs 529: Should we save for our son&rsquo;s college in a Roth since it gives us more flexibility?
3 - HSA: Can I backfill my health savings account to invest, after I pay for an expensive medical procedure?
4 - Cashless kid: What&rsquo;s the best way for my 14 year old to pay for expenses while at a cashless summer camp?
5 - 0% balance transfer: Are there good balance transfer cards that have good cashback as well?
&nbsp;
Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Credit card perks: Check out <a href="https://go.nextcard.com/shau19-htmomny">our favorite credit cards</a> that we use to maximize rewards and optimize our spending.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Other money nerds: Find a thriving community of fellow money nerds by joining the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1623670287732189">HTM Facebook group!</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Newsletter: Sign up for the weekly <a href="https://www.howtomoney.com/newsletter/">HTM newsletter</a>. It&rsquo;s fun, free, &amp; practical.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Money Gears: knowing <a href="https://www.howtomoney.com/start-here/">what to do with your money</a> is crucial to your personal finance journey.</li>
<ul>
<li aria-level="2">MG7: and maybe you&rsquo;re well on your way to financial independence but you&rsquo;re looking for some financial reassurance, that&rsquo;s when heading over to <a href="http://www.howtomoney.com/advisor">HowToMoney.com/Advisor</a> and getting matched with a highly vetted financial advisor makes sense.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
&nbsp;
During this episode we enjoyed a Grapefruit Substance by Bissell Brothers! And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you&rsquo;re not already a regular listener, and <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-money/id1337718773?mt=2">give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts</a> or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money!
&nbsp;
Best friends out!

Ask HTM – Sinking Fund or Pet Insurance, Balance Transfer Card Bonus, & Backfilling an HSA #1144

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/0e4780b8-56e8-493c-aeb1-b43c01547a6e/transcript

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:
Insurgent I-bonds
Small business swipe fees
Credit card limits lowered
Trendy tiny homes
Smaller homes in walkable communities
Recurring handyman subscription fees
Millennial early retirement
Cutting back on the big 3
AI financial advisors
Chat privacy risks
Why the AI hate?

 

Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances:
Credit card perks: Check out our favorite credit cards that we use to maximize rewards and optimize our spending.
Other money nerds: Find a thriving community of fellow money nerds by joining the HTM Facebook group!
Newsletter: Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical.
Money Gears: knowing what to do with your money is crucial to your personal finance journey.
MG7: and maybe you’re well on your way to financial independence but you’re looking for some financial reassurance, that’s when heading over to HowToMoney.com/Advisor and getting matched with a highly vetted financial advisor makes sense.

 

And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money!

 

Best friends out!

Time for a Friday Flight- our little sampling of the week&rsquo;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:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/2026/05/06/inflation-investing-i-bonds/89932972007/">Insurgent I-bonds</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.wsj.com/finance/regulation/the-fees-that-fund-your-rewards-credit-card-are-facing-a-state-battle-a58da739?mod=hp_lead_pos6">Small business swipe fees</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.cnbc.com/select/what-to-do-credit-limit-decrease/">Credit card limits lowered</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2026/04/20/tiny-homes-affordable-housing-zoning/?">Trendy tiny homes</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/2026/04/small-american-dream-house/687011/">Smaller homes in walkable communities</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/30/business/dealbook/casa-handyman-start-up.html?smid=em-share">Recurring handyman subscription fees</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/economy/article/millennials-want-to-retire-in-their-50s-the-math-doesnt-work-135527076.html?.tsrc=372&amp;ncid=crm_-2081200-20260501-1--A&amp;bt_user_id=2coP9OaUITXVjLwswLcm1SqsLKQmtHtfunugYcxDl0sgCOVK98dd0Nd3BTCqy6ezbAgmxIT196zuGTYrir1o2rw%2BqECPnVTdzbVSAH6E4DCzN5wbSd%2FZKeBidJ5W9LNb&amp;bt_ts=1777629708370&amp;guccounter=1">Millennial early retirement</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://archive.is/8Pk0D#selection-1739.0-2389.38">Cutting back on the big 3</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.investmentnews.com/fintech/y-combinator-backed-ai-robo-advisor-astor-raises-5-million/266329">AI financial advisors</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2026/04/25/ai-financial-advice-privacy-concerns/?">Chat privacy risks</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/05/17/ai-backlash-polling-sentiment">Why the AI hate?</a></li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Credit card perks: Check out <a href="https://go.nextcard.com/shau19-htmomny">our favorite credit cards</a> that we use to maximize rewards and optimize our spending.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Other money nerds: Find a thriving community of fellow money nerds by joining the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1623670287732189">HTM Facebook group!</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Newsletter: Sign up for the weekly <a href="https://www.howtomoney.com/newsletter/">HTM newsletter</a>. It&rsquo;s fun, free, &amp; practical.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Money Gears: knowing <a href="https://www.howtomoney.com/start-here/">what to do with your money</a> is crucial to your personal finance journey.</li>
<li aria-level="1">MG7: and maybe you&rsquo;re well on your way to financial independence but you&rsquo;re looking for some financial reassurance, that&rsquo;s when heading over to <a href="http://www.howtomoney.com/advisor">HowToMoney.com/Advisor</a> and getting matched with a highly vetted financial advisor makes sense.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you&rsquo;re not already a regular listener, and <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-money/id1337718773?mt=2">give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts</a> or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money!
&nbsp;
Best friends out!

Friday Flight - Insurgent I-Bonds, Trendy Tiny Homes, & Cutting The Big 3 #1143

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/e15018cd-a6d9-4413-8514-b44f0146c12e/transcript

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 the estimated $100 billion in available funds. We specifically discuss:
Leveraging your unique story
An unlikely social media platform to find scholarships
Casting a wide net and going for smaller opportunities
Losing $20,000 bc of a missing headshot
Sidestepping the headache of filling out applications
The value of internships
Hustling, burnout, and mental health
Importance of stated goals and community
And much more!

Can’t get enough How To Money? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances:
Nia: See what else Nia is up to over on her site and allthesocials!
Credit card perks: Check out our favorite credit cards that we use to maximize rewards and optimize our spending.
Money Gears: Knowing what to do with your money is crucial to your personal finance journey.
Newsletter: Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical.
Other money nerds: Find a thriving community of fellow money nerds by joining the HTM Facebook group!

 

And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money!

 

Best friends out!

Most of us think of college as an investment&hellip; one that hopefully pays off over decades. And for a lot of people, it does. But with costs skyrocketing, it&rsquo;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&rsquo;s helping others do the same. She&rsquo;s here to break down how it works and how you can take advantage of the estimated $100 billion in available funds. We specifically discuss:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Leveraging your unique story</li>
<li aria-level="1">An unlikely social media platform to find scholarships</li>
<li aria-level="1">Casting a wide net and going for smaller opportunities</li>
<li aria-level="1">Losing $20,000 bc of a missing headshot</li>
<li aria-level="1">Sidestepping the headache of filling out applications</li>
<li aria-level="1">The value of internships</li>
<li aria-level="1">Hustling, burnout, and mental health</li>
<li aria-level="1">Importance of stated goals and community</li>
<li aria-level="1">And much more!</li>
</ul>
Can&rsquo;t get enough How To Money? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Nia: See what else Nia is up to over <a href="https://niaknowsfinance.com/">on her site</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/niaknowsfinance/">all</a> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@niaknowsfinance">the</a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@niaknowsfinance">socials</a>!</li>
<li aria-level="1">Credit card perks: Check out <a href="https://go.nextcard.com/shau19-htmomny">our favorite credit cards</a> that we use to maximize rewards and optimize our spending.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Money Gears: Knowing <a href="https://www.howtomoney.com/start-here/">what to do with your money</a> is crucial to your personal finance journey.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Newsletter: Sign up for the weekly <a href="https://www.howtomoney.com/newsletter/">HTM newsletter</a>. It&rsquo;s fun, free, &amp; practical.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Other money nerds: Find a thriving community of fellow money nerds by joining the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1623670287732189">HTM Facebook group!</a></li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you&rsquo;re not already a regular listener, and <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-money/id1337718773?mt=2">give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts</a> or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money!
&nbsp;
Best friends out!

The $1M Scholarship Strategy w/ Nia Baiyeroju #1142

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/3621be70-8a4b-4edc-87f8-b411013b2679/transcript

Ask HTM - Annuities vs. Life Insurance, Improving Credit Scores, and Robo Advisors #084

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