Basic Training

Starting a family is an amazing journey. There's an emotional part, a practical part and even a financial part. Starting a family through surrogacy has all of those things, plus some challenges that only someone who's gone through them can really appreciate. Heather Hays joins Steve to discuss.

In this episode, Eric Armstrong, President and Partner at Quick Roofing talks with Steve about all the questions you should be asking before hiring a roofer and probably don't. Do roofers have to be licensed? Insured? Should you have to pay money upfront? How to discuss setting a completion date with your roofer, what the term bonded really means and why you should be cautious of it, how to spot common roofing mistakes and what to do about them.

In this episode, adding a price tag to your knowledge, overcoming the fear of getting started, and using social media as a tool to build your business.

In this episode, knowing the rules for getting the best deal, accessing upgrades, freebies, perks and discounts, PLUS -- why the best deals go to nice people!

In this episode, the concept of paying yourself first, budgets: why they don't work and what you should use instead, the Escalator to Wealth and why Millennials are missing out.

In this episode, The lesson of the Candy Tax and how to get control of your money, YOLO, FOMO and the biggest barriers to get Millennials to start saving, social media and the fear of losing friends by being seen as frugal.

In this episode, Why it really is harder than it used to be to save, What to do if your employer doesn't offer a 410(k) retirement plan, choosing the best credit card for you, and Why you may need a credit freeze after the Equifax data breach

In this episode, The most common mistake people make with their 401(k), what's considered "bad" debt and why you should get rid of it first, and if there's a right amount you should be saving for retirement.

In this episode, cutting the cost of your groceries 20-percent by getting one ingredient on sale, using the store sale prices and coupons to help decide what's for dinner, coupon apps vs store circulars which is better?

Steve talks with Michelle Manners, First Vice President - Investment Officer, Wells Fargo Advisors about where to begin building a financial future together, when to keep some accounts or credit cards personal, what to do when one of you has dents in his/her credit, how clean should your credit really be (hint: VERY), and the right amount of debt to keep and why that should determine which credit cards to keep, and which ones to close.

Steve discusses possible changes in the Dodd-Frank Law with Ken Goodgames, CEO of the Community Council of Greater Dallas about what the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act was designed to do, Why avoiding knee-jerk reactions to bad financial news can help you succeed, and avoiding predatory lending.

In this episode, why you shouldn't try and lose weight or get fit on your own, deciding what change you really need to make and which ones are a waste of time, and technique to get your conscious and unconscious minds working together to help you!

Certified financial planner Ken Moraif from Money Matters with Ken Moraif joins Steve to discuss how to get started on saving money and building wealth - no matter how much money you make! Plus: the biggest misconceptions people have about money management, why financial planners are not just for rich people, what's the difference between fee-based vs. commission-based advisors, how to max out your savings potential, IRA and Roth IRAs explained, facing up to a financial rough spot and how to conquer the problem, and putting your investments on auto-pilot.

Mary Jalonick from the Dallas Foundation talks with Steve about how to make every dollar count when you donate to charity. Plus: how to pick a charity, why you should volunteer with an organization before giving money, what to look for on charity monitoring websites like GuideStar or Charity Navigator, why sharing the news that you donated will help multiply your gift, how to give to charity as a family, and explaining the Giving for Good card to benefit any charity in the United States.

Former IRS attorney Deborah Gregory talks with Steve about beating the tax man - and saving money - by planning ahead. Plus: what to expect from a Trump tax plan and how you can take advantage, if you have losses there is a way to capitalize on how you report them, how to dig yourself out from under a big tax bill, and why getting an extension doesn't buy you any more time to pay.

Kyle James, founder of Rather-Be-Shopping.com spends his days trying to find the best online coupon codes, printable coupons, and bargains at all your favorite online stores. Steve and Kyle take about: developing in-store relationships to find insider tips and deals, which stores have the best deals on which days (like Anthropologie, Best Buy, CVS, Old Navy), how to spot the products that haven't reached their lowest price, which stores will likely give you price adjustments on clearance items, and how to get access to coupons that aren't usually available to everyone.

Casey Runyan joins us from BradsDeals.com - a team of deal experts scouring the web every day to find the best deals on just about everything. Casey and Steve talk about: customizing deals available just the ones you want, the best way to prepare for Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales to max out savings, and good news about Xbox and Playstation pricing this year.

Jen Freeman is a television personality, nationally acclaimed speaker, was featured on TLC's Extreme Couponing and Extreme Couponing All-Stars. Steve talks with Jen about: taking the extreme out of extreme couponing and still getting the savings, why printed newspaper coupons are still the best way to save, timing coupons and sales so that you don't get worn out by constantly clipping and saving, how to get deals (including meat and produce) without having to overstock

Katie Cooksey runs KrogerKrazy.com, a wrap-up of the best deals from Kroger. In this episode, Steve and Katie discuss: changes in couponing (no more double-triple coupons) and new ways to save, details on Kroger Mega Events, how to use your store loyalty card to its fullest potential, saving up to a dollar per gallon of gasoline at Kroger fuel stops, and stocking up on coupons for full-price items and waiting until they go on sale.

Steve talks about improving your child's diet to help their school performance with nutrition advisor Alaina O'Daniel from Natural Grocers. Topics include making healthy grab-and-go breakfasts, getting vegetables. Yes, vegetables, in your breakfast, how food choices affect attention and school performance, best brain foods and Good Fats, and how to buy the most nutritious eggs.