by Marcus | Feb 20, 2020 | Blog
I had an opportunity to speak at The Association of Government Accountants (AGA). The topic, as you may have guessed, covered Money Moves Outside of Your Pension Plan. I tried to cram 10-years worth of mistakes and lessons learned into a 45-minute discussion. The...
by Marcus | Feb 18, 2020 | Blog
There are levels to this personal finance game. After getting out of debt, which you should take sufficient and ample time to CELEBRATE, it is only natural to start wondering what’s next on the financial progress ladder. Once you’ve zeroed out your debt...
by Marcus | Feb 18, 2020 | Guests, Podcast
“Together we can turn words into Cold Hard Cash.” Finance, business and travel writer, Sarah Li Cain joins the podcast today. Sarah is the host of the “Beyond The Dollar” Podcast and founder of “Sarah Li Cain Writes.” Sarah understands how to create compelling content...
by Marcus | Feb 11, 2020 | Podcast
Shannah Compton Game of The “Millennial Money” podcast joins the P&B family today. Shannah is a Certified Financial Planner with an MBA. She’s also an entrepreneur, podcaster, writer, and teacher. On her show “Millennial Money”, Shannah takes a deep dive into...
by Marcus | Feb 4, 2020 | Podcast
Rich and Marcus are answering a question from a listener whose inquiring about the best strategy to pay off some debt. The listener has 3 credit cards and a car note he’s working on. In the listener’s debt payment arsenal, he has a general savings account, an...
by Marcus | Jan 30, 2020 | Blog
“This book will not tell you how to beat the market. No truthful book can.“ We read the 15 best Personal Finance books (according to the experts) so you don’t have to! The Intelligent Investor: The Definitive Book on Value Investing by Benjamin Graham...
by Marcus | Jan 28, 2020 | Podcast
Kanika Tolver joins us on the show today. Kanika is an Information Technology Federal Government professional, Entrepreneur, Coach and Author. Her company Career Rehab LLC, focuses on assisting career transformations for students, professionals and retirees. She does...
by Marcus | Jan 23, 2020 | Blog
While merely a two-second quip on 30 Rock, this quote has haunted my subconscious for years. This poetic (or offensive?) musing was made by Jack Donaghy. If you are unfamiliar with the name, Mr. Donaghy is a fictional character and protagonist of Liz Lemon (also a...
by Marcus | Jan 14, 2020 | Podcast
Today on the show we welcome Damien Peters! He’s the founder and Chief Product Officer of Wealth Noir and Victoriam Consulting Group. Damien is a former Facebook product manager, MIT alum, MBA, and self-proclaimed “personal finance nerd.” At Wealth Noir, Damien...
by Marcus | Jan 7, 2020 | Podcast
Dr. Eric Patrick joins the Paychecks & Balances family today. Dr. Patrick a pharmacist turned investor and Entrepreneur. He’s the founder of “The Black Market Exchange” (BMEX) which he developed because of the lack of people of color in the investing space. BMEX...
by Marcus | Jan 2, 2020 | Blog
Email Newsletters are a great way to maximize your time and money! One of our most popular posts was Subscribe to These Top 10 Personal Finance NewsLetters to Get Your Paychecks Up and Balances Down. Unfortunately, some of the original creators have moved on to other...
by Marcus | Dec 19, 2019 | Blog
Paychecks and Balances helps working professionals make money, save money, and get out of debt. 2019 was a very good year for the blog, including winning the Plutus Award for Best Millennial or Gen Z Blog! We also received several additional media features, like CBS...
by Marcus | Dec 12, 2019 | Blog
Ready to Turn Your Finances Around? Join our Newsletter! Paychecks and Balances helps working professionals make money, save money, and get out of debt. 2019 was a very good year, including nominations for Podcast of the Year. Thanks again to our awesome guests for...
by Marcus | Dec 10, 2019 | Podcast
We’re doing a 2019 ‘year in review’ and accountability check on where they’re both at in their business and personal lives. We both highlight some changes in their mindsets and uncover some things they’ve learned about using their time more...
by Marcus | Dec 3, 2019 | Podcast
Today we welcome the host of “The Side Hustle Show”, Nick Loper. The Side Hustle Show is a weekly podcast that has been running since 2013. It explores creative ideas on how to make money outside of your day job. Nick is a side hustle enthusiast and many years ago he...
by Marcus | Nov 21, 2019 | Blog
This page may contain affiliate links. Please read our Advertiser Disclosure for more info. There is a growing interest in financial independence. But, where do you start? How do you define your retirement number? And, how do you actually reach your financial goals...
by Marcus | Nov 14, 2019 | Blog
This page may contain affiliate links. Please read our Advertiser Disclosure for more info. Below are the SEO (search engine optimization) tips I read and implemented based on the expert’s advice. A few simple changes allowed my non-expert self to grow another...
by Marcus | Nov 12, 2019 | Podcast
We welcome the host of “How to be Awesome at Your Job,” Pete Mockaitis. Each week, Pete grills thought-leaders and result-getters to discover specific, actionable insights that boost work performance. He runs an Enhanced Thinking & Collaboration (ETC) Training...
by Marcus | Nov 7, 2019 | Blog, Guests
This page may contain affiliate links. Please read our Advertiser Disclosure for more info. Paychecks & Balances was invited to a double-secret VIP probation event for influencers. Like all events that happen during the digital age, if it didn’t happen on...
by Marcus | Nov 5, 2019 | Podcast
Today, we welcome Michelle Jackson to the show! She is the founder of Michelle is Money Hungry, a holistic financial/entrepreneurial and wellness resource, focused on empowering women with financial tips and tricks. Michelle runs a popular blog and is also the host of...
by Marcus | Oct 30, 2019 | AskPB, Blog, Guests
Seventy three percent of student loan borrowers don’t know what happens to their debt if they die. In the best of times talking about debt and personal finances is hard even with your own parents (How to Talk About Money and Debt with Your Parents When The...
by Marcus | Oct 29, 2019 | Guests, Podcast
Today on the show we welcome Brad Barrett and Jonathan Mendonsa, the founders of ChooseFI. Drawn together by their desire to help everyday people achieve financial independence, they developed a business that offers financial information to make people’s lives...
by Marcus | Oct 24, 2019 | Blog
It is time for another financial confession this National Financial Planning Month. I confess that Financial Independence (FI) is not for everyone. Actually, if they ever start, most people will fail. The personal finance community likes to preach that FI is for...
by Marcus | Oct 22, 2019 | Guests, Podcast
Today on the show we welcome Cortlon Cofield, the Owner & Lead Advisor of Cofield Advisors LLC, to talk about entrepreneurship and financial independence. He is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Personal Financial Specialist (PFS) who has dedicated his...
by Marcus | Oct 17, 2019 | AskPB, Blog, Guests
This week’s AskPB was submitted on Twitter. You can view all our AskPB responses by clicking here. Lawrence Gonzalez is an accountant who developed his own personal finance system that allowed him to pay off over $116,000 in debt in 4 years. Like many of our personal...
by Marcus | Oct 15, 2019 | Guests, Podcast
Teri Ijeoma began her professional career working in education and non-profits. When she started trading stocks nine years ago, she initially saw it as an opportunity to supplement her income. However, she was so successful with this side hustle that in 2017, she...
by Marcus | Oct 10, 2019 | Blog
This page may contain affiliate links. Please read our Advertiser Disclosure for more info. Teri Ijeoma’s origin story is like many of ours. You know the one. The mild-mannered employee goes into a toxic work environment only to eek out a paycheck-to-paycheck...
by Marcus | Oct 8, 2019 | Podcast
Ken Carfagno of Carfagno Cleaning Inc. is on the podcast today. Ken and Rich met at Podcast Movement 2019 and after hearing Ken’s story, Rich asked him to be on the show. Ken is a cleaning specialist with over 14 years of experience. Carfagno Cleaning serves houses...
by Marcus | Oct 3, 2019 | Blog
October is National Financial Planning Month – an annual reminder to keep our spending in check, prepare our budgets, and revisit our financial goals as we roll into the holidays. During this month, Paychecks & Balances highlights subject matter experts and...
by Marcus | Sep 26, 2019 | Blog
Millennials are twice as likely as other generations to lie on their resumes. This post is not about lying on your resume. Apparently you’ve already mastered that skill. Honesty is always the best policy; except for when it isn’t. This post is about all...
by Marcus | Sep 19, 2019 | Blog
The following #AskPB listener question has been lightly edited to maintain anonymity. I’m trying to buy a house so I called a lender to just pull my credit and tell me what they think. One credit report is significantly lower than the other two. My score...
by Marcus | Sep 17, 2019 | Guests, Podcast
The Master Passive Income business owner, Dustin Heiner, joins the P&B family today. Dustin is a, podcaster, author, real-estate investing coach and a wildly successful real estate investor. Dustin’s journey into real estate began after a lay off from a...
by Marcus | Sep 12, 2019 | Blog
This title might be a slight exaggeration. Thank you to the great fans of Paychecks & Balances and the illustrious P&B Family. We were nominated for the 10th Annual Plutus Awards’ Best Millennial or Generation Z Blog and Podcast of the Year. We took home the...
by Marcus | Sep 10, 2019 | Guests, Podcast
Rich and Marcus recorded this weeks episode at #Fincon19, with their friends Julien and Kiersten of Rich & Regular. Fincon is a yearly conference aimed at helping financial influencers and brands create better content, reach their audience, and make more money....
by Marcus | Sep 3, 2019 | Guests, Podcast
On today’s show, we welcome back an old friend, Tiffany Southerland. Tiff is a graduate of Cornell University and the Pennsylvania Law School. After becoming an accomplished lawyer, Tiff realized that although she was great at law, she had lost her love of life and...
by Marcus | Aug 29, 2019 | Blog
Next week we’re up for two Plutus Awards for Podcast of the Year and Best Millennial or Gen Z Blog. Because whether we win or lose our readership may potentially rise, I figured this is the optimum time to level-set expectations for our new visitors. Please enjoy… I...
by Marcus | Aug 27, 2019 | Books
We’re reading 15 of the best Personal Finance books so you don’t have to or join our weekly newsletter for career advice, debt free planning, interesting articles and receive our free 15 Minute Money Plan: 15 Minutes Can Change the Next 15 Years. This is one of the...
by Marcus | Aug 22, 2019 | Blog
This page may contain affiliate links. Please read our Advertiser Disclosure for more info. OMG, WE’RE HEADING FOR A RECESSION (allegedly)! I’M NOT YELLING, YOU’RE YELLING!! I was in the middle of drafting another weekly post completely unrelated to this topic when I...
by Marcus | Aug 20, 2019 | Guests, Podcast
This week we’re welcoming back Sylvia Inks to the show! As a Small Business Finance Coach and author of the book, Small Business Finance for the Busy Entrepreneur, Sylvia’s mission is to help small business owners make more money to create and grow profitable...
by Marcus | Aug 15, 2019 | Blog
Do you have an income shortage or a spending surplus? Most will never ask themselves this question. The assumption is that if you have more month left over at the end of your money, then you don’t make enough money. This assumption is not without some merit; neither...
by Marcus | Aug 13, 2019 | FinGoals, Guests, Money, Personal Finance, Podcast
Diania Merriam is the creator of EconoMe. EconoME is a one-day conference aimed at reclaiming the American Dream. The American Dream started as an idea that every person had the right to pursue his or her own idea of happiness. EconoMe is about reclaiming that right!...
by Marcus | Jul 30, 2019 | Blog
This page may contain affiliate links. Please read our Advertiser Disclosure for more info. To be exact, Leah Marie Collins paid off $40,000 in debt, increased her credit score to over 800, purchased a rental property, and launched her own business to help other women...
by Marcus | Jul 30, 2019 | Podcast
Rich and Marcus are back with another freestyle episode. Today they’re doing a mid-year check-in and breaking down how they’re feeling mentally and emotionally in 2019 having both begun meeting with a therapist (Rich for 2 years; and Marcus for 2 months). They also...
by Marcus | Jul 25, 2019 | Blog
I did not set out to make a career change. A career change landed on me. As I wrote about here, a sequence of events that I didn’t see coming was the catalyst for my most recent job search. This is not a bad thing. Life happens, and as the streets and Nationwide...
by Marcus | Jul 23, 2019 | Podcast
We welcome Tori Dunlap of “Her First 100k.” Tori is a financial advocate who educates millennial women and other underserved communities on financial literacy. She’s on track to save her first $100,000 by age 26 and has made it her mission to help others pay off debt,...
by Marcus | Jul 16, 2019 | Podcast, Work
This episode is all about the trials and tribulations that come when you enter back into the job search world. Both hosts recently decided to make a career shift and today we share our stories with you. Whatever your case may be: whether your current role isn’t a good...
by Marcus | Jul 11, 2019 | Blog, Personal Finance
Welcome to our latest Personal Finance Spotlight where we share relatable stories from people like you–the reading audience–who discovered life after debt instead of paycheck-to-paycheck til debt do us part. This week we introduce you to Lawrence Gonzalez....
by Marcus | Jul 9, 2019 | Guests, Podcast
Kitty and Piggy of B*****s Get Riches join the PB family today. Kitty and Piggy are anonymous financial bloggers whose aim is to guide young people through their financial hurdles and careers. They do this through their fun, unique blend of sass, comedy, and...
by Marcus | Jul 2, 2019 | Blog, Personal Finance
This is the story of two offers. It is not as cool as the story of 2 Chainz, but it will have to do. Recently, we all relearned a good fighter will fall if you hit them hard enough. Word to Anthony Joshua. What does the story of Mr. Joshua have in common with Mr....
by Marcus | Jun 27, 2019 | Blog
Burnout is a hot topic right now. No Pun. You may have read the viral piece from BuzzFeed that set the internet ablaze, Millennials Became the Burnout Generation. Related: BuzzFeed: This Is What Black Burnout Feels LikeMashable: Our best bet against burnout is...
by Marcus | Jun 25, 2019 | AskPB, Blog
The following AskPB question has been lightly edited to maintain the submitter’s anonymity. However, we thought a wider audience would benefit from both the question and Cameron Huddleston, author of Mom and Dad, We Need to Talk: How to Have Essential...
by Marcus | Jun 25, 2019 | Guests, Podcast
Chris Hogan, author of Everyday Millionaires: How Ordinary People Built Extraordinary Wealth―and How You Can Too and creator of The Chris Hogan Show is on the podcast today. Chris started his career in the banking industry and now travels around the country talking to...
by Marcus | Jun 20, 2019 | Blog, Guests, Personal Finance
Money doesn’t solve all our problems, but money does solve our money problems. That’s one of the many theories behind Jhanilka and Anthony Hartzog debt free success story. The two millennials joined financial forces to pay off their $114,151 debt. Next, they have...
by Marcus | Jun 18, 2019 | Blog
This page may contain affiliate links. Please read our Advertiser Disclosure for more info. Freshly Meals are Chef Inspired and Gluten Free This is going to read like a sponsored post. It’s not. Having personally tried several meal delivery services, I’ve...
by Marcus | Jun 18, 2019 | Podcast
As a lover of deep conversations and personal connections, Tracy Timm created her own company to help people find or create work that takes advantage of their own unique genius, rather than settling for a job and a life they dread. Her goal is to get you back to the...
by Marcus | Jun 13, 2019 | Blog, Personal Finance
Fo Alexander is the Personal Finance Coach and Business Systems Strategist behind the Girl Talk with Fo podcast and blog. She specializes in teaching millennial women how to dump debt and build bank. As part of her journey, she and her husband paid off $78,000 in debt...
by Marcus | Jun 11, 2019 | Podcast
Tony Bradshaw, the author of The Millionaire Choice (themillionairechoice.com), is on the show today. He’s talking to the good people of Paychecks and Balances about how to break out of the cycle of poor money habits and patterns that a lot of us learned growing up....
by Marcus | Jun 4, 2019 | Podcast
Rich and Marcus kick off the episode discussing the importance of mental health and breaking out of patterns that you continuously find yourself in, even if that requires breaking the pattern of not seeking professional help first. Then they leap into the topic of the...
by Marcus | May 21, 2019 | Podcast
Cameron Huddleston is the author of Mom and Dad, We Need to Talk: How to Have Essential Conversations With Your Parents About Their Finances (June 2019). We’re all trying to get our finances under control, but have you ever thought about your parent’s financial...
by Marcus | May 16, 2019 | Blog, Personal Finance
By listener request, we introduced Personal Finance Spotlights to the website this year. It’s been great! I love sharing stories of people taking charge of their personal finances. Our readers and listeners said they wanted to read more profiles on “ordinary” people...
by Marcus | May 9, 2019 | Blog, Personal Finance
Saundra Davis, MS, APFC® Saundra Davis is the self-described Godmother of Financial Coaching, and I believe it. When we met for the second time–at FinCon Expo: Where Money and Media Meet–Saundra dropped a quote on me so powerfully insightful that I had to...
by Marcus | Apr 30, 2019 | Podcast
Chris Browning, Popcorn Finance, and Marcus Garrett, Paychecks & Balances,at FinCon Expo 2017 S Ever wanted someone to sit you down and calmly explain the ins and outs of personal finance in just a few minutes? Well, look no further, Chris Browning is the man for...
by Marcus | Apr 30, 2019 | Blog
April is National Financial Literacy Month. Just like you don’t have to wait until New Year’s Eve to make a money resolution, you don’t have to wait until April to follow a 30-day plan to turn your finances around. You can find that exact 30-day plan...
by Marcus | Apr 25, 2019 | Blog
This Could Be Us But You Playing In 2019, one in three Americans had nothing saved for retirement. Given one of our most popular posts is How Much You Should Have Saved by Age 35 to Retire Comfortably we will assume our readers are interested in the topic of saving...
by Marcus | Apr 23, 2019 | Podcast
Tax season officially ended and many people who thought they were going to get a refund actually owed. This was the case for Rich, who ended up owing a good chunk of change this year. This was the first time he’s ever had to pay the IRS. Marcus, on the other hand, got...
by Marcus | Apr 16, 2019 | Blog, FinGoals, Personal Finance
This page may contain affiliate links. Please read our Advertiser Disclosure for more info. Pictured: Michelle Schroeder-Gardner Related: I Made My First Million, and I’m Still Broke We’re all busy people. Maybe you’re one of those people who came here to...
by Marcus | Apr 16, 2019 | Podcast
Advertiser Disclosure We all want to take that passion of ours and make it into a multimillion-dollar company, right? Well, on today’s show we talk to Michelle Schroeder-Gardner, creator of the popular blog Making Sense of Cents, to hear how she achieved her dream of...
by Marcus | Apr 10, 2019 | Blog, FinGoals, Personal Finance
According to the most recent Census data, the average person earns nearly $2.7 million over his or her lifetime. Yet, after 40+ years of work most Americans are still financially unprepared for retirement. Unless it’s by choice, I don’t want to work until...
by Marcus | Apr 9, 2019 | Podcast
Today on Paychecks & Balances, we welcome Chris Hutchins to the podcast. After being laid off in the 2008 financial crisis, and seeing so many others in the same circumstance, Chris created LaidOffCamp, an organization to empower people through education. A few...
by Marcus | Apr 2, 2019 | Podcast
Erin Lowry, the author of Broke Millennial: Stop Scraping By and Get Your Financial Life Together, is a Personal Finance Expert who helps millennials navigate their big money questions and teaches them how to control their finances like a boss. Her first book was...
by Marcus | Mar 28, 2019 | Blog
For all the get rich quick schemes and talk of Finance Independence / Retire Early (FIRE), most individuals will make the most consistent income from simply working their same old boring J-O-B. It is your responsibility to know how much salary you should ask for and...
by Marcus | Mar 26, 2019 | Podcast
Are you dissatisfied with your career? Not sure how to pivot? Scott Anthony Barlow, the founder and CEO of Happen to Your Career, can help! Happen to Your Career is a company that specializes in career courses, coaching programs, and a podcast that covers Scott’s...
by Marcus | Mar 12, 2019 | Podcast
Gaby is the author of Bad with Money: The Imperfect Art of Getting Your Financial Sh*t Together, and a bestselling author, journalist, television writer, actress, and LGBTQ activist living in Los Angeles. Her podcast of the same name, “Bad With Money,” was named one...
by Marcus | Mar 5, 2019 | Podcast
Since her last visit, she has become a part of CNBC’s Digital Financial Advisor Council, which consists of 20 high-level financial professionals that make investment terms and strategies more transparent and she writes a monthly column for PBS Newshour. Rianka...
by Marcus | Feb 28, 2019 | Blog, Personal Finance
All Black History Month we highlighted young men and women of color making history in the present. Just in time for America Saves Week, Monday February 25 – March 3, 2019, we introduce you to Marsha Barnes. She is the founder behind The Finance Bar and a...
by Marcus | Feb 26, 2019 | Podcast
In Part 2 (Part 1: Recovering from a Series of Unfortunate Financial Events – PB116) of our Financial Ls sagas, Rich shares the trials and tribulation learned from losing his wallet and all the unattended consequences that resulted. Rich was recently on vacation in an...
by Marcus | Feb 26, 2019 | AskPB, Blog
This week we’re joined by Leslie H. Tayne, Esq. Leslie is an attorney, debt therapist, and author of Life and Debt: A Fresh Approach to Achieving Financial Wellness. She originally joined us for our most popular episode introduction ever and to talk about how to Learn...
by Marcus | Feb 21, 2019 | Blog, Personal Finance
We met Sonia Lewis, aka The Student Loan Doctor, in sunny Florida while attending FinCon18. For someone with 38,000 followers (and counting) on the Gram and a resume including accolades from the Steve Harvey Morning Show, The Shade Room, BET, The Ricky Smiley Show and...
by Marcus | Feb 19, 2019 | Podcast
Phylecia Jones is a Budgetolgoist, speaker, and money nerd who is on a mission to change lives one budget at a time. She is a former Computer Scientist and Systems Engineer with the US Navy who retired at the age of 36 to start talking about math, numbers, and money...
by Marcus | Feb 14, 2019 | Blog, Personal Finance
We all have to start from somewhere on our financial journey. We all have to look for the best Credit Cards for No Credit when first applying for cards because we’ve not had a chance to grow your financial history yet. From there, every choice you make can...
by Marcus | Feb 12, 2019 | Podcast
Sometimes you secure the bag. Sometimes you fumble it. On this episode, we talk about how to pick it back up and tumble it. References Mentioned in this Episode: Personal Finance ToolsTiller – The only spreadsheet templates powered by an automatic feed of your...
by Marcus | Feb 5, 2019 | Podcast
Unless you’ve been living under a rock or off social media you have heard about Fyre Festival by now. #SpoilerAlerts – The Fyre Festival was a failed “luxury” music festival scheduled to take place April 28-30 and May 5-7 2017 on the Bahamian island of Great...
by Marcus | Jan 31, 2019 | Books
We’re reading 15 of the best Personal Finance books so you don’t have to or join our weekly newsletter for career advice, debt free planning, interesting articles and receive our free 15 Minute Money Plan: 15 Minutes Can Change the Next 15 Years. Our prosperity as a...
by Marcus | Jan 29, 2019 | Guests, Podcast
Maximizing your work time, free time and family time is key for living a successful and fulfilling life. It’s easy to do this in an office using Office Monster supplies however, many people don’t know how to set a schedule or create systems that allow them to...
by Marcus | Jan 29, 2019 | AskPB, Blog
If you ever want to start a fight on the internet randomly ask the public audience, “is it better to rent or buy?” then sit back and enjoy yourself. Things will escalate quickly. At the end of the day it’s all down to personal preference and...
by Marcus | Jan 24, 2019 | Books
We’re reading 15 of the best Personal Finance books so you don’t have to or join our weekly newsletter for career advice, debt free planning, interesting articles and receive our free 15 Minute Money Plan: 15 Minutes Can Change the Next 15 Years. God Almighty...
by Marcus | Jan 22, 2019 | Blog
Advertiser Disclosure In January 2019, JPMorgan Chase hosted the second annual National Savings Month. The National Savings Movement started as an effort to support employees, customers, and millennials along their journey to financial fitness. Moderated by Keosha...
by Marcus | Jan 15, 2019 | Guests, Podcast
College is a time when young men and women are faced with real money management for the first time in their adult lives. They’re trying to pay rent, pay bills, buy books and have some fun along the way. Debt can pile up quick. This was the case for Steven Hughes, the...
by Marcus | Jan 15, 2019 | Blog, Personal Finance
The next industry Millennials “destroy” is ourselves and the burnout will be televised. According to an annual Deloitte Survey, almost half of Millennials are unhappy at their current job and plan to quit/switch to nontraditional work within their career....
by Marcus | Jan 8, 2019 | Podcast
Today’s episode is all about fresh starts. We’re a week into the New Year and the guys are shifting their energy to focus on new personal, career and podcast goals. These aren’t New Years Resolutions, they’re intentions. In this episode Rich and Marcus recap 2018 and...
by Marcus | Jan 8, 2019 | Blog
I joined Pure Financial’s Your Money, Your Wealth with Alan Clopine, CPA, AIF and Andi Last, Media Manager, to discuss 4 Simple Ways to Keep Your New Year’s Resolutions using strategies that helped me break down my financial goals into manageable pieces as I achieved...
by Marcus | Dec 31, 2018 | Blog
If you want objective information from people who are informed on the subjects they’re writing about, we recommend these newsletters as a great way to quickly get information on personal finance, money and debt management, investing and more delivered directly...
by Marcus | Dec 25, 2018 | Blog
Our goal at Paychecks and Balances is to help Millennials make money, save money, and get out of debt. We had another great year including several interviews with informative guests and subject matter experts in personal finance, investing, and money management and...
by Marcus | Dec 18, 2018 | Podcast
Rich and Marcus take a quick pause for the cause to highlight our favorite moments from 2018 and the top three downloaded episodes in our final episode of 2018 before welcoming a great guest. We look forward to expanding and continuing to bring great content to the...
by Marcus | Dec 18, 2018 | Blog, Personal Finance
Start Mastering Your Personal Finances Today Personal Finance, Money, and Debt Management Tiffany “The Budgetnista” Aliche Tiffany (From $300,000 in Debt to The Live Richer Academy ft. The Budgetnista – PB102) is an award-winning teacher of financial empowerment and...
by Marcus | Dec 12, 2018 | Guests, Podcast
Leigh Phillips joins us on the podcast. She is from EARN.org. EARN is a national, award-winning nonprofit. They work at the intersection of financial technology and economic inclusion to empower low-income Americans to take charge of their financial lives. In this...
by Marcus | Dec 11, 2018 | Blog, Money
In my behind-the-scenes interview with YahooFinance: 4 Tips to Increase Your Salary – thank you to the CBS News Pannel and former guest Jeanie Anh (PB81: Don’t Leave Money on the Table ft. Jeanie Ahn) – I was asked to share seven tips that helped...
by Marcus | Dec 4, 2018 | Entrepreneurship, Guests, Podcast, Work
Setting your kids up for financial success is the goal of every parent. In order to do this, you need a strategy and you have to start early. Tanya Van Court is the founder of Goalsetter, the best platform for helping kids and families save money for things that are...
by Marcus | Dec 4, 2018 | Blog, FinGoals
When it comes to debt management, you don’t have to go big to go home. In fact, starting a small debt snowball might be the key to your success. According to an analysis by Chase Bank, on a credit card balance of $2,000 “just by sending an extra $10 for a total...
by Marcus | Nov 27, 2018 | Guests, Money, Personal Finance, Podcast
Rianka Dorsainvil is the founder and CEO of “Your Greatest Contribution” or YGC. Rianka is a Certified Financial Planner who has works with multi-generational high earners and low-income families. Rianka created YGC after realizing her mission didn’t align with the...
by Marcus | Nov 27, 2018 | Blog
When do you reach financial independence? It depends on your financial goals, but below is a quick breakdown of the movement, its pros, cons, and why similar to democracy, FIRE may be the best worst form of financial independence to pursue, except for all of the...
by Marcus | Nov 20, 2018 | Blog
Rich and Marcus finally got (broke?) into the 800 FICO Credit Score Club! It took a lot of hard work and research. The 800 FICO Credit Score Club is a feat reached by only 1 in 5, so it was nice to hit another personal finance milestone. If you’ve not got a...
by Marcus | Nov 13, 2018 | Guests, Podcast
Today’s episode covers all things credit: how to build credit, how to raise your credit scores, and how to find the best credit cards for you. FICO is releasing new criteria aimed at helping people with poor credit called The UltraFICO™. This new scoring model is for...
by Marcus | Nov 13, 2018 | Blog, Guests
In our humble opinions, we joined Mandi Woodroof (PB46: Magnify Your Money ft. Mandi Woodruff) and Tiffany “The Budgetnista” Aliche (From $300,000 in Debt to The Live Richer Academy ft. The Budgetnista – PB102) for the greatest podcast crossover of the...
by Marcus | Nov 6, 2018 | Guests, Podcast, Work
Kwame Christian re-joins Rich on the podcast (PB21: The Negotiator ft. Kwame Christian). Kwame was one of the first guests that appeared on Paychecks & Balances. Kwame is a business lawyer by trade and the Director of The American Negotiation Institute. His...
by Marcus | Oct 30, 2018 | Entrepreneurship, Guests, Podcast, Work
How do I get a million dollars in my trading account? That’s the financial question Jason asked himself when he was just 20-something years old. We told you to dream big and set big goals when thinking of your financial independence, and Jason Brown is no...
by Marcus | Oct 23, 2018 | Guests, Money, Podcast
Sonic the Hedgehog ain’t the only speedster chasing after these coins! We launch into a conversation with Olympic Athlete in Track & Field and Bobsled. Lauryn opens up about her struggles with money as a young athlete and how to find an identity outside of...
by Marcus | Oct 16, 2018 | Guests, Money, Podcast
Kevin L. Matthews II is a certified financial planner, number one bestselling author, and former financial advisor. Kevin holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Hampton University, obtained a certificate of financial planning from Northwestern University...
by Marcus | Oct 10, 2018 | Entrepreneurship, Money, Podcast
Tiffany “The Budgetnista” Aliche is an award-winning teacher of financial empowerment and is quickly becoming America’s favorite personal financial educator. In 2014, Tiffany founded the Dream Catcher Community, a virtual community of over 650,000 thousand women...
by Marcus | Oct 2, 2018 | Guests, Money, Podcast
Happy Financial Planning Month! What better way to start your financial planning season off than with our FinCon 2018, where money and media meet, interview with Rachel Cruze on her own personal finance philosophies? After all, Rachel is an accomplished published...
by Marcus | Sep 25, 2018 | Guests, Money, Podcast
Today’s episode is about taking control of your debt. Having a lot of debt can feel crippling at times, but there are a ton of resources out there to help regain control of your life’s finances. We talk with Leslie H. Tayne, Esq this week. Leslie is an attorney, debt...
by Marcus | Sep 18, 2018 | Podcast
Editor’s Note: In December 2017, The Washington Post spotlighted TM Landry. This sparked our interest in obtaining an interview. Unfortunately, after we had already recorded and released our episode, The New York Times conducted an investigation questioning the...
by Marcus | Sep 11, 2018 | Guests, Money, Podcast
On this week’s show, we’re joined by Barbara Ginty for a sneak peek into our upcoming “Ask a Financial Planner” series. Barbara is another infamous YahooFinance alumni that we had the pleasure of welcoming onto the show. Barbara started her career on...
by Marcus | Aug 28, 2018 | Money, Podcast, Work
Rich and Marcus discuss how to make good career decisions. They’ll be sharing some tips and tricks on how to operate from a position of strength when going on job interviews, how following your efforts can lead to better results than following your dreams and how...
by Marcus | Aug 27, 2018 | Books
We’re reading 15 of the best Personal Finance books so you don’t have to. Join our weekly newsletter for more free career advice, tips for debt free planning, interesting articles and receive our 15 Minute Money Plan: 15 Minutes Can Change the Next 15...
by Marcus | Aug 21, 2018 | Guests, Podcast
Don’t forget to check out Part 1 of our discussion, What We Wish We Knew About Money in Our 20s Rich and Marcus kick off the show continuing to build on last week’s episode. Marcus is recapping the financial books he’s read thus far in 2018. It’s important to...
by Marcus | Aug 14, 2018 | Money, Podcast
On the show, today Rich and Marcus discuss millennial money advice learned from the 15 personal finance books Marcus set out to read in 2018. So far Marcus has read 10 of them. The guys share the lessons learned from these books and give you recommendations on which...
by Marcus | Aug 7, 2018 | Money, Podcast
Marcus kicks off the show recapping a recent trip he took to NYC, for a Yahoo Finance interview. On his way to the hotel, he get’s convinced to hop in a sketchy Uber-like service and is hit with a huge bill at the end of his ride. If you have a similar tale of Uber in...
by Marcus | Jul 10, 2018 | Guests, Podcast
We re-re-visit our fastest downloaded episode ever, PB47: Barely Making It on $500,000! The Financial Samurai joins us for this episode to discuss his popular blog post about a couple struggling in a big city on yes, $500,000. The Financial Samurai (Sam Dogen) got his...
by Marcus | Jul 10, 2018 | Books
We’re reading 15 of the best Personal Finance books so you don’t have to. Join our weekly newsletter for more free career advice, tips for debt free planning, interesting articles and receive our 15 Minute Money Plan: 15 Minutes Can Change the Next 15 Years. Summary:...
by Marcus | Jun 26, 2018 | Guests, Money, Podcast, Podcasts
Elle Martinez started Couple Money in 2009 after writing about personal finances for more than 7 years. Couple Money’s purpose is to help couples build their finances together by learning to live on one income and having fun with the second through tips, tools,...
by Marcus | Jun 12, 2018 | Podcast, Podcasts
It’s 6-months into the year. Do you know where your finances are? Well, we declared our positive affirmations and #FinGoals for 2018 on PB80: It’s Never Too Late to Get Started. For your benefit and ours, we’re going back to the future with a much needed...
by Marcus | Jun 12, 2018 | Books
We’re reading 15 of the best Personal Finance books so you don’t have to. Join our weekly newsletter for more free career advice, tips for debt free planning, interesting articles and news and to receive our 15 Minute Money Plan. Author: Vicki Robin | Publisher:...
by Marcus | Jun 12, 2018 | AskPB, Blog
Marcus joins CBS News host Tanya Rivero to discuss his book, Debt Free or Die Trying, and how to rebuild your credit for CBSN ‘Eye on Money’ series. Check out the video below or click here. References Mentioned by Marcus on This Show 4-Step Plan for...
by Marcus | May 28, 2018 | Guests, Podcast
This week we’re back with a replay of one of our favorite episodes! Liz Weston shares the truth about credit. Liz is a Columnist and Certified Financial Planner (CFP) whose goal is to help us get smarter about money. She’s the author of five books including the...
by Marcus | May 22, 2018 | Guests, Money, Podcast
Today Candice Marie has a positive net worth, savings, investments and paid off over $47,000 in debt! This wasn’t the case just six years ago when she didn’t want to check her net worth because she knew it was in the negatives. While some of us worry about...
by Marcus | May 15, 2018 | Money, Podcast
There’s levels to adulting and someone lost the instruction book, but we got you! This week Rich and I talk about the steps we followed in pursuit of financial independence. You’ll hear how even simple changes in your day-to-day routine can lead to huge...
by Marcus | May 8, 2018 | Guests, Podcast, Work
Jeff Johnson has been seen covering red carpets and press junkets for various outlets including NBC News and The YBF. Jeff also hosts the “NonStopCulture Show.” A podcast and YouTube show discussing the latest in pop culture and digital media. He is also an...
by Marcus | Apr 24, 2018 | Guests, Money, Podcast
In our final week of Financial Literacy Month, Tela Holcomb joins us to discuss the stock market in plain English (Yes, we asked her about Bitcoin!). View Tela Holcomb’s Investment Courses Tela is a stocks and options trader, mom, and wife who is focused on...
by Marcus | Apr 17, 2018 | Guests, Money, Podcast, Podcasts
Our National Financial Literacy Month guest interviews continue! This week we welcome back former P&B guest J.D. Roth (ICYMI – PB34: Become a Money Boss ft. J.D. Roth). J.D. is a recognized personal finance expert who has written for Forbes and recently returned...
by Marcus | Apr 17, 2018 | Books
We’re reading 15 of the best Personal Finance books so you don’t have to. You can also join our weekly newsletter for free career advice, debt free and money management tips or check out our personal finance tools page powered by NerdWallet. Summary: A light-hearted...
by Marcus | Apr 11, 2018 | Blog
Color Full Lives is hosted by Angela Yee (@angelayee of The Breakfast Club and Lip Service) and Aminatou Sow (@aminatou of Call Your Girlfriend). The show is sponsored by State Farm® and Loud Speakers Network. The hosts’ real talk on personal finance and candid...
by Marcus | Apr 10, 2018 | Guests, Money, Podcast
Continuing our guest interviews for National Financial Literacy Month April 2018, we welcome back Tonya Rapley (ICYMI – PB29: My Fab Finance ft. Tonya Rapley). Since the last time she was on our show, Mrs. Rapley has secured several bags. For the newly...
by Marcus | Apr 9, 2018 | Blog
Paychecks & Balances is a fun and informative podcast covering work and money for rising professionals with hosts Rich @IamRichJones and Marcus @THEMarcusGarret. Read more about us here or visit Ask P&B to submit your questions! – Rich & Marcus [bctt...
by Marcus | Apr 9, 2018 | Blog, Personal Finance
Paychecks & Balances is a fun and informative podcast covering work and money for rising professionals with hosts Rich @IamRichJones and Marcus @THEMarcusGarret. Read more about us here or visit Ask P&B to submit your questions! – Rich & Marcus [bctt...
by Marcus | Apr 9, 2018 | Blog, Personal Finance
Paychecks & Balances is a fun and informative podcast covering work and money for rising professionals with hosts Rich @IamRichJones and Marcus @THEMarcusGarret. Read more about us here or visit Ask P&B to submit your questions! – Rich & Marcus [bctt...
by Marcus | Apr 3, 2018 | Podcasts
Kicking off National Financial Literacy Month 2018 right, we’re joined by Paula Pant of the Afford Anything website and podcast. When Paula graduated from college she did what society expected: she got a regular schmegular job. But, like many of us, she soon...
by Marcus | Apr 2, 2018 | Books
We’re reading 15 of the best Personal Finance books so you don’t have to. You can also join our weekly newsletter for free career advice, debt free and money management tips or check out our personal finance tools page powered by NerdWallet. You can learn...
by Marcus | Mar 6, 2018 | Money, Podcast
On this week’s P&B Money Minute we discuss how to save 1x your income by age 30 and 3x by age 40 using a few automated tools we recommend. Marcus reveals why he finally logged back into his retirement accounts after a 12-month hiatus and the three step...
by Marcus | Feb 27, 2018 | Podcast, Work
Rich brings back the This Week in Work segment, covering the importance of staying ready in life and at work. Our discussion covers: What to do when your company is downsizing or you might be facing a potential layoff Why you may want to consider having TWO...
by Marcus | Feb 20, 2018 | Guests, Money, Podcast
This week we welcome, The Dude. No, not The Big Lebowski but of equal reverence, The Early Retirement Dude. ER Dude shares the secrets behind how he retired 12-years ago at the age of 36 and never looked back. Mastering financial independence isn’t easy, but...
by Marcus | Feb 13, 2018 | Guests, Money, Podcast, Work
This week we’re joined by Jeanie Ahn of @YahooFinance. Some of you will remember Jeanie from our feature on CBS New’s “Your Money Matters” panel. Jeanie is a reporter & senior producer who specializes in making personal finance and career guidance fun...
by Marcus | Jan 30, 2018 | Money, Podcast, Work
A goal without a plan will remain a dream without a reality. On this week’s show, we talk about the importance of clearly defining your goals and the small differences that define why some people succeed while others procrastinate. Using a variety of practices,...
by Marcus | Jan 30, 2018 | Books
We have a “10 pages a day” challenge you can learn more about here: If You Have 10 Minutes, You Can Read a Book a Month. There you will find the full list of all the personal finance and professional development books we recommend. You can also join our weekly...
by Marcus | Jan 23, 2018 | Guests, Money, Podcast
We got 99 problems but a credit ain’t one. We originally met Liran Amrany at FinCon2017, where we learned he is the co-founder and CEO of Debitize, a personal finance application that helps consumers use credit cards responsibly. How does it work? Debitize...
by Marcus | Jan 16, 2018 | AskPB, Blog, FinGoals, Personal Finance
On a recent guest feature, we were asked, “can someone really save $1,000,000 on an average salary?” The simple answer: Yes. The harder answer: Is it easy? No. It’s very complicated and will likely take a really long time. There is a big gap between difficult...
by Marcus | Jan 9, 2018 | Guests, Money, Podcast, Podcasts
Now that you’re recovering from the holidays and financial binging, we’ve got just the spend-over relief you need with our first episode of 2018. We’re joined by Jen Hemphill of the Her Money Matters podcast. Jen is a military spouse & bilingual...
by Marcus | Jan 3, 2018 | Books
We have a “10 pages a day” challenge you can learn more about here: If You Have 10 Minutes, You Can Read a Book a Month. There you will find the full list of all the personal finance and professional development books we recommend. You can also join our weekly...
by Marcus | Dec 19, 2017 | Money, Podcast, Work
Paychecks & Balances is joined by Michael Hobbes (@RottenInDenmark), author of that viral story you should have already read but just in case you didn’t now you can listen to us talk about it, Millennials Are Screwed: Why millennials are facing the scariest...
by Marcus | Dec 12, 2017 | Money, Podcast, Work
This Week in Work segment returns! This is the segment of PB where we help you crack the professional code and discuss stories and topics relevant to the workplace. This week we’re talking about five things you can do in 2018 to get both your work and money up. We...
by Marcus | Dec 5, 2017 | Podcast, Podcasts
This week we’re joined by Brian L. Fontenot. Brian is a well-known tech entrepreneur in the Austin, Texas area. He is also a philanthropist, public speaker, world traveler, and illustrious member of the AΦA organization. We were happy to have Brian on the show...
by Marcus | Nov 28, 2017 | Guests, Money, Podcast, Work
Had too much to think? We recommend you do all things in moderation, including adulting. To help you navigate the balance-side of the work, life, balance equation, we’re joined by guest Cody Wheat of the Shots of History podcast to discuss all things alcohol and...
by Marcus | Nov 21, 2017 | Books
We have a “10 pages a day” challenge you can read more about here: If You Have 10 Minutes, You Can Read a Book a Month. There you will also find the full list of all the personal finance and professional development books we’re reading or join our newsletter for our...
by Marcus | Nov 20, 2017 | Blog, FinGoals, Personal Finance
We were fortunate to be invited by CBS News CBSN, a 24-7 streaming video news channel available at cbsnews.com/live, to join a panel of experts to discuss student loans, credit cards, debt management, retirement and much more. Hosted by Vladimir Duthiers...
by Marcus | Nov 16, 2017 | Books
We have a “10 pages a day” challenge you can read more about here: If You Have 10 Minutes, You Can Read a Book a Month. There you will also find the full list of all the personal finance and professional development books we’re reading or join our newsletter for our...
by Marcus | Nov 14, 2017 | Podcast
It’s LIT! Thanks to this week’s FIRE guest, Robert Farrington, America’s Millennial Money and Student Loan Debt Expert. He is also the founder of TheCollegeInvestor.com, which is the #1 resource for helping millennials get out of student loan debt and...
by Marcus | Nov 7, 2017 | Money, Podcast, Work
We’re joined this week by guest Lynnette Khalfani-Cox aka “The Money Coach.” Lynette is a personal finance expert, television and radio personality, and the author of numerous books, including the New York Times bestseller Zero Debt: The Ultimate...
by Marcus | Nov 2, 2017 | Blog
On August 14, 2016, I released Debt Free or Die Trying: How I Buried Myself in Over $30,000 in Debt and Dug My Way Out by Age 30. The book tells the good, the bad, the ups and the downs, the mistakes I and others made, and the lessons I and we learned....
by Marcus | Oct 31, 2017 | Money, Podcast, Podcasts
This week we’re joined by Ryan Inman of Physicianwealthservices.com and the Financial Residency podcast. Ryan got even more passionate about the field of personal finance when his wife was in residency and she began to pass along information that she received...
by Marcus | Oct 31, 2017 | Blog
On August 14, 2016, I released Debt Free or Die Trying: How I Buried Myself in Over $30,000 in Debt and Dug My Way Out by Age 30. The book tells the good, the bad, the ups and the downs, the mistakes I and others made, and the lessons I and we learned. Through...
by Marcus | Oct 24, 2017 | Money, Podcast, Work
Staying employed at the same company for over two years, on average, can make you earn 50% less over the life of your career according to a recent Forbes analysis. On this week’s show, Rich and I discuss the pros and cons of maximizing your money moves and...
by Marcus | Oct 17, 2017 | AskPB, Blog
The following question has been edited into a Q&A format and some details may have been changed to keep our listeners’ information anonymous. Let us know what you think in the comments below, or if you have your own question, use the ASK P&B button!...
by Marcus | Oct 17, 2017 | Guests, Money, Podcast
Patrice Washington is most well known as the personal finance voice of the top-rated and nationally syndicated Steve Harvey Morning Radio Show where she hosts her own weekly segment, Real Money Answers with Patrice Washington. She is also the best-selling author of...
by Marcus | Oct 10, 2017 | Money, Podcasts, Work
There are two truths we all hold self-evident in our careers: 1) it’s always Happy Hour somewhere or 2) performance review season. With these facts of career life in mind, the best time to start your self-evaluation was yesterday and the next best time is...
by Marcus | Oct 3, 2017 | Money, Podcast
It’s our first PB BOGO: this week’s Money Minute segment show covers lessons learned from Dave Ramsey’s and you get a full review on the PB blog: The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness! Our discussion includes: Are The Total...
by Marcus | Oct 2, 2017 | Books
We have a “10 pages a day” challenge you can join here: If You Have 10 Minutes, You Can Read a Book a Month. You can see a full list of all the personal finance and professional development books we’re reading by clicking here or join our newsletter...
by Marcus | Oct 2, 2017 | Books
If you’re new here, we have a “10 pages a day” challenge you can join: If You Have 10 Minutes, You Can Read a Book a Month. The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness was the first book I read in the series, however, you can see a...
by Marcus | Oct 2, 2017 | Blog, Books, Personal Finance
Our reviews of the best personal finance and investment books include the best books to help you get out of debt and get rich, according to the experts, as well as some of our own personal favorites. “I never have time to read,” I told myself all the time....
by Marcus | Sep 26, 2017 | Money, Podcast
The Millennials are at it again. Our generation discovered in 20-years what other generations took 40-years to figure out: working your entire life away so maybe you can retire (if you’re lucky) is a recipe for suc-sucks! On this episode, we explore #lifehacks...
by Marcus | Sep 26, 2017 | AskPB, Blog
The following question has been edited into a Q&A format. Some details have been changed to keep the listener’s information anonymous. Let us know what you think in the comments below, or if you have a question that needs answering, click the ASK P&B button!...
by Marcus | Sep 19, 2017 | Guests, Money, Podcast
Join us for another LIVE recording session from Podcast Movement 2017 at the FinCon booth with Tyrone Jackson, The Wealthy Investor. Tyrone details the story of how he went from a single parent household that struggled with finances growing up to become a trusted...
by Marcus | Sep 14, 2017 | AskPB, Blog, Personal Finance
The following question has been edited into a Q&A format and some details may have been changed to keep our listener’s information anonymous. Share your support or feedback in the comments. If you have your own question, use the ASK P&B button! This...
by Marcus | Sep 12, 2017 | Podcast, Podcasts, Work
Thank God for granting us this moment of clarity, this moment of honesty, but today the world will feel our truth! We took a little time off for #selfcare and personal perspective but we’re back with more greatness with a LIVE recording from Podcast Movement...
by Marcus | Aug 8, 2017 | Podcast, Work
We turned this week’s listener question into a minisode! Let us know what you think in the comments below, or if you have your own question, use the ASK P&B button. Justin left a voicemail to ask “when do you know if you’re overqualified”...
by Marcus | Aug 1, 2017 | Money, Podcast
You may remember Donna from our previous episode PB31: Save Where You Can ft. Donna Freedman. Donna’s back with a new book, Your Playbook For Tough Times Vol. 2, some great personal finance advice and much more! For those of you who are new here, Donna has been...
by Marcus | Jul 25, 2017 | AskPB, Blog
The following question has been edited into a Q&A format and some details may have been changed to keep our listeners’ information anonymous. Let us know what you think in the comments below, or if you have your own question, use the ASK P&B button! Hey...
by Marcus | Jul 11, 2017 | Guests, Money, Podcasts
We’re back with the podcast you need: Part 2 with Damon Young of Very Smart Brothas (VSB). If you haven’t already, don’t forget to listen to Part 1: PB60: “Overnight Success” ft. Damon Young of Very Smart Brothas. This episode is equally colorful but...
by Marcus | Jul 11, 2017 | AskPB, Blog
The following question has been edited into a Q&A format and some details may have been changed to keep our listeners’ information anonymous. Let us know what you think in the comments below, or if you have your own question, use the ASK P&B button! Hi guys!...
by Marcus | Jun 27, 2017 | AskPB, Blog
The following question has been edited into a Q&A format and some details have been changed to keep the listener’s information anonymous. Let us know what you think in the comments below, or if you have a question that needs answering, click the ASK P&B...
by Marcus | Jun 27, 2017 | Guests, Podcast, Podcasts, Work
This week we’re joined by Damon Young of VSB for the first of a 2-part discussion. Damon is the editor-in-chief and co-founder of the black culture cornerstone, VerySmartBrothas.com. He has had his work featured on places like Slate, The Root, Ebony, Essence,...
by Marcus | Jun 20, 2017 | Money, Podcast, Podcasts
The Money Minute A @PayBalances follower asks, “how would you change your budget if you had children?” We found that as of 2017, it costs up to $233,610 to raise a child from ages 0 to 17! We discuss how we would proactively adjust our personal finances...
by Marcus | Jun 20, 2017 | AskPB, Blog
The following question has been edited into a Q&A format and some details may have been changed to keep our listeners’ information anonymous. Let us know what you think in the comments below, or if you have your own question, use the ASK P&B button!...
by Marcus | Jun 13, 2017 | Podcast, Podcasts
A new Money Minute inspired listener question and our drive to get our and your money right so we can stunt — responsibly and within our budgets, of course — on the haters! A This Week in Work update finds Rich delving even further into the seedy...
by Marcus | Jun 13, 2017 | AskPB, Blog, FinGoals, Personal Finance
Many people believe the key to all their budgeting and debt woes is simply to make more money. SunTrust survey found that almost 1 in 3 respondents making $75,000 per year or more live paycheck to paycheck on occasion and 1 in 4 respondents making over $100,000...
by Marcus | Jun 6, 2017 | AskPB, Money, Podcast, Podcasts, Work
This week we tackle another listener question from our ASKPB queue: Hey guys! The question I have is if I should stay in a job that I don’t like until I pay off all my debt. I’m in my late 20’s, and I’ll make 70k this year and I have 28k in...
by Marcus | Jun 6, 2017 | AskPB, Blog, Personal Finance
The following questions have been edited into a Q&A format and some details may have been changed to keep our listeners’ information anonymous. Let us know what you think in the comments below, or if you have your own question, use the ASK P&B button!...
by Marcus | Jun 1, 2017 | AskPB, Blog
The following question has been edited into a Q&A format and some details may have been changed to keep our listener’s information anonymous. Let us know what you think in the comments below, or if you have a question that needs answering, use the ASK P&B...
by Marcus | May 30, 2017 | Money, Podcast, Podcasts
This week we’re joined by Liz Weston to discuss the truth about credit. Liz is a Columnist and Certified Financial Planner (CFP) whose goal is to help us get smarter about money. She’s the author of five books including the best-selling “Your Credit Score:...
by Marcus | May 25, 2017 | AskPB, Blog, Personal Finance
The following question has been edited into a Q&A format and some details may have been changed to keep our listener’s information anonymous. Let us know what you think in the comments below, or if you have a question that needs answering, use the ASK P&B...
by Marcus | May 23, 2017 | AskPB, Podcast, Podcasts, Work
Have a career advice or debt free question? Click the ASKPB button! This week’s question was so good we couldn’t help but dedicate a full show to our response. Apparently, the DMs aren’t the only place it goes down. A few snippets: I always thought they...
by Marcus | May 18, 2017 | Blog
I realized recently that I’m on pace to spend over 70% of my adult life working a “9 to 5.” I started work at age 16. It was a local movie theater and it is still one of the best jobs I ever had. I made $5.15/hr, and you couldn’t convince me I...
by Marcus | May 16, 2017 | Money, Podcast, Podcasts, Work
While some folks are of the opinion that Millennial’s affinity for avocados is the only thing keeping us from owning homes, we here at Paychecks & Balances offer opinions you can actually use. Opinions based on math and common sense when common sense is as...
by Marcus | May 11, 2017 | AskPB, Blog
The following question has been edited into a Q&A format and some details have been changed to keep the listener’s information anonymous. Let us know what you think in the comments below, or if you have a question that needs answering, click the ASK P&B...
by Marcus | May 9, 2017 | Podcast, Podcasts
Ready to get your financial life together (#GYFLT)? Erin Lowry, creator of BrokeMillennial.com and author of Broke Millennial: Stop Scraping By and Get Your Financial Life Together is here to help! Broke Millennial, the book, is a step-by-step guide on how to go from...
by Marcus | May 4, 2017 | AskPB, Blog, FinGoals, Money, Personal Finance
The following question has been edited into a Q&A format and some details have been changed to keep the listener’s information anonymous. Let us know what you think in the comments below, or if you have a question that needs answering, click the ASK P&B...
by Marcus | May 2, 2017 | Money, Podcast, Podcasts, Work
While the Fyre Festival proves you can’t buy common sense, but you can put a price on ignorance, Rich and Marcus use this week in viral events to try to figure out how a few Instagram models and an admittedly well-produced marketing video scammed hundreds of...
by Marcus | Apr 25, 2017 | Money, Podcast, Podcasts, Work
Time to re-up and recycle the flow. What does that even mean? Well, this week we re-visit our fastest downloaded podcast ever, PB47: Barely Making It on $500K! As an added bonus, we feature half-man, half-legend and guest, the Financial Samurai himself! Financial...
by Marcus | Apr 24, 2017 | AskPB, Blog
We received a great listener question we thought many of our listeners and readers could relate to: should I use my retirement savings to pay off my credit cards? The following question has been edited into a Q&A format and some details have been changed to keep...
by Marcus | Apr 18, 2017 | Guests, Podcast, Podcasts, Work
We’re back this week discussing all things paychecks and office with esteemed guest Tiffany Southerland. Tiff is a Career Coach, purveyor of empowerment, speaker, 3-time Degree champion, lawyer and the host of the How Does She Do It podcast. We had a great time...
by Marcus | Apr 11, 2017 | Money, Podcast, Podcasts, Work
We get back to basics on this week’s Money Minute with simple tips you can use to create a budget you’ll actually stick to. Yes, we here at PB already admitted that budgeting sucks, but is it a necessary evil we just have to follow? Some would argue no,...
by Marcus | Apr 4, 2017 | Guests, Podcast, Podcasts
The rent is too damn high! But, what happens when the mortgage is too high, also? Among many other quarter-to-midlife items on the must have crisis checklist, the “you need to buy a home” struggle is real. Whether we like it or not, many of us still see...
by Marcus | Mar 28, 2017 | Money, Podcast, Podcasts
Is it possible to live paycheck-to-paycheck on $500,000? This 30-year old couple thinks so. Join us this week as we review the budget read around the world and try to figure out how a couple making $500,000 before taxes can only have $7,300 in annual take-home...
by Marcus | Mar 21, 2017 | Guests, Money, Podcast, Podcasts
Back to the finances! Ok, I originally thought this was a clever reference, but I realized while typing it that Back to the Future came out in 1985. While we reflect on our lives as older Millennials, you can enjoy another great guest episode featuring Mandi Woodruff!...
by Marcus | Mar 7, 2017 | Podcast, Podcasts, Work
We go to college to get our “dream jobs,” then we are unable to pursue our dreams because we need the income from the job to pay off the debt incurred from going to college. What a time to be alive! “Simon Sinek (age 43) spoke to The Independent about how...
by Marcus | Feb 28, 2017 | Money, Podcast, Podcasts, Work
“Days go slow. Years go fast.” – Marcus realizes in this week’s Money Minute and This Week in Work hybrid. Rich and Marcus realize that “life comes at you fast” is more than a catchy insurance commercial quote. On this episode, we...
by Marcus | Feb 21, 2017 | Guests, Podcast, Podcasts
This week’s guest is Marc Miller. Marc runs the website CareerPivot.com and blog. His career included 22 years at IBM, thriving tech startups, and a stint as a high school math teacher. After thirty years of wandering the proverbial career desert, Marc learned...
by Marcus | Feb 7, 2017 | Money, Podcast, Podcasts, Work
In this week’s Money Minute, Marcus shares a helpful tool that he has used over the years to research career fields and options from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Thinking of making a job change? Not sure what other professions are related to your current...
by Marcus | Jan 31, 2017 | Podcast, Podcasts, Work
Are you on LinkedIn? Are you using it right? Well, this week Rich leads a discussion on pro tips and life hacks to make sure you’re maximizing your LinkedIn profile. Our discussion covers the following ways to improve your LinkedIn: How to make your LinkedIn...
by Marcus | Jan 24, 2017 | Guests, Podcast, Podcasts
We thought we’d give you a break from the old country for old men podcast with a guest feature with Donovan Frost, whom we had the pleasure of meeting at FinCon16. Donovan is a 25 year old Millennial and the one-man voice behind TheAdaptableAdult.com. Marcus...
by Marcus | Jan 17, 2017 | Money, Podcast, Podcasts
Rich and Marcus return this week with a Money Minute tip and This Week in Work. This is a classic Paychecks and Balances episode. Help us, help you make your money great again! On this show we discuss: Budgeting Sucks: Here’s how “just the tip” or...
by Marcus | Jan 10, 2017 | Money, Podcast, Podcasts
We welcome in 2017 with the awesome couple behind HisAndHerMoney.com, Tai and Talaat McNeely. His and Her Money is a journey of how two high school sweethearts fell in love, got married, but were total opposites when it came to handling their finances. Between being...
by Marcus | Dec 28, 2016 | Blog
It’s been a while since I said this so I’ll repeat myself: Sticking to a budget sucks. There, I said it. I have a budget. I even spent a lot of time developing my budget like the helicopter parent of a small child, or “fur baby” if you’re a...
by Marcus | Dec 27, 2016 | Podcast, Podcasts
Tis the season for Paychecks & Balances annual wrap-up! This has been an awesome year for us but it’s all thanks to you! In 2016, we had our highest downloads, were recognized in the Black Voices in Business category of iTunes, attended FinCon2016 and in...
by Marcus | Dec 20, 2016 | Money, Podcast, Podcasts
“It was all a dream. We used to read Word Up! Magazine…” Technically, none of that applies here since we actually met Wilson at FinCon2016, but it was a dream! After a great master mind conversation with Wilson and other like-minded individuals on...
by Marcus | Dec 13, 2016 | Money, Podcasts
This week we’re humbled and happy to be joined by J.D. Roth, formerly of Get Rich Slowly, and now the mastermind behind MoneyBoss! JD is a true renaissance man — a description I didn’t quite make up but I feel doesn’t get used enough so here we...
by Marcus | Dec 6, 2016 | Podcast, Podcasts
We’re joined by Latisha Styles of LatishaStyles.com and YoungFinances.com. Latisha specializes in helping Millennial entrepreneurs focus their goals so they can maximize their returns. Latisha doesn’t just talk-the-talk, she walks the walk by relying on...
by Marcus | Nov 29, 2016 | Podcast, Podcasts
On this week’s show, we chat with Dennis Restauro, the man behind GroundedReason.com and the Grounded Reason podcast, about cord-cutting aka cutting cable to save money. We explore cable alternatives along with other internet-related things, including sketchy...
by Marcus | Nov 22, 2016 | Podcast, Podcasts
Donna Freedman’s motto: “I save where I can so I can spend where I want.” This week she teaches us how she does it. Donna is the author of Your Playbook For Tough Times: Living Large On Small Change, For The Short Term Or The Long Haul and she has over 20 years...
by Marcus | Nov 15, 2016 | Podcast, Podcasts
We’re trying something new this week folks: Paychecks & Body. When you’re caught up in the day-to-day, week-to-week, and year-to-year hustle, it’s real easy to forget about maintaining your mind, body, and spirit. That’s why on this week...
by Marcus | Nov 8, 2016 | Podcast, Podcasts
We’re back at it with a new episode! This week we’re joined by Tonya Rapley. Tonya runs My Fab Finance, a website dedicated to helping readers and listeners like you break the cycle of living paycheck to paycheck so that you can live free and do more of...
by Marcus | Nov 1, 2016 | Podcast, Podcasts
This week we’re joined by Personal Finance Coach and author of Small Business Finance for the Busy Entrepreneur, Sylvia Inks! Sylvia is an experienced business consultant that worked for one of the largest professional services firms in the world before turning...
by Marcus | Oct 11, 2016 | Podcast, Podcasts
We’re joined by Doctor Katisha, an all-around dope Paychecks & Balances listener. She emailed us in response to PB18, the Cash Only episode. Turns out she has a pretty robust bank account system that we thought would help our listeners go beyond the 15 minute...
by Marcus | Sep 27, 2016 | Podcast, Podcasts
After the initial excitement of a new job opportunity wears off, a listener begins to wonder if this move was the right move after she is confronted with an unfortunate reality check underneath the surface. It turns out things are a little bit different behind the...
by Marcus | Sep 20, 2016 | Podcast, Podcasts
Marcus has an epiphany: “You can spend less money than you make or make more money than you spend.” What does that even mean?!!? Well, in the game of Paychecks & Balances you can work harder or you can work smarter. In this week’s Money Minute...
by Marcus | Sep 13, 2016 | Podcast, Podcasts
It’s hard to believe it. Marcus’ book — yes, the one he has been talking about for over 3 years — is finally available in stores in paperback and as an eBook. Visit paychecksandbalances.com/DebtFree to buy the book and learn more helpful tips...
by Marcus | Aug 30, 2016 | Podcast, Podcasts
We received two great debt-related questions this week. A listener recommends the “snowball” treatment, and another listener ask please help “fix my debt.” We’re always happy to answer the questions, you ask and we research! Excuse the...
by Marcus | Aug 25, 2016 | Podcast, Podcasts
All cost of living aint equal. Don’t we know it! This week a listener runs into a familiar problem: It’s a great job opportunity, but it’s not located in my current city of residence. How do I adjust for the cost of living changes? Well, there...
by Marcus | Aug 23, 2016 | Podcast, Podcasts
THE REVOLUTION WILL NOT BE TELEVISED! WIM was finally released from protective custody this week, and in a double secret probation reveal, he is un-trapped from the closet as he discusses his upcoming book and his government name, and that’s just the first five...
by Marcus | Aug 18, 2016 | Podcast, Podcasts
It’s the question you hate to ask but may inevitably face: When Should I Leave My Job? This week, a listener wonder just that when a promising opportunity arises even though they weren’t even looking to leave their current job. I’ve currently been...
by Marcus | Aug 16, 2016 | Podcast, Podcasts
Optimist, Skeptics, and Cynics: which one are you? Fancy yourself a “Realist”? We discuss the three types and why it’s ok to occupy two of these groups, but not the third. This week’s motivational quote? “People who say it cannot be done should...
by Marcus | Aug 9, 2016 | Podcast, Podcasts
CASH ONLY! Are you living a cash only lifestyle? With help from MoneyQandA.com we discuss the pros and cons of leaving credit behind for the almighty dollar, dollar bill, yall. It’s not easy, but it can be done. But, is the cash only life for you? We talk about...
by Marcus | Aug 2, 2016 | Podcast, Podcasts
On this week’s Paychecks And Balances ‘Money Minute’ we discover some easy ways to find money that’s literally laying around your house. The average American has $100 in unused gift cards. Are you one of them? Pretty sure you’ve spent all...
by Marcus | Jul 28, 2016 | Podcast, Podcasts
This week a Listener Recommendation for a new budgeting app and a question about retirement investments leads us to a lengthy discussion on budgeting wins and fails. Using free software and a free retirement checklist are obviously a good choice as it requires no...
by Marcus | Jul 26, 2016 | Podcast, Podcasts
This week we introduce a new segment: “The Money Minute.” On our first Money Minute we introduce NerdWallet’s 2015 AMERICAN HO– USEHOLD CREDIT CARD DEBT STUDY, which uses survey data to measure the average American’s household debt from...
by Marcus | Jul 19, 2016 | Podcast, Podcasts
This week, Rich recounts his experience and lessons from the most recent Podcast Movement 2016 in Chicago. It was a great opportunity for Rich to represent PayChecksAndBalances and connect with some listeners, followers, and talented content creators in the podcasting...
by Marcus | Jun 28, 2016 | Podcast, Podcasts
This week we’re reminded about priorities: life vs. work. Adulting comes at you fast. Are Millennials destined to choose between work and life? Is the “work/life balance” a figment of our generation’s imagination? We try to figure it all out on...
by Marcus | Jun 7, 2016 | Podcast, Podcasts
http://rss.acast.com/paycheck/pb12-careerchangespt.1/media.mp3 This week a listener question leads to a thoughtful response from Rich and WIM on career choices and lessons learned. Thinking of a career change? This episode covers the advice we’ve used or heard...
by Marcus | Jun 3, 2016 | Podcast, Podcasts
http://rss.acast.com/paycheck/qa7-coverletters-infointerviews/media.mp3 We answered two listener questions this week. Have a question you’d like us to answer? Contact us! 1. Hey Rich and WIM! I love the show! It has been a wealth of information as I try to...
by Marcus | May 31, 2016 | Podcast, Podcasts
http://rss.acast.com/paycheck/pb11-creditcardtips-badmoneyhabits/media.mp3 This week we discuss why it’s important (and beneficial) to keep your income profile updated on your credit card(s). In the market for a new credit card? We also discuss the pros/cons and...
by Marcus | May 24, 2016 | Podcast, Podcasts
http://rss.acast.com/paycheck/pb10-themillennialcrisis/media.mp3 “The Millennials shall inherit the Earth.” – Ancient Internet Proverb In 2015, Millennials passed Baby Boomers as the largest generation. So, what now? Are we too young to start...
by Marcus | May 17, 2016 | Podcast, Podcasts
http://traffic.libsyn.com/paychecksandbalances/PB9.mp3 This week we follow-up on a success story from a listener’s following of our advice form PB8: Credit Roulette. On the career management and job front we discuss the following quote: What do you think? Is it...
by Marcus | May 10, 2016 | Podcast, Podcasts
http://traffic.libsyn.com/paychecksandbalances/PB8.mp3 PAYMENTS? Credit card, PAYMENTS? WE TALKING CREDIT CARDS PAYMENTS??? That’s right friends. We talking credit card payments. This week we also address two listener questions from our Twitter account:...
by Marcus | May 3, 2016 | Podcast, Podcasts
http://traffic.libsyn.com/paychecksandbalances/PB7.mp3 On a quick note, Rich discusses the benefits of keeping your credit card information up-to-date (income, address, etc.). However, this week’s main topics? Career moves you can make in your 20s to win in your...
by Marcus | Apr 26, 2016 | Podcast, Podcasts
http://traffic.libsyn.com/paychecksandbalances/QA5.mp3 We got some great feedback and some great questions this week! Check them out below. Have a question of your own? You ask the questions. We find the answers. Email us: info@paychecksandbalances.com My boss is...
by Marcus | Apr 19, 2016 | Podcast, Podcasts
http://traffic.libsyn.com/paychecksandbalances/PB6.mp3 A listener comments, “I wish they’d mentioned earning more $$$!” Ask and ye shall receive! We’ve got good news and bad news. You can definitely make more money, but it’ll take a...
by Marcus | Apr 11, 2016 | Podcast, Podcasts
http://traffic.libsyn.com/paychecksandbalances/PB5.mp3 This week on Paychecks and Balances we discuss interview questions you should always be prepared to answer when you’re looking to secure that next paycheck. Topics include: how to prepare for an interview;...
by Marcus | Apr 5, 2016 | Podcast, Podcasts
http://traffic.libsyn.com/paychecksandbalances/PBQA4.mp3 This week in PaychecksAndBalances Q&A: What’s up fellas, congrats on the new pod. You guys have helped me make some great moves in advancing my career. So thank you for that. I am currently working in...
by Marcus | Mar 29, 2016 | Podcast, Podcasts
http://traffic.libsyn.com/paychecksandbalances/PB4.mp3 Size doesn’t matter! Well, when it comes to your personal finances anyway. Do you have at least $2,000 in debt or more? Simply adding $10 extra dollars to your minimum payment can save you thousands...
by Marcus | Mar 25, 2016 | Podcast, Podcasts
http://traffic.libsyn.com/paychecksandbalances/PBQA3.mp3 This week, Paychecks & Balances is happy to introduce “Ask a Professional.” We’ve realized that we don’t know everything, but we do know people who know a lot of answers to those...
by Marcus | Mar 21, 2016 | Podcast, Podcasts
http://traffic.libsyn.com/paychecksandbalances/PB3.mp3 Don’t call it a comeback! We’re back this week with Part 2 of Office Habits That Hold You Back. Picking up where we left off last week, we talk about how introverts can overcome the “why are you...
by Marcus | Mar 17, 2016 | Podcast, Podcasts
http://traffic.libsyn.com/paychecksandbalances/QA2.mp3 Welcome to Paychecks & Balances Question and Answer. This week we answer the following: How do you handle a situation where someone that does not report to you isn’t doing their job but it is impacting...
by Marcus | Mar 14, 2016 | Podcast, Podcasts
http://traffic.libsyn.com/paychecksandbalances/PB2.mp3 On this week’s Paycheck & Balances we discuss tips for getting ahead at work and how the simple wording of an email might be holding you back. Do you find yourself apologizing too much for missing...
by Marcus | Mar 8, 2016 | Podcast, Podcasts
http://traffic.libsyn.com/paychecksandbalances/PBQA.mp3 Welcome to Paychecks & Balances first Question and Answer session. This week we tackle two listener questions: In the middle of a job search (looking for more money & more responsibility) and just found...
by Marcus | Mar 8, 2016 | Podcast, Podcasts
http://traffic.libsyn.com/paychecksandbalances/PB1.mp3 Welcome to the first episode of Paychecks & Balances. We know time is money, so we didn’t waste any time tackling our first show topic: “Paycheck Plateaus.” What’s a Paycheck Plateau?...
