Weird Finance

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In this episode of Weird Finance, our host Paco delves into a conversation with Amina AlTai about reimagining our relationship to work. The conversation covers a range of topics, beginning with the notion of shame and guilt tied to earning money, with Amina revealing that around half of her clients grapple with these emotions, particularly those from historically marginalized groups. Amina, who transitioned to coaching following a burnout in her marketing career, illuminates her holistic approach to overcoming these feelings through mindset shifts and somatic tools. Amina emphasizes the need for balance through play, creativity, and ethical wealth-building. They also discuss the "passion tax," sustainable success, and the intense significance of work in our lives.

Amina AITai (@aminaaltai) is a holistic business and career coach, proud immigrant, and chronic illness advocate. A leading coach to notable leaders, executives, and founders—Amina's mastery connects us to our brilliance and teaches us to live and lead from it each day. As a woman of color of Iraqi descent, she often works with marginalized communities to help them realize possibilities in a way that honors their particular lived experiences. She is the author of the forthcoming book, The Ambition Trap, with Penguin/The Open Field.

Amina has partnered with progressive companies such as Google, Roku, Deloitte, Snap, Outdoor Voices, NYU, and HUGE. She's an Entrepreneur Magazine expert-in-residence and a Forbes contributor, and she was named one of Success Magazine’s Women of Influence. Additionally, she's been featured in goop, Well+Good, The New York Times, Yahoo, NBC, and more.

Learn more or sign up for 1:1 coaching with Amina.

A special thanks to the talented and generous Ramsey Yount for producing, editing, and sound designing this episode. 

Thank you to Jenna Parker for lending your voice to our special PSA. 

The theme music was written and performed by Andrew Parker, Jenna Parker, and Paco de Leon.

If you’d like to contact us about the show or ask Paco a question about finances, call our hotline at 1-833-ASK-PACO, email us at weirdfinancepod (at) gmail.com, or submit your questions here. We’d also love your listener feedback about the show; here’s a short survey.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Stay in touch and sign up for Paco’s weekly email newsletter, The Nerdletter. 

In this episode of Weird Finance, Paco unpacks the hottest new personal finance trend of loud budgeting with frugality experts Jen Smith and Jill Sirianni from the Frugal Friends podcast. Jen and Jill delve into their stories: what prompted them to begin their frugal journeys, how they’ve changed their relationship to frugality along the way, and some of their frugal fumbles. 

Jen and Jill tackle and debunk widespread myths about frugality head-on, from the false belief that being frugal is only for folks who are cheap and wealthy to reframing how frugality is not about deprivation but prioritizing what we value and being mindful of how we use our individual and shared resources. 

Jen Smith & Jill Sirianni are co-hosts of the top-rated Frugal Friends Podcast. With over 300 episodes and 5 million downloads, Frugal Friends is changing how the world thinks about frugality. Jen uses her background in financial journalism to seek topics that help people overcome impulse spending and reach their financial goals. Jill is a licensed clinical social worker who enjoys exploring the connections between our money behaviors and mental health. Together, they’re helping people become better stewards of their money, time, space, and natural resources.

For more insights from Jen and Jill, tune in to their "Frugal Friends" podcast, sign up for their email newsletter, The Friendlette, and follow along on Instagram (@frugalfriendspodcast). And lastly, here is a picture of Jill’s wedding dress mishap.

A special thanks to the talented and generous Ramsey Yount for producing, editing, and sound designing this episode. 

Thank you to Ramsey Yount and Andrew Howard for lending your voice to our special PSA. 

The theme music was written and performed by Andrew Parker, Jenna Parker, and Paco de Leon.

If you’d like to contact us about the show or ask Paco a question about finances, call our hotline at 1-833-ASK-PACO, email us at weirdfinancepod (at) gmail.com or submit your questions here. We’d also love your listener feedback about the show; here’s a short survey.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Stay in touch and sign up for Paco’s weekly email newsletter, The Nerdletter. 

In this episode of Weird Finance, we dive deep into the intertwined realms of financial health and personal growth with our esteemed guest, Kristan Sargeant. Kristan shares the transformative power of accessing the unconscious to unlock healing and potential. Touching on the entanglement of money, guilt, and shame, Kristan unveils how these emotions often dwell in our shadow selves.

Our host Paco reveals her personal shadow exploration journey, with Kristan advising the embrace of one's ambitions without guilt. The conversation further delves into overcoming fears tied to career prospects, the merits of seeking coaching over traditional psychotherapy, and introspective anecdotes about the power of the subconscious.

Kristan (@kristansargeant) is a coach and therapist with a passion for helping people identify and transmute the blocks to their potential and full self-expression. She works in the tradition of her mentors and collaborators, Phil Stutz and Barry Michels, co-authors of the New York Times bestsellers The Tools and Coming Alive. She brings an action-oriented, tools-based approach to her work with individuals and groups globally, with an emphasis on and deep love for Shadow work.

She leads webinars and workshops internationally and has collaborated with Goop, The Annenberg Foundation, The Omega Institute, Toms Shoes, AIM Youth Mental Health, The Awakened Man, 74Podcast, Clever Creative, Heroic, and more.

In a former life, she was an entrepreneur, three-time TEDxWomen producer, and co-founder of The Guild, a women’s leadership collective.

She received her BA from Columbia University and holds a master's in psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute.

Upcoming Retreats:

Omega Retreat Jul 14, 2024

Ojai Retreat Feb 28, 2024 - Mar 3, 2024

A special thanks to the talented and generous Ramsey Yount for producing, editing, and sound designing this episode. 

Thank you to Jenn Pablo for lending your voice for our special PSA. 

The theme music was written and performed by Andrew Parker, Jenna Parker, and Paco de Leon.

If you’d like to contact us about the show or ask Paco a question about finances, call our hotline at 1-833-ASK-PACO, email us at weirdfinancepod (at) gmail.com or submit your questions here. We’d also love your listener feedback about the show; here’s a short survey.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Stay in touch and sign up for Paco’s weekly email newsletter, The Nerdletter. 

In this compelling episode of Weird Finance, Madeline Pendleton, the dynamic owner of the vintage clothing company Tunnel Vision and TikTok's "Gen Z's Aunt Madeline," dives deep into the complexities of financial control, economic destiny, and the interplay between personal agency and systemic forces. Madeline shares her personal journey of overcoming poverty, the illusory nature of the American dream, and the struggles of her generation during and following the Great Recession. She offers an honest reflection on the limitations of hard work in achieving success and dispels the myth of American exceptionalism. With insights from her book, "I Survived Capitalism and All I Got was this Lousy T-Shirt," Madeline discusses the power of small, controllable actions over one's finances and the importance of focusing on joy and pleasure within the confines of a tight budget. Moreover, Madeline touches on the challenge of ethical entrepreneurship within the market system, the role of marketing in consumerism, and her preference for durable synthetic fibers in her designs. Throughout the conversation, Madeline emphasizes the need to redirect societal priorities from military spending to addressing homelessness and hunger, while promoting a life that cherishes simplicity, community, and the little things that make us happy.

Madeline Pendleton is the founder of Tunnel Vision and hosts a podcast about surviving life, love, and capitalism called "Pick Me Up, I'm Scared." She recently wrote a book about her life and experiences with money called "I Survived Capitalism and All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt".

TikTok @madeline_pendleton

Twitter: @jeangreige

Instagram: @madelinependleton

A special thanks to the talented and generous Ramsey Yount for producing, editing, and sound designing this episode. 

Thank you to my friends, Samantha McVey and Anney Reese, the Stuff Mom Never Told You Podcast hosts, for lending us their voices for our special PSA.

The theme music was written and performed by Andrew Parker, Jenna Parker, and Paco de Leon.

If you’d like to contact us about the show or ask Paco a question about finances, call our hotline at 1-833-ASK-PACO, email us at weirdfinancepod (at) gmail.com or submit your questions here. We’d also love your listener feedback about the show; here’s a short survey.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Stay in touch and sign up for Paco’s weekly email newsletter, The Nerdletter. 

In this episode of Weird Finance, Paco speaks with Patrick Hicks of Trust and Will about the ins and outs of estate planning. Patrick explains why it’s crucial for everyone—not just the wealthy—to understand wills, trusts, and probate. He debunks the common misconception that trusts are strictly for the rich and shares invaluable insights into the evitable challenges, analysis, and decisions required for the proper preparation of an estate plan. Patrick also talks about his personal life journey, sharing anecdotes from his time as a volunteer firefighter and even his crazy decision to save quarters for a baseball game.

Patrick is Head of Legal at Trust & Will (@trustandwill), serving as General Counsel and overseeing all attorney-related operations, including regulatory efforts and legal affairs. As a seasoned estate planning attorney, Patrick brings over a decade of knowledge and real-life taxation law experience to our service offerings. He holds a B.A. in Economics from Davidson College, a J.D. from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law, and an LL.M in Taxation from the University of San Diego. Before joining Trust & Will, Patrick practiced law in the trusts and estates practice group of law firm Hahn Loeser & Parks LLP. While attending undergrad, Patrick served as a firefighter for the Davidson Fire Department. He lives in San Diego with his wife, dog, and three young children.

A special thanks to the talented and generous Ramsey Yount for producing, editing, and sound designing this episode. 

Thank you to Michael “Frosti” Snow for lending your voice for our special PSA. 

The theme music was written and performed by Andrew Parker, Jenna Parker, and Paco de Leon.

If you’d like to contact us about the show or ask Paco a question about finances, call our hotline at 1-833-ASK-PACO, email us at weirdfinancepod (at) gmail.com or submit your questions here. We’d also love your listener feedback about the show; here’s a short survey.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Stay in touch and sign up for Paco’s weekly email newsletter, The Nerdletter. 

In this insightful episode of Weird Finance, our guest Marsha Barnes takes listeners on a deep dive into personal finance, financial planning, and the emotional connections to money. Marsha shares her journey from banking to entrepreneurship, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing earnings over job titles. She shares the need for a shift in focus from job titles to salaries and long-term financial planning. Shouting out the significance of financial education, she encourages everyone to manage their finances wisely. Marsha talks about her role at the Finance Bar, her efforts to address the financial literacy gap and the emotional aspects of personal finance. 

Marsha Barnes (@thefinancebar) is a sought-after personal finance expert, commentator, and Founder of The Finance Bar Members Club. Since launching The Finance Bar Members Club, she has believed that financial wellness should not be considered a luxury. With commitment and discipline, any willing person can turn their financial situation around.

Her private financial wellness hub, The Finance Bar Members Club, is specially curated to help you master your money without the overwhelm. The club offers educational bundles on topics in personal finance to (re)build your money confidence, guides, and worksheets to start taking steps toward achieving your financial goals.

To access various personal finance courses on budgeting and beyond, workbooks to practice your knowledge, and a community to support your financial wellness journey, enjoy a free one-month subscription to The Finance Bar Members Club. 2,500 free subscriptions are available, compliments of Secret Deodorant. Use code SecretMoneyMoves to access.

This episode also features a segment called Ask Paco Anything. Thank you to our anonymous caller for submitting this week’s question. If you’d like to ask Paco a question, call our hotline at 1-833-ASK-PACO or email your question to [email protected]

A special thanks to the talented and generous Ramsey Yount for producing, editing, and sound designing this episode. 

Thank you to Ariel Lazarus and Bill Bittner for lending your voice for our special PSA. 

The theme music was written and performed by Andrew Parker, Jenna Parker, and Paco de Leon.

If you’d like to contact us about the show or ask Paco a question about finances, call our hotline at 1-833-ASK-PACO, email us at weirdfinancepod (at) gmail.com or submit your questions here. We’d also love your listener feedback about the show; here’s a short survey.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Stay in touch and sign up for Paco’s weekly email newsletter, The Nerdletter. 

In this episode of Weird Finance, Paco chats with lawyer and financial expert Aaron Thomas to discuss prenuptial agreements. Aaron shares his journey from skepticism to appreciation for prenups, emphasizing that they can be more than just a safety measure in case of divorce. He discusses the importance of financial transparency, explicit conversations, and predetermined rules, which can all contribute to a healthier, conflict-free marriage. Aaron also takes a deep dive into the world of postnuptial agreements and cohabitation agreements, explaining why more couples should consider these options. He even shares some personal insights from his own prenup, which includes provisions for handling potential financial disagreements and counseling. Whether you're contemplating marriage or already married, this episode will challenge your assumptions and make you rethink the financial aspects of your relationship.

Aaron Thomas is a three-time winner of Atlanta’s Best Divorce Attorney and one of the nation’s top experts in family law issues.

A graduate of Harvard Law School, Thomas has represented over 1,000 clients – including NBA hall of famers, Super Bowl winners, and Grammy award-winning artists – in a range of family law matters, including divorce, custody, child support, and prenuptial and postnuptial agreements.

After years of helping clients navigate the demise of their toxic marriages, he decided to launch Prenups.com to help couples establish a solid financial foundation during engagement so they could prevent common marital disputes.

Thomas regularly shares his expertise on podcasts and with other media outlets. His first book, The Prenup Prescription, was released in October 2023.

This episode also features a segment called Slow and Steady with Leo by Leo Aquino (@queerandtranswealth), an award-winning author, poet, and anti-capitalist personal finance expert. 

A special thanks to the talented and generous Ramsey Yount for producing, editing, and sound designing this episode. 

Thank you to Jenna Parker and Andrew Parker for lending your voice for our special PSA. 

The theme music was written and performed by Andrew Parker, Jenna Parker, and Paco de Leon.

If you’d like to contact us about the show or ask Paco a question about finances, call our hotline at 1-833-ASK-PACO, email us at weirdfinancepod (at) gmail.com or submit your questions here. We’d also love your listener feedback about the show; here’s a short survey.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Stay in touch and sign up for Paco’s weekly email newsletter, The Nerdletter. 

In this episode of Weird Finance, Paco talks to Maya Lau to pierce the taboo surrounding money talks. They delve deep into Maya's journey from being an investigative journalist to starting her podcast, Other People's Pockets, a venture that allowed her to explore her guests' careers, including their finances. Together, they acknowledge the awkwardness and fear when discussing finances, transitioning career paths, valuing one's skills, and introducing personal finance discussions to the younger generation. The talk rounds up with Maya's insights about money, her regrets, and her hopes for the future. 

Maya Lau (@itsmayamoney and @mayalau) is the creator, host, and executive producer of the podcast Other People’s Pockets, produced by Pushkin Industries and Little Everywhere. She’s an award-winning former investigative reporter for The Los Angeles Times and The Advocate newspaper in Louisiana. Her work led to the ouster of the warden of the notorious Angola prison in Louisiana and helped spur new laws that made police disciplinary files more transparent in California.

This episode also features The Economic Outlook with financial astrologer Susan Gidel. Susan, our resident economic cosmonaut, does what many humans have done before us for thousands of years: she looks to the stars to understand our economic present and predict our financial futures. For more guidance from Susan, sign up for her Red Letter Trading Days newsletter.

A special thanks to the talented and generous Ramsey Yount for producing, editing, and sound designing this episode. 

Thank you to Jenna and Andrew Parker for lending your voice for our special PSA. 

The theme music was written and performed by Andrew Parker, Jenna Parker, and Paco de Leon.

If you’d like to contact us about the show or ask Paco a question about finances, call our hotline at 1-833-ASK-PACO, email us at weirdfinancepod (at) gmail.com or submit your questions here. We’d also love your listener feedback about the show; here’s a short survey.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Stay in touch and sign up for Paco’s weekly email newsletter, The Nerdletter. 

In this episode of Weird Finance, Paco speaks with Joel Larsgaard about how his childhood experiences shaped his relationship with money and catalyzed his personal finance journey. Joel discusses the evolving world of podcasting, the dangers of having too much money, and the importance of reaching financial comfort - a point where money doesn't burden you with stress. He emphasizes the crucial role of personal values and preferences and the impact of childhood experiences on financial decisions. In a captivating conversation, Joel expresses concern over the rise of nihilism and hopelessness concerning the financial system among young people. He also shares his insights on the importance of financial education from an early age. Lastly, Joel explores the significance of investing in relationships and how this can influence personal financial health. 

Joel Larsgaard has been obsessed with personal finance for more than 15 years now. Exploring the world of money and the impact that money decisions have on our everyday lives has always been more than just a job for Joel. It's his goal to see How to Money (@howtomoneypod) listeners & readers thrive by giving them the advice and tools they need to succeed and build wealth over the long haul.

This episode also features The Price Report, a short segment with Michael “Frosti” Snow (@FrostiFresh), where he takes us on a journey, examining the cost of one thing in the hopes that it helps us better understand everything. This week, we’re exploring the cost of  

A special thanks to the talented and generous Ramsey Yount for producing, editing, and sound designing this episode. 

Thank you to Jenna and Andrew Parker for lending your voice for our special PSA. 

The theme music was written and performed by Andrew Parker, Jenna Parker, and Paco de Leon.

If you’d like to contact us about the show or ask Paco a question about finances, call our hotline at 1-833-ASK-PACO, email us at weirdfinancepod (at) gmail.com or submit your questions here. We’d also love your listener feedback about the show; here’s a short survey.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Stay in touch and sign up for Paco’s weekly email newsletter, The Nerdletter. 

In this thought-provoking episode of Weird Finance, Paco’s conversation with Khe Hy reveals insights on issues that money can't resolve, such as the universal need to feel worthy of love and the influence of our environment on emotional well-being. Khe sheds light on the misconception about viewing home renovations as investments capable of yielding increased value single-handedly. They delve into the consequences of lifestyle creep, reflecting on Khe’s personal experiences and how he addresses money and peace in his life. He tactfully discusses the psychological aspects of buying a house, its impact on fostering a sense of community, and protecting against regretful investment decisions. Further, he speaks candidly about his struggle with fame and wealth, his existential crisis, and his desire to explore deeper meanings of money. Khe underlines his unique approach to volatile financial markets and shares his outlook on the current housing situation in light of uncertain future circumstances. Listen in as Khe and Paco navigate these nuanced financial matters with remarkable depth and perspective.

Khe Hy (@khemaridh) is the founder of RadReads (@radreadsco), an online academy that helps high-performers live a productive and examined life. RadReads provides guides, coaching, and trainings for over 30,000 professionals to help them regain free time, scale their impact, and make a little dent in the universe.

Before founding RadReads, Khe spent 15 years working on Wall Street and was one of the youngest Managing Directors at BlackRock. He's been called Oprah for Millennials by CNN and the Wall Street Guru by Bloomberg, and his work has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, TedX, Barrons, Time Magazine and Quartz.

Check out Khe’s Mindful Money Playbook.

A special thanks to the talented and generous Ramsey Yount for producing, editing, and sound designing this episode. 

The theme music was written and performed by Andrew Parker, Jenna Parker, and Paco de Leon.

If you’d like to contact us about the show or ask Paco a question about finances, call our hotline at 1-833-ASK-PACO, email us at weirdfinancepod (at) gmail.com or submit your questions here. We’d also love your listener feedback about the show; here’s a short survey.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices