Million Bazillion

Hey, Million Bazillionaires! We just wrapped up the latest season of the show and are already working on the next one. In the meantime, we’re bringing you a special feature from our friends at Story Pirates. In this episode, you’ll hear two fun stories: “The Ghost That Launched a Business,” a terrifying tale about entrepreneurship, written by Jesse, a 9-year-old from the UK, and “Julius Caesar: The Guinea Pig, Not the Famo...

Bridget and Ryan get swept up in a cyberpunk adventure as they try to answer Cooper’s question about how online data thefts can lead to real world consequences for your bank account. With the help of longtime friend of the program, Scam Slammer Host Brenda Hammer, the duo travel inside the internet to follow the trail of our digital bread crumbs, and see how advertisers and fraudsters get to know more about us than we migh...

Bridget and Ryan get a question from listener Deji - who wants to know, how much debt is too much debt? Before they can answer, the pair run into Ghost Pirate Blackbeard, who has the same question! Together, they learn more about debt, and what everyone, even a ghost pirate, needs to know before borrowing money.

If your family is interested in learning more about the questions we answered in this episode, check out o...

Listener Cecilia wrote in to ask: “Why does organic food cost more than non organic food?” And she's right! Certified organic foods do usually cost more than other options. Bridget and Ryan dive into the question with the help of Stephanie Hughes, Marketplace's reporter on the organic farming beat. Ryan's inspired to try his own hand at organic farming ... but will his crops be able to survive an attack of horn worms, a st...

In the latest episode of Million Bazillion, listener Shreen wanted to know, “How do you become a CEO?” No spoilers, but after Ryan and Bridget’s adventure in attempting to become CEOs themselves, Shreen still had some questions about how a successful CEO gets their job, and what they do all day. In this special bonus episode, Shreen interviews Christina Stembel, CEO of Farmgirl Flowers to find out more about what it’s real...

Being a CEO is a big job and 9-year-old Shreen is wondering how to become one! On today’s episode, Bridget and Ryan learn about the different paths people take to be the boss and what it really means to lead a company. (Hint: its not just about meetings and fancy suits). And, guess what? Even CEOs have a boss sometimes, too!

If your family is interested in learning more about the questions we answered in this episode,...

Today, we’re taking it way back to Bridget and Ryan’s first episode together. They’ll work on answering a question that quite a few listeners were wondering about: What are credit cards, besides little pieces of plastic with chips in them? We’ll learn how grownups use credit cards in the first place, and some potential pitfalls of swiping. Then things really get out of hand when the ghost pirates show up.

Check out th...

Bridget and Ryan hit rewind and break out an old-school cassette tape to answer your money questions. You wanted to know: how ATMs work, why the penny’s called the penny and how airlines set ticket prices? So we’re on the case to bring you the answers with an analog twist!

If your family is interested in learning more about the questions we answered in this episode, check out our website. We’ve got discussion question...

This week, Ryan and Bridget are answering a question about why athletes get paid what they do. In this bonus mini-episode of “Million Bazillion,” Bridget and Ryan hear from Colin Hufman, who competed in the 2022 Beijing Olympics with the U.S. curling team. Curling is a sport that’s played on ice, in which players slide granite stones toward a target area. We’ll learn about Colin’s experience earning income as an Olympic at...

“Million Bazillion” listener Alistair wants to know how professional athletes get paid. Bridget and Ryan prepare for the semi-annual Public Radio Foosball Tournament, but their star player is drafted to the opposing team. The hosts have to scramble to assemble players for their dream team in time for the big tournament. In this episode, they learn about labor unions, player trades and statistical analysis strategies used i...

Bridget convinces Ryan to launch a new side business, solving money problems. Today’s problem - a local fifth-grader is facing competition with her slime business from a rival school. Could a tariff help solve her problem? With the help of a not-so-spooky-ghost, they’ll learn what tariffs are, and why they make the price of things go up, and how tariffs can lead to…a trade war.

If your family is interested in learning ...

It’s a new season of “Million Bazillion!” In this episode, Ryan and Bridget dive into the world of lotteries after listener Oskar asked how they work. With the help of a talking stat(istics) cat, they learn just how tricky it is to win big. But like many lottery hopefuls, the pair still buys a ticket with a plan they think will help them beat the odds. Will their idea work? Listen to find out!

If your family is inter...

Hello, Million Bazillionaires!

In the new season of Million Bazillion, Ryan and Bridget head out on even bigger adventures to answer some of the best money questions we’ve ever received:

From the mystery behind the lottery, to explaining tariffs, and how athletes get paid, the ins and outs of ATMs and how to keep your money info safe online, and why organic food costs more than non-organic food. But the fun doesn’...

Hey Million Bazillionaires! Ryan and Bridget are working hard on brand-new episodes for our next season. In the meantime, we're doing something special today. We're sharing an episode from our friends at Marketplace’s podcast for young people, “Financially Inclined.” It's all about negotiation. That means learning how to speak up for yourself, make fair deals and solve problems in smart ways. It's a skill grown-ups use all...

For our final episode of the season, Bridget and Ryan team up with the hosts of “Forever Ago” to tell you about one of the biggest shopping days of the year: Black Friday. While they search for the best gifts for Podcast Host Appreciation Day, they learn how Black Friday started and how stores come up with deals, and they share tips on how to shop smart during the holiday season.

If your family is interested in learnin...

The hosts visit Bridget’s grandma to answer questions from Josephina and Anna about how retirement works. Along with dancing and eating a lot of casserole, they learn about the many ways people save for retirement and how the government helps people pay for things when they stop working. Plus, they help Bridget’s niece understand why it’s important to start saving for retirement early.

If your family is interested in l...

This week, Ryan and Bridget take the stage to perform some greatest hits from the “Million Bazillion” songbook. They’ll revisit some of their favorite songs about why it can be awkward to talk about money, why the United States has its own currency, how to spot a scam and more. Plus, a never-before-heard song from “Million Bazillion: The Musical.” So put on your top hats and sequined ponchos, and get ready to sing alo...

Ryan and Bridget are back in the studio to host another live call-in show to answer the quick but not always easy questions listeners have about money. Together, they break down the difference between credit and debit cards, explain why pennies exist and show you how to spot fake money. But things take a turn when their soundboard develops a mind of its own.

If your family is interested in learning more about any of th...

Million Bazillion listener Kade wants to know why brand-name products cost more than store-brand and generic products. Bridget and Ryan head to a grocery store where they meet a talking can of soup in need of a brand makeover. In this episode, they learn the differences between brand-name products and generics, why we care about brands, and why they’re more expensive.

If your family is interested in learning more about...