Financial Conversation Podcast

FCP S3E10 - Wrap Up + Where Do We Go From Here?

As we wrap up the third season of the podcast, we're also saying goodbye. Taking the lessons we've learned from the podcast, we reflect on why we're no longer continuing the show and give you a hint at what we'll be up to elsewhere. Thanks so much for the support, we really appreciate it!   --   This may come as a bit of a shock to you, but this is the final episode of the Financial Conversation podcast. The show will live on via this website and iTunes so you can still listen to a...

FCP S3E9 - What is Financial Freedom and is it Even Possible?

Have you ever thought about why you want to improve your finances and save money? This seems like an obvious question but trust us, sometimes it's so common to get caught up in the motions and the habit of doing something that you forget why you're even doing it in the first place. When it comes to your finances, you always want to keep your why in mind so you won't make unnecessary decisions or sacrifices that don't end up helping you reach your goals. Since this season is all about sav...

FCP S3E8 - What's the Easiest Way to Save Money Without a Budget?

Are you looking for a way to save more money and still be able to spend on the things you enjoy? If so, you need to practice value based spending. In this week's episode, we'll be talking about what value based spending is, how it works, and why it lets you enjoy your money while still pursuing financial goals. What is Value Based Spending? If you've never heard of value based spending before, it's basically a way of allocating your money based on what you truly value and enjoy. Inst...

FCP S3E7 - What Are Sales Traps and How Can You Avoid Them?

We all shop from time to time whether it's an activity you like or not. When out shopping, I'm sure many of us can relate to an awesome deal we spotted on a particular item. If deals and sales make you happy, you're not alone. There's nothing wrong with wanting to stretch your dollar and save money on regular purchases. However, what stings is when you purchase an item that you think you got at a deal price only to find out you didn't really save any money on the purchase after all. If t...

FCP S3E6 - Is There a Right Way to Save Money?

You may not realize it, but there are right and wrong ways to save money. For example, when you go shopping and get things on sale, the cashier may tell you, "You saved $50 today!" But in reality, you haven't actually saved $50. What you've actually done is spent money on whatever it was you were buying. Of course sales and discounts can be a good way to save money on things you truly need and were already planning to buy. But, the truth is, many of us get caught up in these sales tric...

FCP S3E5 - Can Saving Money Lead to Freedom?

Can money buy you freedom? We think so. We're sure you've heard that money can't buy you happiness but freedom is much different from happiness. Happiness can be a temporary emotion and it's never really wise to base your emotions on money and what money can buy you. On the other hand, what you do with your money can help provide you with freedom. When you manage your money properly and save up for your goals and the future, you'll be setting yourself up for a better quality of life. Thi...

FCP S3E4 - Can You Trick Yourself Into Saving Money?

For most people, saving money isn't something they consider fun. In fact, some people consider saving money to be a sacrifice that takes away their ability to spend money on things they enjoy. That's why people tend to put off saving money instead of paying themselves first. But, the truth is, spending all of your money is not going to help you reach your financial goals. If you struggle with saving money, try some of the easy savings tricks we discuss in this episode. Make a List of Y...

FCP S3E3 - Budgets: Are They Overrated?

Do you have a budget? Does the word 'budget' make you feel uneasy somehow? Last week we talked about tracking your spending and how important that is. The next step is using the numbers you track to develop a realistic budget. This week, we're talking all about budgeting and how it can help you save and reach your financial goals. If you've never created a real budget before, have had issues sticking to your budget in the past, or are simply questioning whether or not you need a budget in ...

FCP S3E2 - Is Tracking Your Spending Worth the Effort?

If you're just getting started on your financial journey, you may think that creating a budget is the first step you should. However, the three of us truly believe that tracking your spending is actually the first step. The truth is, you can't create a realistic budget that you can stick to if you don't know your numbers. In fact, all of us started with tracking our spending before we ever attempted to create our first budget. This week on the podcast we're talking about how and why to...

FCPS3E1 - Does Automating Your Savings Help You Financially?

Last season was all about self-care and being the best you can be. We had so much fun recording our self-care season and hope you've gained a lot of clarity on your personal and financial goals and values from listening to the episodes. The next step is being intentional with your money and using it as a tool to improve your life. The Importance of Saving Money Saving is one of the most important aspects of managing your finances and one of the best ways to get ahead and start building...

FCP S2E13 - Can Effective Communication Improve Your Life?

The importance of effective communication is undeniable. But, how do you know if you are actually an effective communicator? In this week's episode of the podcast, we discuss the importance of communication, how to be a good communicator, and how to solve communication problems with the people in your life. Being able to communicate effectively can help avoid miscommunications and help you get the things you truly want in life. Here are 5 keys to communicating effectively. Don't Talk...

FCP S2E12 - How to Ask for What You Want - With Confidence

Do you ever feel like a yes man or woman? Do you feel compelled to agree with every request, task, or option you receive even when you're really not on board? Many people find themselves doing this because they either just want to be polite or easy to work with. If you're a people-pleaser, you probably say yes often as well as a result. This week on the podcast, we're discussing what happens when you don't ask for what you truly want and how it can hold you back. Why We Don't Ask For W...

FCP S2E11 - Does Saying "Yes" Do More Harm Than Good?

Are you sick and tired of feeling overworked, overstressed, and like you have no free time? Do you constantly find yourself overcommitted and juggling how to fit just one more thing into your calendar? We are tired of this too! That's why we are talking about how you can say no (even to family and friends) and why it's important in this week's episode of the podcast. It can be so hard to say no. You may find yourself feeling guilty, especially if you say no to friends and family, or if...

FCP S2E10 - Is Balance Worth Trying To Achieve?

So many people strive for the perfect balance in their life, but will they every find it? We've talked about finding balance in many of our episodes in the past but in this one, we're discussing why it's really difficult to achieve and why you should accept the fact that life will not be perfectly balanced all the time. The Truth About Work-Life Balance If you're struggling to find the perfect work-life balance, you're not alone. Many workers find it hard to balance their jobs with their...

FCP S2E9 - How Can You Find Your Purpose in Life?

Have you found your purpose in life? It can be difficult to figure out what your path is, but once you do, it can help you feel so much more fulfilled. The truth is, none of the three of us have all the answers. We're still working on using our gifts and figuring out our purposes too. Plus, your purpose might change over time, making it even more difficult to pursue. This week on the podcast, we're discussing things we are doing to try and figure out our purpose and what we think it migh...

FCP S2E8 - Can Being Creative and Playful Make us Happier?

What does creativity mean to you and do you practice it outside of work? Work can take up such a big part of our day and become a huge part of our identity which can create an issue. It's easy to become obsessed with earning the most money and becoming the best team member that you forget about having hobbies that you love and embracing your creative and playful side. This week on the podcast, we're discussing how you can give yourself more permission to be creative and go after fun thin...

FCP S2E7 - Is Being Busy a Sign of Success? Or Failure?

Have you ever found yourself caught up in the trap of automatically responding with "busy" whenever someone asks how you are doing or what's going on in your life? We have, and we're tired of the scripted nature of this conversation. It seems as if no one is actually asking these questions to find out a genuine answer. Instead, these have become part of a standard and scripted greeting. Plus, whenever you say "busy" as you answer, it always prompts the person to tell you that it is a g...

FCP S2E6 - How Can Practicing Gratitude Improve Our Lives?

How often do you show gratitude? Being grateful is a habit everyone should adopt because it can change your entire outlook on life. Sometimes we get comfortable with our situation and start to take it for granted which can lead to unhappiness and feelings of inadequacy. This week on the podcast, we're discussing how to embrace gratitude and make it a regular habit. Each of us has our own experience and opinions on showing gratitude so there's more than one way to integrate the habit into...

FCP S2E5 - Is it Possible to Overcome Being a Perfectionist?

Do you struggle with being a perfectionist? If so, we can relate. There are times when being a perfectionist is seen as a good thing. It means you strive to always do your best, but it can also be a hindrance. Because being a perfectionist can cause harm to yourself and your loved ones, we decided to tackle the topic of how to stop being a perfectionist in our podcast this week. The Problem with Perfectionism If you take perfectionism to an extreme, it means you are literally strivin...

FCP S2E4 - How Can We Strive to Live Authentically and Why Does it Matter?

Being authentic means coming from a real place within. You can only live authentically once you've defined your values and beliefs so that your actions and words align with them. Living authentically is something we believe everyone should strive for because our time is often so limited and you only have once shot to live on this Earth. If you want to live with fewer regrets and be more fulfilled, it's important to embrace an authentic lifestyle. Breaking Through Barriers Living authen...

FCP S2E3 - Should You Bother Keeping Up With the Joneses?

Have you ever found yourself feeling stuck? Stressed? Inadequate? I think we all have at some point. While there are many reasons you could feel this way, one of the biggest reasons people struggle with feeing stuck in their lives is because they aren't living according to their values. Instead, we tend to get caught up in keeping up with the Joneses, wether that be by buying things we don't want or need, or pursuing things in life that we don't really value. We could be trying to keep...

FCP S2E2 - Is Defining Your Values Beneficial?

Learning what your values are is so important no matter what goals you have or what phase of life you're in. Often times, we're influenced by outside sources like our friends, family members, celebrities, or even the media and we may interpret their beliefs or actions with things we should value when they're not actually our values at all. It can take a lot of experience and soul searching to determine what your values are, but in this week's episode, we're focusing in on how we establis...

FCP S2E1 - Are New Year's Resolutions Made to Fail?

Welcome back to the Financial Conversation podcast! We hope you enjoyed your holidays and we are excited to be back on the show! We've made a few changes to the show. For one, we'll be doing the podcast in seasons with each season having an overarching theme that all of the episodes will be related to. We think this will make it easier for you to find information on specific topics, and it will help us organize our thoughts to provide you with more valuable conversations and resources. I...

FCP 050: How to Legitimize Your Business

This is a special episode as it’s our 50th and our last for 2016. After this, we will be taking a break to spend time with our friends and family for the holidays. We plan to come back next year with lots of new ideas to make the show even better! To celebrate our 50th episode, we’re talking about something a lot of small business owners and entrepreneurs think about: how to legitimize their business, and what it actually means for you. Because we have a lot of questions on this topic, w...

FCP 049: How to Leverage Your Blog for Freelancing

This episode was inspired by a reader question we recently received from a listener and fellow blogger who is interested in leveraging his blog to start making money offering freelance services. Luckily, all of us have experience with this topic as we’ve all taken different approaches to building a freelance business after starting our own blogs. Joining us in our conversation today is Sarah Li Cain from High Fiving Dollars. Sarah started her blog and turned it into freelance writing and...

FCP 048: How is Your Past Money History Affecting Your Life Today?

In this episode we are talking about how our past histories with money, both good and bad, could be affecting our lives today. Negative history with money could be blocking you from achieving financial prosperity even if you don't realize it. This is why working with a financial therapist can help you work past these issues so you can finally achieve financial prosperity. So to help us explain the importance of our money history, we had special guest Kiné Corder on. She's a financial the...

FCP 047: How to Let Go of What You Don't Want and Create More Space

Today we are talking about how to let go of things you don’t want so you can create more space. In this case, what we mean is creating more mental space so you can really focus on the things you want in life instead of getting wrapped up and wasting time and mental energy on things you don’t truly want. This might one of the most interesting episodes we've had so far on the podcast as we were joined by empath and intuitive, Leisa Peterson from Wealth Clinic. Leisa's empathy means she ...

FCP 046: How to be a Smart Black Friday Shopper - and Is It Worth It?

We're discussing our opinions about shopping on Black Friday. Surprisingly, none of us are huge fans of going out and spending money on Black Friday! However, we know it's easy to get sucked into the hype. There are so many enticing ads and sales going on - before and after Black Friday - and you might feel like you're missing out if you don't take part. That's not true, and we're here to tell you why. We also give our tips and insights into how to get the best deals, as not all sales a...

FCP 045: How to Find Balance Between Your Dreams and Paying Off Debt

This week, we are talking about how to balance paying off debt with living your dreams. It’s not easy to pay off debt, especially when you want to use some of your money for fun things and to pursue other dreams. But it can be done with some determination and creativity. We also invited fellow blogger, Liz from Friday Night Shenanigans. Liz is a great person to help us cover this topic as she graduated law school with $198,000 in student loan debt, which she is still working her wa...

FCP 044: How to Save Money on a Thanksgiving Feast

With the holidays right around the corner, we decided to talk about some of our best money saving tips for a budget-friendly Thanksgiving feast. A variety of sources say that Thanksgiving dinner costs around $50, which is about a week's worth of groceries (or more) for the three of us. We've all found ways to save on groceries and some unique ways to save on a Thanksgiving feast in particular. We're also talking about our favorite Thanksgiving traditions and how we save money on those...

FCP 043: How to Deal With the Obsession of Earning More Money

This week's episode is about the obsession of earning more money. While the ability to earn more money is one of the nice things about being self-employed, it can also be something that's tough to deal with. When you are self-employed, you have the flexibility of working whenever you want, as much as you want, and you can charge as much as you want for your services. This means the sky's the limit when it comes to how much money you can earn. But that flexibility can also drive som...

FCP 042: Why You Shouldn't Skimp on Self-Care (and How to Budget for it)

In this episode, we are talking about something that is very important for everyone no matter where you live or what you do: self-care.  There’s no doubt that the costs of personal care can be expensive, but there are ways you can reduce your self-care expenses and budget for it so it doesn't take you by surprise. In this episode we discuss: 1:45 – Why is self care important? 6:00 – What gets in the way of self care? 13:45 - What is worth it and what isn't when it comes to self c...

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FCP 041: How to Get the Most out of Networking at a Conference (Even as an Introvert)

We are thrilled to present to you a special episode of Financial Conversation! This one was recorded live at FinCon 2016 - otherwise known as the Financial Blogger's conference.  We finally got the chance to record face-to-face, which made things a lot easier and more interesting. And, what better topic to cover than networking, since we were at a conference to make connections and further our careers.  (Yes, it's kind of meta, and yes, we're totally okay with that.) Since we ha...

FCP 040: How Your Relationship With Money Evolves

In this episode, we are talking about our views on money and how our they've changed over time. This episode was inspired by a recent blog post on LifeHacker and we wanted to give our opinion on some of the same topics. In this episode we discuss: 2:10 – Our Money Stories (our background with money) 17:20 – Focusing on what you make versus what you spend 19:50 – Using money as a tool so that it's not an enemy Related links to check out: Money Is Not Your Enemy or a Goal, It's ...

FCP 039: How to Pay Off Massive Debt and Live Your Dreams

In this episode, we are going to be talking about a topic we are all passionate about. Debt. And how to most efficiently pay it off. Our guest in this episode, Melanie Lockert from Dear Debt, is an expert at paying off debt. She successfully paid off $81,000 of student loans while living on a low income. We're talking graduating from NYU with little to no job prospects, moving to Portland for better non-profit opportunities that didn't surface, living on food stamps, and taking contro...

FCP 038 - What Makes Fall the Most Frugal Season?

In this episode, we’re excited to be talking about one of our favorite seasons of the year - fall! While there are many reasons to celebrate fall, like beautiful foliage, and pumpkin flavored and scented everything, the biggest reason we love fall from a financial stand point is that it tends to be a pretty frugal season. Now that fall is finally here, we are excited to talk about how we save money and make fall the most frugal season of the year. In this episode we discuss: 1:00 ...

FCP 037: Unconventional Ways to Save Money on a Wedding

In this episode, we’re talking about how to save money on what might be the biggest day of your life: your wedding day. It's no secret that weddings are expensive. Various studies have been done over the past few years showing the a wedding can cost on average anywhere from $19,984 to $32,641. Luckily, there are ways you can save on your wedding. Here are some of our unconventional ideas for saving on your wedding. In this episode we discuss: 1:40 – Average cost of a wedding 11:45 –...

FCP 036: How to Prepare to Quit Your Job

Feel like it's time to move on from your job? This can be a nervewracking transition for anyone, but it's inevitable, and it's best to prepare so you don't burn bridges. Here's how to quit your job in the nicest way possible. In this episode we discuss: 1:15 – What it takes to be prepared 6:40 – What to do if you're not prepared 9:30 – Chonce's Side Hustle: Origins 18:00 – Fear of the unknown 21:45 – Importance of networking 32:15 – How having many skills helps Enjoy!

FCP 035: How to Overcome Poverty

Being below the poverty line is a startling reality for 45 million Americans - it's a challenge many are familiar with. Our guest, Femme Frugality, discusses the psychology, solutions, and problems with poverty and government assistance. In this episode we discuss: 2:00 – Femme's backstory, living at the poverty level, and her experience with overcoming poor 5:10 – Remembering where we came from and how we got to where we are today 14:10 – Welfare requirements 26:10 – Government su...

FCP 034: Are Pets Worth the Cost? What to Think About Before Adopting

Chonce recently announced on Facebook that she and her family adopted a new cat, Emma, and we thought the cost of pets would make for a great topic of discussion on the podcast. Furry friends can be expensive, and since all three of us have pets or have had pets in the past, we've learned many ways to save money on pets. In this episode we discuss: 1:00 – Chonce's Cat Adoption Story 2:10 – Pet Expenses 6:50 – Cats vs. Dogs 10:45 – Pet Costs for Apartment Living 20:35 – Savin...

FCP 033: The Grass Isn't Always Greener When You're Self-Employed

Today we are talking about the pros and cons of working for a traditional employer vs. running your own business. We've found that sometimes the grass isn’t always greener when you're self-employed. Quitting your job to run your own business may sound like a dream, but there are some downsides and factors to consider before you make the leap to self employment. In this episode we discuss: 1:50 – Benefits Packages 6:20 – Paid Time Off 12:20 – Setting Boundaries 17:00 – Flexible W...

FCP 032: How to Score the Best Back to School Deals With Lauren Greutman

In this episode, we are lamenting the fact that summer is almost over and it's time for  back to school shopping already. Yes, it’s almost that time of year once again and it can be a real nightmare for parents who have to budget and pay for clothes and school supplies for their kids. If you are dreading back to school shopping, check out the money saving tips we share in this episode with our special guest, Lauren Greutman. Lauren is a budget savvy mom of 4 kids, so we knew she’d ...

FCP 031: How We Define Financial Freedom

In this episode, we’re talking about what financial freedom means to us and why it’s such an important concept to think about no matter where you're at in your financial journey. In this episode we discuss: 1:10 – What financial freedom means to us 8:15 – The concept of mini retirements 15:15 – People who've achieved financial freedom and how they got there 20:15 – Obstacles that may prevent financial freedom Related links to check out: Frugal Woods Go Curry Cracker Mr. Mon...

FCP 030: Our Worst Financial Mistakes

We are going to be admitting and discussing our worst financial mistakes. Just because we blog about money doesn’t mean we are experts. All of us have made some money mistakes along the way, and now we are going to share our stories with you in hopes you can learn from them. In this episode we discuss: 1:10 – Kayla's Financial Mistakes 2:10 – Chonce's Financial Mistakes 6:50 – Erin's Financial Mistakes 10:15 – Why bank accounts are a pain in the neck when you move 12:30 – How to ...

FCP 029: Minimalism and Money - How They Go Together

This week’s episode is a combination of two of our favorite topics: minimalism and money! Minimalism has become a hot topic in recent years and we discuss things like what originally got us excited about minimalism. Minimalism and money have more to do with each other than you might think. We'll give you some examples of how minimalism and money can go hand in hand. In this episode we discuss: 1:15 – Do you start life as a minimalist or is it a learned trait during adulthood? 10:00 ...

FCP028 - New Ways to Enjoy Your City (Even in a Small Town)

Are staycations really a good way to save money? Can you even have fun on a staycation? What about how you can enjoy your city when you live in a small town? We used to think we were so over the idea of taking a staycation to save money vs. going on a real vacation. But brainstorming for this week’s episode really got most of us back on the staycation wagon. As you might have guessed, in this episode we are going to be sharing some of our favorite ideas for how you can enjoy your city th...

FCP 027: What's Financial Wellness, and Why Should You Care?

This is a very special episode as we discussed a topic everyone can probably relate to: working toward achieving financial wellness. We were also joined by a special guest, Jason Vitug, from the personal finance website Phroogal, to help spread awareness about this topic and share his story. Jason is a world traveler, author, blogger, speaker, and most recently, he’s decided to travel around the country this summer visiting major cities in each state to host events for a local grassroots...

FCP 026: Serial Entrepreneurship

This episode was a real treat as we were joined by a fellow entrepreneur, Matt Giovanisci. Matt is what you might call a "serial entrepreneur" who has started several successful, and not so successful, businesses over the past few years. He also loves to rap about everything from pool care, to making money, and more. We were very excited to talk with Matt about his experiences with entrepreneurship and running successful businesses. [powerpress] In this episode we discuss: 1:15 – Ma...

FCP 025: Things We Wish We Knew About Money When We Graduated College

With college graduation having just taken place a few weeks ago, we thought we should talk about some of the money mistakes we made, and people we know have made after graduating from college. When you have just graduated college, you might think that the world is at your fingertips, and if you've just landed a full-time career job, you may feel on top of the world since you will likely be earning more money than you've ever earned before in your life. However, this doesn't mean you can sp...