Breaking Broke: Recent Episodes
Moses Parker
A personal finance show dedicated to helping you live a rich life to today. Join the discussion as we talk about life and money.
Lao Tzu, also called the Old Master, shared wisdom that still hits home today for its practicality and simplicity. As the founder of Taoism—a tradition all about living in harmony with life’s natural flow—he’s inspired generations to rethink how we approach success and wealth. His insights encourage us to see things with more balance and mindfulness, making them just as relevant now as they were back then.
Studying philosophy lets us stand on the shoulders of giants, seeing more clearly and making better decisions. So let’s climb onto the shoulders of a historical giant now with these insightful Lao Tzu quotes about money and life.
2025 is upon us. Here's my simple approach to making this year the best one ever:
1) Take your time 2) Less is more 3) Focus on your money 4) Get shit done 5) Get out of your own way 6) More wins than losses
When you invest in yourself, you’re actively creating opportunities for financial growth at the same time. Unlike traditional investments, which depend on market factors outside your control, self-investment directly impacts your earning potential, career development, and personal satisfaction.
Furthermore, self-investment cultivates discipline and resilience - two traits essential for building and managing wealth. Discipline can help you create and stick to a budget, invest wisely, and avoid costly habits. Meanwhile, resilience gives you the ability to adapt and recover quickly, even in tough economic times.
Ultimately, investing in yourself is the most reliable way to build wealth because it fuels continuous improvement. As you gain confidence and refine your abilities, your capacity to make and manage money well increases. With every small investment in yourself, you’re laying down stepping stones toward a more prosperous future.
I closed my work laptop on September 20th for what will be the last time for at least a year. Here's why I chose to embark upon this adventure of an extended sabbatical.
We are definitely in a recession. But no one will admit it. Why is that?
Also: 5 things you can do to prepare for the "real recession" once it starts.
Making a lot of money is good, but it’s important to have realistic expectations. Also, where is all the money you've earned thus far?
Meanwhile, Millennials and Gen Z are doom spending because the world is about to end.
I’ll be a frontrunner here and go out on a limb to say that traveling sucks. In addition to being wildly expensive, travel sucks because it’s time consuming, exhausting, and a major inconvenience at almost every level. These are probably the reasons we often hear people say they need a vacation from their vacation.
Let's talk about it!
Our drive for success can be so strong that it can lead to a perpetual feeling of never having "enough." This episode takes an exploration into the psychological and emotional dimensions of ambition and achievement, and discusses how we can easily find ourselves on a relentless quest rather than a fulfilling journey of getting what we want.
Extreme saving or extremely stupid?
Between 2016 - 2018, a NYC woman went on 6 dates a week to save $200 - $400 on her grocery bill each month.
She brags about this to her 2.3 million TikTok subcribers and when challenged on her money savings prowess, she responds by saying that "she was busy investing money since she wasn't spending it on food".
Were her money saving tactics sounds or did she miss the bigger picture? Let me discuss.
Getting ourselves to stop spending money is difficult to do. In theory we think we can just "stop spending" at anytime, but life throws us too many variables to actually execute.
This episode will guide you through a process to follow to actually stop spending so much money so you can make real progress toward your financial goals.
Blog Post: Stop Spending Money In 4 Easy Steps
Eating out could cost millions over a lifetime. Discover how a no eating out challenge can put you on a path toward financial independence.
Blog Post: Get Rich With A Not Eating Out Challenge
Not only will acting broke keep you rich, it also happens to be the best path to becoming rich for those of us who aren’t there yet.
As a financial strategy, acting broke is optimal because it positions us for both wealth building and wealth protection. Rather than growing complacent and sloppy, acting broke keeps us playing both offense and defense with our finances.
Owning nothing offers unparalleled freedom, flexibility, and risk reduction. Jump into this episode to discover all of the benefits of this counterintuitive approach to life.
If you have to wonder whether your job is safe, then it probably means you could benefit from spending time assessing your level of job security to ensure you are prepared for all possibilities.
This episode will help you determine your exact level of job security as I introduce my job security spectrum and the factors that lend most to job security. I’ll also talk about strategies you can use to improve your job security, regardless of where you land today.
Blog Post: How to Gauge and Guarantee Your Job’s Safety
I’ve been living alcohol-free for more than a year. This makes me the perfect person to tell you all about the benefits of the no alcohol way.
This episode will dive into the top benefits of an alcohol-free lifestyle including potential cost savings, health benefits, and productivity boosts.
Blog Article: Richer, Happier, Healthier: Benefits Of The Alcohol-Free Lifestyle
Join me in this insightful episode as we take a deep dive into the five most common misconceptions about money that frequently trip people up. I'll unravel these myths and provide you with a fresh perspective on financial matters, empowering you to make more informed decisions for your future.
Blog post: Breaking Down 5 Misconceptions About Money
You’ve stumbled upon a lump sum of money and are trying to figure out how best to use it. We are fortunate when we receive financial windfalls. We also have to handle them with care. Afterall, it is far too easy to squander all of our money if we are not careful.
I’ll use this article to discuss what I’ve learned about managing lump sum financial windfallz. Hopefully the guidelines within will help you manage your good fortunes as they come.
Blog Post: How To Maximize A Lump Sum Of Money
No discussion on housing is complete without the rent vs buy debate.
In reality, it usually isn't an actual debate thanks to the popular cliche that renting is a big waste of money. Such platitudes are so prevalent that they’ve convinced us that renting is always throwing away money or that buying is unequivocally better than renting.
But are these cliches actually true?
This episode will solve the rent versus buy discussion once and for all.
Blog Post: Renting Smart: Why It’s Not Just Throwing Money Away
Humans have fought for more freedom in their lives since the dawn of time. That said, the struggle for freedom that we experience today is much different than in earlier times. Today, we mostly have invisible restraints that make us desire for more freedom.
This episode is for you if you are seeking inspiration for how you may increase the level of freedom. Inside you will find a set of principles you can live by to have more liberty.
Blog Post: How To Be Free In Life
For those with lofty goals, getting motivated to work when you have no energy is a constant struggle. Unfortunately, being tired and achieving our goals don’t always go hand in hand. Science backs this notion as researchers have found that people are less likely to work and exert effort if they are fatigued.
Navigating fatigue will always be challenging, but is there an effective way to get motivated when you have no energy? The answer is yes. You can summon motivation even when you have no energy and this episode will teach you how.
Blog Post: Secret Hack For Getting Motivated When You Have No Energy
Millions of Americans are reeling from the Supreme Court's rejection of student loan forgiveness, prompting crucial lessons to be learned.
Blog Post: Student Loan Forgiveness Officially Blocked: Key Lessons Learned
With more than two thirds of Americans in debt, it often gets lost that there are significant benefits to living a debt-free lifestyle.
Today's episode will discuss those benefits and make a case for why you should consider adopting the debt free lifestyle.
Everyone deserves to experience love with the perfect match. Unfortunately, money is often a top reason for driving apart what may otherwise be blissful romances.
In this episode I will discuss 10 financial red flags to beware of in a prospective partner so you can improve your odds of relational success.
Blog Post: Financial Red Flags: 10 Signs to Beware in a Partner
As a man, you are probably wondering how much money you should make. This is a very reasonable question given the expectations men have to make money and provide for a family.
This episode explores how much money men should make based on factors such as race, age, and stage of life. I will also discuss how men can make the most money possible given their unique situation.
When it comes to accomplishing your dreams, time can be your greatest ally. But what does it actually mean for time to be your friend?
This episode will discuss what it means for time to be your friend and how to avoid the costly mistake of turning time into your enemy.
This year started off with a bang as I was laid off from my job on January 3rd. It’s been nearly five months since being let go, and all things considered, I’ve done well navigating my way forward. I’ll share my layoff experience in this post and will dive into the layoff survival lessons that I have learned in the process.
Blog Post: Adversity to Advantage: 10 Lessons in Surviving Layoffs
I commonly hear people say that renting is a waste of money. But is this actually true?
On today's episode, I explore whether renting is truly a waste of money or if there is real value to be gained.
Blog Post: Is Renting A Waste Of Money?
My friend Maisy McIntosh lost her mother to alcohol at age 8. Similarly, my father was never in own my life because of his addiction to crack cocaine.
Maisy and I sit down for an open and honest discussion about our lives and share our thoughts on generational curses. We have a lot of experience in this area given our unique pasts, so press play to hear what we have to say!
Blog Post: How To Break Generational Curses
When Gavin Diaz and his wife took their honeymoon to Tahiti, they did so in style by staying at a 5-star hotel for free. They were able to save $8,000 on the hotel alone thanks to credit card rewards.
On today's episode, Gavin and I discuss how the every day person can have amazing experiences through travel - with almost no out of pocket costs thanks to credit card rewards.
Resources Related to the Podcast
Gavin Diaz on Instagram
The Points Guy for Beginners
Monkey Miles on Instagram For More Advanced Tips
Max Miles Points on Instagram For Tips, Tricks, and Tools
We all love our credit cards. Many financial gurus even tout the plethora of wonderful benefits that come along with them. But what’s often buried in the discussion on credit cards is all of the ways they are bad for the economy and consumers alike.
This episode will shed light on that issue by covering 5 objective reasons why credit cards are bad for the economy and the everyday person.
Blog Post: Credit Cards Cause Harm To The Economy & To Consumers
Are Credit Card Rewards Worth It? Simply put, hell no!
Rewards credit cards aren’t worth it and in fact, they are devised as the lure that leads consumers into the credit card debt trap.
Blog Post: The Credit Card Rewards Trap
Guilt after spending. We’ve all been there at least once and it’s not something that any of us really enjoy. That said, I’ve recently had a major aha moment after realizing that I’ve finally landed in the position of having nearly all guilt free spending in my life.
Now that I’m here, I can say that this is truly a wonderful place to be in. It’s so great that I hope many others can reach nirvana along with me. For my part, I’ll use this episode to discuss how you can achieve guilt free spending and have maximum satisfaction with every purchase.
Blog Post: The Joys Of Guilt Free Spending
When it comes to your finances, you may be wondering where you should be financially at age 35. This is a great question to ask because 35 is truly the age of maturity. In this episode, we will dive into the specifics of where you should be in terms of net worth, savings, and other important milestones at age 35.
Blog Post: Where Should I Be Financially At Age 35?
Earning a 6 figure income is no small feat. If you’ve landed in this fortunate financial position, you may wonder how much your 6 figures is actually worth in terms of the lifestyle it will grant you in the real world.
In this episode, I’ll discuss the true value of 6 figures and ways you can maximize this wonderful income if you are one of the lucky few to earn at this level.
Blog Article: How Much Is 6 figures? It’s A Lot Less Than You Think
It’s perfectly reasonable to marry someone who has debt. That said, this is not a decision to take lightly and you should carefully think through the bigger picture.
In this episode I’ll discuss relevant factors to be considered in determining if it is worth marrying someone with debt.
There are some major pitfalls that everyone should avoid along the path of financial success. This episode covers the 7 things you should never do with your money so you can be sure to get the absolute most out of every dollar you earn.
Blog Post: 7 Things You Should Never Do With Your Money
Debt could be wonderful way to expand ones financial and material standing, but it can also place a financial burden on it’s holders.
That said, financial pundits are split on whether debt is a net good or bad for consumers.
This episode dives a bit deeper into the matter so you can decide if debt is beneficial or if having debt imposes a form of financial bondage.
Link to Blog Post
Is high school football worth the investment? This is a highly personal choice but here are some numbers to consider.
Of the 1,006,013 high school football players, only 73,712 will make it to the NCAA ranks. That's just 7.3%. And Of the 73,712 that make it to the collegiate level, only 254 are likely to be drafted which means that only 1.6% of "student-athletes" will ever make it to the league.
In this episode I explore why the investment in football may not be the wisest use of our precious time and energy.
Budgets are great for helping us reach our financial goals, but they require us to exercise a level of self-control that is not always easy to maintain.
Things become even more complex when we consider the role of technology and how digital payments such as credit cards add to the challenge of controlling our desires.
Jump in as I explore why cash is king when it comes to maintaining a budget that helps you win with money.
Book: Going Broke: Why Americans Can't Hold On To Their Money
Blog Post: Cash Is The Best Payment For Sticking To A Budget
I have vivid memories of what it was like to be broke and know all to well how difficult of a spot that is to be in.
I've spent several years climbing out of that situation and can say that the journey was definitely worth it.
If you’re broke and looking for a way out then you have come to the right place.
On this episode we explore the top 10 reasons why many people are broke and discuss ways individuals can fix these issues.
The term invisible hand is a metaphor used in economics to describe the unseen forces that move free markets around the world. Like markets, each of us may be guided by invisible forces that have shaped who we are and how we behave with money. This is your money blueprint.
In this episode, I’ll dive into what a money blueprint is and discuss how you can find and develop your own money blueprint to achieve greater financial success.
Master Your Money Blueprint Article
Rich Guy Broke Guy Short Story
A study by the National Bureau of Economic Research found that that poor health has an annual cost of $2,415 in out of pocket spending and $3,113 in lost consumption.
The episode makes a compelling case that health should be a primary economic focus for individuals seeking to maximize their financial success. We do this by taking a closer look at the the costs of bad health and round things out with a discussion on ways everyone can ensure they are on a solid path to great health.
Blog Post: The High Costs of Bad Health
NBER Study: The Liftime Costs of Bad Health
Part 2 of how to lose 25 lbs. I discuss the precise process and tactics you can follow to lose up 25lbs or more on this episode. I also tell the story of what motivated me to lose 25lbs and introduce my Transform Your Body Program.
How to Lose 25lbs Blog Post
Transform Your Body Program
A special episode as we have our first guest on the show. My good friend Alyssa Gonzalez stopped by to discuss everything health and fitness.
Alyssa is a certified personal traininer with nearly a decade of experience working with clients in a range of settings. She is also a Dietetics Masters degree candidate at Kansas State University with plans to become a registered dietitian.
We start the episode with a deep dive into how diet and exercise can positively impact societal health trends before jumping into a discussion how people can implement a healthy changes in their own lives.
We wrap up the episode with a spotlight of a memorable client who lost 100lbs and follow this with a highlight of the traits of top performers.
How to Lose 25lbs Blog Post
Transform Your Body Program
As the year closes, many of us will start thinking about all of the things we would like to achieve in the new year. Around 83 million people will go as far as establishing New Year’s resolutions as a way to propel them toward their goals.
Chasing goals is a worthy endeavor, but how you go about the process will determine your long term success.
In this guide you’ll learn:
- What New Year's resolutions are and why most fail
- How SMART Goals can boost your success
- How to make an action plan to achieve your goals
- Alternatives to New Year's resolutions
Live a rich life today. I chose this tagline for the blog because it embodies the most fundamental message I hope to convey.
We live in a culture that aims to convince us that something is missing from our lives. These forces cause us to chase after the next thing in order to be happy and have abundance. We can never quite pinpoint what that missing thing is, so we default to chasing obvious things such as more money, the big promotion, or the latest gadget.
We continually push the goal post out in the process. We think the next thing will make us happy, so we chase it. We capture that next thing, and are dissatisfied. Our dissatisfaction then causes us to chase the next thing, which we ultimately catch and become dissatisfied with.
Round and round we go in this never ending process, similar to a dog chasing its tail.
What if I told you that there was a better way and that you probably have everything you need to have happiness and abundance?
What if I told you that you could live a rich life today?
Resources
Bronnie Ware - Regrets of the Dying
As an improvement minded person, I’m constantly looking for the next challenge and I’m usually doing some sort of personal mini challenge to keep things interesting and tackle my goals. Now I’d like to invite this community to join me every month or so as I tackle a different challenge across the areas of money or life.
For this month, we will focus on giving our time and talents to others. Tune in for more details!
The essence of the holiday season is simple and perfect. The holidays are a time of joy, kinship, and relaxation. Nothing really needs to be added to this equation, but us humans like to complicate things. Black Friday was added to the mix by retailers starting in the 1950s. Today we see that many people are willing to go in debt over their holiday purchases and many others regret buying those Black Friday items.
Today's episode presents a simple framework for navigating purchases and coming out ahead on Black Friday.
America is the wealthiest and most prosperous nation on earth. But, when you peel back the layers, you find that most American citizens are broke. This episode explores the ways in which Americans are broke - from both a financial and non-financial perspective.