March 21, 2025 • 36 mins
BA Fam Tiffany is BACK!!!, and we’re celebrating in a big way! She shares the excitement of her new PBS special, “Get Good With Money”, and the unforgettable premiere party at the historic Kruger Scott Mansion. From reconnecting with Mandi to navigating last-minute challenges—like prepping for a teleprompter with 20/50 vision—Tiffany gives us an inside look at this milestone moment.
That’s not all—we also dive into real financial challenges many are facing today, including managing consumer debt, student loans, and rising childcare costs. We break down practical strategies, highlight tools like Rocket Money to uncover hidden expenses, and explore ways to increase income without dipping into retirement funds.
Whether you're looking for budgeting tips, motivation to tackle your finances, or just love an inspiring success story, this episode has it all. Take a listen!
Keep up with Tiffany "The Budgetnista" Aliche
/youtube.com/@thebudgetnistablog
Watch| Get Good with Money with Tiffany Aliche | PBS
Email your questions to brownambitionpodcast@gmail.com
or DM us @brownambitionpodcast on Instagram.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey, hey, BA fam, welcome to the b a QA
where I take your questions and I give you like
I call it edutainment, infotainment. We're gonna get our AsSalt
shakers out. And wait a second, I'm sorry, this is awkward.
This is my show now.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Hey hey, no, no matter.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
We don't sing anymore. Listen new rules.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Who lets you in.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
The back door? Girl that keys to the house?
Speaker 2 (00:33):
I do. I was just in here, just in the
cat on the couch, kicking my feet up.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
Hi Tiffany, Hi, Nandra.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Oh it feels so good to be home.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
It feels yeah, it does feel I mean it's like
you never left. You never left me. It may feel
new to the BA fam, but Tiffany's back for a special,
a special chat. I would say she's here to just
take your BA questions because she loves you guys so much.
But girl, she got something to promote what's been going
(01:04):
on TV sty.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
You know what I love most is that Mandy, I
see you more now that we don't do BA together.
And then I'm like, yeah, which is crazy, Like I
just saw Maddie like two weeks ago, but even before that,
we went we met up in New York and had yummy, yummy,
yummy sushi dinner. Oh yes.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
And then I brought my kids to your house. Yeah,
tear it up.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
And then we hung out that and then so I
have a PBS special based upon my New York Times bessella.
The book is called Get Good with Money, but so
is the special. And so I had like a premiere
party at this beautiful mansion called the Cooker Scott Mansion
owned by the first black millionaire in Newark, woman black
(01:51):
woman millionaire in Newark, and so to be able to
use that space and Mandy came.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
It was beautiful. Yeah, it was very very special. I'm
really glad that you had a party to celebrate it too.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
I wasn't gonna, but then I said, no, we're because
I guess I didn't feel like all the fuss and
you know, popping circumstance. I said no. And what I
loved is that it felt like because it was a
brunch and it just felt like, I don't know, like
the homies were over like. It felt like it because
about one hundred people, give or take, you'd say, right,
but I don't know.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
I'm bad at that. Those people we were fighting over chairs,
we had to drag stools, but it just felt like home.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
It was my parents came, my sisters, came, my niece,
my nephew, my friends. So it very much felt like
I was just having people over at my beautiful house,
eating delicious food. Got to watch a little clip of
the PBS special. Take some questions. Even Mandy took some
questions because Ba is always in the building.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
Listen. That was fun. It felt very natural. Well, first
of all, it was your party, but I felt like
I was the groom or something because people were stopping me.
I did not even get to taste the buffet food.
I'm I'm glad I got a little bite before the
screening happened. But I also feel like in the crowd
were a lot of Dreamcatchers. And these were the Dreamcatchers
(03:08):
who got on the bus. Because y'all understand PPS does
not tape in New York. You know, doesn't tape downtown,
doesn't tape in Newark. It tape tapes where up up, up,
up upstate, Yes, Troy, Yeah, right, like a three hour
bus ride, so y'all literally bussed Dreamcatchers from from Jersey,
from the city where they all come from.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
They went to Newark. MM hm.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
They went to Newark, hopped on a bus, went three
hours up state to see you record this. So it
was like a live taping.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Yes, it was a live taping and I needed it
because I'm not gonna lie with and.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
The dead of winter.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
Yes, and about fifty dream Catchers came. And I didn't
think anyone was gonna come because I'm not gonna lie.
I wasn't gonna come unless like had to. But they
were so joyful, they brought such good energy. So just backstory.
So maybe like I don't know, six or seven months
or so, maybe longer. My book agent, Heather said, hey,
do you want a PBS special, like if I was
(04:02):
asking if I want to slice the pizza. I was like,
I mean, yeah, I guess you know, to.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
Me fourteen of them right now, yeah, exactly, and so
but she said, you know it's not guaranteed obviously, but
she said a friend of mine it is a producer there,
and you know, I just thought about you, and I said, oh,
let's ask Tiffany.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
So I met with him. He was really nice. He's
one of these like ornery like old dudes, you know,
like I don't like nobody. Like it was like you
seem okay after our meeting not OSK for the Crouch, yes,
and producing the special. But then he was also like, well,
I'm going to pitch it to PBS. They're probably gonna
say no. I said, no problem, you know, because I
(04:38):
just really was chilling.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
Why would they say no?
Speaker 2 (04:40):
I don't know, like he's basically I think he was
just trying to set expectations that okay, you know. So
I said okay, and then they pitched it. PBS said yes,
and then I started to have to work on the script.
This was I want to say December, like October, October
and December, because you know, I was not working in November,
(05:01):
and so well.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
That's right, you got the special and then you were like,
how fun see you in a month?
Speaker 2 (05:06):
Yes they were, but I told, yes, okay. I held
steady to that boundary of like, I do not work
in November. And I said it from the very beginning.
I said, I don't work in November. It's non negotiable.
I just don't you know, like other like if I
had like just a month off just because maybe, but
I'm like, now I'm not going to be here, I
won't be emotionally present, and so came back. They had
(05:27):
done they had used the book to create like a makeshift,
if you will, a script, and then I just came
in edited it down, and then I met with the
director and then the producer and we ran through it
a number of times. And but the thing is, what's
so critical about any time you do any show. You
(05:48):
have to be able to take direction and put it
to use right away, and so not to have ego
about it. So I'm like, can you say this instead
of this? Or can you do this instead of that?
So doing the zoom, you know, that was having to
make you know, impromptu corrections, and so they were like
that was really good, Tiffany, you know, and I said okay.
And when I hung up from that zoom, because we've
maybe met two or three times to practice something like
(06:12):
the Divine God, was like, this is bigger than PBS.
Because I think I was, if you know me, Mandy,
sometimes I'm like, okay, got child, you know, like I
don't know who's my defense mechanism. And so I wasn't
I won't say I wasn't taking it seriously, but I
wasn't like take goodness seriously, and so I got a
little freaked out, like what do you mean? It was
like this is bigger than PBS. Basically, it was like
(06:32):
get your shit together because I.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
Was this voice, this voice that tells you things. Yes,
you've grown ambition, I know, but I was wh look,
I know I'm not mad at it. Let's the voice say?
Does the voice have anything to tell me? Flatto numbers?
Speaker 2 (06:50):
Right? So I said, oh, okay. So and then in
I think it was end of December, they were like,
all right, Tiffany, come and tape and I you know,
so I got there the day before, did a walk through,
and they said, let's do like a read through kind of.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
I can I just interrupt for a second because not like
I haven't been interrupting you since we started that show
ten years ago together. But Tiffany did not even tell
me this was happening. And I like to think that
we're friend friends now, you know, like on the weekend,
I kind of know what you're up to. Whatever you
said nothing. I don't think I would have known had
I not texted you. And you're like, oh, I'm on
the way to Troy. I'm like, what taping a PBS special?
Speaker 2 (07:29):
What you know? What it is? Banded? Because I don't know.
There is a part of me that I think when
the feelings get too big, I call a vacuum ceiling
to like make them really small.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
And I'm like, it's really clever.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
It's no biggie, and that's how I manage.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
And so yeah, no, I get it, you know.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
And so I it didn't really hit me. I didn't think.
I think the vacuum seel like punctured when I got
on set and I saw my face and my words
and my and then I said, like hyperventilating, like, oh
my gosh, this is a big deal.
Speaker 1 (07:58):
You're by yourself. I don't have your team, girl.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
No, it was just me myself and I and I said, wait,
the cameras everyone's just looking and I just was like,
and you know, cause I guess they sent a carter
come get me. So they were like, let's do a
run through, and this is your Her name is Karence,
who's really nice. This is your teleprompter person.
Speaker 1 (08:19):
And I was like, hell, this is the day before
you're supposed to tape the full thing. Okay, all right, I.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
Said, okay. And so Karen's like, I'm here to do
whatever you need. And I said, okay, Meanwhile, maybe two
weeks prior, Cabral said, get you behind over the elegant
eyes to get you some glasses. I said, I don't
need glasses. He said, you're forty five. You did so
I went and sure enough, I'm twenty fifty. So I'm
about five years late, but needing glasses.
Speaker 1 (08:42):
Yeah, twenty fifty girl.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Cabral was like, how are you managing these streets?
Speaker 1 (08:49):
I said, they didn't take your license away. I mean,
he said, oh my god.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
So he ordered them. I bought some really key glasses.
He ordered them, but I didn't have them with me
in Upstate because why would I.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
So I get say you had your possession, you had
them in your possession.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
No, Cabral had ordered them, but I didn't. I think
it was the big deal. I'm not waring glasses my
whole life. I get there teleprompter time, Mandra I'm a
squintan and a in a in a squeezing and a
linen and a sweating I'm like, hello Monday. The way
(09:25):
the room was silent and you so you heard the random.
Speaker 1 (09:28):
Cough, you know, like in the awful because the rehearsal,
there's no there's no studio audience. It's just like producers
or you know whatever.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
And I was cluttering and then I was like, maybe
if you could make the tail pump the slower and
even still, I'm like one day girl, the way my
heart is racing, I thought. And I remember like the
inner Tiffany said we cannot do this. This is too hard.
That's what came up. I said, Tiffany, you know, I'm sorry,
(09:59):
we cannot do this. This is too hard. And then
this other Tiffany was like, fight back by back, fight back,
and I said, what do you need, Tiffany, Because you're
right doing this like this with the teleprompter. It is
too hard. What do you need? And I said, I
need to do it like I would normally do it.
And I said it out loud. I said, can I
do this like I would normally do it? And they
were like, well, what is that? I'm like, well, if
I was going to do a keynote, I would basically
(10:21):
have like like some cards or the paper in my
hand and I would just glance at it every once
in a while and just teach the lesson because I
know these lessons. And so they said, okay, So I
grabbed the paper, I looked. I said, Oh, next subject
is budgeting. I taught the lesson. Next uptic was credit.
I taught the lesson. So we did a run through
with that way and they said, what are you doing
there because you can't have paper obviously on TV. I said, well,
(10:45):
I just need like a visual prompt to be like, oh,
the next lesson is credit, but I already know, like
what I'm teaching. The next question, like the next subject
is dead. And they said, what if we could do
that on a teleprompter just the word budget, so you know,
just do your budgeting lesson be huge so you don't
have to yeah, just to work credit. And I said, okay,
So we did a little bit testing of that much better.
I was still freaked out, so I still, you know,
(11:07):
so it wasn't my normal tiffany self and the people.
This person was there. Everybody was just in the room
looking like that was better. But I hope she freaking
gets it together tomorrow. So I go back to my
hotel just rock myself to sleep for just two hours
because I'm jittery and nervous. I go with the script
ten thousand times. I practiced with just looking at the word,
and then I was like, Tiffany, you got this, do
(11:28):
it the way. You know, you're not reading a script,
just teach the lesson. And so you have to do
two full dress to run throughs one with no audience.
So in the morning, maybe at eleven, I did a
full dress rehearsal and they recorded that way when they
record with the audience, in case something needs to be
swapped out, they have a clean version, you know. So
I did it and it was really good. I'll give
(11:50):
it a solid B plus. You know, I was like okay, okay.
And then and then when the audience came, maybe like
three or four or something like that, so I just
chilled and they came back. And now with the audience,
you know, filled with all these beautiful brown faces. They
also paid they sometimes they do like paid audience, So
I want to say maybe like ten fifteen were like
(12:12):
paid like audience members. And then but everybody else was
a dream catcher and so that energy. Oh I was
up there cutting U because you know, you ain't got
to give me any but but a mic, and and.
Speaker 1 (12:24):
What with the crowd? I want because you told me
this and I was I was like, of course, it
was so genius of you to bring to Bust in
Dreamcatchers because if you hadn't, who would have Who would
the PBS on a on a random Sunday audience be.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
You already know seventy and Troy, New York, all the
white folks, which you know, it's cute, but it wouldn't
have been the same energy, and it wasn't my idea.
This is why I almost messed up again. They said,
let's bust and Dreamcatchers. I said, no one's gonna come.
No one was there. So PBS said we would love
to have Dreamcatchers in the audience. I said, no one's
coming to Troy, New York and they were like, no, no, no,
(12:58):
let's do it. And honestly, I said, uh, I don't
want to be responsible for filling this audience. You know
y'all didn't tell me that's what you needed me to do.
I leave for my November hiatus in a week. I don't,
you know, just just go ahead and fill it with whoever.
Thank god, they did not listen to me, so when
I was gone, they connected with Logan on my team,
who connected with Tamika, who is the ultimate dream Catcher.
(13:20):
She's our DreamCatcher President. She reached out and was like,
we are motive, we are we are getting on board
for Tiffany. Everyone loves Tamika, and I thank God for
that because it would have been different. And so they
came in and when I was getting ready, so I mean,
I got fifty hugs. Yes, girl, you got you know,
nothing uplifts you like a black month. Okay, nothing, I
(13:42):
mean the way they pumped me up. By the time
I was out there, I don't even know what the
director was saying. I was just talking to my girls,
like ay, indeed.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
Yep, yeah, And you're in your element. You're in your
your comfort zone, which is what I think to be
asked to do so much. You you were really good.
I mean, first of all, your team was great to
work with them and get that done. Second of all,
you advocated for the style and.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
Yes, and that's just so proud of you. Honestly, I
felt really good about it. And that's why I said, no,
we're gonna celebrate the fact, like the average watcher of
phibs is a seventy three year old woman. The white
part is silent, but it is, and so you know,
I wasn't expecting. That's why I was like well, you know,
I'm not gonna this is not gonna move the needle
(14:30):
or shit. That's what I told myself. But you don't
know what moves the needle, and so you don't know.
It takes one person to watch and maybe they tell
their grandson who works for x Y. I don't know
what the what's on the other side of this, but
what I know is that for the first time I
advocated for myself in this kind of way, I got
what I needed to be able to show up fully.
I you know, I'm so glad I'm learning to let
(14:52):
people like do for me, like the fact that drink
catchers are like, are you crazy? Of course we're coming,
And then to purposefully celebrate like this celebration was different
than Netflix because Netflix, we did a full premiere and
it was more so like pop and circumstance. This was
a true celebration like family, friends, loved ones, and that's
what I wanted, and so I'm really proud of the
(15:12):
special and only airs guaranteed until the end of the
month March. So if you haven't seen it, check your
local listings or go to PBS dot org.
Speaker 1 (15:21):
You can find it online. I did find it, oh
you did it, Okay, Yeah, yeah, I think through their
YouTube channel or something, but.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
Yeah, probably yes, so and you could watch. And I
do really, really really suggest that people donate to PPS.
I mean, we all grew up on Sesame Street, mister Rogers,
finding your Roots, Arthur Arthur, and you know, they were
a little bit under attack. I don't know if they
still are, and so they literally are here because of
viewers like you. You know when they say that, So you know,
(15:48):
donating is such a great way to keep the like
one the fact they had me on there, they let
me be my full black girl felf. I mean I
was wearing my big hoop earrings, orange dress, you know,
my locks was locking, and I was my full self.
I did not have to dim my light. And that's
the kind of programming that you get over there at PBS.
So yeah, it just was I'm really grateful. I was terrified,
(16:10):
but I'm grateful that I pushed through for that experience.
I'm so proud of you.
Speaker 1 (16:15):
All Right, Well, y'all know what to do now, ba fan,
we gotta go to PBS dot org find Tiffany's Get
Good with Money, uh special. It's about an hour long, right,
It's a full on special. We only got a taste
of it at that at that event, but it was
so fun Also, I was cracking everybody was cracking up
at your jokes, even in that ten minute clip. And
(16:35):
what was so funny is like, I don't I heard
all the jokes before. I've heard the stories multiple times,
anecdotes the class.
Speaker 2 (16:44):
Oh oh that's a good one. That's a good one.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
But it's still funny. Like we're still cracking up. It
was such good vibes, the energy it was, it was
so fun Yeah, and it.
Speaker 2 (16:55):
Was happy to see Mandy, Like it was so nice
to be like who listened to Brown Ambition And to
see all these hands come up and for them to
be like and we still listen.
Speaker 1 (17:02):
I just people are very kind, even the woman who
I accidentally thought was Alyssa You're supergirl.
Speaker 2 (17:12):
Man, I just kind. Brown A Bison is excellent and
still excellent. And so I just love it, like, you know,
it continues to grow. So yeah, that was just awesome.
And so I love being, you know, back, because I
think it's important for folks to see what's the aftermath
of you know, like not a breakup, because we didn't
break up, but what's the aftermath of a transition like this?
And the aftermath is, you know, Mandy and I, if anything,
(17:35):
closer than ever and see each other more than ever.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
My face hurts from smiling right now. This is how
I felt at the event too. I'm just like, yes,
and so I just was.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
You know, if you're making transition and it feels a
little scary, that's okay. But no, that transition doesn't have
to mean the end. It oftentimes is the beginning. And
you know, I don't know how many updates made it
has given, y'all, but so many amazing things are happening
for her Ba, So I'm just so proud of her,
which she's.
Speaker 1 (18:01):
Haven't told them yet.
Speaker 2 (18:02):
Okay, soon.
Speaker 1 (18:07):
Soon I will have a fun update for va Fan.
But uh yeah, I'm just proud of us.
Speaker 2 (18:14):
I love it.
Speaker 1 (18:14):
I love to have you back. And it was so organic,
like of course, you know, you're welcome anytime. You still
know where the key is hidden under the under the pot?
Speaker 2 (18:23):
Why do people do that the same place?
Speaker 1 (18:26):
I don't know. I don't hide mine there. You won't
find a pot somewhere, all right, va Fan. Well, let's
take a quick break and then I'm putting Tiffany to
work because you know you don't come to anyone's house.
I'm empty handed as company. Okay, so she go and
get her roll up your sleeves. We're taking a b
a question. Okay, be right back, all right, ba fan Okay,
(18:48):
tiff back in your old stomping grounds. Let's take this
listener question. Do you want to do the disclaimer? Because
I like, I love the way that you do your
you'll be a Q you. You remember, wait what I
used to say talking about don't sue us so your grandma?
Speaker 2 (19:06):
It was like, this is not a substitute for professional advice.
Don't sue us, sue your grandma. You know, like you're
supposed to take it with the smallest wand of salt.
We're not we're financial. You're pray for financial girlfriends, but
we're now your financial advisors, so keep it with Okay, okay.
Speaker 1 (19:23):
Like you never left. All right, this question I thought
was perfect for you. This comes from a listener who
wants to go buy budget savvy and stuck. All right,
lucky you, budget savvy and stuck. I saved your question
for Tiffany, so she gets and this is what I
also love. Take notes from Budget Savvy and Stuck ba fam.
She just hits it with the details bullet point baby,
no novel, something I'll be sending chapter books, and I
(19:48):
love it, but it makes it, you know. We'll just
get to the nitty gritty, all right. Budget Savvy and
Stuck says, here are the deats. I'm in my thirties,
I'm married. We have two incomes total of about one
hundred and fifty k income, two kids. We have sixty
thousand dollars in consumer debt. We have sixty thousand dollars
in student loans. We have we pay for part time
(20:11):
childcare because we can't afford full time, which is between
seventeen hundred to two thousand per month. We have both
invested into retirement accounts, so we have one hundred and
eighty k excuse me save for retirement combined, but we
have no savings like cash savings due to the cost
of our expenses each month. Our mortgage is two k okay,
(20:35):
which is a great deal, she says, you know, compared
to the space that we need in this running areas.
So she says her biggest concern is this debt. Right,
sixty K consumer debt sixty K student loans. She says,
things are getting worse and I am out of ideas.
I've cut down on luxuries, mostly food and minimal outings.
I've tried loan forgiveness, although I've been working for nonprofits
(20:58):
for ten years like Tiff, and during my twenties, I
halted my loans instead of doing income based repayment. My
husband works extra to bring in more, but it gets
swiped by the kids needs. Somehow, I took a small
loan from my retirement and it helped for a month
or so, then inflation became aggressive. It's since been repaid,
(21:19):
but I am stuck. Is there anything any advice for
how I can get out of this hole? I could
have written this. I could have written this question honestly,
so similar.
Speaker 2 (21:31):
Well, my question is did she say what she does
for a living? Maybe I didn't mean.
Speaker 1 (21:35):
She says, I've been working with nonprofits for ten years,
so it sounds like she works with a nonprofit, but
she doesn't say what she does exactly.
Speaker 2 (21:43):
Honestly, there are here when people don't have enough money
at the end of the month, you only have one
of two issues or combination. Right, So savvy, you either
have I don't make enough issue or spend too much issue.
And what I find when people are frugal, the first
thing they try to attack is to spend too much issue.
That doesn't sound like your issue, you know, except for
(22:03):
the consumer dead. But even then that might be for bailed.
So I'm not here to judge, you know, So it's
likely not to spend too much issue if you I mean,
for all the things that you've been doing and how
you've been cunning back and it sounds like I don't
make enough issue, and so that makes you you want
to put eighty percent of your financial energy and brain
toward How can I make more? Do you have to
(22:27):
work in the nonprofit sector? We know that doesn't pay
as much, and I know jobs are not as free flowing,
But what would it look like if you did your
job in the private sector where there might be more
income available. Are there other things you can add to
the mix? Like so many people are are entrepreneurs now,
and one of the number one things that my entrepreneur
(22:48):
friends ask me is virtual ad and virtual admin. You know,
is there I mean, I know people don't want to, like,
you know, get second jobs, but if you can't find
another job, that will pay you more what you're.
Speaker 1 (23:01):
Needing, especially in this economy right.
Speaker 2 (23:03):
Which I understand, but there are there. I mean, so
many people are needing of virtual admin so I and
everyone doesn't need like like me, I have like a
full time virtual admin, but a friend of mine does
like fractional virtual admin work, and she actually works for
four different small businesses and does light work, but it's
enough to pay her. And so considering something like that, honestly,
(23:27):
and considering like what I'm assuming with two kids, you're
kind of wanting to be home. That's why I suggested
like some sort of like virtual work, I would be
like steadily looking at a site. Instagram always has so
many great posts about virtual work you know that you
could do a little more research on, Like huh, I
remember my sister did virtual customer service or she said
(23:48):
it paid pretty decent, Like I said, virtual admin work.
I don't know what other skill sets that you might have.
I'd be looking for a job that paid more. Maybe
is there you know at your nonprofit, I know things
are time, are there, additional responsibilities? Are there other roles
that you can take on to increase that income, because
really it's going to be an income increase and then
(24:08):
really being mindful that as you increase that income before
it comes in, making a plan for where it's going
to go, because oftentimes, you know, my dad would say,
you will cut your code according to your size. So
it's like, oh, you know, like if I could only
get twenty thousand dollars more, we get ahead, then you
make twenty thousand dollars more and you absorb it.
Speaker 1 (24:26):
But that only that's what she said. She says, my
husband's started to work extra, but it gets swiped by
the kids needs somehow, and so you have.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
To ask yourself the plan. That's why making the plan
ahead of time. Is it the kids needs or the
things that you think the kids need? Meaning like okay,
like I would love for my kids to play soccer
on the weekends, But is that a need if we're
struggling to pay bills and we're drowning, you know what
I mean? Are there is there another way to make
sure they get activities that don't that don't cost you know, money,
or cost much money. And so that's what I would ask,
(24:57):
because children it is hard, right because I know so
many people who you know, go broke because of their kids.
But you know your kid needs more than anything else.
A mom and a dad that are not stressed about
their finances, you know, like and so that's so it's hard.
So that's what I would suggested, I'd be focusing on
making more, but being mindful, are you truly looking at
(25:18):
your your your budget and leaning into that plan to say,
if we make this extra money, this is where it's
going to go, versus like inflating life because now you're
making more, that's a very easy chap to fall into.
Speaker 1 (25:31):
What's really challenging about this too, is that sometimes those
additional sources of income that you may get, like through
side hustles, through part time work, it's not always consistent, right,
And one of the biggest issues that I can see
her having is that this, you know, these little extra
you know, extra five hundred thousand dollars there or whatever
(25:54):
she may bring in, will it be consistent and continue
to meet her needs, you know, meet the needs of
paying down the debt and paying for these expenses. The
biggest cost apart from her mortgage is the childcare. And
that's the one for me that gives me every month.
And I'm like Zam and I almost feel like I
(26:16):
just want to. I want to draw attention to that
because any income, like is it going to be consistent?
And in the interim while you are looking potentially for
a full time job that pays you more, I don't
want that. That consumer debt, man, that's credit card debt
or personal loans. If it's credit card debt that you
know double digit interest is and if you're paying the minimums.
(26:38):
I know that girl. I wonder if she's done any
balance transfers for the time being.
Speaker 2 (26:44):
Yes, like are you managing the debt that you do? Oh?
Like to Maatie's point, yes, are there like balance stretching,
but also too for like your your mortgage. What it
sounds like your interest rate is low. But oftentimes we
don't review our interest rates and say, like, you know
what I can reachat and say, hey, why is my
interest rate so high? I was looking at my cell
phone bill the other day and I'm like, why is
(27:05):
this so high? You know, like I don't do extra
calls and I called. They're like, oh, you're on the
old plan that has less features. We can lower by
fifty bucks a month. I'm like, what you know? So
I'd be going going line by line for all of
the bills that I pay to make sure that this
is updated, or if I were to leave, you what
are the new people getting? So I was paying my
(27:27):
what is it my internet? You know, because I threatened
to leave, they took ten dollars off because I found
that I was paying eighty bucks a month for internet.
My sister's paying seventy for the same internet down the street.
And they're like, oh, because she's a new customer, I said,
we'll put ten. Like I'm in they customers. It's oftentimes
that you know, line by line, you might be able
to find one hundred two hundred dollars by going line
(27:48):
by line for the things that you're paying for that
it could be less someplace else, or you can negotiate.
They almost always have a retention department. You know. That's
like okay, because they don't want to lose money either, Okay, okay, okay. Well,
you know we'd rather take less money from you then
no money from you. So I'd be going line by
line to do that too.
Speaker 1 (28:03):
But I like that app Rocket Money.
Speaker 2 (28:05):
Yeah, used that.
Speaker 1 (28:07):
They're pretty good. They're very good at helping you identify. Yeah,
they've sponsored the show before, but they're not sponsoring it now,
so I'll tell you how I really feel. And I'm kidding.
I would always tell you how I've said it before.
Rocket money is great because it helps you really identify
recurring expenses and remind you of them and help you
identify and like, oh, dang, I didn't know I was
still paying for that.
Speaker 2 (28:24):
I was still paying for hinge. I han't been at
a date in a year. You're kidding, And.
Speaker 1 (28:29):
That hinge costs money. I didn't know that.
Speaker 2 (28:32):
Okay, I don't know if I was paying quarterly or whatever.
I was like seventy dollars. I was so mad. And
then also too, I remember I was still paying for
weight Watchers that I know. I canceled like a year
so prior, and so there were things like like you
said that you don't see, and so I was able
to go in and cancel and I was saving as
a result, at least a few hundred dollars a year
(28:53):
as a result. So Mandy's right, I do like a
Rocket money for that you could so, and you can
decide how much you want to pay for Rocket money
in order to use it.
Speaker 1 (29:02):
So they're not so great at the cancelation part. They
say that they'll cancel stuff for you, but it's not
really that easy, but they'll help you identify it. So
which is I was going to say, especially to the
situation that you're in, because I really identify it with it.
I to have found myself in a very similar situation
with consumer debt that I'm just like, really uncomfortable with.
(29:22):
And one of the things that I I will say
to you, because I've said it to myself too, is
you may have to make some choices that you don't
like for the short term to make it possible to
get out of this debt hole. And one of those
decisions may be alternative childcare. It may not look like
like if you could cut out the date. You're already
(29:44):
paying part time, so it's not even sufficient, right You're
not getting full time care. Can you find a more
affordable childcare option? Can you have a relative move in
with you? Can you look at getting a live in
like OH pair or something like that. There's programs that
can be more cost effective if you have the space.
It's highly regulated, the OH pair business, but I've got
friends who are using O pairs and it is more
(30:06):
cost effective. It can be than paying for daycare for
two children, So I just want you to And these
may not sound like like I think that we get
in our thirties, we have children. It's like what I
need my mother in law, I need my aunt like
whoever to come, you know, and help me with this.
But I should be I should be able to manage this.
(30:26):
Why can't I manage this? Today? Is not the way
it was for our parents, like or even parents from
ten years ago. It is so hard, it is so expensive.
The costs are high, and in order to make the
money that we need to afford just basic expenses, we
need childcare and that also has gotten increasingly high. And
(30:48):
it's just like this catch twenty two twenty two around
the circle. You go, do I cut childcare? Okay, that'll
save me two thousand, But then I'm going to have
to how am I going to have the energy or
the wits about me to get extra income If I
got these you can't do it, And so you kind
of get locked into this cycle where you're just like
in this hamster will and to really break free, we
(31:09):
have to figure out how can we reduce the cost
of that childcare. So that's one thing, and then the
money that you were putting toward that childcare. You could
be putting it, you know, depending on how much you're saving.
And I'm not saying don't have childcare. I'm saying get
an alternative kind of childcare. There may be an in
home daycare service that you can find that can be reputable.
(31:30):
You may find you know, relatives, you can do a
nanny share potentially, because I know we're all in the
same boat as far as childcare goes. But reaching out
and getting help to get you through this rough patch
is going to be essential. And that will also buy
you some extra time for the time that it may
take to get that higher paying job because the job
(31:51):
market is not impossible right now, but it is very tight.
There is a lot of competition, there are fewer jobs.
The average time people are spending unemployed looking for jobs
is about six months now. Yes, so I am with
all you have going on, I know how overwhelming it
could be. But I'll also add to reach out to
(32:13):
your connections, like start letting them know that you're looking for,
you know, new opportunities, Start letting them know to keep
an eye out for you, because that's really.
Speaker 2 (32:22):
The only way to speed up.
Speaker 1 (32:24):
In my experience as a coach, Like, the only way
to speed up the application and hiring process is if
you have a human being who can fast track you
on the inside, because the stacks of resumes it's a
lottery at this point. You know, for a lot of jobs,
it's like, will it be the one that the recruiter sees?
Will it out of the dozens that maybe hundreds that
(32:46):
are you know, flooding the system. I just yeah, I
have lots of compassion for you, and I know she's
looking at that hundred and k one hundred and eighty
k retirement funds wanted to cash it at I'd be
looking at mine too.
Speaker 2 (33:02):
I took mine now, and I'm like, damn, but you
made it back though, Yeah, but not you never get
the lost you know, compounded interest and growth back, you know.
Speaker 1 (33:13):
Yeah, And then if you do that, you'll just end
up because the consumer debt's not gonna like maybe that'll
save you now you can get sixty k and pay
it down. But then if you don't fix the budget issues,
the income versus expense issues, you will wind up in
the same space again. Like you have said, after you
got that one loan that you took out, we got
(33:36):
to find every way to reduce those costs as much
as we can. Thank you for your question anything else, TV.
Speaker 2 (33:44):
No, I think that that was really great advice. Sometimes
you're right. Sometimes we have to make the big, hard
choices that feel very like I don't want to.
Speaker 1 (33:50):
And I would say this that just for a season,
not forever.
Speaker 2 (33:53):
I promise you. Our parents did. We were walked by
the neighbors, the lady down the street that kept kids
like our parents were not doing it with the help.
It's just it just looked different, you know. But no,
there's just not possible to do things by yourself.
Speaker 1 (34:06):
So my mom had us an aftercare, but it was free.
Now I'm paying six hundred a month for the extra
four hours a day that my son, you know, stays
at his elementary school. And I'm like, oh, even so
that even with him being in school at public school,
I still have to pay. Then the activities.
Speaker 2 (34:23):
Girls had, there was a library right next door. I
remember in second grade we had to cross the street
and go to the Roselle Library and stay there until
six till my dad picked us up. That was and
how over y'all? Girl was like the second grade like
that was like girl, We ain't got no money, so
make sure you and your sisters don't talk to those
strangers and read these books, and the libraries would know
us and be like hi girls. And that's when I
(34:46):
became an avid reader, because that's what I mean to
your point. I mean, yeah, it was just like the
library was literally next door to our school and we
would just walk with with a bunch of other kids,
and you had to do your homework. There was no
after care. That's what it was. It was like the
life variants were like, yeah, behave yourself before I tell
because I know y'all gets thinking.
Speaker 1 (35:05):
See see parents were not doing it like we're doing
it so hard if you're trying to do the classic
child care situation today. But all right, budget savvy and stuck.
I hope that that is helpful. Tiffany, thank you for
joining me for ba Q just like old time.
Speaker 2 (35:23):
I know that's so crazy. After I'm like sitting in
the same seat like, oh and I love this.
Speaker 1 (35:28):
This is new, this little the little background, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (35:31):
No, no, the what is this above? It said Brandon
Bischitt on my screen, like on my.
Speaker 1 (35:35):
Oh the little logo? Yeah, oh yes, I'm very official.
Now you see what happens when I have my full
attention on the podcast. Yes that said, look at many
everything is better.
Speaker 2 (35:45):
I love it. I'm cute. Are we here? No? But
honestly it is great being me back. And I love y'all.
And like I said, I just you know, I'm just
so proud of bandy. She is in her element, slaying
and making to do what to do, and I love
to be outside when people are like, tell maybe I
love her, I'm like, I know, I love you too.
Speaker 1 (36:06):
Download the show.
Speaker 2 (36:10):
All right, until next time, all.
Speaker 1 (36:13):
Sunshine, I'll talk to you soon, I guess. Bye bye,
ba fan
Hey, hey, BA fam, welcome to the b a QA
where I take your questions and I give you like
I call it edutainment, infotainment. We're gonna get our AsSalt
shakers out. And wait a second, I'm sorry, this is awkward.
This is my show now.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Hey hey, no, no matter.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
We don't sing anymore. Listen new rules.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Who lets you in.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
The back door? Girl that keys to the house?
Speaker 2 (00:33):
I do. I was just in here, just in the
cat on the couch, kicking my feet up.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
Hi Tiffany, Hi, Nandra.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Oh it feels so good to be home.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
It feels yeah, it does feel I mean it's like
you never left. You never left me. It may feel
new to the BA fam, but Tiffany's back for a special,
a special chat. I would say she's here to just
take your BA questions because she loves you guys so much.
But girl, she got something to promote what's been going
(01:04):
on TV sty.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
You know what I love most is that Mandy, I
see you more now that we don't do BA together.
And then I'm like, yeah, which is crazy, Like I
just saw Maddie like two weeks ago, but even before that,
we went we met up in New York and had yummy, yummy,
yummy sushi dinner. Oh yes.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
And then I brought my kids to your house. Yeah,
tear it up.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
And then we hung out that and then so I
have a PBS special based upon my New York Times bessella.
The book is called Get Good with Money, but so
is the special. And so I had like a premiere
party at this beautiful mansion called the Cooker Scott Mansion
owned by the first black millionaire in Newark, woman black
(01:51):
woman millionaire in Newark, and so to be able to
use that space and Mandy came.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
It was beautiful. Yeah, it was very very special. I'm
really glad that you had a party to celebrate it too.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
I wasn't gonna, but then I said, no, we're because
I guess I didn't feel like all the fuss and
you know, popping circumstance. I said no. And what I
loved is that it felt like because it was a
brunch and it just felt like, I don't know, like
the homies were over like. It felt like it because
about one hundred people, give or take, you'd say, right,
but I don't know.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
I'm bad at that. Those people we were fighting over chairs,
we had to drag stools, but it just felt like home.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
It was my parents came, my sisters, came, my niece,
my nephew, my friends. So it very much felt like
I was just having people over at my beautiful house,
eating delicious food. Got to watch a little clip of
the PBS special. Take some questions. Even Mandy took some
questions because Ba is always in the building.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
Listen. That was fun. It felt very natural. Well, first
of all, it was your party, but I felt like
I was the groom or something because people were stopping me.
I did not even get to taste the buffet food.
I'm I'm glad I got a little bite before the
screening happened. But I also feel like in the crowd
were a lot of Dreamcatchers. And these were the Dreamcatchers
(03:08):
who got on the bus. Because y'all understand PPS does
not tape in New York. You know, doesn't tape downtown,
doesn't tape in Newark. It tape tapes where up up, up,
up upstate, Yes, Troy, Yeah, right, like a three hour
bus ride, so y'all literally bussed Dreamcatchers from from Jersey,
from the city where they all come from.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
They went to Newark. MM hm.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
They went to Newark, hopped on a bus, went three
hours up state to see you record this. So it
was like a live taping.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Yes, it was a live taping and I needed it
because I'm not gonna lie with and.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
The dead of winter.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
Yes, and about fifty dream Catchers came. And I didn't
think anyone was gonna come because I'm not gonna lie.
I wasn't gonna come unless like had to. But they
were so joyful, they brought such good energy. So just backstory.
So maybe like I don't know, six or seven months
or so, maybe longer. My book agent, Heather said, hey,
do you want a PBS special, like if I was
(04:02):
asking if I want to slice the pizza. I was like,
I mean, yeah, I guess you know, to.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
Me fourteen of them right now, yeah, exactly, and so
but she said, you know it's not guaranteed obviously, but
she said a friend of mine it is a producer there,
and you know, I just thought about you, and I said, oh,
let's ask Tiffany.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
So I met with him. He was really nice. He's
one of these like ornery like old dudes, you know,
like I don't like nobody. Like it was like you
seem okay after our meeting not OSK for the Crouch, yes,
and producing the special. But then he was also like, well,
I'm going to pitch it to PBS. They're probably gonna
say no. I said, no problem, you know, because I
(04:38):
just really was chilling.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
Why would they say no?
Speaker 2 (04:40):
I don't know, like he's basically I think he was
just trying to set expectations that okay, you know. So
I said okay, and then they pitched it. PBS said yes,
and then I started to have to work on the script.
This was I want to say December, like October, October
and December, because you know, I was not working in November,
(05:01):
and so well.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
That's right, you got the special and then you were like,
how fun see you in a month?
Speaker 2 (05:06):
Yes they were, but I told, yes, okay. I held
steady to that boundary of like, I do not work
in November. And I said it from the very beginning.
I said, I don't work in November. It's non negotiable.
I just don't you know, like other like if I
had like just a month off just because maybe, but
I'm like, now I'm not going to be here, I
won't be emotionally present, and so came back. They had
(05:27):
done they had used the book to create like a makeshift,
if you will, a script, and then I just came
in edited it down, and then I met with the
director and then the producer and we ran through it
a number of times. And but the thing is, what's
so critical about any time you do any show. You
(05:48):
have to be able to take direction and put it
to use right away, and so not to have ego
about it. So I'm like, can you say this instead
of this? Or can you do this instead of that?
So doing the zoom, you know, that was having to
make you know, impromptu corrections, and so they were like
that was really good, Tiffany, you know, and I said okay.
And when I hung up from that zoom, because we've
maybe met two or three times to practice something like
(06:12):
the Divine God, was like, this is bigger than PBS.
Because I think I was, if you know me, Mandy,
sometimes I'm like, okay, got child, you know, like I
don't know who's my defense mechanism. And so I wasn't
I won't say I wasn't taking it seriously, but I
wasn't like take goodness seriously, and so I got a
little freaked out, like what do you mean? It was
like this is bigger than PBS. Basically, it was like
(06:32):
get your shit together because I.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
Was this voice, this voice that tells you things. Yes,
you've grown ambition, I know, but I was wh look,
I know I'm not mad at it. Let's the voice say?
Does the voice have anything to tell me? Flatto numbers?
Speaker 2 (06:50):
Right? So I said, oh, okay. So and then in
I think it was end of December, they were like,
all right, Tiffany, come and tape and I you know,
so I got there the day before, did a walk through,
and they said, let's do like a read through kind of.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
I can I just interrupt for a second because not like
I haven't been interrupting you since we started that show
ten years ago together. But Tiffany did not even tell
me this was happening. And I like to think that
we're friend friends now, you know, like on the weekend,
I kind of know what you're up to. Whatever you
said nothing. I don't think I would have known had
I not texted you. And you're like, oh, I'm on
the way to Troy. I'm like, what taping a PBS special?
Speaker 2 (07:29):
What you know? What it is? Banded? Because I don't know.
There is a part of me that I think when
the feelings get too big, I call a vacuum ceiling
to like make them really small.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
And I'm like, it's really clever.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
It's no biggie, and that's how I manage.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
And so yeah, no, I get it, you know.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
And so I it didn't really hit me. I didn't think.
I think the vacuum seel like punctured when I got
on set and I saw my face and my words
and my and then I said, like hyperventilating, like, oh
my gosh, this is a big deal.
Speaker 1 (07:58):
You're by yourself. I don't have your team, girl.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
No, it was just me myself and I and I said, wait,
the cameras everyone's just looking and I just was like,
and you know, cause I guess they sent a carter
come get me. So they were like, let's do a
run through, and this is your Her name is Karence,
who's really nice. This is your teleprompter person.
Speaker 1 (08:19):
And I was like, hell, this is the day before
you're supposed to tape the full thing. Okay, all right, I.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
Said, okay. And so Karen's like, I'm here to do
whatever you need. And I said, okay, Meanwhile, maybe two
weeks prior, Cabral said, get you behind over the elegant
eyes to get you some glasses. I said, I don't
need glasses. He said, you're forty five. You did so
I went and sure enough, I'm twenty fifty. So I'm
about five years late, but needing glasses.
Speaker 1 (08:42):
Yeah, twenty fifty girl.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Cabral was like, how are you managing these streets?
Speaker 1 (08:49):
I said, they didn't take your license away. I mean,
he said, oh my god.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
So he ordered them. I bought some really key glasses.
He ordered them, but I didn't have them with me
in Upstate because why would I.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
So I get say you had your possession, you had
them in your possession.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
No, Cabral had ordered them, but I didn't. I think
it was the big deal. I'm not waring glasses my
whole life. I get there teleprompter time, Mandra I'm a
squintan and a in a in a squeezing and a
linen and a sweating I'm like, hello Monday. The way
(09:25):
the room was silent and you so you heard the random.
Speaker 1 (09:28):
Cough, you know, like in the awful because the rehearsal,
there's no there's no studio audience. It's just like producers
or you know whatever.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
And I was cluttering and then I was like, maybe
if you could make the tail pump the slower and
even still, I'm like one day girl, the way my
heart is racing, I thought. And I remember like the
inner Tiffany said we cannot do this. This is too hard.
That's what came up. I said, Tiffany, you know, I'm sorry,
(09:59):
we cannot do this. This is too hard. And then
this other Tiffany was like, fight back by back, fight back,
and I said, what do you need, Tiffany, Because you're
right doing this like this with the teleprompter. It is
too hard. What do you need? And I said, I
need to do it like I would normally do it.
And I said it out loud. I said, can I
do this like I would normally do it? And they
were like, well, what is that? I'm like, well, if
I was going to do a keynote, I would basically
(10:21):
have like like some cards or the paper in my
hand and I would just glance at it every once
in a while and just teach the lesson because I
know these lessons. And so they said, okay, So I
grabbed the paper, I looked. I said, Oh, next subject
is budgeting. I taught the lesson. Next uptic was credit.
I taught the lesson. So we did a run through
with that way and they said, what are you doing
there because you can't have paper obviously on TV. I said, well,
(10:45):
I just need like a visual prompt to be like, oh,
the next lesson is credit, but I already know, like
what I'm teaching. The next question, like the next subject
is dead. And they said, what if we could do
that on a teleprompter just the word budget, so you know,
just do your budgeting lesson be huge so you don't
have to yeah, just to work credit. And I said, okay,
So we did a little bit testing of that much better.
I was still freaked out, so I still, you know,
(11:07):
so it wasn't my normal tiffany self and the people.
This person was there. Everybody was just in the room
looking like that was better. But I hope she freaking
gets it together tomorrow. So I go back to my
hotel just rock myself to sleep for just two hours
because I'm jittery and nervous. I go with the script
ten thousand times. I practiced with just looking at the word,
and then I was like, Tiffany, you got this, do
(11:28):
it the way. You know, you're not reading a script,
just teach the lesson. And so you have to do
two full dress to run throughs one with no audience.
So in the morning, maybe at eleven, I did a
full dress rehearsal and they recorded that way when they
record with the audience, in case something needs to be
swapped out, they have a clean version, you know. So
I did it and it was really good. I'll give
(11:50):
it a solid B plus. You know, I was like okay, okay.
And then and then when the audience came, maybe like
three or four or something like that, so I just
chilled and they came back. And now with the audience,
you know, filled with all these beautiful brown faces. They
also paid they sometimes they do like paid audience, So
I want to say maybe like ten fifteen were like
(12:12):
paid like audience members. And then but everybody else was
a dream catcher and so that energy. Oh I was
up there cutting U because you know, you ain't got
to give me any but but a mic, and and.
Speaker 1 (12:24):
What with the crowd? I want because you told me
this and I was I was like, of course, it
was so genius of you to bring to Bust in
Dreamcatchers because if you hadn't, who would have Who would
the PBS on a on a random Sunday audience be.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
You already know seventy and Troy, New York, all the
white folks, which you know, it's cute, but it wouldn't
have been the same energy, and it wasn't my idea.
This is why I almost messed up again. They said,
let's bust and Dreamcatchers. I said, no one's gonna come.
No one was there. So PBS said we would love
to have Dreamcatchers in the audience. I said, no one's
coming to Troy, New York and they were like, no, no, no,
(12:58):
let's do it. And honestly, I said, uh, I don't
want to be responsible for filling this audience. You know
y'all didn't tell me that's what you needed me to do.
I leave for my November hiatus in a week. I don't,
you know, just just go ahead and fill it with whoever.
Thank god, they did not listen to me, so when
I was gone, they connected with Logan on my team,
who connected with Tamika, who is the ultimate dream Catcher.
(13:20):
She's our DreamCatcher President. She reached out and was like,
we are motive, we are we are getting on board
for Tiffany. Everyone loves Tamika, and I thank God for
that because it would have been different. And so they
came in and when I was getting ready, so I mean,
I got fifty hugs. Yes, girl, you got you know,
nothing uplifts you like a black month. Okay, nothing, I
(13:42):
mean the way they pumped me up. By the time
I was out there, I don't even know what the
director was saying. I was just talking to my girls,
like ay, indeed.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
Yep, yeah, And you're in your element. You're in your
your comfort zone, which is what I think to be
asked to do so much. You you were really good.
I mean, first of all, your team was great to
work with them and get that done. Second of all,
you advocated for the style and.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
Yes, and that's just so proud of you. Honestly, I
felt really good about it. And that's why I said, no,
we're gonna celebrate the fact, like the average watcher of
phibs is a seventy three year old woman. The white
part is silent, but it is, and so you know,
I wasn't expecting. That's why I was like well, you know,
I'm not gonna this is not gonna move the needle
(14:30):
or shit. That's what I told myself. But you don't
know what moves the needle, and so you don't know.
It takes one person to watch and maybe they tell
their grandson who works for x Y. I don't know
what the what's on the other side of this, but
what I know is that for the first time I
advocated for myself in this kind of way, I got
what I needed to be able to show up fully.
I you know, I'm so glad I'm learning to let
(14:52):
people like do for me, like the fact that drink
catchers are like, are you crazy? Of course we're coming,
And then to purposefully celebrate like this celebration was different
than Netflix because Netflix, we did a full premiere and
it was more so like pop and circumstance. This was
a true celebration like family, friends, loved ones, and that's
what I wanted, and so I'm really proud of the
(15:12):
special and only airs guaranteed until the end of the
month March. So if you haven't seen it, check your
local listings or go to PBS dot org.
Speaker 1 (15:21):
You can find it online. I did find it, oh
you did it, Okay, Yeah, yeah, I think through their
YouTube channel or something, but.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
Yeah, probably yes, so and you could watch. And I
do really, really really suggest that people donate to PPS.
I mean, we all grew up on Sesame Street, mister Rogers,
finding your Roots, Arthur Arthur, and you know, they were
a little bit under attack. I don't know if they
still are, and so they literally are here because of
viewers like you. You know when they say that, So you know,
(15:48):
donating is such a great way to keep the like
one the fact they had me on there, they let
me be my full black girl felf. I mean I
was wearing my big hoop earrings, orange dress, you know,
my locks was locking, and I was my full self.
I did not have to dim my light. And that's
the kind of programming that you get over there at PBS.
So yeah, it just was I'm really grateful. I was terrified,
(16:10):
but I'm grateful that I pushed through for that experience.
I'm so proud of you.
Speaker 1 (16:15):
All Right, Well, y'all know what to do now, ba fan,
we gotta go to PBS dot org find Tiffany's Get
Good with Money, uh special. It's about an hour long, right,
It's a full on special. We only got a taste
of it at that at that event, but it was
so fun Also, I was cracking everybody was cracking up
at your jokes, even in that ten minute clip. And
(16:35):
what was so funny is like, I don't I heard
all the jokes before. I've heard the stories multiple times,
anecdotes the class.
Speaker 2 (16:44):
Oh oh that's a good one. That's a good one.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
But it's still funny. Like we're still cracking up. It
was such good vibes, the energy it was, it was
so fun Yeah, and it.
Speaker 2 (16:55):
Was happy to see Mandy, Like it was so nice
to be like who listened to Brown Ambition And to
see all these hands come up and for them to
be like and we still listen.
Speaker 1 (17:02):
I just people are very kind, even the woman who
I accidentally thought was Alyssa You're supergirl.
Speaker 2 (17:12):
Man, I just kind. Brown A Bison is excellent and
still excellent. And so I just love it, like, you know,
it continues to grow. So yeah, that was just awesome.
And so I love being, you know, back, because I
think it's important for folks to see what's the aftermath
of you know, like not a breakup, because we didn't
break up, but what's the aftermath of a transition like this?
And the aftermath is, you know, Mandy and I, if anything,
(17:35):
closer than ever and see each other more than ever.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
My face hurts from smiling right now. This is how
I felt at the event too. I'm just like, yes,
and so I just was.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
You know, if you're making transition and it feels a
little scary, that's okay. But no, that transition doesn't have
to mean the end. It oftentimes is the beginning. And
you know, I don't know how many updates made it
has given, y'all, but so many amazing things are happening
for her Ba, So I'm just so proud of her,
which she's.
Speaker 1 (18:01):
Haven't told them yet.
Speaker 2 (18:02):
Okay, soon.
Speaker 1 (18:07):
Soon I will have a fun update for va Fan.
But uh yeah, I'm just proud of us.
Speaker 2 (18:14):
I love it.
Speaker 1 (18:14):
I love to have you back. And it was so organic,
like of course, you know, you're welcome anytime. You still
know where the key is hidden under the under the pot?
Speaker 2 (18:23):
Why do people do that the same place?
Speaker 1 (18:26):
I don't know. I don't hide mine there. You won't
find a pot somewhere, all right, va Fan. Well, let's
take a quick break and then I'm putting Tiffany to
work because you know you don't come to anyone's house.
I'm empty handed as company. Okay, so she go and
get her roll up your sleeves. We're taking a b
a question. Okay, be right back, all right, ba fan Okay,
(18:48):
tiff back in your old stomping grounds. Let's take this
listener question. Do you want to do the disclaimer? Because
I like, I love the way that you do your
you'll be a Q you. You remember, wait what I
used to say talking about don't sue us so your grandma?
Speaker 2 (19:06):
It was like, this is not a substitute for professional advice.
Don't sue us, sue your grandma. You know, like you're
supposed to take it with the smallest wand of salt.
We're not we're financial. You're pray for financial girlfriends, but
we're now your financial advisors, so keep it with Okay, okay.
Speaker 1 (19:23):
Like you never left. All right, this question I thought
was perfect for you. This comes from a listener who
wants to go buy budget savvy and stuck. All right,
lucky you, budget savvy and stuck. I saved your question
for Tiffany, so she gets and this is what I
also love. Take notes from Budget Savvy and Stuck ba fam.
She just hits it with the details bullet point baby,
no novel, something I'll be sending chapter books, and I
(19:48):
love it, but it makes it, you know. We'll just
get to the nitty gritty, all right. Budget Savvy and
Stuck says, here are the deats. I'm in my thirties,
I'm married. We have two incomes total of about one
hundred and fifty k income, two kids. We have sixty
thousand dollars in consumer debt. We have sixty thousand dollars
in student loans. We have we pay for part time
(20:11):
childcare because we can't afford full time, which is between
seventeen hundred to two thousand per month. We have both
invested into retirement accounts, so we have one hundred and
eighty k excuse me save for retirement combined, but we
have no savings like cash savings due to the cost
of our expenses each month. Our mortgage is two k okay,
(20:35):
which is a great deal, she says, you know, compared
to the space that we need in this running areas.
So she says her biggest concern is this debt. Right,
sixty K consumer debt sixty K student loans. She says,
things are getting worse and I am out of ideas.
I've cut down on luxuries, mostly food and minimal outings.
I've tried loan forgiveness, although I've been working for nonprofits
(20:58):
for ten years like Tiff, and during my twenties, I
halted my loans instead of doing income based repayment. My
husband works extra to bring in more, but it gets
swiped by the kids needs. Somehow, I took a small
loan from my retirement and it helped for a month
or so, then inflation became aggressive. It's since been repaid,
(21:19):
but I am stuck. Is there anything any advice for
how I can get out of this hole? I could
have written this. I could have written this question honestly,
so similar.
Speaker 2 (21:31):
Well, my question is did she say what she does
for a living? Maybe I didn't mean.
Speaker 1 (21:35):
She says, I've been working with nonprofits for ten years,
so it sounds like she works with a nonprofit, but
she doesn't say what she does exactly.
Speaker 2 (21:43):
Honestly, there are here when people don't have enough money
at the end of the month, you only have one
of two issues or combination. Right, So savvy, you either
have I don't make enough issue or spend too much issue.
And what I find when people are frugal, the first
thing they try to attack is to spend too much issue.
That doesn't sound like your issue, you know, except for
(22:03):
the consumer dead. But even then that might be for bailed.
So I'm not here to judge, you know, So it's
likely not to spend too much issue if you I mean,
for all the things that you've been doing and how
you've been cunning back and it sounds like I don't
make enough issue, and so that makes you you want
to put eighty percent of your financial energy and brain
toward How can I make more? Do you have to
(22:27):
work in the nonprofit sector? We know that doesn't pay
as much, and I know jobs are not as free flowing,
But what would it look like if you did your
job in the private sector where there might be more
income available. Are there other things you can add to
the mix? Like so many people are are entrepreneurs now,
and one of the number one things that my entrepreneur
(22:48):
friends ask me is virtual ad and virtual admin. You know,
is there I mean, I know people don't want to, like,
you know, get second jobs, but if you can't find
another job, that will pay you more what you're.
Speaker 1 (23:01):
Needing, especially in this economy right.
Speaker 2 (23:03):
Which I understand, but there are there. I mean, so
many people are needing of virtual admin so I and
everyone doesn't need like like me, I have like a
full time virtual admin, but a friend of mine does
like fractional virtual admin work, and she actually works for
four different small businesses and does light work, but it's
enough to pay her. And so considering something like that, honestly,
(23:27):
and considering like what I'm assuming with two kids, you're
kind of wanting to be home. That's why I suggested
like some sort of like virtual work, I would be
like steadily looking at a site. Instagram always has so
many great posts about virtual work you know that you
could do a little more research on, Like huh, I
remember my sister did virtual customer service or she said
(23:48):
it paid pretty decent, Like I said, virtual admin work.
I don't know what other skill sets that you might have.
I'd be looking for a job that paid more. Maybe
is there you know at your nonprofit, I know things
are time, are there, additional responsibilities? Are there other roles
that you can take on to increase that income, because
really it's going to be an income increase and then
(24:08):
really being mindful that as you increase that income before
it comes in, making a plan for where it's going
to go, because oftentimes, you know, my dad would say,
you will cut your code according to your size. So
it's like, oh, you know, like if I could only
get twenty thousand dollars more, we get ahead, then you
make twenty thousand dollars more and you absorb it.
Speaker 1 (24:26):
But that only that's what she said. She says, my
husband's started to work extra, but it gets swiped by
the kids needs somehow, and so you have.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
To ask yourself the plan. That's why making the plan
ahead of time. Is it the kids needs or the
things that you think the kids need? Meaning like okay,
like I would love for my kids to play soccer
on the weekends, But is that a need if we're
struggling to pay bills and we're drowning, you know what
I mean? Are there is there another way to make
sure they get activities that don't that don't cost you know, money,
or cost much money. And so that's what I would ask,
(24:57):
because children it is hard, right because I know so
many people who you know, go broke because of their kids.
But you know your kid needs more than anything else.
A mom and a dad that are not stressed about
their finances, you know, like and so that's so it's hard.
So that's what I would suggested, I'd be focusing on
making more, but being mindful, are you truly looking at
(25:18):
your your your budget and leaning into that plan to say,
if we make this extra money, this is where it's
going to go, versus like inflating life because now you're
making more, that's a very easy chap to fall into.
Speaker 1 (25:31):
What's really challenging about this too, is that sometimes those
additional sources of income that you may get, like through
side hustles, through part time work, it's not always consistent, right,
And one of the biggest issues that I can see
her having is that this, you know, these little extra
you know, extra five hundred thousand dollars there or whatever
(25:54):
she may bring in, will it be consistent and continue
to meet her needs, you know, meet the needs of
paying down the debt and paying for these expenses. The
biggest cost apart from her mortgage is the childcare. And
that's the one for me that gives me every month.
And I'm like Zam and I almost feel like I
(26:16):
just want to. I want to draw attention to that
because any income, like is it going to be consistent?
And in the interim while you are looking potentially for
a full time job that pays you more, I don't
want that. That consumer debt, man, that's credit card debt
or personal loans. If it's credit card debt that you
know double digit interest is and if you're paying the minimums.
(26:38):
I know that girl. I wonder if she's done any
balance transfers for the time being.
Speaker 2 (26:44):
Yes, like are you managing the debt that you do? Oh?
Like to Maatie's point, yes, are there like balance stretching,
but also too for like your your mortgage. What it
sounds like your interest rate is low. But oftentimes we
don't review our interest rates and say, like, you know
what I can reachat and say, hey, why is my
interest rate so high? I was looking at my cell
phone bill the other day and I'm like, why is
(27:05):
this so high? You know, like I don't do extra
calls and I called. They're like, oh, you're on the
old plan that has less features. We can lower by
fifty bucks a month. I'm like, what you know? So
I'd be going going line by line for all of
the bills that I pay to make sure that this
is updated, or if I were to leave, you what
are the new people getting? So I was paying my
(27:27):
what is it my internet? You know, because I threatened
to leave, they took ten dollars off because I found
that I was paying eighty bucks a month for internet.
My sister's paying seventy for the same internet down the street.
And they're like, oh, because she's a new customer, I said,
we'll put ten. Like I'm in they customers. It's oftentimes
that you know, line by line, you might be able
to find one hundred two hundred dollars by going line
(27:48):
by line for the things that you're paying for that
it could be less someplace else, or you can negotiate.
They almost always have a retention department. You know. That's
like okay, because they don't want to lose money either, Okay, okay, okay. Well,
you know we'd rather take less money from you then
no money from you. So I'd be going line by
line to do that too.
Speaker 1 (28:03):
But I like that app Rocket Money.
Speaker 2 (28:05):
Yeah, used that.
Speaker 1 (28:07):
They're pretty good. They're very good at helping you identify. Yeah,
they've sponsored the show before, but they're not sponsoring it now,
so I'll tell you how I really feel. And I'm kidding.
I would always tell you how I've said it before.
Rocket money is great because it helps you really identify
recurring expenses and remind you of them and help you
identify and like, oh, dang, I didn't know I was
still paying for that.
Speaker 2 (28:24):
I was still paying for hinge. I han't been at
a date in a year. You're kidding, And.
Speaker 1 (28:29):
That hinge costs money. I didn't know that.
Speaker 2 (28:32):
Okay, I don't know if I was paying quarterly or whatever.
I was like seventy dollars. I was so mad. And
then also too, I remember I was still paying for
weight Watchers that I know. I canceled like a year
so prior, and so there were things like like you
said that you don't see, and so I was able
to go in and cancel and I was saving as
a result, at least a few hundred dollars a year
(28:53):
as a result. So Mandy's right, I do like a
Rocket money for that you could so, and you can
decide how much you want to pay for Rocket money
in order to use it.
Speaker 1 (29:02):
So they're not so great at the cancelation part. They
say that they'll cancel stuff for you, but it's not
really that easy, but they'll help you identify it. So
which is I was going to say, especially to the
situation that you're in, because I really identify it with it.
I to have found myself in a very similar situation
with consumer debt that I'm just like, really uncomfortable with.
(29:22):
And one of the things that I I will say
to you, because I've said it to myself too, is
you may have to make some choices that you don't
like for the short term to make it possible to
get out of this debt hole. And one of those
decisions may be alternative childcare. It may not look like
like if you could cut out the date. You're already
(29:44):
paying part time, so it's not even sufficient, right You're
not getting full time care. Can you find a more
affordable childcare option? Can you have a relative move in
with you? Can you look at getting a live in
like OH pair or something like that. There's programs that
can be more cost effective if you have the space.
It's highly regulated, the OH pair business, but I've got
friends who are using O pairs and it is more
(30:06):
cost effective. It can be than paying for daycare for
two children, So I just want you to And these
may not sound like like I think that we get
in our thirties, we have children. It's like what I
need my mother in law, I need my aunt like
whoever to come, you know, and help me with this.
But I should be I should be able to manage this.
(30:26):
Why can't I manage this? Today? Is not the way
it was for our parents, like or even parents from
ten years ago. It is so hard, it is so expensive.
The costs are high, and in order to make the
money that we need to afford just basic expenses, we
need childcare and that also has gotten increasingly high. And
(30:48):
it's just like this catch twenty two twenty two around
the circle. You go, do I cut childcare? Okay, that'll
save me two thousand, But then I'm going to have
to how am I going to have the energy or
the wits about me to get extra income If I
got these you can't do it, And so you kind
of get locked into this cycle where you're just like
in this hamster will and to really break free, we
(31:09):
have to figure out how can we reduce the cost
of that childcare. So that's one thing, and then the
money that you were putting toward that childcare. You could
be putting it, you know, depending on how much you're saving.
And I'm not saying don't have childcare. I'm saying get
an alternative kind of childcare. There may be an in
home daycare service that you can find that can be reputable.
(31:30):
You may find you know, relatives, you can do a
nanny share potentially, because I know we're all in the
same boat as far as childcare goes. But reaching out
and getting help to get you through this rough patch
is going to be essential. And that will also buy
you some extra time for the time that it may
take to get that higher paying job because the job
(31:51):
market is not impossible right now, but it is very tight.
There is a lot of competition, there are fewer jobs.
The average time people are spending unemployed looking for jobs
is about six months now. Yes, so I am with
all you have going on, I know how overwhelming it
could be. But I'll also add to reach out to
(32:13):
your connections, like start letting them know that you're looking for,
you know, new opportunities, Start letting them know to keep
an eye out for you, because that's really.
Speaker 2 (32:22):
The only way to speed up.
Speaker 1 (32:24):
In my experience as a coach, Like, the only way
to speed up the application and hiring process is if
you have a human being who can fast track you
on the inside, because the stacks of resumes it's a
lottery at this point. You know, for a lot of jobs,
it's like, will it be the one that the recruiter sees?
Will it out of the dozens that maybe hundreds that
(32:46):
are you know, flooding the system. I just yeah, I
have lots of compassion for you, and I know she's
looking at that hundred and k one hundred and eighty
k retirement funds wanted to cash it at I'd be
looking at mine too.
Speaker 2 (33:02):
I took mine now, and I'm like, damn, but you
made it back though, Yeah, but not you never get
the lost you know, compounded interest and growth back, you know.
Speaker 1 (33:13):
Yeah, And then if you do that, you'll just end
up because the consumer debt's not gonna like maybe that'll
save you now you can get sixty k and pay
it down. But then if you don't fix the budget issues,
the income versus expense issues, you will wind up in
the same space again. Like you have said, after you
got that one loan that you took out, we got
(33:36):
to find every way to reduce those costs as much
as we can. Thank you for your question anything else, TV.
Speaker 2 (33:44):
No, I think that that was really great advice. Sometimes
you're right. Sometimes we have to make the big, hard
choices that feel very like I don't want to.
Speaker 1 (33:50):
And I would say this that just for a season,
not forever.
Speaker 2 (33:53):
I promise you. Our parents did. We were walked by
the neighbors, the lady down the street that kept kids
like our parents were not doing it with the help.
It's just it just looked different, you know. But no,
there's just not possible to do things by yourself.
Speaker 1 (34:06):
So my mom had us an aftercare, but it was free.
Now I'm paying six hundred a month for the extra
four hours a day that my son, you know, stays
at his elementary school. And I'm like, oh, even so
that even with him being in school at public school,
I still have to pay. Then the activities.
Speaker 2 (34:23):
Girls had, there was a library right next door. I
remember in second grade we had to cross the street
and go to the Roselle Library and stay there until
six till my dad picked us up. That was and
how over y'all? Girl was like the second grade like
that was like girl, We ain't got no money, so
make sure you and your sisters don't talk to those
strangers and read these books, and the libraries would know
us and be like hi girls. And that's when I
(34:46):
became an avid reader, because that's what I mean to
your point. I mean, yeah, it was just like the
library was literally next door to our school and we
would just walk with with a bunch of other kids,
and you had to do your homework. There was no
after care. That's what it was. It was like the
life variants were like, yeah, behave yourself before I tell
because I know y'all gets thinking.
Speaker 1 (35:05):
See see parents were not doing it like we're doing
it so hard if you're trying to do the classic
child care situation today. But all right, budget savvy and stuck.
I hope that that is helpful. Tiffany, thank you for
joining me for ba Q just like old time.
Speaker 2 (35:23):
I know that's so crazy. After I'm like sitting in
the same seat like, oh and I love this.
Speaker 1 (35:28):
This is new, this little the little background, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (35:31):
No, no, the what is this above? It said Brandon
Bischitt on my screen, like on my.
Speaker 1 (35:35):
Oh the little logo? Yeah, oh yes, I'm very official.
Now you see what happens when I have my full
attention on the podcast. Yes that said, look at many
everything is better.
Speaker 2 (35:45):
I love it. I'm cute. Are we here? No? But
honestly it is great being me back. And I love y'all.
And like I said, I just you know, I'm just
so proud of bandy. She is in her element, slaying
and making to do what to do, and I love
to be outside when people are like, tell maybe I
love her, I'm like, I know, I love you too.
Speaker 1 (36:06):
Download the show.
Speaker 2 (36:10):
All right, until next time, all.
Speaker 1 (36:13):
Sunshine, I'll talk to you soon, I guess. Bye bye,
ba fan
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