If you've been hearing a lot of experts musing about whether inflation will rear its ugly

head, you might be wondering if you should do something different with your money.

Many economists believe that higher than normal prices of goods and services will be temporary.

When the economy is fully open and manufacturing and shipping bottlenecks get cleared, we

should see the inflation rate drop to pre-pandemic levels. However, no matter if inflation in the

United States is temporary or long term, it's smart to consider what it means for your finances.

That's what we're going to talk about today. We'll review what causes inflation and tips to keep

it from causing you to lose money now and in the future. Hey everyone and welcome back to the

Money Girl Podcast. I'm Laura Adams, a leading personal finance and small business expert and

award-winning author. I've been writing and hosting Money Girl since 2008 and I am so grateful

and honored that you keep tuning in and downloading each weekly episode. Thank you so much for

subscribing, reviewing the show, sharing it with your friends and sending me your questions.

This show is all about delivering financial education, tips and advice that I hope will inspire you

and maybe even be a little entertaining. I believe that if you don't know how money works or the

exact next steps to take, it can be almost impossible to make the right decisions and improve your

financial life. So if you're looking to improve your finances, you are in the right place. Let's get

started with a few of your questions and then we'll dive into today's show. The first question comes

from Frances J, who says, is it possible to refinance my mortgage for a lower interest rate if I owe

less than $48,000 on my $180,000 home? So far, I can't find a lender that will approve me and I don't

want to just keep having hard inquiries on my credit just to be turned down. Thank you,

Frances, for your question. Yes, some lenders may shy away from doing a mortgage refinance that's

less than about $50,000 because they may not make much or any profit on the deal. However, don't let

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