As the calendar barrels toward its final pages, Pete sits down for a solo episode to talk about the strange, sloppy, wonderful chaos of the year’s final weeks. From an economy that can’t decide what mood it’s in, to holiday spending that threatens to turn December joy into January regret, Pete breaks down what Americans are really wrestling with right now — and how to keep your financial head on straight while everything else gets weird.

In classic Pete fashion, he mixes practical advice with self-deprecating humor, heartfelt reminders, and a gentle nudge toward sanity. If you're feeling behind on your goals, confused by the markets, or tempted to buy your nephew a $400 gaming headset “because it’s the holidays,” this is your permission to slow down, reset, and approach the end of the year with clarity instead of chaos.

A funny, grounding, down-to-earth episode for anyone trying to finish the year strong — or at least finish it without crying into their January bank statement.

On this week’s episode of The Pete the Planner Show, Pete tackles what might be the most misguided “solution” to housing affordability ever pitched: the 50-year mortgage. On the surface, it sounds like a clever way to make homes more affordable — smaller payments, easier approval, and a chance for more people to buy. But dig a little deeper, and it’s clear this “innovation” is really a long-term financial trap. Pete breaks down the math, explores who really benefits, and explains why stretching your loan to half a century could make you the bank’s favorite customer — and your future self’s worst enemy.

This week, Pete is joined by veteran podcaster and political enthusiast Chris Spangle to wrestle with the myth and the muscle of willpower. Why do we think it’s the key to every success story—money, fitness, food, or habits—when in reality, it often lets us down? Pete and Chris explore how environment, emotion, and even exhaustion can overpower our best intentions. From political discipline to personal finance, from calorie tracking to credit card restraint, they break down what really drives behavior—and why relying on sheer willpower alone is like trying to bench press your way out of bad decision-making.

Funny, honest, and occasionally self-incriminating, this episode will make you rethink how you “control yourself” and maybe show a little more grace when you can’t.

Forget the convertible and the questionable haircut — the real midlife crisis happens when you open your retirement account and realize the math isn’t mathing. In this solo episode, Pete explores the emotional and financial crossroads that hit in your 40s and 50s — when time feels shorter, careers plateau, and money goals start bumping into real life.

Most people don’t know how to tell if their financial advisor is great—or just great at sounding confident. In this episode, Pete and Dame unpack the real red flags to watch for when you’re getting financial advice… without turning it into a witch hunt.

They’ll break down the difference between a bad actor and a bad fit, decode advisor-speak (“We’ll rebalance with a tactical overlay!”), and show you how to spot when someone’s more interested in selling than solving. Plus, they’ll explain what good advice actually feels like—clear, consistent, and curious about your life.

This isn’t an “advisors are evil” episode. It’s a smarter take on how to protect yourself and still believe in the power of good guidance.

💥 This week, Pete and Damian face off against their newest (and possibly most intimidating) competitor: Artificial Intelligence.

Can two seasoned money nerds outthink an algorithm? In each round, Pete or Dame tackles a real financial dilemma — from whether to raid an emergency fund to pay off debt, to deciding between a Roth or traditional 401(k). Then, they read the AI’s answer and debate which response wins on accuracy, empathy, and practicality.

It’s human experience versus machine logic — and the results might surprise you. Who gives the better advice: the pros with decades of experience or the robot with instant access to infinite data?

Tune in for laughs, sharp insights, and a fresh look at the future of financial guidance.

🎧 Featuring rounds like “The Credit Card Conundrum,” “The Roth Riddle,” and “The College Crunch.”

👾 Man. Machine. Money. Only one can win.

Ever notice how the smartest people you know sometimes make the worst financial decisions? In this episode, Pete Dame unpack why intelligence doesn’t always translate to good money habits. From overconfidence and analysis paralysis to emotional blind spots and ego-driven decisions, we explore the psychology behind financial self-sabotage.

This week on The Pete the Planner Show, we’re tackling one of the toughest money dilemmas families face today: when helping your adult children turns into hurting yourself. A listener writes in about her 31-year-old daughter who still lives at home, contributes nothing financially, and has become the center of a tug-of-war between supportive love and enabling behavior.

Pete, Kristen, and Damian unpack the concept of financial enmeshment—those blurred parent/child roles where support becomes indefinite, boundaries vanish, and retirement plans quietly suffer. Why is this happening more than ever? Sky-high housing costs, student debt, and the return of loan payments all play a role, but so do fear, guilt, and a desire to shield kids from failure.

We’ll explore the emotional conflict between partners who disagree on rules, the hidden cost of Parent PLUS loans, and why “support without structure is just deferred conflict.” Then, we’ll lay out practical tools for parents: aligning as a couple, having honest conversations with adult kids, and creating a phased transition plan that respects both love and limits.

If you’ve ever wondered where generosity ends and enabling begins, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

Young adults are increasingly turning to risky bets — sports gambling, meme stocks, crypto, even leveraged ETFs — not just for the thrill, but because traditional wealth-building feels out of reach. In this episode, Pete, Damian, and Kristen dig into the rise of “financial nihilism,” a mindset fueled by housing costs, student loans, job market uncertainty, and fading confidence in the American Dream.

We’ll unpack the CNBC stories of 20-somethings chasing fast money on Discord and betting platforms, explore whether these strategies are truly new or just speculation repackaged, and debate whether they’re desperation or savvy risk-taking. Finally, we’ll look at healthier alternatives: ways to channel risk appetite without blowing up your future.

Because when people stop believing in long-term financial security, they don’t stop trying — they just look for shortcuts.

Claire and Ethan, a newly married couple in their early 30s, are sitting on $450,000 in cash after selling property and combining finances — and instead of feeling secure, they’re feeling anxious. With a baby on the way, strong incomes, no debt, and a net worth north of $2 million, their dilemma is how to balance competing goals: buying a home, investing for the future, keeping travel flexibility, and raising their child.

In this episode, Pete and Dame break down the psychology of “too much cash,” explain how to bucket money by time horizon, and show why timing often matters more than returns. They’ll also walk through the conversations every couple should have when life goals collide with financial uncertainty. If you’ve ever wondered how to turn money stress into money direction — whether you’ve got $4,500 or $450,000 — this episode is for you.