Life is Life

This week we bring back a longtime friend and collaborator with the Talk Wealth crew. Professor Howard Eskew is a former banker turned educator who's passion for financial literacy is unmatched. He is the man that was behind and created a personal finance class that is offered at San Diego Mesa College. It was so popular that there is a waiting list every semester. This week we talk about how challenging and rewarding it is to teach personal finance and how students really grasp real world tools to help decision making that impact theirs and their family's lives.

The worldwide pandemic has changed our way of life over the last year and a half with how we purchase food, clothing and goods. It has brought us drive up delivery, Uber Eats, Door Dash and more. It has also changed the way we look at life, relationships and our careers. There has been a profound shift, just go to your nearest restaurant or retail store and you will see, "we're hiring" signs. It's everywhere!

This week Nate Astle returns to Talk Wealth To Me to discuss the mental stress and trauma that people are experiencing as well as his own journey and mental health that led him to change the course of his career.

So here we are, the final days of 2021. After a year that we all experienced a pandemic and stay at home orders we all hoped it would be a year where we got back to "normal". Well in many ways it did but it was also a year of many more challenges and new adventures. We talked about so many incredible topics and had some of the greatest guests. In this episode we look back at the year 2021 and rehash some of our favorite and not so favorite moments. We wish you all a very Happy New Year and we look forward to 2022! This episode was recorded live on zoom and Facebook December 15, 2021. The video of the recording can be found here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ea022_zTUsk 

Bank fees have been around forever and are costly to all of us. However overdraft fees have become all too much of the norm over the last decade. Banks seem to be relying on overdraft and non-sufficient funds (NSF) revenue to maintain their high-profit margins, according to a new December 2021 report from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Specifically, the U.S. financial watchdog agency found that roughly two-thirds of bank profits come from NSF and overdraft fees. Well it seems that report has made a few banks take action and get rid of their overdraft fees. The Talk Wealth To Me Crew discuss the the implications of this report and the subsequent moves by at least one major bank.

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.