Hey, hey, hey, we're back and we're black and we're brown. So today I broke down and I went to the orthodontist. Ooh, orthodontist.
Wait a second, did the commenters get to U tif wow?
Yes and no. So I've always so for those who don't know, I actually I had bracest when I was a kid, well, you know, like typical teens. I don't know. I probably was like thirteen, fourteen, fifteen that age. But I suffer from something well I don't know if it's suffer. It's called thunk tongue thrust. It's like sucking your thumb, but not your thumb. Instead, it's your tongue. And so your tongue pushes your pushes forward and you I won't even notice that I'm doing it. So I do it
in my sleep, I do it when I'm awake. I've done it since I was literally an infant. When I was a kid, my parents tried to get me to stop, but there's like nothing you can do because your tongue is in your mouth. And so because of that, whatever the bracist did before, my tongue totally like undid that and did some more damage. And I went to an orthodontist maybe years ago, and I was like, oh, you know, I want to get bracest again, probably in like my
twenties or something. And they're like, well, it's not going to make any sense because your tongue threats is just going to push your teeth back out. So I never went back. I just you know, went to the regular dentist. And then something said just ask So I actually actually even considered veneers. So I'd gone to a like a cosmic what is it, cosmetic dentist and they were like, no, we don't think that's a fit for you. You should go back to an orthodontist. I think that other guy was wrong.
So I did today and I went to this awesome place. They were honestly so good. I mean, first of all, these millennials. I mean I walked in Mandy, I'm like, am I in a coffee shop? That's what it looked like. The orthodoxis. It was so cute. They had, first of all, Joanna Gaines has gotten to everyone. They had ship lap on the walls. Can you imagine, Oh my god, yes, ship lap. So no, it wasn't where was this place. It was like in Harrison or something like that, but
it was super cute. Honestly, they were so professional, Like I had never the way they did X rays, the way they took pictures, I had never. I had never gone through a process that was so easy and like pleasant. I mean, no one thinks of the orthodontist and things pleasant, but honestly it was really pleasant. It was called n A North Arlington Orthodontist Orthodontics, North Arlington. Yeah, and so my doctor, doctor Jessica, she was awesome and she was like,
I know exactly what you have. After she looked at my pictures, she said, you have tongue thrust. It's not uncommon. It's fishing your teeth out. And I was like, yeah, so is it. I mean, She's like, we could fix it. I'm like, but it's gonna go back right. She was like no. She's like you, like, do you want bracelets?
I was like no. She was like, I think a visil line is the best route for you anyway, which I'm like, yes, that's like the tray, like you know, like you can't even see them when people have them on. It's like them in visil line. Yeah.
They my dentist has mentioned it to me a couple of times in the past.
Yeah, you don't have anything, nothing's wrong with your teeth.
That's why I was suspicious, man, But I think anyway, continue But yeah, in vezil line, most like a lot of dentists offer it now. It's like the little clear plastic case that goes over your teeth, right.
Mm hmm, And so depending on how So, like a friend of mine had in visil line, but her teeth. Honestly, I was like, why do you have a visiline? Your teeth are like perfect. So it was literally just a few months for her to straighten out her teeth, and for me, she said probably a year to a year and a half. And so what happens is you get they they she they use it. They don't even do a mold because they're fancy. They do a laser thing.
And so they they're going to get the perfect shape of like my like mold of my mouth with this laser, and they're going to get trays made. And what will happen is you'll wear a tray for however many weeks or months until like your your teeth adjust. Then you'll get the next set of trays that then adjust your teeth again. And you keep you keep progressively getting trays that are closer and closer to the ideal shape of your teeth or ideal shape of I guess your bite
or whatever. And I was like wow, and so yeah, and so she was like, you wear them twenty two hours a day. Basically, you just take them off to eat and brush your teeth and that's it. And so what the thing that really made me happy was that she was like, I said, well, what about my tongue thrust and there's just kind of push my teeth back out and she said, no, we could put a bonded wire behind your teeth once they're where they're supposed to be, and it's like a wire like you know, like behind
my teeth. You would never know, but it will keep my tongue because the wire is stronger than my tongue. It'll keep my tongue from pushing my teeth back out. And she said, but so she would suggested I continue to wear whatever the last tray or whatever trade they gave me is at night, like as a retainer at night, and she was like, you by then, you'll be so used to it. You just put it in before you go to sleep. And you know, your teeth will stay in place. And I was like, where have you been
on my life? I'm excited to do it, honestly, because here's the thing, like I I'm typically not I don't know. I like, I was a really self conscious kid, and like I wouldn't say early twenties, like teens and early twenties, like really self conscious about my looks, like about my skin color, about the way the texture of my hair, about everything. And then somewhere in like my mid to late twenties, I was like, I don't give a what
and I did it honestly. And then in my thirties it was just like whatever, I mean, I never had any lack of dates or whatever. So it but when you become more in the public eye, I'm not gonna lie.
I don't get I would say ninety nine point literally nine percent of like comments are positive, but definitely you get someone who has something funny to say about my smile, and you know, and then too, I'm doing more and more TV so I can see myself more where normally I'm not someone who's always in the mirror, so I'm not looking at myself. So I just said, well, Tiffany if it bothers you and the budget, Lisa can pay
for it. I already reached out to my accountant and she said he said yes, because I'm getting it specifically really to present a cleaner picture for for TV and speaking all that kind of stuff, so I can have my business paid for it. And also to the orthodontist that she said a lot of times that the companies will pay for because I guess they get like, I don't know TV personalities in there as well, and she said, yes, that happens a lot. So there's that. I'm actually excited
about it. They work really fast. She was like, we could take the mold today, or we could take the lasers today. And I was like, m let me because at the time I had not called my accountant. So I said, well, I don't want to swipe my card and I'm not. I'm not, you know, even though it's my company. I don't want to obviously be chased down by the I R S. So I'm actually going next Monday and then within two to four weeks I have my first tray. Isn't that crazy?
So how much is the invisil line? Like if you were to pay out of pocket?
So I actually had well, I'm gonna pay out a pock because like I try to use my husband's insurance. This is what I thought I was going to pay myself, and it was to be clear because I'm going to have them longer than maybe the average person because I have a lot more shifting to do. So my friend who got her, she hadn't had a fee a few months. She didn't have to pay it this much because she didn't have hers as long. So I'm just going to share in total. This includes because I asked her about
teeth whitening as well, So this includes teeth whitening. And the 's a lot. It's five thousand, two hundred and sixty dollars. You have to put down an initial down payment this is for me fifteen hundred or which is this is what I'm going to do, and then thirteen months of payments of two hundred and eighty nine dollars and twenty four cents. But I said, I'm not going to do that. Instead, I'm going to pay in full, and I'm going to join what's called the coffee Club members.
That means that if you come in for your checkups at nine am, I guess that's when or nine thirty am or two thirty pm Monday through Friday. So I guess that's like, you know, they're like off peak times, which I can do since I work for myself and this place is only like ten minutes to my house. I will say five hundred and twenty six dollars, so paying in full and going during off peak times, so for me, it's going to be forty seven, one hundred thirty four dollars.
Interesting, I've never heard of dentists giving you a discount for coming off pick. That's cool, I know, right, and.
I know so I'm actually you know, like I said, I'm I'm excited and so you can get I guess you get three years worth of trades, so like just in case like something that's to take or I'm not using it properly or whatever. But honestly, I'm excited about it because I didn't realize like I could literally if I would have gotten my laser today, maybe I could have had them in in like two weeks. I'd be like, hm, hmm before Christmas. You know what, I'm going to happen
before Christmas. But it's just crazy how the lesson for me is asking the question because someone told me no, And then for the last you know, three or four years, I never questioned it. And I could have, and not that I would have, like I necessarily would have gotten it, but at least I would have. I never even had it as an option in my mind. I said, it's not an option. Someone told me no. So I'm excited because when we just wait until I get my grill all the way together, you know, tell me.
Nothing your grill well, as long as it's for your happiness and you're doing it to make yourself happier or not because the haters told you to which I'm I'm sure you're not, because I think your smile is beautiful, just the way it is.
Ye. Drenda's like, I'm gonna Drina. If you guys know my best friend. She said, I'm gonna miss your little gaps. I was like, I'm not, no, like no, no, honestly, no, I don't. I mean, like I said, I I don't hate the way I look like, you know, but I definitely would feel more comfortable, So I mean excited about it. I'm not going to get plastic surgery. It's not like next up skinned.
Oh god, Jesus. I was just about to say I would never say never about classic surgery because I'm like, I don't know what gravity is going to do to me. I'd like to keep the option open, you know, for any nips and tucks when I'm in my I mean, I feel like, when you're in your forties and fifties and sixties, like, who cares you paid your dues, You've made your money, nip and tuck all you want, boo, Like,
I'm I'm totally leaving that door open for myself. I mean, do you know what kids do to your boobs?
I'm scared. I'm not gonna lie, you know what it is. I think. I feel like the only reason why I took Classic Soldier off the table is because I'm scared. I don't even I don't even want to get a tattoo.
But at that, when you're like in your fifties and sixties, like you've lived a good life, you know, you know, why not take a little bit, take a little bit of a risk you've had killing then why not? You know, I'm just leaving the door open for my for my future self.
If I have twins, I'm gonna be like, uh, while we're here because I'm not having no work. Kids, Just go hand on and do that. Tell me texts, we're here already, Like, that's what I'm saying, right, I could see myself doing that if you.
Can survive childbirth? What's a tummy tuck?
Evocle?
Did I mention anything about a pet? I was looking for a good segue because we got some really funny responses from our listeners after last week's show. We were talking about how the like millennials, because they buy fancy dog food and like cat food for their pets now, have driven up the price and made it harder for like the old kind of kibbles and bits type of you know, your mama's cat food and dog food companies to like survive today they've beenqun it harder for them anyway.
So we asked listeners, you know, how much do you spend on your pet? We want to hear your stories. I gotta read you this message from we got two cent so listener Amelia with an a. She said, so I got my cat for free on craigslist. Okay, I'm with you, but anytime we go to the vet, I pay for him to get IV fluids fifty dollars. She does not mention why he needs iv flush, but apparently, apparently Fluffy is very dehydrated.
Fry.
I paid for him to get fifty dollars ivy fluids, even if he doesn't need it, so that he's well hydrated. I also get him trimmed twenty dollars, nails trimmed fifteen dollars, and some cat Xanax forty dollars so he can relax and take a long nap when we get home. I buy him prescription food. It gets sixty dollars a month, and he only drinks filtered water because I don't want chemicals or minerals building up in his body. Dot dot
dot it continues. He also has a two hundred dollars carrier that's for hiking, but she says I bought it for evacuations. I live in California's big fire zones, and he has his own emergency kit. Oh my god, I don't know what to say.
Well, I mean, like now the emergency kit, and like the carrier, okay, but like like Fluffy is drinking the water he needs to drink. I mean cats are like if I'm thirsty, I shall drink that's crazy.
I'm not in mineral water. I mean to each her own. I just you know, no judgment zone. We said, shares your stories, no judgments.
Ohah, no judgment. I mean let me real it on back.
Okay, god do you but cat's dan x No, but for real cat like my dog, he used to take half a He had to take half a a clariton every day because he had allergies. Like pets take human medicine and it's it's it costs, like human medicine costs too.
So I didn't know that cats take human medicine.
They can if they have anxiety. And just like Fluffy here, I made up the cat's name. I don't know the cat's name. Forty dollars an x so he can relax and take a long nap on me get home, because it's stressful getting ivy fluids and your hair traids.
I don't cats like what is his life of mind? I love it.
Listener Martisia said that she's listening to the most recent pot Cash. She says, Luckily we've not had to spend a crazy amount of money on her family's pug, which she's had for ten years. She says, but like anything else. Owning a dog is a financial decision, but owning a pet adds an emotional component. They're not humans, but when faced with a decision about their health, more than likely you would pay. So make sure you understand the financial
responsibility involved. Keep on top of their health to avoid major expenditures. Thanks for the question. Okay, Martitia, come in with the realness. I mean, if preventative care is important, so you know, keeping the dog healthy and groomed and all that stuff, I guess it can save you money down the line.
Yeah, I mean I'm not even you know, like you're right. I mean I had a cat and even though like I wasn't like super fancy because I didn't have any money and I was a teenager, it was it was expensive. I remember, I remember like having to like I wanted to get her neutered Spade or I don't know, she was a girl, so I don't know if there's a difference between Spade and neuter, but yeah, and it was like a few hundred dollars or a couple hundred dollars,
and like it was. I remember my dad really wanted to teach me responsibility because I wanted a got so bad. And I remember thinking, like and I got the cheap's like no name, like whatever food. She haded that food so much she went out. She was killing mice in the in the in the the the forest we had like we lived by like some woods. I'm like, oh, so you sho just go ahead on and find your own food. Huh all this good food I got for you?
So yeah, Like my poor cat did not even have like you know how like cats have like the I guess the litter box. Who had money for a little box? I had one of the silver trays.
You know, I was thirty.
I didn't have any money. I was like, I'm gonna get you one as soon as I say, with my next allowance. So yeah, no, but I mean eventually, you know, we upgraded her. But then she ran away to go live with the neighbors, and I said, okay.
Well good bye, because she was living like a cat hobo. She take pan. Oh my, was like, this is not the American dream.
I remember she used to like literally run away for like weeks, and we like, where did you go? It turned out she was living with the names. I guess she was trying them out. And then one day I was walking by. I thought she ran away, and I was like, well, what happens? And I walk by and I hear her me out so familiar. I look in the window and she's in the neighbor's house looking at me like, just say, hi, girl, don't worry about me. I'm good with a new collar and everything all inside
the house. Because my dad hated for her to be like inside too much, I'd have to seek her in. So I just said, you know what, you look like. You look well fed, You look good, girl, You look good.
That's funny. That's brown ambition right there, cat ambition. She got out of a bad situation.
She said, she upgraded her life. Yes, so it's time fuck question Johns questions questions to begin? Any good questions? Will we always get good questions?
Always? We have a few good questions this week? Which one shall I pick my first victim?
Dun? Dun, dun.
How about this from a new listener. Her name is I'm going to pronounce me to try and pronounce this. It's a pretty name. Okay, She says, I'm a new listener and I love the podcast. I have a loaded question, but I'll try to simplify it. I'm a medical professional, thirty four years old, earning approximately approximately one hundred and twenty thousand dollars a year. I want to know if
a financial planner would be good for me. My goal is to pay off my one hundred and twenty five thousand dollars student loan debt and start saving for retirement. But I have a few hurdles. I'm paying off two cars, and I want to remodel my house soon. I'll also be paying for my son's college tuition. Help where do I start?
Can you list some of the things again that she has financially.
So, she's a medical professional making one hundred and twenty thousand dollars solid salary, and she wants to know if she needs a financial planner. Basically, she has one hundred and twenty five thousand dollars a student loan debt, but at the same time she wants to start saving for retirement and remodel her house. But in addition to having that one hundred and twenty five thousand dollars student loan debt, she also so has two cars apparently she's paying off.
I'm gonna guess maybe one belongs to her teenage son. So she wants to know, well, a financial planner help her kind of get a handle on things so she feels like she's saving for the future and also paying down her Debtah.
I mean, well, honestly, I think a financial a financial professional is always a good idea, honestly because if you have questions, I feel like, you know, I've been struggling to find like the perfect one. Just because you can make a lot of money, But it doesn't mean that you don't need to just kind of tap someone on the shoulder and ask for some professional advice, because to me, it just sounds like you need someone to help organize in what order do you want to put your financial priorities.
There's no judgment on that. It's just like asking kind of like, well, what's most important and then putting it in an order and then working on it in that particular order based upon what you're what your goals are. It sounds like to me that the least not I want to say least important, but maybe least kind of like urgent is the house renovation, because I'm assuming of the cars, she's paying the car off or she's getting.
A fixed paying two cars off two and she wants to start saving for her son's college. This is like a classic example. I feel like what a lot of people in their mid thirties are going through right now, and she has a kid on top of it, is like, I have this debt, but I also have my future and I mean kid's future to figure out how do
I start? I think this is exactly this is exactly when you'd want to bring in a financial professional because I mean, we can sit here and try and help you prioritize, but financial professional is actually going to look at everything with your entire financial picture. And especially for me, what's been nice for my financial planner is she helps me.
She helps give me perspective on She always reminds me the reality of my finances and reminds you that I'm not actually broke in destitute like I think I am in my brain. And she also shows me how to make the money work for me and how to strategically
shift priorities around. And you know, you may be overlooking some methods or some options that you have to help you pay off your debt or help you finance a remodel of your house affordably that maybe a financial planner can help you find those options that maybe you can't you haven't been able to think about because you're juggling, you know, so many things. So I think it's a good idea.
I thought, you want to make sure that you're taking care of your your your retirement, like I don't want you to not have that that's critical.
Yes, and certainly saving for retirement before you you know, put money away from your kid as typically advice, but again financial professional, good idea. I found my planner through x Y Planning Network which I think it's x Y Planning Network dot com.
But google it.
I'll put a link to it in the show notes if you want to check them out. That's where I found my planning. I think their planner network. It's basically a network of planners to specialize or who have experience working with people in generation X or Y hence a name, and you might be able to find someone there or ask around to friends see if they have anyone they
could refer you to. As far, the best thing about what I like about x Y Planning is the planners there are fee only, so they typically charge a flat monthly rate for their services and you don't have to you know, you don't have to worry about hourly or you know, getting some sort of percentage of your future
earnings tied to their pay. Their their fee only, fee based, and they typically will charge maybe upfront for the financial plan if you if you want one, or they'll give you a flat rate for a conversation or some sort of advice counseling session.
Mm hmm.
Thanks for your question.
That is a very good question. I wish more people, you know, thought to seek outside help because I think people feel like, as an adult, I should know, and I'm like, no, well do you know how to speak Mandarin? They're like no, I'm like exactly, because some one taught you. So if someone didn't teach you, then you don't have to know automatically. Seeking help is really a good idea when it comes to your money.
CO sign one hundred percent. Okay, this last question, this is specifically when I think TI if you can definitely answer. It also comes from someone who says that she's been stalking you for years. I think she means that in a non creepy way. This anonymous listener says, I've been stalking you for years. I really appreciate your transparency and your journey due to life situations and unforeseen circumstances. She says, I am back at a nine to five after being
an entrepreneur. This is really hard. My personalities, my personality tests always say I'm an entrepreneur. My question is do you have any suggestions on how I can adjust back to nine to five life? What benefits do I need to take advantage of from a company? Do I keep my free healthcare or buy into the companies? Also? How do I ignore my entrepreneurial or urges and just work. It's so scary to think that this corner office will be my space for a few years or more.
Well, I guess the question is do you have to? I mean I didn't get more. Well, thanks first of all for the lovely stalking. You know I don't mind it, But I mean, so, here's the question is that I'm not sure why you had to go back. Is it because you're paying off debt? Is it because you know your business maybe didn't do as well? So because it might be the option. This is what I recently told my sister because she's really wanting to. She styles me and she like buys all my clothes, but she also
has been styling my friend's photo shoots. And she's really good. She works really hard. It's not easy. It's not just hey, where this. It's like going to the mall, buying and putting together like sixteen different outfits, tagging them, taking picture like it's a lot. And so she really wanting to do this, and she's gotten opportunities. But she's got a regular full time job, which is actually an alignment. She's
a buyer. But she's realizing she's at a cusp now because she's getting opportunities that are happening more and more during her full time job hours. And what I told her was to get what I call a waitressing job, it's not actually waitressing. Well, one thing I told her is that she has to decrease her living expenses. And so that's one of the things she's gonna do. She's actually considered. I'm so sure she's listening, like all my business, Tiffany, all of it. I told her. She's had her beautiful
apartment for like a number of years. She's going to give that apartment up and look for something less expensive.
I told her. I even told her, like when me and Superman to finish renovating because we have a second floor, a bedroom with its own bathroom that she could stay with us for a number of months and now have to pay you in and save and in that time of reducing her expenses finding that waitressing job, which is just a it's just basically a gig, meaning a job that pays the bills but allows you the flexibility to go after your dream. And so that's what she's doing now.
So I'm asking that because I'm like, do you is there a reason that you have to that have this nine to five job? And if there is, then you can still have an entrepreneurial spirit. Like look at Mandy, you can still have an entrepreneurial spirit within your nine to five. I don't think that you ought to kill you know, your entrepreneur dream. It's just how can you do that where you are? And you know, I know what it's like not to have any insurance. I only
have insurance now because I'm married. But gobble it up. I mean, like, get every teeth tooth clean, you know, go to the guy, know goes through the eye doctor. Just get everything done. But yeah, just consider figuring out how to make the most of it, how to make the job on your own if you must stay there, and if you don't have to stay there and you want to get back in the entrepreneur game, consider, reconsider how you can find something that will allow you to do both.
Yeah, and I hope that you found a job that encourages entrepreneurial spirits and has ways to help you work on special projects if you want to one thing, that one thing that I've heard companies do and it's something that I thought about doing for my team here, I'm trying to as we get bigger and we're we're able to have enough people on staff so people have more time.
Is to to tell your you know, tell people take five percent of your day, like I don't know how much with that percentage comes out to you, like half an hour or something. And and think big like you know, read read stories, think about a big idea, think about a big project that you'd like to see happen. And then once a month or to give them an opportunity to pitch an idea for something they'd like to own. And maybe if you're at a company like that, you
can start looking for ways. I mean you're just settling into a new job, but start looking for ways that maybe you can scratch that itch of wanting to own your own project or lead your own team. But you know, only you can figure out if it's going to be a good fit for you long term. And I don't you know, you definitely don't want to, you know, wake up a few years from now and then really regret giving up on, you know, a business idea that you had, or or a business that you had that you struggle
to get off the ground. Keep keep at it. Like I mean, Tiff, I think how long did it take you to get budget needs to to like a profitable place where you could say, Okay, this business is gonna feed my family for years to come. It takes a while, all right.
Yeah, So, like I actually registered the Budgetee in two thousand and eight, did nothing for like really two years. Well two and eight, I did nothing. Two thousand and nine I volunteered a lot just to figure out what was I even delivering. Twenty ten I started to get I'm serious, And that's when I was making about five
thousand dollars a year. But the bugisa so twenty ten nothing, twenty eleven nothing, twelve nothing, thirteen, Hey, I can pay this five hundred dollars a month room that I'm renting twenty fourteen, you know a little bit better. It really didn't start making a decent amount of money until I would say twenty sixteen, when I was like, okay, I think I was like in the either the low six figures or high five figures, so not a tremendous amount of money. And then it started to do you know better,
Now we're now we're seven figure. We were seven figures last year, double that this year, still seven figures and on tasks to be eight figures in two thousand and nine. Team. But think about that, that's like what six years of like not really making enough, and you know, so it's
and it's not abnormal. Honestly, I have so many friends who are entrepreneurs, and it's the only thing, honestly that kept me going because I thought maybe something's wrong with me, because you read all these stories about people who grew a billion dollar business in six months. But when you speak to like regular day to day entrepreneurs, you start to realize that that's part of the journey. But you
learn to find the joy in the journey. So even when I wasn't making a lot, it wasn't just about that I was trying to create something that was going to help women, so I and living simply didn't bother me because I'd lost everything during the recession anyway, So I'm like, I've been broke, broke, this is this has broke light. You know, at least I have a room versus like sleeping with my parents in my parents' house. So yeah, I finding something that can you could keep
pushing even during the rough times. It is critical when it comes to entrepreneurship, if you ask me, But yeah, it can certainly take their people ten years in that are still struggling and they don't give up because they really believe in their vision. You know, the guy what is that, Oh, a Kickstarter? This is great. I forget the gentleman's name that started it. It like he didn't even get started for eight years. He worked on the
website eight years before he even launched. Can you imagine eight years and then he launched kickstarter and then it did well, But eight years of just driving things down on a piece of paper. So just know that, you know, that's part of the journey sometimes for some people, for many people.
That reminds me of Ava Duvernet, who she like was doing a Twitter thread recently and she talked about how she didn't do her first movie until she was well into her thirties and really only found success now she's in her forties and she's kind of a household name. But it took took a while. I gobble stories like that up just to get through, Like even through my twenties. I was like, please tell me someone else, you know,
he hasn't had to figure it out either. And I would say, I definitely have an entrepreneurial spirit, and yet I'm at a corporation. I'm a nine to fiver. But I'll tell you how why I'm happy and perfectly content
where I am. And it's one I'm able. I have the flexibility to launch something of my own with this podcast a few years ago, and you know, my company has supported that and let me continue doing This is my baby, our baby, and this is entirely our own independent projects, and I've been able to do that on
the side. Also, I found that working for a startup really scratched that itch for me because it made me feel like I was no. I wasn't the entrepreneur, the co founder of the company, but I came in I was like employee number four, and I was an integral part of growing the company, getting us acquired had equity. I felt like I was a part of growing something
and building something, and I continued to feel that way. So, you know, if you're out there and you want the sustainability of a nine to five, but maybe something that also lends itself to entrepreneurialism, working for a smaller startup in a growing industry is one way to do it. And I'm not going to lie to you and pretend like I had it all figured out and I was completely sure it was all going to work out for me when I joined the startup that I did a
couple of years ago. I mean, I was sweating a hord hord horde for a while a while, but I took the I took the leap and luckily it worked out, but that it definitely made me feel like a bit it scratched that it's for me of like a little bit of riskiness, but still you know, able to put food on the table, and I'm fortunate that that's been
working out for me. And I hope that you've I hope that you're at a place at least where you feel like you can spread your wings a little bit and still be entrepreneurial, even though it's not the maybe the vision you had of your of your career at this point in time. But hang in there. Thank you for your question, good questions.
These are are questions. That's the new one.
I like that Save it again.
I don't even know these are questions. It's it's the Usher song, but I don't know the rest of the words.
There's not enough syllables in questions. That song is called Confessions.
I know. Oh, I'm turning into my father, messing up. Well, you're probably too young. But there's a song called from Madonna, Papa, don't preach. You know that song? I mean, yes, well you know you I mean girls. Right. So meanwhile, when I was a kid, my dad was like, oh, I like that song by dad Madonna. And I'm like, oh what he said, you know this song copper tone I mean love. I'm like, wait, what, excuse me? What's sir? This man said copper tone cream. And it's clear by
the way that I butcher songs. I am his daughter and I'm becoming him copper tone cream.
He thought it was a nice jingle for some sunscreen. You need to do that story worse for your dad's stat I need to hear his story.
Ye, I do, I do. I am gonna do it because I'm like yes, because these stories are amazing copper tone cream. I'll never forget he was singing it like just with joy during his heart and and just sureness and confidence in his voice.
Oh damn. Okay, Well, you guys can send us your confessions or questions at Brian Ambition Podcasts at gmail dot com, or hit us up at Brianambision podcast dot com. Ask us Okay, I was.
I can ed.
I can edit out those awkward pauses. It's okay, thank you, don't through the jingle.
Wait is that for me? Dot com? Yeah?
I mean you started us. You almost like create the problem for me. I feel like whenever I say dot com, I gotta wait, give you a give you an opening anyhow, Brianimission podcast dot com. Ask us anything, Send us your questions, send us your holiday stories, send us your what you're grateful for this year? Maybe that's a good prompt for next next episode. What are you grateful for in twenty eighteen? Start thinking about what you want for yourself in twenty nineteen.
We want to hear from you. What's Oh, we're not done yet.
My bad brown boots, brown break, brown boots, bown break. I'm ready, you know. Actually, I think I'm gonna do a boostand and break, just like a really short one. So I'm just gonna take a break from cooking for Thanksgiving because one I don't I know, but it I know because I'm just like, I'm tired of the judgment that, you know, because I get it the old school mama, you know, she did the whole spread and made everything herself and slaves all day in the kitchen. And meanwhile
I'm down at the at Vanda's like, hey, Vonda. She actually because I waited till last minute. So Wanda is a friend of mine who owns a soul food restaurant in Newark. I waited till last minute. I was like, ooh, can I get a turkey for She's like, oh, girl, we went out turkeys. I said, well I have. If I bring the turkey, can you cook it? Can you imagine?
And that's exactly what my parents are eating and my my siblings we are going to eat a Vonda cooked turkey from her delicious restaurant and one that I am getting and bringing to her.
It's nice to have a friend in the business.
No, because she's well, she's actually she's cooking, like you know, part of during the soul food restaurants tend to like, you know, they're making dinners for Thanksgiving for people. But it just so I was just making a normal order. And so when she was like, well, we ran out of turkeys, I was like, well, what if I bring one? Because I was like, I already told my mother I
was providing the turkey. So she said, okay, So that's my break from cooking for Thanksgiving, although I do not cook, maybe from non cooking judgment.
Listen, just to break. Just to add into this, Whole Foods does a catered Thanksgiving dinner. I got the most delicious pie at Sam's Club for eight ninety nine that could have fed a small army, and I brought that to you like a friend. I brought that to Friendsgiving because I don't have a kitchen right now. Please, I wasn't going to cook anything, so shortcuts are okay. Everyone loved that pie. You know what, people don't even eat
all the pie anyway, Like why slaves? No one I think people ate like a fraction of that pie that I brought. I didn't care because it was eight ninety nine, didn't cost me any trouble back.
Exactly, I'm gonna I'm gonna buy it. I like. I honestly, I really do like Whole Foods pie. So tomorrow in the morning, I'm gonna get my Whole Foods on because we go to my parents and then we go to a superman's sister's house and so she was like, bring pies. I was like, gotch girl. And then my boost. Did I tell you about my student loans?
No, wait, I'm not in a while. We haven't heard about them in a while.
So, you know, so I'd gotten some of them forgiven, but I still had like a you know, a lump sum like cause I had fifty three thousand dollars worth of student loans and I was eligible for I think like seventeen thousands of got to be forgiven. Well, I am happy to report I have paid off the ballance.
And so the first wait, I need like a little like I don't know what I need. I need a sound effect.
So since the first time since I was seventeen, I am completely dead free because when I was seventeen, I took out my first student loan and then I paid it off. But then I then like kind of crossover, I got my got student loans for my master's. My undergrad was I didn't take out much money because I commuted, so I think I had I don't know, like maybe
like just a few thousand dollars. So I paid that off, got my master's, another student loan, then got a condo, then got into credit card debt, and so you know, it was one thing after another, and I have not been debt free since I was seventeen. Maybe there was like a month or two maybe between student loans, but now because I had a condo, so it just feels
really good. It feels good like I'm debt free. I mean not for long, because Superman and I are going to have to take out like a construction loan for the second property we bought, but still at least for the next I want to say six months, I am debt free. I don't own any credit card debt I paid off in full every month, no student loan debt, we don't have any mortgages. My car's paid off in full. I feel like I feel like fifteen again.
I know, no, congratulations, thank you.
I would have never thought so. For those of you who are like, I'm so broke. At one point, I was saving five dollars a month. That's how broke I was. So it is possible to dig yourself out of the ditch of debt, and and you know financial just like you know dark places, it is possible, and so yeah, yeah, I mean, I'm just like, well, I don't even feel real because I've been broke. I'm so broke for so long.
I'm not gonna lie. I still feel broke. It's not not broke, like I know that we're not broke, but I don't feel like super secure, like we're good. I feel like any day now, any day now. But yeah, I'm just like I said, that's why I paid off all the day because it probably wasn't the wisest I probably should have invested it and all that other kind of stuff. But part of me is also like, I like, knowing.
Peace of mind is worth something. How my financial planner told me that too. She was like, maybe it doesn't make sense to pay off your student loans when well and one fell swoop. This is back when we're paying off my husband's but she said, if it's going to help you sleep better, it is valuable.
It is because I just wanted to know that, like my and honestly, Superman was like I want like he wants to know, and I want to know that, like even if everything goes away, that we can afford our life. Like if I if the Budgetnista and the Literature Academy everything were to like go to hell in a hand bastic basket, you would never know because I would still be wearing my same target clothes. I would still be driving my twenty sixteen car that I you know, I
bought used. I would still like it, like life wouldn't change, and so and that's what I'm wanting that, like how we live life is not based upon like whether or not the business is super successful. It's as long as I'm you know, we are doing mildly well, we'll be able to maintain our lifestyle, which is fairly simple because I'm not moved by those things anymore because I've lost them and I know that you know, they can be taken, and it doesn't mean that much to me. It's really
like family. Honestly, that means the most and friends. So yeah, I'm mixed. But I'm happy though, to be debt free for now.
That's amazing. Meanwhile, I am just digging myself into a little bit of a hole over here. I'm becoming very acquainted with debt. But I'm I was actually going to do a boost about it.
Are you? Are you? God? Yeah? I am gone?
Yeah, yeah, so good segue.
Yeah. Credit.
I talked a little bit about the way that we're using credit cards for a home renovation, and I'm like, kind of I'm like feeling myself with my credit card strategy lately. I have to say I'm glad that I waited until now to start. I really was anti credit card for a long time. I really only started using credit cards consistently for all my spending. I only really felt comfortable doing that probably two years ago. I started
doing that. And you have to be really diligent, because I have to make sure I set my own budget in my head for how much we can afford to spend each month on our credit cards, because only then will it actually make sense for us to try and get these rewards if we can afford to pay them off in full. Otherwise you're just paying interest and blah blah blah. You guys listen to the show, you know those things. Anyway, So recently, you know, with the home renovation,
we've everything that we paid for cash. You know, we paid for all the renovation cash and we even paid for we got Actually, we actually found paying cash for home renovation can actually help you save money.
We saved like fifteen.
Hundred dollars on our countertop by paying cash for them.
We were able to.
Negotiate the price of our cabinets down by paying cash. So it's come to our advantage to have cash on hand. But when it comes to things like the furnishings, especially because we're about to get ready for holiday. We are hosting people for the holidays, so we need to have everything all at once. Okay, not everything, but like a couch, a bed, you know, a spare bed and everything. A lot of places do have good zero percent financing offers. I'm not saying that we're opening a credit card at
every retailer. We haven't done that. But when it came to getting a mattress, they had a zero percent financing deal. We could have paid for it in cash. But I'm more concerned now about keeping our cash flow, keeping a nice cash flow, so we're not completely obliterating everything that's not our emergency fund, you know. So I'm willing to do zero percent financing because we have great credits, so
we get qualified for those offers. If they're going to give you zero percent and let you pay something down gradually, you know when I can. I can pay it off when I get my tax refund or when I get my bone, you know, or even if I don't get a bonus and tax refund if you know, again, if the worst happens, you know, I'll still get a paycheck and I can pay it off with my monthly income. So we've been taking advantage when we can of a
couple of zero percent financing offers through retailers. But then also I mentioned using the City Double Cash card to get two percent cash back on non like on everyday purchases, which helps us for furniture and things like I don't know, or pro paining things that you can get cash back for typically Okay, I also recently opened up a zero percent interest purchase credit cards. So some credit cards offer zero percent APR for a promotional period on new purchases.
So we just got a proof for a zero percent card, I will say it was through Chase. It's called I forget what it's called. I don't want to.
I don't want to.
If the Chase has a bunch of cards, they all sound the same anyway, zero percent interest on purchases. Initially they did not want they did not immediately approve me for the card. Not because my credit wasn't great. I know it's great, but because some credit card issuers are doing this where if you have several cards with the same bank, they actually they're trying to avoid people who were trying to game, like open up credit cards, get the sign up bonus, close the card, keep it, you know,
keep it moving. So they like Chase, for example, they're known to have this rule called the five twenty four rule, where if you open up more than five Chase credit cards within a twenty four month period, you may you probably won't get approved for the card, no matter how great your credit is. So I think I have four
Chase credit cards now. So when I got that email, like you know we can't approve your we can't approve you right now, you will hear within thirty days, I was like, na brat, I need a couch by Christmas. So I called their hotline and I was able to get them to not only immediately approve me on the phone, but expedite so I get the card on Friday versus having to wait seven to ten days. And I just had to keep asking. They weren't offering this to me.
They were just like, you know, even at the point when I finally got.
Them to approve me.
Then then she was like, Okay, thank you, have a nice day. And I was like, wait a second, how long does it take to get the card? She said seven to ten days. I was like, can I get it by Friday? And then she was like beep.
Boop, beep boop. Sure.
So just shows you can ask. Do I feel And again like, yes, I'm talking about, you know, willfully putting things on a zero percent interest credit card to keep our cash flow, you know, in pretty decent shape. I feel confident in this. But I'm just saying it's just I'm trying to use debt in a smart way to my advantage, which I think is the whole point of having a strong credit score, so you can take advantage of these types of offers. And I'm feeling good so far.
And I have a plan. Helen will be happy.
I have me.
I have my plan to pay it off, and I'm repeating that plan to myself so I can can sleep at night. But you know, so far, so far, I'm feeling I'm feeling good, and I'm be that. You know, there are if you're if you have good credit and you're able to find these offers, there are good you know, credit card deals out there if you if you can find them.
No, that's awesome, and honesty, I was thinking about that, you said. I was actually typing it to myself. You said, The City.
City Double Cash card is the one that I've used for because they give you one percent cash back when you make a purchase and then give you one percent cash back when you pay off your balance, so it's really two percent cash back. And there's no there's very few cards. I think there's maybe a few other smaller credit cards. I'm credit Union cards that give you two
percent cash back on anything. And the reason I got that card is because, yes, I have a three percent cash back card on you know, restaurants, but you can't use that at home depot to get cash back, right, So that's why I got the flat rate anywhere.
City double Cash because you know I'm the worst. I'm like, City Double Dutch, get your cash in the hand. Card.
We talked about this card before we did.
I know, And I'm like, I totally did that because I was googling, and I'm like, oh, I need to get the exact name from Mandy because you know I'll be out here like venture into the woods because you're going to chase me down. Card, you should get it.
And one thing too, is like zero percent credit cards, the risk, okay, I know the risks is deferred interest. That's a risk. If I don't actually pay off this zero percent APR card that I just got within twelve months, I'm going to get hit with deferred interests. It's going to pretend like I was getting charge interest from the beginning and they're going to slap it all in my card all at one time. But I know I can pay it off before that twelve months is up. That's
the only reason I'm doing it. And at the end of the day, it made more sense to do and in my mind to do this versus I could have gotten a personal loan. You know, the best rates for a personal loan right now are like, what six percent, but six percent is still more than zero percent. So for me, it made more sense to take advantage where
I can at these zero percent offers. We're still we still have our budget for what we're paying for on the credit card, and we're not like going bananas, but it's it's it's serving my purpose right now, and I'm trying to do it in the smartest way possible.
No, but I know, I I think because people ask. I mean, I'm not a huge you know, credit card advocate, but I am a huge If you're gonna use credit cards, use them wisely. So I think this is good because you're using you know, you're using your credit because like you're gonna buy these things anyway, it's happening. We're here now, so it's like, well, how can I maximize you know, the fact that we're renovating, you know, So it's like if I'm gonna cause you're gonna be spending tens of
thousands of downs that's just how much it costs. And it's like you can you can get a free flight out of it, you can get cash back, there's so many benefits. So I think what you're doing is super smart.
Yeah, it's like there's there's good cards out there. I mean, if you're not earning, if you're using credit and you're and you have good you have a good credit score like seven sixty or higher, seven forty or higher. Even like if you don't have a rewards card, you're kind of missing out, you know, unless you're doing it because you know yourself and you've been in debt before, you
don't trust yourself. That's fine. But if you're responsible and you can pay your card in full, like you might as well make a little make some make some like shush on the top, get some sprinkles.
No, you're right, because you're right because if you're if not, like, if you're someone who uses your card responsibly, then you know there's literally it's almost like not using e baits, right, It's like so if you gotta shop online, ebates is free and literally just says, hey, you bought that thing, here's three percent of your money back, so use e baits, you know. So it's just like one of those things.
So it doesn't there's certain things that just doesn't make sense not to use when it comes to your finance.
Exactly. All right, Well that's my brown boost. I guess that was for just credit cards in general, working them, work in the system, trying my best not to pay them one penny, but collect all the pennies for myself.
Okay, okay, do it.
We'll have a good Thanksgiving.
Enjoy not cooking, right, And I was gonna say, enjoy my join Vanda's turkey and I'm here. We're gonna have a good time, yes, but have a good Eata lasigna for me. I love Lazangna. Honestly, I will.
Bring you some because you know, I'm like, to some tolerant girl, I can't eat Asanna. My poor mother in law, she's like, she's like, you're still you still can't eat cheese? Yes, that is how the body works.
I'm kind of been paying for life. But you know, I'll let you know.
She's like, I love it, but it's mozzarella. I'm like, no, not even mozzarella.
I love that shit. You still cheap. I guess if one day body's like, you know, a girl, okay, I don't want to get you that cheese.