Do you see yourself as a creative person? Many people don't. However, creativity comes in many forms. Some people create art, and others content. Some people create businesses, and others something entirely different. In today's episode, host Travis Shelton explains how each person has something to offer the world, and the importance of pushing it into the world. When we do, we benefit.....and many others do as well. When we don't, everyone is robbed. What will you create today? If you have ques...
Dec 21, 2022•18 min•Ep. 184
In our opinion, one of the trends we dislike the most in the personal finance space is the celebration and encouragement of selfish hoarding. By selfish hoarding, we are referring to the people who save a very high percentage of their income. Saving in and of itself certainly isn't bad, but it comes at a cost: generosity and enjoyment. In today's episode, host Travis Shelton discusses the short-term and long-term ramifications of this shifting culture. We'd love to know what you think! If you ha...
Dec 19, 2022•17 min•Ep. 183
In today's episode, host Travis Shelton discusses a phenomenon he's seeing more and more these days. Many small business owners are carving their niche and finding success, while at the same time not always getting support from the people they'd expect to support them most. This is an interesting dynamic, and one worth discussing. We think it comes down to one key thing: jealousy. Some of it is conscious jealousy, while some may also be more subconscious. Small business owners, what are you expe...
Dec 14, 2022•12 min•Ep. 182
When we have goals, whether they are financial, fitness, spiritual, career, or something else, we focus on the outcome......the destination. Yes, the destination is important. However, we believe the journey is even more important than the destination. In today's episode, host Travis Shelton discusses why the journey is so important and how we often rob ourselves of something important by dwelling on the outcome. If you have questions or would like to connect with us outside of the podcast, here...
Dec 12, 2022•11 min•Ep. 181
It's inevitable. At some point, we're going to mess up our finances. It happens.....life happens. When that moment comes, it's a fork in the road. In today's episode, host Travis Shelton explains how we can/should approach our finances in the aftermath of a screw-up. It doesn't have to be the end of the world. If done well, we can turn a fiery car crash into a mere bump in the road. If you have questions or would like to connect with us outside of the podcast, here's where you can find us: Podca...
Dec 07, 2022•12 min•Ep. 180
As life unfolds and we experience new and unique things, our perspectives change. In many ways, we become wiser over time as we gain the benefit of hindsight, relationships, experience, and new skills. Most of us look back on our earlier years and wish we knew then what we know now. In today's episode, host Travis Shelton shares ten things we wish we knew when we were 21. This idea stemmed from a conversation Travis recently had with his friend Emma, who is 21. Emma gave us this idea and we had ...
Dec 05, 2022•15 min•Ep. 179
We're commonly taught to dream out our specific goals, then work, work, work to achieve them. This isn't inherently bad, but it can also lead us down the road of being inflexible. What if something changes and those original goals aren't the best path forward? When we lock in so hard on something, it can be difficult to deviate from that plan. In today's episode, host Travis Shelton discusses the idea of holding our goals firmly vs. being willing to be flexible. We believe our best accomplishmen...
Nov 30, 2022•13 min•Ep. 178
We as a culture tend to draw a hard line between needs and wants. If it's a need, we should buy it. If it's a want, we shouldn't. We make it black and white and we try to demonize want spending. In today's episode, host Travis Shelton explains why he believes this narrative can be toxic in our financial lives. Needs are ok, but it's also not always so black and white. When we are self-aware and honest with ourselves, we make better decisions and feel less guilt/regret. If you have questions or w...
Nov 28, 2022•15 min•Ep. 177
This is the best time of the year.....and perhaps the most stressful time as well. Gifts, travel, food, hosting.....it all adds up. It's all too common for people to experience the holidays with a layer of stress, then get hit with a financial hangover for the weeks and months to follow. In today's episode, host Travis Shelton explains how we can better prepare financially for Christmas. These are simple but effective practices that will help you live with less stress and none of the hangover. H...
Nov 23, 2022•13 min•Ep. 176
Do you scroll past ad after ad after ad while scrolling through social media? More importantly, do you ever see something and think to yourself, "wow, that's really cool! I should buy it!"? Me, too! This was a recent debate in our office, where Cole asked if we could do an episode about how to stop buying from social media ads. In a twist, this episode is about why we shouldn't stop buying from social media ads. After all, it's not about spending less.....it's about spending better. And sometime...
Nov 21, 2022•14 min•Ep. 175
People in the personal financial space are obsessed with high-yield savings accounts. First, there's nothing wrong with them. We've been using them for nearly two decades and there's a place for them in our financial lives. But the current narrative around them has a few danger zones we need to be mindful of. In today's episode, host Travis Shelton attempts to fill in the gaps not being discussed around these types of accounts. Yes, let's use these accounts for our benefit.....but let's not trea...
Nov 16, 2022•14 min•Ep. 174
What goes through your mind when you're about to leave on vacation? The answer to this question can be a tell when it comes to your work/career. Vacations are awesome, but they mean different things to different people. In today's episode, host Travis Shelton discusses how our perspective of vacation can tell us a lot about our work.....and what (if anything) we should do about it. If you have questions or would like to connect with us outside of the podcast, here's where you can find us: Podcas...
Nov 14, 2022•12 min•Ep. 173
Hard to believe the year is quickly coming to a close. The weather starts turning, basketball is starting, and the holiday season is upon us. It's also a great time to start thinking about getting our finances in order for the coming year. Just a few key decisions and simple actions can make all the difference in the world. In today's episode, host Travis Shelton shares 10 things we should all be doing to prepare for the awesome year ahead. If you have questions or would like to connect with us ...
Nov 09, 2022•17 min•Ep. 172
As a culture, we're taught to make whatever decision is best for us. The most profitable decision, the most comfortable decision, or the most promising decision. On the surface, this sounds practical and appropriate. However, it can easily lead us down a road where our decisions are at the expense of doing the right thing, honoring others, and being ethical/moral. In today's episode, host Travis Shelton discusses the importance of doing the right things for the right reasons. It may not always p...
Nov 07, 2022•15 min•Ep. 171
We all make mistakes....it's inevitable. We've made them in the past and we'll surely make them in the future. But all mistakes are not created equal. Some mistakes hurt us for an instant, then we move on. Other types of mistakes will haunt us for months or years to come. In today's episode, host Travis Shelton discusses this through the lens of our finances and why it's so important to eliminate haunting mistakes. When we can shed ourselves of the ongoing impact of haunting mistakes, it can fre...
Nov 02, 2022•18 min•Ep. 170
The first step to making a move is knowing we need to make a move. But when that light bulb goes off, that's when it starts to get scary. A career transition can be terrifying and uncertain. In today's episode, host Travis Shelton discusses some key things you can do to help move from where you are today to where you need/want to be tomorrow. It's not easy, but it can be simpler than we make it. Most important, it's worth it! If you have questions or would like to connect with us outside of the ...
Oct 31, 2022•21 min•Ep. 169
We're back for the second episode of Behind the Meaning, the show behind the show where we have no idea what we're doing. In this episode, we talk about listener feedback, our desire to be authentic and genuine, our favorite podcasts not named Meaning Over Money, how we create content and stay on schedule (or not), and the possibility of bringing in more guests in the future. If you have questions or would like to connect with us outside of the podcast, here's where you can find us: Podcast webs...
Oct 28, 2022•43 min
Statistics show most Americans are significantly behind pace when it comes to preparing for retirement. There are a lot of reasons for this phenomenon. Today, we're going to discuss one of the big contributing factors. We humans tend to grossly underestimate how much we'll need to one day retire. In a lot of ways, this makes sense. A lot of money is a lot of money, so it can be difficult to discern how much we truly need. In order to better understand our own unique situation, we need to answer ...
Oct 26, 2022•14 min•Ep. 168
In today's episode, we talk about a mistake that's all too common when it comes to investing. Some of these things we talk about may seem small, or obvious, but they are far more common than people believe and much more destructive than most people can imagine. When it comes to investing, there are a few very simple components we need to get right, and when we do, it's game over (i.e. we'll absolutely crush it). But people don't know what they don't know. That's why we created our investing cour...
Oct 24, 2022•12 min•Ep. 167
There's a lot of talk about the stock market right now. People are nervous, people are frustrated, and people are confused. Should we be scared? In today's episode, host Travis Shelton attempts to clear the air and provide a more digestible and truthful narrative. It's all about context, and today he shares three facts that will likely change your perspective of the stock market. If you find this content insightful, you may be interested in joining our online investing course. We're trying somet...
Oct 19, 2022•14 min•Ep. 166
Many people feel they are behind on where they should be with their investing. Maybe they are, maybe they aren't. In either case, they want to gain momentum in that area of their financial life. In today's episode, host Travis Shelton discusses how to approach the topic in an intentional and healthy way. Without a road map and a clear idea of where we want to go, we can easily find ourselves down the path of hoarding. Let's talk about this! If you have questions or would like to connect with us ...
Oct 17, 2022•19 min•Ep. 165
Without fail, we repeatedly get criticism about our anti credit card perspectives. People tell us all the time how stupid we are, but it doesn't necessarily bother us. Why? Because of the story behind the story. Whenever someone is explaining how much credit cards are their friends, it's almost inevitable the dark shadow side of credit card use shines through. What goes on behind the curtain is rarely what it appears on the surface. We also find something else interesting. Very few people stop u...
Oct 12, 2022•15 min•Ep. 164
We Americans like our stuff. Strike that....we LOVE our stuff. There's nothing wrong with possessing nice things, but it can be a slippery slope and we end up holding these things ever more tightly. In today's episode, host Travis Shelton shares a very counter-cultural perspective on our possessions. Many may aggressively disagree with this approach, but perhaps it will at least give you something to think about. Hope you enjoy! Get your free copy of Travis's new devotional here: https://www.mea...
Oct 10, 2022•17 min•Ep. 163
In today's episode, we're excited to welcome Jeremy Schneider from Personal Finance Club. Jeremy has quickly become one of the most influential and honest voices on social media in the world of investing. His simple but powerful investing philosophy (which aligns closely with our values and beliefs) has helped thousands of people embrace and execute their own investing careers. Host Travis Shelton talks to Jeremy about his career, his shift into the social media influencer world, why he didn't p...
Oct 05, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 162
Giving is fun, right!? Some of you love giving and have a tremendously generous spirit. You know what we don't do well? Receive generosity from others. In fact, we're generally pretty terrible at this. In today's episode, host Travis Shelton talks about why people have such a hard time accepting generosity from others (hint: it's usually pride), why it's important to do so, and how it's an integral part of becoming a truly generous person. Sometimes, the most generous thing we can do for someone...
Oct 03, 2022•17 min•Ep. 161
In a recent episode (linked below), we announced the release of our new rent vs. own calculator. Hours after we released the episode (and our calculator), host Travis Shelton received a phone call from his friend (and real estate agent) Jeff. Jeff was complimentary of the ideas and concepts. However, he concluded his thoughts with, "but we don't live in a vaccuum." His point was this concept, and many other things we discuss on the podcast, only work if someone is really willing to follow throug...
Sep 28, 2022•16 min•Ep. 160
Can we all agree Venmo is a powerful tool? Unfortunately, most people use it in a way that hinders our finances and makes it difficult to remain in control. In today's episode, host Travis Shelton explains how to take advantage of this awesome tool while keeping control and transparency of your finances. This advice is simple, but powerful. If you have questions or would like to connect with us outside of the podcast, here's where you can find us: Podcast website: https://www...
Sep 26, 2022•9 min•Ep. 159
Sometimes when businesses struggle, it's not actually because the business is struggling. The business may be doing exactly what it's supposed to, but the needs/wants of the owner puts too much pressure on the business and eventually the foundation crumbles. This is a common occurrence and something all business owners should be aware of. In today's episode, host Travis Shelton gives some real-life examples of this type of situation and provides some tips on how to avoid it. Enjoy! If you have q...
Sep 21, 2022•15 min•Ep. 158
One of our culture's most prominent narratives is the notion that buying a house is a great financial decision. It's practically beaten into young adults and they feel the pressure to buy. Is it true? Is buying a house actually a good financial decision? This may very well be one of the most controversial episdoes we've done, but we don't think it's as clear-cut as most people make it out to be. There are some very key factors our culture fails to recognize when comparing renting and buying. Als...
Sep 19, 2022•20 min•Ep. 157
One of the best ways to simplify, streamline, and reduce the amount of time we need to spend on our finances is to automate. Automation can remove emotional barriers and eliminate unnecessary time spent managing your finances. However, automation is a double-edged sword. As host Travis Shelton shares in today's episode, sometimes we can go too far with automation and lose the emotion and connectivity we have to our finances (and how we steward them). If you have questions or would like to connec...
Sep 14, 2022•14 min•Ep. 156
