Big announcements were just released regarding federal student loans.  We want to address anyone who currently has student loan debt.  Some of you are ecstatic about this news, while some have mixed emotions. In either event, we think you should celebrate this unexpected blessing and be grateful for it.  In today's episode, host Travis Shelton discusses how you can capitalize on this sudden momentum.  Whether this makes you debt-free or you still have debt to pay off, the work isn't done.  We hope this content inspires you to propel yourself into the next season of life!

Big announcements were just released regarding federal student loans.  We want to address anyone who has already paid off their loans.  Some of you are very angry. We get it....and we don't blame you.  In today's episode, host Travis Shelton discusses why your accomplishments were worth far more than $10,000.  We hope this content gives you a renewed perspective on your own situation, as well as some encouragement about what comes next.  

It's back-to-school season! For host Travis Shelton, it's the first official full-time school season for his twin boys, who are starting Kindergarten.  Like most parents, Travis and his wife thought long and hard about what path to take for their children's education.  Ultimately, they chose a local private school.  In today's episode, Travis discusses the cost, considerations, and consequences involved in this decision.  It was a painful financial decision, but if you're a regular listener of this show, you know we stress the importance of focusing on the meaning, not the money.  This episode is about private school, but it's really not. It's meant to use this one specific example as an illustration of how we can make the best decisions for our respective families as we walk through life.  

Risk is a weird thing with us humans.  Sometimes we grossly underestimate risk, while other times we grossly overestimate it.  The biggest reason we whiff?  Fear!  We tend to rely too much on emotion, and not enough on what really matters.  In today's episode, host Travis Shelton talks through a simple but effective way to analyze and assess risk.  It's based on an article he was working on for Brainz Magazine.

With benefit election season quickly approaching, we are going to spend some time on the topic of health insurance.  Specifically, how to pick the plan that's right for you and your family's situation.  Oftentimes, by default, people choose the plan with the best ongoing coverage.  Lower deductibles, lower co-insurance, more coverage, etc.  However, that's just part of the story.....and sometimes the smaller part of the story.  In today's episode, host Travis Shelton discusses how each of us can simply and clearly assess our health insurance options to decide what's truly best for our family's situation.  

This is a very common question we receive from people who are working to pay off their debt. Many financial experts have a black-and-white approach to this question, but we believe it's nuanced....and each person needs to assess their own situation. In today's episode, host Travis Shelton explains the questions and considerations to ask yourself as you're assessing your own decision. There's not a hard and fast right and wrong, but we do believe there's a right for you. Let's figure it out!

When people want to make financial progress, one of our first pieces of advice is to NOT immediately start cutting back and slashing expenses. Doing so will cause them to burn out quickly or quit before they even get started. Instead, we walk them through a three-step process that is proven to work. In today's episode, host Travis Shelton explains these three steps, how to execute them, and why it's a proven method to create real, sustainable change.

Fact: pursuing meaning over money can be hard.....very hard.  Yes, it's an amazing and fulfilling journey. But it would be disingenuous for us to pretend it comes without a cost. In today's episode, host Travis Shelton explains some of the costs he and others have paid, how he perceives and navigates it, and why he's more convicted than ever about his decision to pursue the meaning.

We've all done things we regret.  Poor decisions, mistakes, or actions resulting in significant negative consequences.  We have in the past, and we will in the future.  When this happens, we sometimes shrug it off and convince ourselves we don't regret it.  Why?  Because some positive things have likely come from it.  One terrible decision can lead us down a completely different path in life.....and everything as a result (even the good stuff) can be traced back to the poor decision.  So in a way, we justify the poor decision and minimize its impact on our life, which can later lead us to repeat similar poor decisions (resulting in even more pain).  In today's episode, host Travis Shelton talks about the idea of regretting past mistakes without wishing them away.  When we reframe it through that lens, it allows us to take responsibility for our past mistakes, be grateful for the blessings we do have, and learn to be better as we move forward.  

We rarely take a polarized position on topics, but this is one hill we would die on: keeping our business and personal finances separate is critical.  There's no better way to create uncertainty, lack of clarity, and frustration in our financial life than to muddy the waters between business and personal finances.  In today's episode, host Travis Shelton shares why this is so important, and how to execute it simply.  

One of our favorite days of the year is Amazon Prime Day.  No, not because of the sales.  It's one of our favorite days because that's when all the spend-shamers come out of the woodwork to demonize people for buying things they "don't need."  In today's episode,  host Travis Shelton explains why this is a toxic perspective, how it leads to financial hoarding and deep feelings of guilt, and why there's a better approach.  

In past episodes, we've made the argument life can actually get more complicated the freer we become (out of debt, more income, etc.).  One example of this is a situation we see time and time again.  So many possibilities start to open up.....so we say "yes."  And "yes."  And "yes" again.  If we're not careful, we can start to go down a dangerous road where we say yes to everything.....because we can.  In today's episode, host Travis Shelton shares some stories from his experience working with clients fighting this battle.  Just because we can, it doesn't mean we should.  

When host Travis Shelton was in high school, he worked at a cheese factory. This job taught him many lessons, but none greater than an older couple who worked there together. At the time, Travis looked at them as an example of what he didn't want to become in life. As time when on, however, and as Travis leaned into these ideas of meaning over money, this couple seemed wiser and wiser. See, this couple knew a secret so many of us don't. Meaning always trumps money, even when everyone around us is telling a different story. This is a different kind of episode, and we hope it adds value to your journey!

As host Travis Shelton was recently loading up his family's vehicle for a family camping trip, a very clear and convicted idea crossed his mind: "I need a new car." It was clear his existing vehicle didn't have enough space, and playing Tetris with luggage and equipment was getting old. In today's episode, we discuss the idea of need vs. NEED. Sometimes we think we need something, but do we really NEED it? It may sound like we're splitting hairs, but knowing the difference can help us make much better decisions and prevent us from doing something we'll regret. This episode will hit a bit too close to home for some, which is a good thing. If we can slow down to think through our situation and make a genuinely good decision, our future selves will most certainly thank our past selves.

The stock market is a crazy world right now!  Therefore, it's only natural more and more people are asking the question, "what should I do about it?"  Our answer is always the same:  if you're invested broadly and cheaply, simply do nothing.  Let the market take care of itself.  It's a hard thing to do, as we want to do something, but nothing is always better than something.  In today's episode, host Travis Shelton explains why this is the hardest decsion......but the best decision.

In episode 103, we discussed why most people are actually losing money from their credit card points.  Our argument is a combination of psychological and tracking issues, resulting in a net loss even after receiving the benefit of various rewards, miles, and cash back.  We received a lot of questions and feedback about this episode.  The most notable question is whether we believe there's a way to use credit cards (through the lens of building credit) without subjecting ourselves to the negatives.  In today's episode, host Travis Shelton outlines one way it's possible.  We're not a fan of this approach, per se, but since you asked, we shall answer.  Hope you enjoy!

In a previous episode, we talked about the idea of inventorying what really adds value to our life.  We gave all the listeners (and ourselves) a homework assignment: make a list of the top 10 things that add value to your life.  In today's episode, we discuss a reality most people will recognize when they do this exercise.  The things that REALLY add value to most people's lives are either free or inexpensive.  The takeaway?  Most people are chasing more, more, and more, when the truth is what they really value has been sitting in front of them the whole time.  And for the things that aren't free or inexpensive, we need to ask ourselves if they are being adequately prioritized in our financial life.  Host Travis Shelton also talks about his discovery of some gaps between values and behavior in his own financial life by doing this exercise.  If you haven't already made your list, now is a good time to think about it!

There are certain months that will inevitably cause people a lot of frustration in their budgeting. The problem is they don't know everyone else is also struggling with them as well, so they can easily feel defeated. May, August, and December are particularly hard for most people. In today's episode, host Travis Shelton explains why some months are just harder than others, and what you can do about it.

From time to time, we have conversations with people who are experiencing financial success and/or finding meaning in their work, who feel somewhat guilty. Why? Because they are aware of how much stress and frustration other people around them are experiencing. Much of this stems from a high level of compassion, but there's also a piece where it can feel undeserving. In today's episode, host Travis Shelton shares why he doesn't think people should feel guilty for their progress. The biggest reason is how much work and dedication it took to reach that place. It's not a one-time decision, but rather years of discipline and thousands of good decisions along the way. If anything, these successes can be used as a living example for someone else, and can also provide even more opportunities to show generosity to others.

We all have influence. The who, where, what, when, and how all vary, as does the size of our influence, but we all have influence. We're also living in a time where we have the tools and platforms available to say anything we want about anything we want.....and are encouraged to do so. We've spent so much time asking the question "can we?", that we perhaps have failed to answer the question, "should we?" Some of us, in our pursuit to be right, have voluntarily given up our influence in the lives of people around us. We may say things or do things that we believe, but turn people away from us in doing so. In today's episode, host Travis Shelton discusses the importance of maintaining influence in the areas we are called to influence, and how so many are sabotaging that influence over other topics in our culture.