For the past couple of months I’ve thought about working on Your American Money again. In fact, you could say that I’ve been feeling “called” to do so. Gas is currently around $4.79 a gallon (or, $5.19 at the weird expensive gas station) in my hometown of Denver, Colorado-the highest I’ve ever seen it in my entire time of living here. Protections that were in place to protect the American people are being actively dismantled and institutional trust is basically gone. That’s on top of all the financial hits that so many people are dealing with. Your American Money in 2026 is messy, for many their money is not stretching far enough and finances are becoming increasingly stressful for a lot of people. So, why did I decide to reboot this project?
It was time.
I remember what it was like supporting my mom for three years on Starbucks money and Student loans after she lost her job and watching her try so hard to get back on her feet again. I’ll never forget how demoralizing it was to be under resourced and just trying to stay afloat. And while that time in my life happened many years ago, the echo of that moment-the pain is in my DNA. For many people who’re trying to make it through this moment it’s hard to imagine if it’s even possible to get back on their feet in the future. Your American Money is a place to be seen, empowered and validated. You’re not the only one going through whatever this is that we’re dealing with right now. This episode is a quick reintroduction to this project.
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What’s Your American Money
Hi, my name is Michelle Jackson and I’m the award winning host of the Your American Money Podcast and website. I love to discuss money from a policy, pop culture and personal power perspective. Stories such as the finances associated with women’s sports leagues, how technology such as AI can impact American jobs and what can Star Trek tell us about current day capitalism?
Then there are additional unexpected conversations such as how to afford to move abroad-I recorded an episode with Stephanie Perry co-founder of the ExodUS Summit who has successfully done that.
Do financial boycotts work? The answer is “Yes” but in a digital society, there’s some unexpected things to consider. More broadly I think about how Your American Money isn’t stretching as far as it used to and what that means for your goals, dreams and financial security. I’m dusting off my mic and getting ready to share stories, resources and space to the financial conversations that influence how we build the financial part of what used to be the American dream.
I started this project many years ago because I wanted to share my story with the hopes that it would be helpful and let people know that they aren’t alone out there trying to figure things. I continued working on this project because I noticed that financial conversations focused on systems, logistics but the talking heads out there rarely seemed to talk about policy. I was asking questions like “How am I supposed to take a vacation and rest if I don’t get federally mandated minimum paid leave?” Like most countries across the world that Americans love to visit. “What are people supposed to do if they can’t afford health insurance and they get sick?” “How do pop culture favorites influence our beliefs about wealth and power?” Your American Money is back and A LOT has changed since my last episode that was published at the beginning of 2025 “How to Design a Boycott Strategy That Works For You” (Yep, I talk about the Target Boycott) but that episode is still relevant today.
One thing about these stressful financial times is that two things can be true-that many people are struggling and that many people seem like they aren’t. I’m also going to talk about that duality of lived experiences and how that impacts everyone’s money now. And don’t forget AI, natural resources and how the concept of “Truth” impacts our money. The goal of these conversations is to leave you feeling seen, empowered and informed. The next few years are looking to be a wild ride financially. Buckle up. I’m back.
Latest posts by Michelle (see all)
- Your American Money in 2026 - 15 June, 2026
- How to Design a Boycott Strategy That Works for YOU - 6 February, 2025
- How Work Policies Against Black Women Birthed a Love of the Soft Life - 20 March, 2024