The Holiday shopping season is here! We hope you have prepared your budgets and are ready to go. But has the way we shop changed forever? Our team goes over some trends they noticed and read about showing maybe Americans no longer line up with excitement for Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals. Will the malls ever see crowds like they used to? Could it be that more people planned ahead or are more people just shopping online? The Talk Wealth To Me Crew covers those topics and more.

"Home is where the heart is", they say. For many home is where they were born and raised and no matter the situation that's where they stay. For many however the pandemic had people looking at their situations differently. One of those was former San Diego Financial Literacy Center and California resident Brad Pagano. A financial professional, veteran of the non-profit industry, Brad reflected on his life and what he wanted out of it for he and his family going forward. Less financial stress was at the top of the list and that wasn't going to be possible if he stayed where he was.

Brad joins the Talk Wealth to Me crew to discuss the financial decisions that went into moving out of the city he had lived in for 17 years and making a new life for his family.  

No one gets married with the intent of eventually getting a divorce yet it happens. Even though the number of divorces have declined still between 40 and 50 percent of marriages end in divorce. The question for those looking to end their marriages is what is it going to cost? Not just in legal fees but who is going to be responsible for what and who is going to have to pay who? Obviously there is no straight answer as everyone's situation is different. Today the Talk Wealth To Me Crew sit down with San Diego Divorce Attorney, Jennifer Zachary who takes us through all of the different scenarios that can arise during the divorce process. This is an incredibly insightful and interesting conversation which can be an uncomfortable one.

Life is hard! Life in the twenty-first century can be and is stressful for so many reasons. The 24 hour news cycle with thousands of different sources to get you information that may or may not be true, to social media that spreads lies and hate or pictures of people in their perfect lives.

One constant for stress for hundreds of years has been money. Adding to that stress for more than five decades however, has been credit card debt. Today's episode the Talk Wealth To Me crew discusses the warning signs of credit card debt and stress and what you can do about it. 

As I was growing up I always had an idea of what marriage was like. I was a born romantic so to me it was all about love and passion. As I got older that didn't change but I did enjoy my single years immensely! I could spend my money how I wanted, on what I wanted. That thinking got me in a lot of credit card debt! My wife of 15 years  was just saying the other day, "I had so much money when I was young and single". We laughed because we as a couple feel like we never have money as it seems to go out as fast as it comes in.

This week the Talk Wealth to Me crew discusses new research that seems to say that couples tend to be more well off than their single counterparts. And for some reasons that might surprise you.

Netflix was on the cutting edge of streaming television in the early days but had seen the competition take much of the market share in recent years but that may all have changed in a flash as a new phenomena has taken over. I have to admit, I never heard of it until my wife mentioned my son's friends had watched an episode and parents were talking. Squid Game! On the surface, a very violent show from Korea that is nothing more than games to the death with endless violence. But it is so much more than that. The Talk Wealth to Me crew gets together to discuss the depth of the of the show and how financial circumstances of the characters and society in general is at the forefront of the show.

When my kids were young they loved a show called Handy Manny. It was a child's show where the main character was very handy and fix or build anything. The reason the kids loved it was, he could talk to his tools. I was always interested because I knew I was never going to be Handy Manny. We all know people who are super handy and know there way around tools. Now I am capable but sometimes you have to ask yourself, "Can I do this project myself, or do I hire someone to do it"? 

In this episode we discuss what projects we should and can do ourselves to save a buck or two or hire a professional to take on the task. This hilarious discussion is something we can all relate too!

The COVID19 pandemic caused many aspects of every day life to change. Work life was not the exception. You have probably heard that our team records our episodes out of their kid's rooms. 

Some parts of our lives are returning to "normal" but the new normal may look completely different. For some, our team included, a commute to and from the office is a thing of the past. 

What implications will permanently working from home  have on individual's budgets? How can you save money working from home? If you have been working from home for over a year now what have you been doing with the money you saved?

Our guys cover all this and more from their Talk Wealth To Me studios (their kid's bedrooms.)

There are a handful of television shows that have the ability to bring us all together to laugh and cry, celebrate love, and friendship, and just life in general. During the nine seasons that The Office aired, we were given some of the most hilarious characters and iconic moments, like the time Dunder Mifflin paper company’s fearless leader Michael Scott organized a choreographed routine down the aisle at his employees’ wedding or when Pam and Jim finally get together. These are real people in very outlandish yet familiar situations.

This week the Talk Wealth To Me crew discuss the very real money and financial situations these characters find themselves in.

In the first episode of season five we take on one of the most common question we get from parents. "How can I help my daughter and or son establish credit?"

Is there a one size fits all answer? Are there benefits to one method over the other? The guys share some tips, stories and some of the dangers of not having credit or getting credit too soon. 

Let's face it, stress is a real thing and in today's world of a pandemic that never seems to end and social media and politics a constant, it's no wonder that depression and anxiety is rampant among us. However the most common reason for stress has been around for as long as time. Money... Have it or don't finances can make stress excruciating which leads to all kinds of health problems. This week in honor of World Suicide Prevention Day, 9/10/21 we discuss the ways to mitigate those stresses to live a healthier and productive life.

Putting on an event big or small is no easy task and can be pricey. Essential to the plans is the participation of attendees for so many reasons. The RSVP is the most important thing for the planner of the event because so many things depend on the amount of the "head count".  Size and location of venue, decor and of course food and beverages. Nothing is worse and more frustrating when you have your plans, the event is here and you have NO SHOWS! Sometimes this can't be helped but in a lot of cases this is just rude. Today the Talk Wealth To Me crew discuss these situations and more. You have a story? Let us know!

Two years ago, the San Diego Financial Literacy Center and DebtWave Credit Counseling, came together to produce and publish a podcast all about money. We called it Talk Wealth To Me, and today we’re celebrating our 100th episode!

 While there are a multitude of podcasts about personal finance, our goal for this show was to really strip down financial concepts, to talk beyond how to create a budget or how to responsibly use a credit card or invest. 

 We wanted to share with you information about the psychology of money, to give you tips on how to better your relationship with money from not just us, but experts in their own fields. Overall, we wanted to create a safe-space where people from all walks of life could better their understanding of financial concepts and learn from other people’s financial success and failures.

 As we celebrate our 100th episode, the Talk Wealth To Me team looks back on our favorite episodes, things we’ve learned along the way, and how our own relationship with money has changed. 

 And because we view you, our listener, as family, we wanted to share some difficult news - a personal update with you regarding the health and well-being of Chase’s beautiful bride, Keri, who you heard from in our Valentine show, Episode #070.

 On behalf of our Talk Wealth To me team, we wanted to truly thank you for supporting our show during these first 100 episodes. Our plan is to continue this show as long as possible and continue to bring you new perspectives, thoughts, and opinions as it relates to personal finance, to money, to your financial health. 

 Cheers to another 100 episodes!

Congratulations! Your summer has arrived! The kids are back in school or back to college, One way or the other summer as the kids know it has come to a close. This is an annual occurrence yet many of us get caught off guard and are scrambling to the malls, Target, WalMart or online to buy all of the stuff our kids "need" for the school year. Today the Talk Wealth To Me crew discuss the different ways to prepare financially for this annual ritual.

Applying for loans has become a common financial decision for most of society over the the last 30 years or so.  There are so many things banks and other industries look at when assessing risk of a given borrower including income and a credit profile. Having no credit or bad credit makes borrowing a nightmare. Either the loan could be very expensive due to high interest or you may not be offered the loan at all. One option that a borrower (and the sales person by the way) is to have a co-signer on the loan. In this episode the Talk Wealth to Me gang discuss the many pitfalls and benefits that come with it. Is it a good idea? Join us and decide for yourself.

The world of federal student loans is changing. Especially for all of those looking to take advantage of the Public Student Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) programs. The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) or Fedloan, one of the largest student loan servicers and the only servicer handling PSLF loans recently announced it will not be looking to renew its contract as a student loan servicer. What does that mean to the millions who currently have Fedloan as their servicer? What should you do now to prepare? What should you be on the lookout for? Will your loan or forgiveness terms change? For this episode Chase sits down with our in house student loan specialist Felipe to get these answers and more.

The Talk Wealth to Me crew breaks down this tweet that was originally posted on Reddit.  This scenario comes up all the time in personal finance. Where do you stand on this???

Am I (29M) the asshole for inviting my girlfriend (28F) to an expensive vacation and expecting her to pay her share. I make a lot more than her. Hello, my, and then here's the body of it.

Hello, my girlfriend, myself, my parents and my brother and his wife all went on vacation to another country a week ago. My brother and I were the only one were the ones who did most of the planning for the itinerary. Although we did ask for everyone's input for background, I make 150,000 as an IT consultant. My girlfriend is a teacher making about 45,000. My parents are very affluent as well as my brother.

And sister-in-law my girlfriend knew this trip was coming and took on a second job waitressing on the weekends for several months to get ready for it. We have always split things. 50/50 in the two years we've been together. There were a few times on vacations where she did not go on outings with us like wine tasting, scuba diving, et cetera. She also would only eat two meals a day. Simply stating that she was on a budget. My family does favor more. High-end expensive places. My parents thought it was very strange that she only eats two meals a day on those. She normally eats three. When we got home, I asked her why she skipped out on several of the outings and only ate two meals a day. I mentioned how I heard her stomach growling one night and said, I was concerned about her having an eating disorder.

Uh, she got teary-eyed and said that three meals a day wasn't financially feasible for her. And neither were the outings that she chose not to go on. She went on three of six outings. She said she was not expecting everything to cost so much. And she was overwhelmed. She also said she doesn't know if it's going to work out long-term if she's expected to go on vacations like that with people who make so much more than her, I feel bad. I did not pick up on her discomfort sooner, but we did agree to split everything 50/50. And I don't know why she agreed to come. If the cost was an issue.
https://twitter.com/AITA_reddit/status/1409476751307194368 

The daughter of immigrant parents growing up in Minnesota, Nora Ali grew up thirsty for knowledge and opportunity. Today the Talk Wealth To Me guys sit down with Nora about the launching of a new media venture as well as her incredible path leading up to it.

Nora was most recently an anchor on Cheddar, a business and technology-focused news network which broadcasts live from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange and its other studios across New York City and Washington, D.C. 

At Cheddar, Nora helped pitch and launch several specialty series, including Fast Forward: Life After Covid-19,  All Hands: Race Toward Inclusion, Business of Buying, and Future of Food.  She is a graduate of Harvard University and was previously a Senior Product Manager for end-to-end customer experience at the e-commerce company Jet.com, which she joined prior to its launch and acquisition by Walmart.  What an inspiration!

The word invest can be a source of anxiety for some as they get further down the road of life because they know they should. But... how and what should I invest my hard earned money in? In today's world there are so many options but what is right for you? Today's guest Kyle Woodley the Senior Investing Editor for Kiplinger.com explains some of the options we have and what might be the best options for you.

It’s hard to find a show that has had a greater cultural impact on American life than the 90s television sitcom "Friends." From “The Rachel” haircut, to the holiday armadillo, “Smelly Cat”, and even the “I’ll Be There for You” theme song, "Friends" is a show that continues to feel relevant and relatable – even though it’s been more than a decade since the finale aired in May 2004! So relatable that the Talk Wealth to Me crew brought on a guest that wasn't born until 2008!

What does "Friends" have to do with personal finance? It turns out, so many things that the six twenty-somethings encountered in their lives resembled real life; financial decisions and situations were no different. Today, we Shoot the Financial $h!t about many of these classic scenes and topics. That guest? Clayton Peckham, who has watched every episode from season 1-10, multiple times starting at the age of 10. Sit back and reminisce with us!

It all started with a tweet... Music, movies, sports and other live and entertainment  events are big business and a lot of people are passionate about them; willing to shell out large amounts of money to experience. Some argue that it is financially irresponsible to spend hard earned money on such experiences. This is obviously subjective so we here at Talk Wealth to Me thought this is a great subject to discuss as this tweet is actually part of the reason we ourselves got into trouble when we were younger.  Is he right???  https://twitter.com/smartmoneybro1/status/1405262922427867137

Once upon a time we knew if we saw a billboard, heard a commercial on television or the radio, that we were being advertised to spend money on a new product or a new brand. But over the past few decades, advertisers noticed that pop culture influences us more than these traditional ads. So, they made a change.

 With the use of “influencers,” product placement, and targeted social media ads, we now view ads for the latest and greatest as products that we need in order to be happy and fabulous. This week, Katie joins the Talk Wealth To Me crew for a discussion on how pop culture influences our spending and saving habits.

If you have listened to this podcast often you know that we bring up budgeting in some way in just about every episode. This is because creating a spending plan (budget) is crucial to the health of your finances, especially if you are trying to pay back debt that you accumulated earlier in your life. This doesn't mean that you have to do without completely though. In this episode Chase and Phil discuss how you can create that plan to pay back the debt and still leave some for you to enjoy the life you are living now.

"Want to go to the concert next weekend?" "Hey let's go to dinner". " Happy Birthday, here's a trip to Hawaii." In life we can all find ourselves financially at different places than others, including friends and family. This can cause anxiety and feelings of inadequacy because we may not be able to afford the same things as our friends or family. The holidays, birthdays, weddings, you name it, we all will go through this situation on one side or the other at some point, maybe even both? This week the gang discuss how to handle those situations and how it doesn't make you who you are based on what you can and can't afford at given times. 

Wedding season is right around the corner and this season could see a record number of nuptials as we come out of the pandemic. Last year so many weddings were postponed as we couldn't get together to celebrate two lives coming together as we normally would.  Weddings for some people are the biggest days of some people's lives. It can be a huge cost for the couple and their immediate families. This week the crew discusses all things wedding costs but not for the bride and groom or their families but the wedding party's. Yes, those friends and family that pay for and travel far and wide for the bachelor and bachelorette parties, rehearsal dinners, wedding day and not to mention the dresses and tux/suits. Join us for some crazy stories and of course ways to make those incredible days a little less pricey for the ones standing up in honor of you.