MILMO Show

It's coming. Christmas is around the corner. Have you been saving for it? If you haven't, you're not alone. Most people don't save for holiday spending and unfortunately, go into debt because of it.

But that doesn't have to be the case this year. My guest, Lauren Greutman is here to show us all how to have a debt-free Christmas. Lauren is an award-winning Consumer Savings Expert and the best-selling author of The Recovering Spender. She's a regular guest on the Rachael Ray show, the Today Show, and Dr. Oz.

In this episode, Lauren shares her story of getting out of over $40k of debt, actionable tips for having a debt-free Christmas, and how to avoid spending temptations. And I may have also asked what it's like to be on national TV.

The show notes can be found here:

https://laceylangford.com/podcast/how-to-have-a-debt-free-christmas/

Investing in crypto is all the rage. It's in the news, social media, and you've probably heard people talking about it in person. But what is cryptocurrency, how does it compare to stocks and traditional investing. And even better, is it for you?

I could think of no other to have a discussion on crypto with than Josh Bannerman. Josh is a Certified Financial Planner and a Marine. You may know him as OG, the co-host of the super-popular Stacking Benjamins podcast. He's a friend, fellow veteran, and a phenomenal financial advisor.

In this episode, Josh breaks down what cryptocurrency is, how it works, why it's popular, and what you need to know before investing in it.

Show notes can be found here:

https://laceylangford.com/podcast/crypto-vs-stocks/

In this episode, Dennis Johnston, a Navy veteran and the Administrator of the Utah Unclaimed Property Division shares the steps you can take to find your unclaimed property.

Think about how you feel when you find money in your pockets. Now think about finding lots of money you didn't even know you had. That's unclaimed money and property.

Each year billions of dollars and property go unclaimed. In 2020 alone, there was over $7 billion of unclaimed property. That's a lot of money people are missing. Money that could help you pay off debt, build up your savings or improve your quality of life. But you have to find it before you can get it back in your bank account.

The show notes can be found here: https://laceylangford.com/podcast/unclaimed-money-and-property/

Are annuities a good investment is a question financial professionals get asked a lot. It's asked a lot because they can be confusing. You may not understand what they are, how they work, and who they are for.

Sean Gillispie is a financial advisor and Navy veteran. He's the Co-founder & Managing Partner of Redeployment Wealth Strategies. After serving 20 years as a surface warfare officer, Sean began his second career as a fee-only financial planner for military and veteran families.

In this episode, Sean breaks down what annuities are, their pros and cons, when they should be used, and what service members should know about them.

Show notes can be found here:

https://laceylangford.com/podcast/are-annuities-a-good-investment

It's that time again. It's my birthday and I'm happy you're here to help me celebrate. Last year for my three siblings were guests on my show. Since then, I've recorded 52 episodes of the Military Money Show and talked with some amazing people. I loved every bit of it. To include my recording with my Grandma. That was a very special show. But today I have another special one. It's my Dad! In this episode, I get to grill my Dad on growing up in upstate New York, his early start in the working world, his best money advice, military life, and some of the things he taught me growing up.

Show notes can be found here:

https://laceylangford.com/podcast/laceys-birthday-bash-2021

Preparing your kids to leave the family nest is a huge transition. There's a lot of planning and preparation that goes into it. And we aren't just talking about decorating their dorm room.

No parent wants their kids to struggle so you try and impart every bit of knowledge you have on them to help them be successful. Money knowledge is top of the list for most parents to make sure their kids have a handle on before they live home. But what should they know?

My guest Sharita M. Humphrey is here to give a money 101 lesson for college students and their parents. Sharita is a nationally recognized, award-winning finance expert and money mentor. Having previously been broke and homeless herself, Sharita knows first-hand that financial freedom has a blueprint and she's committed to helping women change the financial trajectories of their lives.

Sharita is a Mom who has financially prepared her children for leaving the nest. She is also a certified financial educator, speaker, and coach.

Show notes can be found here:

https://laceylangford.com/podcast/college-bound-students/

Anyone in it knows debt is hell. If it was so easy to get out of debt, no one would be in it. It's hard but having an understanding of how money works, your debt situation, and creating a strategy can help you get out of debt.

My guest, Erin Skye Kelly knows a thing or two about being in debt and strategies to get out of it.

Erin is a bestselling and award-winning author of Get the Hell Out of Debt. A book that teaches financial literacy in a way that's approachable, entertaining, and inspiring. Erin's resources have helped thousands of people pay off millions of dollars in personal debt, and are inspired by her deeply personal journey of regaining financial freedom after paying off over $2 million of personal debt.

Erin is a keynote speaker and entrepreneur who has shared the stage with legendary motivational speakers such as Tony Robbins, Phil Town, and Gary John Bishop.

Erin shares her advice for how to approach your debt, strategies to get out of debt, and common debt missteps to avoid. There's lots to learn in this show.

Show notes can be found here:

https://laceylangford.com/podcast/getting-out-of-debt/

Buy now and pay later, or not? That's a good question.

Buy now, pay later is a consumer trend that's growing in popularity. Many online retailers are offering the option to buy your items now and make payments on them later. Some may see this as a buying trend, while others think it's here to stay.

Jarod Taylor is on the show to talk about buy now, pay later with me.

Jarod is an Accredited Financial Counselor and the Certification Program Manager for AFCPE. He guides candidates through the AFC certification process, connects organizations with the appropriate training for their teams, and assists professionals in maintaining their certification.

Jarod breaks down what buy now, pay later is, how it works and whether it's a good or a bad thing. Plus, he shares personal finances tips to be smart about using buy now, pay later.

Show notes can be found here:

https://laceylangford.com/podcast/buy-now-pay-later/

Retirement points are important but they're also confusing as all get out. Points can help or hurt the money you earn in retirement. So they're very important to know about and understand!

John Cooney is a CFP (R), Enrolled Agent, and a fee-only financial planner who founded Green and Gold Financial Planning to help people make smarter financial decisions, develop confidence in their financial situation, and live more financially secure lives. John is a graduate of West Point and a 20 year US Army veteran. When not working with clients or attending his drill weekend, John enjoys being outdoors with his wife and two boys, cooking, running, and cheering on the Boston area sports teams.

John breaks down what retirement points are, who they're for, why they're important and how they impact your military pension.

Show notes can be found here:

https://laceylangford.com/podcast/retirement-points/

Between 2016 and 2020, Service members and veterans lost over 420 million dollars in scams that were reported. Members of the military community are victims of Cybercrimes at a higher rate than the civilian community. A steady paycheck and frequent deployments make you a big target for fraud.

Cindy Liebes is the Chief Program Officer at the Cyber Security Network, a public and private collaboration to help individuals and small businesses combat cybercrime.

Cindy and I talk about common types of scams and fraud impacting service members and military spouses, how you can spot them and what to do about them whether you are a victim or not.