Grown-Up Stuff: How to Adult

Grown-Up Stuff: How to Adult

Do your eyes glaze over when looking at a long list of annual health insurance enrollment options – or maybe while you’re trying to calculate how much you owe the IRS? You might be wondering the same thing we are: Where’s the guidebook for all of this grown-up stuff? Whether opening a bank account, refinancing student loans, or purchasing car insurance (...um, can we just roll the dice without it?), we’re just as confused as you are. Enter: “Grown-Up Stuff: How to Adult” a podcast dedicated to explaining the complexities of adulting for which most of us are woefully under-prepared. In each episode, we seek out folks who can actually help us start to make sense of all the basic life skills required to be, well, a grown-up.

Episodes

October 6, 2026 • 45 mins

What if you gave yourself two weeks to finally tackle that thing you've been putting off? In this crossover episode, Matt and Lea team up with Robin Hopkins and producer Steph from Well…Adjusting to put themselves to the test. Each person picks one piece of “grown-up stuff” they want to work on, from building a strength-training routine and learning Ukrainian to finding freelance work and figuring out how to stop...

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You probably have a pretty specific picture in your head when you hear the words “home break-in.” Maybe it involves someone kicking down the front door in the middle of the night. But according to our guest, that’s not usually how it works. And that might change the way you think about home security.

In this episode of Grown-Up Stuff, Matt and Lea talk with Aaron Miller, Vice President at ADT and Head of ADT Blu, ...

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August 18, 2026 • 32 mins

Few things say “welcome to adulthood” quite like opening a medical bill and realizing you have absolutely no idea what you're looking at. There are billing codes, insurance adjustments, deductibles, coinsurance, and somehow a procedure that costs one amount on one line costs something completely different on another.

In this episode of Grown-Up Stuff, Matt and Lea tackle the confusing world of medical bills and healthca...

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August 4, 2026 • 46 mins

Investing can feel like one of those grown-up things everyone else understands, but the truth is, most people are figuring it out as they go.

In this episode of Grown-Up Stuff, Matt and Lea are joined by Haley Sachs, Financial Expert, host of Financial Tea podcast and NYT bestselling author of Future Rich Person, to break down the basics of investing in plain English. Together, they cover everything from emergen...

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July 21, 2026 • 29 mins

Moving sounds exciting... until you remember you actually have to move.

Between surprise utility setup fees, security deposits, Wi-Fi appointments that never seem to happen on time, and somehow ending up with a dozen boxes labeled "miscellaneous," moving can quickly become one of life's most stressful experiences. So how do you make it a little easier and a lot less expensive?

This week, Matt and Lea are joined by realtor Dag Larso...

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July 7, 2026 • 35 mins

International travel is magical... until you're standing in the airport realizing your passport expires next month, your phone doesn't work, and you have no idea whether you should pay in dollars or the local currency. This week on Grown Up Stuff, Matt and Lea are joined by full-time traveler Jordan Tually to answer all the questions you don't think to ask until it's way too late. They cover passports and visas, travel insurance th...

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June 23, 2026 • 40 mins

Getting laid off is one of those life events that can really throw you for a loop. It can leave you feeling blindsided, stressed, and wondering what you're supposed to do next. In this episode of Grown Up Stuff: How to Adult, Matt and Lea sit down with employment attorney Paige Sparks to answer all the questions that start racing through your head after a job loss: Do I get severance? Can I collect unemployment? What happens t...

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June 9, 2026 • 36 mins

Your home is supposed to be your safe place, but beware that many of the biggest safety risks are hiding in plain sight.

In this episode of Grown Up Stuff, Matt and Lea sit down with home inspector and safety expert Joe Mazza, who you might know from his HGTV shows. He talks about the risks most of us don't think about until something goes wrong. From smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to electrical hazards, radon, fire prevention...

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Growing up doesn’t come with instructions, so we made a podcast about figuring it out together.

Season 4 of Grown Up Stuff tackles the life skills, decisions, and responsibilities that suddenly become very real in adulthood. From bringing home a newborn for the first time to navigating international travel, buying the right smoke detectors, moving apartments, understanding investing, and protecting your finances, this season ...

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October 28, 2025 • 37 mins

From breaking up with your phone to breaking into better habits, our back-half S3 recap episode brings together the most practical, powerful, and personal moments from recent episodes of Grown-Up Stuff. Hosts Lea Palmieri and Matt Stillo revisit highlights on phone addiction, advocating for yourself at work, nutrition, sober curiosity, meditation, and life insurance—all the stuff that makes adulting a little more manageable (...

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October 14, 2025 • 38 mins

You’ve heard of life insurance, but do you know what it actually is? And do you really need it? Hosts Lea Palmieri and Matt Stillo are joined by Life Insurance Advisor Dennis Carlson who explains the purpose of life insurance, how you can find the best agent and policy for you, and so much more. 

You can connect with Dennis on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/denniscarlson/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inf...

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September 30, 2025 • 37 mins

You might not think it’s for you, but it turns out meditation is for everyone! This week hosts Lea Palmieri and Matt Stillo are joined by Kessonga Giscombe, a mindfulness and meditation teacher. He explains the very simple ways we all can incorporate meditation into our days, what it actually does to help your physical and mental body, and how it’s even changing lives in elementary schools. 


You and follow Kess...

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September 16, 2025 • 37 mins

Is drinking just not giving you the same buzz as before? When it comes to alcohol, are you thinking about cutting back, or cutting out entirely? We’ll you’re not alone, and hosts Lea Palmieri and Matt Stillo are here to help you navigate being sober curious. We’re breaking down what it means to explore mindful drinking, the steps you can take to incorporate this into your lifestyle, and the benefits to your mind, ...

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September 2, 2025 • 44 mins

We all know about eating fruits and vegetables, right? But what about fiber and protein and other vitamins we need? Registered Dietician Nutritionist Melissa Joy Dobbins joins hosts Lea Palmieri and Matt Stillo for a conversation about how we can eat healthier and feel better, just with a little bit of mindfulness. You can check out her free “Do More with Dinner” resource at www.SoundBitesRD.com as well as information a...

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August 19, 2025 • 48 mins

How do I negotiate for more money? How do I speak up for better opportunities? How do I advance in my career if I’m an introvert? If you’re wondering how to advocate for yourself at work, hosts Lea Palmieri and Matt Stillo spoke with Jessica Chen, a speaker, communications expert and author of the book, “Smart, Not Loud: How to Get Noticed at Work for all the Right Reasons.” She offers tons of tips for commu...

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August 5, 2025 • 45 mins

We’re all addicted to our phones — but it turns out it’s not our fault! Author, journalist, and speaker Catherine Price joins hosts Lea Palmieri and Matt Stillo to walk us through why we’re so glued to our social media accounts, and what we can do to slowly put down the smartphone and get more out of life. From tips about nixing those notifications to taking up non-phone hobbies, we’ll have you relying...

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Taxes, Voting, Recycling—oh my! After navigating this jungle of grown-up responsibilities together, we're taking a quick summer breather to recharge our adulting batteries. But before we temporarily hang up our responsible pants, join us for this special episode packed with our favorite kernels of wisdom from the season so far AND get an exclusive preview of the fresh adulting adventures awaiting you when Grown-Up Stuff retur...

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April 29, 2025 • 43 mins

In honor of Earth Month, this episode of Grown-Up Stuff celebrates all things recycling with guest Kara Napolitano, the Education and Outreach Manager at Circular Services. Hosts Lea Palmieri and Matt Stillo learn about all the ways (and items) we can reduce, reuse, and recycle in our everyday lives, and the impact it has on our local and global communities. For more information you can check out CircularServices.com and follow on ...

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You know you need to get your oil changed… but what even happens during that process? Sean Nguyen, a Pennzoil Lubricant Technical Specialist at Shell Lubricant, stopped by Grown-Up Stuff to tell hosts Lea Palmieri and Matt Stillo all about why your car needs an oil change, and how to ensure you’re taking the best care of your vehicle to get the maximum miles out of it while staying safe on the road.

To learn more, vis...

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April 1, 2025 • 45 mins

Voting is an incredibly important part of being an American — not just every four years, and not just for the sticker! In this episode of Grown-Up Stuff, hosts Lea Palmieri and Matt Stillo speak with Joshua A. Douglas, a professor of law at the University of Kentucky, as well as an author and podcaster, who explains the way voting works in the US, from the polling booth to the country’s capitol, and what we can do as ci...

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