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NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast
Stop Guessing and Start Comparing: Is One Bank Enough for Everything?
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- [00:01]
A
The following is a paid sponsorship, not an endorsement by NerdWallet's editorial team. Today's episode is sponsored by Bilt.
- [00:07]
B
You've heard me talk about Bilt as the loyalty program that lets you earn points on rent wherever you live, and they just leveled up even more. As of 2026, renters and homeowners can also earn up to 1.25x points on their housing payments.
- [00:23]
A
This is thanks to Bilt's three new credit cards, the Palladium Card, Obsidian Card, and Blue Card. All three can turn your housing payments, rent or mortgage into flexible rewards so you can choose the card that fits your lifestyle without missing out on points and exclusive benefits.
- [00:38]
B
Built Points can be redeemed at top airlines and hotels, Amazon.com purchases, future rent payments, and so much more. Built Points have also been ranked by top publications as the industry's most valuable point currency.
- [00:52]
A
Your housing payment is most likely your biggest expense. Make it your most rewarding. Find the card that fits your lifestyle and Apply today at joinbilt.com smartmoney that's J-O-I N B I L T.com smartmoney make sure to use our URL so they know we sent you. Terms and limitations apply subject to approval and eligibility.
- [01:14]
B
BILT cards are issued by column NA member FDIC pursuant to license for MasterCard International Incorporated. This episode is brought to you by Google Chrome. You think you know a browser, but Gemini and Chrome? That's new. It can help you with practically anything on the web, like restoring a vintage motorcycle from a 50 page restoration block. Or finally break down that long article you've had open for weeks. Gemini and Chrome is here for it, ready to make anything online make sense. There's no place like Chrome. Check Responses Setup required Compatibility and availability Various 18
- [01:49]
A
should you combine bank accounts with your partner? What about combining all of your banking needs under one institution? Both moves could simplify your finances, but they're not without risk. Welcome to NerdWallet's Smart Money podcast where you send us your money questions and we answer them with the help of our genius nerds. I'm Sean Pyles.
- [02:08]
B
And I'm Elizabeth Ayola. Today's question comes to us by text message. Please keep sending us those. Here it goes. I'm finding it overwhelming to figure out a one stop shop for banking these days. My partner and I want to join accounts and portion out a small percentage to our own accounts savings. I want a bank that has joint account capabilities that's easy to transfer money into different buckets that My partner and I can both access. I also want 3% APY with no fees, no direct deposit limits, no transfer limits, or minimal transfer limits. I want this account to be our primary banking source.
- [02:50]
A
I think I like the hybrid system that Wealthfront has so I don't have to keep transferring in and out of savings to checking just to pay bills. What are the caveats to hybrid systems? How can we make the transition to a joint account as seamless as possible while paying all the bills too? Do we transfer a month in advance into the checking hybrid account, then start paying your bills from there? Please help and thank you. To help us answer this listener's question, we're joined by banking nerd Chanel Bissette. Hey Chanel, welcome back to Smart Money.
- [03:18]
C
Hey, I'm glad to be here.
- [03:20]
A
I want to hear your first impressions of our listeners goal of having a one stop shop for banking, a place where you can have joint accounts, personal accounts, different savings buckets. Is that advisable or what risks might you see?
- [03:32]
C
I think what the listener is looking for is definitely out there. There are plenty of banks that do a lot of these features, if not all of them. And the main logistical risk I think to consider is whether your cash exceeds the limit of typical FDIC insurance, which is usually $250,000 per individual and then it's usually doubled for joint accounts up to 500,000. There are those, those practical, logistical, technical risks that come with having a bank account with someone else. But I also think that the real risks might come from who you're sharing your accounts with. But that's more of a personal risk than a banking institution risk.
- [04:06]
A
Yeah. And on a practical level, I really like keeping my checking and savings accounts at SE institutions just to create a little bit of friction between my savings where I'm generally allocating them for a specific purpose, and then my checking is more for often day to day spending. This is less of an issue now, but when I first started saving a lot in a high yield savings account, I ended up just transferring money from my savings to my checking to cover day to day expenses because I wasn't honestly budgeting that well at that time. So I still like having that friction. Just as a reminder that I shouldn't be, you know, robbing Peter to pay Paul to cover a dinner. That was a little bit more than I thought it was going to be.
- [04:41]
C
I needed friction for a long time too. And I used to keep accounts at separate banks, but I guess maybe it's an aging thing, but for me, like I'VE started to keep accounts at the same bank. Mostly I just like being able to streamline my finances and I've consolidated my accounts. I think when you're in your 20s, there's a lot of expenses that just come from moving into a new place or you're just probably not making as much money as you do later in your career. So I think it's just kind of natural to have things that kind of are shortfall here and there. But for, for me, like, as I've aged and as I've gotten further in my career, having a streamlined account system at basically one bank, it's been a lot easier than dipping into my savings.
- [05:21]
B
One of the risks that I'm thinking about that comes to mind with online banking only is that if you need something or to go in the bank, for example, you can't because you don't have a brick and mortar bank. And I'll quickly say my mom was in town a couple of months back and we needed to deposit cash into her online bank and we had to go to Walgreen and pay about $5 or more just to deposit that cash, which I thought was extortionate. How much of a concern would you say this might be for the listener and their partner?
- [05:48]
C
From a personal perspective, I haven't needed to go to a bank branch in a long time, and I've been using online banking essentially for everything. But back in college, I used to need to go to my old bank branch in order to get cashier's checks to mail to my landlord for rent. I liked doing that because that way it would take the money straight out of my account up front, as opposed to waiting for my landlord to deposit a regular check. So in order to get something like a money order or cashier's ch, you do need someone to help you with that purchase. But over time, circumstances and technology for me changed. So, you know, I don't need to do that anymore. I live in a place that does online transfers instead. So that's been quite an advancement for me and not needing to go to the bank. But as a banking writer, I will say that I've seen how banks have made online services much more robust, especially since the pandemic. There's also been a greater expansion of free ATM networks and ATM fee reimbursements, which I think has been fueling online banking. But like you said, Elizabeth, cash deposits are still a tricky part of online banking, because if an online bank doesn't allow you to make deposits at an atm, which a lot don't they only let you make withdrawals then? Yeah, that could be a fee that comes up fairly regularly. And so if there's people who depend a lot on cash for their finances, like maybe you're a bartender or a restaurant server and you get tipped in cash a lot, it might make sense for you to have a bank that allows you to make free cash deposits at a branch or atm.
- [07:07]
A
And there could be another hybrid approach where maybe they have almost all of their banking with one institution and then they keep a checking account maybe at a local credit union so they can deposit their cash there. Of course, they would maybe then need to transfer that to their primary institution, but that's not a whole lot of friction. And at least you still can go in to deposit cash if you need to. But Elizabeth, your experience makes me think about the last time I had to deposit cash, which I can't even recall. It's been so long since I had to do that. So I probably could get away with being entirely online. But I still love having access to my brick and mortar credit union just down the street in case I need to go in.
- [07:41]
B
For some reason, I closed mine. I had one with bank of America maybe like three years ago now. And similar to Chanel, I've never had the need to go into a bank, so it works for me. Well, our listener has a laundry list of wants for their multipurpose savings account. We heard many of them at the beginning. They want a yield on their savings of about 3%, no limits on direct deposits or transfers, and they want this to be their primary banking source. Does this sound attainable, Chanel? There are so many things they want.
- [08:09]
C
I kind of lucked out with this listener's query because I use Ally bank and they have all of those features. Ally bank isn't the only one, but for me, I've really enjoyed them. They're an online only bank, but they have joint accounts, savings buckets, and personal accounts that are easy to manage. They also have Zelle integrated, which makes money transfers quick and easy. This isn't just true of Ally, but of most banks. There used to be a federal limit of six withdrawals from savings accounts per month before it was considered excessive. And most banks would charge a fee once excessive withdrawals were happening for a person. But since the pandemic, that rule eased up a lot and most banks don't charge for those withdrawals past six anymore. So I find that really beneficial just for making transfers and withdrawals. Alloy's checking account doesn't earn much interest but their savings account rate is currently 3%. I know that's not the best rate on the market, but I think for all the other benefits that you're getting, it's pretty solid and will offset the rate of inflation, at least on your savings, which is the best we can hope for at this moment because inflation has been getting high. Not all the high rates are necessarily the best banks in other regards.
- [09:13]
A
And our listener might have to make a compromise where maybe they can have all of the things they want around direct deposit limits and being able to withdraw, but maybe the yield isn't quite what they want it to be. It might be hard to find a single bank that checks every box just perfectly, and that's okay. Now our listener mentioned Wealthfront by name, a company that they're interested in because they like the company's hybrid system. And I think they're referring to Wealthfront's cash account, which would allow them to do much of what they're hoping to accomplish and really have that one stop shop for banking. Wealthfront is an urban partner, much like Ally mentioned before. Chanel and Chanel, you actually wrote a review of Wealthfront's product. So how is this product from Wealthfront a hybrid product and would it actually fit our listeners needs?
- [09:56]
C
The Wealthfront cash account combines features of both savings products and checking products, which means you'll get a high yield interest rate on your balance, but you'll also have access to things like early direct deposit and a debit card, which are usually reserved for checking products. If you get a certain amount of direct deposit per month makes you eligible to use their send a check feature, which is also helpful for bill pay and more of a checking aligned kind of feature. Wealthfront also lets you set up sub accounts or savings buckets which help you with different spending and saving goals. So it sounds like Wellfront actually could check a lot of the boxes that the listener is looking for.
- [10:30]
A
It seems like Ally would too as well. So would this be maybe a matter of comparison shopping and see if they can maybe get a better rate or have better features at Ally versus Wealthfront?
- [10:40]
C
A lot of it comes down to the research that you want to do for what's going to suit your lifestyle the best?
- [10:44]
B
And I also want to call out analysis paralysis. When I was looking to open up a new account this year, I almost went down that rabbit hole. And sometimes you just start with the bank. You can divorce the bank anytime you want if it doesn't work for you and close the account. So just start somewhere, see how it works for you, and you can always open another one. Our listener asked about caveats of the Wealthfront cash account. Now here I'm thinking that that 3% APY that's currently being offered might not be around forever, especially looking at how the economy is swinging and swinging. But what other limitations should they be aware of?
- [11:16]
C
Interest rates can fluctuate no matter where you put your savings. None of them can guarantee what interest rates are going to be for the foreseeable future, unless you're putting them into a certificate of deposit, because those come with fixed rates. But that's a different ballpark. So when we're talking about Wealthfront, the limitations that you might want to consider are it is entirely online, so there are no branches, so you'll have to be comfortable with online only customer service. Second, as we've talked about, you can't make cash deposits with Wealthfront. And third, they don't have an overdraft program, which means that if you need to make a transaction that would result in an overdraft, Wealthfront will decline it instead. So that helps you avoid overdraft fees. But if you're in an emergency situation and you don't have enough in your account to cover something that you need, you could be out of luck.
- [11:57]
A
And something I want to flag about Wealthfront is that even though our listeners are interested in using them as a place for all their banking needs, Wealthfront is not actually a bank. I mean, it functions like one. Can you explain where Wealthfront fits into the current banking ecosystem? And is it as secure and trustworthy as a traditional bank?
- [12:16]
C
It's interesting because Wealthfront is a brokerage, not a bank. When brokerages offer these bank like accounts called cash management accounts, they have to partner with actual chartered banks in order to provide FDIC insurance. So what brokerages do is they sweep the customer funds into these bank accounts behind the scenes and and they sometimes partner with multiple banks in order to spread the funds around so that the maximum insurance benefits are there. But because they do that, they're actually able to offer more FDIC insurance protection than a typical bank. Wealthfront actually offers $4 million in FDIC insurance for individuals and $8 million for joint accounts, which is obviously great for people who need that level of protection. But besides FDIC insurance, the Wealthfront cash account comes with a lot of the same great features that you would expect from a banking product. Fintech companies, also known as quote unquote neobanks, do something similar where they basically white label the insurance benefits of an actual bank, but then they can offer more cutting edge features like early direct deposit or ATM fee reimbursements.
- [13:16]
A
That level of coverage sounds really nice, but it does make me nervous that I wouldn't know exactly what institution would be holding my cash.
- [13:23]
C
You kind of had to put faith in the system, which as risk averse finance writers, of course, we, we'd like to give that caveat and that disclosure just to make sure people know. Essentially what would happen is if Wealthfron to suddenly fail, your money would be held by those partner deposit banks. And you know, there would ostensibly be some kind of process to get your money back because it is FDI insured there. But who knows, There could be a bit of a lag in getting your money. We don't know for sure what would happen, but it's just something to be aware of.
- [13:52]
B
Sean, you are so cautious. What I was thinking, why Chanel was saying that is like, I Wish I had $8 million that needed to be FDIC insured.
- [14:00]
A
Like, hello, that sounds nice, but I just don't trust banking institutions on the whole.
- [14:05]
B
You're not wrong either.
- [14:06]
A
That's me.
- [14:06]
B
You're not wrong.
- [14:07]
A
Yeah.
- [14:07]
B
Aside from the two institutions that we've mentioned, there are other companies that offer similar products and services. So which ones come to mind for you?
- [14:15]
C
Something that I would just keep in mind when putting your money at a brokerage like Wealthfront is that I suspect those brokerages want to make it easy for you to move your money from a cash account into their investment products, which is their main bread and butter. It's not necessarily a bad thing, but when you put your money at a regular bank account, you aren't being encouraged to do that in the same way. So if you're looking to just stick your money in one place, you know, that's what you need a bank for. And you might not need a brokerage for that. I already talked about how much I love Ally, but there are other banks that offer similar features. So SoFi, for example, won our award for best bank of 2026. And they also have most of the perks that the listener is looking for.
- [14:52]
A
Okay, well, we're going to take a quick break. We'll be back in a second. Stay with us. The following is a paid sponsorship, not an endorsement by Nerdwall's editorial team. Today's episode is sponsored by Bilt.
- [15:05]
B
You've heard me talk about Bilt as the loyalty program that lets you earn points on rent wherever you live. And they just leveled up even more as of 2026. Renters and homeowners can also earn up to 1.25x points on their housing payments.
- [15:22]
A
This is thanks to Bilt's three new credit cards, the Palladium Card, Obsidian Card and Blue Card. All three can turn your housing payments, rent or mortgage into flexible rewards. So you can choose the card that fits your lifestyle without missing out on points and exclusive benefits.
- [15:37]
B
Built points can be redeemed at top airlines and hotels, Amazon.com purchases, future rent payments, and so much more. Built points have also been ranked by top publications as the industry's most valuable point currency.
- [15:51]
A
Your housing payment is most likely your biggest expense. Make it your most rewarding. Find the card that fits your lifestyle and apply today at joinbilt.com smartmoney that's J-O-I-N B I-L-T.com smartmoney make sure to use our URL so they know we sent you. Terms and limitations apply subject to approval and eligibility.
- [16:12]
B
Bilt cards are issued by column NA member FDIC pursuant to license for MasterCard International, Inc. Today's episode is sponsored by Quints.
- [16:24]
A
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A
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- [17:16]
A
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- [17:23]
B
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- [17:35]
A
That's Q-U-I-N-C-E.com smartmoney for free shipping and 365 day returns. Quint.com smartmoney so now that we've got the product sorted out, Chanel, let's turn to the second part of our listener's question. Transitioning to joint bank accounts with a partner. Are there best practices for this? Because admittedly, I've never had joint accounts with my husband, and I could see how the order of operations could get a little confusing, not to mention the whole emotional component here.
- [18:04]
C
I actually just opened up my first joint account recently with my fiance. We're getting married in a few months. And with wedding planning, we wanted to create a joint checking and savings account for our expenses. We still keep individual accounts as well, but I must say that the joint accounts have been really working out. It's been really helpful for organization and transparency as we've been paying for so much stuff this year. Wedding related.
- [18:25]
A
Have you been using it primarily for wedding expenses, or are you now thinking of using it for, like, groceries, other household things that you share?
- [18:31]
C
We opened a checking and a savings account, and so we have a special savings bucket for wedding, and then we have a checking account that we essentially use for our joint bills. And then we have a system for our groceries and things where we spend on a joint credit card. And then we divvy up the cost of that proportionate to our incomes.
- [18:49]
A
How has that changed how you manage the relationship? Do you feel like you're kind of more intimate in a way now that you're seeing your transactions together, or does it feel kind of the same?
- [18:58]
C
I was really nervous about it at first. I actually wrote a whole article about my nerves because, you know, as a woman especially, I think it's one of those things where you just really want to make sure that you are protecting yourself and that you can be independent if you need to be. For me, like, especially as a finance writer, just going over this kind of context and learning about these things over the years, it was a leap for me, like, to. To really surrender to this idea of someone else having control of a chunk of my money. But I'm really glad I did it. It's like, really solidified more of the relationship for me, even more than it already was. And it's just been going really swimmingly. So I think I'm lucky that stuff has worked out so well for us so far.
- [19:35]
A
That's great. I'm really happy for you, Chanel.
- [19:37]
B
What kind of discussions did you guys have before opening up this joint account? Did you talk about money values? Did you Talk about any of your fears around money.
- [19:45]
C
Thankfully, we've been together a long time. So before we ever even opened the account, I think we were together six or six and a half years.
- [19:51]
B
Oh, wow.
- [19:52]
C
So we had gotten a good feel for how each other likes to spend. And I think we each have our own things that we spoil ourselves with, let's say things that we like to spend money on. And we don't have kids. So I think that that's another thing where it's like, okay, we do have a bit more disposable income to spend on things that are a bit more entertainment based or fun or hobby like. So seeing that over the years, I think was reassuring to know that I didn't see any red flags in terms of how each other spends. And so I think we were just really aligned and we're really lucky that way. I know finances tend to be a point of contention for a lot of couples. For us it wasn't. But there has been ongoing conversations just about how much we're each going to contribute to household expenses and just how do we set up our systems in a way that makes sense for us?
- [20:33]
A
I'm wondering if there are any common hiccups that folks should be aware of when it comes to transitioning into using joint accounts.
- [20:39]
C
So I would say that a nice baby step is to open a joint account for things that you pay for together. Generally, you probably don't want to open a joint account unless you're living with somebody because at that point it's like solidified and there's some kind of collateral in a way. So once you have those, those joint bills, those expenses, rent, mortgage, what have you, it's nice to be able just like know that you have that money set aside for every month. Beyond that, I would say you could set up a joint savings account for a more low stakes goal, like maybe an upcoming vacation. And then that way it's really nice because you get to build something together and see that money accumulate and you can simply automate part of your paycheck to be sent to that joint account. Of course, the caveat of all caveats is that you should only do this with someone you trust, because that account becomes joint property and both people have equal access to the money that's in there, meaning they can put it in, but they can also take it out without needing your permission. So if you have any reservations about doing that with a partner, I think that that's something to listen to in your gut. Yeah.
- [21:35]
A
Which is why this shouldn't Be your only account. Like you mentioned before, keep your solo accounts private.
- [21:39]
B
I like the idea of having a joint savings account to start with. Baby steps. With my ex husband, we had a joint savings account. Even that can help you quickly see someone's money values if you haven't discussed it prior. So in the end, after we divorced, I have no idea what happened to the money in that joint savings account. It's somewhere in the yonder.
- [21:59]
A
Lesson learned, hopefully.
- [22:00]
B
Yeah.
- [22:01]
A
Yeah.
- [22:01]
B
Well, something our listener didn't even touch on is how much each person is contributing to their joint account. A conversation that you have had with your fiance. Chanel if they haven't had this conversation with their partner yet, I think now is an excellent time to talk about what is most equitable. As Shawn likes to say, not equal. In the relationship. You want each person to contribute, but factor in income, debt, as well as any other financial obligations that they might have. Do you have any other factors that come to mind?
- [22:29]
C
Chanel I personally think that an equitable solution is usually much better than a purely equal solution. For example, if one partner makes twice as much as the other partner, then the person who makes more should probably be paying for two thirds of the shared expenses and the other person can pay one third. Or if one partner is doing the bulk of unpaid caretaking, such as for a child or an aging parent, then that couple should arrive at a financial plan that they feel comfortable with so that everyone is on the same page. Because it can really help you avoid resentment in the long run when you're clear on who's responsible for what. And that's not only financial, but also household based. If you have someone who's working 9 to 5 and then the other person is at home taking care of the kids, if the person working 9 to 5 thinks, well, because I'm bringing in money, I don't need to do chores or I don't need to help out with the kids, I think that's going to be a recipe for some really extreme tension. So it's really good to talk about what you think you're responsible for in the relationship, both financially and labor wise. And then, you know, reaching that agreement on who's responsible for what can help you avoid a lot of conflict.
- [23:32]
A
And to that point, I think that this is also a great time for more of those conversations, like Elizabeth was saying, around your financial values. And it seems like you had those kind of even before you and your partner joined your accounts, just really getting an understanding of where you would like to have your money allocated, how you view things in terms of different partners responsibilities. Now is a great time to begin to really understand that if you haven't already.
- [23:54]
C
Speaking of the caretaking thing, just as an aside, that's another great opportunity for joint accounts. And it can be really helpful to have something like that set up if you have an aging parent. So if you have a parent who needs maybe some oversight on their finances as they're getting older, maybe they have more medical bills to consider, or maybe mental sharpness isn't quite what it used to be. It can be really great to add an adult child as a joint account owner because that way the child can keep an eye on their parents finances and help them manage their money. And so I think partnership wise, it's also good to talk about that with your partner because if we have caretaking needs, you know, you need your partner aligned with you on how you're going to handle that.
- [24:31]
B
Oh, that is so important. I have heard of people who are sending money maybe to their family members, to their parents and not telling their partners and they get all upset about it, or they don't want to necessarily contribute household income to taking care of a family member. So that's also a really important conversation to have. Do you have any other tips, Chanel, for how our listener can keep themselves protected if this whole hybrid account thing doesn't work out?
- [24:55]
C
It really breaks my heart to hear stories about people who are financially abused by their partners. Assuming that you're not in a seriously abusive situation. I'm assuming this is more of a standard relationship. Something to kind of help keep your sanity as a couple is to allow each other to have a set amount of money that they get to spend, no questions asked. So depending on your budgeting, maybe that's a few hundred dollars, 500, maybe more. Beyond that, it's also helpful to set a limit on purchases in general, especially for the household, where if the price is higher than a certain threshold that you discuss together, then you discuss it with each other before making that purchase. It's also important to keep in mind, like if all this seems really overwhelming and you don't know the first step to take, just remember that when you're merging your finances for the first time, you're just establishing a baseline at first. You're just seeing how the other person spends. You're seeing how you work together financially. And it's really important at that time to speak up when something is uncomfortable to you. And hopefully you and your partner can establish ground rules that make both of you happy so that that discomfort doesn't happen again the same way. And it's also important to remember that you're on the same team, and you shouldn't feel like your partner is your adversary, someone immature that you have to, like, shepherd around about good spending habits. You know, ideally, this is someone that you're working with. Like, you're on a team, and you don't need to worry as much about what they're doing with their money.
- [26:17]
A
The joint account situation is a whole opportunity for new conversations, new dialogues that will be ongoing conversations throughout your relationships. And you might find that after six months, the whole joint account thing doesn't work, and you can change gears. And you also might find that, okay, maybe one person should be putting in more or less than they thought initially, and that's okay. Give yourself room for it to evolve over time.
- [26:39]
C
Being a woman especially. But I think it's true of anybody. Having your own individual account with a small emergency fund that's just for you, I think, can ease so much mental anguish. Just knowing that you have that to rely on if you needed to. I mean, even just for. For unexpected things like, oh, you know, my friend's going through a hard time, so I need to take a surprise trip across the country to visit them. Having that money that you can tap into that doesn't necessarily affect the household budget, I think can give you a lot of peace of mind.
- [27:09]
A
Yeah, you can call that your Goodbye Earl fund, like from the chick song Goodbye Earl.
- [27:13]
B
I just have one last question, Chanel. Is the stash secret or not? Elderly woman will be like, have a secret stash. I don't know whether I agree or disagree with that, but have a secret stash that you know is just for you in case of an emergency. And I guess that depends on your values, whether you want to share that with your partner or not.
- [27:30]
C
I'd rather someone have a secret account than no account, but at the same time, it's something you might want to check in with if you feel like you can't trust your partner to know that you have other money. There might be indications of bigger problems. If that's the case. A private account can give you peace of mind and maybe help you avoid questions that you don't want to answer. I wouldn't say that I advise that necessarily, but, you know, it. It's better than nothing.
- [27:54]
A
All right, that makes sense. Well, Chanel, thank you so much for coming on and talking with us today.
- [27:57]
C
Thank you for having me, Elizabeth.
- [27:58]
A
I'm so excited to talk to you about one of My favorite places in the world, Chicago, where we both had little trips recently. Unfortunately, we weren't there at the same time. But it was your first time in my home city. Tell me what you thought of it.
- [28:11]
B
Management, if you're listening, as you said that I'm envisioning me and Sean frolicking in Chicago for something work related. Please make it happen. Make it happen. Okay. When I moved back to the States several years ago now, I think almost six years ago from the uk, one of the first cities that I went to visit was New York. And I always avoided going to New York because I thought it's just going to be just like London, so what's the point of going? And when I say I fell in love, it was love at first sight. I just never thought that I would love a big city so much because I'm more of a nature, suburban kind of girl. But taking this back to Chicago, I had that love at first sight feeling. And I think what really took me over about Chicago was both that I got the big city feel. When I'm in a big city, I feel like I can do anything. My alter ego comes out. I feel like I can take over the world. And then it also had nature. I was just walking and walking and I came across a beach in the middle of the city. I still can't believe it.
- [29:11]
A
It might have been Oak street beach, right by downtown. Yes. I have a fond memory of sneaking away from a high school field trip to Chicago and taking my friends to that beach.
- [29:19]
B
I thought to myself as I was there, because Tess, our producer, also lived in Chicago. And I thought, how could you guys leave Chicago?
- [29:27]
A
Chicago is so beautiful. And to your point, people don't realize that it's a beach town in the summer and every neighborhood has their own street festival that is typically, there's free music in Millennium Park. I got a great concert when I was there. And you can walk along the riverfront. There's this great riverfront walking path now that wasn't there when I lived in Chicago when I was growing up. And it's just stunning. What helped me decide to move away was the fact that I experienced many winters in Chicago. And you have not experienced that yet, and I will not harsh, but summertime Chicago is a whole nother thing. It's so beautiful. So it's a kind of like a smaller, less expensive New York like you're kind of mentioning. It takes you to that kind of feeling of being in a bigger city, but it's not as expensive. So, Elizabeth, what were you actually doing in Chicago, my beloved home city?
- [30:13]
B
Well, I was doing something work related adjacent. I was there for Women's Impact Initiative Network conference. So they do an annual conference hosted by the Quad A, which is association of African American Financial Advisors. And something that is amazing about our job, Sean, is that we work remotely sometimes. Amazing, because I'd like to see your face more. But it also means that we have to be proactive about networking and getting out there and meeting people. I think it was an incredible conference in the sense that I got to actually face to face, connect with other finance professionals. I feel like it was invigorating and just reminding me how important the work that we do is in terms of trying to get people the financial information they need to uplevel their lives. And then I also got to see Chicago in the process, so it was a win win.
- [30:59]
A
Where were you staying in the city?
- [31:01]
B
I stayed at the Wits. This is probably one of the cheapest trips I've been on. So I do agree with you in terms of Chicago being more like a budget friendly New York. Food was affordable and delicious.
- [31:12]
A
Such good food. The portions are massive in Chicago, which is something I always forget until I get back and I'm like, wow, this is twice as large as a plate I would get in Portland.
- [31:20]
B
Yes, large. But guess what? I live in dusty Texas. Sorry for all the Texas fans. I lived in dusty, unwalkable Texas. I was walking everywhere. I only took an Uber from my hotel to the airport. I walked everywhere. I got in at least 13,000 steps a day.
- [31:36]
A
You need to go back and take public transport because the L in Chicago is a phenomenal system. It's so easy to get around, and it's really not that expensive either.
- [31:43]
B
Another reason to go back.
- [31:45]
A
All right, but, Elizabeth, here's what I really want to know. What was your favorite thing that you spent money on in Chicago and how much did you spend?
- [31:51]
B
Oh, my gosh. So if you didn't know, one of my life's missions is to find the best seafood pasta in the world. So everywhere I go, I order a seafood pasta. And I went to a restaurant called the Grill Room, and I got a seafood pasta from there for about 30 bucks.
- [32:08]
A
That's not that expensive either for a good pasta like that. Especially a seafood pasta that can get kind of pricey.
- [32:13]
B
Exactly. So that's the best thing I spent money on. But honestly, my most beloved things were intangible again. The walks, just the views, all the nature reserves. There are just so many nature spots that they. Yes. Oh, I Also went to. No, I have my second favorite thing, actually. I did manage to go to the Art Institute and again, incredible art. As a creative myself, I love to go to a museum and just walk around because I always leave with some inspiration. Remembering you can create something out of nothing, right? So the Art Institute is also incredible. And you're definitely gonna need multiple visits to see.
- [32:47]
A
There's so much at the Art Institute and I mean, the whole museum campus is incredible. At the Field Museum and the Shedd Aquarium and the Planetarium over there. It's so, so lovely to explore. I was in Chicago with one of my good friends from Portland who'd never been before, and we rented some of the city bikes and just biked around the museum campus there and then went up to North Avenue beach area. And it was just lovely riding along the lake. And I think it costs $20. And we biked about eight miles. And so really not that expensive for how much you can explore. And Chicago is a surprisingly city.
- [33:19]
B
Wait, wait. I know. It keeps coming to me in lapses. Harold's Chicken. Have you ever tried Harold's Chicken? Oh, my God.
- [33:26]
A
I have not.
- [33:27]
B
I almost missed my flight. I almost missed my flight because I ordered, like, three wings or whatever because someone was like, you have to try the chicken. I was like, oh, my God, this is so good. And then I sat there thinking about how good it was, and then I ordered another one, and then I looked at, like, how long it was going to take me to get to the airport, and I had, like an hour to the airport, 30 minutes to spare. It was complete chaos. But the chicken was worth it. I had the second batch on the plane.
- [33:51]
A
I'm betting it wasn't that expensive either. Probably less than 30 bucks.
- [33:53]
B
No, I ditched the fries and the bread because my fitness journey is another thing. But I got four wings for, I think, like, five bucks, so it's pretty affordable.
- [34:03]
A
Not bad. Well, we do need to scheme and find some way to get us both in Chicago, preferably around, you know, June ish, because that's when the weather is really, really nice. And I'll show you all my favorite spots.
- [34:13]
B
Yay. And do we have any Chicago listeners? If you're listening and you're from Chicago, send us an email, because maybe you guys are gonna help us come to Chicago, because if we have enough of you, we can come down and do a live show there. Are you listening, Management?
- [34:27]
A
We also want your Chicago recs, because even though I'm from there, I haven't lived there in over a decade at this point, so I'm always here for what people are doing and spending money on in my favorite city. And also a few years back, our producer Tess and I, we were in Chicago for some live recordings with listeners and it was phenomenal. Right up until we had to hide in the tunnels of o' Hare because there were tornadoes all around the airport. So that's the thing that comes with Chicago too. Oh no. There were like a dozen tornadoes all around the airport and we were just hoping that one wasn't going to strike where we were, but we were fine. It just made a good story. It was fun, only slightly traumatic.
- [35:03]
B
I'm sure the content came out great too.
- [35:06]
A
Well, that's all we've got for this episode, folks. Remember that we're here to answer your money questions, so turn to the Nerds and call us or text us on the nerd hotline at 901-730-6373. That's 901730, nerd. You can also email us your questions@podcastnerdwallet.com or drop us a comment on Spotify or YouTube.
- [35:25]
B
Join us next time to hear about how to budget when you and your partner have inconsistent incomes. Follow Smart Money on your favorite podcast app. That includes Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and iHeartRadio to automatically download new episodes.
- [35:38]
A
And here's our brief disclaimer. We are not your financial or investment advisors. This nerdy info is provided for general educational and entertainment purposes and may not apply to your specific circumstances.
- [35:48]
B
And with that said, until next time, turn to the Nerds.
- [35:57]
A
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- [36:14]
B
That's it.
- [36:14]
C
Happy ending.
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A
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C
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