Queer Money®: How Gay People Do Money

How do you feel about going to the bank? Does it sound boring? Or maybe a little intimidating? Who do you expect to talk to there? Somebody in a suit who doesn’t really get you? What if the banking experience was more fun and less stressful? What if you could talk to someone like you—and get the help you need?

Jennifer Windbeck is the Managing Vice President of Capital One Cafés and Branches, In-Store Experience, Operations and Network Management with Capital One. In her role, Jennifer leads the growing network of cafés across the US, and she is responsible for associate and customer experience and localized brand-building activities. Capital One is committed to supporting the queer community, earning a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index. The bank was also designated as one of best places to work in terms of LGBT equality for the sixteenth consecutive year!

On this episode of Queer Money, Jennifer joins us to explain what Capital One means by Banking Reimagined and discuss how the company is tapping into emerging retail trends through their café experience. She describes the bank’s just-in-time money coaching, sharing Capital One’s focus on personal connection and adapting to what people really need. Listen in for Jennifer’s insight around Capital One’s efforts to hire a diverse group of ambassadors and learn how the bank is engaging with trusted organizations in the communities it serves.

On this episode of Queer Money, we have another member of the Credit Card Pay Off Course. 

If you had to pick one adjective to describe how you feel about your credit card debt, what would it be? Most people choose the word shame. Jeanette was in a very dark place just six months ago, feeling like a failure when it came to money. Today, her outlook has shifted completely, and she is confident that she CAN and WILL succeed in paying off her debt—with the support of the Credit Card Pay Off Course.

On this episode of Queer Money, Jeanette joins us to share her story of acquiring $60K in debt, explaining how taking out a personal loan to pay off credit cards did not improve her financial situation. She describes the scarcity mindset that contributed to her money issues and walks us through the medical event and the peer pressure to spend on her sister’s wedding that put her on the wrong path.

Jeanette also discusses her experience with the Credit Card Pay Off Course so far, offering insight into how she has gone from feeling irresponsible and overwhelmed to confident and hopeful. Listen in for Jeanette’s take on paying off debt the ‘hard way’ and learn how support and accountability have been crucial to her success!

On this episode of Queer Money, we are tackling a topic that keeps coming up in our Queer Money Facebook group and from the emails we receive from our followers. 

There’s an episode of Friends where they all go out to dinner to celebrate Monica’s promotion, and when the bill arrives, Ross splits it six ways. If you’re Phoebe, who ordered the cup of soup, or Rachel, who got a side salad, that’s a pretty frustrating situation. Do you risk the embarrassment and say something? Or give in to the peer pressure to spend?

On this episode of Queer Money, we’re sharing our five top tips for overcoming the peer pressure to spend in social situations. We cover the value of using cash instead of cards, discussing how access leads to overspending, and offer advice on going out with an entrance and exit strategy.

We go on to explain why it’s helpful to share your financial goals with your friends to gain their support—and maybe even inspire them to work toward their own hopes and dreams! Listen in for insight on avoiding the temptation to participate in rounds of drinks and learn how an accountability partner can help you overcome the peer pressure to spend.

On this week's Queer Money we are discussing how our thinking can impact our financial future and how it has helped or hindered our current situation. We discuss some of the thinking errors highlighted in our eBook - The 7 Thinking Errors that Prevent Financial Freedom. 

“Your beliefs become your thoughts, your thoughts become your words,

your words become your actions, your actions become your habits,

your habits become your values, your values become your destiny.”

--Gandhi

Not happy with your current financial situation? It may be the result of one or more thinking errors, the self-defeating beliefs that influence our thoughts and actions in a negative way. So, what are some of the errors in thinking that keep us from achieving our money goals? And how can we change our belief system to get different results?

On today’s episode, we’re discussing the most common thinking errors (as identified by our Queer Money Facebook Group) that prevent our financial success. We explain where our thinking errors come from and how belief systems influence our results. We weigh in on the thinking error around not being responsible for our own financial situation, describing the inclination to blame others and believe there’s nothing we can do to change things.

We go on to cover the belief that we can wing it with our money, challenging the LGBTQ community to become conscious of how we’re spending and develop a plan for financial success. Listen in for insight on the false belief that more money will solve our problems and get our top tips for identifying and overcoming the thinking errors that hold us back!

On this Queer Money, we discuss a topic that often brings up angst for many in the LGBTQ community; should I be out at work?

An estimated 50% of LGBTQ individuals in the US are not out at work. Why does visibility matter? What can companies do to encourage self-identification? And how can businesses use this information to support queer employees and advocate for equality in the places where they operate?

Todd Sears is a former investment banker and financial advisor turned entrepreneur for equality. He led pioneering LGBT+ inclusion initiatives at Merrill Lynch and Credit Suisse before founding Out Leadership in 2011. Todd originated the idea of a Return on Equality, and his global leadership initiatives seek to engage senior leaders around LGBT+ opportunities, develop talent, and impact business results.

Today, Todd joins us to discuss the recently published LGBT+ Self-ID Study, explaining what prompted Out Leadership to conduct this research and how companies can use the information. He weighs in on what companies need to do to promote LGBT+ self-identification and offers insight around the pros and cons of coming out at work. Listen in to understand what Out Leadership hopes to accomplish through the LGBT+ Self-ID Study and learn how visibility among the queer community improves the corporate culture for other minority groups!

On this episode of Queer Money, we are continuing our series of highlighting stories of others who are on the path to becoming debt-free. 

Ready to get out of debt once and for all? If so, you’d better be ready to take a deep dive into what got you there in the first place. As Nathan, a student in our Credit Card Pay Off Course will tell you, the first step in fixing your financial situation is developing an awareness of how and why you spend the way you do.

On this episode of Queer Money, Nathan joins us to explain how his financial situation changed when his partner joined the military—but their spending didn’t. He describes how covering the bill for friends at restaurants and bars compounded his debt and explores how being a gay man influenced his spending.

Nathan also shares how moving to Japan inspired him to fix his finances and why it’s crucial to understand the psychology of your spending. Listen in to find out how Nathan has paid down $10K so far and is on track to save $3,800 in interest payments by the end of the year with our Credit Card Pay Off Course!

Queer Money listeners and Facebook group members have told us several times that their #2 financial concern is saving for retirement. So this week on Queer Money, we are tackling a major question. 

Are you throwing away free money? If you’re not taking advantage of the option to invest in a 401(k) or 403(b) at work, that’s EXACTLY what you’re doing. So, how do these employer-sponsored retirement accounts work? How much free money will the organization you work for contribute? And how can participating put you on the road to financial security?

On today’s episode of Queer Money, we’re sharing the ins and outs of the most common employer-sponsored retirement accounts, the 401(k) and 403(b). We explain how employees make contributions to these accounts via a payroll deduction and what types of investments fund administrators put that money toward.

We go on to discuss the similarities between 401(k)s and 403(b)s, weighing in on their like contribution limits, withdrawal fees, and tax-free rollovers. Listen in for insight around what distinguishes the 401(k) from the 403(b) in terms of investment options and learn how participating in your employer-sponsored retirement account can help you achieve financial security!

On this week's Queer Money we are joined by Thomas Tucker, another LGBTQ podcaster to discuss his journey as a podcaster.

Are you tired of the ‘people suck’ narrative that seems to rule traditional media? Wish someone was telling the stories of cool people doing amazing things? Even better, what if someone was amplifying the diverse voices within the LGBTQ community, the kind voices we don’t usually get to hear?

Thomas Tucker is the creator and host of the Uncensored Visionary, a podcast highlighting badass people in the queer community to explore what makes us so incredible and diverse. Beyond the podcast, he works full-time in finance, chairs a nonprofit group of young professionals, and does marketing for R&B singers that deserve to be heard. Today, Thomas joins us to define what it means to be an uncensored visionary and explain what inspired him to start the podcast.

Thomas shares some of his favorite podcast guests, describing why he’s inspired by people who lift others up while growing their own talent. He also walks us through the steps he took to get started and offers insight around the effort he devotes to the show each week. Listen in to understand what Thomas has learned from being a podcaster and find out about Thomas’ long-term vision for the Uncensored Visionary!

Beginning in May 2019, John and I set out on the very first Queer Money Live tour. On this episode of Queer Money, we talk about what we learned on that tour by talking with LGBTQ people from 7 different cities across the North East. 

We need to start talking about money. To build a strong queer community with the financial resources to live our best lives and continue to push for equality, we’ve simply got to share what we know. So, how do we start the conversation and catch up with other communities?

On today’s episode of Queer Money, we’re sharing the 3 themes that emerged from the first leg of the Queer Money Live Tour. We discuss the recurring idea around spending to make up for the past, explaining how we develop attachments to things to mask our pain and why we spend to prove we’re lovable.

We go on to explore why the LGBTQ community seems to have accepted debt as a way of life, challenging you to look at whether you truly have an income problem or a spending problem. Listen in for insight into how sharing what you know helps our community make better financial decisions and get inspired to take on the Credit Card Interest Rate Reality Check!

On this week's Queer Money we're talking about making more money! We often talk about how to cut expenses, but we also have to look at increasing income so we can thrive financially.

The beauty of the sharing economy is that you can earn money from things you already own. Got a spare bedroom? A couch? A tent in the backyard? You might be surprised how much you can earn by listing your space on Airbnb, Mrb&b, or any other short-term rental site. You might even choose to expand this model and build a business around the vacation rental model.

Zeona McIntyre is an Airbnb host, real estate investor and short-term rental consultant. In addition to her own six properties, Zeona manages another 20 listings and teaches aspiring STR hosts how to create their own automated businesses. She reached her financial independence number at the age of 28, and now Zeona has the freedom to travel the world and manage her vacation rentals from her phone or laptop.

Today, Zeona joins us to explain how she built a business around short-term rentals and what steps she took to achieve financial independence. Zeona shares the three ways to get started on Airbnb with little or no startup costs, discussing who’s the right fit for this business model and how much you can earn as a property manager. Listen in for Zeona’s simple, three-step process for becoming an Airbnb host and learn how to use the STR model to get out of debt and achieve financial freedom!