paula christine

On Tuesday, February 28th, Paula Christine will host a webinar on a topic that's become increasingly important in recent months - grocery budgets. It will be offered twice, at 11am and 8pm Eastern, and you can link to it here: https://learn.paulachristine.com/budgeting-for-groceries

The first step is figuring out what your food costs look like. Paula found out she's spending much more than she thought, and she wouldn't be surprised if it's the same for you.

Once you figure out what you're spending, you have to create a budget, and have a plan for what happens if you go over that budget. Does that money come out of next week's budget? Does it come out of this week's budget somewhere? Which parts of your budget are static, and which parts are flexible? Paula and Producer Jon walk through some examples.

Another way to save on your food budget is to cut back on going out to eat and on getting takeout. These costs have skyrocketed with inflation, to say nothing about all the extra fees for services like DoorDash, GrubHub, Postmates, and more!

Remember how grandma used to clip coupons? Well, you don't need scissors anymore. Just look online. Often, grocery stores will have sales, and you can find the best prices on everything from produce to pop. And you can even put your grocery together online for pickup. Not only will this allow you to make sure you're within your budget, it will also prevent you from walking into the store and making those impulse buys!

What about buying in bulk? Paula and Jon talk about the benefits of big box stores like Costco. You can even buy meat to freeze. And speaking of freezers, how many meals are in yours right now? Knowing this can save money and cut down on food waste.

Meal delivery services - Jon and his wife have tried one. He and Paula explore the pros and cons and when one might be a good decision for you.

This online course and webinar will be really useful in creating a grocery budget. Paula's got 20 tips. Some may work for you, and some may not. But we're sure you'll get something valuable. Again, you can find more information here: https://learn.paulachristine.com/budgeting-for-groceries

Additionally, you can reach out to Paula on her website, PaulaChristine.com, or via email at Paula@PaulaChristine.com.

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Reach Paula at paula@paulachristine.com or through her website, paulachristine.com.

Angela Buccellato does more than write resumes at the Resume Rescue.  She helps clients change companies and careers, and always has her finger on the pulse of the job market.  She joins Paula Christine today to talk about just that.

It's vitally important to keep your resume updated.  But it doesn't have to be an arduous process.  Set a periodic reminder to record what you've accomplished recently - career-wise, volunteering, anything.  That way, when you need an updated resume, it won't be so daunting.

Paula and Angela talk about that scary word "networking" - and Angela explains that the concept doesn't have to be so intimidating. It's often easier than you think.

Have you had a 6% raise in the last year? If the answer is no, you took a pay cut. Angela explains why.

LinkedIn is an extremely powerful tool  when used well. In fact, Angela can see a world where it's used instead of resumes and the dreaded cover letter.   

We'll also hear Angela's back story, and how her experience as a corporate recruiter made her so passionate about being a "personal cheerleader" for her clients, and making sure they're happy and paid what they're worth.  She gives us a couple client success stories.

To connect with Angela:

Listen to her Podcast, That's Business: https://thats-business.simplecast.com/

Find her on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-buccellato/

Or check out The Resume Rescue: https://theresumerescue.com/

Paula's Website: https://paulachristine.com/

Paula's Email: Paula@PaulaChristine.com

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Reach Paula at paula@paulachristine.com or through her website, paulachristine.com.

It's no secret that our health care system is broken.  It's overcomplicated and too expensive.  For years, free market forces that have revolutionized other industries haven't been able to break through the health care wall.  SALTA Direct Primary Care is changing that - Dr. John Blanchard is Paula's guest today.

SALTA charges $90 per month for unlimited primary care and telehealth visits, providing services that cover 80% of most Americans' health care needs. This is an alternative to paying a high dollar amount out of pocket until you meet your insurance deductible.  And what about the services that SALTA does not provide?  Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, they have access to the cash prices for the same services at many different providers.   Did you know that some hospital systems in Michigan charge three times the price for the same exact quality of care?

Does a system like this mean you no longer need health insurance?  No.  But John believes we start looking at health insurance the way we look at car insurance.  We don't insure against oil changes, brake pads, and tires?  We only insure against catastrophic events like car accidents.   That's how we should look at our health insurance.  We should have coverage so that a major sickness or hospital stay won't bankrupt us, but we don't need to be covering physicals, common colds, and more.

The way our current health care system is set up, it relies on healthy young people to pay into the system, to cover the health care costs of older individuals who need more care.   John hopes that as more younger folks opt out of the traditional system, it will force changes that will benefit all of us.

To learn more, visit: https://saltadirect.com/

To learn more about Paula Christine, visit: https://paulachristine.com/

Or drop her an email at Paula@PaulaChristine.com

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Reach Paula at paula@paulachristine.com or through her website, paulachristine.com.

When journalist Ilyssa Panitz went through her divorce, she had no idea what to expect.  It was as if lawyers and judges were speaking a different language.  At one point, the judge asked her if she understood what was happening, and she could  barely answer him.  She went to media, she went to Google.  And she could not find a journalist that was distilling down topics around divorce. so that everyday people could understand.  Like many of us, she reinvented herself during COVID, and became a divorce journalist.

Ilyssa believes knowledge is empowering.  By translating the complex language of divorce through her columns, radio show, and podcast, she helps people going through the divorce process understand topics.  They feel empowered and prepared to answer questions.

Ilyssa explains why the first step to take when getting a divorce is not to find a good attorney, it's to get on top of your finances.  That's where a CDFA, or Certified Divorce Financial Analyst.

Today's guest wants you to learn from her mistakes.  She'll feel successful if her errors can help others from making the same ones.  As she says, she wants you to survive and thrive.

Ilyssa explains she's not your divorce attorney, CPA, or PhD.  She's your "Waze," your "GPS" through the process.   And it really came full circle for her with both of her kids.  When they had friends going through divorce, they came to their Mom, because she helps people through this process.

To connect with Ilyssa, her articles, her shows, and more, find her at https://www.ilyssapanitz.com/

Need help with your financial future?  Learn more about Paula and her work at PaulaChristine.com or send her an email: Paula@PaualChristine.com

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Reach Paula at paula@paulachristine.com or through her website, paulachristine.com.

Today, Paula Christine welcomes back her first repeat guest, Shannon DeWall of DeWall Law.   Shannon is an estate planning attorney, and we're covering the importance of a special needs trust.  While this information isn't relevant to everyone, it's critically important to some of our listeners.

A special needs trust is set up to take care of the needs of an individual with special needs, often upon the death of both of their parents.  Often, individuals with special needs are eligible for Medicare as well as SSI, or supplemental security income.  If someone ends up with a large inheritance, this can jeopardize their ability to participate in both of these government programs, which provide more than just financial benefit.

Who should be the trustee, or in charge of the trust?  Most parents assume it will be a sibling or other family member, but that can be an undue burden to place on a relative.  This needs to be worked out when the trust is set up, long before the parents have passed.   And perhaps the trustee is a lawyer, trusted friend, or other professional.  The key is for them to have an understanding of how the trust works, as well as what can and can't be done with that money.

For more information on this topic, you can reach Shannon at Shannon@Dewall-law.com or at 734-772-1220.  Her website is: https://dewall-law.com/

Need help with your financial future?  Learn more about Paula and her work at PaulaChristine.com or send her an email: Paula@PaualChristine.com

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Reach Paula at paula@paulachristine.com or through her website, paulachristine.com.

Today, Paula Christine is joined by Michael Fischer of Ross Mortgage.  Michael is an expert in the field of VA loans.   Often, veterans don't take advantages of these opportunities because either a) they don't know about them or b) they've received bad information.

A VA loan can often mean a zero down payment for recipients, provided they meet the requirements of using the home as a primary residence, as well as various criteria for their time served in the military.  And this can easily be shown with what the VA calls an entitlement certificate.

Not only can a VA loan involve zero money down, it can also avoid PMI, or mortgage insurance, thereby lowering the rate.

Michael also dispels the myth that VA loans are harder to get or process.  The numbers show no difference in loan approval rates between VA and traditional loans.  In fact, many realtors and loan officers are not educated in the VA space, and this can cause them to pass bad information on to our veterans!  This is why Michael and some colleagues created the Veteran Mortgage Advisor program, in order to educate service professionals about the benefits available to our military members.

VA loans are not harder to close, they don't take longer to close, and the inspection process is not harder.  Michael explains where some of these myths come from and how he's trying to get the word out.  He also has a class called "Present a VA offer. The seller will accept."   This educates buying agents on how to explain the VA loan process to selling agents - focusing more on the bottom line for the seller.

Finally, a VA loan can actually be used as a way for our servicemen and women to build wealth.  While a VA loan must be used on a primary residence, if you relocate to a different primary residence, you can rent out the first and buy a new one, provided you are under the lending cap.   Michael explains the eligibility requirements and how this can be used as a wealth building vehicle for our military.

Want to learn more?  Find a veteran mortgage advisor at https://www.findavma.com/

Or email Michael directly at MFischer@RossMortgage.com

Need help with your financial future?  Learn more about Paula and her work at PaulaChristine.com or send her an email: Paula@PaualChristine.com

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Reach Paula at paula@paulachristine.com or through her website, paulachristine.com.

Saving money for retirement is important, but where should you be putting that money?  Today, Paula Christine is joined by CPA Marty Talty of Kopmeyer Talty to break this down and dispel some myths. Often you hear "just max out your retirement plan," but it's rarely that simple.  There's an old adage that you'll be in a lower tax bracket in retirement, but Paula explains why she thinks you should plan to be in a similar tax bracket in retirement.

First, Marty explains the benefit of traditional IRAs and 401k accounts.  Your money grows tax deferred, meaning you don't pay taxes until you withdraw the funds.  And that could bump up your tax bracket in retirement.

Another vehicle is the Roth IRA, where the taxes are paid up front, and it's not taxed upon withdrawal.  Marty also explains the new rules around inherited plans.  Nobody wants to think about their own death, but leaving money to your heirs could be an important factor in your financial planning. Marty and Paula also explain capital gains - what is a capital gain and how is it taxed differently?

Next, we talk about non-qualified money.  This is money that is liquid - you don't need to make any requirements to access it or withdraw.   Having money that you can get to immediately is so important, in the event of those unpredictable life events.

Even though every individual situation is different, Paula asks Marty for some general guidance on how to allocate your savings -how much money should be going into each of these "buckets?" And what about 401k match, if your employer offers it.

The bottom line is that a CPA, financial planner, and estate planner are all essential elements to planning your financial future.  Many Americans are now living as long in retirement as they were in their working years, and you need to be prepared.

If you'd like to talk to Marty Talty at Kopmeyer Talty, you can reach him at (734) 953-8600, or find his website at https://www.kopmeyertalty.com.

And as always, you can find Paula online at https://paulachristine.com/

Or send her an email at Paula@PaulaChristine.com

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Reach Paula at paula@paulachristine.com or through her website, paulachristine.com.

Today, Paula is joined by business and executive coach Jon Dwoskin to talk about mindset and goalsetting.  

We may not realize that our mindset comes from what we learn at a very young age, from our parents, grandparents, and other surroundings.  Jon explains the deliberate effort to quiet these "voices in your head," and differentiate your own thoughts from the ones that have been imparted onto you by others.

Next we talk about goal setting.  According to Jon, the key to goal setting is not to create giant "New Year's Resolution" type goals, but rather small attainable goals that you can easily get back to if you stumble.

This leads into a discussion about "To-Do Lists," and how not to be overwhelmed by them.  Prioritization is the name of the game here - you must be able to list your priorities, and be able to re-prioritize when something inevitably comes up.

Finally, Paula asks Jon what financial advice he would give his younger self.  His answer may surprise you!

Connect with Jon Dwoskin by phone at (248) 535-7796 or visit his website at https://jondwoskin.com/

For more on Paula Christine, including her Making Money Matter Course, visit https://paulachristine.com/

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Reach Paula at paula@paulachristine.com or through her website, paulachristine.com.

Today, Paula is joined by Laura Eliason of Acsia Partners, an expert in the long term care space.  She shares some personal stories, from having to take care of her aging parents to a sudden health scare with her husband. 

Long term care can be the most costly need for people.  It's statistically likely to happen, and it's the least protected.   Typically, parents and even grandparents assume that their children or grandchildren will care for them.  But this really is an undue burden to place on a loved one, particularly if they weren't aware of this possibility.

Most people think of LTC as relating to a nursing home situation, but often, it can relate to in-home care for a patient, or even respite care for a primary caregiver.   If a family member is the primary caregiver, it becomes paramount for them to take care of their own health and well-being.

Long term care is defined as needing assistance for 90 days or more for a patient who needs help with two or more of the six activities of daily living - bathing, dressing, eating, transferring, toileting, and continence.

Laura deals the myth that long term care is expensive, and shares how thinking about this when you are younger is so important. Your age will help dictate your cost, but your health will be what affects your eligibility. This is why it's so important to explore this when you are younger and healthier.

For more, you can reach Laura at 248-921-4957 or via email at Laura.Eliason@acsiapartners.com

To reach Paula Christine and to check out the Making Money Matter course, you can visit her website at PaulaChristine.com 

Or email Paula: Paula@PaulaChristine.com

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Reach Paula at paula@paulachristine.com or through her website, paulachristine.com.

In the latest episode of our Q&A series, Paula Christine sits down with Aaron, who's going to get married soon.  She answers his questions about:

Personal Injury Protection (PIP) on car insurance

How to rollover a 401K from a previous employer, where it should go, and what are the tax implications

In addition to 401K, HSA, and Roth accounts, where else can I invest my money, and in what priority?

Should I get a prenup?

Should we keep put our finances together and keep them separate?

What about taxes - file joint or separately?

At the end of the episode, Paula mentions the budget worksheet, which can be found on her website here: https://paulachristine.com/resources/

For more information or help with your finances, you can visit Paula's website at https://paulachristine.com/

Or send her an email: Paula@PaulaChristine.com.

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Reach Paula at paula@paulachristine.com or through her website, paulachristine.com.

Lynn Habrowski is a certified financial planner with Great Lakes Welath Planning and LPL Financial. She joins Paula Christine today to cover the basics of the market and investing.  We start by defining the market, stocks, bonds, and other common terms.

It's very important to know the difference between short and long-term investing, as well as the difference between investing and trading.  Investing is growing your money for your future.  Trading is more about the money you can afford to lose.  Lynn and Paula take a deep dive on that.   Also, your sell strategy may be more important than your buy strategy.

We also cover the power of compound interest, and how a small investment at a young age can make a huge difference in your financial future.

To reach Lynn or find out more about the book she mentions in today's podcast, give her a call at (586) 773-6800. Or find her online at https://www.glwealthplanning.com/

For more info on the course or working with Paula, visit https://www.paulachristine.com/

Or send Paula an email: paula@paulachristine.com.

Lynn Habrowski is a certified financial planner with LPL Securities. Advisory services are offered through LPL Financial, a registered investment advisor. Member FINRA SIPC

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Reach Paula at paula@paulachristine.com or through her website, paulachristine.com.

Following last week's Q&A with Patty, we welcomed listener Brooke for another round of questions with Paula Christine.  A recent divorcee, Brooke asked a number of questions about finances and debt, including:

• Where is the best place to put my money at the end of the month?
• Which strategy is best for paying off credit card debt - snowball, avalanche, or something else?
• If I want to consolidate debt, where do I go?
• Should I make purchases with cash or a credit card?
• How do I pay down debt but still have a life?
• What can I do once I've paid off all my debt?
• What can I do with a windfall - or large influx of cash?

If you have questions about your finances, and would like to talk to Paula, you can send her an email: Paula@PaulaChristine.com - or visit her website: https://paulachristine.com/

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Reach Paula at paula@paulachristine.com or through her website, paulachristine.com.

Today, Paula Christine is joined by estate planning attorney Shannon DeWall of DeWall Law.  Together, they answer a number of common questions about estate planning, including:

• What is estate planning?
• How are assets transferred upon death?
• When should - and shouldn't - you use a joint bank account?
• Why are beneficiary designations, and frequent reviews, important?
• What happens if I die and I have no documents in place?
• What happens to my children if I haven't put a plan in place?
• How do wills and powers of attorney work?  And how do I choose who would be my power of attorney?
• What is a trust and who needs one?
• Can these documents be changed once put in place?

To reach Shannon DeWall at Dewall Law, you can visit her website: https://dewall-law.com/

Or give her a call at (734) 772-1220.

To contact Financial Coach Paula Christine, you can send her an email.  Paula@PaulaChristine.com

Or learn more by visiting our website: https://paulachristine.com/

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Reach Paula at paula@paulachristine.com or through her website, paulachristine.com.

Jan Sherman of The Benefits Edge is known as "The Benefits Tamer." He helps his clients make sense of the complicated world of insurance, and that's what he's going to do with Paula Christine today.

We start with the basics.  What is health insurance? It's a contract - Jan explains.

We also cover differences between HMO's and PPO's, referrals, copays, and more.  We define terms like "deductible" and premium,"  and the different levels of insurance you hit as you spend more money each year.  We talk a lot about co-pays, but Jan says it's much more important to think about out-of-pocket maximums in the event of something catastrophic.

Jan explains the key difference between "preventive" and "diagnostic," and why your doctor, at a physical, will often schedule you for a follow-up.  And don't be afraid to read and question your bills, and your explanation of benefits (EOB).

Finally. Paula asks Jan about HSA plans - and all the ways that money can be spent, tax free.

To find Jan Sherman at The Benefits Edge, you can call him at 248-788-0476.  You can also visit his website, https://benefitstamer.com/ - or send him an email - jan@benefitstamer.com.

Contact Paula Christine:

Website:http://paulachistine.com/

Email: paula@paulachristine.com

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Reach Paula at paula@paulachristine.com or through her website, paulachristine.com.

Today, Paula welcomes Eboney Byrne, Money Coach at Liberty Financial Services.  Her tag line is "Have you told your money where to go?"

Eboney feels most people are controlled by their money, instead of taking control of it.  This means not being afraid to look at the numbers and see where you're at.  (Spoiler: It's often not as bad as you think.)

Know your "why." Eboney and Paula discuss figuring out your priorities and working them into your budget, and allowing yourself more than just the "bare bones" money. You need to plan to have fun once in awhile.  And you're going to make mistakes.  Be kind and forgive yourself. 

Develop a checklist, create a budget, create a plan, understand why you're doing what you're doing, and then track your expenses and be kind to yourself. 

Contact Eboney:

Liberty Financial Services Website: https://libertyfinancialllc.com/

Liberty Financial Services Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liberty.financial.services/

Contact Paula Christine:

Website:http://paulachistine.com/

Email: paula@paulachristine.com

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Reach Paula at paula@paulachristine.com or through her website, paulachristine.com.

As a financial coach, Paula Christine gets many questions pretty frequently.  And while everyone's individual situation is different, we dive into a few of them in today's episode of Beyond The Paycheck, including: 

• How much do I need to save?
• How do I get out of debt?
• How much should I have in an emergency account?
• Should I save, pay off debt or both?
• How do I create a budget?

Paula and Jon talk about specific examples, including a client she helped create a budget.  And the client couldn't believe how much she was spending each year on just one thing.

For help with your finances and planning, you can reach Paula Christine by email at paula@paulachristine.com or visit her website: http://paulachistine.com/

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Reach Paula at paula@paulachristine.com or through her website, paulachristine.com.

When you start a new job, you often have a massive packet dumped on your desk, explaining your company's retirement plan options.  It can be overwhelming.  Today, Paula Christine breaks it down, with the help of her "401k Guru," Shannon Maloney of Strategic Retirement Partners.

The most important thing about a workplace retirement plan is that you should always participate, particularly in a company match situation.  After all, if you saw free money laying on the street, you'd pick it up, right?  Shannon explains this in easy numbers.

Once you elect to participate, which plan should you pick?  The choices can be vast, but Shannon explains the "do it for me" plans, that come with target retirement dates built in.

Many people fall into the trap of borrowing money from their retirement plans.  Paula and Shannon talk about why this is a very bad idea, and should only be used as a last resort. 

"To Roth Or Not To Roth" - Shannon walks us through the difference between Roth and Non-Roth retirement plans, and the differences in the seed (when you put the money in) and the harvest (when you take the money out).

Finally, Paula and Shannon speak specifically to women.  It's not that women are "risk averse," it's that they are "debt averse." And most women, especially moms, know how to stretch money.

To reach out to Shannon regarding the workplace plan you have for your employees, email her at Shannon@SRPretire.com.

For bigger picture financial help, you can email Paula Christine:  paula@paulachristine.com, or visit her website: https://paulachristine.com/

Disclaimer: Investment advisory services are offered through Strategic Retirement Partners, an SEC registered investment advisor. All the opinions and comments made on this podcast today are the opinions of Shannon Maloney and not the opinions of Strategic Retirement Partners

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Reach Paula at paula@paulachristine.com or through her website, paulachristine.com.

Paula Christine has seen many people make financial mistakes when buying a home.  Just because you've been approved for a $350,000 mortgage doesn't mean you can afford it!  Our guest today is Marc Edelstein, mortgage broker with Ross Mortgage. We cover all things mortgage, including:

• First steps when applying for a mortgage
• What happens when property values are re-assessed and taxes go up
• Credit scores, and how to correct errors
• Effects of student loans
• Effects of medical debt - and how that's changing soon!
• Length of mortgages
• Other costs

If you'd like to reach Marc, you can do so via his website, https://www.thatmortgagebanker.com/

Or give him a call at (248) 379-6749.  Marc is powered by Ross mortgage NMLS number 533706.

For bigger picture financial help, you can email Paula Christine:  paula@paulachristine.com, or visit her website: https://paulachristine.com/

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Reach Paula at paula@paulachristine.com or through her website, paulachristine.com.

In our first episode, host Paula Christine sits down with producer Jon Gay to talk about her background and why she started this podcast.  

Paula Christine has been a financial coach for 20 years, and she brings a wealth of real-life experience to her work.  She's lived paycheck to paycheck, been through divorce twice, and has had to start over.  It's one thing for a financial coach to preach concepts.  It's another to sit across the table from someone who's been in your shoes.

We often pick up bad financial habits when we are younger.  Money has become a taboo topic, and we aren't teaching or learning good financial habits.   It's Paula's goal to talk to listeners in all stages of life, from starting your first job to entering retirement.

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Reach Paula at paula@paulachristine.com or through her website, paulachristine.com.

Growing up, I witnessed my parents struggle financially.  They worked hard to provide for our family, but in reality, they lived paycheck to paycheck. They just couldn’t get ahead. I vowed to find a better way, and spent my life learning and then teaching others how to build a solid foundation to weather the financial storms of life.

 My philosophy is simple.  I’m not here to tell you not to enjoy a nice evening out with friends, a week on the beach with your family or that you have to skip the insanely long line at Starbucks, but rather to help you understand how each of those decisions impact your financial situation not only today, but define your financial future.  

 I will be joined by other professionals who will provide their expert advice such as how to buy a home, proper estate planning, paying off debt and how to travel on a budget.

Follow Beyond the Paycheck on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you're listening right now!

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Reach Paula at paula@paulachristine.com or through her website, paulachristine.com.