Budget Rehab: A Debt-Free Couple Plans for a Wedding, House and Baby (Plus: Inside Disaster Betting Markets)

Learn how a debt-free couple budgets for a wedding, a house and a baby, plus why disaster betting markets are booming. How much of a $20,500 monthly income could go toward a wedding, a first home and a future baby, all within the same few years? Hosts Sean Pyles, CFP®, and Elizabeth Ayoola sit down with a debt-free military couple, Jack and Lauren, to dig into their budget and figure out where their savings could be prioritized. You'll hear how the couple built their monthly numbers, how their retirement contributions stack up years down the road, and where spending on subscriptions, transportation and eating out is quietly adding up. Would you bet money on whether a hurricane makes landfall, or an earthquake strikes? Senior news writer Anna Helhoski explains how prediction markets on platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket have turned natural disasters into tradable contracts worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, and why some researchers argue the practice is pricing catastrophe like just another guessing game. Enter for a chance to win a $250 Amazon gift card — and help us improve our show — by taking our listener survey! Find the survey and official sweepstakes rules here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSettbeI0yDf8tLt_Q772StVJoWs_Gm-pWa-gSn2fdWEc0XcOw/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=102666646608198254961 Are you on track to save enough for retirement? Use NerdWallet’s free retirement calculator to check your progress, see how much retirement income you'll have and estimate how much more you should save: https://www.nerdwallet.com/investing/calculators/retirement-calculator 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 The Business of Betting on Natural Disasters: https://www.nerdwallet.com/finance/news/natural-disaster-prediction-markets Subscribe to our podcast’s free email newsletter for bonus content and more from our hosts at https://smartmoney-nerdwallet.beehiiv.com/ Smart Money’s YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/@nerdwalletsmartmoney 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. *The show notes were created with the assistance of AI. They have been reviewed by our editorial team for accuracy and quality. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices