You have probably gone through years of schooling and come out knowing very little about personal finance. Despite this failure in our education system, we find ourselves needing to make tons of choices related to planning for, earning and using our dollars. You may have already spent hours and hours researching the best money moves only to end up with conflicting information. The journey to financial literacy is intended to give all of us the information that we need to make empowered and well informed decisions about our money. Through the Spondulix Podcast, we can all embark on this journey together. We will be touching every topic from the perspective of who is still on the journey and still learning. I invite you all to come talk money with me! ...
Ep 9: Mutual Funds 101 – What is a Mutual Fund?
You have definitely heard the term "mutual fund." This term is thrown around A LOT in conversations about investing and in money conversations more generally. Investing in a mutual fund is a way for an investor to buy into a larger portion of the market. In this episode, I get into the basic details of mutual funds and how they operate. As a bonus, I break down the concept of an index fund and talk about the S&P 500. Come talk money with me! ...
Ep 8: Saving for College Using a 529 Plan
Are you trying to figure out the best way to save for your education, or your children's education? A 529 education savings plan may be a great option for you. In addition to being useful for covering the costs of college & grad school, you can use a 529 education savings plan to pay for non-traditional forms of education including vocational schools (think culinary school) and even some international schools.Portions of the funds you save and invest in a 529 plan can be used to help cover elementary and secondary education costsYou can contribute up to $10,000 from a 529 plan toward student loans This plan allows you to set aside, invest, and grow money to help cover educational expenses. This plan can also be used to help out other students in your life, including nieces, nephews and grandchildren. In this episode I get into the details of these plans and how they work. As always, come talk money with me! ...
Ep 7: A Quick Tip to Increase Your Credit Score
Looking for a simple way to help bump up your credit score? This episode gives you a tip to help you do just that. Credit Utilization amounts for about 30% of your credit score. Using this tip, you can lower your credit utilization and increase your credit score. Join me on the road to a strong credit score, and as always, come talk money with me! ...
Ep 6: Let’s Talk Health Savings Accounts (HSA)
Are Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) a well-kept secret? An HSA is an extremely useful tool for helping to cover the costs of healthcare. In addition to HSAs' healthcare benefits, these accounts offer a triple tax benefit, investment options as well as potential retirement benefits. In this episode, I talk all about HSAs and tell you why everyone should consider opening one. I also discuss how you can maximize your HSA once you have it. Come talk money with me! ...
Ep.5: A Different Type of Budget
Do you keep a monthly budget? Does the word budget freak you out? Creating a spending plan or a budget may help you ensure that you have enough money for the things you need and more importantly, the things you want. In this episode I explore three types of budgets in the hopes of finding one that speaks to me and hopefully speaks to you. Come talk money with me! ...