Work Pants Finance

Joe Mihalic shares the story behind No More Harvard Debt, where he paid off $90,000 of student loans in just seven months.  Joe and Matt discuss the mindset shifts that made extreme debt payoff possible, the emotional weight of debt, and the trade-offs between focus and lifestyle.  Joe also explains the framework behind his Dad Plan, designed for high earners who report solid income but still feel financially stuck—and want a path toward greater freedom and clarity.

This week we tackle three connected themes: your health, how you get care, and how you pay for it. Highlights: Health first: Sleep, Diet, and Exercise, in that order Healthcare in practice: Great for acute care – not great chronic illness! Paying for care: Traditional insurance, high-deductible plans with HSAs, or Christian healthcare sharing ministries Why it matters: Health, healthcare, and money are connected. Healthy habits lower need, knowledge lowers cost, and planning ensures healthcare doesn't derail your money. For more, go to https://workpantsfinance.com/49 

Author of "Mailman" Stephen Starring Grant joins WPF to talk about career reinvention in the Blue Ridge. Key take-aways: Curiosity is Your Compass: Follow your genuine interests, even when they don't align with a traditional career path. Curiosity led Steve from early web development to brand strategy to delivering mail—and ultimately to publishing a book. Curiosity is fuel for market value, creating learning, adaptability, and problem-solving in both white- and blue-collar work. Build Resilience Before You Need It: Career shocks will come, often when you least expect 'em. It's my observation that the people I view as most "successful" have usually had MORE adversity on the way than those achieving at the middle-level. Maintain a financial safety margin – including healthcare planning. Healthcare is an "invisible safety blanket" until it's gone. Stay Useful in Any Context. From the boardroom to the warehouse, deliver value wherever you are. Structure your schedule to minimize decision fatigue. Steve's father's advice on lunch restaurants —"pick a loser and stick with it" — applies to many routine choices. Consistency builds capacity for big, creative projects, like writing a book while holding a full-time job. Lean Into Authentic Storytelling: If you're sharing your work or life publicly, don't just report events—show what you saw, thought, and felt. Real stories resonate more deeply and attract your true audience. See Work Through the Lens of Service: Even routine or physically demanding jobs have meaning when done in service to others. Steve's pride came from passing the "sniff test" with fellow letter carriers and serving his community well. For more information, visit the show notes at WorkPantsFinance.com/48

Author of "Life in the Negative World", Aaron Renn, joins me to discuss his new book. Key take-aways are: Dig your well before you're thirsty. As I reflect on Aaron's career in business, influencing public policy, and now helping readers and listeners directly, It's clear how each piece of the puzzle builds on what went before in his career. Aaron wouldn't be doing what he's doing today except for what he did in his past. To be heard, be prolific and consistent. One way Aaron gets noticed is by always publishing – his newsletter, his podcast, and now his book. He talks about this in our interview and the lesson for all of us is: Write it or record it, then Send it! For more information, visit the show notes at https://Workpantsfinance.com/47

Abby O'Leary is founder of Fare Well Associates, a consultancy that helps families deal with details during times of grief and loss. Key takeaways: 1. We're all going to die, so die in style! Make an estate plan, then execute it and fund it. 2. You can make a business out of anything. Some businesses may be easier than others, but if there's a way you want to help people, you can probably find a way to get paid! For more information, visit the show notes at https://Workpantsfinance.com/46 

Josh Walthall, a former prosecutor for New Hanover County and the North Carolina State Bar brings career and life advice – and great stories – for licensed professionals and everyone else trying to do the right thing in their job. Key take-aways are:     1.    Many situations that give rise to complaints or enforcement actions can be avoided by treating other people well. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.     2.    If you need professional help, get it. The best use of a professional is in an instance you experience once, or seldom, and the professional deals with repeatedly in their career. Your results will be better, and your stress levels will go way down when you get the help you need.     3.    Selling opportunities arise when you consistently help people solve their problems. For more information, visit the show notes at https://workpantsfinance.com/45

Marriage and Money are two parts of life where sparks fly. Elle and I reflect on dealing with the important topic of money in the thick of our most important relationship. For more information, visit the show notes at https://workpantsfinance.com/44

Today's show features a special announcement. Learn more about Matt's new business, Miner Wealth Management, at minerwealth.com

Hear an overview of my financial planning process. If you've wondered what I do that helps clients, today's show can help. For more information, visit the show notes at https://Workpantsfinance.com/42

Case studies are a WPF crowd-pleaser, and today has three of 'em as I share the fictional situations of three type of clients and the questions they bring to my financial planning practice. You'll learn about Zachary & Jasmine earning $290,000 combined, working for Honeywell and McKinsey and wanting to start their financial lives on the right foot. Next up are James and Heather earning $466,000 who are eager to be financially independent and work-optional sooner rather than later. Finally, David and Karen – entrepreneur and teacher – are in their last few years of full time work. They have a bevvy of once-in-a-lifetime financial decisions on tap and want to be sure they do it right. For more information, visit the show notes at https://Workpantsfinance.com/41

Jim's heart for godly stewardship of financial resources – specifically his commitment that everything we have is a gift from God and belongs to God – is front and center in our conversation. Most of our conversation takes this presupposition as its jumping off point. Key take-aways include: 1) You – and your children – can finish college at a young age. The university's four-year program may or may not be the one that serves your student best. 2) Second, get creative and go big to find income opportunities. Dr Newheiser, later a pastor, seminarian, seminary professor, and author, went to Saudi Arabia as a management consultant in the oil industry! He did a high-paid job for a rich client, with expat pay and benefits layered on top. From there, he managed his expenses down and created wealth that still helps his family three decades later as he works and serves in different capacity. 3) There's time for service in the church, whatever other demands exist on your time. Jim found time to serve as pastor of a secret church in Saudi Arabia while succeeding in his career as a management consultant. For more information, visit the show notes at https://Workpantsfinance.com/40

Charlotte Whitmore shares her transition from "global expert to manager of her own estate" in her story of building and selling a consulting business. Wisdom is throughout the episode, including the fact that acquirers don't care how nice (or junky) your office furniture is and, if you hate debt, it's OK to skip it entirely! For more information, visit the show notes at https://Workpantsfinance.com/39

When it comes to post-high-school education, you can definitely have too much of a good thing. Today Lacey Langford and I discuss the traditional university route, college hacking, grad school, tech programs, entrepreneurship, and going to work in the trades. The key-takeaway in today's episode boils down to asking and answering the question "why" as it relates to educational choices. Why this school? Why this degree program? Why grad school? Why grad school for this specific thing? If you'll adopt this approach for yourself and your children, everyone will be better served. For more information, visit the show notes at https://Workpantsfinance.com/38

John Lee Dumas offers wisdom to put our efforts toward the things that matter – and let everything else fall away. For more information, visit the show notes at https://Workpantsfinance.com/37

Many listeners will find new money marked Federal Tax Refund in their checking accounts. If you are the kind of person who usually owes at least some federal taxes, this is your tax credit that would normally reduce what you owe next April 15th; at least at this point, this is not "extra" money like previous stimulus payments. What can you do? First, check the bank account where you normally pay your taxes or receive your tax refunds and see if you're getting these payments. Most people are. Second, consider whether you want to opt out even if you've already received the first payment. Go to Work Pants Finance.com/36 for expanded notes from today's show, including a link to the IRS website to opt out of these payments. Third, run a tax projection for 2021 and determine what you will actually owe in taxes for 2021. Then, whether you keep these payments or turn them down, make sure that withholding from your paychecks, or quarterly payments if you're self-employed, satisfy the taxes you'll owe for 2021 by December of 2021. For more information, visit the show notes at https://Workpantsfinance.com/36

Robin is an accomplished business leader, a great wife, mom, and friend, and now a Jeopardy! Champion too. She's humble, relatable, and serves up massive value. Five Key Takeaways First, if a direction is clear in work, business, family, or game show competition, go for it, even if you're scared. People regret the things they didn't do more than things they tried and failed. Second, Robin tells the story of how the Clue Crew made her feel between show recordings. What can you do in your daily work to honor the people with whom you interact? Third, and related, do special things to let the people you love know you love them. Take your spouse on a date; give your wife a three-night momcation at the beach. Let one kid direct how the family spends the time on an entire Saturday. I promise, I'm preaching to myself here! Fourth, ask what kind of role model you want to be for your kids. How can you help them see you as fully human? What can you do for your adult parents as you ponder their humanity, and the brevity of life? Fifth, when you make a mistake, do what you can to make it right, then move on quickly; you can't put the toothpaste back in the tube. It's what you do next that matters. For more information, visit the show notes at https://Workpantsfinance.com/35

Executive Life and Leadership Coach Itir Keskiner shares her thoughts on how and when coaching plays an important role in our lives. For more information, visit the show notes at https://Workpantsfinance.com/34

J.'s story highlights the benefits that come from not only participating in an industry, but also serving that industry. J found success as he curated content designed to support the personal finance bloggers. Key-takeaways are: First, if you're doing work that makes you miserable, get out, even if that work makes you money. Second, though J. ventures found success, he notes that 80% of his online startups fizzle. There's probably no reason for you to expect to do better. Third, stubbornness and commitment are the keys to getting things done when the going gets tough. Fourth, net worth tracking is an important part of financial planning. Personally, it's one of my favorite activities to do, both with clients and with my wife. Fifth by focusing on the vital few, Jay freed up white space to include more time for activities like being with his family, reading, and taking naps! For more information, visit the show notes at https://Workpantsfinance.com/33

Listeners call with their questions for Matt. Don't miss your invitation for the next listener Q&A event. Sign up at https://workpantsfinance.com/resources

What if you could cut your family's food, entertainment, clothing, and miscellaneous budget from $2400 to $1600 per month, just by switching the payment method from credit card to cash? That's what happened in the Miner family when we got serious about budgeting. And what if you could adopt this approach without handling physical currency? Amy and I discuss physical and virtual cash-envelope budgeting and other family budget hacks to live on one income. Big ideas from today's conversation: 1) How you budget is less important than that you do it and that you budget, and create the budget as a team 2) Budgeting is not about the "right" tool or app. It's about a process for telling your money where to go, rather than wondering where it went 3) Amy and I share a case-study grocery budget for a single-income family. For more on this, access my Hacking the Grocery Bill whitepaper at workpantsfinance.com/resources 4) Use physical currency (or a virtual envelop budget), for grocery, entertainment, clothing, miscellaneous or other categories that are routine budget busters for your family For more information, visit the show notes at https://workpantsfinance.com/31