đź Open Enrollment: The Annual Game of âGuess What These Benefits Actually Meanâ
Every fall, HR drops that mysterious email: âItâs time for open enrollment!â And suddenly, youâre scrolling through options that sound like they were written by a committee of lawyers and robots.
â ď¸ âHigh-Deductible Health Planâ sounds scary. đ° âHealth Savings Accountâ sounds like a trap. đĄ And âFlexible Spending Accountâ? Not flexible enough when you forget to use it by December. Thatâs where planning actually pays off. In this weekâs video, I break down how to make smart benefit elections that fit your financial plan, not just your employerâs brochure. Because open enrollment shouldnât feel like a pop quiz you didnât study for.
The Parent 529 Playbook: How to Pull Money the Right Way (and What to Do with Leftovers)
If youâre paying college bills with a 529, this is your 4-minute, no-nonsense guide. Youâll learn exactly when to take distributions, what actually qualifies, how to keep an audit-proof paper trail, and smart moves for leftover funds (yes, including the Roth IRA path). No fluff. No âmy kid needed the laptop for Netflix.â
What youâll learn
Timing rules: Match the 529 distribution to the expense in the same calendar year
Volatility Isnât the VillainâYour Reaction Might Be
â ď¸ Breaking news: The market went down. đ Also breaking: It went back up. And down again. And⌠you get the idea.
If market swings give you anxiety and make you want to cash out faster than a kid with birthday money at Targetâthis one’s for you.
Because here’s the truth: Volatility isnât the enemy. Panic is.
đ The Market Is a Roller CoasterâNot a Death Trap
Yes, it goes up and down. But like a roller coaster, unless you jump off mid-ride, youâll end up back on solid ground. Investors who stay buckled in, even through the loops and dips, historically come out ahead.
đ§ The Cost of Freaking Out
Missing just a handful of the best market days can crush your long-term returns. And spoiler alert: those âbest daysâ often come right after the worst ones. Selling out during chaos feels safe⌠until you realize you locked in your losses and missed the rebound party.
đ What Should You Do Instead?
Stick to your plan.
Donât try to outsmart the headlines.
And for the love of compounding interestâdonât turn your portfolio into a panic button.
đď¸ In the latest Real Talk audio, I break down exactly why staying invested matters, how volatility can actually be your friend (yep), and why your financial future deserves more than emotional decision-making.
Bottom line: The market will swing. Thatâs its job. Your job? Stay grounded. Stay invested. Stay smart.
Letâs un-eff your financesâone mindset shift at a time.
3 Creative Ways to Teach Your Kids About Money (Without Putting Them to Sleep)
Letâs be honest: most kids think money just comes out of the wall. Or worseââCanât you just use the card?â
If youâve ever watched your child blow through their birthday cash like itâs Monopoly money, this post (and video đ) is for you.
We want to raise Game Changers and Wealth Buildersânot future adults who learn the hard way that â0% interest for 12 monthsâ is not free money.
1. Gamify the Basics
Kids love games. So make saving and budgeting one.
Set up a âfamily bankâ where they earn interest on savings.
Match their savings like a 401(k) for chores.
Let them âinvestâ in snack stocksâbuy Goldfish at 10 cents today, sell at 15 cents next week.
Suddenly, compound interest is cooler than Roblox coins.
2. Use Real-Life Scenarios (a.k.a. Donât Be Boring)
Skip the PowerPoint presentation. Teach money in the wild:
Grocery shopping? Show them unit pricing.
Eating out? Let them help calculate the tip.
Road trip? Hand them a gas budget and let them play CFO.
Theyâll absorb way more from hands-on money moments than any lecture.
3. Give Them ControlâAnd Let Them Mess Up
Yep, you read that right. Let. Them. Blow. It.
Nothing drives home the value of money like watching $20 vanish in a flash on the worst claw machine in America. It’s a lesson in budgeting, buyerâs remorse, and decision-making all in one go.
Youâre not raising perfection. Youâre raising confidence. And confidence comes from experienceâeven the oops kind.
đĽ Watch the full video for more tips and a few laughs along the way. Iâll show you how to plant the seeds for financial literacy that actually stick.
Because letâs face itâyour kid knows 84 YouTubers by name. Itâs time they learn who Warren Buffett is, too.
Ready to raise a money-smart kid (and maybe brush up on your own skills too)? Letâs un-eff the next generationâs finances, one piggy bank at a time. đŞđˇđ¸
What can market pullbacks teach us about investing?
Tune into this round of Un Eff Your Finances, Nicholas St. George dives into the intricacies of market pullbacks. Buckle up as Nick unravels the chaos and gets to the heart of why these pullbacks aren’t just unavoidable but can actually work in your favor!
Nick discusses:
(00:03:00) The normalcy of market pullbacks and how history shows they’re nothing to fear
(00:06:04) Strategies to use pullbacks to your advantage through smart planning
(00:08:16). Keeping emotions in check during volatile times and sticking to your plan
(00:14:3) The impact of inflation on spending power and why long-term growth is vital
(00:25:20) The importance of having a solid and adaptable financial plan in place
Want to make 2025 your most financially fit year yet? Discover how small tweaks can bring big wins to your wallet!
This week on Un Eff Your Finance, Nicholas St. George explores practical steps to kickstart your financial goals for the new year. They dive into simple yet powerful habits that help busy individuals take control of their finances without feeling overwhelmed. Nick shares his advice on how you can reach your financial goals, while still enjoying life, and how to find balance.Â
Nicholas discusses:Â
Trimming the excess and save (02:16)
Assigning a goal to your money (06:32)
Strategies to avoid interest pitfalls (10:46)
Setting and forget for future growth (13:52)
Staying aligned with your financial goals (19:10)
Finding a balance between saving and enjoying life (22:02)
