Charged Up! with Jenny Hoff

Pay your mortgage off in 5 years, reduce your car payments, make 8 percent on your savings instead of zero percent in the bank - veteran financial journalist Jordan Goodman, "America's Money Answers Man," says these aren't ploys but legitimate tools most people aren't taking advantage of. Instead of the typical advice to save 6 months salary and skip the daily latte, Jordan offers some unique tips to upping your money game and paying down your debt fast. So, let's get charged up about learning how to make more and owe less with America's Money Answers Man!

Frustrated with figuring out credit card reward schemes and wanting to give back to organizations he cared about, Stephen Garten set his mind to create his own credit card. After teaming up with Mastercard, he developed Charity Charge, a card that gives 1 percent back of every purchase to the charity of your choice. Garten talks to us about the struggles to making his card dream become a reality, his mission going forward and his solution for the conscious consumer. So, let's get Charged Up! about learning how to give back with our credit card!

Your spending habits have changed dramatically over the last 15 years and it's not by accident. In his book, "The Deals That Made World," BBC journalist, author and film maker Jacques Peretti outlines exactly what went down behind the scenes to move us from a cash based to a cashless society. Trends aren't always by accident and new habits are often pre-designed. So, let's get charged up! about learning how certain deals changed the way we live our lives!

If you've ever said "This is the year I get my financial life in order," you're not alone. New York Times writer John Schwartz made that exact statement and turned it into a book, chronicling his journey from financially confused to financially sound. Between writing a will, adding more to his 401(k) and getting a handle on all of his investments, he came out of the year with a weight off his shoulders and his financial life in order. So, let's get Charged Up! about making this year we finally get our own financial lives in order!

Managing credit card rewards can be time-consuming and confusing. Hear from CreditCards.com columnist Tony Mecia on the best cards to get, what to expect from your rewards, how to get more mileage out of your miles and when you can close a card you no longer use. So, let's get Charged Up! about getting the lowdown on credit card rewards!