Elizabeth Renter

Economics, Data analysis, Personal finance

As NerdWallet’s Senior Economist, Elizabeth Renter spends her time analyzing economic trends and data to help people make more informed decisions about their personal finances. Her work has been cited by The New York Times, The Washington Post, the "Today" show, CNBC and elsewhere. Prior to joining NerdWallet in 2014, she was a freelance journalist. She received a Masters of Science in Finance and Economics from West Texas A&M University, and focused her elective coursework on macroeconomics and analytics. When she’s not at work, Elizabeth enjoys college football, old houses, traveling to old cities and powerlifting. She is based in Durham, North Carolina.

Organizations: Investigative Reporters & Editors, American Economic Association, National Association for Business Economics

Elizabeth's picks

A Guide to Travel Credit Cards for Beginners

by Carissa Rawson

Ready to try travel credit cards, but aren't sure where to start? Here are the basics you should know.

Estate Planning Checklist: A 7-Step Guide to Getting Your Affairs in Order

by Connor Emmert, Kay Bell

An estate plan can give you peace of mind that your assets will be distributed according to your wishes when you die.

Money Management: 4 Tips for Mastering Your Finances

Elizabeth has also nerded out in...

Quotes and interviews

The New York Times. What’s Stopping First-Time Home Buyers?.
NBC Richmond. Ways to mitigate credit card use during inflation.
MarketWatch. 4 surprising housing markets where home prices have actually fallen.

Other publications

The New York Times, CNBC, Entrepeneur, USA Today, Yahoo Finance, U.S. News & World Report

The latest from Elizabeth

Survey: Impulse Buys May Be Ruining Some Americans’ Finances

A new NerdWallet survey finds that 22% of Americans have made impulse purchases that have significantly impacted their finances in the past 12 months.

First-Time Home Buyer Affordability Report – Q3 2024

2024 Small Business Report

A new survey of small-business owners reveals their biggest challenges and rewards.

If You’re in Credit Card Debt, Forget About Rewards

More than 1 in 5 Americans (21%) have used a credit card to earn rewards in the past 12 months despite having credit card debt, according to a NerdWallet survey.

Data: Home Improvement Spending Hits $827B

Survey: Majority of Americans Have Money Regrets in 2024

Nearly 7 in 10 Americans (69%) say they have financial regrets for 2024, according to a new NerdWallet survey.

Data: 2023 Spending by Generation

Living Paycheck to Paycheck: A Hardship or Good Budgeting?

More than four in 10 (42%) Americans with household incomes of $100,000 or more say they live paycheck to paycheck.

Smart Money Podcast — How to Make The Fed’s Interest Rate Cut Work for You

Learn about the Chase Sapphire Preferred card’s limited time sign-up bonus and understand the impact of Federal Reserve interest rate changes.

Survey: Many Gift-Buying Parents Pressured to Overspend This Holiday Season

NerdWallet’s holiday spending survey finds that parents of minor children have plans to spend big on gifts and travel this upcoming holiday season.

2024 Holiday Spending Report

NerdWallet’s annual holiday shopping and travel survey shows that spending is up for both categories this year, but some are still paying off their debt from last year’s holiday expenses.

Smart Money Podcast — Election Economics: How Can Presidents Really Impact Your Pocketbook?

Learn what powers the president does and does not have to influence the economy and your wallet.

2024 State of Banking Report

NerdWallet’s latest banking survey finds that some Americans opened new savings accounts in the past 12 months, with higher interest rates being a top motivator for doing so.

4 Social Media Money Trends Worth Knowing About

The Economic Sentiment and Data Divide

Why people feel bad when the economy is good.