Personal Finance for PhDs

Hosted by Emily Roberts

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Episodes

100

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Aug 2026

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About the show

As a PhD (in training), you face unique money challenges that stem from your low stipend/salary during your years of graduate school and postdoc training. Listen here for the hard-won financial wisdom of your fellow graduate students, postdocs, and PhDs with Real Jobs. From budgeting and frugality to investing and debt repayment, this podcast is your higher education in personal finance.

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August 10, 2026Episode 534 min

The Best Financial Advice for First-Year Funded Graduate Students

In this episode, Emily shares the microinterviews she recorded at two conferences this year and solicited from subscribers to her mailing list. The prompt she gave to everyone was "What is your best financial advice for a funded graduate student matriculating in fall 2026?" Emily was curious whether the advice would be timeless or unique to 2026, and you can listen for how the respondents interpreted it. You'll hear first the responses from the conference attendees at the Graduate Career Consortium Annual Meeting in June 2026 and the Higher Education Financial Wellness Summit in July 2026. Virtually all of these respondents work at universities, and most have PhDs themselves. Second, you'll hear the responses submitted by Emily's mailing list subscribers. Some of them came in audio form and some in written form, and Emily voices the written submissions. She also make a few comments in between some of the submissions if there are podcast episodes that relate to the given advice.

July 27, 2026Episode 440 min

Even More Reasons Not to Fund Your PhD with Federal Student Loans

In this episode, Emily interviews Janna McKay, a Certified Student Loan Professional (CSLP) who works as a consultant for Student Loan Planner. They discuss the changes to the federal student loan program brought about by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025 that were implemented on July 1, 2026. For both continuing and new PhD students, Janna shares the federal student loan borrowing limits in play and the available repayment plans, emphasizing caution for graduate students who hold significant student loan debt taken out prior to July 1, 2026 who are weighing taking out another federal student loan with closing a funding gap in a different manner. Janna and Emily also discuss the updates on the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) plan, how all the income-driven repayment plans intersect with Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF), and the possible advantage to waiving deferment in favor of enrolling early in the Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP). This episode is a must-listen for any graduate student who is considering or will consider taking out a federal student loan going forward and any PhD or PhD-to-be who is currently holding federal student loan debt.

July 13, 2026Episode 338 min

This Grad Student's Social Spending in Boston Pays Dividends

In this episode, Emily interviews Richard Coca, a 3rd-year PhD student at Boston University. Richard breaks down his budget, detailing his top five largest expenses: rent, groceries, eating out, hobbies, and social spending. He rents a bedroom and private bathroom in a shared home convenient to public transit in East Cambridge, and the higher rent is offset because he does not own a car. Richard has developed two intensive hobbies since starting grad school: running and stand-up comedy. To participate in those hobbies, he spends on race entry fees, shoes, and drinks and meals at venues. Richard used to overwork and be much more frugal; he now spends more on his hobbies, eating out, and friends, but he's still reaching his goal of maxing out his Roth IRA every year. He feels mentally and physically healthy and is happy with his work-life balance.

June 16, 2026Episode 138 min

How to Save Money as a Funded Graduate Student

In this episode, Emily explores how to save money as a funded graduate student so that you aren't in a constant state of financial stress. The first step is to open a savings account and establish a regular savings rate, even if it's only $5 per month. Second, you must either increase your income or decrease your expenses. Both may seem impossible in your current circumstances, but Emily introduces numerous accessible options that grad students have used in the past for each approach, including the unique opportunities available to you as a graduate student.

May 18, 2026Episode 1043 min

How This PhD Solopreneur Manages Her Time and Money

In this episode, Emily interviews Dr. Leslie Wang, the professor-turned-solopreneur behind Your Words Unleashed and repeat podcast guest. Leslie works as a developmental editor and career coach primarily for academics. Leslie and Emily discuss in detail how Leslie manages her time and money, balancing the appointments and payment schedules of approximately three dozen clients throughout the year. Leslie has molded her business to fit the life she wants to live, including frequent travel and personal and familial pursuits.

May 4, 2026Episode 939 min

Sacrificing for a Lofty Financial Goal on a Grad Student Stipend

In this episode, Emily interviews Dr. Jed Kim, a recent PhD graduate in chemistry from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. Jed built a $35,000 Roth IRA by the time he finished his PhD due to consistent $500 per month contributions. Jed and Emily discuss what it took financially to maintain that savings rate, from applying for fellowships and bank bonuses to sharing food with multiple roommates to engaging in free and low-cost activities. Jed speaks openly about how spending too little at times hampered his mental health and how a family emergency caused him to rethink his approach. This interview illustrates the trade-offs graduate students have to navigate when striving to make the PhD less of a financial liability.

April 20, 2026Episode 839 min

Holding a Financial Standard While on the Faculty Job Market

In this episode, Emily interviews Dr. Dillon Pruett, an assistant professor in the School of Communication Science and Disorders at Florida State University. This is the second part of a two-part interview in which we discuss Dillon's turbulent faculty job search and transition to a faculty position. A higher income doesn't completely ameliorate all financial challenges, but the future is looking bright. Dillon's candor during this conversation is laudable, and his experiences are likely to be both relatable and a cautionary tale for prospective and new faculty members.

April 6, 2026Episode 749 min

Financial Chaos Exacerbates a Low Graduate Student Stipend

In this episode, Emily interviews Dr. Dillon Pruett, an assistant professor in the School of Communication Science and Disorders at Florida State University. This is the first part of a two-part interview in which we discuss Dillon's financial journey through his PhD and postdoc at Vanderbilt University. Dillon tried to keep his eyes on his own financial paper, but the pay disparity between himself and other graduate students and postdocs was repeatedly brought to his attention. Still, he managed to make it through without accumulating debt and even building modest assets, despite financial setbacks. Dillon's candor during this conversation is laudable, and his experiences are likely to be both relatable and a cautionary tale for prospective and early graduate students.

March 23, 2026Episode 649 min

Teaching Personal Finance Illuminates the Opportunity Cost of a PhD

In this episode, Emily interviews Dr. Trevor Hedberg, an assistant professor of practice at the University of Arizona who teaches a seminar on personal finance to undergrad students based on Morgan Housel's The Psychology of Money. Trevor is a repeat podcast guest, and he shares how teaching the course has made him think differently about finances during his PhD and postdoc, including the financial opportunity cost of grad school and lifetime wealth killers.

March 9, 2026Episode 545 min

This International Grad Student's Low Fixed Expenses Enable Her to Invest and Travel

In this episode, Emily interviews Mrunal Zambre, a 4th-year international PhD student at the University of Pittsburgh. Mrunal details her money management system, from her checking and savings accounts to credit cards, and how she and her grad student partner split expenses. She focuses on travel credit cards and the Bilt card to reduce the cost of international travel. Thanks to her stipend—recently increased to over $40k—and low fixed expenses, Mrunal maxes out her Roth IRA annually and invests in a taxable brokerage account, even though she's not sure if she'll live in the US long-term.