Episode Transcript
[00:00:10] Speaker A: Happy Sunday, y'. All. You are listening to Fit to Be tied with Sheena and Whitney on 90.7, the capstone. And oh, my goodness, it's almost turkey day, my vegetarian friend.
[00:00:21] Speaker B: We can still call it turkey day.
[00:00:22] Speaker A: It's cool. Well, and you know, I know we have this discussion every year, but for you, as a vegetarian who is experiencing Thanksgiving, do you feel like there are enough types of foods at the get togethers, you get to where you are satisfied, or do you often find yourself having to bring something that's like kind of in your realm of what you prefer?
[00:00:44] Speaker B: No, I would say out of all the holidays, Thanksgiving. I really like Thanksgiving. I love all. I like the dressing. I'm not weird about, like, if it's got some, like, chicken broth in it. I don't like chicken broth. But the dressing's so good that my grandmother makes that I'm kind of like, I think we'll have a little chicken broth today. We'll splurge a little. But yeah, I mean, everything. All the sides are great. I mean, my aunt's awesome. She usually hosts it. We have like different types of dips and sides and desserts. I mean, I've been a vegetarian for so long that, like, I don't really think anything differently. And it's funny, cause one of our new employees at the rec center was asking me, we have like a friendsgiving or whatever. Like, we did soups and stuff. And she said she made grandma's vegetable soup. And I was like, oh, awesome, I'm vegetarian. I would love to eat that. And she goes, oh, I put meat in it. And I was like, now how are you gonna make a veggie soup if
[00:01:30] Speaker A: you put meat in it?
[00:01:31] Speaker B: I was like, how does that work?
[00:01:32] Speaker A: At least add the fact, like, say, beef and vegetable soup, right?
[00:01:36] Speaker B: I mean, it was totally fine. But yeah, I really like Thanksgiving. It's actually, I think, one of my favorite holidays because of the food.
So what about you? Are you excited?
[00:01:44] Speaker A: I am, you know, and it's one of those things where so our family ends up just between, like, parents and in laws and then like, in laws who are divorced and have, like. So there's like all these people to see. So we're the people that spend most of the day in the car. And then we have, like, small segments of time that we spend with each family. And I really wanted to remedy that this year because we have two small children and it's just not the best in terms of having them in the car. So I tried to Decide, like, okay, we will have a Thanksgiving lunch at our house and force some people to go to us. All of our parents, like, straight up were like, no, we're okay.
So that nobody's coming over to our house.
[00:02:25] Speaker B: Are you serious?
[00:02:26] Speaker A: So I'm like, I guess we'll still show up to all of theirs.
[00:02:30] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:02:30] Speaker A: So I'm kind of. I'm a little salty about that right now. I don't mind saying that on the radio because I don't think nobody listens.
[00:02:36] Speaker B: So whatever. Yeah, I'm just kidding.
[00:02:39] Speaker A: Yeah, I was, like, kind of put out by that. I'm like, driving from Birmingham to Tuscaloosa is not a big deal.
[00:02:45] Speaker B: It's really not that big a deal. I mean, people do that all the time for work.
That's so funny to me. Come on.
[00:02:51] Speaker A: Yeah, seriously. So I'm like, you wanna see the infant and the toddler come to our house?
[00:02:56] Speaker B: But there comes a time where I feel like when you have kids, it's much easier for people to come to you. I mean. Cause you've gotta load everything up. And I just. I would. I mean, I don't have kids, but, like, I would rather go to somebody because out of convenience for them, Like, I just think that's much.
[00:03:11] Speaker A: Yes, I know all the things. Now, are you doing a lot of traveling for Thanksgiving? You'll be going to north Alabama?
[00:03:17] Speaker B: Yeah, we'll go up to north Alabama and do Huntsville. Still trying to kind of work out the plans, but it makes it easier because everybody's up there. And so we can kind of go see, like, see my dad and go do stuff with my mom's family and then see his family. So it's good.
[00:03:31] Speaker A: That's good. It's definitely good. No, and I. As far as Thanksgiving goes, as I continue this theme in our first segment, I'm a desserts person. Okay.
[00:03:40] Speaker B: Ooh. What's your favorite dessert?
[00:03:41] Speaker A: I'm a pumpkin pie or sweet potato pie, personally. Really?
[00:03:45] Speaker B: Not pecan pie.
[00:03:46] Speaker A: I do like pecan pie. It's not the first one I think of. And I think it's because, like, I've never made it on my own. But then when I have someone else's and it's on point, I'm like, okay, yes. This could become my favorite dessert.
[00:03:59] Speaker B: Yeah, well, funny that you say dessert, because I've been trying. Like, my new hobby is, like, I'm trying to cook more. And it's funny because I'm trying to get the guy friend to eat more vegetarian food because he likes a lot of Meat. And I'm like, you know, we should really try to eat less meat. And so I've got them on, like, a good plan. So I've been trying all these different things, but I will say I made a dessert, and it was really, really good. It was super easy. And if you're looking for something to make at Thanksgiving, it's basically like a Mississippi mud cake. But you take chocolate pudding and butterscotch pudding and, like, heath on top. So it's like, very toffee ish. It's so easy, too.
[00:04:30] Speaker A: That sounds amazing.
[00:04:31] Speaker B: It's very good. I was very proud of myself, and it's really easy to do. And I was like, wow. I mean, I'm not just, like, cutting tofu, which is normally what I do to eat, but it was, like, really tasty. So I guess if you're looking for a dessert, I can share it with you.
[00:04:42] Speaker A: Well, that's a shout out, and I probably will during the break. After that, we might share it on because others will be interested. But, y', all, we have a great show. It has nothing to do with Thanksgiving food whatsoever. But as always, you know, we pride ourselves in having the best topics, the best guests, and today is no exception. But we're gonna leave you on the edge of your seat for just a little bit longer. Grab a beverage, plan your Thanksgiving, do all the things. You'll catch us on the flip side. You're listening to fit to be tied with sheena and Whitney on 90.7 the Capstone.
[00:05:17] Speaker B: Wvuafm tuscaloosa.
[00:05:24] Speaker A: Welcome back. You're listening to fit to be tied with sheena and Whitney on 90.7 the Capstone. And if you are just now joining us, you missed a fantastic opening segment on all things Thanksgiving. You know, we were talking about favorite sides, who we're gonna see, who's not
[00:05:38] Speaker B: coming to see, who's not coming to Sheena's house.
[00:05:40] Speaker A: Yes, exactly. All of those things. But today we are gonna be talking about financial wellness. And you're pro thinking, like, why are we talking about this now? But we have the holidays coming up. I feel like, you know, this is going to be that time where people say, like, oh, you know, I can have a little credit card debt during this time of the year, go big for the holidays, whatever else. And, you know, really, I think when it comes to financial wellness, this is something that we have to talk about pretty frequently. We want this to be on the forefront of folks as mine. And so to have that conversation today, we have two fabulous guests with us we have Christy Horner from Alabama Crayons Union as well as Tiffany Lawson from the Department of Health Promotion and Wellness here at ua. So welcome to both of y'. All.
[00:06:27] Speaker C: Thank you so much.
[00:06:28] Speaker D: Yeah, thank you.
[00:06:29] Speaker C: Hello.
[00:06:30] Speaker B: You know, it's funny when you talk about money around the holidays, I feel like this is a perfect topic because Black Friday is around the corner. Cyber Monday. Although Black Friday is now all month. Yes, it's like actually like even longer than all month. And while those deals to me are sometimes really good, they kind of get you sometimes. So I like that we're bringing this up and just the awareness of thinking a little bit more proactively about our funds. But I'm curious, you know, Christy and Tiffany. Tiffany, I feel like you were just on like a couple of weeks ago, so our listeners like know you so well. So, you know, we'll just go with Christy first. Just, you know, tell us a little bit about yourself, your professional academic background, you know, what you do and your role and yeah, just enlighten us.
[00:07:11] Speaker C: I have a Bachelor of Science in education from ua Roll Tide. Have to throw that out there. That's very important.
[00:07:17] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:07:18] Speaker C: I started my professional career teaching elementary school and working with children and I've been an Alabama credit union for the 10 years. All right, and you brought up Black Friday and all that stuff. I actually just hosted a webinar on a holiday savings guide because as you mentioned, sometimes Black Friday deals are really good, but they can get you.
[00:07:37] Speaker B: Do you remember how like with Black Friday you used to have to like go like right after Thanksgiving or like get up super early to get the new PlayStation 4 or 5 or whatever, Xbox, you know what I mean? Or like whatever. But you don't even do that. I don't think people do that anymore.
[00:07:50] Speaker C: I loved it. I'm crazy. I like to be creative and get to the deals first. So I loved. That is so much easier now.
[00:07:57] Speaker A: Well, you know, and Christy, to me, especially when you talk about being a teacher and then going to the credit union, I almost feel like that's a seamless transition because I'm sure that in a lot of ways, like when you are talking to folks about their finances, there are some that really benefit from, for lack of better words, getting spoon fed that information, getting really walked through that process and simplifying it for them. I don't know if you have that same perception, but that was kind of like my thought process with that. And also to you, what's your current role at the credit union right now?
[00:08:29] Speaker C: Okay, well, Alabama Credit union's mission is to enhance the lives of members. And one of the ways we can do that is through financial education.
So my primary responsibility is to make sure we provide that education to people of all ages in the communities we serve.
[00:08:44] Speaker A: Nice. Perfect. And now Tiffany, my wonderful co worker. You know, anytime we have something that comes up in your topic area, I want to have you on. And you know, for those that have just now started listening to our show, Tiffany, will you share a little bit about yourself and then also your role in health promotional wellness and how that kind of connects to this financial wellness piece?
[00:09:05] Speaker D: For sure, Sheena. I'm sure all of Yalls viewers are like, oh, Tiffany, again, they probably already know my background, but I'm gonna go over very briefly.
So I have a master's in health promotion, so I'm a health educator by background.
And here at the university I kind of do a lot of different things, but my main jam is financial literacy and financial wellness. And so I oversee the financial literacy efforts here at ua, which includes overseeing a pure financial coaching program.
We have a financial literacy website that we kind of oversee. And then I also do like some other stuff such as like planning like the health fairs and wellness week and I do lots of classroom presentations around financial literacy.
[00:09:51] Speaker A: Awesome. Awesome.
[00:09:52] Speaker B: Yeah. So I'm just kind of curious like, you know, financial wellness is such a big component, you know, for us at the university. Well, in our wellness. Well, I know Dr. Perez, he's got his awesome Alabama model wellness will and everything.
So I'm just curious, you know, for both of you, because I don't know, you might answer these differently and have your own take on it. But like, why is financial wellness a component of wellness? Like why, like I don't, you know, for those listening, they may not really think of being financially well as thing because it doesn't really go into that realm that we always think about like nutrition and fitness and you know, all those things. But like, I'm just curious on Yalls take on it.
[00:10:30] Speaker D: I would say when you, you brought up Alabama, the Alabama model. And I think that that's a good example and a good segue for this question because here at the university we like to think of health and well being. We want to look at the overall health and well being of the student. And so financial literacy or financial wellness is one component because we want our students to be have a nice B in all of those different areas of wellness. And so if one of those areas is kind of out of balance, such as like financial wellness, then that can have a negative impact on those other areas of wellness. So for example, if a student is concerned about their finances, they may not be able to focus on schoolwork and their grades may suffer. Their emotional health may suffer as well because they're being stressed. And then their physical health may suffer because like those that stress may start to manifest in their body and cause them to have like different ailments or sickness. And so that's kind of one of the reasons why we focus on financial wellness is because we want students to be healthy in that area so that their overall well being can be great.
[00:11:30] Speaker A: I love that.
[00:11:31] Speaker B: Yeah. Because I know, like, I feel like I'm a normal human being that will stress about money. I mean, like, I don't, shouldn't have to stress, you know, I've got a job and stuff. But I can only imagine, you know, some of our students on campus how that is very, like troublesome for them. Especially those that are, you know, working and supporting themselves, that maybe don't have extra coming in. So yeah, I definitely can weigh down on you and Kristi, I'm kind of curious on your perspective.
[00:11:55] Speaker C: I think Tiffany said that really well. But I work with a lot of adults who are in a lot of credit card debt or who have made a bunch of financial mistakes. So it's so early to start people off on their right financial path at an early age before they make those mistakes.
[00:12:10] Speaker A: Absolutely. And when we talk about just looking at wellness holistically and how financial wellness really affects the other pieces. Of course, when I start thinking about the nutrition piece, I think about people who there may be a disconnect in what their budget looks like. And so then they aren't appropriately allocating enough funds to eat a healthy diet or afford groceries at all, but yet they're spending money on xyz that may be more like discretionary funds that could be reprioritized for sure.
[00:12:43] Speaker B: Yeah. And I was just thinking about fitness. Those of you that are listening, students, y' all come to the rec center, it's free. And so you get free exercise classes. You'll never get that anywhere else. I mean, once you graduate graduate, you got to pay for a membership. And memberships can be pretty pricey at maybe at the lowest 50 bucks, but probably more than that if you go to a specially boutique place. So, you know, being mindful of like all the opportunities that you have on campus, but you know, being physically active, you can do that anywhere. You know, there's free apps, things like that. So kind of thinking along the Lines like Sheena was talking about. You know, sometimes we have to kind of prioritize things. And I personally think that if you're not prioritizing your money and you're in debt and things like that, it does play into those other factors. Factors of your wellness model that might be detrimental.
[00:13:27] Speaker A: Absolutely.
And, Christy, I know that you mentioned working with a lot of adults. Do you find yourself interacting a lot with students who are walking into the credit union? They want to meet with a staff member. Maybe they've had an experience where they noticed the mistakes that their parents did, and they're like, look, I need you to school me on this right now. Have you ever had any?
[00:13:48] Speaker C: We definitely have people wanting to be proactive, especially college students, to get themselves on the right financial path. But I'd say more than not, we work with young people who are already in a lot of credit card debt or have made really poor decisions already. And so we definitely want to get people in and help them be proactive in making the right decisions.
[00:14:10] Speaker A: Absolutely. Well, as you guys can already tell, this is such an important topic. And again, you know, very revelant as we go into the holiday season and also transcends into just us existing every day. But, you know, we have to take a quick break, but we are going to be continuing these discussions. You are listening to Fit to be Tied with Sheena and Whitney on 90.7 the Capstone.
[00:14:37] Speaker B: Wvuafm Tuscaloosa.
[00:14:44] Speaker D: Welcome back.
[00:14:44] Speaker B: You're listening to Fit to be tied with Sheena and Whitney, and we're talking about money.
I don't know if those of you ever watch Parks and Rec, but I love Mona Lisa Saperstein who says, money, please. You know what I'm talking about? She goes, money, please. So actually, to kind of go off of that in one of my folders at work and like, my email folder where I'm talking about, like, budgeting and money. It's called Money please.
[00:15:04] Speaker A: I love it.
[00:15:04] Speaker B: You know, you gotta make it fun. So anyway, as we go off topic a little bit. But yeah, so financial wellness is the perfect time of year to get your finances in order. Why not start now? That's what I think. Like, if it's Black Friday coming up and like, Cyber Monday and, you know, you're tempted to buy lots of things, you know, be mindful of those things. And I'm kind of curious, you know, kind of going into, like, goals and actually, this doesn't go into it at all, but, you know, whatever. What's, you know, the most practical Financial goals and habits that college students should consider. Because I know for me, I was pretty good at saving money, to be honest. I know Sheena wanted a beach towel, and so she signed up for a credit card, but I did.
[00:15:42] Speaker A: I did.
[00:15:43] Speaker B: But I mean, like, I'm just curious, in yalls experience, you know, what are some good goals and habits that college students can focus on?
[00:15:51] Speaker C: Well, one, I think is to start building credit and to do it wisely. That's one of the reasons Alabama Credit Union offers a student credit card with a very low limit to get people started so they don't take on more debt than they can choose. And really, most financial institutions will offer that as well.
[00:16:08] Speaker D: Yeah, I definitely agree with Christy. That was one of my points that I wanted to raise is like, protecting your credit score.
And Christy brought up a good way to do that with, like, starting off with a credit card from Alabama Credit Union, because, like, right now, like, and anywhere you go, students are bombarded with credit card offers. I was in Ulta the other day, and I was paying for my tent and my brow waxing, and the lady was having a casual conversation. I was like, oh, she's super nice. And then she casually asked me, oh, you're pre approved for a credit card. Would you like to get that? And I'm like, no, thank you.
[00:16:39] Speaker B: See how that goes? Yeah.
[00:16:40] Speaker D: And so I think that making sure that students are aware of how taking on those different credit cards can impact your credit. But if you're doing it responsibly, like how Christy mentioned, then that's super, super important, and that's the right way to go.
And then also I think creating and managing your budget effectively, I think that that's really, really important because most of our college students, especially at 18 or 19, they're just now taking on their own finances because in the past, like, their parents have, like, kind of planned for those things. Like they plan for, like, paying for their groceries or all these other things. And so being able to create that budget and kind of manage it effectively, I think, is another important thing.
[00:17:22] Speaker C: I think part of budgeting, too, is also starting to save money, even if it's just a little bit that needs to be part of your budget.
[00:17:29] Speaker A: Yeah, definitely.
And so, you know, as we think about the college student and then that person that transitions into a young professional, what are some differences in what those financial goals could look like or evolve into as somebody gets a little bit older? You know, now they're in like a.
A big girl job or something similar to that. How do those Goals potentially change in terms of things they need to think about.
[00:17:54] Speaker C: Well, I know I said it's important to start saving, but once you're in your professional career, your big girl job, it's important to start saving for retirement as soon as possible.
I know when you're in your 20s, that seems so far off that you. And that's the excuse most people make is I have plenty of time to save for retirement. But compound interest is your friend.
[00:18:14] Speaker A: Shout out. I know, I feel like that should be like a mic drop moment. Like, okay, you guys, like, come on, we gotta invest for the future. And it's so hard because even just thinking about our listeners who may primarily be our college students, we're in this attitude of instant gratitude. Just this instantaneous, not really thinking about the far off future. And so I feel like that might be a message that is sometimes a little bit harder for someone to absorb in terms of really thinking about retirement. Because that does sound so far off.
[00:18:48] Speaker B: Yeah, I mean, I didn't think about that when I was in college. I was like, want to work and make money? I didn't even really think about insurance because when I first started, I guess working full time, well, I wasn't really working as a full time employee, but I was working as a part time employee, being an instructor and training like up to the max hours I possibly could. And I was like, I don't need retirement. I mean, I'm just going to work and make money. And so it's interesting. I talk a lot to a lot of classes, like Intro to Kinesiology classes about like, kind of, you know, the fitness world and what you have to look for and those types of jobs. And the moment I start talking about retirement or like insurance, you can see like their faces kind of light up
[00:19:24] Speaker C: like, oh, they glaze over them almost like it's so far off.
[00:19:28] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:19:28] Speaker B: They just don't think about it. And so I think that's good that we have these programs to enlighten the students about it. But yeah, I mean, it's one day you're not gonna want to work, right?
You're gonna want to retire, you're gonna want to have a life. Like if you have grandkids or whatever and you want to travel and if you don't prepare for that, you're not gonna have it, you know.
[00:19:48] Speaker A: Exactly. And you know, as people are trying to be more responsible with their finances, what are some things that are out there in terms of either misconceptions or pitfalls when it comes to someone trying to be savvy with their finances and having that. Those good intentions. But maybe there are some misconceptions or myths that are out there.
[00:20:10] Speaker D: I think for me, especially since we're approaching the holiday season, is that it may be super easy to swipe a card for something and not track your expenses.
And I just think back old school, when I first started, like, when I got a checkbook, and, like, I wouldn't write checks, and then I would have to go back to my ledger and kind of make sure track these expenses to make sure I have this money in the bank. And so I think that with this new technology age, like, it's just like, okay, well, I can just swipe it on a car and like, not really have to worry about it.
And so then you start to recognize up like that, that debt. And so I think that that's one of the pitfall that students may experience.
[00:20:45] Speaker C: Absolutely. And to expand on that, just because a credit card company gives you a high limit doesn't mean you can afford to pay that back. And I think that as a young college student about to graduate, I racked up a lot of credit card debt, and I thought, well, they gave it to me, so I can afford to pay this back.
But that's not necessarily true. So I recommend when you start early with credit, to treat it like a debit card, because there are. You want to build your credit, but not to spend more than you can afford to spend.
[00:21:17] Speaker A: Sure, absolutely. And this is kind of within that vein. I know it wasn't in our original notes, but it made me think of this. You know, I've often seen the term predatory loan, or, you know, like just the word predatory in general when it comes to, like, finances and loans and this and that. Can one of you guys explain, like, what that is and why that's so dangerous if you feel comfortable?
[00:21:40] Speaker C: Well, I tell people if they receive a credit card offer in the mail that they have not requested, throw it away. It's gonna be an extremely high interest loan.
[00:21:50] Speaker A: Good to know. Good to know.
[00:21:53] Speaker C: Wherever you do your banking, talk to them. Those are typically places that have your best interest in mind, especially credit unions.
[00:22:01] Speaker A: Okay, good to know.
[00:22:03] Speaker B: I was just thinking about when we were talking, like, Tiffany, you said the new technology and how you'd balance your checkbook. Cause I remember, I remember, you know, going to the bank when I had, like, middle school or something, and my mom was like, we're gonna open you up an account and you're gonna, like, you know, balance your checkbook. I was terrible at math. So I actually kind of like doing everything, like, online checking, because it balances it for me, which is great. However, because things are so focused digitally now, people a lot of times don't have cash on hand.
I know. You know, growing up, my parents were always like, you need to make sure you have some cash on hand. You never know with emergencies. But I almost wonder if that's even valid now, because everybody takes.
Almost everybody takes some form of cashless payment now that you have Venmo, PayPal, like, those types of outlets, like, Zelli is one of them or something or whatever. And so I just find it interesting, like, you know, if the old school way of saying you should have, like, a $20 bill in your pocket, like, are you gonna even need. I mean, what do y' all think? Do you even have cash in your wallet?
[00:22:57] Speaker A: I do. And it only at times when somebody is either, like, paying me back for, like, something random in the office or whatever else, but now, you know, with things like Venmo, that not necessarily the case either, but also, too. You know, one of the things that I was thinking is I feel like there. Because we are in this cashless society so much, there are so many students that I'll talk with, and it can be so easy for them to go several days without looking at their account online. And I'm like, oh, my Lanta. Like, I do it multiple times a day. Yeah.
[00:23:28] Speaker B: I don't want anybody to, like, take my money. Like, I want to catch somebody. A credit card fraud or something like that, you know?
[00:23:33] Speaker D: Know.
[00:23:33] Speaker A: Yes. I remember in grad school one year, I had went to Eclairs to buy, like, a bracelet for a costume party, and it was supposed to be $6.72. Well, they had charged it for $672.
[00:23:48] Speaker C: Oh, my goodness.
[00:23:49] Speaker A: And it was.
It was, like, on a Friday afternoon. And thankfully, you know, the people at my bank, they knew, like, this girl would not spend $672 at Claire's. But unfortunately, because it was with my debit card and everything else, it froze up that cash over the.
And so was so glad that I happened to just look at my account before going out to eat with friends. But, yeah, I just thought, that's my story. That's my testimony with all of these all the time.
[00:24:15] Speaker C: Talk to your financial institution, because there are a lot of products that can help with that. For example, we have text alerts, and you can set them to be whatever you want. So anytime money comes out of my account, I get a text. So I immediately know if somebody has used it when they shouldn't, that's good. And also you can set things like if your balance gets lower than a certain amount, it alerts you, all kinds of stuff like that. So talk to your financial institution.
[00:24:40] Speaker A: I love that. Well, you know, I know we have to take a quick break, but Christy, obviously we want you to continue to share the services that your organization has to offer. And then also too, Tiffany, we're going to be talking about some of the programs that we have on campus. But y', all, it's another break time.
[00:24:54] Speaker B: Break time.
[00:24:55] Speaker A: Catch us on the flip side. You're listening to Fit to Be Tied with Shana and Whitney.
[00:25:03] Speaker B: Wvuafm Tuscaloosa.
Happy Sunday. And actually the Sunday before Thanksgiving.
So I don't know if you guys are already out of town maybe archiving this show and listening to it a year from now. I don't know.
[00:25:20] Speaker A: Yeah, they might be listening to it as they are making some things ahead of time leading into Thanksgiving. Good point. Good point.
[00:25:26] Speaker B: Preparation, I like that. Yeah, that's good to think. And I feel like that goes right into what we're talking about today, which is preparing for your future and your finances. And so kind of just continuing our discussion about financial wellness and not letting money control us and using the things that we're given for good and all those great things. But you know, I'm kind of curious, Christie, we were just talking about like all those cool things that you can use on. I know y' all have an app for your organization, for your institution. And then depending on, you know, where you bank or where you're getting your loans, there's different types of apps and notifications and things like that. So I'm just, I mean, would you like to give us a little bit more info on kind of what y' all have to offer, maybe?
[00:26:05] Speaker C: Sure. Well, we have a bunch of financial wellness resources since we are a financial institution. We have financial counselors. We host monthly financial education webinars. We have a credit builder loan that if you have poor credit, it helps you build your credit faster or improve it. We also have an online financial wellness resource center that anybody can visit. It provides in depth lessons to help you dive into the financial training topics you care about the most.
[00:26:33] Speaker A: I love that. I love that. And you know, when we start thinking also too, about the programs that we have on campus. You know, Tiffany, earlier when you were sharing with our listeners all that you're involved with, tell us a little bit about the peer financial coaching that you guys have Established for sure.
[00:26:50] Speaker D: So these are UA students who undergo a certification on financial counseling. It's actually the same certification that the financial counselors at Alabama Credit Union go through. And so we work very closely with Christie and getting our students trained and they get like a wealth of knowledge and then they're able to offer free 30 minute sessions to their peers on a variety of financial literacy topics such as budgeting, saving, paying down debt. And so this service is available in the fall and the spring semesters where hoping to possibly expand it during the summer. But, you know, we're starting off small, still growing our program.
[00:27:26] Speaker C: Sure.
[00:27:27] Speaker D: And so it's a great opportunity for students to kind of learn about financial literacy from their peers. And so it's a program that we're super, super excited about.
[00:27:37] Speaker C: It's an amazing program because a lot of times college students are intimidated to talk to somebody my age. I'm in my early one hundreds is what I always tell students.
And so it's a lot. It feels like a safer environment when they're with their peers.
And a lot of think of financial counseling as a negative thing. Well, it's not always negative. A lot of people come to us to be proactive.
Here's my budget. How can I start saving for my child's education or things like that?
[00:28:08] Speaker A: Yeah, absolutely. You know, and I think since the program's inception, have there been particular topics that you've noticed students opt in for the most when it comes to the peer financial coaching? Like, like it. It seems like there's much more of a request regarding either like debt management or starting a budget. Have you noticed any of those trends yet, Tiffany?
[00:28:29] Speaker D: Yeah, I think for the most part with our undergraduate students, like budgeting and learning about credit has been like the top two topics that they request. And then for our graduate students, it's been more along the lines of like paying down debt.
So those are kind of like the trends that we're currently seeing.
[00:28:45] Speaker B: I know for most college students, I mean, for myself, I really didn't know what credit was, like building your credit. And so, you know, the first time you ever go and you have to, you know, get a car loan or house, I think maybe my first thing was like getting a new car or something like that. It was very interesting because I had no idea what the numbers were. And then also like how they pull, like a soft pull or like a hard pull. And so, like, I'm kind of curious with some of the apps that are out there that you can like check your credit. I mean, is that okay to do on those apps or does it really affect your credit score?
[00:29:15] Speaker C: Those are typically soft pools, so it
[00:29:17] Speaker B: will really change it.
[00:29:18] Speaker C: I know Alabama Credit Union has a service that I love. It's called Savvy Money and it gives me my real time credit score every day. I can check it and that is a soft pull on your credit. Now if you apply for a loan, that's gonna be a hard pull and that can affect your credit score.
[00:29:33] Speaker B: Yeah, and that's good to know because I think sometimes when people think about applying for something, there's always a fee to apply for something. But also that pull on your credit, like you gotta really know you're gonna go for, for this, you know, and not just say, oh, I think I'll just apply for a loan. You know, I could see people getting
[00:29:47] Speaker A: confused and I feel like finances are. It's, it's something that is so intimate for a lot of people. You know, you feel very vulnerable when that's talked about. I remember one of the first time my husband and I purchased a home together and we, the mortgage company was going through like both of our credit scores and it was like, you know, this big, huge document and it's almost like, oh my gosh, like, you know, is there something in there?
And so I just remember those emotions of being like this shouldn't make me feel weird, but for whatever reason, I just have this like heightened like sense. Almost like when you see blue lights behind you and you're driving, it's like, I know it couldn't be me, like I'm in the speed limit. But you still get that sense of panic.
[00:30:30] Speaker B: Money is always like taboo to talk about. I feel like, like you don't and kind of go back to Chrissy. Like you, like you mentioning that meeting with a friend, even planner or whoever or advisor. It's helpful because they're gonna try to put you on the right track. It's not that you're always going to them because you're like in so much debt. And I think people automatically think that that's the case, you know, I think so.
[00:30:51] Speaker C: But also a lot of people. In my experience, the ones who need the most help are the most scared to talk to people. That's true. Well, I'm gonna tell on myself right here. If you can make a new mistake, I've made it. And so I try to tell people that you're not going to come to us with things we have seen. We want to help you. Our goal is to help you. Nobody's gonna judge You. Because all of us have made some kind of financial mistake in our lives.
[00:31:17] Speaker A: Sure. Now, with the financial advising that your institution provides or other institutions would provide this, is that usually a charged service or is that something that is free and part of, like, the umbrella of everything that you offer?
[00:31:31] Speaker C: It is a free service we offer. Absolutely.
[00:31:33] Speaker A: That's good to know for sure.
[00:31:35] Speaker B: You know, we love our free stuff, our free services.
[00:31:38] Speaker A: Absolutely. And now. Okay, so I have to bring this up because I feel like a lot of listeners could be in this boat. This could be the student who, you know, maybe they received, you know, some Pell grants, scholarships, maybe some student loan money. And then, you know, after, like, all the bills have been paid with ua, they get this surplus check back.
I need you guys to tell students, please do not blow that extra money, because I've known of, like, friends over the years where, you know, they're just like, oh, my gosh, this is like, you know, a gift from the gods. I'm gonna, like, go and blow it. Where they probably could use that money in a more productive way. So do any of you guys have opinions on that scenario?
[00:32:22] Speaker C: Absolutely. I work with a lot of people who have a lot of student loan debt.
Fortunately, my parents paid for college, so I don't have student loan debt. But some of my financial counselors do. And one of the things they said is, I took the full amount that was offered to me and I didn't need that. I wish somebody had told me in college that I don't need that. So if you do get a check back, use that wisely. Go ahead and pay down on your loans or put that into your savings account.
[00:32:52] Speaker B: I think a lot of times it comes with two just immaturity. Do you know what I mean? Like, now I feel like we all being where we are in our lives, you get that money, you're like, ooh, I'm finna save that. Like, that's gone. But then you think about being a student. I don't think I would really save it. I mean, I'm just gonna tell myself I'd be like, I'm going to Claire's and spend $600 on Dory.
[00:33:14] Speaker A: Exactly.
[00:33:15] Speaker B: You know what I mean? It's just. It's like, think about these things now and, like, you're gonna screw up. Let's just be real. Everybody screws up when they're young and. And it's just what you do. But maybe if you're listening to our show, you'll make really good, wise life choices.
[00:33:26] Speaker C: I hope so. I did a presentation recently at ua, and one of the questions I asked is, what would you do if you won the lottery? And, of course, they're buying expensive cars. They're doing all kinds of stuff.
[00:33:36] Speaker D: I'd pay off that debt.
[00:33:37] Speaker C: But I asked our financial counselors the same question in Alabama Credit Union, and it was, I'd pay off my mortgage, I'd invest.
And that's a big difference.
[00:33:47] Speaker A: Yes, yes. And, you know, when we think about the financial habits that students have, young professionals, humans in general, you know, a lot of it is based on what we saw, our family members do, our parents, and, you know, there's that term, like, you know, 80% of things that kids do, it's caught, not taught. So. And there was a little bit of a disconnect in my own household where my mom was like, you need to save, save, save. Well, I didn't necessarily see my parents be as diligent with that as they were kind of, you know, barking that to me. And I'm like, well, you're telling me this, but, like, y' all aren't doing that, and you seem to be fine. So I thought I'd bring that up because that could. That could apply to some of our listeners, too.
[00:34:28] Speaker B: I agree. Because you're always gonna learn it from somewhere. You know, you're gonna learn. You're gonna see what your parents do, what your grandparents do, and then you just have to kind of be mindful. But maybe you're the first to, you know, make whoever is listening to our show make the right decisions, so.
[00:34:42] Speaker A: Exactly.
Well, you guys, Christy, Tiffany, thank you guys both so much for being on and talking about such an important topic. And actually, I'm going to surprise y' all and say we're going to include you in the last five minutes.
[00:34:55] Speaker C: Surprise.
[00:34:56] Speaker A: But it won't be financial wellness related. It'll be about y'. All. So you guys grab something to drink. Sit on the edge of the seat of your pants. Here we go. You're listening to Fit to Be tied with Shane and Whitney on 90.7 capstone.
[00:35:13] Speaker B: Wvuafm Tuscaloosa.
All right, friends, we are closing out this wonderful show today, and we're on the cusp of Thanksgiving. Ready to go eat some pumpkin pie, maybe some pecan pie, maybe some tofurkey. If you are a vegan.
You know, it's all good. But, Sheena, you kind of left us on a cliffhanger. You like to do that. That's like, your new thing.
[00:35:40] Speaker A: I know, I know. And both of our guests Were like, oh, my Leanta, what is she about to ask? So we've had this trend this semester where we've really been asking our guests what they do in terms of self care. And, you know, I think obviously with, like, Covid that's happened and just the stress of life in general, everybody has a different tactic when comes it. It comes to self care and what that means to them. Because I feel like, you know, at this point, we're all kind of on life support trying to get through this semester. And so, you know, Tiffany, I. To be honest, I can't remember what you said last time, so I'm gonna. So you might change up what you said.
[00:36:18] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:36:20] Speaker A: But, Christy, tell us, how do you practice self care? What does that look like for you?
[00:36:26] Speaker C: One of my favorite things to do is pour a glass of wine and take a bubble bag.
But I also occasionally treat myself to massages or pedicures. And since I'm a financial counselor, I want to say budget for self care, because it's so important, so I make sure whatever I do is in my budget.
[00:36:43] Speaker A: No, that is. So that was a great connection point. I love how you made that connection with the financial wellness and the self care, because, yeah, y', all pedicures aren't cheap. I advanced to, like, the dip nails from, like, regular manicures. Like, it gets expensive.
[00:36:59] Speaker C: I had to cut it out of my budget. I used to do that, but I'm saving for my child's college education. You're a good budget. That's why my nails are my budget.
[00:37:08] Speaker B: Tiffany, I'm kind of curious, too. I mean. Cause it's been. I guess it's been a few weeks, maybe a month since you've been on the show. What do you do for self care?
[00:37:14] Speaker D: I had changed it up a little bit. I do like to get my pedicurus, though. I go, like, religiously every Saturday.
[00:37:20] Speaker A: Really?
[00:37:21] Speaker D: And I splurge Saturday. Every Saturday. Oh, not every Saturday. I'm sorry. Every other Saturday.
[00:37:25] Speaker B: Every other.
[00:37:27] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:37:27] Speaker D: Because I get, like, the regular nail polishes, so it doesn't last as long, but I splurge and get, like, the most expensive one. I'm like, you know, this is pretty.
And then I like to wonder mindlessly in, like, TJ Maxx.
[00:37:40] Speaker B: There we go.
[00:37:41] Speaker D: Make a list of things that I'm gonna purchase at some point.
[00:37:44] Speaker A: Yes, yes.
[00:37:45] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:37:46] Speaker D: So that's what I like to do.
[00:37:46] Speaker A: Absolutely. And Tiffany, I think you and I, we've had this discussion before where, like, you see something at, like, a TJ Maxx or store similar to that, and you're like, huh? I really want that. If I come back the next day and it's there. It was meant to be. But if it's gone. And so there have been so many times where I've gone back the next day and it was gone, and I, like, have mixed emotions. I'm like, okay, it was not.
[00:38:07] Speaker C: It was a sign. You didn't need it.
[00:38:09] Speaker A: But I really did want that purse or that blouse that was, like, for my petite Brave.
[00:38:15] Speaker D: That happened to me. It was a Marc Jacobs bag. And I was like, it was $150, and I didn't have it in my budget, Christy. So I was like, okay, I can't get it right now. But, like, like, next month, it was still there. I can. And it was gone. And I was like, it was not meant to be.
[00:38:28] Speaker C: I always recommend for people thinking about big purchases to sit on it at least 48 hours. Because a lot of us are impulse buyers. So when we are wandering around TJ Maxx, and we know it's a good deal at TJ Maxx, we're like, oh, my budget doesn't matter right now. I need that.
Sit on TJ Maxx is hard because a lot of times it won't be there. But any big purchase, I recommend sitting on it at least 48 hours.
[00:38:52] Speaker B: So my mom used to tell me. Cause, you know, that's a great bit of advice. But she used to have, like, a series of questions. I can't remember all of them, but she would say, do you already have something like this already? Which is most of our cases. Yeah, we have multiple things. Like, we're very blessed. You know, we have multiple things. And she would say, you know, wait 48 hours. Wait a couple of days. There's one other thing I may have to tell y' all next week.
[00:39:15] Speaker C: I also think about when I'm making a purchase that might not be in my budget or I have to really decide what to do, I think about how long I'll have to work to pay for that item.
[00:39:25] Speaker B: That's probably what it was.
[00:39:26] Speaker C: I thought that's what it might be.
[00:39:28] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:39:28] Speaker B: She was very good about making me think that way. And so, like, yeah, I thank her for that.
[00:39:33] Speaker A: For things. Well, we ended this on a great note. Like, I feel like we shared some very tangible things that people can apply immediately, so you don't have to wait till January to get on top of those finances. You can do it now. You can do it this week. You can do it at this moment. But y' all, please have a happy Thanksgiving from all of us here at fit to be tied. You have been listening to fit to be tied with Sheena and Whitney on 90.7, the capstone.
[00:40:01] Speaker B: Wvuafm tuscaloosa.
