Basic Training

Steve talks about keeping a busy house under control with the start of the new school year. This week's guest is best-selling author and Family Manager Kathy Peel. Topics include setting up a family Control Center and working as a family team, school activities and how to prevent over-scheduling your child, why school is the child's career, just like their parents and managing your child's time with their electronic devices.

Steve talks about school start jitters with Nicholas J. Westers, Psy.D., a clinical psychologist at Children's Medical Center and Assistant Professor at UT Southwestern Medical Center. In this episode - telling the difference between nerves and fear, how to be a supportive parent and not a helicopter parent, finding your child's strengths in life and school, helping kids deal with the pressure of social media, and avoiding competition with other kids and other parents.

Two sisters from Fort Worth, Ashley and Whitney, describe themselves as two power tool wielding DIY queens, on a mission to create beautiful and affordable furniture, turning houses into homes. Steve talks with them about how they turned their hobby into a career, the biggest misconceptions about starting your own woodworking projects, the essential tools you should have to start a building project, the basics on selecting lumber and other building supplies, picking starter projects, and making the change from local woodworkers to national TV stars.

Realtor, author and TV host Egypt Sherrod has been named America's most beloved real estate agent. As host of HGTV's top-rated show, Property Virgins, now in its twelfth season, and the upcoming Flipping Virgins. Steve and Egypt talk about when to sweat and when to relax when you're just getting in to real estate, how to keep from getting emotional about buying and selling a home, and why Egypt snickers when Steve mentions real estate websites like Zillow!

Chris is host of DIY Networks "Yard Crashers" and appears with Peyton on HGTV's "Going Yard" where they transform backyards, one house at a time. Steve talks with Chris and Peyton about -- easy yard projects that give homes the biggest bang for their buck, starting small and building out when it comes to yard projects, picking plants and planning for long term for your yard, what their audience doesn't always get to see on TV and how to decide what to plant for your local community.

Are you promotion material? Business consultant Susan Steinbrecher talks with Steve about the things you should be doing right now to maximize your chances of taking a huge step forward on your career path!

You need a raise! But you've probably been too afraid or too cautious to ask. That's where we come in. Steve talks with author and negotiation expert Linda Swindling about the right way to ask for a raise.

You're out on your own after college and now that first paycheck is starting to burn a hole in your pocket! Before you get the urge to spend it all, listen as Steve talks with Jamie Blum, Sr. Financial Consultant at Charles Schwab, about how to make good financial decision from the very beginning of your working life.

We talk with Dallas Central Appraisal District's Cheryl Jordan about how to save money on your property taxes. We'll talk about why the appraisal district is NOT out to get the highest price for your house, what exemptions are available and how to get them, and the best ways to get them to lower your appraised value!

We talk with The Good Contractors List founder and CEO John Hill about the criteria they use to screen contractors.

The number of "free-standing" emergency rooms has skyrocketed, leaving consumers with serious questions about the difference between emergency and urgent care and the huge difference in price between them. Dr. Jay Woody, founder and Chief Medical Officer of LegacyER explains the differences.

"America's Money Answers Man" Jordan Goodman talks with Steve about credit cards, credit card debt, airline cards, and the one state that routinely has the lowest credit card interest rates.

North Texas often takes a beating from wind, hail, and rain and Steve Noviello has a Basic Training special to help you repair the damage while protecting your money! QUICK TIPS: 1. Assess damage and then make temporary repairs 2. Contact your insurance company immediately. 3. Choose contractor carefully - ask neighbors for recommendations, check online reviews. 4. Be cautious of paying anyone in cash. 5. Final payment or completion agreement should never be made until you are happy with the work.

Rod Griffin with credit reporting company Experian discusses what goes into your credit score and how banks and lenders use it to evaluate you.

This week we talk with Rick Seaney, CEO and founder of FareCompare.com about the best day to shop for airline tickets, which airlines lead the way on cheap air fares, and what rights you really have when you're stuck for hours on the tarmac!

Steve sat down with Ken Goodgames, CEO of Transformance, formerly Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Greater Dallas (CCCS). In this episode, they cover: overcoming shame to get to the truth about your financial condition; how to recover when you suffer a financial relapse; the first generation of retirees to carry college debt into their golden years.

Steve explores what you should know about credit unions with Courtney Moran, executive director of the Cornerstone Credit Union Foundation. In this episode, they'll discuss what a credit union is, who can join, how they're regulated, why rates are often better than most banks, and the biggest reason why many people don't make the switch.

Steve talks paying for college with Sarah Jenson, Deputy Director for College Access at The Commit! Partnership. Hear why local students left $30 million dollars in financial aid unclaimed last year, why every student should be filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and the mistakes PARENTS make that can cause major complications for their kids!

In Part 2 of this episode: what to do if your job doesn't offer a 401K savings plan, the difference between an IRA and a Roth IRA, how aggressive you have to be in saving, and whether retiring at age 65 too optimistic.

Steve talks with financial planner Derrick Kinney about the "rules" to the money game and how to increase your chances of winning it!