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Hang on to your purses, everybody! We got ourselves a real live guest! Susan and Galia shake it up by inviting Kay, aka @themomtrotter onto the podcast. Kay downsized her and her family’s life to pay off their debt by leaving their home and moving into an RV. Now, just a few years later, they’ve skyrocketed to being debt-free and growing their savings + investments beyond their expectations. Join us for an honest conversation and RV home tour with The Mom Trotter as she shares what it is like living life as a family on the road, her fabulous money-saving travel tips, parenting her son to be a future Fiscal Firecracker and overall money goals.
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As we begin a new year and take stock of behaviors we’d like to change in ourselves for the better, let’s reflect on our e-commerce shopping habits. We’ve become a culture that craves instant gratification with one click though services like Amazon, Instagram shopping and more. If you are looking to save more money (and who isn’t?), Galia shows you how you don’t have to stop cold turkey with online shopping, but instead - give yourself some financial guardrails by checking how much you spent last year online, setting a monthly spending limit, creating a designated day to shop and more. Susan shares some of her recent crazy purchases and gives us a mnemonic device we can all live by - “CAN SHEEP EAT PIZZA?”
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Just like an annual physical to care for your body’s health - it’s time to review your financial health with Galia’s Year-End Money Checklist. Listen as Galia guides us through all the ways to make sure our assets are up to snuff - saving money on taxes, cleaning out both our clothing and money closets, polishing up our investments and taking advantage of IRAs - all before December 31.
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Ever feel like talking finance is like speaking a foreign language? Not anymore! Galia teaches us the words we need to know right now to kickstart our best money habits. And just to keep things spicy, Susan surprises Galia by asking her to define non-financial words completely out of her wheelhouse. What’s a “meat-n-three”? What’s “spacework”? Tune in to find out!
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Inflation is an all time high, so what should you do with your money now? Interest rates are higher than ever- so what should you do with your money now? Stock market is volatile and lower than a year ago - so what should you do with your money now? The Fiscal Firecrackers have got your answers! Galia shares what to do with your cash, where to invest right now and more ways to take advantage of these unsteady areas in our financial lives today to make a volatile market work for YOU. Susan suggests we get financially educated and also find ways to ground ourselves personally by employing self-care such as seeing theatre, taking a hike or what Susan's mom does - doodling a sketch of Elvis.
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The Fiscal Firecrackers are back at it - talking about how best to navigate uncomfortable, confusing or sticky money topics in Episode 30 - “Awkward Money Moments 2.” Galia and Susan trade experiences and give guidance surrounding personal and professional financial situations that get awkward like paying for college, parents prying about finances, salary comparisons, picking up a group coffee tab (or not) and much, much more. They even define what the hell “leaf-peeping” is!
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Many of us spend a lot of time, energy and money on two other traditions besides gift giving at the holidays - travel and special gatherings with loved ones. In this episode, we share tips on how to save (not lose) money on your holiday travel, great websites to follow for deals, why fall leaves from your yard make better centerpieces than cornucopias and more. Susan reveals her true feelings about driving friends/family to the airport, her pet peeve airplane snack and the secret food she keeps in her purse during holiday travel.
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“The Fiscal Firecrackers” want to help you create a memorable ho-ho-holiday that won’t ho-ho-hurt your bank account. Galia shares treasured tips to set your financial intention early (so you don’t have a painful holiday hangover in January), find valuable ways to save 20% to 30% on gifts (both online + in stores), buying in bulk and many more ideas that won’t cost you a penny. Susan suggests giving the creative, thoughtful gifts of experiences rather than tangible items and shares memorable examples - like a surprise best friend fly-in (using mileage points) and her priceless call from a famous country singer.
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Got kids? Or maybe you don’t have kids, but are thinking about having kids? Or maybe you don’t plan to have kids, but have kids in your life whom you love? Paying for college can be a huge source of stress unless you plan for it well in advance. Galia explains why parents should prioritize their own retirement first - then their kids’ college. She lays out 529 plans, UGMA plans and prepaid college savings programs. She also explains which plan is right for you, which investments to choose and what to do with those investments if your child doesn’t end up going to college. Susan shares her love of free bank snacks, her vivid memory of receiving her college acceptance letter, her various college jobs that helped put her through school, how she wanted to start saving for her son’s college education even before he was born and why “Airplane” is one of the best movies of all time.
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Who needs it? Chances are - YOU do. Galia explains the difference between buying “term” and “whole” life insurance, how to calculate the amount of coverage you need and the best way to afford it on any budget. She fills us in on why many women need long-term care insurance too. Susan researches high-priced insurance policies that celebrities purchase to cover their most notable body parts.
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Money can be a sensitive subject. And loaded. And awkward. If there's too much of it. If there's too little of it. How you handle it. How others handle it. Finances are tricky. In episode 25, "Awkward Money Moments," Galia and Susan discuss many 'cringey' money experiences they've had, how they handled them in the moment and how they could have been handled so you can learn from their mistakes. Galia shares how to navigate many uncomfortable financial conversations (like how best to ask for more money on the job - including what to do if your boss says “NO”) and how to own your money decisions. Susan tells a story of 'unfavored nations" and recounts her infamous visit to a storefront psychic with fish smells.
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Credit cards. Humans carry a small piece of plastic that allows us to borrow money with the intent to pay it back. How we handle these cards builds our lifetime credit history leading to creating wealth, whether or not we get a job or possibly even landing us in debt depending on our spending habits. Don’t worry - Galia and Susan hold your hand through it all. Galia deciphers key terms like “grace period,” explains which credit card benefits are best (i.e. travel, cash back), breaks down annual fees and shares her favorite websites/apps. Turns out - she doesn’t like store credit cards! Susan cops to some of her early personal credit card blunders, like using them to shop away heartache (leopard print underwear requires a matching leopard print scrunchie, apparently), committing to an unnecessary dress covered in seashells and doing “The Walk of $$$ Shame” in Las Vegas. We blame Vanna White!
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Think you don’t need a will? Think again. Dreading making a will? Galia and Susan promise to make it easy, accessible and, dare we say - fun. Though estate planning is no laughing matter, The Fiscal Firecrackers will keep you entertained while covering how to create a will and/or trust, make good decisions about your well earned money/ possessions and tips to protect all you’ve accrued for yourself and your loved ones. Galia walks us through options of where to go to make a will, how to tackle the tough questions simply and what to include in our plans so we can sleep well at night knowing all is handled. And don’t forget making provisions for your pets! Susan shares stories about her international escapades, her juicy obsession with notaries and two goldfish named Peanut Butter + Jelly.
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"Budget" is NOT a dirty word - we promise! If done correctly, creating a budget can be the foundation to your financial house. We will help you embrace the concept of building your budget to find financial comfort and freedom. Galia shares tips such as giving yourself a waiting period on a purchase, the 50/30/20 budget (tracking apps for variable expenses) and more. Susan reveals her mall shopping Firecracker moves while eating her "mall salad" plus the results of her green and heated customer service conversation. Find out once and for all if Susan's credit card is wet or not. And who is “Big Bad Betty?”
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Tired of being cooped up? Finally ready to travel this summer? Before you hop on a plane, let’s organize your money. If you’re exploring internationally, the Euro is currently at the same rate as the dollar for the first time in 20 years, so plan accordingly. Or are you more comfortable spending your vacation staying at home and earning from your couch? No problem. Learn ways to take advantage of global Investing. Galia turns us on to International Mutual Funds for your retirement plan and helps determine how much you should allocate. She also shares tips to save money overseas including how best to choose a credit card and get the best exchange rates. Susan discusses her upcoming trip to France with her son, how he’s a “comedy brat” and croons a duet of The Fiscal Firecrackers' latest hit "Summer Money" with a surprise guest star.
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The ROTH IRA is an amazing retirement tool that offers tax-free options as our money grows. Galia answers all of your questions regarding ROTH IRAs and why they are so beneficial for your portfolio. Who can open one? Can you do so if you are self employed or work for a company? Can your teen open a ROTH? How should you pick investments for your ROTH IRA and where is best to open one? Hey - who created the Roth? Susan reveals how easily seduced she is by safe deposit boxes and their hidden secrets. Hint: million dollar jade, trench coats and cigarettes may be involved.
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We did it before. We're at it again. Venting about money pet peeves is cathartic to blow off some steam regarding our bucks, your bucks and even a complete stranger's bucks. We're shoving our nose in all of it - Venmo etiquette, waiters who assume where to drop the bill, sommeliers who pick the table sniffer, meeting "The Bickersons," Warren Buffett's portfolio, Crypto and more.
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Like “Jaws”? You’ll love “Jaws 2.” Like “Grease”? You’ll love “Grease 2.” We’re at it again. You had more credit card questions so we are here to answer them in @fiscalfirecracker Episode 18: “Credit Reports + Scores: The Sequel.”
Galia teaches us good daily money habits that can influence our credit score plus tips on spending smarter to feel more in control of our money destiny. Susan shares how competitive she got over her credit score versus her husband’s as well as their recent real estate dream gone bad. Are late lunch goers also late bill payers? And what’s Susan’s favorite soup?
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What’s an ARM? What’s PMI? How do I get the best interest rate? Buying a house can be daunting. It requires spending a lot of money and handling a lot of details. It can seem like a pipedream. Saving for a downpayment, understanding financial terms and sifting through a tidal wave of information just to step up to your front door. Galia shares how home ownership at any income level is well within your reach and affordable. Susan shares the secret dream home she's imagined since childhood - a castle complete with stained glass windows, a bubbling soda fountain and a private suite for her beau, the blue-eyed Robby Benson.
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Ugh. Credit reports and scores. They might seem mysterious, but it turns out they’re vital to your financial health. We should be checking ours annually to make sure there are no errors which could keep us from getting credit or the best available terms on a loan. In Episode 16, Galia breaks down what credit reports are, where to find yours, how often to request a copy, what your score means, gives ways to fix any errors as well as tips to earn the highest score possible. Susan touts her super smooth savings on a recent trip to Nashville, how she encouraged a friend to swap an old car for a screened-in porch and admits what a neophyte French kisser she was in junior high school.
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