Short questions with Dana Perino for Jackie DeAngelis

March 07, 2024 at 04:30 AM EST

This week, Dana Perino talks with Jackie DeAngelis of "The Big Money Show" — who shares how she made her first dollar, her best advice for building wealth and what she'd tell her younger self.

You've seen us on screen, but have you ever wondered what we're like off-camera?

For the last few months, I’ve enjoyed checking in with some of your favorite Fox personalities to learn more about who they are behind the scenes.

What's the one thing Jesse Watters couldn’t live without? What's Bill Hemmer’s favorite Halloween costume? And what's sitting on Greg Gutfeld’s nightstand?

But that's not all! The fun is just getting started.

This week, we're excited to shine the spotlight on Jackie DeAngelis, currently a co-host of "The Big Money Show" (weekdays, 1 p.m./ET) alongside Taylor Riggs and Brian Brenberg.

She joined the FOX Business Network (FBN) as a financial correspondent in April 2019.

P.S. We have so much more in store for you. Stay tuned each week for new editions of "Short Questions with Dana Perino" — and if there’s a question you want answers to or a suggestion for the person I should interview next, leave a note in the comments section below.

JDeA: I started on Wall Street, then went to law school. In law school, Jim Cramer hired me to be a part time writer on his show "Mad Money." I loved it so much, I switched my law classes to evenings and started full time at CNBC.

After Jim’s show, I worked in strategic programming and development at CNBC, then I decided I wanted to try reporting. Nothing was available in New York, so — I packed my bags and joined CNBC International and moved to Bahrain.

After reporting on the Arab Spring (great timing!), they brought me back to New York to be a general assignment reporter. I graduated to being an energy specialist, then I came to FOX Business.

JDeA: In high school, I was really interested in photography. Senior year, my photo class did a show in an art gallery and someone actually bought my photo – for $100. It was the only one that sold.

I was so excited I waited a year to cash the check because I just loved looking at it.

JDeA: Favorite board game was Clue, not Monopoly. I actually hated finance! My mom tried to get me interested and boy, did I fight her on it.

But then in college, I had a boyfriend who was all about Wall Street. To impress him, I finally learned!

JDeA: If I were the manager at the end, I’d ask: "I have a lot of good candidates. Why should I hire you?"

JDeA: No, I’m very risk-averse. I would be too scared something would go wrong.

JDeA: Save, save, save!!! If you don’t have money, you can’t invest.

The more money you have, the more you can try to grow it strategically.

People think, "I don’t make a lot, what’s the point?" That’s not true!

JDeA: I’d lose. I can’t cook anything. I always say I’m proud of so many things I can do, but cooking just isn’t one of them.

JDeA: Tetris. There are times when I’m overloaded and need to zone out and I just sit and play that little puzzle game from my childhood.

JDeA: Financial responsibility teaching starts from day one — everything from teaching them the value of a dollar to how to work to make a buck, then how to save it.

I believe our financial future is actually determined in many cases by the example our parents set at home for us.

JDeA: Dana’s book, of course!

JDeA: First off, I take advantage of my 401k and the match, so that comes off the top of my paycheck and I don’t even think about it.

Then I set a budget. I know exactly what comes in every month and what expenses are fixed.

With the rest, I try to save half, if not more. And I always did this, no matter how small my income was. Sometimes that means making hard choices and not doing something. But generally I feel I can do the things I want to do and still save.

JDeA: Stop caring what people think about you!

Easier said than done. But this is freeing. The minute I realized the people that are judging me aren’t paying my bills or walking in my shoes, I became very empowered to make the right choices for myself on a daily basis.

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To read all of Dana Perino's earlier "Short Questions" interviews for Fox News Digital, check out this (long) list!

For her interview with Claudia Cowan, click here.

For her interview with Max Gorden, click here.

For her interview with Jared Cohen, click here.

For her interview with William La Jeunesse, click here.

For her interview with Matt Finn, click here.

For her interview with Rich Edson, click here.

For her interview with Gov. Chris Sununu, click here.

For her interview with Ross Rayburn, click here.

For her interview with Mark Meredith, click here.

For her interview with Emily Compagno, click here.