Beyond The Dollar

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John Morrow, a 69 year old retiree from Lakeland, Florida, comes on the show to chat about his financial regrets – including the fact that he’s now relying on a tiny pension and meager Social Security benefits after squandering his 401k funds on multi level marketing companies. That’s not all.  Him and his wife also battled cancer at various stages in their lives. And while John was dealing with remission, his wife suddenly dies of cardiac arrest, just a few short months ago.

He chats about what it means to live at the U.S. poverty level since his wife passed, the biggest financial regrets he’s had, what he’s doing to take responsibility for his actions now and what he wishes the younger generation learns from his story.

Stick around to the end where I’m going to distill some takeaways from our conversation, including some questions to think about as you’re navigating through making intentional choices with your money.

What You Hear in This Episode:

• How much John is currently living on with his pension and Social Security benefits
• The types of health challenges him and his late wife faced 
• What John’s biggest financial regrets are and what he hopes others learn from his experiences
• How he’s cultivating hope and a sense of purpose for the future
• What John’s doing now to be a better steward of his money

Questions to Ponder:

• What are some ways you can be more present with those around you?
• How can you use money to help your future self (e.g. tithing for yourself)?
• What are some expenses you can cut out and still have a great quality of life?
• Why are you making certain financial decisions (e.g. rooted in insecurity, etc.)?
• How can you cultivate a sense of community to help you have a sense of purpose outside of your financial situation?

*remember, let me know in the comments below your answers! If you’re a social media person, come find me on Instagram (@beyondthedollar) and send me a DM or comment on any one of my posts. I read every single one!

Resources:

• List of recommended books to help you in your financial life
• Episode 40 – Grieving a Spouse With Daniel Knopp
• The Ultimate Guide to Money Mindset Mastery
• Values Based Spending Guide
• Freelance Writing Kickstart – use code BTDLISTENER for 10% off course

*Thanks to Donovan Dorrance for the awesome theme music

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Beau Humpreys comes on the show to chat about why he used gambling as a coping mechanism for his undiagnosed ADD, why he felt like he had to file for bankruptcy, when his last relapse happened and how he doing since that time.  

Stick around to the end where I’m going to distill some takeaways from our conversation, including questions to ask yourself when you find it hard to cope emotionally.

What You Hear in This Episode:

• How much debt Beau got into at the lowest point in his gambling addiction
• Why Beau decided to file for bankruptcy
• How Beau found out the cause behind his desire to gamble as a coping mechanism
• Some of the ways Beau was able to deal with his ADD

Questions to Ponder:

• Do you really need debt counseling or file for bankruptcy?
• What are some ways your financial behavior is linked to mental wellness?
• Which is the better option: debt settlement or debt management?

*remember, let me know in the comments below your answers! If you’re a social media person, come find me on Instagram (@beyondthedollar) and send me a DM or comment on any one of my posts. I read every single one!

Resources:

• Debt Settlement vs. Debt Management Programs: What’s the Difference?
• BeauHumphreys.com
• The Personal Finance Show (here’s the episode I was on) 
• National Foundation for Credit Counseling
• Talkspace
• BetterHelp
• The Ultimate Guide to Money Mindset Mastery
• Values Based Spending Guide
• Freelance Writing Kickstart – use code BTDLISTENER for 10% off course
• Season 3 episode 6 – How Our Mental Health Affects Our Finances

*Thanks to Donovan Dorrance for the awesome theme music

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A quick heads up: this episode talks about sexual assault. If you want to skip this one, feel free to browse through our other episodes. 

Sometimes, saving money isn’t really worth it. In Amanda’s case, her decision to get on a greyhound bus to save money when traveling to speak at an event in Seattle, cost her more than she bargained for. 

It all happened so quickly, a man across from Amanda fondled himself while looking at her — she saw everything — prompting her to jump up and report it to the bus driver. Of course, the bus stopped and the man got kicked off.

Sadly, her story isn’t uncommon. Sexual assault in all forms happens everyday and it can affect our financial lives.  Sure, we can be so damn good with our budgeting and frugal ways — but what happens when the opportunity cost comes at the expense or our mental health and future ability to earn money?

That’s why I invited Amanda Holden, founder and investing teacher at Invested Development to come on to chat about what really happened to her on that bus, why she regrets not reporting the incident to the police, the real opportunity costs as it pertains to sexual trauma and some of the hard questions we need to think about when it happens to us.

Stick around to the end where I’m going to debrief our conversation and what we can all do to support each other during such trying times.

What You Hear in This Episode:

• Why victims feel like we have the weight of responsibility to not inconvenience others, and how it affects our ability to make money
• Why Amanda was upset she didn’t report the incident to the police
• Other ways sexual trauma can affect our work lives and ability to manage our money
• How the aftermath of sexual trauma can lead us to spend more money
• What Amanda feels we need to do if we experience traumatic events

Questions to Ponder:

• What can you do to budget in ways to make you feel safer when traveling or navigating a toxic environment?
• What are some ways you can do to allow yourself to process emotions in a healthy way?

*remember, let me know in the comments below your answers! If you’re a social media person, come find me on Instagram (@beyondthedollar) and send me a DM or comment on any one of my posts. I read every single one!

Resources:

• The Dumpster Dog Blog
• Invested Development
• Follow Amanda on Instagram
• National Sexual Violence Resource Center
• American Counseling Association 
• National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline
• The Ultimate Guide to Money Mindset Mastery
• Values Based Spending Guide
• Freelance Writing Kickstart – use code BTDLISTENER for 10% off course

*Thanks to Donovan Dorrance for the awesome theme music

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Starting a family is hard enough – you need to think about stuff like additional health care premiums, parental leave and buying all the things like pregnancy pillows (those things are lifesavers).

Andrew Wang and his wife decided to adopt a child overseas. While it’s about the money — yes, adoption can be expensive — it was about the emotional toll it can take on someone. Andrew comes on the show to chat about why him and his wife decided to adopt overseas, how much time and money he spent through the entire process and challenges he didn’t anticipate.

Stick around to the end where I’m going to distill some takeaways from our conversation, including resources and questions to ask yourself before seeking an adoption agency.

What You Hear in This Episode:

• The exact reason why Andrew and his wife decided to adopt overseas
• What it cost to adopt their child from Taiwan
• How they found out how the adoption process worked and the types of help available
• The emotional rollercoaster him and his wife went on when it came to the wait
• What it felt like to hold his child for the first time

Questions to Ponder:

• Are you looking to adopt domestically or overseas? Why?
• Do you have money set aside to adopt? If not, what kinds of grants are available to you?

*remember, let me know in the comments below your answers! If you’re a social media person, come find me on Instagram (@beyondthedollar) and send me a DM or comment on any one of my posts. I read every single one!

Resources:

• The Ultimate Guide to Money Mindset Mastery
• Values Based Spending Guide
• Freelance Writing Kickstart – use code BTDLISTENER for 10% off course
• Inspired Money Podcast
• Adopt Together
• Gift of Adoption Fund
• Fund Your Adoption
• Adoption Tax Credit
• Season 4 Episode 10 – Infertility and Finances with Andrea Woroch

*Thanks to Donovan Dorrance for the awesome theme music

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Let’s say you met someone and the sparks are flying. LIke, there so much chemistry, you think “this person’s the one.”

Soon after this person suggests a trip together. Not a two-day getaway or a week to Cancun. But a 7 month road trip.

True story by the way. Garrett was dating Amelia for all of two months when they suggest this — they wanted to be an enclosed space so there’s nowhere to go but to work on their stuff as a couple.

I don’t know about you but most people might think about dating some more, or go into pre-marital counseling, not being in a confined space with someone for that long. There are questions like, how am I going to make money? What if I made the wrong choice, or this person is wonderful, but I can’t see a secure financial future with them?

Well, Garrett and Amelia did go on the road trip. He chats with me about how him and Amelia managed their finances on the road, some tough lessons as they learned to communicate as a couple and why they decided to end their trip early.

If his voice sounds familiar, it’s because Garrett is the former co-host of Beyond The Dollar throughout seasons 1 to 3

Stick around to the end where I’m going to take what Garrett learned on his trip and how you can use it to strengthen your finances as a couple.

What You Hear in This Episode:

• Why Amelia and Garrett decided to embark on a seven month road trip together
• How they worked out their income situation and budget
• What crept up when it came to money management and communication skills while on the road
• What Garrett learned about himself and his tendencies with money during the trip
• Why Amelia and Garrett decided to end their trip early
• Garrett’s hopes for the future

Questions to Ponder:

• How can you open up the lines of communication about money?
• What’s one thing you do in regards to money that really annoys your partner and vice versa?
• How can you start expressing your wants in a relationship?

*remember, let me know in the comments below your answers! If you’re a social media person, come find me on Instagram (@beyondthedollar) and send me a DM or comment on any one of my posts. I read every single one!

Resources:

• The Ultimate Guide to Money Mindset Mastery
• Values Based Spending Guide
• Freelance Writing Kickstart – use code BTDLISTENER for 10% off course
• Be Awesome Not Broke
• Follow Garrett on Instagram
• Fincon – where we met

*Thanks to Donovan Dorrance for the awesome theme music

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Think homeownership is out of reach for you?

Well, there are these types of properties called fixer uppers you can look into. They’re typically older homes and have outdated decor – you know, think 70s paneling and shag carpeting (no offense if you like that stuff)

Anyway, you get the house, replace the carpet, slap on some paint. And you’re done…right?

Not so fast. Bethany and her partner Charles from HisandHerFI.com relied mostly on Youtube videos to do much of the renovations themselves for their new home. The arbitrary budget of $10,000 they set? Yup, they totally went over. 

Join me in this episode as we chat about why they decided to buy a fixer upper (despite the foul smells), why their renovations aren’t what you’d see on HGTV and how much money they really spent. We also go over how much money they saved buying a fixer upper and some of the lessons they’ve learned next time they try to tackle a huge project like this. 

Stick around to the end where I’m going to show you how you can make housing more affordable, especially if you’re interested in buying a fixer upper (no white hair I promise).

What You Hear in This Episode:

• Why Bethany and Charlies decided to buy a fixer upper and what Charles had to do to convince her
• How much they really spent on the renovations
• What projects they decided to DIY and which they ended up having to hire
• Some of the many mishaps and badass moments when it came to their renovations

Questions to Ponder:

• What is your comfort level with doing renovations and cleaning for an older home?
• Have you sought out the advice of a licensed contractor for estimates and quotes?
• Will you really save money by buying a fixer upper, or will you be better off renting for the time being?

*remember, let me know in the comments below your answers! If you’re a social media person, come find me on Instagram (@beyondthedollar) and send me a DM or comment on any one of my posts. I read every single one!

Resources:

• The Ultimate Guide to Money Mindset Mastery
• Values Based Spending Guide
• Freelance Writing Kickstart – use code BTDLISTENER for 10% off course
• HisandHerFI.com
• Bethany Works
• Fincon

*Thanks to Donovan Dorrance for the awesome theme music

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Let’s say you’re making a big life transition – are you sure you’re as prepared can you be?

Pete McPherson thought he was. He got a job offer at a startup, working part-time hours to ramp up his side hustle and getting ready to move to a new town. 

Sadly, him and his wife – with a baby in tow – had to figure out how to survive on zero income sources. It went on like this for three years. He comes on the show to chat about the exact moment why he decided to leave his CPA job and move away with his wife, why his plans to take on a new job totally failed, and what the unsexy things he and his wife did to get back on track.

Stick around to the end where I’m going to drill down into Pete’s story to give you some practical lessons we can all learn.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• The reason Pete decided he wanted to quit his CPA job (hint: it involves passing off his kid to his wife at a gas station)
• Why Pete’s best laid plans didn’t work out
• How Pete managed to survive on no official income sources for three years
• What he did to get some immediate cash flow in his then side hustle
• What Pete wishes he did differently before he quit his job

Questions to Ponder:

• Can you find $5 here and there to start a buffer savings account or an emergency fund?
• If you want to make a transition and it will affect your finances in a big way, what plans can you make for the worst case scenario?

*remember, let me know in the comments below your answers! If you’re a social media person, come find me on Instagram (@beyondthedollar) and send me a DM or comment on any one of my posts. I read every single one!

Resources:

• The Ultimate Guide to Money Mindset Mastery
• Values Based Spending Guide
• Freelance Writing Kickstart – use code BTDLISTENER for 10% off course
• Do You Even Blog?
• Follow Pete on Twitter

*Thanks to Donovan Dorrance for the awesome theme music

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Who doesn’t want to retire early, like on your 30s? I mean, wouldn’t it be amazing to know you have enough money to sustain you for the rest of your life?

People who do this retire early thing — also referred to as the FIRE movement — work almost obsessively at accumulating mass amounts of wealth. Sure, it’s an awesome feat to amass a huge amount of wealth within a short amount of time, but it can come at a price.

My guest Gwen Merz, blogger at Fiery Millennials, came on the show to chat about the time when she got caught up working almost obsessively at accumulating mass amounts of wealth. She describes in detail how it affected her sanity when she saved up to 70% of her take home pay, and some of the hard lessons she learned. We also go into whether or not she regrets what she did and if she would recommend someone do the same things she did. 

Stick around to the end where I’m going to show you how you can still feel like you’re retired without going intense on your savings or earnings goals.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• Gwen’s crazy savings rate and how she felt when she fell into the comparison trap
• The multiple ways Gwen did to earn side hustle income
• Her breaking point which led her to stop aggressively pursuing FIRE
• What she’s doing now to take care of her mental health
• Why Gwen doesn’t regret going hard and fast to pursue early retirement
• What her best financial decision was

Questions to Ponder:

• How can you pursue a form of early retirement that won’t come at the expense of your mental health?
• What can you do now to feel like you’re retired?

*remember, let me know in the comments below your answers! If you’re a social media person, come find me on Instagram (@beyondthedollar) and send me a DM or comment on any one of my posts. I read every single one!

Resources:

• The Ultimate Guide to Money Mindset Mastery
• Values Based Spending Guide
• Freelance Writing Kickstart – use code BTDLISTENER for 10% off course
• Fiery Millennials
• The Basics of FIRE (Financial Independence and Early Retirement)
• Fincon – where we met
• Season 3 episode 6 – How Our Mental Health Affects Our Finances

*Thanks to Donovan Dorrance for the awesome theme music

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Investing can be pretty complicated, but it’s not impossible to learn the ins and outs of it so we can retire comfortably. But why so much pressure? Is it because of the complicated jargon in the paperwork that we throw up our hands and say “I give up?”

Michelle Waymire, founder of Young + Scrappy, a specialty practice geared towards serving young investors has been where you are, afraid of looking at the paperwork and making some pretty big mistakes which she shares in this episode.

That’s why Michelle came on, to chat about some of the ways our brain is wired to work against us when it comes to investing, how we can get out of our way and being empathetic to yourself even if you’ve made mistakes in the past.

What You Hear in This Episode:

• The main difference between saving and investing
• What the underlying fear is around getting good with investing
• Mistakes Michelle has made when it came to her old 401k account
• What you can do before looking at your investing statements
• How someone can approach learning about investing
• How someone can commit to investing
• Tips and tricks to overcome the fear of investing your cash

Questions to Ponder:

• What do you think you’re really scared of when it comes to investing?
• What can you commit to when it comes to one small action to do with investing?
• What’s one hard thing you did that is even harder than investing?

*remember, let me know in the comments below your answers! If you’re a social media person, come find me on Instagram (@beyondthedollar) and send me a DM or comment on any one of my posts. I read every single one!

Resources:

• Young + Scrappy
• Young Scrappy Money Podcast
• The Ultimate Guide to Money Mindset Mastery
• Values Based Spending Guide
• Freelance Writing Kickstart – use code BTDLISTENER for 10% off course

*Thanks to Donovan Dorrance for the awesome theme music

SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Google Play | Android Apps

What goes through your mind when you hear the word “negotiation?”

Are you hesitant? Do you feel like you need to walk into a battlefield and unsheath your sword (hella scary!) or wear a power suit so you look “tough?”

Tori Dunlap wants to assure that it’s not the case at all. In fact, it’s more about a mutual agreement and a conversation you can have as soon as today. She comes on Beyond The Dollar to chat about how to approach negotiations from a mindset standpoint, why using some online resources can backfire on you when determining salary and small tips on how to boost your confidence when negotiating. 

Tori Dunlap is the founder of Her First $100k where she gives women actionable resources to reach their first six figures. Her career started with landing a digital marketing contract worth tens of thousands, and a full-time position as the head of marketing and communications for a global security company — all before she turned 22.

What You Hear in This Episode:

• Why Tori feels she needs to fight back over sexist comments she used to hear at her old job
• What the common myths around negotiation are and how we can approach it as a conversation
• Other ways negotiation can affect your work and personal life
• How you can start flexing your negotiation muscles
• Why salary databases like Glassdoor aren’t always accurate when it comes to helping you negotiate for more

Questions to Ponder:

• What you do in your daily life to practice your negotiating muscles?
• What will you put in your “brag binder” to psych yourself up at how valuable your skills are?

*remember, let me know in the comments below your answers! If you’re a social media person, come find me on Instagram (@beyondthedollar) and send me a DM or comment on any one of my posts. I read every single one!

Resources:

• The Ultimate Guide to Money Mindset Mastery
• Values Based Spending Guide
• Freelance Writing Kickstart – use code BTDLISTENER for 10% off course
• Her First $100k
• Follow Tori on Instagram
• Tori’s negotiation script
• Glassdoor.com
• 81cents.com
• Financial Grownup interview with Sarah
• Financial Grownup interview with Tori

*Thanks to Donovan Dorrance for the awesome theme music