Cashology by FNBO

In this episode of the Cashology Podcast, Justin sits down with Julia Conover, Branch Manager at FNBO, to discuss a simple yet powerful budgeting tool: the 80/20 rule. Julia walks us through how this method prioritizes 20% of your after-tax income for savings, while the remaining 80% covers everything else. This flexible approach to budgeting can be easier to follow than the more detailed 50/20/30 method and works well for individuals who prefer not to overthink spending.

Learn practical ways to stay committed to saving by setting up multiple savings accounts, automating your savings contributions, and regularly reassessing your financial goals. Whether you’re looking to build savings or just want a simpler approach to managing your budget, this episode might help you feel more in control of your financial future.

Listen here and follow @CashologybyFNBO® on YouTube for more!

In this episode of the Cashology Podcast, Chris Turner, FNBO's Community Reinvestment Act officer, joins us. Chris shares her extensive background in banking and her passion for teaching financial literacy, driven by her experiences as a mother and professional. She discusses the concerning state of financial literacy in the U.S., highlighting a statistic that two-thirds of American adults can't pass a basic financial literacy test and more.

Chris and Justin explore the importance of financial education starting at a young age, and discuss the proactive steps FNBO is taking to address this issue, including partnering with schools and organizations like Junior Achievement to teach real-life financial skills. 

Listen here and follow @CashologybyFNBO® on YouTube for more!

In addition, you can refer to these sites for free financial education resources:

It’s time to discuss meal planning with Elyse Lyons, the Savvy Sagittarius. Elyse, celebrated for her no-spend challenges, shares her expertise in meal planning, which she describes as a crucial step toward financial wellness. She explains how meal planning not only helps to reduce grocery bills—one of the most flexible parts of anyone's budget—but also significantly cuts down food waste and prevents impulse buying. 

Throughout the discussion, Elyse provides actionable tips, such as checking one's weekly schedule to align meal preparation with actual available time, and suggests practical tools like digital grocery lists to streamline the process. Learn about using meal planning to foster healthier eating habits, save money, and enjoy stress-free dinners at home. Whether you're a busy parent or merely wanting to be more budget-conscious, Elyse's strategies promise to transform how you approach mealtime and manage your finances.

Listen here and follow @CashologybyFNBO® on YouTube for more!

In this Cashology Podcast, Justin welcomes back Elyse Lyons, also known as The Savvy Sagittarius, to discuss the empowering concept of "No Spend Months." Elyse shares her unique approach to these financial challenges and discusses how no-spend months have not only boosted her savings but also enriched her life by encouraging more meaningful engagements with family and friends. Throughout the episode, Elyse provides practical tips for preparing and succeeding in no-spend challenges, such as closely examining past spending habits and making bulk purchases to cut down on non-essential expenses. This episode is packed with insights on turning financial limitations into opportunities for growth, making it a must-listen for anyone looking to take control of their spending and enhance their financial wellness.

Listen here and follow @CashologybyFNBO® on YouTube for more!

In this episode of the Cashology® Podcast, Justin is joined by Elyse Lyons, also known as the "Queen of the No-Spend Months" and the creator behind The Savvy Sagittarius. Elyse shares her compelling debt-free journey, revealing how a simple need for a vehicle spiraled into $34,000 of debt, which she resolved through relentless dedication, including multiple jobs and side hustles. As a single mom and military veteran, Elyse's story is not only about overcoming financial burdens but also about the emotional and psychological aspects of managing money. 

This episode delves into effective strategies like the debt snowball method, the importance of realistic budgeting, and how understanding personal finance can be transformative. Elyse also touches on the challenges of financial education and offers practical tips for immediate financial improvement, making this a must-listen for anyone looking to enhance their financial literacy and gain control over their finances.

Listen here and follow @CashologybyFNBO® on YouTube for more!

You’ve heard of the five love languages: words of affirmation, physical touch, acts of service, quality time and gifts. We might use them all, but everyone has a dominant way they relate to others.

Everyone has a dominant way they relate to MONEY, too. Their ‘money personality,’ if you will. This could be learned from our parents or formed by our own life experiences. Learning about your money personality can help you discover more about yourself, and create a sound relationship between you and your finances.

Listen here and follow @CashologybyFNBO® on YouTube for more!

It’s almost never too early to start teaching your kids about money. Some key lessons about saving can start as early as two years old. These lessons and the habits they develop will last a lifetime. More valuable than money itself, teaching them about money, and how to save it, can be invaluable. 

Do we start when they’re two? Five? Thirteen?  Let’s dive in and find out in this episode.

Listen here and follow @CashologybyFNBO® on YouTube for more!

Are you into goal setting – but looking for something a little MORE inspirational than a written list?

A financial vision board can be a creative way to identify and think through your goals. Usually a collage of images that represent your goals and aspirations, A financial vision board can help you focus on aligning your money with where you want to be in the future. And…it can be fun to put together.

Listen here and follow @CashologybyFNBO® on YouTube for more!

Have you ever considered becoming a landlord? Maybe you’ve inherited a home. Maybe you have a starter home you’re moving out of and instead of selling, you’re thinking about renting it out. 

Whatever the reason, rental properties can be a good source of passive income. For savings or retirement. And a way to build your net worth.

But there’s a lot more to it than collecting a monthly check. It has to be approached with your eyes wide open.

Listen here and follow @CashologybyFNBO® on YouTube for more!

The research shows it – older people manage to stay happier during tough times. Once you turn 50, your ability to cope with life and all its challenges is at its height. 

One of those challenges can be managing your money. Another might be keeping your retirement plan on track. It takes some discipline and some stick-to-itiveness. So today we’re going to offer some helpful reminders to those in their 50s, still active and earning but on their way to retirement.

This episode of the Cashology Podcast, covers tips and tricks about ‘Managing Money in Your 50’s.”

It’s halftime. And we’re not talking about football here. If you’re in your 40’s, you’re halfway into your working life, into your career. You’ve got twenty-ish more years to go before retirement.

So now is the perfect time to assess your financial situation. How is everything going? Are you where you want to be? Is your game plan on track to meet your future goals? Or do you need to make some halftime adjustments?

This episode of the Cashology Podcast discusses what you should be thinking about when managing your money in your 40’s.

So you’re in your 30’s now. It feels like all the fun is over. You’re starting to go to bed on time. You don’t know why, but part of you actually enjoys going for a run or a yoga class every day. And you’re eating right…most of the time.

But then there’s the hard part of your 30’s. Getting serious about money. 

And it’s the perfect time, too. You’re entering the prime years for building wealth and preparing for life after working. Sound financial decisions today, in your 30’s, will pay off not just at retirement but all along the way.

This episode shares the important things to consider when it comes to managing money in your 30’s. 

Having a baby can be one of the most exciting and anxious times in your life. Exciting because you’re growing your family and bringing a new life into the world. Anxious because parenthood brings with it a lot of unknowns.

One unknown that often gets overlooked – how having a baby will impact your family financially? So let’s talk about that in this episode and see if we can relieve at least some of the anxiety for prospective parents.

This episode of the Cashology Podcast features Lisa Scheve, Director of Core Banking Risk Management. Lisa joins Justin and discusses what to plan for from before baby arrives, to just after. 

Buying a new home, especially for a first-timer, can be intimidating. Saving up for a down payment, finding a real estate agent who works with buyers – and then there’s all the paperwork and documentation.

There’s a lot to consider and pull together. You might worry about making a mistake. But there are people ready to help all along the home loan journey, like your mortgage loan officer, who can walk you through all the steps, tasks and requirements and demystify the entire process. 

One such person is our guest today, Alex Drake, a Mortgage Loan Officer at FNBO.  In this installment of the Cashology Podcast, Juli and Alex help demystify, and hopefully take the fear out of a few aspects of this journey.

Banks play an important role in their communities. Yes, banks provide financial products & services for individuals for businesses, but what else do they do? When a bank is truly in tune with its customers, employees and community partners, they do a lot more than checking and savings accounts, mortgages and business loans.

A bank that is fully-engaged impacts a community on multiple levels and helps individuals and businesses prosper and shine.  Today, our guest, Spencer Danner, VP or Corporate Responsibility, joins us to discuss making a successful community through our program, Impact by FNBO.

Seventy percent of Americans own a pet, according to the most recent survey from the American Pet Products Association. Not surprisingly, close to one in five households acquired a dog or a cat since the beginning of the pandemic.

We think of our pets as family members, but they may be the only members of the family without health insurance. Jason Tellus joins our host Juli Wians for this episode on a topic near and dear to pet owners’ hearts: Insuring Your Pet.

Times are changing, and people are finding new and inventive (or profitable?) ways to make a little side cash. Some are paid bridesmaids. One man in Japan gets paid to be a friend for a day (no word on if he springs for the check at lunch). 

If you’re thinking about taking up a side hustle, you’re not alone. Surveys show that nearly one in three Americans have a side hustle of some kind and a lot more people are considering it. But what’s the trick to the perfect side hustle? 

Juli and guest Molly Diamond unlock some key insights that might just help you avoid common mistakes, save time and make money. 

USEFUL INFO / LINKS

Clean Cut Finance:  160+ Best Side Hustle Ideas​Shopify:24 Best Side Hustle IdeasEntrepreneur: 44 Profitable Ideas to Make Extra Money on the Side

Chances are you’ve noticed prices going up. At the gas pump, at the grocery store, everywhere. Whether you’re shopping for clothes or for a new home, the price of everything seems to be going up. 

While experts predict the rate of inflation to eventually slow, that doesn’t mean prices will ever come back down. So what are some smart ways of coping with inflation? We ask FNBO’s Dustin Elkins, a veteran of the Cashology Podcast, that exact question.  From spending to saving—even car buying—there’s ways to navigate this stressful time.

For more featuring Dustin Elkins, give our August 2021 episode “Credit Card 101” a listen.

New Year’s Resolutions – we all make them. To lose weight, exercise, eat right or to improve some other aspect of our lives, whether it’s to find a new relationship or to find a new job. The big one used to be to stop smoking but maybe that’s given way to a new one – to stop vaping?

Another popular resolution is to improve our finances, and that’s what we’re going to talk about today – how we can make a New Year’s Resolution that we’ll love keeping and that will give us some financial advantages, too. We’re talking about charitable gifting.

Listen here and follow @CashologybyFNBO® on YouTube for more!

Identity theft. Fraud. Most of us believe it can’t happen to us. But really it can happen to anyone, anytime. Anywhere from 7% to 10% of US consumers are victims of identity theft or fraud every year. And this can have such a negative impact on our lives and financial health, lowering our credit scores and costing us hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

So how do can we protect ourselves against identity theft and fraud? That’s the question for today.

Listen here and follow @CashologybyFNBO® on YouTube for more!

There is nothing like starting your own business. It has its advantages, such as control over decisions, future financial upside, and the pursuit of a dream creating a business around a product or service you truly believe in. There is also the challenge side: the owner is on the hook for any shortfall or miscalculation.  So having a plan and a viable offering are very important. 

If you’re thinking about starting your own business, you’d better have a clear view of all the potential successes and challenges.  And that’s what this episode is all about.

Listen here and follow @CashologybyFNBO® on YouTube for more!

In spite of all the new ways we can buy cars these days, it’s still easy to pay way too much. Getting a good deal comes down to doing your research, comparison shopping, deal making, and being willing to walk away.  Whatever you do, be smart.

Today we talk about how to ‘Take the Wheel’ when it comes to buying your next car.

Listen here and follow @CashologybyFNBO® on YouTube for more!

If you’re struggling to save, you’re not alone. Three quarters of us save 10% or less of our monthly paycheck and the rest of us don’t save anything at all. Asked why, most people will point to the high cost of living – saying that recurring bills and expenses eat up most of their paycheck.

But a “pay yourself first” approach can help you build your savings and get you on the road to following a budget.

Listen here and follow @CashologybyFNBO® on YouTube for more!

The term ‘financial planning quarterback.’ It has become a bit of a cliché.  Sometimes it refers to having a financial advisor as your financial planner.  Sometimes, and this seems to be growing in popularity, it refers to how you can be the Quarterback of your OWN finances. And that’s what we want to talk about in this episode.  But how do you start?

We’ll talk about this exact question in this episode.

Listen here and follow @CashologybyFNBO® on YouTube for more!

Credit cards. Convenient, for sure. And a quick way to build good credit, if you use them wisely and pay your credit card bill on time every month. And that’s what we want to talk about today. Understanding credit cards, picking a good one for the way you want to use it and managing it…rather than letting it manage you.

We’re calling this Credit Card 101. And it’s a great topic for anyone starting out with credit cards or who just wants to learn how to better manage the cards they have.

Listen here and follow @CashologybyFNBO® on YouTube for more!

It’s never too soon to build good habits around money and, while your 20s may seem like the time to have fun and too early to get serious about things like retirement, the habits you develop now can have long-lasting impact on your quality of life and financial freedom.

We’re going to take a look at four healthy financial habits to start practicing now – controlling spending, saving regularly, building credit and saving for retirement.

Listen here and follow @CashologybyFNBO® on YouTube for more!

The extra paycheck month. Oh, those are nice months. They help you catch up a little bit. Maybe pay off a bill or put a little extra away in savings? Or…splurge on something you want. But how can you make the most of your money, all year round, so that you’re not waiting on that extra paycheck to make things right? Today, Juli and our guest, Michaela Dombroski help us learn about building a little personal wealth. 

Listen here and follow @CashologybyFNBO® on YouTube for more!

Home improvement projects – they can add real value to your home. But more than that they can help you fall in love with your home all over again. Remodeling the kitchen or adding a bathroom are some common home improvement dreams. Things like energy efficient windows or insulation sound boring but can add a lot of value, too. 

The question is how do you pay for them? That’s what we’re going to talk about today. 

Listen here and follow @CashologybyFNBO® on YouTube for more!

People are doing everything online these days – staying in touch with friends, checking the news, shopping, and banking. Our money, like so many other aspects of our lives, is now mobile. Today, consumers shop more on their phone than they do in-store. And nearly three-quarters of consumers bank online and/or use mobile banking apps.

So how do we keep our money safe online? That’s the question for today.

Listen here and follow @CashologybyFNBO® on YouTube for more!

Who listening right now is SURE they will be financially ready to retire? Show of hands? Most of us might feel a little uneasy about raising that hand. But, no matter where you are on the road to retirement, there are a few key steps you can take to get you back on track.  Juli discusses these key points with this episode’s guest.

Listen here and follow @CashologybyFNBO® on YouTube for more!

What makes a happy marriage? Love, commitment, trust, communication? We could do a lot of podcasts trying to answer that question. But researchers find that one of the keys is being on the same page about money, about how to manage money and family finances. And it’s something that a lot of newlyweds don’t consider before tying the knot.

So what are some good tips for newlyweds – or for that matter any married couple – when it comes to managing their finances? That’s the question for today. And we’ll tackle that question with our guests, Barry and Jennifer Benson. 

Listen here and follow @CashologybyFNBO® on YouTube for more!

What is a financial advisor exactly? What do they do? And should you be working with one? Those are some of the questions we’ll be tackling in this episode. Keep in mind – there’s a financial advisor available for every budget and financial situation. You don’t have to have a ton of money to be working with one.

So, if we want professional help with our finances, how do we find a financial advisor that’s right of us? That’s the question for today.

Listen here and follow @CashologybyFNBO® on YouTube for more!

Put on those ugly sweaters, festive socks, and have some hot chocolate by the fire (but if it’s warmer where you are today, maybe switch the socks for flip flops and don your favorite holiday t-shirt). We’re thinking Holiday spending and saving up in here. Juli sits down with David Erlbacher to talk about strategizing for your festive gift giving. Jingle those bells, people! 

Listen here and follow @CashologybyFNBO® on YouTube for more!

You’re throwing your money away! (Do we have your attention now?) Well, you could be–if you haven’t looked at refinancing your mortgage in a looooooong time. 

In this episode of the Cashology® Podcast, Juli and her guest, Brad Dombrosky will walk you through what mortgage refinancing is, what it’s not, and why it might be a good thing to consider–especially if the factors are right.

4 in 10 Adults aren’t able to withstand an unexpected $400 emergency. Most Americans can’t cover one over $1,000.

On this episode of the FNBO Cashology® Podcast, Juli consults with Adam Heng, Director of Consumer Loan & Deposit Products. Adam provides an insight on knowing what a financial emergency is, how to plan for one, and whether there’s a ‘magic formula’ for setting funds aside in case of an emergency.