In  all the years we have been working with individuals to get a handle on their debt and finances medical debt has been a large part of it. Not just the huge bills that we hear about but even the simple co-pays or co-insurance that can throw a families budget out of whack. 

Dr. Virgie Bright Ellington, MD an internal medicine physician and medical billing expert. With more than 20 years experience in primary care, psychiatric settings, and as a health insurance executive, Virgie has made it her life goal to help patients navigate the conundrum that is the U.S healthcare system.

Chase very recently navigated the healthcare system as his wife, Keri went through treatment for stage 4 colon cancer. This episode is a very personal one and one we all need to hear.

The passing of Queen Elizabeth II last week was worldwide news. Now, with King Charles III on the throne what does that mean for currency around the world that featured the portrait of the late Queen? In this episode the full team talks a little royalty before switching from the pound to one of our favorite topics, food. 

What is considered fine dining for you? Are there restaurants you enjoy that others might be quick to write off? Does a restaurant need to be local or authentic to have to be added to your budget? Grab a snack or drive to the place with the longest drive thru line and enjoy this episode. 

There is no one size fits all solution to personal finances. So as you can imagine disagreements amongst professionals happen all the time. What happens when most professionals agree and the people disagreeing happen to be economists and mathematicians? Can we be right and wrong at the same time?

In this episode we discus an article Chase came across in Inc. Magazine that covered three popular financial tips that don't add up according to mathematicians and economist. Yes, we are looking at you snowball method! We know that "numbers never lie," but do they sometimes fail to tell the whole story?  

Take a listen and let us know what you think? ?re we wrong? Should the math always add up?  

Children's birthday parties, anyone with kids and even those without, have attended. Parents sit around and have a drink or grab a bite to eat as kids run around with their friends and enjoy being the center of attention. But how memorable are they? Do you remember your ninth or tenth birthday party? More importantly, how much do they cost? Are there better ways to spend your money and time on your kids? 

In this episode Felipe shares his idea for doing away with the parties and giving control to his kids. All while saving money, reducing stress and making it more about the birthday kid again. He borrows a page from Chase’s “experience over things” playbook and hopes he has found a more budget friendly and memorable alternative to kid birthday parties. 

Please reach out and let us know what you do for your kid’s birthday or share a memorable birthday experience with us.

It's that time of year when parents drop off their  little ones at college campuses near and far. Did they pack their socks? Will they remember to call home? Or at least add you on Instagram so you can see that they are safe?

Some of the big questions parents are asking themselves are all about money. Are they ready to handle their own money? Will they be asking for a mommy or daddy bailout before the semester's end? Will student loans and credit cards lead to years of debt?

In this episode Chase returns and updates us on his personal life. Then joins Felipe to continue the conversation Felipe started on the local news. Listen as they talk young people and money. What can you look out for and what you can do today even if your little ones are still in elementary school.    

The world has changed since Steinbeck took Charley in search of America. I know my life has changed drastically since my 7,715.8 mile adventure across America in college, that was just 15 years ago!  

Some think the idea of the Great American Road Trip is dying. I'm here to ask you, please start a budget and hit the road again! Katie sits down with me as I go over, things to look out for when venturing out for a 2022 (or 2023) road trip. With or without little ones, or fur babies. 

Even after more than 30 thousand road trip miles (not counting any drive less than 1,000 miles) and over a thousand budgeting pretentions I miscalculated my budget. You don't have to.  -Felipe

In the personal finance world, there's been a long-running debate on whether buying a home or renting for life is better for your money long-term.  But unlike rent, a mortgage comes with many other expenses, like taxes, maintenance, and upgrades. So is it more accurate to say that homeownership is more comparable to an auto loan than it is to paying rent?

In Episode #146,  Katie joins Felipe for a conversation about surprise expenses they experienced during the first year of homeownership, including a surprise tax bill that hit both households.

We love personal finances, that's no secret. Should you be thinking about personal finances all day every day? Should you find a circle of friends that only wants to talk business and finance? We think not we also want to talk about The Real Housewives or soccer. This episode Katie joins Felipe and they talk about viral tweets and other trends they see on the personal finance social media world. 

Mega Millions Lottery jackpot moved over the billion mark for the fourth time since it was introduced in 1996 in five states. Now in 45 states Mega Millions is one of the two largest lottery's in the nation. Is playing the lottery a smart move? chances of winning aren't great yet millions of people play each year.

Today Felipe and Chase discuss the lottery phenomena and whether it is smart to throw a few dollars on a ticket from time to time.

Water is the most important natural resource we have. Life cannot go on without it. Water can be consumed in many different ways these days and we Americans sure do consume a lot. But most of us don't get this important resource out of our taps any longer, oh no, we actually buy it and buy it in many different sizes, shapes, types and now even flavors.

The Talk Wealth to Me Crew discusses how we consume water and whether or not how we consume makes a difference to both our bank accounts and our planet.

Card declined! It has happened to all of us, the moment your card is declined and you feel the entire store is just watching you. Or maybe you forgot your money on the way to the store or you missed the "cash only" sign at the door? Embarrassing money situations come up and it doesn't always mean your finances are in trouble. This week Felipe shares a few embarrassing stories of his, one of his wife, and even of of Chase.   

We discuss shopping and over spending a lot on this podcast and of course budgets. That being said we are all human and retailers and their marketing pros know this. Fall lines, winter, spring and of course summer lines always come out in the middle of the prior season. We have all the big holidays but did you know there is a calendar with all kinds special (national) days that retailers can market products and services to us? The Talk Wealth To Me crew discuss the fun, obvious and the odd days that are marketed to us on an almost daily basis.

Happy 4th everyone!

Content warning: This episode contains conversations related to abortion and miscarriage.

One of the most influential laws in the U.S. in the 20th century was Roe v. Wade. Giving women the right to choose and making abortion legal. 

I the 21st century that law has been overturned giving the power back to States to decide whether it is legal or not. The talk Wealth To Me crew is joined by our colleague and frequent co-host to discus not only the personal, emotional and humanitarian aspect of this but of course the financial implications of this historic ruling.

When presenting in the community one of the most common questions we get is “what about crypto?” To kick off season six we talked to our top Certified Financial Planner (CFP) volunteer Paul Lim and asked him to breakdown cryptocurrency. This week, in part two of the  Cryptocurrency series we dive into what crypto and blockchain is, how they work, and what is the rationale behind creating a new currency.

When presenting in the community one of the most common questions we get is “what about crypto?” To kick off season six we reached out to our top Certified Financial Planner (CFP) volunteer Paul Lim and asked him to breakdown cryptocurrency. The result, a two episode special on everything crypto.  

Before one can understand why cryptocurrency was invented and how it gets its value we need to look back at the early days of currency. In part one we take it back to the days of kings and gold coins with a history of currency. Paul explains some of the fundamentals of all currencies and how they gain, or lose, value. If you like this episode stick around for part two next week.     

We as consumers have many choices when we choose the products and services we use on a daily basis. Some we choose because of affordability, ease of purchase or that our parents used so now we do. How often do we really know how the products we use are made or how they treat their suppliers. Well we found a company that is determined to change the way the world does business and is dedicated to creating and expanding a model of trade based on transparency, human dignity and environmental sustainability.

Just Coffee is an owner-based cooperative based in Madison, Wisconsin.  Robert McClure joins Talk Wealth to Me to talk about the history of the company and the innovative way they bring their incredible coffee's to our kitchens.

When cell phones first burst onto the scene they were for people who loved the latest technology and or could afford such luxuries. Fast forward a decade or so later and the "mobile device" is a tool that most everyone has and cannot do without. It's not just for communicating by talking to someone directly, it does that and so much more. It is our link to information, communication and so much more. This includes how we shop, make financial decisions, bank and even do our budgets. The Talk Wealth to Me crew discusses how this little device has changed everything we knew about our finances.

Research has found that most of our money habits, including spending and saving, are largely ingrained in us by age seven based on the money relationships we’ve witnessed firsthand. Yet  most of us rarely discuss our financial situation with our family. What does this have to do with the hit and Emmy winning series Schitt's Creek? This CBC/PopTV series made famous internationally on the Netflix platform brought to light the very human side of money and power. 

What can a show about a family that losses everything teach us about our own personal finances. This episode we discuss the lessons, financial and otherwise, from the show.

Buyers remorse, a term most of us have felt many times in our lives. If you haven't, well, you may not be human. In all seriousness buyers remorse is most likely the direct result of an impulse purchase. Impulse purchases (buys) are not uncommon but they do come in very different sizes, shapes and costs. We have worked with many people that drive off the parking lot and on the way home start to have a panic attack because of what they had just done (true story!). Most the time we can take it back to the place we purchased it from unless of course it's food. They don't take that back!

The Talk Wealth To Me crew discusses a very recent situation they found themselves in.

FYI... all good! Ha

As a man of true integrity with infectious energy, Bob Wheeler’s crusade for personal growth has cross-pollinated with his accounting practice to create a new approach to personal finances. His passion is to help others gain insights about how their emotions trigger financial decisions. Bob Joins the Talk Wealth To Me crew to give his inspiring outlook on life and finances. A professional CPA by trade Bob noticed that many of his clients had many of same emotional traits when it came to their knowledge of money management.

We also touch on how climbing a mountain brought a financial epiphany. 

Math, science, social studies, history, english are of course , the core of studies our children learn in school from the time they start in kindergarten all the way through 12th grade. These subjects and others as they grow are crucial in the development of our kids as they prepare for college or the real world. But what about a skill that every single one of will have to use on a daily basis at some point?

In todays episode Chase and Felipe discuss the age old question that has again found itself in the news. Who should teach our kids about money?

Gasoline, bacon, produce, vehicles, you name it and the cost has most definitely increased in 2022. The word we have all been hearing since we were kids but was never part of the daily conversation until now... inflation. Inflation is at its highest since 1981 and a some guy named Reagan was President. Why? Well the Talk Wealth To Me team sat went to its economics expert Professor Jim Charkins. Jim is the former Executive Director of the California Council on Economic Education (CCEE) and Professor of Economics at California State University, San Bernardino. He received his Ph.D. in economics from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. He has taught at the University of Nairobi in Kenya, the Florida State University, Purdue University, and CSUSB as well as fellow California Jump $tart Coalition board member. He has many distinguished awards in the world of economics and once again Jim breaks it down so even we could understand.

It has been a crazy number of years and the housing market in all corners of the country is riding that wave. The Federal Reserve has raised interest rates recently to try and combat the rising inflation we are seeing from coast to coast. What affect has that had on the housing market and where is it going? One Trust Mortgage Regional V.P., Kelly Kline of San Diego, CA onetrusthomeloans.com/lo/kkline joins the Talk Wealth to Me crew about those questions and more in this week's Talk Wealth to Me Podcast.

"I want to save for a rainy day but I have credit card debt, what should I do first?", is one of the most common questions we get. The common answer is you need to pay off that debt before you can try to accumulate wealth because debt can be a drain on your resources. But the real answer is, It depends. Don't get me wrong, you should always pay off debt but it doesn't have to be an either or situation. This week the Talk Wealth To Me crew discusses the different scenarios of putting together an emergency savings and paying off the high interest rate credit card debt. 

Plus they discuss other choices we make that affect us financially!

A financial budget is obviously the foundation from which your personal finances can flourish. The trouble is budgets can be, if not followed, just a road map that is ignored. Most of us men understand that reference as we don't need or GPS's to find our destinations right? Well of course we might get to our eventual destination but did we get there in most timely and efficient manner we could have? Probably not! The same can be said of of our budgets, if not all the information is included we are not going to be making the right decisions.

In this episode we discuss a list of common expenses for most people that we may forget to include in our monthly budget. We also discuss a few of them that get a bad wrap! Looking at you @Starbucks!