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As of the date of this week's episode release, we have Around 30 days until Halloween Almost 60 days until Thanksgiving Almost 90 days until Christmas Is your budget ready? Are you Credit Cards ready? How can you manage holiday spending this year, next year and the years beyond? Thirty-seven percent of all Americans have holiday debt, and the average household spends around $1,500 per year on gifts, but worse takes an average of 3 months or longer to pay off that debt!  Shawn & George talk about holiday budgeting in September - yes, September, because for most people the end of the year goes like this: September - I have plenty of time October - I should probably start to think about gifts November - Black Friday specials !! December - Holy moly, how much did I spend? January - Who put $4,000 on my Visa card? To combat this, we talk about the five buckets for holiday spending: (1) Gifts, (2) Travel, (3) Entertainment, (4) Holiday Stuff, and (5) Ooops, I forgot to buy for ... Let us know if you enjoy this episode and, if so, please share it with your friends! Or, you can support the show by visiting our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/crushingDebt   To contact George Curbelo, you can email him at [email protected] or follow his Tiktok channel - https://www.tiktok.com/@curbelofinancialcoach   To contact Shawn Yesner, you can email him at [email protected] or visit www.YesnerLaw.com.

Do you play fantasy football? In that same vein, George and I put together a fantasy draft of the worst money habits, to create a team of "bad" money habits.  Do you agree with our draft choices?  Would you have drafted or waived any of these? Our draft consists of: Round 1 — Franchise QB: the habit that drives the whole offense Lifestyle Inflation  Keeping Up with the Joneses / Social Comparison Spending  No Financial Goals ("Playing Without a Playbook") Round 2 — Starting Running Back: reliable short-term yardage, fumbles late Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL)  Payday Loans / Cash Advance Apps 0% Intro-APR Credit Cards Not Paid Off in Time  Auto Loan/Lease Rolled with Negative Equity Round 3 — Wide Receiver: flashy, exciting, runs routes the game plan never called Emotional/Impulse Spending  Sports Betting / Gambling Apps  Retail Therapy  Round 4 — Offensive Line: the protection, or lack of it No Emergency Fund Underinsurance (life, disability, health) No Estate Plan / No Will  Round 5 — Special Teams (Kicker): small margins, misses that cost close games Subscription Creep Bank & Overdraft Fees Auto-Renewing Insurance Without Shopping Rates Round 6 — Head Coach: the game plan, or the absence of one No Budget at All  A Budget That's Never Reviewed  No Accountability  Who are you drafting? Let us know if you enjoy this episode and, if so, please share it with your friends! Or, you can support the show by visiting our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/crushingDebt   To contact George Curbelo, you can email him at [email protected] or follow his Tiktok channel - https://www.tiktok.com/@curbelofinancialcoach   To contact Shawn Yesner, you can email him at [email protected] or visit www.YesnerLaw.com.

How can you be still licensed, but effectively not licensed? What is the Freddie Mac Exclusionary List (or EList)? If you're on the EList, can you work around it? How do you come off the EList? On this week's episode of the Crushing Debt Podcast, Shawn & George talk about the Freddie Mac Exclusionary List.  Shawn has multiple other podcast episodes and YouTube videos on the topic if you want to learn more, if you are on the EList, or if you know someone on the EList. Spoiler - it IS possible to come off the EList. Let us know if you enjoy this episode and, if so, please share it with your friends! Or, you can support the show by visiting our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/crushingDebt   To contact George Curbelo, you can email him at [email protected] or follow his Tiktok channel - https://www.tiktok.com/@curbelofinancialcoach   To contact Shawn Yesner, you can email him at [email protected] or visit www.YesnerLaw.com.

Some of us like to, or try to, keep up with the Joneses, but what about doing better than the Joneses? What are 10 signs you're doing well financially?  Better than most Americans financially?  How behind are you financially, if at all? In this week's episode of The Crushing Debt Podcast, we look at 10+ factors to help you judge whether you are better or worse off than the average AND we talk about things you can do to address these issues. Emergency Savings Covering Surprise Expenses Savings Card Balances Net Worth Retirement And more ... Let us know if you enjoy this episode and, if so, please share it with your friends! Or, you can support the show by visiting our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/crushingDebt   To contact George Curbelo, you can email him at [email protected] or follow his Tiktok channel - https://www.tiktok.com/@curbelofinancialcoach   To contact Shawn Yesner, you can email him at [email protected] or visit www.YesnerLaw.com.

Why is Labor Day the real turning point of the financial year? What is Labor Day, and why is it ironic? After summer camps, vacations, back to school shopping, graduation, home improvements and other summer expenditures, what did the summer really cost you? On this week's episode of The Crushing Debt Podcast, Shawn & George take a look at Labor Day, what it means, and why it is important for your financial year.  We discuss: The Summer Spending Autopsy Turning the financial hangover into hours using a formula you can calculate The interest tax Flipping the math forward Let us know if you enjoy this episode and, if so, please share it with your friends! Or, you can support the show by visiting our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/crushingDebt   To contact George Curbelo, you can email him at [email protected]  or follow his Tiktok channel - https://www.tiktok.com/@curbelofinancialcoach   To contact Shawn Yesner, you can email him at [email protected]  or visit www.YesnerLaw.com.

What is the real reason your first accounting hire is drowning? When should a business owner stop DIY'ing their numbers and bring in real help? What is the messy truth about the first 12 months as a CFO? Why do strong finance hires fail in the wrong setup? On this week's episode of the Crushing Debt Podcast, Shawn & George talk to Wassia Kamon, CPA, CMA, MBA, the Chief Financial Officer of Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs (ACE), a leading Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) based in Georgia. She brings more than 15 years of experience across manufacturing, technology, pharmaceuticals, and the nonprofit sector, with leadership roles in accounting and FP&A. ​Named the 2025 CFO of the Year by the Atlanta Business Chronicle and a two-time CPA Practice Advisor 40 Under 40 honoree, Wassia is a keynote speaker and guest faculty member for the Wharton Online FP&A Certificate Program. Her insights on finance leadership and governance have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Accounting Today, Fast Company, and Strategic Finance. ​She is the host of The Diary of a CFO podcast, where she interviews finance leaders about team leadership and the realities of the modern CFO role in growing organizations. She serves on the AICPA Women's Initiatives Executive Committee and the AICPA Future of Finance Leadership Advisory Group. Please visit Wassia's websites at www.wassiakamon.com and www.TheDiaryOfACFO.com  Let us know if you enjoy this episode and, if so, please share it with your friends! Or, you can support the show by visiting our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/crushingDebt   To contact George Curbelo, you can email him at [email protected] or follow his Tiktok channel - https://www.tiktok.com/@curbelofinancialcoach   To contact Shawn Yesner, you can email him at [email protected] or visit www.YesnerLaw.com.

How does networking contribute to your financial freedom?  To you being debt free? What are some networking mistakes people make in their debt-free journey? In this week's episode, Shawn & George talk about networking (which is how they met) and what we use networking to accomplish.  We also talk about mistakes people make while networking that hurt their bottom line - thus hurting their ability to become debt free. We use networking to: Gain customers Meet referral partners Meet vendors Hire employees Take advantage of opportunities And more ... And some mistakes: Making networking a one-time thing Selling at a networking event (what's in it for me) Collecting cards Networking only when business is bad Failing to follow up Talking about yourself only Equating success with getting a referral. Let us know if you enjoy this episode and, if so, please share it with your friends! Or, you can support the show by visiting our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/crushingDebt   To contact George Curbelo, you can email him at [email protected] or follow his Tiktok channel - https://www.tiktok.com/@curbelofinancialcoach   To contact Shawn Yesner, you can email him at [email protected] or visit www.YesnerLaw.com.

Why does one unexpected legal expense knock your entire financial life off track? How do you create, fund and use an emergency fund? Is your emergency really an emergency, or something you could have planned for? In this week's episode of the Crushing Debt Podcast, Shawn & George talk about emergency funds and the apparent inability to absorb an unexpected expense without: Using a credit card, personal loan, or incurring more debt Borrowing from family or friends Invading retirement Skipping another bill that needs to be paid Buy now, pay later Ignoring it. Can you budget for the unexpected?  Of course!  The easiest way to save $1,000 is to save $100 and do that 10 more times!  You can automate your savings so you don't even feel it.  You can give yourself a (small) reward for achieving your savings goals. Let us know if you enjoy this episode and, if so, please share it with your friends! Or, you can support the show by visiting our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/crushingDebt   To contact George Curbelo, you can email him at [email protected] or follow his Tiktok channel - https://www.tiktok.com/@curbelofinancialcoach   To contact Shawn Yesner, you can email him at [email protected] or visit www.YesnerLaw.com.

Now that the World Cup is over, we can turn our attention to "American Football." The NFL Preseason kicks off on August 6, 2026, at the Hall of Fame Game - Carolina Panthers v. Arizona Cardinals. What are the hidden costs of football season? How can you tailgate without sacking your budget? What is the Fantasy Football trap? Do you bet on sports? What is your financial winning playbook? On this week's episode of the Crushing Debt Podcast, Shawn and George tackle all of these issues and more! Let us know if you enjoy this episode and, if so, please share it with your friends! Or, you can support the show by visiting our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/crushingDebt   To contact George Curbelo, you can email him at [email protected] or follow his Tiktok channel - https://www.tiktok.com/@curbelofinancialcoach   To contact Shawn Yesner, you can email him at [email protected] or visit www.YesnerLaw.com.

How do you teach your kids about money? How do you teach your kids without it seeming like a chore? On this week's episode of the Crushing Debt Podcast, Shawn and George talk to Greg Junge about his book "Tenn Money Mindset: 8 Essential Money Skills They Don't Tech You in School." With a proven track record as a Four-Time Best-Selling Amazon Author, Real Estate Investor and entrepreneur, and Personal Development Enthusiast, Greg has made it his mission to empower individuals to unlock their full potential and achieve extraordinary success in all areas of life. Drawing upon his diverse experiences and entrepreneurial spirit, Greg's books serve as powerful guides for those seeking to transform their lives and realize their dreams. Covering a wide range of topics including creating successful habits, personal development, mindset mastery, goal achievement, and personal finance for teens, his insightful writings offer practical strategies and invaluable insights that resonate with readers of all ages and backgrounds. Passionate about empowering the next generation, Greg is dedicated to equipping teens and their parents with the knowledge and skills they need to thrive in an ever-changing world. Through his engaging writing style and relatable anecdotes, he inspires teens to take control of their financial future, cultivate healthy habits, and develop a mindset for success that will serve them for a lifetime. Let us know if you enjoy this episode and, if so, please share it with your friends! Or, you can support the show by visiting our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/crushingDebt   To contact George Curbelo, you can email him at [email protected] or follow his Tiktok channel - https://www.tiktok.com/@curbelofinancialcoach   To contact Shawn Yesner, you can email him at [email protected] or visit www.YesnerLaw.com

What costs are involved in pet ownership? Shawn's late wife promised their son that they would buy a dog if he earned straight A's in school.  That happened in the last quarter of the 2025-2026 school year, so the Yesner Family welcomed Luka to the pack on the fourth of July. That came with some large and some small expenses, including: Vet bills Pet Insurance Training Toys, Food / Treats, and Supplies And others What expenses or costs are there that a new pet owner might not expect?  And how can you deal with the cost increase if you decide to get a new pet?  That's the discussion in this week's podcast episode! Let us know if you enjoy this episode and, if so, please share it with your friends! Or, you can support the show by visiting our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/crushingDebt   To contact George Curbelo, you can email him at [email protected] or follow his Tiktok channel - https://www.tiktok.com/@curbelofinancialcoach   To contact Shawn Yesner, you can email him at [email protected] or visit www.YesnerLaw.com.

Although we're in summer, the start of school is just around the corner.  Are you ready? How do you get ready for school every year? Shawn has two kids - one in high school and one in middle school. George has one in college (and one who just graduated college). Some of the expenses you may incur for kids going back to school: Books Supplies Lunches Clothes / Uniforms Sports / Extracurricular Activities Electronics (computer, calculator) What hidden expenses are there that we have not mentioned? Where can you cut costs, like hand-me-downs, splitting supplies between kids, and taking advantage of sales tax holidays. Let us know if you enjoy this episode and, if so, please share it with your friends! Or, you can support the show by visiting our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/crushingDebt   To contact George Curbelo, you can email him at [email protected] or follow his Tiktok channel - https://www.tiktok.com/@curbelofinancialcoach   To contact Shawn Yesner, you can email him at [email protected] or visit www.YesnerLaw.com.

Back in March (episode 507), we did a show about the "Sweet 16" worst money habits to see which was the worst for your wallet and budget.  We decided to bring that episode back, but with 16 new "bad" money habits based on a World Cup-style seeding. Group A: Everyday Leaks Subscription creep Food delivery apps Impulse buys ("just this once") Convenience store runs Group B: Big Ticket Traps Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) Car payment stretching (72–84 month loans) Lifestyle creep after a raise "It's an investment" purchases (boat, timeshare, unused home gym) Group C: Emotional Spending Revenge spending (stress/reward shopping) Retail therapy after a bad day Keeping up with social media lifestyles Guilt spending on kids/grandkids Group D: The Excuses "I'll start Monday" mentality "It's just one swipe" thinking No budget or tracking at all Balance transfer as a permanent fix instead of a plan Which money habit do you think will "win" (and by that, we mean which will be the worst?  This is all in good fun; the goal isn't perfection — managing money is genuinely hard, and just noticing a pattern is real progress. Do you agree with our analysis? Let us know if you enjoy this episode and, if so, please share it with your friends! Or, you can support the show by visiting our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/crushingDebt   To contact George Curbelo, you can email him at [email protected] or follow his Tiktok channel - https://www.tiktok.com/@curbelofinancialcoach   To contact Shawn Yesner, you can email him at [email protected] or visit www.YesnerLaw.com.

Why will paying off debt not make you wealthy? What is the tax trap inside your debt payoff plan? What is the difference between being debt-free and financially free? Most business owners who end up in financial crisis did not get there because they failed to earn enough. They got there because nobody ever showed them how to keep what they earned. Revenue is not wealth, and that gap is where the real damage happens. This week's guest on the podcast is Rachid Barry, and for 11 years he has helped entrepreneurs and high-income professionals build financial systems that reduce cash leakage, resolve IRS debt, and create real alternatives before bankruptcy ever becomes the only option. Rachid works with business owners across the U.S. who are profitable on paper but structurally exposed, and that is a story your audience knows well.  You can reach Rachid at [email protected]. Let us know if you enjoy this episode and, if so, please share it with your friends! Or, you can support the show by visiting our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/crushingDebt   To contact George Curbelo, you can email him at [email protected] or follow his Tiktok channel - https://www.tiktok.com/@curbelofinancialcoach   To contact Shawn Yesner, you can email him at [email protected] or visit www.YesnerLaw.com.

What are the known and hidden costs of getting sick? What about a medical emergency? Are you prepared for the cost of unexpected health issues and how can you protect yourself, your family, and your bank account? On this week's episode of the Crushing Debt Podcast, Shawn & George talk about Shawn's son, who broke his arm recently, requiring surgery to fix.  His son is expected to make a full recovery but the incident taught Shawn a few things about the costs of staying healthy and what to do when an accident happens, including known and hidden costs like: Emergency Room visit X-Rays and other tests IV Surgery Anethesia Pain medicine and pain management After-effects, like cancellation of future plans, medicinal needs after the fact, and other necessary care supplies. We also talk about insurance coverages and how those play into the analysis, and what to do to mitigate the out of pocket costs of a medical incident. Let us know if you enjoy this episode and, if so, please share it with your friends! Or, you can support the show by visiting our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/crushingDebt   To contact George Curbelo, you can email him at [email protected] or follow his Tiktok channel - https://www.tiktok.com/@curbelofinancialcoach   To contact Shawn Yesner, you can email him at [email protected] or visit www.YesnerLaw.com.