rich & REGULAR with Kiersten and Julien Saunders

Every year, we set aside an episode just for new grads, and this year’s version is an evolved view of last year’s advice to “Get Paid”. Because let’s keep it a buck, the Class of 2025 is graduating into a mess.The job market is weird, AI is replacing entry-level work, internships aren’t converting, and employers say they’re hiring, but for what? Meanwhile, everything is expensive and everyone online is yelling about branding yourself by Tuesday.So in this episode, we’re flipping the script on the typical “follow your dreams” fluff and offering a much-needed mindset shift: Get paid to learn. Not just money, not just skills. Both. Because learning is leverage and knowing how to spot a valuable opportunity might be the most important skill of all.This one’s for grads, career switchers, freelancers, and frankly anyone who wants to learn how to assess opportunities based on what they give you, not just what they demand.We talk about:Why “getting paid to learn” is the new cheat code for a strange economyThe difference between being used vs. being taught and how to tellWhy not every low-paying job is a bad one (and not every high-paying one is good)How to ask better questions in interviews that reveal the real value of a jobHow Kiersten builds her learning budgetA personal story from Julien about how a $40K contractor role helped build a six-figure skillsetLinks: Episode 203 - Gen Z deserves better financial adviceEpisode 164 - The New Rules of Success (Advice for Class of 2024) Connect with Julien and Kiersten on our website, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.Join our email list to get updates from us, opportunities for discounts, freebies and a quick rundown on the relevant financial and career news impacting your life. Get our book Cashing Out: Win the Wealth Game by Walking Away, named 2023 best overall book about investing by Business Insider and one of the best personal finance books by ForbesIf you would like to learn more about investing, check out our newest class, Making Money Grow

Sometimes you need a little extra money, but what you don’t need is another boss, a second shift, or a business plan you’ll never finish. In this episode, we’re walking through some of the most overlooked ways to earn extra income. Everything from plasma donation, junk hauling, voiceovers, waiting in line, and a few others I can’t put in the description without attracting a bunch of bots. We’re challenging the idea that income only comes from jobs. We talk about the emotional (and sometimes physical) tradeoffs, how to spot seasonal bonuses and low-competition opportunities, and why the best side hustles don’t always look like work.These are the kind of gigs that don’t require a résumé or a 5-year commitment, just a willingness to try something different. Whether you’re saving for a trip, refilling your emergency fund, or just need to solve a $500 problem fast, there’s something in here for you.In this episode, we cover:Why so many people default to getting another job and what to try insteadThe emotional cost of “just one more shift” when you’re already stretched thinHow overlooked, seasonal, or location-based gigs can fill a short-term income gapThe surprising ways people are using their bodies, tools, and free time to get paidWhat makes a side hustle worth doing without turning into a second careerHow to think creatively about short bursts of work that solve real-life money problems Connect with Julien and Kiersten on our website, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.Join our email list to get updates from us, opportunities for discounts, freebies and a quick rundown on the relevant financial and career news impacting your life. Get our book Cashing Out: Win the Wealth Game by Walking Away, named 2023 best overall book about investing by Business Insider and one of the best personal finance books by ForbesIf you would like to learn more about investing, check out our newest class, Making Money Grow

This week’s episode is about decision-making and how to know what’s actually worth it when you work for yourself.We recorded this right after speaking at a conference in Jamaica where we walked through some of our own real-life crossroads as business owners with a group of entrepreneurs. The talk resonated so deeply, the only feedback we got was: “Can you just put this all on one page?”This is our answer to that.We’re talking about those high-stakes, low-certainty moments every entrepreneur, side hustler, or freelancer has to face eventually like what to sell, when to say yes, how to price your work, when to hire help, whether to spend or play it safe. And, maybe most importantly, how to move when the pressure’s on and the money feels tight (or even when it’s flowing).We get into:Why emotional decisions are so expensiveWhat Annie Duke’s poker strategy has to do with entrepreneurshipThe $500 mistake we made early on that cost us doubleHow to protect yourself from thinking too small without blowing your budgetAnd the biggest difference between people who survive in business and people who burn out earlyWhether you’re self-employed, freelancing, or bootstrapping something new, your decision-making process should match the size of what you’re trying to build. If you’ve ever felt like your goals were too big or your fears were too loud… this one’s for you. Connect with Julien and Kiersten on our website, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.Join our email list to get updates from us, opportunities for discounts, freebies and a quick rundown on the relevant financial and career news impacting your life. Get our book Cashing Out: Win the Wealth Game by Walking Away, named 2023 best overall book about investing by Business Insider and one of the best personal finance books by ForbesIf you would like to learn more about investing, check out our newest class, Making Money Grow

The podcast tackles the impact of rising tariffs on personal finances, emphasizing how they distort prices and affect consumer behavior. It delves into the complexities of outsourcing and the challenges of reviving U.S. manufacturing. The speakers discuss shrinkflation, where product sizes decline instead of prices rising, highlighting the need for price literacy. They argue that understanding the global economic landscape empowers consumers, allowing for smarter investments and spending decisions in a rapidly changing market.

This week, we’re breaking down bankruptcy in the way it should’ve been explained all along: without shame, without legal jargon, and without the “womp womp” energy we’ve all been taught to bring to it.You’ve probably heard of Chapter 7. Maybe even Chapter 13. But unless you’ve filed for bankruptcy, or know someone who has, you’ve likely never learned what it actually means.We kick things off with the viral rise of the “debt strike” trend on TikTok and Instagram, where people are publicly declaring they’re done paying back debt and explore what it says about our cultural relationship to money, morality, and relief.Then we get into:What Chapter 7, Chapter 13, and Chapter 11 actually areWho qualifies and howWhat a “means test” is and how it worksWhat happens to your credit score and your sanityThe real costs (financial, emotional, and social) of filingAnd why bankruptcy might more of a mental health intervention than we give credit for Along the way, we myth-bust the stereotypes and unpack why bankruptcy, like divorce, might just be a legal reset that deserves more empathy and way less side-eye.Links: Episode 174: A spike in bankruptcy (Topic #2)  Connect with Julien and Kiersten on our website, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.Join our email list to get updates from us, opportunities for discounts, freebies and a quick rundown on the relevant financial and career news impacting your life. Get our book Cashing Out: Win the Wealth Game by Walking Away, named 2023 best overall book about investing by Business Insider and one of the best personal finance books by ForbesIf you would like to learn more about investing, check out our newest class, Making Money Grow

Discover U.S. cities offering cash grants and other perks to lure new residents. Explore why moving domestically can be just as transformative as going abroad. Delve into the cultural and legal differences across states, especially in the context of relocation incentives. Learn how local governments are enticing remote workers post-pandemic and what to watch out for in fine print. Uncover effective strategies for researching potential new homes, from Facebook groups to street view tours, ensuring you're prepared for your next adventure.

Most people aren’t neutral about the idea of living in a car, and that’s exactly why we needed to talk about it.This week, we dig into the stigma, structure, and stories behind van life. It’s not a guide on how to gut a Sprinter or stealth-camp in a Target parking lot, it’s a deeper exploration of what it means to live differently and why that still freaks people out.From the viral story of Dawn Robinson of En Vogue (yes, *that* Dawn) who shared that she’s been living in her car by choice for the past three years, to our personal stories of barbers, truckers, and friends navigating life on the margins of “traditional” housing, we cover the full terrain of what it means to opt out of the norm. Spoiler alert: it’s complicated.We cover:Why alternative housing is still treated as “failure” unless it’s influencer-approvedThe invisible infrastructure that makes van life even possible and why it’s not always fully “off-the-grid”Why HUD, housing policy, and language matter more than you thinkThe difference between choosing van life vs. surviving itHow Black culture relates to nontraditional housing, and why we don’t often see ourselves in the #vanlife aestheticThe emotional, financial, and logistical costs of so-called “freedom”This is one of those “sit with it” episodes. It’s not about romanticizing struggle or glamorizing minimalism, it’s about challenging the way we define dignity, shelter, success, and the American dream.Because let’s be honest: if someone chooses to live in a van and finds peace, why does it make the rest of us so uncomfortable?Listen in. Challenge your definitions. And maybe, just maybe, reconsider what home really means. Connect with Julien and Kiersten on our website, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.Join our email list to get updates from us, opportunities for discounts, freebies and a quick rundown on the relevant financial and career news impacting your life. Get our book Cashing Out: Win the Wealth Game by Walking Away, named 2023 best overall book about investing by Business Insider and one of the best personal finance books by ForbesIf you would like to learn more about investing, check out our newest class, Making Money Grow

Discover practical tips for navigating life on a single income, addressing not just financial management but also emotional dynamics in relationships. Explore the importance of communication and negotiation as a new love language amid budget discussions. Learn about the challenges of pride in seeking help and the emotional complexities of selling cherished items. Embrace the process of decluttering to generate income while fostering teamwork and resilience with your partner through financial challenges.

Links: Watch the 90-second trailer of Taste the Impact Watch the full-length "Taste the Impact" mini-doc nowRegister for the Shifting Wealth, Shaping Futures info session on March 26th Become a member of Invest for Better (it’s free!)This week’s episode is about something personal, political, and, up until recently, way too overlooked: food.We spend a lot of time talking about food, but not nearly enough time talking about how it shows up in our kitchens, grocery carts, or dinner tables. So today, we’re changing that.We’re introducing our latest creative project, Taste the Impact, which a short film (or op-doc, if you’re feeling fancy) that explores the relationship between investing and the food system. Not just what we choose to buy, but what we’re being sold. Because behind every recall, rising price tag, and empty produce shelf, there’s a money trail worth following.This is an episode that sits squarely at the intersection of life and money. It’s about challenging the status quo, asking uncomfortable questions, and recognizing that our financial choices have real-world consequences. In this episode, we get into:Why we made Taste the Impact now and and why storytelling is a financial tool just as much as spreadsheets areWhat visual media can do that numbers alone can’t (and how historical social movements have always known this)Why “values-aligned investing” only gets real when you zoom into something specific, like foodHow systemic failures are driving the wave of food recallsWhat’s behind the rising cost of food, and why it's not just inflation Connect with Julien and Kiersten on our website, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.Join our email list to get updates from us, opportunities for discounts, freebies and a quick rundown on the relevant financial and career news impacting your life. Get our book Cashing Out: Win the Wealth Game by Walking Away, named 2023 best overall book about investing by Business Insider and one of the best personal finance books by ForbesIf you would like to learn more about investing, check out our newest class, Making Money Grow

Explore the compelling reasons behind the expat trend, from financial independence to political factors. Discover practical tips for testing life abroad with short stays and the Digital Nomad Visa. Learn about semi-permanent residency options and the complexities of transitioning to new citizenship. The discussion delves into the emotional and financial challenges of living a split life, emphasizing careful planning. Finally, rethink immigration as a fluid choice influenced by personal identity and adaptability in a globalized world.