Black and Brown Make Green: Recent Episodes
Natasha And Damian Carrillo
Do you want to feel confident in your ability to manage your finances? You can increase your finance knowledge and financial wealth with the Black and Brown Make Green podcast. We help you navigate complex money topics and share actionable strategies to build your financial literacy and build personal and generational wealth.
Listen in to be inspired by our story and the story of others as we level up our finances. We explore saving, investing, retirement funds, brokerage accounts, paying for college, getting out of debt, tough money conversations and more.
Sometimes it's hard to sift through opinions that are so deeply rooted they become folklore. A bad opinion that is so ingrained is a myth and you know of and have heard many money myths in your life. In this episode Natasha and Damian debunk a few money myths you may be believing in.
Book your Clarity Session (a detailed financial review and action plan)
Want to learn exactly where your money is going, how to track it, and how to reach your goals? Find out how here.
Sign up for the email list by visiting blackandbrownmakegreen.com/subscribe We will send you our free 10 Step Guide to Figure Out Your Finances when you sign up.
Listen online to this episode at https://blackandbrownmakegreen.com/podcast
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We offer information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or another professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
Have you ever wanted to just say "Money is easy?" In this episode Natasha and Damian share just how they put money management on autopilot, including all the tips, tricks, and techniques they use and how they have changed over time.
Book your Clarity Session (a detailed financial review and action plan)
Want to learn exactly where your money is going, how to track it, and how to reach your goals? Find out how here.
Sign up for the email list by visiting blackandbrownmakegreen.com/subscribe We will send you our free 10 Step Guide to Figure Out Your Finances when you sign up.
Listen online to this episode at https://blackandbrownmakegreen.com/podcast
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We offer information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or another professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
In this episode Natasha poses a question that many people of our generation and younger are having to produce answers to. That question is, "Is owning a home overrated?" We discuss the benefits and drawbacks of owning a home vs. renting a home or apartment and give our opinions on the question at hand.
Book your Clarity Session (a detailed financial review and action plan)
Want to learn exactly where your money is going, how to track it, and how to reach your goals? Find out how here.
Sign up for the email list by visiting blackandbrownmakegreen.com/subscribe We will send you our free 10 Step Guide to Figure Out Your Finances when you sign up.
Listen online to this episode at https://blackandbrownmakegreen.com/podcast
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We offer information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or another professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
There are over 29 million retirement accounts that have gone unclaimed that total $1.65 trillion in assets according to a U.S News article by Brian O'Connell. Are all of your retirement accounts accounted for? If not, tune in to find out what to do to recover them.
Resources
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National Registry of Unclaimed Retirement Benefits
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U.S. Dept. of Labor Abandoned Plans
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Tips for finding an unclaimed retirement benefit
Book your Clarity Session (a detailed financial review and action plan)
Want to learn exactly where your money is going, how to track it, and how to reach your goals? Find out how here.
Sign up for the email list by visiting blackandbrownmakegreen.com/subscribe We will send you our free 10 Step Guide to Figure Out Your Finances when you sign up.
Listen online to this episode at https://blackandbrownmakegreen.com/podcast
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We offer information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or another professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
Your tax return just hit your checking account and it's burning a hole in your pocket. Before you spend it, tune in to this episode to find out some things that you may do with it instead of buying that item you've been wanting for months. Your future self may just thank your past self for slowing down and thinking it through!
Book your Clarity Session (a detailed financial review and action plan)
Want to learn exactly where your money is going, how to track it, and how to reach your goals? Find out how here.
Sign up for the email list by visiting blackandbrownmakegreen.com/subscribe We will send you our free 10 Step Guide to Figure Out Your Finances when you sign up.
Listen online to this episode at https://blackandbrownmakegreen.com/podcast
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We offer information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or another professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
Debt can make you feel like you're under a pile of bricks when you have it. In this episode, Natasha and Damian discuss ways to save and pay down debt while still finding ways to extract joy and meaning from life.
Book your Clarity Session (a detailed financial review and action plan)
Want to learn exactly where your money is going, how to track it, and how to reach your goals? Find out how here.
Sign up for the email list by visiting blackandbrownmakegreen.com/subscribe We will send you our free 10 Step Guide to Figure Out Your Finances when you sign up.
Listen online to this episode at https://blackandbrownmakegreen.com/podcast
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We offer information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or another professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
In this episode Natasha and Damian discuss the importance of having life insurance, the details of their life insurance policies, and why it's important to start making plans for when death comes a'knocking.
Book your Clarity Session (a detailed financial review and action plan)
Want to learn exactly where your money is going, how to track it, and how to reach your goals? Find out how here.
Sign up for the email list by visiting blackandbrownmakegreen.com/subscribe We will send you our free 10 Step Guide to Figure Out Your Finances when you sign up.
Listen online to this episode at https://blackandbrownmakegreen.com/podcast
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We offer information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or another professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
There are so many decisions that shape your personal finances and that is what makes them personal. In this episode we discuss vehicle insurance. How much coverage should you have? Should you claim an accident on your insurance? Why does this decision differ from other types of insurance?
After a deer hit Natasha while driving, she questions whether she should claim the repair on her vehicle insurance and walks you through the decision-making process she uses to determine if she should even fix the damage or not.
Book your Clarity Session (a detailed financial review and action plan)
Want to learn exactly where your money is going, how to track it, and how to reach your goals? Find out how here.
Sign up for the email list by visiting blackandbrownmakegreen.com/subscribe We will send you our free 10 Step Guide to Figure Out Your Finances when you sign up.
Listen online to this episode at https://blackandbrownmakegreen.com/podcast
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We offer information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or another professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
The decision to pay off debts or not can be very emotional. In this episode we walk you through our decision-making process for paying off debts or holding onto those debts so we can maximize our earnings potential using a few different decision points, and the rationale that went into making the decision around the big question of, "Should I pay off my debt now or not?"
Book your Clarity Session (a detailed financial review and action plan)
Want to learn exactly where your money is going, how to track it, and how to reach your goals? Find out how here.
Sign up for the email list by visiting blackandbrownmakegreen.com/subscribe We will send you our free 10 Step Guide to Figure Out Your Finances when you sign up.
Listen online to this episode at https://blackandbrownmakegreen.com/podcast
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We offer information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or another professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
In this episode, Natasha and Damian discuss the year-long journey of getting a new job. They discuss the preparation and the process, which includes planning, resume writing, and sharpening skills.
Book your Clarity Session (a detailed financial review and action plan)
Want to learn exactly where your money is going, how to track it, and how to reach your goals? Find out how here.
Sign up for the email list by visiting blackandbrownmakegreen.com/subscribe We will send you our free 10 Step Guide to Figure Out Your Finances when you sign up.
Listen online to this episode at https://blackandbrownmakegreen.com/podcast
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We offer information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or another professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
Natasha and Damian, the hosts of the Black and Brown Make Green podcast, discuss the pros and cons of relying on Amazon Prime for purchases versus going without it. They share their personal experiences and insights on how to make do without Amazon Prime. Tune in to to learn more about their financial education and tips on how to manage your money with confidence.Book your Clarity Session (a detailed financial review and action plan)Want to learn exactly where your money is going, how to track it, and how to reach your goals? Find out how here.Sign up for the email list by visiting blackandbrownmakegreen.com/subscribe We will send you our free 10 Step Guide to Figure Out Your Finances when you sign up.Listen online to this episode at https://blackandbrownmakegreen.com/podcastDisclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We offer information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or another professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
In this episode, Natasha and Damian talk about how they are considering a different approach to gift-giving during Christmas time. They discuss the impact of consumerism on the environment and the importance of adopting a needs-based approach to gift-giving. Lastly, they discuss their approach of adopting a family to give to someone in actual need, and the different thought process that surrounds that act.
Book your Clarity Session (a detailed financial review and action plan)
Want to learn exactly where your money is going, how to track it, and how to reach your goals? Find out how here.
Sign up for the email list by visiting blackandbrownmakegreen.com/subscribe We will send you our free 10 Step Guide to Figure Out Your Finances when you sign up.
Listen online to this episode at https://blackandbrownmakegreen.com/podcast
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We offer information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or another professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
What financial accounts do you use and why? Sometimes it can be crippling to decide on financial accounts because there are so many out there. In this episode, we reveal the exact accounts we use - credit cards, budgeting apps, bank accounts, and retirement accounts. Most of you probably know that we use Sofi Bank, but are you curious to know what other accounts we use on a daily basis? If so, check out this episode to find out which ones we use and why.
Need a new bank? Try out SoFi! We enjoy the 4.50% APY on their savings account and use SoFi vaults to organize our money.
Book your Clarity Session (a detailed financial review and action plan)
Want to learn exactly where your money is going, how to track it, and how to reach your goals? Find out how here.
Sign up for the email list by visiting blackandbrownmakegreen.com/subscribe We will send you our free 10 Step Guide to Figure Out Your Finances when you sign up.
Listen online to this episode at https://blackandbrownmakegreen.com/podcast
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We offer information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or another professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
Where is the hope? Rising prices, stagnant wages, and climbing debt can make life feel hopeless. How can you afford a home with today’s high prices and interest rates? How can you keep up with inflation when salary and wages are not keeping up with inflation? How do you handle the current economic challenges that make things seem hopeless?
Hope is a powerful tool that can help us to overcome challenges and to achieve our goals. Even when things are tough, there is always hope.
We discuss some real-life tips and strategies to help you find hope and deal with high costs and low wages. We hope that you will keep hope alive, be inspired by this conversation on remaining hopeful, and pick up some useful tips on managing your money too.
Need a new bank? Try out SoFi! We enjoy the 4.50% APY on their savings account and use SoFi vaults to organize our money.
Book your Financial Review (Clarity Session)
Want to learn exactly where your money is going, how to track it, and how to reach your goals? Find out how here.
Sign up for the email list by visiting blackandbrownmakegreen.com/subscribe We will send you our free 10 Step Guide to Figure Out Your Finances when you sign up.
Listen online to this episode at https://blackandbrownmakegreen.com/podcast
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We offer information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or another professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
Getting one month ahead in your finances means that you have enough money in your bank account to cover all of your bills and expenses for the next month before it even starts. This way, you don’t have to worry about living paycheck to paycheck, overdraft fees, late payments, or unexpected emergencies.
But how do you get one month ahead in your finances? It may seem impossible, especially if you are facing financial challenges or have a lot of debt. But don’t worry, we have some tips and strategies that can help you achieve this goal.
We hope that this episode will inspire you to take action and get one month ahead in your finances. Remember, it is not impossible, it is just a matter of planning, prioritizing, and taking small steps every day. You can do this!
Need a new bank? Try out SoFi! We enjoy the 4.50% APY on their savings account and use SoFi vaults to organize our money.
Book your Financial Review (Clarity Session)
Want to learn exactly where your money is going, how to track it, and how to reach your goals? Find out how here.
Sign up for the email list by visiting blackandbrownmakegreen.com/subscribe We will send you our free 10 Step Guide to Figure Out Your Finances when you sign up.
Listen online to this episode at https://blackandbrownmakegreen.com/podcast
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We offer information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or another professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
In this episode, we’re going to be honest with you and tell you how we discovered that we were spending way more than we needed on some of the things that we thought were important, but actually were not. We’ll also share with you some of the strategies that we used to cut down our expenses and increase our savings.
Book your Financial Review (Clarity Session)
Want to learn exactly where your money is going, how to track it, and how to reach your goals? Find out how here.
Sign up for the email list by visiting blackandbrownmakegreen.com/subscribe We will send you our free 10 Step Guide to Figure Out Your Finances when you sign up.
Listen online to this episode at https://blackandbrownmakegreen.com/podcast
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We offer information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or another professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
Scott and Shaté Hayes are the hosts of The Love Haze podcast. They process out loud what most people experience in silence, and in this episode, they process their thoughts, feelings, and experiences around money out loud with us.
Book your Financial Review (Clarity Session)
Want to learn exactly where your money is going, how to track it, and how to reach your goals? Find out how here.
Sign up for the email list by visiting blackandbrownmakegreen.com/subscribe We will send you our free 10 Step Guide to Figure Out Your Finances when you sign up.
Listen online to this episode at https://blackandbrownmakegreen.com/podcast
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We offer information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or another professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
Jen Narciso from the Investor Mama podcast shared about travel hacking using credit cards rewards points in episode 56. Damian and I keep the conversation going by digging deeper into using credit card rewards.
In episode 57, we tackle the question: Are credit card points really worth it? We share our experience using credit card points for travel, cashback, and rewards. We talk about how to know if you're getting the short end of the stick when it comes to using credit card points and the consequences of closing a credit card. We also talk about Damian's journey to reach the perfect credit score.
Book your Financial Review (Clarity Session)
Want to learn exactly where your money is going, how to track it, and how to reach your goals? Find out how here.
Sign up for the email list by visiting blackandbrownmakegreen.com/subscribe We will send you our free 10 Step Guide to Figure Out Your Finances when you sign up.
Listen online to this episode at https://blackandbrownmakegreen.com/podcast
Resources and Related Links
Travel Hacking with Jen Narciso
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We offer information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or another professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
Jen Narciso from the Investor Mama podcast has traveled to Disney, Washington D.C, and Hawaii for free or nearly free, and she shares all the details on how you can too.
Jen shares how she has used different rewards points from credit cards to get free flights, free hotels, free Disney tickets and free breakfasts! Using points for traveling always seemed like work to me, but Jen makes it super easy with her approach.
Jen is the host of the Investor Mama podcast. She is a real estate investor, realtor, wife, and mom of 2. Check out her podcast, Investor Mama.
Book your Clarity Session
Want to learn exactly where your money is going, how to track it, and how to reach your goals? Find out how here.
Sign up for the email list by visiting blackandbrownmakegreen.com/subscribe We will send you our free 10 Step Guide to Figure Out Your Finances when you sign up.
Listen online to this episode at https://blackandbrownmakegreen.com/podcast
Resources and Related Links
Investor Mama podcast
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We offer information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or another professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
Natasha and Damian each share 3 things they think everyone should know about their money.
Do you know your numbers?
How much insurance should you get?
Is a 3-6 month emergency fund enough for us?
How do you balance making money and taking care of yourself?
How do you become the best advocate for yourself in the workplace?
How do you work with your partner to make your best money decisions together?
What holds people back from talking about money?
How can we make more Black and Brown millionaires?
Book your Clarity Session
Want to learn exactly where your money is going, how to track it, and how to reach your goals? Find out how here.
Sign up for the email list by visiting blackandbrownmakegreen.com/subscribe We will send you our free 10 Step Guide to Figure Out Your Finances when you sign up.
Listen online to this episode at https://blackandbrownmakegreen.com/podcast
Resources and Related Links
Financial Literacy Month (April)
Grow with Jo Workout Channel
Juice and Toya Workout Channel
Sex, Race, and Robots - Dr. Ayanna Howard
Maggie Klokkenga - Make a Money Mindshift
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We offer information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or another professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
People can make a huge impact on your life. Even just one interaction can change your trajectory. This episode is somewhat of a reflection episode where we reflect on the impact we've had on each others' lives, and we discuss how our lives would be different without each other. We discussed career, finances, and risk-taking and how we can utilize relationships for our growth. We discussed stock splits, investing strategies, and more.
Book your Clarity Session
Want to learn exactly where your money is going, how to track it, and how to reach your goals? Find out how here.
Sign up for the email list by visiting blackandbrownmakegreen.com/subscribe We will send you our free 10 Step Guide to Figure Out Your Finances when you sign up.
Listen online to this episode at https://blackandbrownmakegreen.com/podcast
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We offer information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or another professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
We hope our kids will get a full ride scholarship if they choose to go to college, but if not, we've got plans. Are you saving for your kids' college? Or do you have other money matters you're trying to figure out? Get help here if you're trying to figure out your own money plans.
Damian and I were fortunate to graduate college debt free, but about 45 million Americans have student loans. We hope to relieve our kids of this burden, which means we've already started saving for them.
Listen in to hear why we've chosen a 529 account to save for our kids and hear about 5 other ways that you could save as well. We discuss 6 different ways to save for college, pros and cons of each, and why the 529 trumped them all for us.
By the way, if you want to save for your kids (or any other goal), but can't figure out how to make it happen with your budget, book a Clarity Session, and we can help you see where your money is going and find money in your budget to put towards your savings goals.
Book your Clarity Session
Want to learn exactly where your money is going, how to track it, and how to reach your goals? Find out how here.
Sign up for the email list by visiting blackandbrownmakegreen.com/subscribe We will send you our free 10 Step Guide to Figure Out Your Finances when you sign up.
Listen online to this episode at https://blackandbrownmakegreen.com/podcast
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We offer information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or another professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
Have you ever said, 'I wish I learned that sooner'? If you have kids, then you have the opportunity to help them learn it sooner - learn about money management that is. We were both raised to be money confident adults. We didn't have all the knowledge we needed, but we had enough to quickly propel us up the ranks of financial freedom. No worries if you didn't have the same experience because we're sharing what that looked like for us and how we're helping our kids to become money confident kids. And if you're feeling unconfident yourself, there are tips in here for you as well.
Book your Clarity Session
Want to learn exactly where your money is going, how to track it, and how to reach your goals? Find out how here.
Sign up for the email list by visiting blackandbrownmakegreen.com/subscribe We will send you our free 10 Step Guide to Figure Out Your Finances when you sign up.
Listen online to this episode at https://blackandbrownmakegreen.com/podcast
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We offer information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or another professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
Most people never consider switching banks, but Damian and I have each had 7 different bank accounts. Our main motivator in switching banks is to earn more money, but there are other reasons as well.
We always look for a bank that offers a high yield savings account and one that does not charge fees to have a checking or savings account. Does your bank charge a fee for your checking and savings account, and are you getting the most out of your banking relationship? Listen to find out what we consider when choosing a bank and to hear the bank we're leaving and the one we're starting a new relationship with.
Sign Up for Money Talks Webinar
Resources and Related Links
How Much Does Your Bank Make Off of You? by NPR
What is a High Yield Savings Account by Investopedia
2023 Best High Yield Savings Accounts by NerdWallet
2023 Best High Yield Savings Accounts by Investopedia
Book your Clarity Session
Want to learn exactly where your money is going, how to track it, and how to reach your goals? Find out how here.
Sign up for the email list by visiting blackandbrownmakegreen.com/subscribe We will send you our free 10 Step Guide to Figure Out Your Finances when you sign up.
Listen online to this episode at https://blackandbrownmakegreen.com/podcast
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We offer information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or another professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
You might identify as a spender or a saver, but the reality is that we are all spenders and savers.This week we discuss our inclination towards spending or saving, how it manifests, and strategies we use to try to be more balanced between the two. Listen in as we share our emotions around spending versus saving and how we work to bring our spending and saving habits more into balance.
Sign Up for Money Talks Webinar
Saving vs. Spending and How Our Brains Are Wired Around Money (aarp.org)
Your Brain May Be Wired for Either Spending or Saving Money (fool.com)
Book your Clarity Session
Want to learn exactly where your money is going, how to track it, and how to reach your goals? Find out how here.
Sign up for the email list by visiting blackandbrownmakegreen.com/subscribe We will send you our free 10 Step Guide to Figure Out Your Finances when you sign up.
Listen online to this episode at https://blackandbrownmakegreen.com/podcast
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We offer information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or another professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
Sherifah Munis is the founder of Newwave Foundation, a nonprofit organization whose mission is focused on inspiring the next generation of dreamers by creating opportunities for educational equality. Sherifah shares about how credit almost got the best of her because of an initial lack of knowledge around handling credit, and how Newwave Foundation aims to prevent things like that by filling knowledge gaps and providing equitable financial education to students, young adults, and even parents. Beyond that she shares how Newwave Foundation is committed to making the most of their financial knowledge to positively impact themselves and others well into the future. Meeting Sherifah for the first time was like picking up a conversation with an old friend because her mission is so closely aligned with ours. We know you're going to love this one.
In This Episode We Discuss
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How Newwave Foundation seeks to "Instill the Dream" in deserving students and their parents by providing access to financial education, scholarships, and partnerships
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Sherifah's personal finance journey
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Ways for students and young adults to retain control of their financial story arc through these trying times
Book your Clarity Session
Want to learn exactly where your money is going, how to track it, and how to reach your goals? Find out how here.
Sign up for the email list by visiting blackandbrownmakegreen.com/subscribe We will send you our free 10 Step Guide to Figure Out Your Finances when you sign up.
Listen online to this episode at https://blackandbrownmakegreen.com/podcast
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We offer information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or another professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
What are your guiding principles? What are the values you have that guide your actions? What are the qualities that really matter to you? What are your family's values? What are your partner's values?
These values are the things that guide you. These values are what make you say yes to some things and no to others. Can you name yours? We think we saved the best for last (in the Make Green Challenge). We discuss our values and the importance of identifying them in order to chart a path for your life.
This episode hits a little differently. Damian and I have a conversation with each other defining our top 5 values and talking through what they mean and how we want to use our values to build our ideal life. Tune in to hear how we identify our values, and be a fly on the wall listening to our conversation discussing our values.
Resources & Related Links
Top 5 Values Worksheet
Episode 47: Make Green Challenge Part 3: Putting Processes on Auto-pilot
Episode 46: Make Green Challenge Part 2: Tools for the Win
Episode 45: Make Green Challenge Part 1: Flex on that Retirement
Book your Clarity Session
Want to learn exactly where your money is going, how to track it, and how to reach your goals? Find out how here.
Sign up for the email list by visiting blackandbrownmakegreen.com/subscribe We will send you our free 10 Step Guide to Figure Out Your Finances when you sign up.
Listen online to this episode at https://blackandbrownmakegreen.com/podcast
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We offer information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or another professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
Do you like doing difficult things? Probably not. We feel the same when it comes to money. Managing money should be fairly easy. Yes, there may be some difficulties getting everything set up, but on a day-to-day basis, it should mostly be easy. We share our tips and strategies to make money easy in part 3 of the Make Green Challenge. In this week's challenge, we are challenging you to take one of these actions to make managing your money easy. Listen to find practical tips to make it easy.
Resources & Related Links
Episode 46: Make Green Challenge Part 2: Tools for the Win
Episode 45: Make Green Challenge Part 1: Flex on that Retirement
Book your Clarity Session
Want to learn exactly where your money is going, how to track it, and how to reach your goals? Find out how here.
Sign up for the email list by visiting blackandbrownmakegreen.com/subscribe We will send you our free 10 Step Guide to Figure Out Your Finances when you sign up.
Listen online to this episode at https://blackandbrownmakegreen.com/podcast
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We offer information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or another professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
We never thought we needed a budget because we've always spent less than we made. Therefore, we were always saving, but there wasn't any intentionality around the money that we saved. We weren't saving a set amount and we were just giving ourselves the leftovers. No longer do we give ourselves the leftovers! We plan to save to be able to pay for things that matter to us - early retirement, traveling, and experiences. We share our journey from no budget to recognizing the need for us to budget in part 2 of the Make Green Challenge. In This Episode We DiscussDo we really need a budget?How aware are we of our spending?What tools do we use to track our spending?How has tracking our spending impacted our finances?Resources & Related LinksPodcast Episode 46: Make Green Challenge Part 1: Flex on that RetirementPodcast Episode 2: How to Save for Retirement: We share more details and our stories around ways to save for retirement. We discuss Roth accounts in detail and much more.Podcast Episode 3: From Fired to FIRE: We discuss our journey with being laid off, quitting jobs, and using our jobs to try to reach financial independence.Sign up for the email list by visiting blackandbrownmakegreen.com/subscribe We will send you our free 10 Step Guide to Figure Out Your Finances when you sign up.Listen online to this episode at https://blackandbrownmakegreen.com/podcastDisclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We offer information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or another professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
Make Green Challenge pt. 1Eating greens and black-eyed peas is a long-standing New Year's Day tradition in the Black community and in others as well. We eat greens to bring us money during the year, and the black-eyed peas are for good luck. We're taking you beyond Black-eyed peas and greens with this series of episodes, and we're giving you practical tips on how to truly make green and get to a better place financially by the end of this year. We start part 1 with a focus on retirement. Most people don't get started on retirement until later in life, but it is actually best to start early. Listen in to learn more about why caring about retirement now is important, what things to look for and be aware of when you contribute to a retirement account and hear some of our strategies of how we contribute to retirement accounts.
In This Episode We DiscussWhy care about retirement now when it seems so far away?
How can you be prepared to be able to retire and to take care of yourself during retirement?
What hang-ups will you face when you decide or start to contribute to your retirement, and how do you overcome those hang-ups?
What steps have we taken to be prepared for a traditional and an early retirement?
Resources & Related LinksPodcast Episode 2: How to Save for Retirement: We share more details and our stories around ways to save for retirement. We discuss Roth accounts in detail and much more.
Podcast Episode 3: From Fired to FIRE: We discuss our journey with being laid off, quitting jobs, and using our jobs to try to reach financial independence.
Article: The Psychology Behind Why We Can't Keep New Year's Resolutions (businessinsider.com)
Sign up for the email list by visiting blackandbrownmakegreen.com/subscribe We will send you our free 10 Step Guide to Figure Out Your Finances when you sign up.
Listen online to this episode at https://blackandbrownmakegreen.com/podcast
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We offer information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or another professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
This week we reflect on our biggest successes and setbacks from 2022. We share how we are ending this year on a high note, the strategy we're using to make sure we check all our 2022 goals off our list before the year ends, and how we plan to make 2023 a success.
We reference episode 17, our Yearly Finance Check-in episode that we are using to help us end this year strong. Check it out and listen to this week's episode as well.
Helpful links
Episode 17: Yearly Finance Check-in
3rd Decade - Nonprofit Creating Financially Literate and Confident Adults
Breakthrough - Nonprofit Helping Students Become 1st Generation College Graduates
We bought a new car a few weeks ago, and the process was very easy because we knew all of our numbers beforehand. We discuss buying vs leasing, getting a loan vs paying cash, and give you all the details about our experience. You may not be in the market for a new car, but knowing your numbers when it comes to making big purchases is important. Sign up for the email list by visiting blackandbrownmakegreen.com/subscribe We will send you our free 10 Step Guide to Figure Out Your Finances when you sign up. Listen online to this episode at https://blackandbrownmakegreen.com/podcast Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We offer information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or another professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
This week's episode is inspired by a bill we received from Noah's pediatrician. We have been dealing with this bill since February of this year. We discuss how to choose the best health benefits for you, the difference between FSAs and HSAs, other company benefits, and more about knowing your benefits.
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We will send you our free 10 Step Guide to Figure Out Your Finances when you sign up.
Listen online to this episode at https://blackandbrownmakegreen.com/podcast
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We offer information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or another professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
We are talking all about credit on this week's episode. We discuss how we choose the best credit card for us, why we choose to use credit, and why you should or should not use credit cards. In This Episode We Discuss What does it mean to take unconfident action? How do we use credit cards? Is it worth it to use credit cards? Is it important to have credit? What are the best credit cards to use? How can you protect your credit? Resources & Related Episodes Annual Credit Report - Get your free credit report from all 3 credit bureaus Transunion - 1 of the 3 credit bureaus Equifax - 1 of the 3 credit bureaus Experian - 1 of the 3 credit bureaus Sign up for the email list by visiting blackandbrownmakegreen.com/subscribe We will send you our free 10 Step Guide to Figure Out Your Finances when you sign up. Listen online to this episode at https://blackandbrownmakegreen.com/podcast Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We offer information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or another professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
Do you avoid doing things because you don't feel good enough? Do you defer to others because you feel unconfident? How do you decide to take action when you're feeling like that? How do you take unconfident action? Sometimes you have to do things when you're scared, unconfident, unsure, or when you just don't feel good enough. We explore how we deal with feeling unconfident, how to recognize if you're self-sabotaging due to being unconfident, and specific ideas of how to take action when you feel unconfident.
In This Episode We Discuss What does it mean to take unconfident action?
How do unconfident people self-sabotage?
How do you take unconfident action?
Resources & Related Links Be sure to catch part 1 I'm Not Good Enough if you haven't already.
Psychology Today Article by Alice Boyes, Ph.D - 5 Things Unconfident People do to Self-Sabotage
Sign up for the email list by visiting blackandbrownmakegreen.com/subscribe We will send you our free 10 Step Guide to Figure Out Your Finances when you sign up.
Listen online to this episode at https://blackandbrownmakegreen.com/podcast
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We offer information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or another professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
How often have you thought any of the following: I'm not good enough. I don't belong here. I don't know enough to do this. Who am I to be in this position? These are self-defeating thoughts that may be holding you back from reaching your full potential and living your most abundant life. Embracing an abundance mindset has changed the way we view the world and the way we interact in it. Learn how we tap into an abundance mindset, and how we keep those negative thoughts at bay.
In This Episode We Discuss What does it mean to have a scarcity mindset
How do you reframe your mindset to be an abundant mindset?
How do you define abundance mindset?
How do you apply an abundance mindset to your finances and other areas of your life?
What impact does a scarcity mindset have on your ability to thrive?
Resources & Related Links Be sure to catch part 2 of the A New Way of Thinking series coming soon.
NPR Article by Shankar Vedantam - How the 'Scarcity Mindset' Can Make Problems Worse
Chopra - 10 Steps to Building an Abundance Mindset
TED Talk - The Most Scarce Resource on the Planet: Mindset of Abundance
Bria Jones - I had my first six-figure month using the abundance mindset
Sign up for the email list by visiting blackandbrownmakegreen.com/subscribe We will send you our free 10 Step Guide to Figure Out Your Finances when you sign up.
Listen online to this episode at https://blackandbrownmakegreen.com/podcast
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We offer information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or another professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
In This Episode We Discuss What are some of the factors that impact your income?
What is the biggest impact on your income? This one thing can increase your income by 20%!
How do you access the biggest impact on your income so that you can increase your income?
Resources & Related Posts
Vast New Study Shows a Key to Reducing Poverty: More Friendships between Rich and Poor
Social Capital II: determinants of economic connectedness
Seven Key Takeaways from Chetty's new research on friendship and economic connectedness
Network Opportunity: social capital and economic mobility (video)
Sign up for the email list by visiting blackandbrownmakegreen.com/subscribe. We'll send you our free '10 Step Guide to Figure Out Your Finances 'when you sign up!
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We offer information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or another professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
Thomas Kopleman is a financial planner with AllStreet Wealth. He was selected as one of Investopedia’s Top 100 Financial Advisors for 2022. He is passionate about financial planning and has a blog, thomaskopelman.com where he writes weekly about personal finances. He hosts a podcast, The Long Game, where he shares even more on personal finances.
In This Episode We Discuss What is a financial planner and what does a financial planner do
The difference between a financial planner and adviser
How to choose a financial planner
How to know if you need a financial planner
Ways a financial planner can help you
Resources & Related Posts
Listen to part 1 here! We Hired a Financial Planner. Should You? Part 1
Listen to part 2 here!
Connect with Thomas Kopelman
All Street Wealth
Thomas Kopelman Personal Finance Website
The Long Game
Sign up for the email list by visiting blackandbrownmakegreen.com/subscribe. We'll send you our free '10 Step Guide to Figure Out Your Finances 'when you sign up!
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We offer information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or another professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
In 2017, Damian and I started our journey to figure out our finances as a couple. We had been married for 2 years at that point and we were ready to strategize.
We did research, we made a plan, and then we implemented that plan.
This week we share the intimate details of what we did to figure out our finances. These are the steps we took before we hired a financial planner. These are the steps that put us on the path to financial independence. Do you want to fully understand and make a plan for your money? Listen to the episode to learn more and get your free workbook ‘The 10 Question Guide to Figure Out Your Finances’. We created this step-by-step guide to help you fully understand your money and make a plan for your money.
In This Episode We Discuss Our specific money goals from 2017 to 2020
Practical steps to take before you hire a financial professional or how to know what type of financial professional you need
The 10 action steps we took to figure out our finances that helped us work towards financial independence
How to apply our action steps by using our 10 question Guide to Figure out Your Finances
Resources we used on our financial independence journey - including specific books, blogs, videos, and websites
Resources & Related Posts
Listen to part 1 here! We Hired a Financial Planner. Should You? Part 1
Check out Part 3 where we talk to our financial planner. (available soon)
Sign up for the email list by visiting blackandbrownmakegreen.com/subscribe
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We offer information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or another professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
In This Episode We Discuss Our experience working with a financial planner
The different types of financial professionals you could work with, including a financial planner, a financial coach, and/or financial therapist
How to know what type of financial professional is right for you
Resources & Related Posts Sign up for the email list by visiting blackandbrownmakegreen.com/subscribe
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We offer information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or another professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
Joe Bautista is a Certified Financial Planner with Bautista Planning and Analytics. He is all about self-motivation, growth, and development. He is the author of The More You Know, The More You Grow and Your Daily Cup of Joe, a book with daily micro lessons to fuel your personal development.
Joe joins us as the final CFP in our Money Tips from a CFP series. We talk about earning, keeping, and growing your money, living abroad, how he is prioritizing his spending now, and more. Joe started his career in the marines, has worked in D.C., and currently lives abroad in Columbia. Joe has such a varied background. He is the son of a Mexican immigrant who had a 3rd grade education. His parents declared bankruptcy when he was in high school, but none of those obstacles have slowed him down! Listen in to learn all about Joe and his tips and strategies for growth.
In This Episode We Discuss Joe's background growing up in Oregon
The impact that Joe's parents' bankruptcy had on Joe when he was in HS
How He Used the Marines to Fund Education
How He Helps People Develop their Financial Plan
Best books for self-development
Resources & Related Posts Connect with Joe at Bautista Planning & Analytics
Check out Joe's podcast Three Arrow Insights | Podcast on Spotify
Get quick motivational lessons from Joe by listening to Daily Cup of Joe
Listen online to Joe's episode at https://blackandbrownmakegreen.com/podcast
Sign up for the email list by visiting blackandbrownmakegreen.com/subscribe
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We offer information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or another professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
Maggie Klokkenga, a Certified Financial Planner with Make a Money Mindshift has been in the finance industry for over 25 years. She is also a Certified Public Accountant, and she has experience in accounting, financial planning, and financial coaching. Maggie’s current expertise is helping women in transition and individuals and couples to understand what they truly want and make a plan to get there. Maggie shares the importance of mindset in relation to finances, what it really takes to make long-lasting changes, and some of the best resources for individuals wanting to take control of their finances.
In This Episode We Discuss Maggie's background in finance as an accountant, financial planner, and financial coach
How Maggie coaches her clients to have long-lasting change
Best finance books to shift your mindset and learn new strategies to improve your finances
Resources & Related Posts Connect with Maggie at Make a Money Mindshift
Listen online at https://blackandbrownmakegreen.com/podcast
Sign up for the email list by visiting blackandbrownmakegreen.com/subscribe
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We offer information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or another professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
Raquel Tennant, a Certified Financial Planner with 2050 Wealth Partners joins us to share her finance story and best money tips. She is the first in our Money Tips from a CFP (Certified Financial Planner) series. Raquel discusses her Jamaican and Panamanian roots. She shares how she transitioned from spending everything she earned to saving and investing in herself. She shares her journey from restaurant worker to Certified Financial Planner and drops so many financial tips throughout this episode. Be sure to listen to the end of the episode when Raquel shares what has been the biggest impact on her finances and how you can apply that same tactic to your situation.
In This Episode We Discuss Raquel's finance journey from growing up as a first generation American and the impacts of this on her as an adult
How to budget, track spending, and also support family financially without sacrificing your own
How to remove the stigma from money conversations and
Resources & Related Posts Connect with Raquel at 2050 Wealth Partners
For additional resources, visit blackandbrownmakegreen.com/032
Sign up for the email list by visiting blackandbrownmakegreen.com/subscribe
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We offer information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or another professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
Your money mindset can be a driving force when making financial decisions. How you think about money, your past experiences with money, and things you learned about money growing up can all affect your approach toward managing you finances today. In the very first episode, we explored our money mindset. We shared some background on how our money mindset was shaped and how we have worked to change our mindset over time. For this final episode of season 1, we reflect on our money mindsets. We share how our mindsets have changed and one specific thing we’ve learned in this first season of creating the podcast.
In This Episode We Discuss Our Money Mindset When We Started This Podcast – What is it?
How Our Money Mindset Has Changed
One Thing We’ve Learned From Making the Podcast
Resources & Related Posts Money Mindset
For additional resources, visit blackandbrownmakegreen.com/031
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Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We offer information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or another professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
The cost of living is rising in the town that we live in. Housing prices are skyrocketing, and with that, property taxes are rising as well. We live in a high property tax state so this could be a big deal to our monthly budget. This has us wondering if this is a good time to cash out, sell our home, and move to a cheaper area. There are pros and cons to this idea, and we discuss them in this episode. We share our thought process, questions we are asking ourselves, and our current conclusion on if we should move or stay. Are you considering selling your home to move to a cheaper place? Listen in to find out what questions might be helpful for you to consider.
In This Episode We Discuss - What are the characteristics of a place we want to live in?
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What are the barriers to moving?
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How can we minimize the barriers to moving?
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Compelling reasons to move
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Compelling reasons to stay
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How do we determine if/when we move
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Our current decision on moving or staying
For additional resources, visit blackandbrownmakegreen.com/030
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Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We offer information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or another professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
Damian is turning 40, and he is taking time to reflect on lessons he’s learned in his 40 years of life. He narrows it down to 4 lessons for each decade he’s been alive. We discuss the importance of living within your means, working with your partner, investing, and betting on yourself.
In This Episode We Discuss - What are 4 of the lessons Damian has learned over his 40 years of being alive?
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How do you live within your means?
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How do you work together with your partner to achieve more?
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Why is investing important and how do you learn about how to invest?
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What does it mean to bet on yourself?
Full Transcript available blackandbrownmakegreen.com/029
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We offer information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or another professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
Do you own a home, or do you hope to purchase a home soon? We have been homeowners (or home-loan-owners) 😆 for about 7 years. We just received our property tax values for the next year, and we were shocked by the increase. We weren't shocked that the value went up; we were shocked by how much.
Property taxes are one cost that I didn’t fully understand going into home ownership, but it is extremely important to understand how your property is taxed and what is the approximate rate your property will be taxed at. In Texas, and across the nation, property values are shooting up. The chief appraiser of Harris County stated the increase in values he’s seeing this year is unprecedented and unlike anything he’s seen before; and he's been in the real estate business for almost 40 years.
In This Episode We Discuss - Why are property taxes increasing
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What can you do to lower your property taxes
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How can you prepare financially to be able to pay for your property taxes
Resources & Related Posts - Texas Comptroller Property Tax Exemptions
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Property Tax Rates By State 2022 - Tax-Rates.org
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Homestead Exemption and Homestead Cap Explained
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Market Value & The Homestead Cap
Full Transcript available blackandbrownmakegreen.com/028
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We offer information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or another professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
April is financial literacy month. Financial Literacy month is all about increasing your financial knowledge, and we reached out to a real estate expert, Lori Goto, to share her extensive knowledge on this episode. Lori Goto is the broker/owner of Encore Real Estate, and she has been in the real estate field for over 15 years. Lori shares strategies for first time home buyers, real estate investors, real estate agents to be, and more in this episode.
Lori Goto has been working in real estate for over 15 years. She was in the 10M dollar club with her previous firm, meaning she sold over $10M worth of real estate in one year, and she topped 15M in sales in the following year. She was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, has been featured on HGTV, and has numerous real estate certifications and awards. And did I mention she is the founder and owner of Encore Real Estate? She has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to real estate. She bravely shares her story of being evicted multiple times to eventually become the owner of a real estate brokerage. Lori is a true inspiration to the Asian community and to all others as well.
In This Episode We Discuss - How Lori Goto was able to break a cycle of poverty to build wealth for her family
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How to navigate the current real estate market
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How to prepare to purchase your first home
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The importance of home ownership
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Resources for minorities, veterans, low-income, and first-time home buyers
Resources & Related Posts - Encore Real Estate | Lori Goto
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USDA Loans
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FHA Loans
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VA Loans
Full Transcript available blackandbrownmakegreen.com/027
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We offer information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or another professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
Financial literacy is all about being able to manage your finances effectively. April is recognized as Financial Literacy Month. It’s a time to increase your financial education and challenge yourself to improve your finances. We are challenging ourselves to take one action to improve our financial literacy this month. We hope you’ll take this challenge with us. Listen to find out how we have increased our financial knowledge in the past, how we recognized our need to improve, and what we are doing now to continue to up our financial knowledge.
In This Episode We Discuss * What is financial literacy month * When did we recognize a need to increase our financial literacy * Why we created Black and Brown Make Green, a financial podcast * Our financial literacy challenges to ourselves
For a full transcript and additional resources, visit blackandbrownmakegreen.com/026.
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We are offering information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or other specific professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
Have you ever wanted a road map that shows you what you need to do with your finances? In this episode, Nikita Wolff shares her story of how she was able to have a road map to be able to confidently manage her finances. She gives much credit to 3rd Decade, a program dedicated to helping 18-35 year olds know exactly how to approach their finances.
3rd Decade provides 18-35 year olds with knowledge about how to manage finances and pairs each participant with a financial mentor, typically a Certified Financial Planner, that mentors and gives individualized help to program participants.
In This Episode We Discuss * How parents influence your finances as an adult * How the right mentor can propel you financially
Resources & Related Posts * 3rd Decade Website * 3rd Decade Program Details * More About Nikita
For show notes and additional resources, visit blackandbrownmakegreen.com/25.
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We are offering information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or other specific professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
We sometimes talk about generational wealth—passing your wealth on to your offspring—but in this episode we consider the case where you are taking care of multiple generations of your family. In This Episode We Discuss
Article: First Generation Black Wealth Builders Have to Put Themselves First How do you plan for yourself and for your parents or other family members? Seeking out other available resources
Resources & Related Posts
How To Help Your Parents Financially — Without Going Broke Yourself Administration on Aging How Gen X Can Define First Generation Wealth for Themselves First-generation Black wealth builders must embrace their success and put themselves first
For show notes and additional resources, visit blackandbrownmakegreen.com/25. Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We are offering information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or other specific professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
The stock market has been dropping, some people are buying, and some people are selling. Should you sell, buy, do nothing at all, or something else altogether? This episode is all about investing in a volatile stock market. Listen to find out our strategies to confidently invest in the stock market even when it’s dropping.
In This Episode We Discuss * The history of the stock market, including bear markets vs. bull markets vs. corrections * The importance of understanding your risk tolerance to determine your asset allocation * Short-term investing vs long-term investing * Diversification in your portfolio * Holding crypto as part of your overall plan
For show notes and additional resources, visit blackandbrownmakegreen.com/23.
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We are offering information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or other specific professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
Get your money or your mind right with one of these 3 books, Get Good with Money by Tiffany Aliche aka The Budgetnista, The Black Girl’s Guide to Financial Freedom by Paris Woods, or Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell.
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Random winners to be chosen and announced on Wednesday, March 23. Give away ends Tuesday, March 22 at 11:00pm CST. Winners will have 1 week to claim their prize. Giveaway is open to those 18 and older in the US. This give away is not associated in any way with the authors, Instagram, or Facebook.
Paris Woods, author of The Black Girl’s Guide to Financial Freedom shares her debt free journey, her path to FIRE, and how she is helping other Black Women and Women of Color reach financial freedom. In This Episode We Discuss Paris’ Journey to Debt-Freedom Paris’ Path to FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) Purpose behind Black Girl’s Guide to Financial Freedom How Paris is Helping Black Women and Women of Color Reach Financial Freedom Resources & Related Posts Paris Woods’ Website Paris Woods’ Instagram Paris Woods’ Youtube Channel For show notes and additional resources, visit blackandbrownmakegreen.com/021 Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We are offering information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or other specific professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
In This Episode We Discuss * Paris’ Journey to Debt-Freedom * Paris’ Path to FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) * Purpose behind Black Girl’s Guide to Financial Freedom * How Paris is Helping Black Women and Women of Color Reach Financial Freedom
Resources & Related Posts * Paris Woods’ Website * Paris Woods’ Instagram * Paris Woods’ Youtube Channel
For show notes and additional resources, visit blackandbrownmakegreen.com/21.
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We are offering information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or other specific professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
What is the American Dream? Are you living the American Dream? Do you want the American Dream or do you want to create your own personal dream? How do you realize your dream and go after it? These are the questions we are discussing on this episode.
We think part of defining your dream is showing up as your authentic self. But how do you show up as your authentic self? We explore all of this in this episode.
This discussion was prompted by a video created by Timothy Ward, titled Why I Gave Up on the American Dream & Why You Should Too. We’re not encouraging anyone to give up on the American Dream. Instead, we are examining if the American Dream aligns with what we really want in life.
In This Episode We Discuss * What is the American Dream? * Are you living the American Dream? * Do you want the American Dream or do you want to create your own personal dream? * How does the great resignation play into the idea of creating your own dream? * How do you show up as your authentic self?
Resources & Related Posts * Timothy Ward: Why I Gave Up on the American Dream & Why You Should Too
For show notes and additional resources, visit blackandbrownmakegreen.com/20
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We are offering information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or other specific professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
Tiera Williams, the reigning Miss Black New Jersey USA, joins us to discuss her finance story and her Launching the Legacy Campaign. Legacy is an acronym that stands for leading and engaging generations to achieve capital in their youth.
Tiera is passionate about spreading financial knowledge throughout the community with a specific focus on teens and young adults. She speaks about her journey to learning how to manage her finances, which includes her finance degree from Howard University and strong guidance from her mother.
Links * Tiera’s Go Fund Me * Tiera’s Instagram – Timeless Tiera * Tiera’s Instagram – Ms. Black New Jersey USA
For show notes and additional resources, visit blackandbrownmakegreen.com/19.
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We are offering information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or other specific professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
The type of career you choose can have a large impact on your finances. These choices can have lasting impacts, but career choice doesn’t have to be permanent. There are often opportunities to pivot to something better if you’re willing to take on the challenge of pivoting. This might mean you work in a field that is not highly desirable, but sometimes making some sacrifices is necessary to advance. These decisions are important to weigh when you’re young and entering into a career field, or when you’re established and seeking to transition. It’s important to know that there are career fields that are high income that can increase your wealth. But how do you know what these fields are? We share some of our ideas in this episode about choosing or shifting careers. We share all of this with the caveat that high income does not equal high net worth or wealth. Ultimately even in high income jobs, you still need to be disciplined to live within your means, budget, save, and invest.
In This Episode We Discuss * How does your career impact your finances? * When do you alter your dreams to increase your wealth? * How do you find opportunities in your area that could increase your finances?
Resources & Related Posts * How to Make a Budget * 3rd Decade Program Details * Money Mindset Podcast Episode
For show notes and additional resources, visit blackandbrownmakegreen.com/18.
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We are offering information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or other specific professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
Do you ever check in on your finances to make sure you’re on the right track? We have a list of questions we like to ask ourselves at least once a year. These questions help us to continue making progress towards our financial goals. Listen to find out the questions that you should be asking every year to keep your finances in check.
In this Episode We Discuss * How do you know you’re on the right track with your finances? * What questions should you ask yourself yearly to improve your finances?
Resources & Related Posts * Podcast Episode 14: Setting Goals * How to Make a Budget * Ways to Save
For show notes and additional resources, visit blackandbrownmakegreen.com/17.
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We are offering information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or other specific professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
This week we discuss our thoughts on generational wealth. We talk about what generational wealth is, personal wealth vs generational wealth, and how to build it.
What do you think of when you hear 'generational wealth'? Send us a message. We would love to hear your thoughts! Sign up to stay updated here.
In this Episode We Discuss * What is generational wealth * Keys to building generational wealth * The difference between personal wealth and generational wealth
Resources & Related Posts * Get Good with Money by Tiffany Aliche * The Next Millionaire Next Door by Thomas J. Stanley and Sarah Stanley Fallaw * Generational Wealth by Greg Daugherty
For show notes and additional resources, visit blackandbrownmakegreen.com/16.
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We are offering information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or other specific professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
You think you’re doing fine until you get an unexpected $200 or maybe $2,000 expense. We recently had an unexpected $2,000 expense and was able to easily handle it because we have a fully funded emergency fund. In this episode we get into the nitty-gritty about how we set up our emergency fund, when to use it, and how to replenish it.
For show notes and additional resources, visit blackandbrownmakegreen.com/15.
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We are offering information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or other specific professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
The end of the year is often a time of reflection. It’s a time to reflect on your wins, your losses, and it’s a time to think ahead to new goals for the new year. We noticed that in our past we were often just making hopes and dreams, not quite goals. In this episode, we dig into the difference between goals and pipe dreams. We share some past pipe dreams, some current goals, and how to set goals so that you are most likely to achieve them.
For show notes and additional resources, visit blackandbrownmakegreen.com/14.
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We are offering information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or other specific professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
It is that time of year when raises and bonuses are given out. Yearly evaluations are being conducted, and a lot times those evaluations include a discussion about a raise for the next year and sometimes a bonus for the current year. And we want to share the importance of a raise, how we are using our raise and bonus, how to position yourself to be worthy of a raise, and how to know if your raise is enough.
In this Episode We Discuss
- The importance of a raise
- How to position yourself for a raise
- How to know if your raise is enough
- How we are budgeting our raise and bonus
Resources & Related Posts * Here’s Why You Should Ask for a 5% Raise Right Now * Episode 5: How to Beat Inflation * https://www.bls.gov/cpi/ * https://www.forbes.com/sites/elanagross/2016/06/27/8-managers-share-the-best-way-to-ask-for-a-raise-and-get-it/
For show notes and additional resources, visit blackandbrownmakegreen.com/13.
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We are offering information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or other specific professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
Garry Davis joins us to chat about intentional budgeting and saving, the best debt to take on, and learning how to spend. This episode is for you if you're trying to create or revise your budgeting method, if you want to hear how we talk finances with our close friends, or if you want to hear how to teach yourself to spend. Or if you like good, down-to-earth friends enjoying a drink and chatting it up, this episode is for you.
In this Episode We Discuss
- How to manage your budget using a 3-category system
- How to save towards goals together as a couple
- The impact that conversations with friends can have on your finances
For show notes and additional resources, visit blackandbrownmakegreen.com/12.
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We are offering information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or other specific professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
Have you ever felt like you are depriving yourself to reach financial goals? Have you ever wondered how to save, invest, and enjoy your life? It takes a balanced approach that can be difficult to master, but you can save without depriving yourself. In episode 11, we discuss things that we do to save without depriving ourselves. We don’t want to feel like we are saving, saving, saving, and not living life. We share our strategies and ideas of what can be done to prevent this from happening.
In this Episode We Discuss
- How do we prevent ourselves from depriving ourselves?
- How do you determine when it’s ok to spend?
- How do we strike a balance?
Resources and Links
- Ways to Save
- How to Make a Budget
For show notes and additional resources, visit blackandbrownmakegreen.com/11.
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We are offering information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or other specific professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
A lot of people have a love-hate relationship with social media. Yet, there are still a ton of people who are using it. According to the Pew Research Center, about 72% of Americans use social media. These users might be surprised to find that using social media can affect your finances. In this episode, we explore the positives and negatives of how social media can affect your finances.
In this Episode We Discuss
- How does social media affect your finances?
- What are the positive benefits of social media?
- What are some negative effects of social media?
- How can you counteract the negative effects of social media?
- How can you take advantage of the positive effects of social media?
For show notes and additional resources, visit blackandbrownmakegreen.com/10.
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We are offering information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or other specific professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
We have a joint bank account, and there are some people who are for that and others who are strongly against it. Either way - you still need to be able to talk to your spouse or partner about finances so that you can work together to reach your goals. This can cause a lot of tension in a relationship. In this episode, we discuss how we manage our finances and ways to start talking about finances without tension.
In this Episode We Discuss
- How do you break the ice to start talking about finances as a couple
- How did we handle our finances when dating and how that has evolved over time
- Things couples should consider when working together on financial goals
For show notes and additional resources, visit blackandbrownmakegreen.com/9.
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We are offering information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or other specific professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
I got scammed and I want to make sure that you don’t end up in the same situation as me. This cautionary tale is to remind you that part of building your financial legacy consists of playing defense. We focus a lot on earning and growing money, but you also need to remember to protectwhat you have earned.
In this Episode We Discuss * How to prevent from getting scammed in this digital age * How to keep your information safe * Tips to make it easier to protect your info
For show notes and additional resources, visit blackandbrownmakegreen.com/8.
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We are offering information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or other specific professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
This is a special Q&A episode. A listener reached out saying her co-workers made her mad, and now she’s ready to chunk deuce. We are going to discuss her situation and give her our take on if she should stay or go. We will also share our experiences with this situation, and things to consider when deciding to stay at a job or accept an offer from a new one.
In this Episode We Discuss
- How to know when to accept a job offer
- What things you need to consider before accepting a new job
- The Difference between overall compensation versus salary
For show notes and additional resources, visit blackandbrownmakegreen.com/7.
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We are offering information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or other specific professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
Do you have a firm financial foundation? Do you know how much money you earn, how much you spend, and is your money making you money? This episode gives you 5 money moves to prepare you for good times and difficult ones. Listen as we share the top 5 money moves that you should make now. Are you currently trying to build wealth? Then this episode is for you!
In this Episode We Discuss
- 5 money moves to make now
- How to build a solid financial foundation
- How to be prepared during economic highs and lows
For show notes and additional resources, visit blackandbrownmakegreen.com/6.
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We are offering information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or other specific professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
Have you noticed your grocery bills being a little bit higher? Or is your favorite fast food or restaurant meal a little more than you remember? You may be noticing the effects of inflation. Prices are rising across multiple sectors, which is most likely affecting your wallet. Listen in today or read the transcript to find out what is inflation, why you should care about inflation, and how you can protect against inflation.
In this Episode We Discuss
- What is inflation?
- How does inflation affect your money?
- What is purchasing power?
- What can you do to beat inflation or protect against inflation?
- What are I-Bonds and TIPS?
For show notes and additional resources, visit blackandbrownmakegreen.com/5.
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We are offering information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or other specific professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
What is the 2021 child tax credit? What should you do with it if you receive it? When should you decide to opt-out of receiving it? We get into all the details of the 2021 child tax credit. This episode is especially for you if you’re the parent of a child under 18.
In this Episode We Discuss * What is the Child Tax Credit? * What should you do with the Child Tax Credit money if you receive it? * When should you opt-out of receiving the Child Tax Credit?
For show notes and additional resources, visit blackandbrownmakegreen.com/4.
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We are offering information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or other specific professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
Have you ever quit your job or are you thinking about quitting your job? Or maybe you didn’t have a choice and you were laid off. Sometimes getting laid off or quitting your job can feel like a setback, but it doesn’t have to be. In episode 3, we are telling our story of how we used getting laid off and quitting our jobs to propel us financially and career-wise. Our story goes from being fired to being on the path to FIRE or financial independence, retire early. Listen in or read the transcript to learn the things that we have done to get there and how you can leverage your skills and expertise to increase your salary and boost your financial savings.
In this Episode We Discuss
- How to transition after being laid off or quitting your job
- How “job-hopping” and negotiating your salary can affect your finances
- How to leverage a high income or any income to work towards financial independence
- 3 Important keys to becoming financially independent
Read the transcript and find the articles we reference at blackandbrownmakegreen.com/3.
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We are offering information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or other specific professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
An article on money.com stated that people in their 50s have saved an average of $160,000 in their retirement accounts. It also went on to state that one in four has no retirement savings at all. Natasha and Damian discuss this and give some reasons as to why that may be the case. They also discuss ways that you can get started investing or ways that you might alter your investments. They talk about their retirement savings journey and how it has changed over time so that they can be prepared for an early retirement.
In this Episode We Discuss
- How to answer the question of: “Do I have enough for retirement?”
- How we first started investing for retirement and how we pivoted over time
- What index funds are
- Things to consider when investing in a retirement account
Read the transcript and find the articles we reference at blackandbrownmakegreen.com/2.
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We are offering information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or other specific professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.
Do you want to know how to become a millionaire? The secret to becoming a millionaire may not be your job title or status in society. Rather, the secret is your money mindset.
Mindset can be the determining factor that propels you to become a millionaire or prevents you from becoming one. In this episode, we discuss our money mindsets and how to create a money mindset that can propel you to financial success.
We also explore the issue plaguing the Black and Brown communities in America that these groups may be losing wealth instead of building wealth over time. We frame this discussion around how we can shift our mindset to one that allows us to build wealth, in addition to share about how we can combat income inequality as well.
In this Episode We Discuss * How to develop your Money Mindset and the way it plays into how you manage your finances * A little about Natasha's and Damian's financial upbringing * How to combat income inequality * Ways to build generational wealth
Read the transcript and find the articles we reference at blackandbrownmakegreen.com/1.
Disclaimer: Any discussion on our podcast is based on our opinions and personal life experiences. We are offering information, not advice, and recommend you seek out a certified financial professional to discuss your personal finances or other specific professional for your needs. Read the full disclaimer here.