We’re finally doing it: the drive from Pennsylvania to New Mexico—the move that launches our downsized, nomadic lifestyle we’ve been building toward for years.

But this trip isn’t happening the way we originally planned. Winter weather, slow progress on a condo rehab and van build, and Tim’s last-minute training push for a 3-day bike race have changed everything. And that’s the point of this episode: life is always in flux—so your plans have to be built to flex.

We Hate Highways… Guess Where We’re Driving

In this episode, we compare:

• A conventional road trip plan (typical route, hotels, eating out, standard timing) vs.
• Our real-world plan (highways for time, possible night driving, slower pace for two older vehicles, frequent stops for cats, cooking + sleeping in the van at rest stops)

We also talk through the constraints that force smarter decisions that deviate from our normal preferences:

• Why we’re avoiding forest overnights (snow, mud, getting stuck = losing time)
• How time pressure changes the “ideal” route
• How preferences (like avoiding highways) shift when the stakes change
• What we think this trip will cost—before we track the real number

And in a future episode, we’ll report back with the actual totals: what stayed on-plan, what surprised us, and what we had to pivot on.

This isn’t just travel planning. It’s the same framework we use for investing: Start with the conventional path → tweak it to fit your life → plan intelligently → pivot for reality.

If you’re planning a big move, a road trip, or a major lifestyle change (financial or otherwise), this episode will give you a practical way to think through costs, tradeoffs, and the hidden variables people forget.

New Money Rewired Podcast - click here or find it on your favorite platform

2026 is the year of financial realism. Americans are still dealing with high prices and inflation fatigue… but the shift is this: people aren’t just panicking anymore—they’re getting strategic.

In this episode, we break down what the data says about the average American’s relationship with money in 2026:

• persistent money stress + cost-of-living pressure
• “paycheck-to-paycheck” life becoming normal (not fun, just normal)
• record debt levels + why credit is being used as a bridge
• and the biggest change: a widespread determination to improve finances—cut debt, build savings, and manage money more intentionally.

Then we move from “yep, that’s the problem” to how people actually implement the changes they want, including:

• Loud Budgeting: saying “that doesn’t fit my goals” without embarrassment
• Sinking funds: turning predictable “surprises” into planned expenses
• Convenience tax audit: finding money without a raise
• Loyalty tax check: retention pricing, renegotiating recurring bills
• Value-based spending: stop budgeting like a punishment
• automation + micro-saving to build momentum without relying on willpower
• and simple accountability systems that don’t feel like financial prison

If you’ve been feeling the pinch and feeling ready to get your money together—this is your episode.

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Questions? Email Tim at debrine9@gmail.com

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DISCLAIMER Ticker metrics change as markets and companies change, so always do your own research. The content in this podcast is based on personal experience and is for educational purposes, not financial advice. See full disclaimer here.

Episode music was created using Loudly.

This episode breaks down what we consider the core pillar of our entire investing framework: the income-first retirement portfolio.

An income-first strategy prioritizes interest and dividends as the primary source of retirement cash flow, with price appreciation treated as a secondary benefit. This is fundamentally different from the traditional total-return approach, which relies on selling shares to generate income.

In this episode, we cover:

• What an income-first retirement portfolio actually is
• How it differs philosophically and practically from total-return / 4% rule strategies
• Why selling assets in down markets creates sequence-of-returns risk
• The benefits of predictable, internally generated cash flow
• The biggest mistake income investors make: stretching for yield
• Asset types commonly used in income-first portfolios:
  • Dividend-paying stocks and dividend growers
  • Bonds and bond ladders
  • REITs and preferred stocks
  • Closed-end funds (CEFs)
  • Annuities (with important caveats)
• Real examples from our own portfolios, including dividend growers, income ETFs/CEFs, and higher-yield income producers
• How we use income from higher-yield assets to pay bills and reinvest into more stable dividend growth assets

We also walk through the first steps to building your own income-first portfolio:

• Defining your income goal and time horizon
• Calculating the gap between expenses and guaranteed income
• Treating your portfolio like a business that produces surplus cash flow
• Assessing emotional and financial risk tolerance for 2026
• Building emergency buffers so income assets are never forced to be sold

This episode isn’t about chasing returns or predicting markets.
It’s about building a retirement strategy designed for stability, predictability, and peace of mind—one where your portfolio works for you instead of being slowly dismantled.

Questions? Email Tim at debrine9@gmail.com

Want FREE weekly market updates, Tim's top 10 dividend picks, and our portfolio updates delivered right to your inbox? Subscribe to our email list.

Stay connected. Follow us on social!

**DISCLAIMER**
Ticker metrics change as markets and companies change, so always do your own research. The content in this podcast is based on personal experience and is for educational purposes, not financial advice. See full disclaimer here.

Episode music was created using Loudly.