Archives For personal finance education

Why a 401k might not be the great investment you’ve been led to believe.

I’m a guest of Jon White, author of the book:
A Tale of Two Houses – his journey of buying a home the right way after buying one the wrong way.

What’s covered in this audio:
What’s happening to your money when you give it to Wall Street?
How annual fees are stealing your future wealth.
The less work you do investing, the less profit you make.
The take away? 401k investing might not be what you think it is.

Resources:

Jon White – website
The Retirement Gamble – PBS documentary
How Wall Street Fleeces America – book
Wall Street on Parade – website

Get Your Mind Straight. Get Your Money Straight
Debt Shepherd 2016, All Rights Reserved

How to save money on kids birthdays and avoid conformity when making spending decisions.

a) Don’t try to force it when creating those special moments with your kids.
b) Don’t automatically think it takes money to create those memorable moments.

Instead of bringing presents to a kids birthday, how about guests spend that on food, venue rental, etc?

Example: $10/person X 10 people. = $100 plus the hosts $ input.

Child birthday near major holiday. Combine the two or not?

Debt Shepherd 2016, All Rights Reserved
Get Your Mind Straight. Get Your Money Straight.

I answer listener email questions about finance with my good friend Ahyh.

Twitter trends Nashville @ 11:30 a.m. Sunday Of 10 listed, 5 are sports.

Last 3 emails I got:

1) Dear Debt Shepherd,

I am writing you to express my thankfulness to your work.

There are loads, loads of podcasts about money, credit, etc but they are not about changing the spiritual side of being wealthy. That makes your radio special from many others.

I am looking forward to listening to “Get your mind straight” series. I have already reduced the amount of junk food in my meal, and I feel way much better after the food part of it. 

Keep going on! You are doing great work!
Warm greetings from Siberia – Anna Svinoboeva

2) Hi Greg:
 
Thanks for the encouraging feedback.
 
We agree with you on the 401(k) — since Wall Street is also taking two-thirds of the employer-match in fees over the long haul. Much better to set up your own IRA at a local, FDIC-insured community bank that makes sound loans to local businesses and local home mortgages.
 
Best regards,
Pam Martens
Wall Street On Parade

2/3 of your 401k and employer match are being eaten up by just 2% annual fees!

3) Should I buy another car if my current one is paid for and running just fine? Honda, high miles. Wife says “I deserve it” listener said Honda might not be safe since lacks safety features of newer cars.

Close:

Advice from Catherine Austin Fitts of Solari
1) Bank Local
2) Turn off TV
3) Eat Fresh (& local).

Get your mind straight. Get your money straight.
Debt Shepherd 2016, All rights reserved.

We talk to Andrea from Utah with a buffet style of topics.

Malls – retail sales dropping nationwide. Big box retailers closing stores and declaring bankruptcy.
$15 min wage in fast food.
Perpetual Growth – false paradigm
Home Schooling.

Action steps:

1) Bank local
2) Turn off TV
3) Eat Fresh (& local)

Get Your Mind Straight. Get Your Money Straight.
Debt Shepherd 2016, All Rights Reserved

Gratitude – 214 DSR

May 8, 2016

We learn that gratitude is an inside job.

1) What is it?

2) How do you get or experience it?

3) What if you lose it and want it back?

4) What are you grateful for?

Resources:
Contrast: Surround yourself with the poor, sick, dying, hungry, mentally ill, etc.
Pronoia – Book

Gratitude is a matter of survival. Not a luxury.

Close: Change your perspective. Change where you’re standing. You’ll see something different. The biggest teacher can be the smallest nuance of change.

Get Your Mind Straight. Get Your Money Straight.
Debt Shepherd 2016, All Rights Reserved

I discuss the three things needed to get the debt free feeling.

Practice
Little Bites
Focus

Resources:
Pocket Calculator
Your Paycheck

Get Your Mind Straight. Get Your Money Straight.
Debt Shepherd 2016, All Rights Reserved

Economic Envy – 211 DSR

March 19, 2016

Jones'

We discuss the dangers of keeping up with the elusive Jones’.

We ask the following:

– Since the word Greed is more commonly used when referring to money, is there a difference between envy & greed?

– TV was first demonstrated a mere 90 yrs. ago. Thoughts on it’s influence on Americas “Can’t Get Enough” attitude.

– Is TV’s influence intentional or accidental?

– TV’s appeal to emotion vs rational mind.

– TV, are we better off without it?

In the 2005 book – American Mania: When More is Not Enough we are reminded:

“Despite an astonishing appetite for life, more and more Americans are feeling overworked and dissatisfied. In the world’s most affluent nation, epidemic rates of stress, anxiety, depression, obesity, and time urgency are now grudgingly accepted as part of everyday existence. They signal the American Dream gone awry.”

Resources:
American Mania: When More is Not Enough
Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television

Get Your Mind Straight. Get Your Money Straight.
Debt Shepherd 2016, All Rights Reserved

Tale of Two Houses

We interview Jon White. He shares the mistakes he made when buying his first house. And he shares how you can avoid doing the same. He’s all about giving you a new perspective on your money.

Jon shares with us:

1) Who he is. Where he works. What he does.
2) Why he wrote the book A Tale of Two Houses.
3) How the book can help you.

Resources:
Jon White

Get Your Mind Straight. Get Your Money Straight.
Debt Shepherd 2016, All Rights Reserved