Financial Freedom Podcast

People that are in debt are in a difficult situation when it comes to planning for their financial future. It can be difficult enough to amass enough disposable income to pay down their debt, let alone have any left over to put towards retirement! But if they concentrate on paying down the debt, they delay their retirement investing, which puts that retirement at risk! That's why in this episode o...

In many states, including New Jersey, the car insurance bill can amount to quite a bit every year. It can be a struggle to pay, and many Americans either get the bare minimum coverage or don't get it at all, hoping that they never need it. But having good car insurance is not only key to your financial freedom, in New Jersey and other states it is mandatory, and serious penalties can occur if you...

When it comes to retirement, the focus always seems to be on the saving and investing part of it. Will you have enough money to retire? Although this is a very important part of the process, and should not be taken lightly, it is not the only thing you should be thinking about when it comes to that topic. Many people retire and are comfortable financially but are then at a loss as to what to do. T...

If you work for someone else, your income is what they pay you, unless you get a raise or a promotion that pays more money or get a better job. But if you own your own small business, your household income rises and falls with the profits of that business. So, if you want a raise, you have to do it yourself by increasing profits. One way to do that is to learn from others and how they did it. That...

As the pandemic continues to drag on, even though people are starting to receive a vaccine, lots of folks here in New Jersey and the nation are still suffering financially. Congress and the President are currently working on more economic relief, but as of this episode, nothing is definite. As listeners may have a lot of questions about the relief currently being discussed, any long term strategie...

One of the budget line items I often discuss with my bankruptcy clients is their utility bill. The gas, electric, water, and sewer bills can get out of hand and threaten their fresh start after they get their discharge. But even if you aren't filing bankruptcy, getting a handle on that expense can help balance a budget and free up funds for more long-term financial goals. That's why in this episod...

In Episode 96, I talked about getting your money ready for marriage. But what if you're already married and have been for years? If you are both of the same mind when it comes to money, then great! But what if you have different money mindsets? What if you are having trouble coming to agreement on spending? That is why, as we round out a series of episodes on preparing personal finances for 2021,...

In previous episodes I've talked about budgeting and how it's important to have one to keep your spending in line with your income and help you towards your long-term financial goals. I also discussed in the last episode setting goals and being more strategic in how you handle your finances. In the process of researching that episode, I ran across personal finance coach Tim Jordan who, by his own...

As the year 2020 comes to a close, it's time to start thinking about our financial goals for 2021. This year has presented some challenges and shown us how important it is to plan for bad times, so that when they come, we are ready, and our financial freedom isn't threatened. That's why in this episode of the podcast I step you through what you need to do to look over this past year, learn from it...

In Episode 114 I started a series of episodes around reducing expenses in your budget in order to help you live within your means and have money left over to save for the future. It was also in follow up to Episode 113 in which I talked with "Tightwad Todd" Miller about living below your means. That's why in this episode of the podcast I take on that expense that seems to get bigger, your cell pho...

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many people have lost their jobs because their employer had to close up shop; the work could not be done remotely. Some of them were able to pivot successfully to other jobs or transfer their skills to one that can be done from home. Unfortunately, many others are still looking. That may be because they haven't been able to figure out how to apply their skills in a di...

Way back in Episode 13 of the podcast I did a review of an app from personal finance guru Dave Ramsey called EveryDollar. It is an app my wife and I have been using since then, and it's great! But there are a lot of other apps out there that can help you keep your finances straight, and one of them might be better for you than EveryDollar. Which is why in this episode of the podcast I wanted to lo...

People trying to achieve personal financial freedom are often initially struggling with debt and trying to get out of a financial hole. They are getting letters from collection agencies and law firms that are demanding that the debt be paid. They have to get out of debt before they can ever hope to achieve their goal. But people in debt, in my experience, are often dealing with collection lawsuits...

In Episode 113 of the podcast I talked with "Tightwad Todd" Miller, a personal finance consultant and coach on the subject of spending below your means. I did this because reducing spending as much as possible to free up money to save and invest for the future is a key part of achieving long term financial independence and freedom. So, I thought it might be a good idea to follow up with some episo...

Achieving financial freedom in the short term requires living within your means. In other words, your monthly expenses need to total no more than your monthly net income, so that you don't sink into debt. But achieving long term financial freedom requires even more discipline; you need to live below your means. By doing this you generate unused income every month to put towards savings and long-te...

Every business should have a web site to promote its goods and services and attract new customers, especially as more of them are functioning virtually. Despite this, so many of them don't have a web presence, or just have a domain name for e-mail. By not having one they are leaving money on the table and passing by an opportunity for growth. That's why in this episode of the podcast I wanted to t...

With the COVID-19 pandemic going into its sixth month, many businesses have either filed bankruptcy, closed for good, or have shed employees to slim down. No matter the cause, a lot of people are now out of work and looking for a new job. This has become especially urgent with the end of the supplemental unemployment benefits under the CARES Act. Looking for a job during a pandemic presents a spec...

A major part of the American Dream is to strike it rich, to become a millionaire. However, for the vast majority, that is just a dream. 3.5% of our population holds nearly half of our wealth. Back in 1996, a couple of Ph. D.s, Thomas J. Stanley and William D. Danko, decided to do some research into America's millionaires. The surprising answers they got are reflected in the title of their book, Th...

The COVID-19 pandemic has now reached over 3.9 million cases in this country (with over 179,000 in New Jersey) and has caused over 144,000 deaths (with over 15,000 in New Jersey). Even those who have survived the illness have had a tough time, with many having lengthy hospital stays. This taste of our own mortality has been sobering for all of us; something like this hasn't happened for over 100 y...

Due to the pandemic, lots of people are either working from home or have lost their jobs because they cannot be done from home. Those in the latter group may be looking for a job that allows them to do so. On the other hand, many small businesses are looking for help, but are unsure whether hiring someone (and taking on the payroll and other administrative tasks that go along with doing so) is the...

On March 27, 2020, the CARES Act was signed into law to help people deal with the devastating economic effects of the coronavirus. Many of the provisions help student loan borrowers, and while they provide some welcome relief, the law doesn't address all of the problems that student loan borrowers face. In addition, these provisions are set to expire on September 30, 2020, so the relief is a short...

Social distancing orders in light of the coronavirus pandemic have forced companies to send workers home and have them work remotely. The trend might continue. According to a Gartner survey of 317 finance executives on March 30, 3 out of 4 chief finance officers and finance leaders are considering moving at least 5% of their on-site workforce to remote positions permanently after the pandemic. In...

Being in debt is stressful, no question! It can weigh on your mind with constant worry about how you will ever be able to pay the debts and avoid bankruptcy. It can have you afraid to open your mail or answer the phone. But there are helpful and constructive ways to deal with this stress, which is why in this episode of the podcast I talk to psychologist Dr. David Weiman on how you can address tha...

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a huge disruption in our economy, as millions of people experience job loss or pay reduction, leading to great difficulty (or outright inability) to pay their bills. Congress responded with the CARES Act in March that gave aid in several different sectors, including student loans. As a student loan attorney, I have been following these developments and was encourag...

With the coronavirus pandemic forcing non-essential businesses to work virtually, the needs of those businesses have changed. Many may even discover that a virtual business model is better and change forever how they operate. This is made possible by a growing number of cloud services that can allow companies to run smoothly with a distributed workforce. Some may realize that they can run with a r...