HerMoney with Jean Chatzky

If you're looking to move, sell a home, buy a home, renovate, downsize or even rent, then this episode is for you. We're tackling all of the above, and diving into the emotional ties we all have to the four walls that surround us, and to the possessions we have inside them. Why do we make decisions with our hearts that should be made by the financial part of our brains? To answer that question, Jean is joined by Caroline Carter, founder and CEO of Done in a Day, a Washington, D.C. based home transition and move management company. Caroline is also the author of the book "Smart Moves: How To Save Time And Money While Transitioning Your Home And Life." Caroline was inspired to start her career when she recognized her own passion for "creating organization out of chaos." Moving is one of the most stressful life events we go through, and every year approximately 40 million Americans move. Caroline dives into how we can all bring the stress levels down when embarking on a move, and dishes on some of her favorite tips she’s learned from helping more than 2,000 families over the last 14 years. Caroline talks about how sellers should package their homes to sell so that the buyer sees the value, and offers a checklist of things for people to do before they put their homes on the market. One trick: You can never go wrong by going to your local home depot and snagging a gallon of paint. (Neutralizing your personal space is always a good move, because you have to turn your home back into a house in order to sell it, she says.) Caroline also dives into ways we can de-clutter our space, and how best to ignore the temptation to put everything into storage when what we really need is a trip to the dump... Oftentimes it's not worth the cost of moving and storing things just because of the emotional implications they may have. She also offers a step-by-step guide for how to tackle the moving process in the most efficient way possible. Hint: Start with the things that only you can do, and then plan to hire help for the things that you can't do yourself. Also, Caroline shares her thoughts on what people regret most after a move, and how to decide how much space you'll really need if you're downsizing. Then, in Mailbag, Jean advises a mom who is concerned about saving for her son's college education, and guides a woman who's considering putting all her investments into a target date fund. She also counsels a listener who's worried about timing the markets while recession fears are looming. Lastly, in Thrive, we dish on allowances for kids, and how much they should really be getting.

Will 2020 be the year you secure that promotion, land a new job, or finally get your side hustle off the ground? Maybe you just want to be better about knocking things off your to-do list each day, or perhaps you're ready to become that ultra-productive, ultra-accomplished version of yourself you've envisioned in the movie montage of your life? Thankfully on this week's episode, Julie Morgenstern is here to tell us all exactly how we can get there. Julie is one of the world's leading experts on organization, productivity and time management, and is the New York Times bestselling author of several books, including 'Organizing From The Inside Out,' 'Time Management From The Inside Out,' and 'Never Check Email In The Morning.' Her books have been turned into a popular executive training program that empowers individuals to ramp up their productivity and get the absolute most out of their hours in the day. Julie says if you've been feeling like you're treading water, you're not alone. Many people feel like they accomplish less as they get older, because time seems to go faster. But, she stresses, while there's great joy in racking up accomplishments, there's also great joy in a life well-lived; you have to make time for important life connections and experiences along the way. Julie offers her tips for how to get the absolute most out of the limited hours you have in your work day, and shares her favorite tricks for avoiding getting caught up in a false sense of urgency with all of the day's email notifications, IMs, text messages, and Slack pings. She also dives into the importance of to-do lists, and the need to have a road map of where you're going on any given day. She says lists are "a simple tool with incredible power to help you be fully present in what you do," and cautions that too many of us don't have a single consistent place where we keep a record of our necessary tasks. Unfortunately, those of us who have our to-dos scattered amongst many systems can spend 30% of our day trying to figure out what we might be missing. She shares her thoughts on the very best place to keep your to-do list to ensure the conversation shifts from "when" you're going to do something to, "how long is it going to take me?" If you're struggling with feeling like you can't get anything done during the work week, Julie recommends blocking out time on your calendar at work so that you're always in control of your schedule. Yes, blocking time even for the most mundane of tasks is recommended — that way you'll be sure to get it done! When it comes to email, IMs and Slack, Julie recommends "batch processing" these messages every 2-3 hours. Many of us feel a false sense of satisfaction simply from checking a screen, when in reality, we'd be much better off (and more productive) if we disconnected from our devices several times a day. Julie also talks about how we can use some of her most tried and true strategies in our personal lives, and dives into how taking time off can actually make you a better leader and a better colleague. "Really renewing and recharging is one of the best professional investments you can make in yourself. Stepping away gives you perspective and lets your whole brain work on any problems you might be having," she says. Along those same lines, she talks about the importance of self care, and why sleep, exercise, and the pursuit of our hobbies and passions is so very important to leading a rich and fulfilling life. Lastly, in mailbag, Jean counsels a woman who was turned down for a credit increase she requested, and offers guidance on credit utilization. She also guides a listener who is considering participating in her company’s employee stock purchase program. We also dive into a debate on buying cars vs. leasing cars. In Thrive, Jean tackles the often tricky, often sticky group birthday dinner, and  how we can all improve our group outings (and the impact they have on our wallets) in 2020.

In honor of a very happy holiday season, we’re celebrating with our HerMoney family with five special Mailbag-focused episodes! Our listeners submit THE BEST questions all year long (tomailbag@hermoney.com), and we wanted to get as many as possible answered before 2020 rolls around. In this episode, Jean and Kathryn dive into your questions around credit, credit cards, and debt. Jean answers a question about how business credit cards can impact your personal credit, and what it means for your credit score when you close a business account.We also dive into a question about adding a child to your credit card as an authorized user to help them build credit. (Note: Not every credit card company reports credit history of authorized users.) Additionally, Jean guides a listener who is wondering if she should claim bankruptcy, see a credit counselor, get a side gig, or cash out a retirement annuity in order to get back on track. Lastly, we advise a woman who is looking to pay down debt with personal loans, while also working to improve her credit score, and to stay motivated to pay down her debt. From everyone on the HerMoney team, thank you so much for listening to us in 2019. We can’t wait to spend more quality time together in the New Year!

In honor of a very happy holiday season, we’re celebrating with our HerMoney family with five special Mailbag-focused episodes! Our listeners submit THE BEST questions all year long (to mailbag@hermoney.com), and we wanted to get as many as possible answered before 2020 rolls around. In this episode, Jean and Kathryn dive into your questions around college, education, and student loans. Listen in as Jean advises a woman who co-signed for her daughter's student loans and is now struggling to repay the debt because her daughter hasn't taken responsibility for the loan. We also hear from a woman who is getting a divorce, and her husband has told her he won't be contributing to their two children's college funds once they turn 18. She's looking for a way to ensure her money grows as quickly as it can, and is debating an ESA (Education Savings Account) for her son who is in college. Jean also guides a listener on how the 529 accounts she has for her nieces might impact their ability to get financial aid, and what to do with those accounts before they head to college. Lastly, Jean tackles a question about the best ways to refinance $180,000 in student loans while still being eligible for income-based repayment plans. From everyone on the HerMoney team, thank you so much for listening to us in 2019. We can’t wait to spend more quality time together in the New Year!

In honor of a very happy holiday season, we're celebrating with our HerMoney family with five special Mailbag-focused episodes! Our listeners submit THE BEST questions all year long (to mailbag@hermoney.com), and we wanted to get as many as possible answered before 2020 rolls around. In this episode, Jean and Kathryn dive into your questions around saving for retirement and investing for the long-haul. Listen in as Jean advises a woman on how much she really needs to save for retirement... Is $1.7 million per person the right amount, or perhaps 25 times your annual expenses? Jean also shares her thoughts with a woman who's debating where to put an extra $4,000 she has annually to invest for retirement.  Jean guides a mother of twins who is saving for retirement in a 401(k) and also considering investing in real estate and putting money into an HSA, in an effort to maximize her money for herself and her girls. Lastly, we tackle the question of investing worries that are rooted in a fear of losing money, and a question about selling stock in order to pay off the mortgage early.   From everyone on the HerMoney team, thank you so much for listening to us in 2019. We can't wait to spend more quality time together in the New Year!

We all experience loss in our lives, and dealing with grief while also honoring and remembering our loved ones can be incredibly challenging. Particularly around the holidays, those who were closest to us who have passed on are often at the forefront of our minds. This week, Jean sits down with Allison Gilbert, an Emmy-award winning journalist, and the author of "Passed and Present: Keeping Memories of Loved Ones Alive." Her book has been described as a "how-to" manual for remembering our loved ones, and contains 85 practical ways to remember, honor, and celebrate those who have passed. "There is more that we can do than just going to a cemetery or lighting a candle," Allison says, adding that she wanted to find a way to make her parents real for her two children who didn't have their maternal grandparents. "I wanted them to truly understand and value and appreciate all those things that came from the Gilbert family," she says. Allison walks us through how we can all take ownership of ensuring our loved ones' memories live on in perpetuity. She also talks about how we can be an awesome friend and coworker to people who have lost loved ones, when we just aren't sure what to say. (She also includes ideas for special remembrance gifts, which we all need!) Allison also shares why the way we talk about our late loved ones matters. "When I'm speaking to my children, I never say 'my mom' or 'my dad,' I will always say 'your grandmother' and 'your grandfather,' because it orients that relationship to them, and makes it more tangible to what they would have missed," she says. Jean and Allison also talk about all of the baggage, stuff and money that's often associated with death, and the ways that people can best deal with it. (Hint: Nothing has to be done today, tomorrow, or even the next day after a loss... You can have some breathing room and wait six months before you do anything.) In other words, you don't have to wake up and immediately sell the house. Rather, you can wait until the emotions aren't so raw. You can take a breath and then bring in an advisor (a financial advisor, a trusted friend or family member) who is more neutral and who can help you think about next steps and perhaps purging your loved one's goods over time. Allison also breaks down a guide for how to repurpose and donate your loved one's possessions, and how to make giving things away a less guilt-ridden process. She also offers up her thoughts on how to make it easier for our own children and grandchildren to deal with our "stuff" and to remember us after we're gone. Thankfully, the digital world has changed the game when it comes to remembering. It's easier than ever to share stories in a family Google doc, upload and digitize photos, and share memories — it's no longer the responsibility of one family member to be the repository of the entire family history. Then, in Mailbag, Jean advises a woman going through a divorce on whether to keep saving or pay down her debt, since she will likely be splitting assets and liabilities evenly with her husband. She also guides a listener who's considering refinancing her home loan but is unsure if it's worth the time and effort to save half a percentage point, and offers her thoughts on getting a prenup to a woman who's engaged to a man who has a strained relationship with his children. Lastly, in Thrive, Jean dishes on how to retain your sanity and energy levels when pursuing a side gig.

In honor of a very happy holiday season, we're celebrating with our HerMoney family with five special Mailbag-focused episodes! Our listeners submit THE BEST questions all year long (to mailbag@hermoney.com), and we wanted to get as many as possible answered before 2020 rolls around. In this episode, Jean and Kathryn dive into your questions around real estate and home buying. Jean advises a listener on how to buy a new home when all your money is tied up in your old one, as well as the ins and outs of selling a rental home while keeping some money liquid for a new home purchase. She also advises on whether or not a listener should pay off her mortgage early, or invest the money, and weighs in on whether or not a couple should renovate and sell their home, or stay put. From everyone on the HerMoney team, thank you so much for listening to us in 2019. We can't wait to spend some more quality time together in the New Year!

In honor of a very happy holiday season, we're celebrating with our HerMoney family with five special Mailbag-focused episodes! Our listeners submit THE BEST questions all year long (to mailbag@hermoney.com), and we wanted to get as many as possible answered before 2020 rolls around. In this episode, Jean and Kathryn dive into your questions around children and families. Jean offers her thoughts on how women with limited incomes can afford to adopt, and available funding and financing options. We also talk through starting 529 plans for children, and strategies for supporting adult children through grad school without enabling them. And if you've ever wondered how to help your kids save, this episode's for you! Jean offers her thoughts on engaging your children, and how parents can open a brokerage account to help their little ones get excited about investing early on. From everyone on the HerMoney team, thank you so much for listening to us in 2019. We can't wait to spend some more quality time together in the New Year!

You asked, and we listened! Our HerMoney family consistently requests more content around career advancement, negotiating for increased earnings, and taking a step up at your current company. Today’s HerMoney Podcast guest, Tracy Keogh, dishes on all of the above — and then some. In her role as Chief Human Resources Officer at HP, Tracy has worldwide responsibility for the technology company’s strategic human resources activities, employee communications and social responsibility initiatives. She previously served as the Senior Vice President of Human Resources at Aon Hewitt, and has been teaching female executives how to negotiate — against her — for many years. In this week’s episode, Tracy offers us all a mini-course in some of her favorite tactics, including how to create a term sheet, how to ask for an off-cycle review to get a bump sooner than expected, and how to avoid negotiating against yourself.  Oftentimes, women feel like asking for more money is “rude,” or that they might not be liked by others if they’re high earners, but that’s simply not true, Tracy says. The old wisdom of “you don’t get what you don’t ask for” has never been more applicable than where salary is concerned.  Before going into any negotiation, do your homework. Find out what's common in your industry by looking online, talking to headhunters, friends, former colleagues, and anyone else you trust.  Then, begin crafting your term sheet. Write out everything that has to do with your job, including what your salary is now, what you expect it to be, your desired title, your expected bonus, your desired vacation days, your retirement plan, and what you’d need to be offered in order to seriously consider leaving your current company for a new job. Creating this term sheet — this “exhaustive list,” as Keogh calls it — enables you to have a 360-degree view of your total compensation package. “When you write these things down, you realize the current value of your situation,” she says.  Tracy says she’s seen many women make the mistake of negotiating against themselves, and shares some thoughts on how to ensure this doesn’t happen to you. For example, you shouldn’t be the first one to offer up the salary figure you want, and you should always decline to offer your current salary — it’s illegal in many states for prospective employers to ask! She notes that when companies give offers, they almost always leave room for negotiation, and if you feel like an organization is low-balling you and simply won’t pay you what you’re worth, then it’s probably not the kind of company you want to work for.  Tracy also discusses the importance of “negotiating from day one,” and how you can lay the groundwork for getting a higher salary without ever outright throwing out dollar figures. (She earned more by simply letting her company know upfront that she was her family’s sole breadwinner.)   She also throws out tips for staying safe in a job, including the importance of getting everything in writing. For example, if your boss leaves his or her role, your new one may not agree to any “side arrangements” you had, so always get those in ink so you can continue to enjoy the perks of your role for years to come. Then, in Mailbag, Jean advises a listener on where to get the best returns when you invest and the importance of having a diversified portfolio. She also counsels a woman who is wondering if the periodic credit increases her credit card company offers could possibly damage her credit, and offers advice to a listener struggling to get her husband interested in personal finance and co-managing their household’s money. Lastly, in Thrive, Jean discusses the importance of taking much-needed breaks at work — for a quick phone call, a moment of zen, or a even game of Candy Crush — all while in the bathroom. 

What do the legal sex trade, the surfing world, gambling, and horse trading all have in common? They’re some of the unlikely places economist Allison Schrager has spent years studying risk, and we were blown away by the insight she shares with us this week on risk management and negotiating. Allison, who is also the co-founder of risk advisory firm LifeCycle Finance Partners, gained some of her more interesting takeaways when researching her book, “An Economist Walks Into A Brothel: And Other Unexpected Places To Understand Risk.” She says she was inspired to study the economics of personal finance because she wanted to help make some of life's most necessary economic lessons more accessible. In many cases, all people need to succeed with their finances is education, she says — even something as simple as understanding the dangers of procrastination can help people make better choices. As part of her research for the book, Allison spent time with sex workers and managers at Nevada’s bunny ranch, a legal bordello. There, she learned about the risks these women take, and how we can apply some of their negotiating skills to our daily lives. Allison surveyed the sex workers on what they charge customers, and was impressed by some of the negotiating tactics they employ — rather than having set prices for their services, these women negotiate for each individual transaction. Allison says that these conversations eventually ended up changing her own attitude towards risk. Perhaps hearing 'no' is not that big of a big deal — if you don't hear 'no' regularly, then you're not asking for enough, she advises. When it comes to negotiating in other career fields, Allison advises offering a "menu" of options to your boss so there's no confrontation, and no single demand put in front of them. She also details why your peak earning years as a sex worker are your mid-40s, why we end up taking more risk when we feel safer, and how we can all take a more sophisticated attitude to risk. Then, in mailbag, Jean tackles a quintessential money trade-off question, advises a woman who is underpaid in her field, and guides an Australian couple residing in the U.S. on some of the best investment strategies for expats.

At HerMoney, we’re always interested in hearing about the psychology of money and why we make the choices we make: Why do people continually fail to take action on things that are difficult or uncomfortable for them? Why do we all talk about earning money and spending money, but not saving it?  These are just a few of the questions that Jeff Kreisler, author, comedian, and Editor-in-Chief of People Science, will tackle with Jean on this week’s episode. Jeff is the author of “Get Rich Cheating: The Crooked Path To Easy Street” and co-author of "Dollars and Sense: How We Misthink Money And How To Spend Smarter.” (His co-author for that one is behavioral economist Dan Ariely, who you can catch in episode 85 if you missed it!) Jeff has traveled the world to talk about sunk cost fallacy, solution aversion, and all the ways in which we allow ourselves to make poor financial decisions — despite knowing that we’re doing it. He says that while we can’t change human nature, thankfully we can build systems that will enable us to use our human nature for our own good.  Jeff says there’s a “certain sense of shame” when you feel like you aren’t making all the right financial choices in life, but not knowing what to do with your money is an incredibly common thing — not something to be ashamed of. We all have complex emotions and uncertainty around our financial decisions, but when we face those big questions, the best thing we can do is seek advice from experts, and get on a path towards making changes in our systems and environments and how we do things.  Thankfully, there are some easy behavioral science “tricks and habits” that can help us get out of our own way and conquer our personal finances, Jeff says. One suggestion is to go through your credit card statement — line by line — with someone else and articulate what each expenditure is for. When you have to explain your spending to an objective third party, it forces you to dig deep into questions like, “Did I really need this?” Another strategy is to split your paycheck into two accounts to essentially “trick” yourself into thinking you have less to spend than you really do. “You’re basically hiding money from yourself,” Jeff says. No matter how small the change you make, the important thing is that you’re giving yourself mental nudges to make lifelong changes.  Then, in Mailbag, Jean tackles questions surrounding HYSAs (high yield savings accounts) and where to find the best rates. She also advises a woman who is just dipping her toes into the waters of investing for the first time, and counsels a woman who is just starting her career at 45 after having worked as a stay at home mom for the last 20 years. And lastly, in Thrive, Jean dishes some real talk on Facebook’s new dating platform, “Facebook Dating,” and whether or not you should consider putting yourself out there on the world’s largest social network. 

Over the last few decades, author and journalist Mitch Albom has penned some of the most influential books of our time — Tuesdays With Morrie, The Five People You Meet In Heaven, For One More Day, Have A Little Faith, and Time Keeper, just to name a few. His words have had a profound impact on millions of people worldwide, and many of them have been turned into critically acclaimed movies. This alone would be an incredible resume, but Mitch didn't stop there — he also founded eight charities, many in the Detroit metropolitan area, where he lives with his wife Janine. This week, Mitch sits down with Jean to talk about some of his charitable work, and the path that led him to Chika — a Haitian girl who was born three days before the devastating 2010 earthquake, and was brought to Mitch's 'Have Faith Haiti Mission' in Port-Au-Prince. His relationship with Chika — and his two-year, round-the-world journey to try and find a cure for her illness — is the subject of his new book that came out this month: ‘Finding Chika: A Little Girl, An Earthquake, And The Making Of A Family.’ In this episode, Jean and Mitch discuss what led him to write his new book, and Mitch offers up his thoughts on the most precious thing you can ever give someone, as well as what we can all do with our money to make us happy. Mitch also weighs in on how we can all find our "thing," our passion project or philanthropic endeavor that will help us make a difference in the world. Mitch also discusses how he and his wife have made the financial aspects of their relationship work seamlessly for three decades. Then, in Mailbag, Jean and Kathryn talk saving in your 401(k) vs. paying down credit card debt, 401(k) loans, how to invest or sell stock options provided by your company, and the best ways to boost the contributions to your retirement funds. In thrive, Jean dishes on the double-digit annual gains the Dow is posting, and what long-term investors need to know.

What are you doing in the year 2119? That's the year the American Association of University Women predicts that the gender pay gap will finally close, unless we take steps to bridge the gap sooner. Thankfully, this week's guest, Katica Roy, is here to tell us how we can all do just that. Katica is a gender economist and CEO of software company Pipeline that helps employers manage everything from the hiring process to employee reviews. As a gender economist, Katica looks at the economy through the lens of gender to see where it's working and where it isn't, and today she shares how we can level the playing field for ourselves and our fellow women. Listen in as Katica shares some fascinating (and infuriating) facts about how often women are underpaid, and what corporations can do to help speed change. Katica details research from her company that spanned 4,000 companies and 29 countries, showing that for every 10% increase in gender equity, there is a 1% to 2% increase in revenue to a company's bottom line. She also talks about the sea change she's leading to shift the conversation and get more people thinking about gender equity as an economic opportunity rather than a social issue. Katica shares her tips for getting paid more (along with a personal story!) as well as tips on how to negotiate, and details on how the gender wage gap impacts women of color and non-binary womxn. She and Jean also discuss how women are being adversely impacted by the pink tax. "When we talk about the gender pay gap, we talk about money coming into women's wallets, but the pink tax means more money is coming out of our wallets when we pay for everyday items," she says, explaining how women pay an average of 7% more than men for things like razors and shampoo. Lastly, in Mailbag, Jean tackles questions about dating and debt, what to do with old retirement accounts, and how to manage asset allocation if you're part of the FIRE movement. In Thrive, Jean dives into the expense of campus visits and what to do with your teen to ensure you aren't spending too much on college before you've even paid your first tuition bill.

This week Jean sits down with Shelley Emling, Editor-In-Chief at AARP’s The Girlfriend, to talk all things Gen-X women and how they can get back on track for retirement.  Gen-X women feel ignored by brands, and feel that most of the talk around investing and career advancement is focused on either Millennials or Boomers. Jean and Shelley tackle what Gen-X women can do to get off the sidelines and build the self-confidence they need to ask for raises and make empowered financial decisions.  Jean also answers some of the most commonly-asked questions from readers at AARP’s TheGirlfriend, and tackles what to do (and what not to do) when you’re taking those first steps to regain control of your financial life.  Lastly, in Mailbag, Jean dishes on the best way to manage credit cards while keeping your credit utilization rate low, and advises a woman who is considering moving money in her 401(k) and selling stocks. In Thrive, Jean talks about open enrollment and how to choose the right health insurance plan for you and your family.  If you're not subscribed to the podcast, you're missing out on juicy tidbits from some of the most accomplished women in the world!

Are you ready to cozy up by the warm glow of the FIRE movement? The acronym stands for Financial Independence, Retire Early, and it’s a topic we love covering here at HerMoney. Over the years we’ve broken it down with some incredible guests including Jamila Souffrant, Grant Sabatier, Jonathan Mendoza, Brad Barrett, and Vicki Robin.  This week, we sit down for some one-on-one time with Scott Rieckens, author of Playing With Fire, and producer of the recent documentary by the same name. Scott walks us through his journey into the FIRE movement, and how he learned to prioritize his spending and saving goals. As an Emmy-nominated film and television producer and entrepreneur, Scott was inspired to explore the FIRE movement on the big screen when he discovered there was a lack of educational videos on the topic.  Retiring early was a goal for Scott (as it is for many of us) but the FIRE movement goes well beyond that — it's about taking control of your finances once and for all, and reducing the stress that can arise when we feel like we aren't in control of our money. The concepts around FIRE are simple, Scott tells Jean — and you don’t have to be an investing expert (or even the biggest fan of the FIRE movement) to get something out of the basic lessons. "Whether it’s the absolute best way to go or not isn’t really the point,” he says. “To me, it was just a matter of, ‘Okay, now I have the framework on how to get started.’” Scott cites Mr. Money Mustache, and Vicki Robin as major influences on his journey, along with the book, The Simple Path to Wealth by JL Collins.  Scott tells Jean that he was led to explore the FIRE movement when he began to feel like he was squandering the money he was earning. “We were working so hard for our money, but we weren’t letting our money work hard for us,” he says. “We have a responsibility to our money, and I didn’t feel like I was doing my part with my daily Starbucks, or buying the latest ‘new shiny object.’ I knew these things weren’t the path to happiness, but I didn’t know any other way.”  When they first joined the FIRE movement, Scott says he and his wife were out to see how far they could push their savings rate. Then, they decided to see what was “uncomfortable,” and that took them to the next level. “All of a sudden we realized we could live off one income, we could invest, and we had an emergency fund saved,” he says.  In Mailbag, Jean advises a woman on credit card usage and selection, and answers a question about taking a job you're overqualified for in order to get your foot in the door at a good company. Jean also advises a woman who’s between jobs on health insurance options, including COBRA and short-term health plans that can be purchased from the marketplace. Lastly, in Thrive, Jean dishes on why people aren't checking their credit score as often as they were in years past, and why that could be a big mistake.