In this episode, we share investing ideas for young adults, hear from Michael Gonsalves of First Tech Federal Credit Union about what you need to know when getting your first auto loan, and talk with popular Portland DJ Gregory Caruci about life, music, and following your dreams. Plus, do you know what a snake milker is?    

Rishika caught up with a young entrepreneur and brand advisor who started her own business during the COVID pandemic, right as she graduated high school. Bailey Rose Campbell launched her first business in podcast editing, website design, and brand advising. She's built up her business via social media and network connections, and talks about investing in her work and the struggles she faced with isolation during the pandemic. She also shares her unofficial role as a hypewoman for women working to build their dreams!

The Money JAR is always excited to share information and empower our listeners to take charge of their finances, and Mindy and Rishika interview someone who has dedicated his career to building financial literacy solutions! CJ MacDonald is a tech entrepreneur whose current project, Step, gives young people under 18 the opportunity to explore their personal finances in a practical setting. Families are encouraged to have finance conversations and explore saving, building credit, and investing through the Step platform. CJ shares some the valuable experiences that Step Mobile offers, saying, "We look for these teaching moments on our platform, where we can guide you, remind you, educate you on different opportunities to grow or learn."

The Money JAR has spoken with experts on cryptocurrency and the blockchain, and they have described some amazing views of the future of this technology. We're getting down to the basics in this episode with a college student who is exploring the world of cryptocurrency and is here to share his experiences and suggest some paths that young people might take if they want to get started in crypto. Rishika and Mindy interview Ian Herdegen, a college senior and entrepreneur, about how he began his journey into crypto. 

As part of The Money JAR's ongoing series highlighting cool careers, Mindy and Rishika spoke with a chemist! Callie Sendek is a Method Development Chemist at Church & Dwight, a major American manufacturer of household products. In this episode, Callie offers advice on how to explore STEM careers. She emphasizes how personal passions and hobbies don't have to take a back seat to a career in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics. There are many important skills that contribute to a workplace, from activism to art, and people can find creative ways to work their interests into their careers.

It can feel overwhelming to think about all of the ways that technology is developing, and how our world is starting to change as a result. FinTech and cryptocurrencies are some key examples of how software and the increasing importance of the digital world are affecting the economy. In this episode of The Money JAR, Mindy and Money JAR producer Hannah interviewed Dr. Stephen McKeon, a finance expert from the University of Oregon, about the value of certain cryptocurrencies and where he sees the future of digital currency going.

Today's episode of The Money JAR may be your first introduction to some new terms, but our guest is confident that the world of cryptocurrency, blockchain, and even digital land is going to keep growing! Mindy and Rishika spoke with Dr. Justin Goldston, an expert in emerging technologies. Justin discusses how the blockchain has developed and what it is used for, as well as how it intersects with finance and cryptocurrency. He also touches on the growing market for digital lands, or virtual property sold in the emerging 'metaverse' world that is growing with the intersection of virtual reality, augmented reality, and video. Justin sees great potential for Gen Z to profit in this emerging digital world.

It's the holiday season, and Mindy and Money JAR producer Hannah are here to talk about this season of light and giving! There are a lot of social and familial pressures around giving gifts, and budgeting is very important this time of year, but we at the Money JAR invite you to listen to this episode and think about intention, reflection, and the care that goes into reaching out to loved ones and impacting your community as 2021 draws to a close. 

The college admissions process can look daunting, but The Money JAR is here to help! Rishika and Mindy have both successfully navigated the many steps of applying to colleges, both as a student in the COVID-19 pandemic and as a parent. They speak with college admissions coach Jen Namba about what students can do to plan for a successful college application process. Jen is clear that "Students do not need a college admissions coach to get into school. This process is designed and meant for seventeen-year-olds to do on their own. It is a little bit murkey, though." She brings some of her industry knowledge to The Money JAR, including the statistics of getting into certain colleges, how colleges look at GPA and test scores when deciding who to admit, and advice on visiting college campuses. 

The Money JAR is back from a break to give our cohosts time to adjust to a new chapter in life: college! Rishika is now a freshman, and Mindy's eldest daughter has started college as well. Hear about the importance of scheduling, the little changes to routine that surprise you, and what the first semester of college brings to new students who are settling into independence.