Meaning Over Money

When we think about giving, we often limit it to a portion of our monthly income. Truth is, that's a narrow way to look at a very wide opportunity. Generosity comes in many forms, income included. In today's episode, host Travis Shelton discusses how we can view generosity through the lens of sharing. Not sharing money, but sharing, period. If you have questions or would like to connect wi...

Do you ever feel guilty when you travel? Or maybe feel a financial hangover after you travel? In today's episode, host Travis Shelton shares some ideas on how to prepare well, view it with a healthy perspective, and execute the plan with joy and intentionality. Travel is amazing, and it should stay that way! If you have questions or would like to connect with us outside of the podcast, here's wher...

Oftentimes, people are fearful to invest in the stock market because it feels too high. So they decide to wait until it falls. Then they wait some more. In the end, they lose out on so much opportunity. In today's episode, host Travis Shelton explains why it's always a good time to buy. Instead of trying to time the market, we should take a long-term perspective and realize today will look...

We're 23.5 years into this insane 21st century. So far, we've had Y2K, the worst terrorist attack in US history, multiple wars, the second-worst recession in US history, a housing market collapse, a global pandemic, rampant inflation, and four stock market crashes (46%, 54%, 32%, and 25%). In today's episode, host Travis Shelton explores how the stock market has performed through this...

We're trying something new. This is the first in an ongoing "on the road" series where Travis will remotely record episodes while on his various trips. In today's episode, recorded while on a family camping trip in the Black Hills of South Dakota, Travis discusses the common belief that we need money to create memories.....therefore proving that money = happiness. Our argument is that while yes, s...

Getting a new job or a promotion can be a life-changing experience. More money, more perks, more status, and more responsibilities. These can be amazing developments in our careers. However, they can also be negative life-changing experiences. In today's episode, host Travis Shelton explores the idea that not all promotions are good for us. Sometimes, we're selling our ideal life for a few...

We've talked about various aspects of budgeting for the last few years, but today we break it wide open. In today's episode, host Travis Shelton and co-founder/producer Cole Netten take a deep dive into each of their respective budgets. We get into the what, why, and how of how we do our monthly budgets, and hopefully it provides you with some valuable perspective you can use in your own j...

We recently experienced two monumental updates in the Federal student loan saga. 1) The $10,000/$20,000 forgiveness program was just deemed unconstitutional, and 2) Congress solidified that monthly payments WILL begin on 10/1/2023. That means people have three months to prepare. In today's episode, host Travis Shelton walks through how this could/should go down and how you can prepare your lif...

Have you ever been hit with a chaotic season of life? Are you in one now? As you've probably experienced, finances are one of the first areas of our life to get neglected when we're experiencing chaos. In today's episode, host Travis Shelton shares his six steps to keeping our finances afloat during a chaotic season. You got this! If you have questions or would like to connect with us outside of t...

Does your life ever feel chaotic? Yeah, ours too! In today's episode (which kicks off with a special announcement), host Travis Shelton discusses the idea of chaos in our lives. Instead of it being a bad thing, we believe it's the admission price to making an impact. The key is to approach it in the right way, have intentionality, and live up to our promises. Have a great, chaotic day, eve...

The recent data regarding auto loans is staggering. As monthly payments continue to rise, so too are the number of delinquencies. In today's episode, host Travis Shelton discusses this recent trend and offers some advice on how to assess your own situation. We think you deserve better than to let these loans impair your life, work, money, and meaning. Link to referenced article: https://shortu...

Have you or your partner ever screwed up with money? Yeah, we thought so. Often, when a mistake is made, the person at fault will attempt to carry the weight of the mistake.....and the other partner will happily oblige. We believe there's a better way with much better long-term implications. In today's episode, host Travis Shelton explains why it's so important that couples lose togeth...

We often get caught up in HOW we are going to do something, all the while losing sight of WHAT we are trying to do and WHY we are doing it. That often leads us down a road we never intended to go. Instead, if we focus on the what and why, the how avails itself to us. When we do that, we're more easily able to shift and take a different path to where we need to go. This perspective shift can ch...

Do you ever put things off in the pursuit of perfection? Oh good, we're glad we're not alone. When it comes to work and money (and the rest of life, for that matter), we often sabotage ourselves by not simply calling something "done" and moving on to the next thing. In today's episode, host Travis Shelton explores this idea and uses some common and practical examples on how i...

We've talked about it before, but we're going to get even more focused today. Sinking funds can be a game-changer in the pursuit of getting clarity, simplicity, and effectiveness in our finances. In today's episode, host Travis Shelton digs into the particulars of why, what, how, and where to bring this idea to life. If you have questions or would like to connect with us outside of the...

Cost is only half the equation. It doesn’t matter if something has an amazing cost if it doesn’t add at least that much value to YOUR life. Let’s explore. If you have questions or would like to connect with us outside of the podcast, here's where you can find us: Podcast website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.travisshelton.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠   Daily Blog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

There are so many things working against us in life, work, and money. It feels like every time we get momentum, something jumps in the way to sidetrack or derail us. We won't deny these things happen, but we also don't want to let them become excuses. As we like to say, we can have excuses or impact, but we can't have both. In today's episode, host Travis Shelton discusses this ide...

The debt ceiling debate is all the rage these days.....again. Someone recently asked us to explain the situation, but through a different lens. in today's episode, using the same ratios and same arguments, host Travis Shelton discusses what this situation would look like and sound like if it were happening in a normal American family. In short, it would sound like pure insanity. If you have qu...

If you're married, have you ever noticed you're more likely to argue about the little financial things than the big things? You're not alone! It's a common phenomenon we often see in our coaching. In today's episode, host Travis Shelton introduces the idea of personal spending and explains why/how it can be such a game changer in our financial lives and marriages. If you have q...

Have you ever messed up, pushed aside, or neglected your finances? Join the club When that happens, it can be hard to get back into the swing of things. It's easier just to continue pushing it aside and not address the issue head-on. Then, the longer we wait, the less we want to reengage. In today's episode, host Travis Shelton gives some practical steps to getting back in the game after m...

Do you ever compare where you are to a certain place you could be? A job, relationship, decision, neighborhood, or ______ (insert your thing here). There's no doubt that the other side offers some lush, green patches. However, we often turn a blind eye to the other aspects of the other side that aren't so green. In today's episode, host Travis Shelton explores the idea of half-truth co...

The term "1099 Economy", or "Gig Economy", has been heating up in recent years. More people than ever have entered the 1099 economy, but the entire concept continues to get demeaned and disrespected by our culture at large. In today's episode, host Travis Shelton explains the key differences between traditional W-2 employment and 1099 contract work, and some of the perceive...

Having children is beautiful.....and expensive. For people who have created intentionality in their financial journey and are working towards some very clear goals, it's natural to wonder how having children will alter their financial progress. First, it will. Second, it's worth it. Third, there are ways to navigate it simply and effectively. In today's episode, host Travis Shelton dis...

Change is hard. With it comes uncertainty, fear, and the very real risk of failure. Host Travis Shelton experienced this in a major way when he left his prior career to start his business. Then, a trusted friend threw a truth bomb into the mix, "You can always go back." Just like that, the paradigm shifted. Nothing is forever and we always have the right to shift again. This perspective,...

Have you ever invested in something (time, energy, money, etc.), only to have it not work out as well as you had originally hoped? Our human instinct is to stick with it, as we don't want to "throw away" that investment. Therefore, we take something bad and make it worse. In today's episode, host Travis Shelton discusses the idea of sunk costs. When we can view sunk costs with a...