Money Talk With Tiff

Hosted by Tiffany Grant

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412

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Aug 2026

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About the show

Get motivated on your financial journey as you follow money nerd and financial coach, Tiffany Grant, as she strives to be debt free by 35! She makes complex financial topics surprisingly simple. You will get practical tips and tricks with an inside look at the strategies Tiffany and her guests use on a daily basis. Money Talk With Tiff gives you straight talk on all things money.

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60 recent

August 13, 202645 min

What Bankruptcy Actually Does with Attorney Barry Levine

People hear "bankruptcy" and picture a U-Haul and a foreclosure sign. Barry Levine has spent 45 years explaining why that's usually wrong. Most Chapter 7 cases are what he calls assetless. You file, four months later you get your discharge, and you still own your home. The cars. The pension. Trustees don't sell houses for the fun of it — in an assetless case they get paid $60. They take the path of least resistance, which is doing nothing. In this episode, Barry walks through what actually happens when creditors come calling: The timeline nobody tells you. First the notices. Then the collection agency nudging. Then the attorney. Then the lawsuit. Each step takes months, and at every point you can dispute in writing — which buys time, even if you know you owe it. Why written disputes still matter. Every collection letter says you can dispute the amount due. Barry makes his clients do it. Not because the debt is fake. Because it forces the creditor to produce documentation, which slows the machine down. Chapter 7 vs. 13 vs. 11 in plain English. 7 is the four-month discharge for most people. 13 is the wage-earner repayment plan for higher incomes or people saving a house from foreclosure. 11 is basically for businesses, though individuals with complex assets can use it. Student loans aren't the brick wall they used to be. Barry used to joke that death was the only discharge option. Now he's discharged over half a million in student loans through a process that looks at good faith, age of the loan, whether the school is still open, and whether your degree matches your job. What it actually costs. About $2,500 for a straight Chapter 7, plus $338 in government filing fees. Barry takes $250 to retain, then holds creditors at bay while you pay the rest over six months. No interest, no penalties. Just paperwork and patience. And the biggest myth of all: that bankruptcy is a trap or a moral failure. Barry calls it what the law calls it — a fresh start. 🎯 moneytalkwitht.com/moves #bankruptcy #chapter7 #debtrelief #freshstart #personalfinance #moneymanagement #creditors #debtcollection #financialplanning #barrylevine #stewardship #moneytalkwithtiff #judgmentproof #assetless #studentloans

August 6, 202618 min

Only 4% of Pets Have Insurance. Dr. Michael Bailey Explains Why.

I am not a pet owner. Fish and birds, that's my lane. But I am the friend people call when the vet bill arrives. $3,000 my friend didn't see coming. Another friend spent more on his dog's diabetes than his own health insurance deductible. I didn't even know pets got diabetes. So I called Dr. Michael Bailey, president of the American Veterinary Medical Association, to ask what people miss when they calculate the true cost of pet ownership. Here's what he said. Preventative care is not optional. Six-month checkups catch things before they become catastrophic. Vaccinations matter. And not for the reason you think. Yes, they protect your pet. But rabies vaccines primarily protect your family. Rabies is still present in U.S. wildlife. If your unvaccinated dog gets bitten by a raccoon and clinical signs start showing, it is nearly 100% fatal. For the pet. For the person. The reason you barely hear about rabies deaths here? We vaccinated our way out of it. Two U.S. deaths last year. 53,000 worldwide. Pet insurance exists. Only 4% of U.S. pets have it. In some European countries it's 70%. Dr. Bailey calls it a U.S. failure. Our mindset puts money into today instead of potentially for down the road. If insurance feels like too much, open a self-managed pet health savings account. Same monthly amount you'd pay a carrier. Act like it's not there. When you need it, it's there. Wellness plans through your vet's office are another middle path. Pay monthly. Build the relationship. Don't skip the routine stuff. We also talked about why veterinary care costs what it costs. Advanced medicine means longer lives. Cats that used to live 10-12 years now hit 25. But longer lives mean more cancer, more joint disease, more specialists. Board-certified radiologists. Oncologists. Ophthalmologists. The same medical infrastructure as human health care, which means the same cost reality. And yes, we covered what not to buy. The short version: if your veterinarian didn't recommend it, pause before you trust the internet or an AI chatbot with your pet's medical decisions. 🎯 moneytalkwitht.com/start #petinsurance #veterinarycare #preventativecare #rabiesvaccine #pethealth #moneymanagement #personalfinancepodcast #moneytalkwithtiff #stewardship #petcosts #zoonoticdisease #healthsavings #veterinarymedicine #petownership #financialplanning

July 30, 202623 min

From Listener to Guest: Quitting His Job for Grad School

Tariq Beidleman found Money Talk with Tiff the same way you did — scrolling, commuting, probably stuck in DC traffic. Then he emailed me about a website bug. Then he kept listening. Then he paid off $30,000 in student debt, built his brokerage accounts, and quit a stable engineering job to go full-time for a master's in energy economics. Not because he had a trust fund. Because he ran the numbers until they made sense. In this episode, Tariq walks through the actual decision: leaving solar asset management for Colorado School of Mines, funding grad school through investment accounts instead of new loans, and the family conversation where his Trinidad-and-Tobago-raised mother — who values hard work and security — still gave him the thumbs up. We also cover: How commuting in DC traffic became his financial education (podcasts, not willpower) The moment he realized part-time grad school was a slow-motion quit waiting to happen Why "optional" education still needs an ROI calculation What Caribbean family dynamics actually look like when you trade stability for growth Tariq's on LinkedIn if you want to connect — apparently he's the only Tariq Beidleman on the platform. 📬 moneytalkwitht.com (Thursday newsletter) #financialindependence #gradschoolfunding #careerpivot #studentdebtpayoff #energyeconomics #trinidadandtobago #caribbeanculture #moneypodcast #personalfinance #stewardship #listenerstory #moneytalkwithtiff #returntoschool #engineeringcareer #solarindustry

July 16, 202611 min

Why I Delete Most Guest Interviews

I delete more interviews than I publish. Here's why. After 400+ episodes, the standard isn't "fine" — it's "my audience needs this." In this episode I pull back the curtain: the 30-minute circle that said nothing, the scammer I caught before publishing, the MLM disguised as genius, and how I verify every guest before they reach your ears. I also walk through my actual vetting system — credentials checks, complaint searches, platform audits — and why I built the podcast wiki at podcast.moneytalkwitht.com to track 4,000+ topics so nothing gets stale. 213 unread pitches as I record this. The bar hasn't moved. 🎯 moneytalkwitht.com/start 🔗 podcast.moneytalkwitht.com 📬 moneytalkwitht.com #podcastbehindthescenes #guestvetting #moneytalkwithtiff #podcastquality #trust #contentcreation #financialpodcast #stewardship #tiffanystake

July 11, 202622 min

Why Strategic Rest Beats Hustle Culture

I used to think the more hours I worked, the more I loved my family. I was wrong. John Briggs was grinding 18-hour days — 5 a.m. to 2 a.m., three hours of sleep, crushing it by every hustle-culture metric. Then his wife met him at the door at 2 a.m., hyperventilating, and told him she was a single parent. Not angry. Not negotiating. Just true. That night in 2010, two promises collided: the oath he made at his wedding, and the "magic formula" hustle culture sold him — more hours equals more money equals success. The second one was winning. The first one was dying. It took three years of research, not a flip of a switch, to build what became the 3.3 rule. John read the work-life balance books, found the productivity science, tracked the patterns across experts — and discovered they were all pointing to the same range. Work. Rest. Work. Rest. Not because rest is nice. Because rest is fuel. In this episode, John breaks down the NASCAR analogy that changed how I think about breaks: the car going 200 mph doesn't win by skipping pit stops. It wins by taking the most strategic ones. Tires shred. Traction fails. The driver who never stops eventually can't keep going — not because they quit, because the machine breaks. We also cover: Why "I'm too busy to take a break" is the same as "I'm too busy to get gas" The first practical step: block one hour after your first 2-3 hours of work today. No work. Walk outside. Let your brain reset. Why John calls it work-life harmony, not balance — balance implies equal weight, and some seasons don't allow that How he turned a tax firm bus already in motion into a luxury RV without crashing it first John is the founder of Incite Tax, a firm with over 250 employees across 30 states. He learned this the hard way so you don't have to. Previous episode with John: https://podcast.moneytalkwitht.com/episodes/boost-your-productivity-with-john-briggs-33-rule-ep-350 🎯 moneytalkwitht.com/start #hustleculture #worklifeharmony #3.3rule #productivity #entrepreneurmindset #burnoutprevention #smallbusinessowner #worklifebalance #moneytalkwithtiff #stewardship #restisproductive #johnbriggs #insighttax #financialcoach #productivityscience

July 2, 202623 min

The Biggest Money Myth High Schoolers Believe

Brianna Franklin used to tell debt survival stories. Now she prevents the debt. After her NGO funding dried up, she took a gap year and came back with HIRE vs Higher — curriculum teaching high schoolers to spot predatory lending before they get their first credit card. We cover: The biggest myth her students already believe: "Borrowing is just life." Because their families believe it. Because buy-now-pay-later marketing positions itself as the hero giving them what they "deserve." The HIRE framework: Honor Your Skills, Identify Avenues, Research Monetization, Evaluate ROI. For kids who think four-year college is their only door — and lenders who want to keep it that way. The Jenga exercise: 30 seconds to build for $100, with rigged missing pieces. The lesson? Predatory lending feels possible until you realize you never had all the facts. Financial trauma at home: How hearing "we don't have enough" until you stop asking becomes a money script you act out at 25 without knowing where it came from. Find Brianna at hirevshigher.com. 🎯 moneytalkwitht.com/start 📬 moneytalkwitht.com #teenfinancialliteracy #predatorylending #buynowpaylater #financialtrauma #HIREframework #debtprevention #highschoolfinance #alternativestocollege #tradeschool #personalfinancepodcast #moneytalkwithtiff #genzmoney #stewardship #financialabuse #highereducation

June 25, 202620 min

Financial Social Worker Explains Why Your 'I Don't Have Enough' Is Usually Wrong

I bought pizza last night. House full of groceries. Zero capacity to cook. Then guilt. Sound familiar? Financial social worker Shirria McCullough, LCSW says this isn't failure — it's data. And the data looks very different depending on whether you're 24 or 42. In this episode, we break down what survival mode spending actually looks like: Gen Z — impulsive Klarna purchases, DoorDash three times a day, buying convenience because figuring out groceries requires mental real estate you don't have. Millennial moms — overcompensation spending. The expensive party because you feel like you're not "mommying enough." The toy run because guilt won. The trip because your spouse needs proof you're still showing up. And then the question nobody asks: Is emotional spending ever actually protective? Shirria argues yes — when you can afford it and you're conscious. The $20 instead of $5 for the person asking for help. Panera instead of McDonald's. It's not overconsumption if you chose it. We also cover what Shirria sees when she holds women truly accountable — not cruelty, but clarity. The moment they realize "I don't have enough" is usually an excuse, not math. (Spoiler: 8 times out of 10, the math says otherwise.) Plus: when to call a financial social worker instead of a coach. Why Shirria looks at your entire ecosystem — family, neighborhood, church, trauma patterns — not just your budget. And her own money mindset shift: losing her brother at 25, then watching her millionaire aunt die two years before retirement, still sacrificing. Two griefs. Two completely different lessons. Shirria's planning a year of rest for her 45th birthday in 2028 because of decisions she made years ago. Not luck. Not inheritance. Deliberate work. Find her @mentalwellnessclinicalcounseling and Services on Instagram, Shirria McCullough's life on TikTok and YouTube. 🎯 moneytalkwitht.com/start 📬 moneytalkwitht.com (Thursday newsletter) #survivalmodemoney #emotionalspending #financialsocialworker #mommoney #genzmoms #millennialmoms #moneymindset #overcomingsurvivalmode #financialliteracy #personalfinancepodcast #moneytalkwithtiff #shariamccullough #stewardship #blackmomsandmoney #restisproductive

June 19, 202624 min

I Almost Lost My Life Insurance Over an ACH Error — What We Learned

I thought my life insurance was fine. I had called. They had assured me. Then I found out my policy was canceled. Not because I lied on my application. Not because I stopped wanting coverage. Because of an ACH error, a missing form, and the assumption that "someone else was handling it." That someone else was me — and I almost failed. In this episode, life insurance agent Aquania Escarne walks me through what actually happens when you miss a payment, why reinstatement is possible (but not guaranteed), and how long you really have before a policy is gone for good. We also cover what nobody wants to think about: When your ex inherits everything. Because you forgot to update your beneficiary designation after the divorce. Legally binding. No judge can overturn it. I wish I were exaggerating. How to find lost policies. If someone in your family died and you know they paid for life insurance but nobody can find the paperwork — Aquania breaks down the NAIC Policy Locator step by step. What you need, who's allowed to search, and why telling your beneficiaries while you're alive is the smartest move you can make. Legacy as stewardship. Aquania shares how her grandfather organized every asset, walked her through it himself, and gave her the paperwork she needed — so when he died ten years later, she didn't have to wait on grief-stricken relatives to find what was already hers. And we debunk the two myths that trap people in their 40s and 50s with nothing: "I'll apply later" and "my job's coverage is enough." 🎯 moneytalkwitht.com/start 📬 moneytalkwitht.com (Thursday newsletter) #lifeinsurance #beneficiarydesignations #unclaimedlifeinsurance #policyreinstatement #lapsedpolicy #NAICpolicylocator #legacyplanning #financialstewardship #moneymanagement #personalfinance #insurancemistakes #estateplanning #moneytalkwithtiff #familyfinance #protectyourfamily

June 11, 20266 min

The Book Is Real Now What — And I Need Your Help

I thought the hard part was writing it. I was wrong. The manuscript is locked. Page proofs are complete. Wiley told me I can't change anything anymore — which means Money Moves and Mindset Shifts is officially a real book that real people will hold, highlight, and hopefully not use as a coaster. And I am terrified. Not imposter syndrome terrified. I've got plenty of that. This is different. This is "I built something I believe in and now it has to survive without me" terrified. The five parts came together better than I expected — Internal Revolution, Architecture of Flow, Engine of Growth, Autopilot Life, Legacy Shifts. The behavioral economics research. The biblical stewardship framework. The original Tiffany-isms and the calculators in the Resource Vault. It actually works as a system. Which somehow makes it worse. Because now it has to find its people. I have 14 pre-orders. I need a thousand by September. Wiley gets the book on Amazon; they don't market it. That's on me. So I'm doing what I tell you to do when a goal feels impossible — breaking it down, finding the one source of momentum, tracking the practice. My one source right now is you. If this podcast or any of my tools have helped you, please consider pre-ordering. Not for me — for the person you'll be in September when you need a framework for whatever season you're entering. Because right now it feels like the world's on fire and we're all that dog at the table saying "this is fine." moneytalkwitht.com/moves to pre-order. Upload your receipt for instant Resource Vault access. Not ready? moneytalkwitht.com/start is free. Either way, I'm showing up next week — hopefully with a guest who disagrees with me about almost everything. 🎯 moneytalkwitht.com/moves 📚 Money Moves and Mindset Shifts — pre-orders open 📬 moneytalkwitht.com (Thursday newsletter) #newbook #moneymovesandmindsetshifts #stewardship #booklaunch #personalfinance #moneymanagement #preorder #financialcoach #impostersyndrome #authorlife #wileypublishing #moneymindset #stewardshipseries #moneytalkwithtiff #resourcevault

June 4, 20266 min

My Podcast Numbers Are Dropping — Here's the Real Reason

My podcast listenership dropped for 2 months straight. Here's the honest diagnosis — and the 4-part pivot starting episode 405. I went from interview-based episodes to 8 solo shows in a row. Good content, wrong rhythm. As a solo parent in Jamaica on a 25-hour work week, guest coordination became unsustainable — but "reliable" isn't the same as "right for you." The pivot: → Interviews return (episode 405) → Solo episodes evolve: real experiments, not lectures → Direct feedback: I read every newsletter reply myself If you've drifted, what would bring you back? Reply to my Thursday newsletter — I read every one during nap time. 🎯 moneytalkwitht.com/start 📚 moneytalkwitht.com/moves 📬 moneytalkwitht.com #podcastgrowth #honestbusiness #stewardship #moneymindset #solopreneur #transparency #contentstrategy #personalfinancepodcast #moneytalkwithtiff #stewardshipseries