Martinis and Your Money Podcast

Lemonade Insurance with Yael Wissner-Levy

I get asked all the time about how someone can find a great financial planner and whether or not it makes sense to invest in a financial planner. And I always say that if you’re working with someone who’s just investing your money, I’m not sure it makes sense for you to pay for that, especially when there are plenty of great robo-adviser options for much lower fees. I do think a great financial planner not only helps an individual, couple or family determine the best road trip to accomplish all of their financial goals but also helps them prepare for the unexpected and helps avoid risks as much as possible. Risk management is a key part of great financial planning and when we’re talking about risk management, we’re usually talking about insurance. There are so many different types of insurance and it’s hard to know what types you should have and whether or not the additional expense makes sense.  Joining me today is Yael Wissner-Levy the VP of Communication from Lemonade to talk about insurance and what types make the most sense to have.  For more information, visit the show notes at https://www.martinisandyourmoney.com/show-notes/episode430

Simple Choices, Big Rewards in Money with Ramona Cedeno

I have been working with clients now for over 10 years and something that I always find fascinating is how client behavior changes add up over time. The hardest part of a financial journey is at the beginning, especially if you’ve never done it before. But with focus and mindset shift, small changes over time literally lead to big results. That’s why I was so excited to talk to today’s guest Ramona Cedeno, author and CEO of Fibrick because she literally wrote an entire book about it. Ramona joins me today to talk about her book Simple Choices Big, Rewards in Money and how you can make these changes in your life.  For more information, visit the show notes at https://www.martinisandyourmoney.com/show-notes/episode429

Wallet Activism with Tanja Hester

These are challenging and stressful times we’re living in. With the recent decisions by the Supreme Court, I know many of you are feeling like you don’t have a voice or you’re frustrated by what’s happening around you and you’re not quite sure what to do about it.  Well if you’re feeling like this now might be the perfect time to read the latest book from my guest today, Tanja Hester. Tanja is an author and activist and was previously on the show to promote her book Work Optional, about her journey to financial independence. Today she is here to talk about her new book Wallet Activism: How to Use Every Dollar You Spend, Earn, and Save as a Force for Change  For more information, visit the show notes at https://www.martinisandyourmoney.com/show-notes/episode428

Financially Naked with Kat

At the Financial Gym, we call the first meeting you have with a trainer, the “Financially Naked Session.” In this meeting, you share everything about yourself financially so that the trainer knows where you’re starting so that he or she can make the plan for how you can get where you want to go. Above all other meetings, this one scares clients the most because they are afraid or ashamed of their financial situation. Over 2 years ago now on this podcast, I shared my financially naked session and it led to a request for more and now this is a regular series on this podcast.  Getting in the hotseat today is Kat. A Financial Gym client who heard me on a podcast in college and shares how that chance listening changed the trajectory of her financial life for the better.  For more information, visit the show notes at https://www.martinisandyourmoney.com/show-notes/episode427

Preparing for the Unexpected with the Happy Hour Ladies

Today is the last Friday of the month and my regular listeners know that on the last Friday of the month, I host the happy hour on the podcast where I gather great friends with me to drink cheap drinks and talk about money topics.  I have been a financial planner for over 10 years now, and if there is one important message I can communicate about financial planning for your life is that the unexpected is guaranteed. No matter how much we can plan and plot out life, we are bound to be confronted with the unexpected and frequently when we are, it’s at a surprisingly large expense to our finances. We’ve all had a front row seat to the unexpected during the pandemic, but I’ve witnessed anything from a lost job, to a surprise baby, to a house fire and everything in between. Joining me today are my friends to share how they plan for the unexpected and share some best practices for you to implement on your own.  For more information, visit the show notes at https://www.martinisandyourmoney.com/show-notes/episode426

Planning for Pet Costs with Anne Wiegand

At the Financial Gym, one of the most important questions we ask clients during their financially naked meeting is “What’s Important to You?” In other words, what are your non-negotiables. What are the areas of your budget that you would protect over all others? Because other than 1% of the population, 99% of us have to make choices when getting financially healthy. We can’t have everything we want, but we can certainly get everything we need. Of the thousands of clients we work with, the large majority will say that travel is their primary non-negotiable, but a very close second for people are fur babies. Especially since the pandemic, we have seen a rise in fur babies in our client’s homes and while they bring us so much joy in life, they also come with their fair share of expenses.  So joining me today is Financial Gym client, Anne to share her story about fur baby costs. How she manages them and the pros and cons of pet insurance that she invests in to help her offset those costs. For more information, visit the show notes at https://www.martinisandyourmoney.com/show-notes/episode425

Financially Naked with Fran

Certified Financial Trainer Licensing Program with Gyasi, Melissa, & Annette

You’ve heard me mention it during podcast commercials and in the Facebook group, but in 2022, Financial Gym, for the first time ever, launched a Financial Trainer Certification program. Before January 2022, the only way for you to earn a Financial Trainer Certification was to be a full-time employee of Financial Gym. In 2021, when we were looking at how we could reach our goal of getting to 1 million Gym clients sooner than later, we realized one of the solutions was to have more trainers out there doing the important work that we do. So we launched the program in January and the interest in it is exploding. To answer many questions people have about the process, the costs and the results, I’m talking to three CFT Certification graduates about their experiences. Joining me today are Gyasi, Annette and Melissa to share why they invested in the program, what it was like and their experience throughout the entire process.  For more information, visit the show notes at https://www.martinisandyourmoney.com/show-notes/episode423

Mental Health Check In & Summer Reads with The Happy Hour Ladies

On the last Friday of the month, I host the Happy Hour on the podcast where I gather great friends with me to drink cheap drinks and talk about money topics. This month on the podcast, I’ve highlighted financial and self-books from various authors that I know and respect. The happy hour ladies joined me and shared some amazing books to add to your reading list as well, but before we got into that, we addressed another important celebration that happens in May and that’s Mental Health Awareness. I asked the ladies to grade their current mental health state and we discussed what we’re feeling at the moment and how we’re working to improve or maintain our current mental health state. As always, it was a very honest and special conversation, and I hope you enjoy it.  For more information, visit the show notes at https://www.martinisandyourmoney.com/show-notes/episode422

Stacked, Your Super Serious Guide to Money Management with Joe Saul-Sehy & Emily Guy Birken

Last month was Financial Literacy Month and believe it or not, we’re fast approaching summertime, so I have books and learning on the brain this month. I decided to dedicate the month of May to various personal finance or self-help books that I thought would make great books to add to your current or summer reading lists. Today I’m talking to the co-authors of Stacked – Your Super Serious Guide to Modern Money Management, Joe Saul-Sehy and Emily Guy Birken. As you can imagine, over the years, I have read numerous personal finance books and I have to say, this one has quickly climbed the ranks to become one of my favorites. Joe and Emily not only have a wealth of knowledge to share through this book, but they share it in a funny and educational way that only they could pull off. I can’t wait for you to hear more from them on this book writing experience.  For more information, visit the show notes at https://www.martinisandyourmoney.com/show-notes/episode421