The Consumerism Commentary Podcast

Today on the Consumerism Commentary Podcast, Bryan J Busch talks to Andrea Woroch, consumer savings expert. They discuss when and why it can be smarter to shop for certain items during the winter. Consumerism Commentary Podcast Best Things to Buy During Winter: S06E17 / 170 jQuery(document).ready(function($) { $('#wp_mep_27').mediaelementplayer({ m:1 ,features: ['playpause','current','progress','duration','volume','tracks','fullscreen'] ,audioWidth:400,audioHeight:30 }); }); Download – RSS – iTunes Table of contents [00:00] Introduction from Bryan J Busch [00:33] Interview with Andrea Woroch – [00:51] Big appliances – [02:42] Christmas wrapping, decorations and lights – [03:18] Using and selling gift cards – [05:06] Linens and bedding – [05:45] Motorcycles – [06:28] Suits, prom dresses and spring formal dresses – [08:28] Video games and TVs, and consider ditching cable for a Roku player – [12:55] Winter coats and winter sport essentials – [13:50] Jewelry – [14:58] Furniture – [15:45] Don’t shop for the current season at the beginning of the season [16:36] End We always welcome feedback from listeners. If you have any comments for this episode or for any other, or if you have suggestions for future episodes, please leave us comments here or email us at podcast at this domain name. Theme music by Mindcube. Podcast 144: Best Things to Buy During Winter is a post from Consumerism Commentary. New to Consumerism Commentary? Start here.

Today on the Consumerism Commentary Podcast, Bryan J Busch talks to Kathy Pickering, Executive Director of H&R Block’s Tax Institute. They discuss the difference between smart investments vs. emotional decisions, the importance of financial planning, and how most people are better off just buying an index fund and ignoring investment gurus. Consumerism Commentary Podcast Tax Law Changes in 2012: S06E13 / 169 jQuery(document).ready(function($) { $('#wp_mep_28').mediaelementplayer({ m:1 ,features: ['playpause','current','progress','duration','volume','tracks','fullscreen'] ,audioWidth:400,audioHeight:30 }); }); Download – RSS – iTunes Table of contents [00:00] Introduction from Bryan J Busch [00:34] Interview with Kathy Pickering – [00:48] Do an annual review of life changes – [01:26] Extending the Payroll Tax Holiday – [02:43] Federally declared disasters and casualty losses – [04:39] Energy efficiency credit (check the list at energystar.gov) – [05:51] American Opportunity Credit for college students, tuition and fees deductions, and the Lifetime Learning Credit – [08:16] Tax credits for adoption – [11:10] Credit for some plug-in cars – [12:10] Brokers are now required to report cost basis of the sale of stocks and securities – [12:59] Health care reform affects on individual and small business taxes – [17:59] Expired hiring credits – [18:55] Changes to be aware of for 2013 – [21:31] E-filing is heavily encouraged and improved [23:56] End We always welcome feedback from listeners. If you have any comments for this episode or for any other, or if you have suggestions for future episodes, please leave us comments here or email us at podcast at this domain name. Theme music by Mindcube. Podcast 143: Tax Law Changes in 2012 is a post from Consumerism Commentary. New to Consumerism Commentary? Start here.

Today on the Consumerism Commentary Podcast, Tom Dziubek talks to Consumerism Commentary founder Flexo about New Year’s resolutions. Flexo discusses several tips to addressing New Year’s resolutions including performing an honest self-assessment, setting goals that are meaningful to you and breaking them down into more manageable chunks. Consumerism Commentary Podcast New Year’s Resolutions: S06E12 / 167 jQuery(document).ready(function($) { $('#wp_mep_29').mediaelementplayer({ m:1 ,features: ['playpause','current','progress','duration','volume','tracks','fullscreen'] ,audioWidth:400,audioHeight:30 }); }); Download – RSS – iTunes Table of contents [00:00] Introduction from Tom Dziubek [00:35] Interview with Flexo – [00:46] New Year’s resolutions – [02:05] Setting the wrong resolutions – [03:00] Self reflection and assessment – [05:42] Setting meaningful resolutions – [07:43] Staying away from “S.M.A.R.T.” goals – [09:02] Creating smaller goals – [10:51] Rewarding yourself – [12:44] Visualizing your goals – [15:00] Taking action – [16:43] Tom’s & Flexo’s resolutions [21:19] End We always welcome feedback from listeners. If you have any comments for this episode or for any other, or if you have suggestions for future episodes, please leave us comments here or email us at podcast at this domain name. Theme music by Mindcube. Podcast 142: New Year’s Resolutions is a post from Consumerism Commentary. New to Consumerism Commentary? Start here.

Today on the Consumerism Commentary Podcast, Bryan J Busch and Flexo speak with Carl Richards, author of the book The Behavior Gap. They discuss the difference between smart investments vs. emotional decisions, the importance of financial planning, and how most people are better off just buying an index fund and ignoring investment gurus. Carl has offered ten 8×10 prints of one of his most relevant sketches to Consumerism Commentary readers and listeners. The sketch explains who to determine what issues are the most important, whether in financial planning or in life. It is a Venn diagram emphasizing the intersection of things that matter and things you can control. The print is on high-quality, thick card stock. Here’s how to get a free 8×10 print of the napkin sketch In order to receive a free print, email book@behaviorgap.com with a subject line indicating you’re participating in the giveaway from Flexo or Consumerism Commentary, and include in the email a proof of purchase. The proof can be a copy of your order notice from Amazon, a picture of your receipt, or anything else that shows you’ve purchased the book. Carl’s team will contact the first ten people directly to ensure the prints find their way to the winners’ hands. Consumerism Commentary Podcast The Behavior Gap: S06E11 / 166 jQuery(document).ready(function($) { $('#wp_mep_30').mediaelementplayer({ m:1 ,features: ['playpause','current','progress','duration','volume','tracks','fullscreen'] ,audioWidth:400,audioHeight:30 }); }); Download – RSS – iTunes Table of contents [00:00] Introduction from Bryan J Busch [00:33] Interview with Carl Richards – [00:57] Explaining financial planning through napkin sketches – [02:45] The behavior gap between smart investments and emotional decisions – [05:08] Past performance really doesn’t predict future results – [09:13] Start with a plan instead of a product – [12:39] Paying off debt is a great investment, maybe even before funding a 401(k) – [16:21] Follow Warren Buffet’s advice and buy an index fund – [21:25] Ignore all investment gurus – [23:42] More money doesn’t solve money problems – [25:31] Financial plans are much less important than the process of creating one and being flexible with them – [27:17] Tools for avoiding making financial mistakes [31:15] End Free Webinar Carl is also presenting a free webinar on building the perfect investment on January 5th at 3 p.m. Eastern time. We always welcome feedback from listeners. If you have any comments for this episode or for any other, or if you have suggestions for future episodes, please leave us comments here or email us at podcast at this domain name. Theme music by Mindcube. Podcast 141: The Behavior Gap is a post from Consumerism Commentary. New to Consumerism Commentary? Start here.

Today on the Consumerism Commentary Podcast, Tom Dziubek talks to Rudy DeFelice, founder of the financial management tool for children and parents, Kidworth. Rudy discusses several topics about Kidworth including what it does, what inspired him to found it, as well as how Kidworth can help children save towards different financial goals. Consumerism Commentary Podcast Kidworth: S06E10 / 165 jQuery(document).ready(function($) { $('#wp_mep_31').mediaelementplayer({ m:1 ,features: ['playpause','current','progress','duration','volume','tracks','fullscreen'] ,audioWidth:400,audioHeight:30 }); }); Download – RSS – iTunes Table of contents [00:00] Introduction from Tom Dziubek [00:37] Interview with Rudy DeFelice – [00:49] Inspiration for Kidworth – [01:22] What Kidworth does – [01:53] Using Kidworth – [02:59] Saving, spending and sharing – [04:29] Telling friends and family – [06:25] Choosing the gift – [06:59] Making the contribution – [08:46] Combining a physical gift with a contribution – [13:48] Children using the website – [14:31] How Kidworth makes money – [16:19] Changing monetary behaviors [18:44] End We always welcome feedback from listeners. If you have any comments for this episode or for any other, or if you have suggestions for future episodes, please leave us comments here or email us at podcast at this domain name. Theme music by Mindcube. Podcast 140: Kidworth is a post from Consumerism Commentary. New to Consumerism Commentary? Start here.

Today on the Consumerism Commentary Podcast, Bryan J Busch talks to Jonathan Zschau, author of the book Buying and Owning a Mac: Secrets Apple Doesn’t Want You to Know. They discuss the staggering frequency of commercials in daily life, how it’s easier to avoid than resist the temptation to shop, and the convincing argument that money and possessions don’t make people any happier. Consumerism Commentary Podcast Buying and Owning a Mac: Secrets Apple Doesn’t Want You to Know: S06E09 / 163 jQuery(document).ready(function($) { $('#wp_mep_32').mediaelementplayer({ m:1 ,features: ['playpause','current','progress','duration','volume','tracks','fullscreen'] ,audioWidth:400,audioHeight:30 }); }); Download – RSS – iTunes Table of contents [00:00] Introduction from Bryan J Busch [00:34] Interview with Jonathan Zschau – [00:46] The right time to buy a new Mac, and good reasons to choose an older model – [06:16] AppleCare isn’t a good idea for everyone – [11:25] Methods for preventing theft or retrieving a stolen device – [15:17] Never hesitate to ask Apple to fix a problem – [19:27] When does the Lemon Law come into play? [22:54] End We always welcome feedback from listeners. If you have any comments for this episode or for any other, or if you have suggestions for future episodes, please leave us comments here or email us at podcast at this domain name. Theme music by Mindcube. Podcast 139: Buying and Owning a Mac: Secrets Apple Doesn’t Want You to Know is a post from Consumerism Commentary. New to Consumerism Commentary? Start here.

Today on the Consumerism Commentary Podcast, Tom Dziubek talks to Scott Gerber, co-founder of the startup accelerator and investment company Gen Y Capital Partners. Scott talks about the mission of Gen Y Capital Partners, their relationship with the Young Entrepreneur Council and their recent partnership with the White House on their “Pay as You Earn” program. Consumerism Commentary Podcast Shiny Obects: S06E08 / 164 jQuery(document).ready(function($) { $('#wp_mep_33').mediaelementplayer({ m:1 ,features: ['playpause','current','progress','duration','volume','tracks','fullscreen'] ,audioWidth:400,audioHeight:30 }); }); Download – RSS – iTunes Table of contents [00:00] Introduction from Tom Dziubek [00:37] Interview with Scott Gerber – [00:50] Gen Y Capital Partners – [02:32] The Young Entrepreneur Council – [04:10] Gen Y entrepreneurs as a target audience – [05:17] The market sectors being targeted – [05:58] Being an entrepreneur in today’s economy – [07:12] Who should be an entrepreneur – [09:42] Funding for entrepreneurs – [11:18] Finding capital – [13:19] Applying for funding with Gen Y – [14:08] Funding in exchange for business equity – [14:56] Partnership with the White House – [18:25] Accomplishments so far [21:00] End We always welcome feedback from listeners. If you have any comments for this episode or for any other, or if you have suggestions for future episodes, please leave us comments here or email us at podcast at this domain name. Theme music by Mindcube. Podcast 138: Gen Y Capital Partners is a post from Consumerism Commentary. New to Consumerism Commentary? Start here.

Today on the Consumerism Commentary Podcast, Bryan J Busch talks to Dr. James Roberts, author of the book Shiny Objects. They discuss the staggering frequency of commercials in daily life, how it’s easier to avoid than resist the temptation to shop, and the convincing argument that money and possessions don’t make people any happier. Consumerism Commentary Podcast Shiny Obects: S06E07 / 162 jQuery(document).ready(function($) { $('#wp_mep_34').mediaelementplayer({ m:1 ,features: ['playpause','current','progress','duration','volume','tracks','fullscreen'] ,audioWidth:400,audioHeight:30 }); }); Download – RSS – iTunes Table of contents [00:00] Introduction from Bryan J Busch [00:33] Interview with Dr. James Roberts – [00:45] According to science, happiness doesn’t increase with spending or owning things – [04:16] The media encourages us to shop, and it’s effective – [05:12] Instead of being frugal or wasteful, try to be unconflicted – [07:10] Commercials, product placements and unrealistic portrayals of life – [09:48] Credit cards make you overestimate your available wealth – [12:12] Perceived obsolescence – [15:31] Several ways to avoid temptation instead of resisting it – [21:39] Convince yourself that money and possessions won’t make you happier [22:46] End We always welcome feedback from listeners. If you have any comments for this episode or for any other, or if you have suggestions for future episodes, please leave us comments here or email us at podcast at this domain name. Theme music by Mindcube. Podcast 137: Shiny Objects is a post from Consumerism Commentary. New to Consumerism Commentary? Start here.

Today on the Consumerism Commentary Podcast, Tom Dziubek talks to Paula Pant, journalist, entrepreneur and founder of the personal finance website Afford Anything. Paula talks about several landlord-related topics, including what to look for when purchasing a property, how tenants see properties different than landlords and the kind of work a landlord should expect. Consumerism Commentary Podcast Becoming a Landlord: S06E06 / 161 jQuery(document).ready(function($) { $('#wp_mep_35').mediaelementplayer({ m:1 ,features: ['playpause','current','progress','duration','volume','tracks','fullscreen'] ,audioWidth:400,audioHeight:30 }); }); Download – RSS – iTunes Table of contents [00:00] Introduction from Tom Dziubek [00:36] Interview with Paula Pant – [00:54] Owning rental properties – [01:51] Analyzing a property’s profitability – [03:04] Expenses involved – [04:08] Things to look for in a property – [05:19] Renting to professionals – [06:54] The affect of the number of rental units – [08:39] Paula’s experience – [10:19] Fixer-uppers and meeting the needs of the tenant – [12:25] The costs of fixing up a house – [16:40] Income tax implications – [19:26] Being a landlord – [21:54] Finding good tenants – [23:05] What tenants look for – [23:38] Tasks to outsource [28:17] End We always welcome feedback from listeners. If you have any comments for this episode or for any other, or if you have suggestions for future episodes, please leave us comments here or email us at podcast at this domain name. Theme music by Mindcube. Podcast 136: Becoming a Landlord is a post from Consumerism Commentary. New to Consumerism Commentary? Start here.

Today on the Consumerism Commentary Podcast, Bryan speaks with Dinah Sanders, author of Discardia: More Life, Less Stuff. Discardia is a holiday, a philosophy, and now a book that explains why life is more stressful as a result of having too much stuff, or the wrong kind of stuff. The book is filled with advice and soundproof logic that can help you make room for awesomeness. Consumerism Commentary Podcast Discardia: S06E05 / 157 jQuery(document).ready(function($) { $('#wp_mep_36').mediaelementplayer({ m:1 ,features: ['playpause','current','progress','duration','volume','tracks','fullscreen'] ,audioWidth:400,audioHeight:30 }); }); Download – RSS – iTunes Table of contents [00:00] Introduction from Bryan J Busch [00:33] Interview with Dinah Sanders – [00:45] Discardia’s origin – [02:37] Being in the mood for cleaning – [03:41] Have more by getting rid of stuff – [05:35] Why we keep stuff we don’t use – [07:25] Finding a favorite place to reconnect with yourself – [11:06] Clean in chunks, not stacks – [14:31] Releasing potential with an empty drawer – [16:36] Financial motivation for making a happier home – [18:31] Avoid retail therapy – [20:22] Keeping stuff because of guilt – [23:19] Selling vs. donating – [24:24] Deciding which books to keep – [28:01] End We always welcome feedback from listeners. If you have any comments for this episode or for any other, or if you have suggestions for future episodes, please leave us comments here or email us at podcast at this domain name. Theme music by Mindcube. Podcast 135: Discardia is a post from Consumerism Commentary. New to Consumerism Commentary? Start here.

Today on the Consumerism Commentary Podcast, Tom Dziubek talks to Ryan Bales, founder and CEO of the personal finance website and software Budgetable. Ryan talks about how he founded Budgetable with his brother, how the software works and what he feels are the shortcomings of traditional budgeting methods. Consumerism Commentary Podcast Bank Transfer Day: S06E04 / 159 jQuery(document).ready(function($) { $('#wp_mep_37').mediaelementplayer({ m:1 ,features: ['playpause','current','progress','duration','volume','tracks','fullscreen'] ,audioWidth:400,audioHeight:30 }); }); Download – RSS – iTunes Table of contents [00:00] Introduction from Tom Dziubek [00:36] Interview with Ryan Bales – [00:48] The founding of Budgetable – [04:06] Shortfalls of existing budget software – [04:50] How Budgetable works – [05:50] Budgetable’s user interaction – [11:08] Failures with current budgeting methods – [13:23] Using Budgetable – [14:01] Smart phone app plans – [14:21] The Financial Blogger Conference [16:56] End We always welcome feedback from listeners. If you have any comments for this episode or for any other, or if you have suggestions for future episodes, please leave us comments here or email us at podcast at this domain name. Theme music by Mindcube. Podcast 134: Budgetable is a post from Consumerism Commentary. New to Consumerism Commentary? Start here.

Today on the Consumerism Commentary Podcast, Bryan talks to Chris Camillo, author of Laughing at Wall Street: How I Beat the Pros at Investing (by Reading Tabloids, Shopping at the Mall, and Connecting on Facebook) and How You Can, Too. Chris advises avoiding standard Wall Street advice and focusing on social networks, personal shopping research and pop culture for discovering investment ideas. Consumerism Commentary Podcast Bank Transfer Day: S06E03 / 158 jQuery(document).ready(function($) { $('#wp_mep_38').mediaelementplayer({ m:1 ,features: ['playpause','current','progress','duration','volume','tracks','fullscreen'] ,audioWidth:400,audioHeight:30 }); }); Download – RSS – iTunes Table of contents [00:00] Introduction from Bryan J Busch [00:33] Interview with Chris Camillo – [00:51] Technical analysis and fundamental analysis – [04:49] 401(k) plans – [07:17] Finding money for investing – [09:26] Missing Snapple – [11:11] Information arbitrage – [14:40] Applying the scientific method – [18:42] Rewarding your network of helpers – [19:42] Performing analysis research – [22:52] Investment ideas surround us every day – [25:33] End We always welcome feedback from listeners. If you have any comments for this episode or for any other, or if you have suggestions for future episodes, please leave us comments here or email us at podcast at this domain name. Theme music by Mindcube. Podcast 133: Laughing at Wall Street is a post from Consumerism Commentary. New to Consumerism Commentary? Start here.

Today on the Consumerism Commentary Podcast, Bryan speaks with Kristen Christian of Bank Transfer Day about why she got tens of thousands of people to agree to move to a credit union. They discuss why banks keep adding fees after posting significant profits, clearing up misconceptions about who can join a credit union, how to find one and what to expect. Consumerism Commentary Podcast Bank Transfer Day: S06E02 / 160 jQuery(document).ready(function($) { $('#wp_mep_39').mediaelementplayer({ m:1 ,features: ['playpause','current','progress','duration','volume','tracks','fullscreen'] ,audioWidth:400,audioHeight:30 }); }); Download – RSS – iTunes Table of contents [00:00] Introduction from Bryan J Busch [00:34] Interview with Kristen Christian – [00:46] Bank Transfer Day goals – [01:24] Involvement with Bank Transfer Day – [01:57] Credit unions vs. neighborhood banks – [05:01] Why banks are adding fees – [08:07] Benefits of credit unions – [09:53] November 5 – [12:19] How to switch from a bank to a credit union – [13:48] Responsible lending and lower interest rates – [15:22] Causing a disturbance – [16:48] End We always welcome feedback from listeners. If you have any comments for this episode or for any other, or if you have suggestions for future episodes, please leave us comments here or email us at podcast at this domain name. Theme music by Mindcube. Podcast 132: Bank Transfer Day is a post from Consumerism Commentary. New to Consumerism Commentary? Start here.

Today on the Consumerism Commentary Podcast, Bryan and Flexo talk with Sarah from The $60K Project about how she and her partner Mike paid off many thousands in debt in less than a year, what they learned along the way, and what they want to do now that they can afford to take some risks. Consumerism Commentary Podcast The $60K Project: S06E01 / 156 jQuery(document).ready(function($) { $('#wp_mep_40').mediaelementplayer({ m:1 ,features: ['playpause','current','progress','duration','volume','tracks','fullscreen'] ,audioWidth:400,audioHeight:30 }); }); Download – RSS – iTunes Table of contents [00:00] Introduction from Bryan J Busch [00:34] Interview with Flexo and Sarah – [00:53] Living paycheck to paycheck, starting the $60K Project – [04:08] Pay off $60,000 in just ten months – [05:10] Choosing debt payoff goals – [07:04] Higher education expenses – [08:45] Emotional aspect of paying off debt – [10:48] Creating a website about paying your debt – [12:46] Switch from debt repayment to saving – [14:26] Creating a 12 step program – [15:39] Drawbacks while cutting costs – [16:12] The 12 Steps to Financial Freedom – [25:34] Financial freedom after paying off debt – [28:29] End We always welcome feedback from listeners. If you have any comments for this episode or for any other, or if you have suggestions for future episodes, please leave us comments here or email us at podcast at this domain name. Theme music by Mindcube. Podcast 131: The $60K Project is a post from Consumerism Commentary. New to Consumerism Commentary? Start here.

On today’s Consumerism Commentary Podcast, Tom Dziubek speaks with Richard and Linda Eyre, authors of the book The Entitlement Trap: How to Rescue Your Child with a New Family System of Choosing, Earning, and Ownership. Richard and Linda discuss several concepts in the book including the definition of entitlement, the five family laws and reversing the behavior of a spoiled child. Consumerism Commentary Podcast #130 Richard & Linda Eyre, The Entitlement Trap: S05E26 / 155 jQuery(document).ready(function($) { $('#wp_mep_41').mediaelementplayer({ m:1 ,features: ['playpause','current','progress','duration','volume','tracks','fullscreen'] ,audioWidth:400,audioHeight:30 }); }); Download – RSS – iTunes Table of contents [00:00] Introduction from Tom Dziubek [00:36] Interview with Richard and Linda Eyre – [00:54] Definition of entitlement – [01:54] The measurability of entitlements – [02:46] The difference between generations – [04:15] Instant and delayed gratification – [05:52] Nurturing self-esteem – [06:58] Valuing effort over results – [09:12] Giving children “ownership” – [11:47] When children can perceive ownership – [13:54] Five family laws – [14:53] Positive reinforcement and entitlement – [19:32] Money and the “family bank” – [22:28] Avoiding focusing too much on money – [23:14] Reversing bad behavior in children – [26:18] Helping children set goals [29:52] End We always welcome feedback from listeners. If you have any comments for this episode or for any other, or if you have suggestions for future episodes, please leave us comments here or email us at podcast at this domain name. Theme music by Mindcube. Podcast 130: Richard and Linda Eyre, The Entitlement Trap is a post from Consumerism Commentary. New to Consumerism Commentary? Start here.