What We Spend

Introducing: Money Moves with Jill Schlesinger

There’s a lot of dopey financial advice out there. Jill Schlesinger is here to call it out, answer your questions, and help you manage your money without losing your mind

Laying the Foundation

It’s not always easy being a woman in construction. But for Alden, a union carpenter in Massachusetts, the challenges come with a big payoff: the most financial stability

The Cost of Feeding America, from Giving Done Right

Sharing an episode of Giving Done Right, a podcast from the Center for Effective Philanthropy about how to make an impact with your charitable giving. Shifts in federal

Here Comes the Bill

Dan is a university post doc in the midwest. He’s getting married next spring— and discovering just how expensive weddings really are.

Death Admin

A few years ago, Alissa suffered the devastating loss of her husband. In the aftermath, she was left to navigate not just grief, but all the financial questions and decis

Joint Accounts

Charli is a filmmaker living in the Bible Belt. They’re on the brink of a big step in their relationship – moving in together and merging finances. If you want to be on

New Grad, Now What?

Jacob just graduated college in Wisconsin — but his degree in computer science might not mean what it used to. Now, he’s struggling to land a full-time job and questionin

Business is Booming

Mick owns a fireworks shop in Indiana. We'll follow him during the week leading up to July 4th — his busiest and most profitable time of year. If you want to be on What

Surviving DOGE

Scotty is a federal employee in Washington, D.C. He's made it through multiple rounds of DOGE layoffs, but the uncertainty has forced him to think more seriously about th

I Try to Be Transparent About My Level of Privilege

Morgan works as a consultant, but her income is not the only thing making her life possible. She’s opening up about her financial privilege, her relationship to it, and w

How To Be a (Working) Rock Star

Mel is a touring musician based in Pennsylvania. But despite her many successes in the music industry, she still has to work odd jobs to fund her rock star dreams. If yo

Always On the Clock

Eryka is a professor and a bartender in Pittsburgh, who is used to working a lot of jobs to support herself. But after years of working non-stop, Eryka is slowing down a

The Kids Are Grown — Now What?

Molly is a lawyer in Chicago, whose youngest kid is about to leave for college. As she prepares to be an empty nester, she’s thinking about selling her house and looking

On FIRE

Michelle is a copy writer in Australia, and she’s part of the FIRE movement—Financial Independence, Retire Early. After watching how her parents worked, she set out to ta

Single Dad Comes Back to Shore (Part 2)

Last week we heard from Michael, a single dad of twins in Massachusetts. This week he’s leaving all the hidden fees and mishaps of the cruise and returning home—where it’

Single Dad at Sea (Part 1)

Michael is a single dad of twins in Massachusetts. He’s overwhelmed by the costs of raising a family on a teacher’s salary, but this week he’s trying to escape it all—by

How to Support 10 Kids? Write 55 Books

Angela is a single mom raising 10 kids in Iowa. She manages a lively home, all while supporting her family with a career that isn’t guaranteed to be lucrative — writing n

Full Time CryBaby

Yuhas is leaving behind their career as a makeup artist to step into a new one—as a drag queen. Performing as CryBaby, they're about to make their full-time debut. If yo

America's Working Homeless

Last week, we spoke to Maxine—a long-haul trucker who works full-time, but still lost her home when she could no longer pay her rent. We wanted to know how that could hap

Paid by the Mile

Maxine is a long-haul truck driver in North Carolina. She loves her job, but she doesn't make enough to pay her bills. If you want to be on What We Spend, we'd love to