Podcasts about financial aid office

In this episode, Brian Skrobonja sheds light on the complex and often overwhelming process of managing an estate after the loss of a loved one. This is a step-by-step guide from the initial steps you need to take after a loved one passes, to the intricate details of settling an estate. Brian offers valuable advice and practical tips to navigate this difficult time with grace and efficiency. Having a clearly defined process in place for managing an estate can help avoid the emotional drain of making important decisions through the loss of a loved one. Friends and family may wish well and provide advice on what to do, but without a proper plan in place, that can lead to more financial problems in the future. Setting expectations for yourself and the beneficiaries of the estate is a great first step to help minimize the confusion and questions around how long it will take to settle an estate. This process can take anywhere from two months to several years depending on the type of assets that are owned and the size and complexity of the estate. A funeral home director will often help obtain death certificates, which will be required before making any claims. It's a good idea to request 10 to 12 original documents because, once submitted, you may not get them back. It's important to first locate the deceased's will, trust, or other estate documents they have on file. If none of these exist, you could have difficulty settling a person's estate which will most likely require an attorney to assist you through the probate process. Check to determine if the person may have left a letter of instruction behind as well. A letter of instruction is not a legal document, but it's a letter that can provide more personal intentions and information regarding an estate. The next step is to begin gathering an itemized list of all known financial institutions where money is held and life insurance companies for filing a claim. It's a good idea to put the list together before jumping into making calls because you'll want to keep track of phone conversations and other instructions. Tip: A really good practice is to keep a journal or Excel spreadsheet of all the conversations to keep track of everything. You'll want to avoid writing on the back of envelopes or scrap pieces of paper as that can become really unmanageable. Checks made out to the deceased will require a bank account to deposit them. Avoid closing bank accounts too early because of this. You will have to notify Social Security that a death has occurred as well as any pension provider to have payments stopped and any eligible benefits paid to the estate. If your loved one served in the military, you may be eligible for veterans benefits. You can get more information about these benefits by visiting va.gov. Over the next one to three months, you will want to screen incoming mail, both physical and email, to look for and gather bills, statements, and notices relating to various types of accounts and insurance policies. You will want to review credit card statements to identify subscriptions or other recurring charges to follow up with the service providers about cancellation. Next, notify creditors and credit card companies that were a part of your loved ones credit history. You can notify the big three credit bureaus; Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion, of their passing, which can usually be done online over the phone or by letter. You will also want to locate where they filed important documents to find deeds, titles to real estate, car titles, or lease agreements as well as storage space keys and account records. Look for a computer file or printout with digital account passwords so you can disable any active social media accounts. If the person was still working, contact the human resources office at their place of work to inform them of what has happened, the HR officer may need you to fill out some paperwork pertaining to retirement plans, health benefits and compensation for unused vacation time. If your loved one owned a small business or professional practice, a discussion with business partners and clients may be necessary as well as consulting with the company attorney who has advised the business. If there was a child in college, it may be a good idea to contact the Financial Aid Office to inform them of what has happened. Depending on the school and the financial situation the surviving child may qualify for more assistance. Before rushing into this process, you should consider speaking with a financial advisor and attorney. There are so many areas where you can make expensive mistakes, working with a professional through this difficult time is usually the best decision.     Mentioned in this episode: BrianSkrobonja.com SkrobonjaFinancial.com Common Sense Financial Podcast on YouTube  Common Sense Financial Podcast on Spotify va.gov     Securities offered only by duly registered individuals through Madison Avenue Securities, LLC. (MAS), Member FINRA &SIPC. Advisory services offered only by duly registered individuals through Skrobonja Wealth Management (SWM), a registered investment advisor. Tax services offered only through Skrobonja Tax Consulting. MAS does not offer Build Banking or tax advice. Skrobonja Financial Group, LLC, Skrobonja Wealth Management, LLC, Skrobonja Insurance Services, LLC, Skrobonja Tax Consulting, and Build Banking are not affiliated with MAS.   Skrobonja Wealth Management, LLC is a registered investment adviser. Advisory services are only offered to clients or prospective clients where Skrobonja Wealth Management, LLC and its representatives are properly licensed or exempt from licensure.   The firm is a registered investment adviser with the state of Missouri, and may only transact business with residents of those states, or residents of other states where otherwise legally permitted subject to exemption or exclusion from registration requirements. Registration with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission or any state securities authority does not imply a certain level of skill or training. Investments in securities are subject to investment risk, including possible loss of principal. Prices of securities may fluctuate from time to time and may even become valueless. Gas and oil investments are speculative in nature and are sold by Private Placement Memorandum (PPM). Carefully read the PPM before investing. Certain accreditation requirements may apply. The appearances in Kiplinger were obtained through a PR program. The columnist is not affiliated with, nor endorsed by Kiplinger. Kiplinger did not compensate the columnist in any way. Our firm does not offer tax or legal advice. Consult your tax or legal advisor regarding your situation.

Hey, Generators join us as we interview Jessica Garcia on the First Gen Study Abroad Experience! Tune in as she gives us the insight on her position as a Study Abroad Program Advisor at LMU, what it's like to Study Abroad as a First Gen Student, and more! Jessica Garcia is a Study Abroad Program Advisor. She joined LMU in June 2021 as the Student Development Specialist of the Ignacio Student Support Services Program, a program for first-generation and low-income students. Before LMU, Jessica worked at UCLA, working at both the Transfer Student Center and the First Year Experience Office. She started her higher education career at the Financial Aid Office at USC. She has extensive experience in developing and implementing transformative education programs for underrepresented students. Don't forget to follow us on our other socials! Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/forthegen/  Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@forthegen  Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh12KD6AlRUfdQUSxHsaRSQ  Twitter - https://twitter.com/ForTheGen  Other inquiries - forthegenepodcast@gmail.com  Guest: Jessica Garcia  Follow Us! …but not too closely  Alexa Gomez Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/itsalexagomez/ Natalia Velasco Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/nataliaavelascoo/ Angel Vilchis [looking for paid gigs too]  Portfolio - https://xocozin.myportfolio.com  Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCULMw7js2tJZAdD7CX4Mlzw  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/papachurro_/ 

Now that we're moving back to more of a test-required college admissions paradigm, the pressing question for most students regards which test to take. In some cases, the answer is not as binary as you might expect. Amy and Mike invited counselor Becky Priest to explore who should take the CLT? What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is a classical education? What is the Classic Learning Test? What schools currently accept the CLT as an admissions test? What kind of student does well on the CLT? What are the best ways to prepare for the CLT? MEET OUR GUEST Becky Priest is the founding College Counselor at The Cambridge School, a Pre-K-thru 12th grade Christian classical school, in San Diego, California. Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, she attended Washington University where her college work study job was in the Financial Aid Office. She was later employed full-time in the FAO, processing financial aid awards for incoming freshmen. Now, as a high school counselor at a classical school, her students were test-takers for the very first public administration of the Classic Learning Test and, over the years, several have earned scholarship money as a result. She has served on the CLT Academic Board of Advisors. Becky can be reached on LinkedIn. LINKS The Classic Learning Test (CLT) SAT/ACT/CLT Concordance RELATED EPISODES WHAT IS THE CLT? WHY TESTS MATTER: STUDENT PERSPECTIVES FIVE MYTHS ABOUT ADMISSIONS TESTS ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.  

College Coffee Talk (originally aired 3/18/24 - Mondays 10am EST on Facebook.com/lockwoodcollegeprep): A financial aid "hack" to beat the leprechauns in the financial aid office, another college pulls the plug on test-optional, more! Resources: LockwoodTestPrep.com/online LockwoodCollegePrep.com/bootcamp

In this episode, Brian Skrobonja sheds light on the complex and often overwhelming process of managing an estate after the loss of a loved one. This is a step-by-step guide from the initial steps you need to take after a loved one passes, to the intricate details of settling an estate. Brian offers valuable advice and practical tips to navigate this difficult time with grace and efficiency. Having a clearly defined process in place for managing an estate can help avoid the emotional drain of making important decisions through the loss of a loved one. Friends and family may wish well and provide advice on what to do, but without a proper plan in place, that can lead to more financial problems in the future. Setting expectations for yourself and the beneficiaries of the estate is a great first step to help minimize the confusion and questions around how long it will take to settle an estate. This process can take anywhere from two months to several years depending on the type of assets that are owned and the size and complexity of the estate. A funeral home director will often help obtain death certificates, which will be required before making any claims. It's a good idea to request 10 to 12 original documents because, once submitted, you may not get them back. It's important to first locate the deceased's will, trust, or other estate documents they have on file. If none of these exist, you could have difficulty settling a person's estate which will most likely require an attorney to assist you through the probate process. Check to determine if the person may have left a letter of instruction behind as well. A letter of instruction is not a legal document, but it's a letter that can provide more personal intentions and information regarding an estate. The next step is to begin gathering an itemized list of all known financial institutions where money is held and life insurance companies for filing a claim. It's a good idea to put the list together before jumping into making calls because you'll want to keep track of phone conversations and other instructions. Tip: A really good practice is to keep a journal or Excel spreadsheet of all the conversations to keep track of everything. You'll want to avoid writing on the back of envelopes or scrap pieces of paper as that can become really unmanageable. Checks made out to the deceased will require a bank account to deposit them. Avoid closing bank accounts too early because of this. You will have to notify Social Security that a death has occurred as well as any pension provider to have payments stopped and any eligible benefits paid to the estate. If your loved one served in the military, you may be eligible for veterans benefits. You can get more information about these benefits by visiting va.gov. Over the next one to three months, you will want to screen incoming mail, both physical and email, to look for and gather bills, statements, and notices relating to various types of accounts and insurance policies. You will want to review credit card statements to identify subscriptions or other recurring charges to follow up with the service providers about cancellation. Next, notify creditors and credit card companies that were a part of your loved ones credit history. You can notify the big three credit bureaus; Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion, of their passing, which can usually be done online over the phone or by letter. You will also want to locate where they filed important documents to find deeds, titles to real estate, car titles, or lease agreements as well as storage space keys and account records. Look for a computer file or printout with digital account passwords so you can disable any active social media accounts. If the person was still working, contact the human resources office at their place of work to inform them of what has happened, the HR officer may need you to fill out some paperwork pertaining to retirement plans, health benefits and compensation for unused vacation time. If your loved one owned a small business or professional practice, a discussion with business partners and clients may be necessary as well as consulting with the company attorney who has advised the business. If there was a child in college, it may be a good idea to contact the Financial Aid Office to inform them of what has happened. Depending on the school and the financial situation the surviving child may qualify for more assistance. Before rushing into this process, you should consider speaking with a financial advisor and attorney. There are so many areas where you can make expensive mistakes, working with a professional through this difficult time is usually the best decision.     Mentioned in this episode: BrianSkrobonja.com SkrobonjaFinancial.com Common Sense Financial Podcast on YouTube  Common Sense Financial Podcast on Spotify va.gov     Securities offered only by duly registered individuals through Madison Avenue Securities, LLC. (MAS), Member FINRA &SIPC. Advisory services offered only by duly registered individuals through Skrobonja Wealth Management (SWM), a registered investment advisor. Tax services offered only through Skrobonja Tax Consulting. MAS does not offer Build Banking or tax advice. Skrobonja Financial Group, LLC, Skrobonja Wealth Management, LLC, Skrobonja Insurance Services, LLC, Skrobonja Tax Consulting, and Build Banking are not affiliated with MAS.   Skrobonja Wealth Management, LLC is a registered investment adviser. Advisory services are only offered to clients or prospective clients where Skrobonja Wealth Management, LLC and its representatives are properly licensed or exempt from licensure.   The firm is a registered investment adviser with the state of Missouri, and may only transact business with residents of those states, or residents of other states where otherwise legally permitted subject to exemption or exclusion from registration requirements. Registration with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission or any state securities authority does not imply a certain level of skill or training. Investments in securities are subject to investment risk, including possible loss of principal. Prices of securities may fluctuate from time to time and may even become valueless. Gas and oil investments are speculative in nature and are sold by Private Placement Memorandum (PPM). Carefully read the PPM before investing. Certain accreditation requirements may apply. The appearances in Kiplinger were obtained through a PR program. The columnist is not affiliated with, nor endorsed by Kiplinger. Kiplinger did not compensate the columnist in any way. Our firm does not offer tax or legal advice. Consult your tax or legal advisor regarding your situation.

On today's episode of Mother Daughter Connections®, I share 5 Questions Your Daughter Needs To Ask The Financial Aid Office At Her Dream School.   Our twin daughters have already gone through the paces of navigating two very different colleges; and they shared with me what they wished they'd known to ask beforehand!   If your daughter is in high school, have her LISTEN to this episode. It'll save her (and you!) a lot of headache and money!   Make sure to SHARE THIS EPISODE with another mom friend who has a daughter in high school, too. ____________________________________________________________________________   And Remember To WRITE A REVIEW!!! ↓   CLICK 5-STARS for this episode & WRITE A COMMENT IN THE REVIEWS.       I'm glad we're connected :)   Sincerely, Dr. Michelle Deering   PS: You can also STAY CONNECTED WITH ME through THESE RESOURCES:   PDF: The Quick Guide To Argue Less & Connect More With Your Daughter (http://bit.ly/lessarguments)   PDF: How To Have "The Talk" About Sex & Hormones (http://bit.ly/mdcthetalk)   Book (AUDIBLE): What Mothers Never Tell Their Daughters: 5 Keys To Building Trust, Restoring Connection, & Strengthening Relationships (http://bit.ly/WMNTTDAudible)   Online Course:www.GetYourDaughterTalkingNow.com   Individual Consultation Services: Apply to The Life Mirror Remedy® Program (TLMR®)   This podcast and its content are the copyrighted material of Dr. Michelle Deering and Curative Connections® - ©Dr. Michelle Deering & ©Curative Connections LLC. Trademarked material is owned by Dr. Michelle Deering &/or Curative Connections LLC | All rights reserved.

Originally an episode of College Coffee Talk (Mondays 9am EST, facebook.com/lockwoodcollegeprep), college consultants Pearl and Andy Lockwood discuss: -What's happening with financial aid for Class of 2022 seniors -When a financial aid office gets things wrong -How to appeal/negotiate a financial aid and merit award -Horrible screw up by a guidance counselor -Strong advice for rising seniors (Class of 2023)

Join us as we sit down with the Financial Aid Office to discuss the FAFSA and why it is important to complete it now!

All Things Admissions!Pacific University Admissions is joining forces with the Office of Financial Aid for a dive into strategies to navigate the cost of college. Griffin Shaulis, an outstanding financial aid counselor at Pacific U, gives insight into apply for financial aid and understanding the lingo of higher education. Griffin also gives examples of questions to ask financial aid offices, and a timeline of what to expect with learning how much each school will actually cost you. Contact the Financial Aid Office directly to ask general questions or schedule an appointment.503-352-2857 | financialaid@pacificu.eduMusic Credit: Chilling Time - Provided by Tunetank

This week on a special episode of “Off The Cuff,” Justin is joined by Andy Brantley, president and CEO at CUPA-HR, and Anthony Jones, executive director of scholarships and financial aid at the University of Utah, to discuss employee retention within the higher education sector, with a focus on financial aid offices. The group dives into some recent survey data, position classification systems, and also walks through one office's experience going through the reclassification process. Andy and Anthony also share their expertise with listeners on how to approach annual budgets and office operations.

Why does college have to cost so much? Can the Financial Aid Office really help me sort it out? The office can be a jungle, and super stressful and annoying to navigate. Are they manipulating me, or not telling me the whole truth (like in a cult!?!?)? D: There are some ways to handle talking to Financial Aid to lower cost and not lose track of your award information! Grab your cold brew and TI-89, because class is now in session. Facebook --> Christian College Girl Community ~ Scholarships & Graduate Debt-Free | Facebook Instagram --> @moneyandmentalpeace Connect --＞ info@moneyandmentalpeace.com Scholarships & School Hacks for Christian College Girls to Graduate Debt-Free! Get a debt-free degree, find easy scholarships and money for college, and more tips for Christian college girls! Hang out with me, Kara (Scholarship Coach, College Money Mentor, Get Out of Debt Guru), every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, or connect with me below!

Governor Roy Cooper visits Central Carolina Community College to host a roundtable with CCCC president Dr. Lisa Chapman. With them are recipients of the Longleaf Commitment Grant, which provides monies for high school seniors to cover tuition costs for community college. To be eligible for a Longleaf Commitment Grant, students are required to fill out the the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Details can be found in this press release from the Governor's office. Additional information is provided by the Financial Aid Office at Central Carolina Community College on this web page.

Welcome to Season Two of the Higher Ed Shift! We are kicking off with Mike Miller, the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Services at the University of California, Santa Barbara, to dive deep into a topic he dubs "time poverty." We thoroughly enjoyed our conversation with Mike, who originally comes from the Financial Aid Office and has advanced into Enrollment Services, providing a unique voice around this show's topic. In our conversation, you'll learn more about Mike's observation of what time poverty is, who it impacts the most, and how colleges and universities can simplify and personalize the student experience to help catapult students through the challenges time poverty poses.Connect with Mike MillerConnect with Mike on LinkedinEmail Mike at mikemiller@ucsb.eduConnect with Amy GlynnConnect with Amy on LinkedinFollow Amy on TwitterWant to be a guest on our podcast?We'd love to have you. Email us at: studentfinancialsuccess@campuslogic.com

Originally an episode of College Coffee Talk (Mondays 9am EST, facebook.com/lockwoodcollegeprep), college consultants Pearl and Andy Lockwood discuss: -What's happening with financial aid for Class of 2022 seniors -When a financial aid office gets things wrong -How to appeal/negotiate a financial aid and merit award -Horrible screw up by a guidance counselor -Strong advice for rising seniors (Class of 2023) For more information, see LockwoodCollegePrep.com

In today's episode, Kylee Hopkin sits down on Zoom with Brook Peacock from the Financial Aid office to talk all about their services and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) that opens Oct. 1 for the 2022-2023 academic school year. We go over what it is, how to fill it out and the benefits of submitting the FAFSA application.  New Student Orientation: https://www.usu.edu/orientation/locations/logan    Orientation Office Contact Information: 435-797-0283; orientation@usu.edu; Instagram @usuateam   Financial Aid Office Contact Information: 435-797-0173; financialaid@usu.edu; Taggart Student Center 106  Financial Aid Office: https://www.usu.edu/financialaid/   Financial Aid Counselor Appointments: https://www.usu.edu/financialaid/contact   FAFSA: https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa     Guests  Brook Peacock – USU Financial Aid Office; Associate Director of Systems and Data 

College advisor Andy Lockwood grills Lacrosse coach and former 3 sport Ivy League athlete Dave Kotowski on topics such as: Who really gets athletic scholarships (WARNING: the answer may shock you) The truth about what coaches are looking for in their recruits (hint: it's not only athletic skill) The biggest mistake student-athletes (and parents) make in the recruiting process More! If you're the parent of an aspiring college athlete and can handle the TRUTH about who gets to play in college, and how to make it happen, this episode is for you! For more information about Dave Kotowski, Team Elevate and to download a free copy of his 70 page recruiting guide, visit: https://www.teamelevatelax.com/ (https://www.teamelevatelax.com/) For more information on Lockwood College Prep and a free copy of Andy's most popular report, How to "Hide" Your Money from the Financial Aid Office, visit LockwoodCollegePrep.com

Today's trend lines with Amber Redmond, Director of Alumni relation for Penn State's World Campus, include:online alumni engagement is the new normal;collaboration is the key;leveraging faculty for alumni engagement.BIO:Amber is the Director of Alumni Relations for Penn State World Campus. She is newer to her role, having taken over the position in February of this year. However, she is not new to the world of Development and Alumni Relations. Amber started her career at Penn State working in the Office of Gift Planning. Before her current role, Amber worked in the Admissions and Financial Aid Office for Penn State World Campus, which introduced her to the world of online learning. During her time in admissions, Amber coordinated the Alumni Ambassador Program, which pairs alumni and current students with prospective Penn State World Campus students to help these students decide if Penn State World Campus is a good fit for them. It was doing this work that Amber realized her passion for working with alumni volunteers. When the role of Director of Alumni Relations was posted, Amber jumped on the opportunity to apply.Amber is a two-time Penn State alumna, having earned a Bachelor of Science in Management from the Smeal College of Business in 2009 and a Master of Public Administration from Penn State World Campus in 2018.

In this episode Nic and Amanda speak with Michael Crowe from the Financial Aid Office about the financial aid basics! Learn what to prepare for, and why asking a question is the MOST important thing you can do to ensure your success. Stay to the end to hear Amanda make fun of Nic's "athleticism".

The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) can be a bit intimidating with all those taxdocuments and financial questions. But by filling it out, you’re unlocking free money to help payfor college. In this episode, Kobe talks to Lisa Snyder, assistant director financial aid of financialaid, who has some great tips to help make the process easier.University of Findlay’s Financial Aid Office webpage: https://www.findlay.edu/financial-aid/For more information about the FAFSA, and to begin your application click here:https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa To create your FAFSA ID, click here: https://fsaid.ed.gov/npas/index.htm    Federal & State Grant listing, Direct Loans and private loan information and links:https://www.findlay.edu/financial-aid/grantsAnswers to FAFSA frequently asked questions: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa/filling-out/help

Ever wondered why it takes so long to have your FAFSA application processed? Being called in to wait in long lines to verify tax and personal information can make what's supposed to be a simple task of filling out online forms into a frustrating and time-consuming process. In our feature story today, Nikolas Harter heads to the Financial Aid Office in Cloud Hall to voice those frustrations, and get some answers.

Recruited walk-on Preston Dodson played in 117 games (5th most in program history) for Campbell Men's Basketball, eventually earning a scholarship during his sophomore season. Once his hoops career finished, the Camden, NC native decided to join the Campbell Football team, leading the Fighting Camels in receptions during the 2011 season. Dodson now works in the Financial Aid Office at Campbell University.

Getting into the college of your choice is dependent on how you will pay.  If you can't afford the tuition, where do you turn?  Host Heather Kelly is joined by President of Westminster College of Salt Lake City, Steve Morgan, to discuss who can help you, can you work your tuition off, and when should you start looking? http://college-tuition.startclass.com/l/4103/Westminster-College Also find out why it's so important to visit the Campus in person before deciding which College or University to attend. https://www.facebook.com/MoneyMakingSense/  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are few phrases more common in college admissions than, “I heard that…”Most of what follows will be half-truths, innuendo, or information that is flat out wrong. In this week's show, we'll talk through the myths and realities of as many of those phrases as possible. We'll also go inside BU's financial aid office with a current College Coach finance expert who used to work there, and discuss which supporting documents will be required as part of the college admissions process and who is responsible for submitting them in Office Hours.

There are few phrases more common in college admissions than, “I heard that…”Most of what follows will be half-truths, innuendo, or information that is flat out wrong. In this week's show, we'll talk through the myths and realities of as many of those phrases as possible. We'll also go inside BU's financial aid office with a current College Coach finance expert who used to work there, and discuss which supporting documents will be required as part of the college admissions process and who is responsible for submitting them in Office Hours.

LIVE FROM MINNEAPOLIS! This is the Small Scale Life Podcast, and I am your host Tom Domres. Since we are Livestreaming on YouTube, I would like to welcome all of our listeners and viewers there. Thank you for tuning in, and welcome to the show! Today, we are going to discuss one topic that hangs around like a bad skunk smell: debt. We haven’t done a show completely focused on debt before, but it folds right in with our Frugal Living focus here at Small Scale Life. A lot of us have debt, and you might be wondering how to get rid of it. Well, Julie and I have been working on our debt for a long time, and we took one big step closer to becoming debt free yesterday. It is REALLY exciting, so we are going to discuss that on Season 2, Episode 15 or the Small Scale Life Podcast! In case you are new to Small Scale Life, this is a blog and podcast dedicated to developing a sustainable life through • Gardening • Healthy Living • Frugal Living and • Having Adventures along the way! At Small Scale Life, we are always dedicated to learning, doing and growing. This podcast is brought to you by Small Scale Life Facebook Group and the Small Scale Gardening Facebook Group. We’ll hear about both of those groups later in the show. New Tech and Podcast Hosting As we start the show today, I wanted to let you all know that we are making some changes to the way the podcast is hosted and delivered to you. We are leaving the host Blubrry and going to a new host called Fireside. Why does this matter? Well, just to provide a peak behind the curtain, Blubrry and other hosting sites like Libsyn have a limit on the amount of material uploaded on their site per month. I paid a $20 fee, and I was able to upload 250 MB of shows onto their server. That’s a lot of data in a month! The trouble I was having was that hour-long shows are typically getting into the 100 MB range (using my current processing methods). That equates to two 1 hour shows and maybe a shorter show during the month on Blubrry. As we grow and improve our systems, I would like to do more interviews and other shows that might take more time. I needed a better solution. Fortunately, my coach Kevin Michael Geary was also bumping into issues with his Rebooted Body Podcast and Bite Sized Wellness Podcast. He decided to transfer everything to Fireside. He liked the service and analytics, so I decided to move over there as well! The good thing is that those first 6 episodes of the show that were orphaned on Soundcloud have been pulled over, as have the last 10 episodes. I will be pulling the rest over this week. Hopefully there will be no interruptions and this will be a smooth transition! Please let me know if you experience any problems listening to and downloading the podcast. On the Road Again This has been an incredibly busy and chaotic summer (once again)! I am hoping it slows down at some point, and Julie assures me that it will. We have been traveling over the past week again, and we had some really fun trips. I shouldn’t complain! Lake Mills, Wisconsin Julie, Ryan and I went down to Lake Mills, Wisconsin, for a graduation party, and it was great seeing the extended family down there. We reconnected with everyone, and I was able to schedule a family guy’s only event in late August. That should be a lot of fun. So, if you are part of our guy’s group, we will be camping on my land on the weekend of August 26-27. That should be a lot of fun. We stayed in a mom and pop-style resort in Lake Mills, and we had some time on Saturday to enjoy the beach and the lake. Staying at that resort really took me back to the Wa-Chee-Lah Resort my grandparent’s operated in Central Wisconsin near the Dells. There are no tvs; there is sketchy phone service. These places are great for relaxing and getting away from it all. The vintage cabins, the smells, the decoration…it brought me back to my childhood. The one drawback to the weekend came from swimming in the Lake. I got “The Itch.” I had welts on my skin that itched like crazy, and talking with my sister-in-law about her weekend in northern Wisconsin, my nieces and nephews got a case of that as well. It causes discomfort, and I will have more information on that. Winona, Minnesota Last Wednesday, Julie, Ryan and I traveled to Winona, Minnesota. He is going to attend Winona State University in August, so we had to make the journey to get him registered for school. Even with the rain, I have to say that the Winona State is a beautiful campus a few blocks west of the Mississippi River. We had a great, but very short, trip there. We are all excited that Ryan will start a new adventure there, and I know he will like the college. One of the presentations that really caught our attention was from the Financial Aid Office. They walked through all of the various pages on their website that dealt with costs and paying for school. It is stunning that a state school like Winona State University costs about $18,000 per year. That includes tuition, fees, laptop, and housing (plus a meal plan). Books, supplies and the beer money (ahem) are extra. That is A LOT of money, and if you haven’t built a war chest of cash to pay for college, you will be taking out a lot of loans. That equates to $72,000 for four years for tuition, fees, the laptop and housing. Let that sink in for a minute……$72,000. Yikes! So, my message for you other parents and students: get saving OR explore other options like the trades or like Aaron Clarey says, “Become a Reconnaissance Man” and explore the world for a year. All in all, it was a good trip, and we are excited for Ryan to begin this next phase of his life. Ok, we are going to take a little break and hear from the sponsors of today’s episode of Small Scale Life, and then we will be right back to get into becoming debt free! All right, welcome back to the Small Scale Life Podcast. As I mentioned early in the show, having a pile of debt is like a bad skunk smell: it just lingers around and makes you very uncomfortable over time. Having debt is just one of those things that people expect to have in modern America: we wake up in mortgaged homes, drive leased cars or cars with loans, drive on financed roads, put that morning Starbucks or lunch on the credit card, and go back to that mortgaged home to start it all over again. We Americans are FAR too comfortable with having debt. I figured we would have learned our lesson with the Crash of 2008. According to the New York Times, we have not. According to the linked May 17th article, “Americans have now borrowed more money than they had at the height of the credit bubble in 2008 just as the global financial system began to collapse.” In May, household debt had climbed to 12.7 TRILLION dollars, and while politicians, bankers and other might celebrate because our spending on consumer goods, education and housing have increased, this is a horrible signal that we have learned nothing from the last economic downturn. Let me correct that: we learned our lesson FOR A BIT. Household debt actually decreased for 19 quarters starting in 2008. However, by 2013, we started to pile on that debt once again. I guess everyone thought we were in the clear! Our debt consists of the following: • Mortgage – 8.6 Trillion dollars which 68% of our debt • Student Loans – 1.3 Trillion dollars • Cars – 1.1 Trillion dollars • Credit Card Debt – 797 billion dollars (529 billion – carrying a balance) We already talked a little about student loan debt, and we will be coming back to that topic in a separate podcast. It really is a big issue that needs to be addressed because so many people are overwhelmed with student loan debt. Today, we are focusing on credit card debt. Looking at another source of information about credit cards called Magnify Money, author Hannah Mounds has posted a number of interesting statistics about Credit Card Debt including: • As of December 2016, households with credit card debt owed an average of $8,448 (actually down 20 percent from the Crash of 2008) • 195 million Americans have credit cards • Average number of credit cards per consumer is 2.3 • 122 million Americans carry a credit card balance • Average credit card debt per person is $4,354 • Average credit card debt per household is $8,448 • 31% of households carry a balance all year Businesses and Credit Card Companies have invested A LOT of time and money to understand consumers and our buying patterns and habits. Dave Ramsey from Ramsey Solutions talks about this all the time. He tells us that: • A study of credit card use at McDonald’s found that people spent 47% more when using credit instead of cash. • You will spend more if you use credit cards; you don’t feel the pain of handing over those green bills you worked hard to earn. • Even by paying the bills on time, you are not beating the system due to fees and interest charged by the lenders! But most families don't pay on time. Why do we borrow money? Beekeeper extraordinaire Michael Jordan and I recently talked about the why in our recent interview. I am going to play that brief conversation for you. Wages are and have been stagnant. We are taking on too much debt to keep up appearances and buy more worthless stuff. Is it worth it? Julie and I have been there and done that! Since getting married in college, we have worked hard at surviving and keeping the lights on and food on the table. We borrowed money: • To buy our first car and our first computer • So I could complete college. • Buy our houses I also got my first credit card in college. We racked up debt throughout our marriage, and we have been working to eliminate it since the Crash of 2008 (sometimes being more successful at eliminating debt than others). I have learned that debt limits your freedom. Borrowing money eliminates your options about where you live, what you can buy, and even where you work and what your career options are. For example, we had a high mortgage for our house in Illinois. We also carried some credit card debt. When the Crash of 2008 happened, I had clients stopping projects and walking away from our company in order to keep their own employees working. Our company management was looking to reduce staff, and I had to lay off employees. There were times when I thought I was going to be laid off. At the same time, the small company that Julie was working for was struggling. No one was doing construction projects, so there were mass layoffs across the construction industry and trades. The odds for survival were not in this company’s favor. There was no way that we could pay our bills if we were laid off. The debt we had assumed was WAY too high. We had to make some tough decisions about where we were working, where we were living and how we were spending our money. We had to make changes. Let me say that again: WE HAD TO MAKE CHANGES. That is the real reason for creating this podcast today. I have some EXCELLENT and exciting news. As of yesterday, Julie made one final payment to the bank. This morning, we checked the balance to confirm it, but we have paid off our only credit card! We are one step closer to being debt free. In a couple weeks, we will be back on the air to talk about truly being debt free, and that will be a REALLY fun podcast. I will even have Julie on the air for that one. We’ll do our own Debt Free Scream for all of you! Becoming debt free is a process. Like losing weight, it can be hard and take a long time. You need to keep the end in sight. If you want to start changing your life and your family’s financial path, you need to start today. To help you, there are some good resources out there to get you on the right track. • Julie and I have been HUGE fans of Dave Ramsey. Check out his site at daveramsey.com. He has a radio show, podcast, YouTube channel and all kinds of resources for you to help you. It is REALLY worth it, but like anything, it is on you to do the work and help yourself. • If you don’t like Dave or other aspects of his program, there are other resources like Crown Financial Ministries. • If you don’t care for a Christian perspective and want something a little more…irreverent, you can always check out Aaron Clarey’s books like Bachelor Pad Economics, Worthless, Reconnaisance Man and Poor Richard’s Retirement. He discusses some of the same principles from a bachelor’s perspective. There is a ton to discuss about becoming debt free. There is no better feeling than the freedom of not having any payments. It is possible; you can do it. We will discuss this in more detail in the future, and Julie and I can help you. Stay tuned for more about becoming debt free. I will be back tomorrow with a GREAT interview with Michael Jordan, so come back for that. We talk small businesses and bees. He was AWESOME! Thank you for tuning in to this episode! We appreciate you. Get out there and try something new this week. Remember to always learn, do and grow; this is Tom from the Small Scale Life Podcast. See you soon!