Money Lessons From Our Moms and How to Budget With an HSA on a High-Deductible Plan

NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast

NerdWallet Personal Finance

Business, Investing, Education, How To

4.3 • 893 Ratings

🗓️ 11 May 2026

⏱️ 42 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Hear money lessons from NerdWallet moms and learn how to budget for healthcare on a high-deductible plan. What does motherhood teach you about money? In honor of Mother's Day, hosts Sean Pyles, CFP®, and Elizabeth Ayoola gather money lessons from NerdWallet moms — including Erin El Issa, Amanda Barroso, Kate Ashford, and Pamela de la Fuente — as well as from Sean's mom, Jeanne. They explore the pressure to keep up with influencers and other parents, the costly belief that core childhood memories can be bought, the role allowances play in helping kids feel the weight of their own money, and what becoming a parent reveals about long-term saving. How do you budget for healthcare when your employer switches you to a high-deductible plan and bills are coming in faster than you can build up your HSA? Sean and Elizabeth are joined by personal finance writer Kate Ashford to answer a question from a listener whose routine doctor visit ballooned from a $30 quote to nearly $500 out of pocket. They dig into the triple tax advantages of HSAs, the math behind comparing high-deductible and traditional coverage, why the first year on an HDHP can feel especially brutal, and what to do when medical expenses outpace your savings. Want us to review your budget? Fill out this form — completely anonymously if you want — and we might feature your budget in a future segment! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScK53yAufsc4v5UpghhVfxtk2MoyooHzlSIRBnRxUPl3hKBig/viewform?usp=header To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email podcast@nerdwallet.com. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Hey Elizabeth, we have to talk about the newsletter.
0:04.0	What newsletter are you talking about, Sean? You mean the new, free, smart money email newsletter?
0:08.6	Yes, and I have to say it is so good.
0:11.4	It really is. It has clips, episode roundups, and behind the scenes takes from me, you, and our producer, the stuff that makes you feel like you're really part of the show.
0:20.4	And listeners, for the record, you actually are part of the show.
0:23.7	I'm going to be sharing personal stuff.
0:25.4	You know, I love sharing my business, and I'm going to be sharing parenting tips from an eight-year-old and a single mom perspective.
0:31.5	And I am loading up the newsletter with my favorite gardening tips and lots of cute photos from my garden, including my pets,
0:38.4	just napping among my flower beds. It's kind of adorable. And the best part is that this newsletter
0:43.8	is totally free. So head to nerdwollet.com slash podcast to sign up. For the record, that's
0:49.4	nerdwollet.com slash podcast. Come hang out with us. Sean, what are the most surprising things that you realize that you could purchase with
0:59.1	a health savings account?
1:00.8	I recently learned that you can purchase a mattress with HSA funds.
1:05.8	Where did you see that?
1:06.6	Is that for everyone?
1:07.6	I mean, there are probably some terms and conditions that apply, of course.
1:10.7	But if you have a medical need and you need a mattress, HHSA. Is that for everyone? I mean, there are probably some terms and conditions that apply, of course.
1:11.1	But if you have a medical need and you need a mattress, HSA funds might cover it. Also, I feel like my go to is sunscreen. That's a great one too. Yes, I learned about sunscreen from you and I'm still reeling over that. Love, love, love it. But hey, I don't need a mattress right now, but I'm sure I will need one soon. HSAs are full of surprises, and they have many benefits.
1:31.1	Yes, they have triple tax benefits.
1:33.2	Yes, they can help you save and invest for future health care expenses,
1:36.7	but how do you actually budget for them in real time?
1:40.2	If you stick around, we're going to be answering a listener's question
	...

Transcript will be available on the free plan in 1 days. Upgrade to see the full transcript now.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from NerdWallet Personal Finance, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of NerdWallet Personal Finance and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.