While not everyone needs to plan for a conventional retirement, I think that everyone could benefit from saving & investing to increase financial independence – the ability to choose when to work (or not) and with whom. Today's episode looks at how you could grow your nest egg to $1 million by maxing out your IRA and buying the simplest investment options available.Key TakeawaysA conventional retirement of leisure is swell, but not everyone will get there – or even wants toBut all of us can save & invest to increase financial independence: the ability to choose how & when you want to workYou can let time do the heavy lifting for you by choosing & sticking with the simplest investment strategy aroundLinksHow To Turn $6,000 Per Year Into $1 MillionInvestor.gov's Compound Interest CalculatorSend me a question to be answered on a future episode.Sign up for the Keep It Easy newsletter.
--------
10:54
--------
10:54
Matt McCaughan - Musician
Matt McCaughan is probably best known as the drummer for Bon Iver, but he's played with tons of bands big & small both on stage and in the studio. In this conversation, Matt shares how he got started in music, the importance of not being too career-minded too soon, how he thinks about his work & how to price it, and how he manages the ups & downs of a gig-based income. Matt's question for me: I don't really pay attention to or care about cryptocurrency. Should I, and or when should I start paying attention? Key takeawaysMatt's journey to becoming a full-time musician was gradual. He began earning money as a musician in the late ’90s, eventually quitting his day job around 2006 when touring became frequent.He met Justin Vernon (Bon Iver) while touring with the Rosebuds. They bonded while rooming together on tour, and Matt later joined Bon Iver in 2008.While often seen as glamorous, Matt emphasizes how tour life – like long waits, shared living spaces, and repetitive logistics – can become very routine and normal for musicians.He candidly shares mistakes from his early financial life, especially around credit card use, and how he eventually cleared his debt through awareness and restraint.Matt discusses how he prices his work, considering factors like time commitment, travel, and what other musicians get paid for the same commitment when evaluating offers.LinksMatt's Grammy Awards pageMatt's credits via AllMusic and Discogs Matt's IG pageSend me a question to be answered on a future episode.Sign up for the Keep It Easy newsletter.
--------
55:39
--------
55:39
Planning With An Up & Down Income
How to you make financial plans for the future when you don't know what you'll make this year or even this month? Today I share three simple tips that people with up & down incomes can use to build financial stability and plan for the future.Key Takeaways:If you know that something will happen – even if that something is unpredictability – you can make a plan for it.Knowing how much you spend each month is essential to building financial stability.Keeping a dedicated cash account as an emergency or opportunity fund allows you to face uncertainty with a safety net.Maintaining more access to credit than you need means you can access money quickly when you need it – and it's good for your credit score!Links:Send me a question to be answered on a future episode.Sign up for the Keep It Easy newsletter.Sign up for weekly Office Hours.
--------
10:31
--------
10:31
Rebecca Cole – Musician & Tour Manager
Rebecca Cole is a musician and tour manager. She's worked as a roadie for many years, but started playing music with her first band The Minders in the mid-90s and recently toured the world as the keyboard player in Pavement. Rebecca is a delight to speak with and I really enjoyed this conversation about finding room for luxuries on any income, how moving to another city helped her buy a home, the pros & cons of pinching every penny as a tour manager, and more.Rebecca's question for me: I have a collection of low dollar IRAs from jobs I held, short term or part time. What should I do with them?Key takeaways:Rebecca joined her first band, The Minders, after moving to Denver and connecting with members of the Elephant 6 music collective.Rebecca moved into crew work (merch seller, assistant tour manager) to support her musical lifestyle. She was drawn to it as a job that allowed flexibility, travel, and self-employment—prioritizing control over her time to continue playing music.Encouraged by colleague Dave Burton, Rebecca gradually transitioned into tour managing, gaining early experience with The Head and the Heart and eventually stepping up with Neutral Milk Hotel.Initially hesitant to pursue tour management, Rebecca now embraces the role, striving to make tours better through her experience and leadership. She emphasizes comfort and morale on the road, even if it means spending a bit more.She now balances being a touring musician (playing with Pavement and Pedro the Lion) and a tour manager, often shifting roles depending on opportunities. Rebecca describes choosing between financial stability and meaningful musical opportunities, such as turning down a lucrative tour management gig to play keys with Pedro the Lion.Links:Send me a question to be answered on a future episode.Sign up for the Keep It Easy newsletter.Rebecca's InstaThe Minders Wiki, Bandcamp, & InstaWild Flag
--------
1:07:13
--------
1:07:13
Low-Tech Cash Flow
Managing cash flow can be a handful for anyone, but especially for people with weird jobs. Cash flow is the money that comes in and the money that goes out, and managing it is fundamental to every other financial decision you make. Today I share three low-tech, super simple techniques that anyone can use at any income level to manage cash flow – and all without the use of a budget.Key Takeaways:Budgeting is great for some people, but for others it can be a lot of work without a lot of payoff.The cash flow equation is income = spending + saving. You can use any part of that equation to improve your cash flow.Saving a lot of money makes the other parts of cash flow easy.You can use a target maximum checking account balance to quickly let you know when to save and when to pump the brakes on spending.A one-month spending fast is an easy way to reset your spending expectations and save money.Links:Send me a question to be answered on a future episode.Sign up for the Keep It Easy newsletter.Sign up for weekly Office Hours.Easy Budgeting: 50/30/20 BudgetFoundational Money Habits 2: Saving
The Thing We Never Talk About is an educational podcast about personal finance for creatives and other weirdos. We'll discuss managing cash flow with a lumpy income, when to save & when to invest, and how to reduce stress & build confidence when it comes to your money. No hot stock tips, no complicated strategies, and no finance bro jargon. We'll hear from artists, musicians, creative professionals, and other weirdos about how they navigate these questions for themselves. The Thing We Never Talk About is hosted by Timothy Iseler, CFP®, a former recording & touring audio engineer with 18 years experience in the music industry.
Ireland