
MakingCents with Navy Federal
Welcome to MakingCents, a podcast brought to you by Navy Federal Credit Union. Your hosts, Emily Bigham and Brandi Gomez, will be chatting with Navy Federal's experts on how to help you make sense of your money. As members of the military, veterans and their families, financial health can mean anything from transitioning to civilian life, re-thinking your budget during a time of economic uncertainty, discussing how to have “the money talk” with family, and so much more. Emily and Brandi are here to ask the right questions and make sure you’re getting the information you need to make the most of your money. Subscribe today and tune in each week. Tell us the financial questions you want answered, today. You can reach Emily, Brandi and the team at makingcents@navyfederal.org. From Emily, Brandi and the team, welcome to MakingCents—"Making Your Financial Health Our Mission."
Episodes
27 episodes
3 Ways to Polish Up Your Savings Plan & Get to Your Goals
Spring is in the air, so it's the perfect time to refresh your financial goals and give your savings plan a thorough spring clean. CJ Pointkowski, assistant vice president of sav...
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29:28

ROTC All-American Scholarship Program
Navy Federal Credit Union’s ROTC All-American Scholarship Program honors the best and brightest ROTC seniors across the nation. Since 2018, the program has received nearly 1,300 ROTC student nominat...
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19:28

Giving Back through Dollars for Doers
Our team members at Navy Federal log serious volunteer hours. Listen in to find out how 2 volunteer leaders used our Navy Federal Serves programs, like Do...
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32:02

How to Use Your Credit Card During the Holiday Season
Drew Tsitos, Navy Federal’s Manager of Credit Card Products, shares tips on how to make the best use of your credit card during the holiday season and how
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25:36

Financial and Economic Check-In
Between rising interest rates and the fluctuating cost of living, many are wondering when we might start to see some relief—and it could be sooner rather than later. Host Emily Bigham sits down with Corporate Economist, Robert Frick, and Person...
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27:03

Choosing the Best Credit Card
There’s a wide range of credit cards out there. Our credit card expert, Rick Conyers, breaks down which
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19:15

Above and Beyond Service
Brandi Gomez and Navy Federal’s Executive Vice President of Branch Operations—and former U.S. Navy Blue Angel—Keith Hoskins, take a closer look at the world-class service members find at their local branches, and the relationships they build as...
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22:28

New Generation of Savers
Brandi Gomez and Navy Federal’s Assistant Vice President of Savings Products Operations, CJ Pointkowski, talk about raising the next generation of savers with powerful tips and tools for their youngest members. Tune in to hear how you can start...
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24:16

The College Financing Journey
Navy Federal’s Assistant Vice President of the Education Lending team, Caroline Currie, and Manager of Personal Finance Management, Thomas Racca, discuss the financial responsibility attached to higher education. They’ll explore various aspects...
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39:23

The Mission Continues: Service to Military Veterans
In honor of Veterans and Military Families Month, Marine Corps Veteran and president of The Mission Continues, Mary Beth Bruggeman, joins the podcast with Brandi Gomez. They discuss Navy Federal's partnership with The Mission Continues, and how...
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32:26

What You Should Know About Managing Your Credit Cards
Explore how credit cards can be a powerful tool for you and your finances with this week's episode. Assistant Vice President Elly Szymanski shares tips and insights to help you better manage your credit cards and make the most of your money.&nb...
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21:13

Commitment Connects us - Service Beyond Banking
Host Brandi Gomez sits down with veteran, military spouse and Navy Federal’s VP of Winchester and Contact Center Operations, Dottie Day. Dottie dives in on how Navy Federals' service goes beyond banking. Listen to how our commitment to service ...
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27:09

Making Home-Buying Easier
In this episode, host Brandi Gomez welcomes Navy Federal’s AVP Field Mortgage, Christopher Davis. Tune in to gain some home-buying tips and hear about the different services Navy Federal offers to help ease the home-buying process.
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21:18

Managing Your Budget During a Changing Economy
In this episode, Navy Federal’s Assistant Vice President Corporate Economist, Robert Frick and Manager of Personal Finance Management, Thomas Racca join the podcast to share their thoughts on the current state of the economy and offer tangible ...
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32:20

How to Manage Your Finances Through Inflation and Market Volatility
In today’s economy, inflation and market volatility can change your financial plan. Rates are rising and prices are going up. For most of us, it’s a great reminder to adjust our investments and strategies. In this episode, we’re joined by Navy ...
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31:32

Navy Federal Talks Military Appreciation with Special Guest James Johnson, CEO of Operation Gratitude
In honor of Military Appreciation Month, Operation Gratitude President and CEO, James Johnson, joins the MakingCents podcast and new host, Brandi Gomez, to share his own military experience and discuss the non-profit’s work and partnership with...
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Season 1
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Episode 13
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26:58

Best Careers for Military Spouses
We partnered with Hire Heroes USA to survey 2,000+ military spouses on what matters most in a career for them. The results? A list of the top 10 industries and career paths that offer flexibility and mobility. In this episode, we’re joined by M...
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Season 1
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Episode 12
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19:13

What You Need to Know About Student Loans
No matter when you’re navigating the student loan journey, we want to make sure it’s as simple to understand as possible. In this episode, we’re joined by Brittany Mills, Assistant Manager of Education Lending at Navy Federal. Listen as we dive...
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Season 1
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Episode 11
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16:48

How to Place a Winning Offer on a Home in 2021
Buying a home for the first time can seem like a daunting task, especially in today's market. In this episode, real estate agent and military family member Josh Chapman joins us to discuss his history of working with servicemembers during their...
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Season 1
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Episode 10
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41:43

Navy Federal and Operation Homefront Celebrate Military Appreciation
In this episode, we're joined by Operation Homefront for a wrap-up of our Military Appreciation Month celebrations. Hear from Robert Thomas, Operation Homefront's COO, as he shares about the organization and their mission. The conversation also...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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33:36

Military Saves: The Month, the Pledge and Super Savers
In this episode, we’re joined by Angela Caban, Director of Military Saves at the Consumer Federation of America, and a military spouse herself. She shares info about Military Saves Month, including what the month means, how to take the pledge a...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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35:27

Civilian Job Searching for Veterans in 2021
In this episode, career expert Jon Barton, a Marine Corps Sergeant and combat veteran, talks about tips for transitioning to a civilian career. After he retired from service in 2010 to focus on his own business ideas, Jon vowed that any busines...
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Season 1
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Episode 5
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27:07

What servicemembers need to know about transitioning to civilian life
Following Veterans Day, Navy Federal Regional Outreach Manager and retired U.S. Marine Corps Colonel, Clay Stackhouse discusses important considerations during the transition to civilian life, including discussing Navy Federal's "Best Cities Af...
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Season 1
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Episode 4
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35:51

Understanding the Value of VA Loans
VA loans are a great perk for servicemembers to take advantage of when buying or refinancing homes. In this episode, Navy Federal's Vice President of Field Mortgage, Kevin Parker, makes it clear what to expect when getting a VA loan, including ...
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Season 1
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Episode 3
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19:24
