Do you know something that we’re all currently doing? Breathing. It’s something we rarely actively think about, but it turns out that there are ways to improve our technique- by breathing through our nose instead of our mouths, or by taking deeper slower breaths. Well we’re talking about another basic subject today: buying groceries. This elementary practice seems simple on the surface, but just like breathing there are tactics that you can implement in order to save more money at the supermarke...
Feb 22, 2023•52 min•Ep. 635
We’re kicking off the week by answering listener questions! And if you have a question that you’d like for us to answer on the show, we’d love for you to submit your own via HowToMoney.com/ask , send us your voice memo. Regardless of how random or bizarre you might think it is, we want to hear it! 1 - I took out personal loans to start a BTC mining business: should I use Roth contributions to pay them off? 2 - Should I pursue travel nursing in order to double my salary? 3 - As a teacher, can I a...
Feb 20, 2023•53 min•Ep. 634
Time for a Friday Flight- our sampling of the week’s financial news and what it means for your personal finances. There are a lot of headlines out there, but we boil it down to specific takeaways that will allow you to kick off the weekend informed and help you to get ahead with your money. In this episode we explain some relevant and helpful stories like: newsletter referral program rewards and shoutouts, tax-free state relief payments, free money for home improvements, how to appeal your prope...
Feb 17, 2023•32 min•Ep. 633
Cults are fascinating. The amount of gaslighting and denial of reality that takes place in order to perpetuate the movement is simply mind boggling. And one of the most interesting parts is to see interviews with the folks who finally got out. For years they couldn’t see clearly as they were essentially brainwashed, but now they look back on everything they experienced in a completely different light. When you’re in the midst of something so enveloping and all-consuming it can be difficult to kn...
Feb 15, 2023•49 min•Ep. 632
There’s more to successfully handling your money than just figuring out the financial nuts and bolts. Money has emotional and psychological components to it as well, which is at the core of what our guest today focuses on. We’re happy to be joined by Lindsay Bryan-Podvin, who happens to be the first financial therapist in the state of Michigan. She is a social worker-turned-financial therapist. She’s also the author of the book, The Financial Anxiety Solution, which is a workbook to help folks s...
Feb 13, 2023•57 min•Ep. 631
Time for a Friday Flight- our sampling of the week’s financial news and what it means for your personal finances. There are a lot of headlines out there, but we boil it down to specific takeaways that will allow you to kick off the weekend informed and help you to get ahead with your money. In this episode we explain some relevant and helpful stories like: newsletter referral program rewards and shoutouts, Netflix crackdown, movie theater priority seating, investing through a bear market, 401k r...
Feb 10, 2023•33 min•Ep. 630
"He was a wise man who invented beer." - Plato If you’ve been listening for any length of time you know that we like craft beer. But booze can be a polarizing subject. We’ve had emails from folks who say they like our show, but just can’t continue to listen because of our stance on alcohol. At least in some circles, beer can be polarizing and the same thing is true when it comes to the use of credit cards. There isn’t much logical, nuanced, or balanced conversation when it comes to credit cards-...
Feb 08, 2023•48 min•Ep. 629
We’re kicking off the week by answering listener questions! And if you have a question that you’d like for us to answer on the show, we’d love for you to submit your own via HowToMoney.com/ask , send us your voice memo. Regardless of how random or bizarre you might think it is, we want to hear it! 1 - How do I get my reluctant spouse on board with a plan to budget? 2 - What should I do with an old 529 Plan that I was planning on transferring to my kids? 3 - Am I being frugal or cheap by blending...
Feb 06, 2023•51 min•Ep. 628
Time for our Friday Flight! These episodes are a sampling of the week’s financial news and the impact on your personal finances. There are a lot of headlines out there, but we distill it down to specific takeaways that will allow you to kick off the weekend informed and help you to get ahead with your money. In this episode we explain some relevant and helpful stories like: where to find your missing money, Super Bowl investing indicators, frugal NFL’ers, celebrity crypto accountability, Madonna...
Feb 03, 2023•33 min•Ep. 627
We love nerdy board games! And one of the things that makes them fun, besides getting to play them with friends and family, is the competition for scarce resources. For instance with the Settlers of Catan, it takes a few rounds of play to get the resources you need to build the settlements, cities, and development cards that help you rack up victory points in Catan. It’s a classic that still holds up, and like most games it's all about tradeoffs. Should you focus on building a road or upgrading ...
Feb 01, 2023•51 min•Ep. 626
Everyone loves to travel! Who doesn’t enjoy exploring a new country, tasting new and interesting foods, diving into the history and culture of a new city? Or if you’re less adventurous, at the very least kicking back and living like a local might sound appealing to you. But the problem is that it’s too expensive to travel!... Or so you think. This is why we’re excited to have Elaine Glusac, who is also known as The Frugal Traveler over at the NYT, joining us on the podcast today. We’re going to ...
Jan 30, 2023•48 min•Ep. 625
Time for our Friday Flight! These episodes are a sampling of the week’s financial news and the impact on your personal finances. There are a lot of headlines out there, but we distill it down to specific takeaways that will allow you to kick off the weekend informed and help you to get ahead with your money. In this episode we explain some relevant and helpful stories like: saving $200 a month on car insurance, negotiating down major appliances, Prime prescriptions, financial planner predicament...
Jan 27, 2023•31 min•Ep. 624
Focusing only on cutting your expenses in order to invest more money, is just like only focusing on cutting out sweets in order to lose weight. It’s a great start, but there’s more to it than that! Because not only do you need to adjust how many calories you’re consuming everyday, but you’ll also need to address how many calories you’re burning - yes indeed, we’re talking about exercise! It takes a two pronged approach to see the most impactful change on your weight and overall health. And simil...
Jan 25, 2023•54 min•Ep. 623
We’re kicking off the week by answering listener questions! And if you have a question that you’d like for us to answer on the show, we’d love for you to submit your own via HowToMoney.com/ask , send us your voice memo. Regardless of how random or bizarre you might think it is, we want to hear it! 1 - How should my fiancé and I go about combining our bank accounts, credit cards, and investments? 2 - Should I stop contributing to my Roth IRA until I’m able to fully replenish my six month emergenc...
Jan 23, 2023•55 min•Ep. 622
Time for our Friday Flight! These episodes are a sampling of the week’s financial news and the impact on your personal finances. There are a lot of headlines out there, but we distill it down to specific takeaways that will allow you to kick off the weekend informed and help you to get ahead with your money. In this episode we explain some relevant and helpful stories like: the cheapest hot dog combo, tax season is upon us and where to file for free, tax loopholes or deductions, the total cost o...
Jan 20, 2023•31 min•Ep. 621
Sitting on your butt is killing you! According to the Heart Foundation, folks who sit the most are 90% more susceptible to dying from cardiovascular events like heart attacks and strokes. And while taking a load off and having a seat isn’t going to immediately harm you, the accumulation of years and decades of a more sedentary lifestyle could lead to an earlier death! And we feel similarly when it comes to consumer debt. Paying a little interest this month isn’t going to completely wreck your fi...
Jan 18, 2023•51 min•Ep. 620
We’re going all-in today on budgeting with our special guest- Jesse Mecham! There are a number of folks listening who might recognize his name, but I’m guessing even more folks are familiar with the company he started in 2003 while he was still in college- You Need A Budget, or YNAB as it’s commonly known. Millions of individuals have used YNAB to get on a budget which has allowed them to achieve their life-changing financial goals- whether that’s simply paying off debt or the complicated endeav...
Jan 16, 2023•1 hr•Ep. 619
Time for our Friday Flight! These episodes are a sampling of the week’s financial news and the impact on your personal finances. There are a lot of headlines out there, but we distill it down to specific takeaways that will allow you to kick off the weekend informed and help you to get ahead with your money. In this episode we explain some relevant and helpful stories like: more potential student loan forgiveness on the horizon, egg fights in the aisles, cutting food waste, the high risk of sing...
Jan 13, 2023•29 min•Ep. 618
Would you eat boiled buffalo testicles like they did on the old show Fear Factor? Or walk between two high-rises on a cable? Or allow tarantulas to be dumped on your face while strapped to a table? I’m guessing you’re not interested in doing this for funsies, but you might be singing a different tune iif a million bucks is on the line. And that’s because incentives change everything. When the rules of the game have changed, we need to adjust our behavior accordingly. And at the end of last year ...
Jan 11, 2023•49 min•Ep. 617
We’re kicking off the week by answering listener questions! And if you have a question that you’d like for us to answer on the show, we’d love for you to submit your own via HowToMoney.com/ask , send us your voice memo. Regardless of how random or bizarre you might think it is, we want to hear it! 1 - I want to switch to an online bank but how do you go about depositing and withdrawing cash? 2 - Should I own my first investment property as an individual or as a business operating as an LLC? 3 - ...
Jan 09, 2023•55 min•Ep. 616
Time for our Friday Flight! These episodes are a sampling of the week’s financial news and the impact on your personal finances. There are a lot of headlines out there, but we distill it down to specific takeaways that will allow you to kick off the weekend informed and help you to get ahead with your money. In this episode we explain some relevant and helpful stories like: setting financial goals, new 1099K forms delayed for a year, return windows for holiday gifts, WTD with unused gift cards, ...
Jan 06, 2023•32 min•Ep. 615
Close your eyes and think back to high school. No matter if those were the best years of your life or if you were more of a wallflower, you were likely told that you needed to get good grades- but why? Was it because you knew that you needed a particular GPA in order to get into a specific school? Maybe, but a lot of high schoolers just know that it’s generally a good idea to get high marks because it’s going to give you more options down the road (not to mention personal development, growth, ya...
Jan 04, 2023•54 min•Ep. 614
We’re talking all about how we can make positive money changes in 2023! And we can think of no better guest to have on the show than Katy Milkman, author of How to Change: The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be. Katy is a professor at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania where she explores ways that insights from economics and psychology can be harnessed to change consequential behaviors for good, such as exercise and vaccination, but also behaviors lik...
Jan 02, 2023•55 min•Ep. 613
During this special year-end Friday Flight, we’re discussing the major stories from the entire year and their impact on your personal finances! There are a lot of headlines out there, but we distill it down to specific takeaways that will allow you to kick off 2023 informed and help you to get ahead with your money. In this episode we explain: the inescapable creep of higher prices, the impact of inflation on groceries, gas, and housing. The Fed’s response to those rising prices by raising inter...
Dec 30, 2022•36 min•Ep. 612
We hope that you’re having a wonderful holiday season. And if you celebrate Christmas, or any holiday that involves the exchange of gifts- isn’t it so much fun giving presents and seeing the faces of your loved ones light up? And while that might be the case on Christmas morning, it’s a different story later in the day for many adults and kiddos alike. There’s frequently a post present letdown that many of us experience. Either there was something we wanted that we didn’t get, or the gifts that ...
Dec 28, 2022•52 min•Ep. 611
We’re kicking off the week by answering listener questions! And if you have a question that you’d like for us to answer on the show, we’d love for you to submit your own via HowToMoney.com/ask , send us your voice memo. Regardless of how random or bizarre you might think it is, we want to hear it! 1 - We’ve already purchased investment properties together- should we get a prenup before getting married? 2 - Should I skip Money Gear #1 in order to go ahead and get my 401k company match? 3 - Where ...
Dec 26, 2022•52 min•Ep. 610
Time for our Friday Flight! These episodes are a sampling of the week’s financial news and the impact on your personal finances. There are a lot of headlines out there, but we distill it down to specific takeaways that will allow you to kick off the weekend informed and help you to get ahead with your money. In this episode we explain some relevant and helpful stories like: big bank blues, store brand surges, SECURE 2.0 leading to 401k changes, 529 plan grandparent loopholes and rollovers, incon...
Dec 23, 2022•29 min•Ep. 609
Hear about Matt’s new favorite holiday cocktail, and then for our Bestie Episode, we had the pleasure of speaking with Meg Nordmann who is the author of “Have Yourself a Minimalist Christmas: Slow Down, Save Money, & Enjoy a More Intentional Holiday”. Being smack in the middle of the holidays, we can often find ourselves wondering where all of our time, and money is running off to- but Meg wants to change that with her approach to minimalism. Her book presents strategies to help us to resist...
Dec 21, 2022•51 min•Ep. 608
How do you really know if you’re making the right decision? It’s difficult to know- especially when relationships and careers are on the line. And at a time when we might be experiencing one of the biggest shifts in work-life balance, it’s more important than ever to ensure that we’re making informed and thoughtful decisions. Enter Abby Davisson and the new book that she’s co-authored, Money & Love: An Intelligent Roadmap for Life's Biggest Decisions. And in the book Abby lays out a framewor...
Dec 19, 2022•55 min•Ep. 607
Time for our Friday Flight! These episodes are a sampling of the week’s financial news and the impact on your personal finances. There are a lot of headlines out there, but we distill it down to specific takeaways that will allow you to kick off the weekend informed and help you to get ahead with your money. In this episode we explain some relevant and helpful stories like: SBFraudster, mortgage rates mellowing out, shopping around for your mortgage, cars that last, shop till you TikTok, brutal ...
Dec 16, 2022•29 min•Ep. 606