Better Off with Jill Schlesinger

If you live in a big city, it can be easy to forget what it’s like to depend on a car. Urbanites tend to walk, take the subway or bus, ride a bicycle, or hop in a cab to get virtually everywhere.

But I grew up in the suburbs and know the vast majority of you listening to this podcast have a deep, personal relationship with your car. After all, next to your home, your car is one of the biggest assets you’ll purchase in life, which is why you are likely to have a ton of questions that need to be answered. 

Where does one turn to learn the best car buying tips? Maybe you have used the Consumer Reports Annual Auto Issue, but, today on Better Off, we go one better... we have Mike Quincy, Automotive Specialist at Consumer Reports, one of the pros behind all things car-related at the magazine. 

Mike may have the coolest job in the world. He gets to race, I mean drive, basically every car imaginable around a test track and then write the reviews you read...a dream job for a total car geek. With almost 30 years under his belt, Mike has the answers to the most-frequently asked car questions:

• Buy or lease?
• Sedan or SUV?
• Which model has the best crash test ratings?
• Do I need to buy the extended warranty?
• Which manufacturers should I avoid?

We also discussed which cars are safest for young adults, the reliability of high end cars like Mercedes and BMW, what the future holds for Tesla and the current state of the legacy automakers here in the U.S.

So as you hit the road this summer and fantasize about a new set of wheels, this episode is a must listen before you walk into that dealership.

“Better Off” is sponsored by Betterment.

We love feedback so please leave us a rating or review in iTunes.

"Better Off" theme music is by Joel Goodman, www.joelgoodman.com.

For a recap of every episode, visit https://www.betterment.com/resources/topics/inside-betterment/better-off-podcast/

Connect with me at these places for all my content:

http://www.jillonmoney.com/ 

https://twitter.com/jillonmoney 

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https://www.youtube.com/c/JillSchlesinger 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillonmoney/ 

https://soundcloud.com/jill-schlesinger 

http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/jill-on-money 

http://betteroffpodcast.com/ 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/better-off-jill-schlesinger/id431167790?mt=2

It's so great and satisfying when we're able to expose people to the world of finance through the podcast. That's the case with Joe from Arizona, our latest BONUS call, who after listening to us, is now interested in pursuing a career as a CFP. Since Joe doesn't have a background in finance he was looking for some advice as he prepares to start this new chapter of his professional life.

Have a finance question? We want to hear from you! Email us at askjill@betteroffpodcast.com and we'll arrange to get you on.

Don't forget, a brand new episode of the Better Off podcast comes out Thursday so stay tuned for more listener questions plus an informative interview.

Better Off is sponsored by Betterment.

Please let us know what you think by leaving a rating or review in iTunes.

Connect with me at these places for all my content:

http://www.jillonmoney.com/ 

https://twitter.com/jillonmoney 

https://www.facebook.com/JillonMoney 

https://www.instagram.com/jillonmoney/ 

https://www.youtube.com/c/JillSchlesinger 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillonmoney/ 

https://soundcloud.com/jill-schlesinger 

http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/jill-on-money 

http://betteroffpodcast.com/ 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/better-off-jill-schlesinger/id431167790?mt=2

Summertime is officially upon us which means millions of Americans will be hitting the roads and taking to the skies to enjoy their summer vacations. Whether you want to hit the beach, blaze a trail off the beaten path or explore one of the major tourist destinations, there’s a smart way to do it.  That’s where Peter Greenberg, this week’s guest on Better Off, enters the picture.

Peter, the Travel Editor for CBS News, is full of tips and suggestions to help you get the most bang for your buck as you plan and book your trip.  

Where to go? Where not to go? Drive, train or fly? From South Africa to Chile to Tokyo and Thailand, as well as hidden gems here in the States, we circle the globe with Peter and provide you with useful tips to easily reach your destination, with a few bucks left in your pocket.  

Give recent attacks in London, Paris and Istanbul, is there any reason to think twice before booking vacations to those cities? How should we think about places where the Zika virus remains prevalent? What’s on Peter’s “Do Not Visit List?”

This one may be hard to believe, but despite all the travel related websites out there, Peter insists that even in 2017, the best thing to do is to pick up the phone and have an actual conversation with the airline or hotel.  But it’s not just a conversation for the sake of having one.  There’s a way to do it and certain questions to ask.  It’s a process.  So much so, that we did a little role playing to help guide you guys through it!

If you’re a frequent traveler, Peter is definitely someone to follow on Twitter.

Let us know where you’re vacationing this summer...send a picture to askjill@betteroffpodcast.com.

Me? Well, I don’t have anything extravagant planned other than some weekends at the local beach.

Mark on the other hand was just in Paris for the French Open and is now in London for Wimbledon.  

Somehow this equation seems out of whack!

“Better Off” is sponsored by Betterment.

We love feedback so please leave us a rating or review in iTunes.

"Better Off" theme music is by Joel Goodman, www.joelgoodman.com.

For a recap of every episode, visit https://www.betterment.com/resources/topics/inside-betterment/better-off-podcast/

Connect with me at these places for all my content:

http://www.jillonmoney.com/ 

https://twitter.com/jillonmoney 

https://www.facebook.com/JillonMoney 

https://www.instagram.com/jillonmoney/ 

https://www.youtube.com/c/JillSchlesinger 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillonmoney/ 

https://soundcloud.com/jill-schlesinger 

http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/jill-on-money 

http://betteroffpodcast.com/ 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/better-off-jill-schlesinger/id431167790?mt=2

This week on the BONUS call I had to pick a side. I was either going to side with our caller, Dustin from Minnesota, or his wife. Only in their 30s, these guys are in great shape. They already have a good nest egg going and are able to save a solid amount each year.

Dustin is all about contributing to their retirement accounts. His wife on the other hand thinks they should pull back on the retirement accounts and beef up their liquid assets. Have a guess as to which way I'm leaning?

Have a finance question? We want to hear from you! Email us at askjill@betteroffpodcast.com and we'll arrange to get you on.

Don't forget, a brand new episode of the Better Off podcast comes out Thursday so stay tuned for more listener questions plus an informative interview.

Better Off is sponsored by Betterment.

Please let us know what you think by leaving a rating or review in iTunes.

Connect with me at these places for all my content:

http://www.jillonmoney.com/ 

https://twitter.com/jillonmoney 

https://www.facebook.com/JillonMoney 

https://www.instagram.com/jillonmoney/ 

https://www.youtube.com/c/JillSchlesinger 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillonmoney/ 

https://soundcloud.com/jill-schlesinger 

http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/jill-on-money 

http://betteroffpodcast.com/ 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/better-off-jill-schlesinger/id431167790?mt=2

While it’s always fun talking to authors, CEOs and you on the Better Off podcast, I also enjoy chatting with fellow financial industry journalism colleagues. Doing so allows me to get their take on the state of the industry and to talk about what they’ve been covering, what has them jazzed and what they see coming in the weeks and months ahead.

Our guest this week, Liz Weston, is a total financial nerd, so I guess it’s fitting that Liz works as a columnist for NerdWallet, a personal finance website that offers financial tools and advice to help people understand their options when making financial decisions. 

Liz is also a CFP® and has been covering the industry for many years. She started her career on the politics beat but that got old quickly. She transitioned into personal finance and has been writing full-time since 1994. 

Even though Liz knows her stuff, it was very interesting to hear her talk about how she has used an insurance agent, a tax pro, an estate planner and even has her own financial planner. I’m the same way...even though we are professionals within the industry, qualified experts can help you save time, money or ideally, both!

Some of the other topics we discussed include:

• The decreasing role of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
• The student loan crisis and possible ways to fix it
• Whether or not social security will be around for millennials

If you follow me on Twitter then you know I’m a big fan of the content Liz continues to crank out. She’s definitely worth a follow for top notch personal finance insight.

“Better Off” is sponsored by Betterment.

We love feedback so please leave us a rating or review in iTunes.

"Better Off" theme music is by Joel Goodman, www.joelgoodman.com.

For a recap of every episode, visit https://www.betterment.com/resources/topics/inside-betterment/better-off-podcast/

Connect with me at these places for all my content:

http://www.jillonmoney.com/ 

https://twitter.com/jillonmoney 

https://www.facebook.com/JillonMoney 

https://www.instagram.com/jillonmoney/ 

https://www.youtube.com/c/JillSchlesinger 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillonmoney/ 

https://soundcloud.com/jill-schlesinger 

http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/jill-on-money 

http://betteroffpodcast.com/ 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/better-off-jill-schlesinger/id431167790?mt=2

We love starting them young on Better Off, and that's certainly the case with Kevin from Maryland, our latest BONUS call.

Kevin, just 23 years old, want's to make sure he has all his finances in order before starting medical school later this summer. His main question is what he should do with an old 401(k) plan. What criteria should he consider before rolling it over? Can he do it on his own or does he need a financial planner? All very good and common questions that will likely apply to some of you listening.

Have a finance question? We want to hear from you! Email us at askjill@betteroffpodcast.com and we'll arrange to get you on.

Don't forget, a brand new episode of the Better Off podcast comes out Thursday so stay tuned for more listener questions plus an informative interview.

Better Off is sponsored by Betterment.

Please let us know what you think by leaving a rating or review in iTunes.

Connect with me at these places for all my content:

http://www.jillonmoney.com/ 

https://twitter.com/jillonmoney 

https://www.facebook.com/JillonMoney 

https://www.instagram.com/jillonmoney/ 

https://www.youtube.com/c/JillSchlesinger 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillonmoney/ 

https://soundcloud.com/jill-schlesinger 

http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/jill-on-money 

http://betteroffpodcast.com/ 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/better-off-jill-schlesinger/id431167790?mt=2

Imagine a world without companies like Apple, or media outlets such as CBS or NBC, without all of the cars and trucks crisscrossing the country, without food provided by the farmer...that’s what would happen if Wall Street did not exist...it would all go away, according to this week’s Better Off guest, writer William “Bill” Cohan. If you’ve read some of his previous books, like "House of Cards," or “Money and Power”, you know Bill is usually not one to shy away from going after Wall Street and its shortcomings. But in an interesting twist, Bill’s recent book, "Why Wall Street Matters," is a defense of the industry that he has pilloried. In our interview, Bill describes a poor decision by Elizabeth Warren as the catalyst that propelled him to write this latest book. He tells us what Wall Street has done well, like providing the necessary capital to companies, which in turn allows them to invest, expand and hire, thus propelling overall economic growth. Don’t be mistaken: Bill knows that Wall Street and the institutions that occupy the space in Lower Manhattan are imperfect, but he believes that there is far more good than bad -- and more importantly, the consequences would be dire if the essential role the industry plays were carelessly curtailed. Bill had one goal when writing this book: for Wall Street to become understandable to the average American. In this easy to read book, Bill succeeded. I highly recommend you pick it up. “Better Off” is sponsored by Betterment. We love feedback so please leave us a rating or review in iTunes. "Better Off" theme music is by Joel Goodman, www.joelgoodman.com. For a recap of every episode, visit https://www.betterment.com/resources/topics/inside-betterment/better-off-podcast/ Connect with me at these places for all my content: http://www.jillonmoney.com/ https://twitter.com/jillonmoney https://www.facebook.com/JillonMoney https://www.instagram.com/jillonmoney/ https://www.youtube.com/c/JillSchlesinger https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillonmoney/ https://soundcloud.com/jill-schlesinger http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/jill-on-money http://betteroffpodcast.com/ https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/better-off-jill-schlesinger/id431167790?mt=2

This week we have one of the more interesting BONUS calls that we've taken on Better Off. You know, life isn't always as we plan it...it's not always a simple, straight line. Things come up, especially health related items that can make it difficult when doing a financial plan. Mike from Tennessee falls into this category. Given some recent poor test scores, and the fact that his father died of a heart attack at 59, Mike, currently 49, wants to retire early. The good news is that Mike and his wife have a nest egg of about $2.5 million. Given that Mike is asymptomatic, we hope he lives a long life and is able to reap the rewards in retirement. Have a finance question? We want to hear from you! Email us at askjill@betteroffpodcast.com and we'll arrange to get you on. Don't forget, a brand new episode of the Better Off podcast comes out Thursday so stay tuned for more listener questions plus an informative interview. Better Off is sponsored by Betterment. Please let us know what you think by leaving a rating or review in iTunes. Connect with me at these places for all my content: http://www.jillonmoney.com/ https://twitter.com/jillonmoney https://www.facebook.com/JillonMoney https://www.instagram.com/jillonmoney/ https://www.youtube.com/c/JillSchlesinger https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillonmoney/ https://soundcloud.com/jill-schlesinger http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/jill-on-money http://betteroffpodcast.com/ https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/better-off-jill-schlesinger/id431167790?mt=2

It seems everyday there’s a story in the news that involves hacking. Whether it’s a big box retailer, the IRS or Russians hacking the DNC, cyber warfare has become one of the biggest threats in the 21st century and we are all vulnerable. To help you understand the current environment and to learn some of the simple steps we should take to prevent ourselves from becoming a victim, we had to find an expert...a professional hacker. I’m not talking about some random hack...I’m talking about the hacker of all hackers, Kevin Mitnick. This guy is the real deal. So real that after a well publicized pursuit back in the 1990s, he was arrested by the FBI and spent five years in prison, including eight months in solitary confinement. Now a free man, he does consulting work for Fortune 500 companies and the government. Though I should point out that for business cards he uses metal lock pick sets with his name and number on them. Really. In his latest book, The Art of Invisibility, Kevin uses true-life stories to show exactly what is happening without your knowledge, teaching you online and real-world tactics to protect you and your family, with step-by-step instructions. After reading this book you will learn everything from password protection and smart Wi-Fi usage to advanced techniques designed to maximize your anonymity. Despite what we’d all like to believe, our passwords really can be stolen, our data sold and our personal emails read. After listening to this interview, check out the book and learn the simple steps to help prevent it from happening to you. “Better Off” is sponsored by Betterment. We love feedback so please leave us a rating or review in iTunes. "Better Off" theme music is by Joel Goodman, www.joelgoodman.com. For a recap of every episode, visit https://www.betterment.com/resources/topics/inside-betterment/better-off-podcast/. Connect with me at these places for all my content: http://www.jillonmoney.com/ https://twitter.com/jillonmoney https://www.facebook.com/JillonMoney https://www.instagram.com/jillonmoney/ https://www.youtube.com/c/JillSchlesinger https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillonmoney/ https://soundcloud.com/jill-schlesinger http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/jill-on-money http://betteroffpodcast.com/ https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/better-off-jill-schlesinger/id431167790?mt=2

Summer is just about upon us which means all those hardworking teachers out there will get a well deserved break. That includes our BONUS caller this week, James from Illinois. What's different about James is that he doesn't necessarily want to take the whole summer off...he actually wants to find a side gig to make some extra cash. Because he lives in a rural area he's not quite sure how to make it happen so he decided to call us for some advice. Have a finance question? We want to hear from you! Email us at askjill@betteroffpodcast.com and we'll arrange to get you on. Don't forget, a brand new episode of the Better Off podcast comes out Thursday so stay tuned for more listener questions plus an informative interview. Better Off is sponsored by Betterment. Please let us know what you think by leaving a rating or review in iTunes. Connect with me at these places for all my content: http://www.jillonmoney.com/ https://twitter.com/jillonmoney https://www.facebook.com/JillonMoney https://www.instagram.com/jillonmoney/ https://www.youtube.com/c/JillSchlesinger https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillonmoney/ https://soundcloud.com/jill-schlesinger http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/jill-on-money http://betteroffpodcast.com/ https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/better-off-jill-schlesinger/id431167790?mt=2