What if all you ever needed to know about personal finance could fit on a small index card? Too good to be true? Professor Harold Pollack did just that, distilling essential financial wisdom into a few practical rules on an index card. Learn how this simple idea captured the attention of millions.

Professor Harold Pollack, UChicago

“[Personal financial advice industry’s] basic problem [is] that the correct advice would fit on an index card, and it's basically available for free at the library, and so how are you going to make money selling people advice?” Professor Pollack notes, highlighting the inherent simplicity of personal finance.

"It's so much simpler than a lot of the stuff that I'd seen on Financial Cable TV or whatever.”

Professor Pollack suggests that the reason behind the complexity of financial advice is that of the industry profiting from consumers’ confusion, making personal finance advice seem more intricate than it truly is.

This revelation challenges the mystique surrounding financial planning, advocating instead for straightforward, accessible guidance that empowers individuals to take control of their financial health with confidence.

Listen to the podcast to learn more.

Also Check Out: Andrew Jack, Financial Times Reporter

A seasoned journalist and advocate for financial literacy, Andrew Jack shares how FT is leveraging its global platform to enhance financial and global literacy among students and educators worldwide.

His insights into the role of quality journalism in education make this a must-listen for anyone interested in the intersection of media and financial education.

Listen to the podcast. 

Tonight: Helping First Generation Students Succeed with Kyle Saelinger

You can catch this week’s live Speaker Series tonight at 4pm PT / 7pm ET.  This week's guest is Kyle Saelinger of Fintrinsic. Register here.

About the Author

Anton Ivanushkin

Anton is a student at UC San Diego. He is majoring in Cognitive Science with a specialization in Machine Learning and Neural Computation. Anton has been interning at NGPF since May 2023. He helps with video editing, podcast editing, and many other tasks.