1890: Ask Farnoosh: All Things Debt Relief

Money touches every part of a relationship — from who pays the bills to who feels free to spend, to how faith, privilege, and even family expectations shape the way we see our financial roles. But for many couples, these conversations stay on the surface — focused on budgets or account balances — instead of the deeper emotions and power dynamics underneath.My guests today, Heather and Douglas Boneparth, set out to change that. They’re the husband-and-wife duo behind the new book Money Together, a guide that goes beyond financial planning to explore the real forces that drive how couples handle money — things like caregiving, identity, gender, faith, and generational wealth.Heather is a corporate attorney turned author and financial advocate; Douglas is a certified financial planner and founder of Bonafide Wealth. Together, they spent years interviewing more than 60 couples and experts to unpack what really happens behind closed doors when money meets love.In our conversation, we talk about what they discovered — why traditional money advice often fails couples, how gender roles and caregiving reshape financial power, how to talk about privilege or family wealth without resentment, and why sometimes the healthiest financial decision is saying “no” to money that comes with strings attached. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Farnoosh dedicates Ask Farnoosh to one of the most pressing money topics in America right now: debt relief. Visit SoMoneyLinks for resources.With household debt topping $17.7 trillion and credit card balances at record highs, Farnoosh answers real listener questions about tackling debt, from when to pause investing to whether it ever makes sense to use home equity or refinance student loans. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you’ve been shopping lately, you’ve probably noticed — clothes cost a lot more than they used to. Inflation has hit fashion hard, but the quality? Not so much. From fast fashion to high-end brands, shoppers are wondering: why are we paying more for pieces that don’t seem to last?To help us make sense of it all — and learn how to shop smarter — I’m joined by stylist Amy Salinger, founder of StyleMethod®. (Catch me on her podcast!)Self-taught and style-obsessed, Amy built her career on the belief that great style isn’t innate — it’s intentional. Her signature method has helped hundreds of clients align how they look with who they truly are, across all body types, lifestyles, and life stages. After more than a decade working one-on-one with clients in New York City, she took her business fully online, bringing expert styling support to high-achieving people everywhere.Through StyleMethod®, Amy helps clients reclaim their reflection — with shoulders back, chin up, and confidence fully activated. Because as she puts it, great style isn’t about trends or impressing others — it’s about showing up for yourself.Today, we’ll talk about the real reasons fashion prices have skyrocketed, how to think about cost per wear, and Amy’s best tips for saving money on style — from end-of-season sales to discount treasure hunts and wardrobe investments that actually pay off. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New York Times bestselling author of Take Back Your Brain, Kara Loewentheil, unveils her proven strategies for closing the “brain gap,” and how women can reclaim their financial confidence in a patriarchal society. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's questions: Should I move my money overseas if I'm worried about immigrant rights? Should I divide my dad’s $100,000 (currently in a basic bank account) among savings, high-yield savings, and investments, and should I remarry my current boyfriend, knowing I would lose my ex-husband’s Social Security benefits? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the best pieces of advice I ever got was this: you don’t get what you deserve, you get what you negotiate. It’s true, but for many of us — especially women — negotiating can feel loaded, intimidating, even risky. The fear of backlash is real.My guest today knows this better than anyone. In fact, a failed negotiation early in her career — one that ended with her being escorted out of the building — changed the course of her life and career. Since then, she’s made it her mission to equip women with the strategies to negotiate successfully without the penalties.Joining me is Kathryn Valentine, CEO of Worthmore Strategies, whose work has been featured in Harvard Business Review, The Wall Street Journal, and Fast Company. Today, she shares the research-backed tools and scripts that can help all of us — whether we’re asking for a raise, a promotion, or even more flexibility at work — get to “yes” while sidestepping the backlash.More resources:Kathryn's 76 things you can negotiate - www.76things.comHer negotiation bootcamp - https://worthmorestrategies.com/courses Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest today is one of the most vibrant and necessary voices in personal finance today. Katie Gatti Tassin is the founder of the wildly popular Money with Katie platform and host of the podcast by the same name. She's back on the show with a brand-new book that is as bold as it is brilliant: Rich Girl Nation.This isn't your average money guide. Katie weaves sharp analysis, real-world context, and her signature wit into a manifesto for financial independence — especially for women navigating the beauty tax, the motherhood penalty, workplace politics, and a world where financial systems weren’t exactly built with us in mind.We discuss why the first chapter is called “The Hot Girl Hamster Wheel,” how investing in yourself early can pay off big, and why financial independence isn’t just about retiring early—it’s about having options. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Farnoosh kicks things off with life updates—juggling the whirlwind of September as a parent, launching The Montclair Pod (now a finalist for a prestigious Signal Award (vote here)), and coping with a double hit of bank fraud that forced her to shut down an account and rebuild her banking setup.Sign up for her investing workshop on Tuesday, Sept 30 at SoMoneyWorkshop.comFarnoosh also shares important personal finance headlines:Doctors vs. Insurance Companies: New prior-authorization rules delaying basic care.Amazon’s $2.5 billion FTC settlement: Millions of Prime subscribers may be eligible for refunds.Iron Hill Brewery closures: A beloved East Coast restaurant chain, tied to her own family memories, shutters permanently.In the mailbag, she tackles listener questions on:Whether to open multiple high-yield savings accounts for different goals like emergencies, annual expenses, and travel.The best ways to start saving for a child’s college education—including 529 plans, gifting platforms, and Roth IRAs.How to ace a financial services interview at age 23 without licenses yet—focusing on passion, relatability, research, and asking smart questions.Dividing money between an emergency fund, retirement, and a down payment on a home.Strategies for intermediate savings goals like marriage or travel within 10 years, and how to balance risk vs. safety in those investments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you’ve been following along, you know that I recently experienced fraud in my own business checking account — a gut-wrenching ordeal where thousands of dollars disappeared overnight because someone got hold of my routing number. The bank caught it, but the disruption and stress were very real. And I’ll be honest: even as someone who spends her life thinking and talking about money, I almost missed the warning signs.Which is why today’s conversation is so important. We’re heading into the fall and holiday season — peak time for identity theft and online scams. Fraudsters know we’re distracted, busy, spending more, and often less vigilant.To help us all stay one step ahead, I’ve invited back Martha Underwood, founder of Prismm. Martha and her team are on the frontlines of protecting our financial identity and legacy. She’s here to share the latest scams to watch out for — from PayPal “micro-deposits,” to spoofed IRS texts, to sophisticated AI voice fraud — and, most importantly, the concrete steps we can take to guard our money, our families, and our peace of mind.Charlotte Cowles on Losing $50k to a Scammer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Money is never just about money. It’s identity, history, and how we see ourselves in the mirror. Today, we’re joined by psychotherapist Holli Rubin, whose work sits at the intersection of mental health, body image, and financial wellbeing. She specializes in life transitions and women’s mental health, and she’s advised organizations from Deloitte to wealth management firms on the psychology of money and confidence. In our conversation, Holli unpacks why so many women carry shame and doubt around money, how early messages about worth, care work, and “who earns” shape our financial confidence and why self-worth gets tangled up with net worth. We also explore her nuanced link between body image and money: the ways appearance and status cues can mask (or magnify) our inner stories about value, security, and belonging. And crucially, she offers practical ways to move from awareness to action, especially in midlife when careers, relationships, and health are all in flux.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.