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Fed up with her husband not doing his part around the house, Jalie Gil decided to go on strike and document it all on TikTok. When the strike went viral, her private struggle for equitable housework became something of a reality show. Jalie updated every day, and viewers cheered her on from the virtual picket line. But in the real world, her marriage was being pushed to its breaking point. This week: How Jalie’s strike transformed her marriage and her world view.   This episode was reported by Reema Khrais, produced by Alice Wilder, edited by Laura Mayer and engineered by Drew Jostad. 

Marriage is all about beginnings, but staying married can often depend on how well two people adapt to change. The changes for Taylor and Gavin have been constant in the 14 years since they said, “I do.” There have been struggles and arguments over money, or the lack thereof. But even when money’s been the problem, having more of it hasn’t always been the solution. This week, we’ll hear the story of how they held things together and what they expect from each other when the unexpected keeps happening. This episode was reported by Reema Khrais, produced by Marque Greene, edited by Karen Duffin and engineered by Drew Jostad.

“Life Kit” host Marielle Segarra asks friends and family for advice on how to overcome her new-job jitters, meet new colleagues at NPR and stay confident. “Life Kit” was produced by Summer Thomad.

How far would you go to right a wrong? When Kari meets a nice man on a dating site, it feels like a dream come true. But when the relationship turns into more than she bargained for — she sets off on a crime-fighting quest that forces her to reevaluate her world and herself. This episode was reported and produced by Peter Balonon-Rosen, edited by Karen Duffin and engineered by Drew Jostad.

How much generosity is too much? Would you pay for your friend’s lunch every week? Or risk falling behind on bills to pay for a Christmas gift? And what does it take to ask strangers to be generous with you? We tend to think of generosity as a good thing, but it can also get… complicated. This week: three stories about giving and receiving generosity, and how it changes our relationships and ourselves.    This episode was reported by Reema Khrais, produced by Alice Wilder with support from Camila Kerwin, edited by Karen Duffin and engineered by Drew Jostad.

This week, we’re running a story from WUNC’s award-winning sex and relationships podcast “Embodied.” Each week, host Anita Rao guides listeners on an exploration of our brains and our bodies that touches down in taboo territory. Anita does not work with her boo, but after sharing home office space for two pandemic years, she’s started to wonder how couples who *do* work together make it work. In this episode, she talks with two sets of couples in very different professional industries about their strategies for tackling finances, alone time and intimacy.

When Joe Hanson got the call to start a varsity esports team at the local community college, he didn’t know what to think. He already had a full time job. He had a family to think about. And this coaching gig, it was basically a glorified volunteer position. Plus, he didn’t even know what “esports” really meant. But this opportunity stirred something within Joe that he couldn’t ignore… In this episode, we follow Coach Joe and his ragtag team of gamers as they go up against the best and try to prove the haters wrong. This episode was reported Reema Khrais, produced by Serena Chow, edited by Karen Duffin and engineered by Drew Jostad.

Halloween is almost here, which means it’s time for some Money Horror stories! When Abigail Keel got a call saying she might be a victim of identity theft, she had no idea what to do. All she could hope for was that the government official on the other line could help her protect her savings. We’ll go on that harrowing journey with her. Then, Zinzile Sibanda couldn’t have been more excited about being a bridesmaid in her college best friend’s wedding. But when unexpected health issues drive a rift between them, the value of their friendship becomes a legal matter. This episode was reported and produced by Reema Khrais and Marque Greene, edited by Karen Duffin and engineered by Drew Jostad.

What do dried apple slices, bear spray and divorce debt have to do with the Jan. 6 insurrection? You’ll find out in this episode. When Stewart Rhodes launched the alt-right militia group the Oath Keepers, his wife, Tasha Adams, hoped that this just might be the key to a better life for their family. And right away, the Oath Keepers started attracting a lot of attention … and money. Stewart was finally getting the following and admiration he’d always told his family that he deserved. But instead of providing them with stable support, Stewart used his militia to further isolate and control Tasha and their six children … until they reached a breaking point. This episode was reported and produced by Reema Khrais and Hannah Harris Green, edited by Karen Duffin and engineered by Drew Jostad.

Tasha met Stewart soon after she finished high school and was working as a dance instructor in Las Vegas. He promised her the world — but instead gave her a life very different from her  romantic dream. Over the next two decades, he pressured Tasha into providing emotional and financial support while she and their six children lived in poverty and isolation. Meanwhile, Stewart’s political ambitions grew and grew — because Tasha’s husband is Stewart Rhodes, founder of the alt-right militia group the Oath Keepers. He’s currently on trial for inciting the Jan. 6 insurrection.  This episode was reported and produced by Reema Khrais and Hannah Harris Green, edited by Karen Duffin and engineered by Drew Jostad.

“This Is Uncomfortable,” our podcast all about life and how money messes with it, returns for our seventh season on Oct. 6. This season, we’re looking at some of the expectations we carry with us about how life should play out, and all the ways money can interfere with the best-laid plans and lead us to a totally different reality. We’ll take a look at the roller coaster of married life, the secretive world of scam baiting, the competitive world of college esports, how we embrace the generosity of strangers and so much more. Listen to the trailer above and follow “This Is Uncomfortable” wherever you get podcasts. And to get even more Uncomfortable during the season, sign up for our newsletter. Each Friday morning we’ll bring you a note from Reema, new stories from listeners, tough money questions and recommendations from our team! Here’s the latest issue.

Carrie Mansmith and her wife, Natalia, both know they want to be moms. They fantasize about raising a baby together, fawn over onesies, and they even have a name picked out. But lately, they’ve been wrestling with a question that they each have very different answers to: How much money is enough money to bring a kid into the world?

This episode originally aired in May 2021. When Lindsey Galbraith’s marriage ended over financial infidelity, she swore she would never mix money and relationships again. Then she met someone new. This week, we look at the aftermath of betrayal and how the consequences can last far beyond that one relationship. Plus, we eavesdrop on a money conversation between her and her new partner — the kind of talk that usually happens behind closed doors.

Six years in, Sana and Adnan Akhand loved being married to each other. But sharing everything — their apartment in New York City, their money, the household duties, all their free time — shook the balance of power in their marriage, and they ended up feeling stuck. They were looking for a big reset, and found that they had to interrogate their fundamental ideas about what makes a good marriage to see their future together.

Adam had worked his way up to manager at a branch of a global bank, only to see his responsibilities double during the pandemic. After trying to make it work, the extra duties without extra pay began to compromise his well-being. Adam decided to slow down — to do only what he physically and mentally could without overworking himself. In this episode, we’ll look at what happens when workers slow down and explore the historical precedent for reclaiming your body and time at work. If you liked this episode, share it with a friend. And to get even more Uncomfortable, subscribe to our newsletter. Each Friday you’ll get a note from Reema Khrais and some recs from the Uncomfortable team. If you missed it, here’s the latest issue.

This episode originally aired May 2021. Mira Celper had always wanted to be best friends with her mom, but their relationship grew strained once her mom started dating the mysterious David, a successful engineer. As her mom fell deeper in love, Mira couldn’t shake the feeling that something about David was off. So she set out to find the truth. If you liked this episode, share it with a friend. And to get even more Uncomfortable, subscribe to our newsletter. Each Friday you’ll get a note from Reema and some recs from the Uncomfortable team. If you missed it, here’s the latest issue.

Growing up, Chris was bullied. He was always the heaviest kid in the class, and his peers relentlessly made fun of him and his body. But Chris had a secret — something he wanted to do with his body that he never told a soul. This week, he revisits what it took for him to finally answer his secret calling. If you like this episode, share it with a friend. And to get even more Uncomfortable, subscribe to our newsletter. Each Friday, you’ll get a note from Reema and some recs from the Uncomfortable team. If you missed it, here’s the latest issue.

Rebecca Danigelis never planned to stop working. She was an executive housekeeper in Boston raising two kids as a single mom, and everything she earned went to making sure they got the best education she could afford. When her son Sian-Pierre was climbing the ranks as a journalist and entrepreneur, it seemed like all the overtime, frozen dinners and sacrifice were worth it. Just as his career was taking off, however, hers started to crumble. If you like this episode, share it with a friend. And to get even more Uncomfortable, subscribe to our newsletter. Each Friday you’ll get a note from Reema and some recs from the Uncomfortable team. If you missed it, here’s the latest issue.

Last week, we followed Stephanie Stone’s years long journey to find her late brother Michael’s gravesite. This week, our team picks up the search. Along the way, we learned a lot about what happens to the thousands of people who die indigent and go unclaimed every year in this U.S. Later, Reema travels to Austin with Stone and a Texas bureaucrat who goes above and beyond to help families find closure. If you liked this episode, share it with a friend. And to get even more Uncomfortable, subscribe to our newsletter.

When Stephanie Stone’s older brother Michael died, their family didn’t have the money to pay for his burial. His body went unclaimed, and the county where he was living made arrangements. Years later, Stone doesn’t know where he was laid to rest. In this episode, we follow Stephanie’s quest to find her late brother and dig into what it reveals about the economic and emotional toll of losing a loved one. Next week, we’ll join in the search. If you liked this episode, share it with a friend. And to get even more Uncomfortable, subscribe to our newsletter.