Most people set a money goal in January and quit by the 14th (there's actually a stat for that). So Derek Mazzarella, CFP® and Kelly Turner are skipping the resolution and running a 30-Day Financial Reset you can start any time of year. One hour a week, four weeks, done.

No guilt. No punishment. No "cut out your coffee" nonsense. Just four simple moves that plug the leaks and point your money at what actually matters to you.

Here's the plan:

• Week 1: Get clear on your priorities and find every account you own (then actually label them)
• Week 2: Kill duplicate subscriptions and move idle cash into a high-yield savings account (currently paying around 3-4% for doing nothing)
• Week 3: Pull your full credit report, learn the debt snowball, and build a real payoff plan (we're not Dave Ramsey)
• Week 4: Audit your insurance (auto, life, disability, home) and get your estate documents in order

Plus how to "grow" once you free up cash, and permission to finally buy the watch (once the boring stuff is handled).

Chapters

• 00:00 Parenting and Summer Activities
• 05:09 Financial Reset and Budgeting
• 10:03 Reviewing Subscriptions and Bills
• 14:58 Debt Management and Credit Reports
• 15:50 Understanding Your Credit Score
• 16:29 Reviewing Your Credit Report
• 17:08 Managing Medical Debt
• 17:29 Improving Your Credit Score
• 18:20 Debt Snowballing
• 19:01 Debt Consolidation and Refinancing
• 22:25 Insurance and Protection
• 28:04 Estate Planning and Final Wishes
• 29:31 Financial Growth and Investment

Thinking about buying a condo? Derek Mazzarella, CFP® and Kelly Turner break down everything you need to know before you sign on the dotted line. From HOA fees and special assessments to how the 2021 Surfside condo collapse completely changed condo mortgage lending, this episode covers the real pros and cons of condo ownership.

Derek and Kelly dig into why condos are often 10-20% cheaper per square foot than single family homes, what an HO-6 insurance policy actually covers, and why your HOA fee doesn't build you equity (even though it's not money down the drain). They also get into the messier stuff: HOA mismanagement horror stories (including Derek's own condo association drama), how reserve funding and insurance scrutiny have tightened up since Surfside, what happens when a complex has multiple HOAs, and why some condos are flat out "non-warrantable" for a mortgage.

Whether you're a first time homebuyer considering a condo as a smarter alternative to renting, or you're weighing a condo against a single family home, this episode gives you the real, practical breakdown, not just the highlight reel.

Topics covered:
What is an HOA and why Connecticut is different than most of the country

Condo pros (lower price, less maintenance, amenities, cheaper insurance, building equity)

Condo cons (HOA fees, HOA rules, special assessments, privacy)

The Surfside condo collapse and how it changed condo lending

Reserves and reserve studies

FHA vs conventional condo approval

The condo resale package process

Self-managed vs professionally managed HOAs

Multiple HOA complexes

Who condos are (and aren't) a good fit for.

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💬 Got a condo question? Drop it in the comments — we might answer it on the show.

We all made money mistakes in our 20s. The question is whether we learned from them.

In this episode, Derek and Kelly are joined by guest Maggie Garden to talk about what they wish they knew at 25. From skipping the 401(k) to buying the wrong car to completely ignoring their credit scores, they get real about the financial decisions they'd do differently — and what you can do right now so you don't make the same ones.

This one's part therapy session, part financial planning crash course.

What's covered:

• Why your 20s are actually your most valuable investing years (and what it costs you to wait)
• The car mistake almost everyone makes — and why it matters more than you think
• Credit scores: what they are, why they matter, and how most people find out the hard way
• Health insurance gaps that can wreck your finances before your career even gets started
• How lifestyle inflation quietly sneaks up on you
• The case for taking more risks early — in life and with your money
• Real talk on housing: what they got right, what they got wrong, and what they'd tell their younger selves

Whether you're in your 20s right now or just wishing you could go back, this episode has something for you.

Chapters

00:00 Reflecting on Our 25-Year-Old Selves
01:33 Life at 25: Personal Experiences and Financial Realities
07:51 Lessons Learned: Regrets and Aha Moments
10:31 Financial Mistakes and Health Insurance Woes
11:57 Navigating Credit Scores and Financial Awareness
16:55 Traveling and Keeping Up with Friends
23:54 Big Financial Decisions: Cars and Investments
32:51 Advice to Our Younger Selves: Key Takeaways