Miles Weekly Personal Finance Podcast

Conversations...

This is a recorded conversation with community activist Carmen Vega-Rivera.  She speaks to major re-zoning and how the potential changes impact local residents that may price them out of the community.  This conversation was recorded on "the fly", as in I happened upon Carmen during a street fair event, and she just happen to be a powerful force in the community.  In classic "you never know who you may run into", I was lucky enough to have my trusty Tascam Audio recorder and get Carmen to give the details of what residents face in gentrification -while it is in progress.

Since this recording, a new law was passed that requires legal representation for tenants... Bigger than I can give justice to explaining, however, check out the details of it here. This legislation will go a long way to assisting residents in need of proper representation.

A note about the audio, keep in mind this is "on the fly" outdoors during a street fair type event, background noise is fluctuating and eventually music starts playing.  Still, nothing shouts louder than the words that Carmen speaks.

Here's some beautiful artwork in and around The Bronx... only borough with "The" in front of it.

Conversations... Random, unscripted, off the cuff.

Today's convo: Firearms.

Following a nice outing at the nearby shooting range, just a conversation with john M. about firearms and the perception of firearms in the community.  Listen and find out if any of these opinions align with yours.

 

Enjoy!

Episode Number Z, The Terminating End.

A quick review of the focus of the blog and the Miles Weekly Personal Finance Podcast, a vehicle by which to inform, educate, entertain, and cover the basics of personal finance, small business, investing, savings.  The primary objective if there is one at all, to close the gap of "information asymmetry" and raise the minimum threshold of financial literacy to anyone that subscribes to the podcast or keeps up with the blog.   In communications lingo The "A" End is the originating end or point of origination, for  us that would be Episode #1 and Blog Post #1.   Conversely the "Z" end is the terminating end, whereas the communications sent have been received.  But don't be fooled, the end also becomes the beginning and Z becomes A to start the cycle all over again.  This is "Episode Number "Z", we have reached the terminating end of these communications   ...successfully I might add.  end.

-Miles.

"The Break"...

Just as is needed to review and assess direction or "Re-Balance" the portfolio or overall personal finance picture.  The MWPF podcast is going into a "Break Mode", during which, there's still plenty work to be done in "Re-balancing", so maybe not too much of a break actually.  So here's the outlook, a larger focus on specific instruction and education based podcasts, segments, series' and feature interviews ( because I still dig interviewing people that do money stuff for a living), and some video "how to" action.  So yeah, it may take a bit to pull it all in, and maybe some help too! .

In the meantime, check out the archive of podcasts and posts ranging from

* Ep:1 "Dollar Cost Averaging"

* Ep:19 "Top Ten Small Business Rules"

* Ep:52 "Eric B. is President"

* Ep:49 "Which is Sexy, Money or Finance?"

Continue stay on track with your finances and the practice of maintaining your economic foundation for prosperity, there's plenty come regarding doing just that.  Also, don't forget to check out the list of podcasts recommended for good listening between the archive shows.

-Miles.

Becoming Savvy About Finance

This week's episode of MWPF features an interview with  Dr. Lois Center-Shabazz of MsFinancialsavvy.com, an author of several highly rated books on Amazon.com that cover saving, investing and management of day to day personal finance.  She also offers coaching on finance, workshops and a Facebook support group, (WomenVestors) for women and girls focusing on finance.  In this interview, Dr. Lois Center-Shabazz covers her philosophy regarding women and finance along with some very insightful relationship advice on Love and Money.  Listen as she details the journey through her professional career and into becoming a financially savvy investor, author and finance coach.

-Miles.

Stop Fearing Your Credit.

Episode 65 is an interview Mr. Mark Clayborne of www.startupcreditrepairbusiness.com and author of an www.amazon.com bestselling book on personal credit repair "Hidden Credit Repair Secrets".  Mark Clayborne has established himself as an authority in the personal credit repair industry and now helps entrepreneurs get started in the business of credit repair as well.  In this interview we discuss Fico scores, paying bills, credit utilization, the high cost of bad credit and authorized users among many other valuable and informative details.  Mark Clayborne's business model is all about how to get your personal credit on the right track.

-Miles.

Tax Refund Remorse

After the much advertised delay in sending out refunds, it's finally time.  In this week's episode, the focus returns to that once a year so-called pay day that everyone gets all worked up about.  "The Tax Refund" Like a windfall, a breathe of fresh financial air.  Sometimes it's spent in our minds 19 times before we even get it, just the idea of getting it. The tax refund is maybe one or two steps away from becoming a holiday, just so folks could have even more time to go spend some of that tax refund money.  The car dealers, creditors, retailers and anyone else that typically have slow January sales are all anxiously waiting as they know people are getting the refund checks.  Maybe there should at least be some slick moniker like "SupeR Black Friday" or maybe "GAAP Friday".  Either way, there's a lot of opportunity at this time of year for both making good moves or setting the stage for trouble during the rest of the tax year.

-Miles.

Valentine's Day is All About The Money.

Pay attention as you get yourself all wrapped up into Valentine's Day. The flowers, cards and candy.  Watch your spending and the spending of your courtier, if your paying close enough attention you'll be able to see early signs of good financial behavior or terribly irresponsible spending.  Either way while you sitting at that pre-fixe overpriced cold dinner looking into each others' eyes, it's a good time to ask, "hey, so how's your credit?".  Pay attention to the surprise in their eyes, or the pleasure to share such information in an attempt to communicate their openess to discuss finance and the future.  And when the bill comes back with no surprise "declined" comment, you realize ...they might actually be a keeper.

-Miles.

Who's Looking Out For You When You Invest?

This week's episode focuses on the recent news surrounding "The Fiduciary Rule", which has investors, retirement savers and would be investors trying to figure out just what exactly is "a fiduciary" to begin with.  We've come to expect certain business relationships to work in our favor such with a lawyer, our doctors and even the little league coach sometimes, the same applies to many of the professionals that help us invest for the long term.  Investing for retirement, such as IRA's, 401k's and similar plans that are handled or managed by investment advisors fall under the rule of fiduciary responsibility.  However, new rules expand this definition to include more people who may be involved or have an influence on retirement investing guidance.   And those new rules focus squarely on the people you trust to steer you and your money in the right direction for your "best interest".  And, not just steer your money into their pockets.

-Miles

Urgent Care Centers Are Everywhere.

Anyone that has been looking to just be seen by a doctor for some acute issue, maybe a slight sudden illness like the flu, they now have more options than just the emergency room.   At one time regardless of your health insurance coverage, many folks were destined to sit in ER's around the country for hours and maybe even watch hospital staff  change shifts while they wait, and wait some more to be seen.  With a lack of primary care physician availability and increasing wait  times in the ER, first response of many people was to take an ambulance to get in right away, so they can hurry up to wait.  Although there are folks that still believe the ER is the place to go when they have the flu, the landscape has changed quite a bit since then.  Firstly, there are flu shots at the local pharmacy, and you can even see a doctor without going to the emergency room and waiting for your doctor to graduate from med school.  What happened?  One major change that is here to stay, Urgent Care Centers.

-Miles.