Simplify, simplify, simplify. In today’s episode, host Travis Shelton discusses the importance of making handling our finances easier, simpler, and repeatable. It’s not about perfection, but progress. 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.travisshelton.com/podcast Daily Blog: https://travisshelton.com/blog...
May 28, 2024•10 min•Ep. 333
Do you have any old 401(k) or 403(b) accounts sitting around after leaving a job? We thought so! In today’s episode, host Travis Shelton explains the steps to simply and efficiently consolidate your old accounts into a place that's easy to manage. The decision and process may seem overwhelming, but hopefully, we can demystify it for you. 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.tra...
May 22, 2024•14 min•Ep. 332
Our culture has a lot of opinions. The right time to buy a house. The right time to get into the stock market. The perfect time to buy a car. Everyone has an opinion, and everyone apparently knows what the future will hold. Whether it’s interest rates, house prices, or any number of uncertain variables, everyone seems to know the perfect timing. In today’s episode, host Travis Shelton explains why the only “best time” that matters is the best time for YOUR situation. Everything needs to be filte...
May 21, 2024•11 min•Ep. 331
For many people who have some level of control over their finances, their best advice to people is to “just do better.” Just spend less. Just save more. Just quit being stupid. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. If it was, far less people would be struggling. Instead, people face numerous roadblocks when it comes to getting right with their money. Instead of guilting them or simply telling them to be better, we can help them identify their roadblocks and find ways to overcome them. In today’s ...
May 15, 2024•15 min•Ep. 330
Do you have any areas of your life that you continually whiff on? Yeah, us, too! One of the primary roadblocks that holds us back from living the life we deserve is excuses. In today’s unedited and raw episode, host Travis Shelton explains why excuses are the ultimate dream killer….and how to combat them. Episodes referenced in today’s episode: 081 - The Power of Not Having Excuses: https://pod.fo/e/1e86b8 230 - You Can Have Excuses or Impact, But Not Both: https://pod.fo/e/1e8610 If you have qu...
May 13, 2024•12 min•Ep. 329
Do you have job security? Most people believe they have job security….until the day they don’t. We believe this narrative around job security is hurting people in several ways. In today’s episode, host Travis Shelton explains the various risks we subject ourselves to when we (falsely) believe we have job security. Here’s a question to ponder: If you don’t actually have job security, would you still make the same career/job decision that you’re presently making? If you have questions or would lik...
May 08, 2024•14 min•Ep. 328
It seems like everyone has a sexy product to sell. Become a millionaire in 24 months! Increase your income by $10,000/month! Create passive income so you can sit on a beach! Sexy, sexy, and sexy. On the other hand, it’s funny how unsexy our meaning over money ideas are. “It’s not about getting rich.” “We shouldn’t glorify retirement.” “Work is just as important as fun.” To be frank, these messages to catch eyeballs and attention. However, time and time again, when people decide to aggressively p...
May 06, 2024•13 min•Ep. 327
Why do 7 out of 10 Americans dislike or hate their jobs? In a country as free as ours, and with technology that allows for infinite possibilities, it’s hard to believe this is where we are. In today’s episode, host Travis Shelton explains why he thinks the seeds of workplace discontent are planted when we are children. Then, every step of our journey is curated to show us that work is supposed to suck. A better way exists, and it begins with how we talk to our children. If you have questions or ...
May 01, 2024•13 min•Ep. 326
One common narrative around the topic of investing is the idea we shouldn’t buy when the market is at or near an all-time high. Instead, we should be patient and wait for the market to crash…..you know, “buy low, sell high.” In today’s episode, host Travis Shelton explains why this is a short-sighted and costly mistake for most people. You might be shocked by just how often the stock market hits new all-time highs. We think this episode may change your entire perspective on timing (or not) the m...
Apr 29, 2024•11 min•Ep. 398
We talk a lot about the idea of sinking funds, or as we like to call it, smoothing out the lumpy stuff. In today’s episode, host Travis Shelton walks through the steps for a simple and effective execution. Enjoy! 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.travisshelton.com/podcast Daily Blog: https://travisshelton.com/blo...
Apr 24, 2024•12 min•Ep. 324
It’s quite common for us to think about the risk of making this decision or that decision. We (hopefully) objectively look at the choices before us, and assess the risk and rewards of each. However, we don’t often think about the risk of NOT doing something. Let's call it the risk of not taking risk. In many situations, we would argue, the risk of not taking risk is far greater than the risk we’d be taking. In today’s episode, host Travis Shelton dives into the risk of complacency and how not ta...
Apr 22, 2024•9 min•Ep. 323
Warning: This episode may offend personal finance traditionalists. There’s a shadow side to being completely locked in and focused on our goals. Sure, that focus allows us to crush our goals and make ridiculous progress. That’s amazing! However, it can also lead to burnout if we’re not careful. In today’s episode, host Travis Shelton discusses a weird and counter-cultural challenge he issued to one of his clients who was on the brink of burnout. For one month, they weren’t allowed to do anything...
Apr 17, 2024•11 min•Ep. 322
Have you ever noticed that sports coaches never talk about their desire to quit working? They don’t say things like, “Only 5 more years until I can retire,” or “I can’t wait to finally hang it up.” Instead, they talk about their desire to coach as long as they are able. In today’s episode, host Travis Shelton discusses this unique dynamic, and why we all could learn a thing or two from the coaches in our life. This episode was inspired by the Long Beach State men’s basketball team, their coach D...
Apr 15, 2024•15 min•Ep. 321
When the idea of pursuing meaning over money is discussed, many people equate meaning to lack of money. We treat the decision as if we’re pursuing meaning OR money. However, that’s not how it works. Pursuing meaning is just that, pursuing meaning….and where that leads is a mystery to be unearthed. In today’s episode, host Travis Shelton discusses how the road to meaning is typically far better than we can ever imagine. It also gives Travis an excuse to talk about Cole behind his back. Trust us, ...
Apr 10, 2024•13 min•Ep. 320
Have you ever tried to help a loved one by telling them about a better way? Yeah, it doesn’t work very well, does it? In today’s episode, host Travis Shelton explains why our words often don’t make the impact we desire…..and in many cases, can have a negative effect. Instead of telling people what to do, we should simply show them through our own actions. When we live these meaning over money principles, other people can’t help but notice. Our lived example is more powerful than any words that c...
Apr 08, 2024•13 min•Ep. 319
What’s fascinating about human behavior is that our bar and definition of “boujee” varies wildly. What one person might consider boujee, another considers a “need.” Is one right? Is one wrong? The answer to that question doesn’t really matter. What matters is how these vastly differing opinions are twisting people up and causing them to make decisions that don’t align with their interests and values. In today’s episode, host Travis Shelton discusses this concept through a personal story If you h...
Apr 03, 2024•10 min•Ep. 318
Can we be honest? Delayed gratification sucks! When we want something, we want it NOW! We also live in a culture (with easy debt at our fingertips) that encourages us to just do it. It’s easy! It’s simple. It will make us “happy.” However, that doesn’t make it wise (or healthy). In today’s episode, host Travis Shelton discusses the beauty of delayed gratification through the lens of his dream car (it’s a fun story!). If you have questions or would like to connect with us outside of the podcast, ...
Apr 01, 2024•14 min•Ep. 317
When we’re young, most of our financial fate rests in the hands of our future selves. We must invest, make good decisions, and invest some more. Then, one day in the very distant future, we’ll be in a solid financial position. As we age, however, future us has less time to make things happen. For this reason, it’s critically important that current us makes wise and proactive choices. When we do, we’ll eventually reach a point where we’re relying on our past selves far more than our future selves...
Mar 27, 2024•13 min•Ep. 316
Today’s episode is a cautionary tale about the American Dream—the nice house, the new cars, the stylish wardrobes, the exotic trips, and all the other trappings that accompany it. Having nice things is extremely cool…..and so much fun! However, for many Americans, the pursuit of this materialistic lifestyle is literally robbing them of their best life. Yeah, the stuff is enjoyable, but at what cost? The cost to many is a meaningful and fulfilling life that could have been. In today’s episode, ho...
Mar 25, 2024•19 min•Ep. 315
Have you ever been made to feel guilty for spending money on something you don’t “need.” Oh good, glad we aren’t alone. There seems to be a toxic undercurrent in our money culture that says we should only buy things we need. This leads to guilt, regret, and hoarding tendencies. In today’s episode, host Travis Shelton discusses how destructive and counter-productive these mindsets are, and why it’s important to spend money on fun things that add value to your life. It’s ok to buy things you want....
Mar 20, 2024•12 min•Ep. 314
There's no harder stage in life than being a young adult. You're still trying to figure out who and what you are, where you want to be, what you want to do, and likely have limited resources to get it all started. Further, no other stage of life brings so many significant life changes (marriage, kids, careers, houses, etc.). In today's episode, host Travis Shelton shares the six steps he advises young adults to take in order to set the foundation for an uncertain but awesome future. If you have ...
Mar 18, 2024•18 min•Ep. 313
Nobody wants to think about their own mortality. It’s an awkward subject that can bring up a lot of emotions. This is one of the main reasons why most Americans die without a will. In today’s episode, host Travis Shelton explains why it’s so important for each of us to have a will in place. Further, he lays out the key decisions we each must make when creating our wills. This is a can’t miss topic, and we hope you engage in these ideas with the significance it should carry. If you have questions...
Mar 13, 2024•16 min•Ep. 312
Whenever someone passes away too soon, we tend to look at their situation as proof that we need to hurry up and get to retirement so we can “actually enjoy life” for as long as possible. We couldn’t disagree more with this sentiment. We, too, are impacted by these tragic situations. However, it’s quite the opposite for us. Instead, we believe these stories are proof that we need to find meaning in our lives today. Life shouldn’t be lived as a race where meaning and enjoyment happen on the other ...
Mar 11, 2024•9 min•Ep. 311
All work matters, but not all work matters to you. In today’s episode, host Travis Shelton discusses the importance of defining what gives our work meaning (regardless of what others think), then aggressively pursuing it. The episode is framed through the lens of a recent conversation with a friend, in which Travis was accused of being a hypocrite for some of his work. This is an important topic to attack head-on, and that's what we plan on doing today. If you have questions or would like to con...
Mar 06, 2024•15 min•Ep. 310
In episode 305 (linked below), we talked about how car debt is some of the most crippling debt to be in, but also some of the easiest to get out of. However, we noted that it’s emotionally difficult for people to unwind their car debt for one big reason: it’s a public decision. The act of selling a vehicle and downgrading is visible to everyone around us, which is tough. In today’s episode, we dive deeper into a reality we must all face. When we choose to make (or not make) financial decisions b...
Mar 04, 2024•11 min•Ep. 309
Since aggressively launching into the topic of investing, listeners have been coming out of the woodwork with their own stories. In today’s episode, host Travis Shelton shares examples from two of his friends who recently realized they were sold a terrible bill of goods. They trusted their investment professionals, only to be overcharged and underdelivered. However, there’s a silver lining. When we take a look in the mirror and face the issue head-on, it’s the beginning of a much brighter future...
Feb 28, 2024•12 min•Ep. 308
We live in a culture that glorifies retirement. So much so that it causes us to tolerate crappy (but good paying) work, hoard as much money as possible, and race to an earlier-the-better finish line we like to call retirement. That’s a lot of pressure! Oh yeah, and it can also be void of meaning and fulfillment along the way. Instead of living a life where we grind, grind, and grind so that one day we can “enjoy life,” we think you deserve better. In today’s episode, host Travis Shelton discusse...
Feb 26, 2024•17 min•Ep. 307
We've been talking a lot about taxable investing lately. The importance of it. The simplicity of it. The effectiveness of it. In today's episode, host Travis Shelton walks you through the very simple process of setting up and funding your taxable investment account. Have fun with it! 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.travisshelton.com/podcast Daily Blog: ...
Feb 21, 2024•14 min•Ep. 306
We have a car crisis in America. Well, it's actually a much wider crisis, due in part to our crazy car-related decisions. In today's episode, host Travis Shelton discusses the most recent car loan data and explains why it's critical that we make different choices in this area of our financial lives. There's a better way, guys! 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.travisshelton...
Feb 19, 2024•16 min•Ep. 305
We often reference the idea of taxable investing. In our opinion, it's one of the most overlooked and misunderstood topics in the investing arena. In today's episode, host Travis Shelton explains what it is (and what it's not), why it matters, how simple/powerful it can be, and what it can do for your financial journey. 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.travisshelton.com/po...
Feb 14, 2024•24 min•Ep. 304
