401(k) vs Roth IRA: Have You Been Asking the Wrong Question? - 33

FPYA is Going on A Break! - 38

Action Item: Send me one financial planning question you still want answered at the email in the show notes, or connect with me on LinkedIn so we can stay in touch as your career grows. Summary This episode is a little different because there is no research, no case study, and no action item to write down. I am sharing some big personal news: I just started a new position as a full-time financial planner at Abundo Wealth, and with my wife also starting a new job in August, us moving to a new state, and a packed summer of travel ahead, I have made the intentional decision to put the podcast on hiatus. I talk about why stepping back from something you love for a season is not failure, it is just good bandwidth management, and I want to encourage anyone listening to make those same kinds of intentional adjustments in their own life when the time calls for it. The podcast is not disappearing, and I genuinely look forward to considering a return once life settles into its new rhythm. Resources & Links Mentioned * Free financial planning guide: https://fp4ya.com/guide/ [https://fp4ya.com/guide/] * Connect with Skyler on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjayf/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjayf/] Timestamps [00:00] Why today's episode is different [01:00] The big news: starting a new role as a full-time financial planner [01:43] Why the podcast is going on hiatus this summer [02:19] It is okay to step back intentionally when life gets full [03:24] Thank you to everyone who has listened and helped this show grow [03:46] How to stay connected while the show is on hiatus Email me at fpyapod@gmail.com [fpyapod@gmail.com]

Automate Your Finances and Build Wealth Without Thinking About It - 37

Action Item: Find one thing you do manually with your money every single month and automate it so you never have to do it again. Summary In this episode, I break down how to build a financial system that runs in the background so you can stop stressing about money every month. I walk through the core framework from one of my all-time favorite books, The Automatic Millionaire, and explain why automation works better than willpower or discipline ever could. I also introduce you to Brooke, a 26-year-old care coordinator who went from feeling like her money was just disappearing every month to building a real system with an emergency fund, sinking funds, and automated payments across the board. The key takeaway from today is simple: you probably already have the money. You just need the system. Resources & Links Mentioned The Automatic Millionaire by David Bach (grab it at your local library): https://www.amazon.com/Automatic-Millionaire-Expanded-Updated-Powerful/dp/0451499085 [https://www.amazon.com/Automatic-Millionaire-Expanded-Updated-Powerful/dp/0451499085] Why Automating Your Finances May Be Your Secret Weapon: https://www.huntington.com/learn/saving/automate-savings-and-paying-bills [https://www.huntington.com/learn/saving/automate-savings-and-paying-bills] What Is a Sinking Fund and How Do You Create One? (Ramsey Solutions): https://www.ramseysolutions.com/saving/stop-the-panic-sinking-fund [https://www.ramseysolutions.com/saving/stop-the-panic-sinking-fund] Automatic Payments: Pros, Cons, and Other Considerations (PNC): https://www.pnc.com/insights/personal-finance/spend/automatic-payments-what-to-know.html [https://www.pnc.com/insights/personal-finance/spend/automatic-payments-what-to-know.html] Put Your Personal Finances on Autopilot (PlanCorp): https://www.plancorp.com/blog/automate-finances [https://www.plancorp.com/blog/automate-finances] Timestamps [00:01:16] Why The Automatic Millionaire is one of the best personal finance books out there [00:03:05] Why spending is so easy and how to use that same trick to save [00:06:28] What a sinking fund is and how to create one in minutes [00:08:08] What to do if you feel like you don't have enough money to start automating [00:14:09] Brooke's story: going from money anxiety to a system that runs itself [00:21:41] Your one action item and how to book a free automation audit with me Email me at fpyapod@gmail.com [fpyapod@gmail.com]

How to Keep Your Financial Plan on Track This Summer - 36

Action Item: Run some math and build a budget around your entertainment, travel, and experience spending this summer so you can actually stick to a plan. Summary: In this episode, I break down how to keep your financial plan on track when summer is pulling you in every direction. I share some data about how our generation is approaching summer spending this year and why I think it should be a wake-up call, not an excuse. I walk through practical strategies for controlling your spending, building sinking funds for trips and experiences, and using automation so your retirement and savings goals never skip a beat. Then I walk through Cole's case study, a 26-year-old who figured out how to say yes to three trips with his friends this summer without derailing his bucket list trip to Utah's national parks next year. Resources and Links Mentioned: * Chain Store Age survey on summer spending priorities among millennials and Gen Z: https://chainstoreage.com/survey-most-us-consumers-curb-summer-spending-except-group [https://chainstoreage.com/survey-most-us-consumers-curb-summer-spending-except-group] * NerdWallet: 7 Ways to Keep the Summer Spending Craze Under Control: https://www.nerdwallet.com/finance/learn/keep-summer-spending-under-control [https://www.nerdwallet.com/finance/learn/keep-summer-spending-under-control] * NerdWallet: Sinking Funds and Major Expenses: https://www.nerdwallet.com/finance/studies/sinking-funds-major-expenses [https://www.nerdwallet.com/finance/studies/sinking-funds-major-expenses] * CNBC: Give Yourself a Fresh Start for Your Savings: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/09/29/the-2-step-plan-that-can-be-incredibly-helpful-for-your-savings.html [https://www.cnbc.com/2025/09/29/the-2-step-plan-that-can-be-incredibly-helpful-for-your-savings.html] * Truist: 5 Good Financial Habits to Make Automatic: https://www.truist.com/money-mindset/principles/budgeting-by-values/financial-habits-to-make-automatic [https://www.truist.com/money-mindset/principles/budgeting-by-values/financial-habits-to-make-automatic] * CalendarBudget: The Psychology of Saving and Understanding Your Money Habits: https://calendarbudget.com/the-psychology-of-saving-understand-your-money-habits/ [https://calendarbudget.com/the-psychology-of-saving-understand-your-money-habits/] Timestamps: [02:00] The data on how our generation is approaching summer spending this year [04:38] Seven ways to keep your summer spending under control [06:07] How sinking funds make it easier to say yes to the right things [08:24] Why giving yourself a fresh start beats feeling behind [13:34] Cole's case study: saying yes to summer without wrecking your goals [21:17] Your one action item and how to share this episode with a friend Email me at fpyapod@gmail.com [fpyapod@gmail.com]

The New Grad Money Checklist: Student Loans, Benefits, and Where to Start - 35

Action Item: Log into StudentAid.gov [http://StudentAid.gov] this week and find out three things: how much you owe, what type of loans you have, and when your grace period ends. Write those three things down. You cannot make a smart plan around your student loans until you know what you are actually dealing with. Summary In this episode I walk through the financial starting line for new college graduates and anyone who is just getting started with their money. I cover the seven-item adulting checklist from the CFP Board including budgeting, saving early, protecting your income with the right insurance, and building a debt system that actually works. I also break down what to look for in your first job beyond just the salary, including benefits, company culture, commute, and compensation structure. Then I get into student loans, when payments actually start, and how to think through whether to keep your loans federal or refinance to private. I wrap it all up with Cole's case study, a 22-year-old supply chain coordinator who figured out his benefits, got his student loans under control, and built the kind of financial confidence that changes everything going forward. Resources & Links Mentioned CFP Board Adulting Checklist for Recent College Graduates: https://www.letsmakeaplan.org/financial-topics/articles/young-professionals/financial-roadmap-for-recent-college-graduates [https://www.letsmakeaplan.org/financial-topics/articles/young-professionals/financial-roadmap-for-recent-college-graduates] Citizens Bank: 6 Financial Tips for New College Graduates: https://www.citizensbank.com/learning/financial-tips-for-new-graduates.aspx [https://www.citizensbank.com/learning/financial-tips-for-new-graduates.aspx] College Grad: 25 Components of a Job Offer Benefits Package: https://collegegrad.com/job-offer-negotiation/understand-all-25-components-of-your-job-offer-benefits-package [https://collegegrad.com/job-offer-negotiation/understand-all-25-components-of-your-job-offer-benefits-package] Making Waves: How to Evaluate and Compare Job Offers: https://making-waves.org/career-development-how-to-evaluate-and-compare-job-offers/ [https://making-waves.org/career-development-how-to-evaluate-and-compare-job-offers/] Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: When and How Do I Start Paying My Student Loans: https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/when-and-how-do-i-start-paying-my-student-loans-en-585/ [https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/when-and-how-do-i-start-paying-my-student-loans-en-585/] Federal Student Aid Loan Simulator: https://studentaid.gov/loan-simulator/ [https://studentaid.gov/loan-simulator/] Episode 32: You're Leaving Free Money at Work Every Single Day: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0BsQK8fXh5CwDpmbM6cNn7?si=CALx-VV6SRek1sQpk4zfSw [https://open.spotify.com/episode/0BsQK8fXh5CwDpmbM6cNn7?si=CALx-VV6SRek1sQpk4zfSw] Timestamps [00:01:37] The seven-item adulting checklist for new grads [00:06:52] What to actually look for in your first job [00:12:00] Student loans: grace periods, repayment plans, and federal vs. private [00:15:55] Cole's case study begins [00:21:48] This week's action item Email me at fpyapod@gmail.com [fpyapod@gmail.com]

Why Money Feels So Hard and How to Finally Make It Easier - 34

Action Item: Find one person you trust and ask them a question about whatever financial situation you are going through right now. Then share this episode with them so you both have a foundation to build on for your new money chats. Summary In this episode, I dive into the mental and emotional side of money and why so many of us feel so overwhelmed by our finances. I walk through ten financial biases that could be quietly working against you, including mental accounting, overconfidence, herd mentality, and FOMO, and explain how to start using that awareness to your advantage. I also break down the four money scripts that most of us were handed in childhood, including the script a lot of us in our twenties got, which was basically just "spend less than you make and figure out the rest yourself." And then I wrap up the research with six practical steps to overcome financial procrastination. Savannah's case study shows exactly what is possible in twelve months when you stop trying to do everything at once, start talking to people you trust, and just make the goals small enough to actually win. Resources and Links Mentioned Financial Anxiety at an All-Time High (Included Health): https://includedhealth.com/announcements/financial-anxiety-at-an-all-time-high-as-americans-struggle-with-access-to-care/ [https://includedhealth.com/announcements/financial-anxiety-at-an-all-time-high-as-americans-struggle-with-access-to-care/] Behavioral Finance Biases (World Scholars Review): https://www.worldscholarsreview.org/article/biases-in-behavioral-finance [https://www.worldscholarsreview.org/article/biases-in-behavioral-finance] FOMO, Loss Aversion, and Other Investing Biases (US News): https://money.usnews.com/investing/articles/behavioral-finance-fomo-loss-aversion-and-other-investing-biases#fomo [https://money.usnews.com/investing/articles/behavioral-finance-fomo-loss-aversion-and-other-investing-biases#fomo] How Your Parents' Beliefs About Money Affect You (Psychology Today): https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/mental-wealth/202108/how-your-parents-beliefs-about-money-affect-you [https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/mental-wealth/202108/how-your-parents-beliefs-about-money-affect-you] How to Tackle Financial Procrastination (Psychology Today): https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/how-to-make-better-choices/202306/how-to-tackle-financial-procrastination [https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/how-to-make-better-choices/202306/how-to-tackle-financial-procrastination] FPYA Psychology Guide: https://includedhealth.com/announcements/financial-anxiety-at-an-all-time-high-as-americans-struggle-with-access-to-care/ [https://includedhealth.com/announcements/financial-anxiety-at-an-all-time-high-as-americans-struggle-with-access-to-care/] Timestamps [00:03:15] Ten financial biases showing up in your money decisions and the three you need to know most [00:08:24] FOMO is just manufactured scarcity and here is how to spot it [00:10:04] The four money scripts and the one most of us in our twenties were handed [00:12:06] Six steps to overcome financial procrastination [00:14:53] Savannah's case study: from financial paralysis to real progress in twelve months Email me at fpyapod@gmail.com [fpyapod@gmail.com]