Everyone's Talkin' Money

Budgeting has a branding problem. For a lot of people, it feels restrictive, shame-filled, tedious, and honestly kind of like financial punishment. But what if the problem is not you? What if the problem is that what you’ve been calling budgeting is really just tracking where your money already went?

In this episode, Shari Rash, founder of GWA Wealth, talks with Shana and Vanessa of Budget Besties and the Financial Coaching for Women Podcast about why traditional budgeting fails so many people and what actually makes a money system stick.

They explain why tracking every transaction is not the same thing as budgeting, why checking your bank account and hoping for the best is not a plan, and why separating your money into spending and savings buckets can create more freedom, not less. You’ll hear how their digital envelope system works, why annual and irregular expenses are usually the things that blow up your budget, and how automation can help you stop relying on willpower.

They also get into the credit card points debate, why using a credit card can make it harder to stick to a budget, and why nobody built real wealth from points alone. Cute perk? Maybe. Financial plan? Absolutely not. Check out Shana and Vanessa's Free Money Stress Quiz

You’ll hear:

Why budgeting feels so shame-filled for so many people

The difference between tracking and true budgeting

Why your budget needs to include annual and irregular expenses

How digital spending buckets can replace old-school cash envelopes

Why separating bills from spending can create more clarity

How to automate bills, savings, spending, and investing

Why credit card points may not be worth it if they keep you disconnected from your numbers

The simple first step Shana and Vanessa recommend if your budget has never worked before

If you’ve tried budgeting and felt like you failed, this conversation will help you see that maybe the system failed you. Budgeting should not be about obsessing over every transaction. It should be about giving your money a job before it disappears.

If you want help building a financial plan that connects your cash flow, investing, savings, and bigger life goals, learn more about working with Shari Rash and GWA Wealth at gwawealth.com.

Follow Everyone’s Talkin’ Money on your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode, and keep the conversation going on Instagram
@everyonestalkinmoney

Shari Rash is a financial planner and Investment Adviser Representative of GWA Wealth, a Registered Investment Adviser. The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as personalized investment, tax, or legal advice. Listening to this podcast does not create an advisory relationship with Shari Rash or GWA Wealth. All investments involve risk, including the potential loss of principal. Any references to specific investments, strategies, or securities are for illustrative purposes only and are not recommendations. You should consult your own financial advisor, tax professional, or attorney regarding your individual situation before making any financial decisions.

The views expressed by guests are their own and don’t necessarily reflect the views of GWA Wealth.
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Roth conversions sound smart. Tax-free growth, tax-free withdrawals later, more flexibility in retirement — what’s not to like?

Well… the tax bill today. That part.

In this episode, Shari Rash, founder of GWA Wealth, breaks down what a Roth conversion actually is, how it works, and why “tax-free later” does not mean “free today.” A Roth conversion can be a powerful planning tool, but it can also backfire if you convert too much, do it in the wrong year, ignore the pro-rata rule, forget about Medicare premiums or other income-based thresholds, or assume you can undo it later.

Shari explains the difference between a Roth contribution, a Roth conversion, and a backdoor Roth, why the conversion amount usually gets added to your taxable income for the year, and why a large pre-tax retirement balance usually means you need a better plan — not a bigger conversion.

You’ll hear:

What a Roth conversion is and how it differs from a Roth contribution

Why the conversion amount is not the tax bill, but may be taxable income

How converting too much in one year can create a bigger tax bill than expected

Why the pro-rata rule can make a backdoor Roth less clean than it sounds

Why outside cash to pay the taxes matters

How Medicare premiums, five-year rules, and tax brackets can affect the decision

Why Roth conversions should come from a projection, not a podcast-induced burst of motivation

The biggest takeaway: do not hear “Roth conversion” and think, “I should do that.” Hear “Roth conversion” and think, “This is something worth analyzing.”

This episode is for educational and informational purposes only and is not individualized financial, investment, tax, legal, or accounting advice. Before making decisions about Roth conversions, retirement accounts, taxes, or investments, talk with a qualified financial professional or tax professional who understands your full situation.

If you want help building a financial plan that connects your income, taxes, retirement accounts, investments, and long-term goals, visit ⁠GWA Wealth⁠ to explore your next step.

Follow Everyone’s Talkin’ Money on your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode, and keep the conversation going on Instagram
@everyonestalkinmoney⁠

If you’re ready for personalized, judgment-free financial guidance, learn more about working with Shari. Shari Rash is the founder of
GWA Wealth⁠⁠ a virtual advisory firm helping women make confident, values-aligned decisions with their money.

Talkin’ Points → where your money gets smarter.

Real talk, practical tips, zero guilt straight to your inbox. Sign up here. 

Be sure to like and follow the show on your favorite podcast app!

Shari Rash is a financial planner and Investment Adviser Representative of GWA Wealth, a Registered Investment Adviser. The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as personalized investment, tax, or legal advice. Listening to this podcast does not create an advisory relationship with Shari Rash or GWA Wealth. All investments involve risk, including the potential loss of principal. Any references to specific investments, strategies, or securities are for illustrative purposes only and are not recommendations. You should consult your own financial advisor, tax professional, or attorney regarding your individual situation before making any financial decisions.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Taxes are not just something you deal with once a year when it is time to file. For high earners, business owners, and investors, taxes are part of the bigger wealth-building strategy.

In this episode, Shari Rash talks with CPA and tax strategist Catrina M. Craft about how to stop playing defense with the IRS and start thinking more proactively about tax strategy.

Catrina explains why the tax code often creates more opportunities for business owners and investors, why high-earning W-2 employees may feel limited but are not completely out of options, and how Roth accounts, HSAs, real estate, business structure, and proactive planning can all play a role in a smarter tax picture.

They also talk about the difference between an accountant, a bookkeeper, a CPA, and a tax strategist, why waiting until March or April is usually too late for meaningful tax planning, and why deductions are not free money.

You’ll hear:

Why tax filing and tax strategy are not the same thing

Why high earners need to stop treating taxes like a once-a-year event

What W-2 employees can still consider when they feel stuck

How Roth 401(k)s, backdoor Roth strategies, and HSAs may fit into long-term planning

Why business owners need to understand entity structure, deductions, documentation, and ordinary and necessary expenses

Why spending money just for a tax deduction can backfire

How to think about tax planning as part of your larger financial strategy

This episode is for educational and informational purposes only and is not individualized financial, investment, tax, legal, or accounting advice. Before making tax, investment, retirement, business, or entity-structure decisions, consult with qualified professionals who understand your specific situation.

If you want help building a financial plan that connects your income, investing, taxes, cash flow, and long-term goals, learn more about working with Shari Rash and ⁠GWA Wealth⁠ by visiting gwawealth.com.

Follow Everyone’s Talkin’ Money on your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode, and keep the conversation going on Instagram
@everyonestalkinmoney⁠

Talkin’ Points → where your money gets smarter.

Real talk, practical tips, zero guilt straight to your inbox. Sign up here. 

Be sure to like and follow the show on your favorite podcast app!

Shari Rash is a financial planner and Investment Adviser Representative of GWA Wealth, a Registered Investment Adviser. The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as personalized investment, tax, or legal advice. Listening to this podcast does not create an advisory relationship with Shari Rash or GWA Wealth. All investments involve risk, including the potential loss of principal. Any references to specific investments, strategies, or securities are for illustrative purposes only and are not recommendations. You should consult your own financial advisor, tax professional, or attorney regarding your individual situation before making any financial decisions.

The views expressed by guests are their own and don’t necessarily reflect the views of GWA Wealth.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Summer spending can feel casual… until the trips, camps, dinners, Target runs, kid expenses, travel plans, and “let’s just enjoy it” purchases start stacking up.

In this episode, Shari Rash walks you through the money reset you need before summer gets expensive. Because the problem usually isn’t one dinner, one weekend away, or one camp payment. The problem is everything piling up without a clear plan.

You’ll learn how to figure out what is actually safe to spend this summer, why summer tends to expose the weak spots in your money system, and how to stop letting your calendar, your kids, the group chat, and your own exhaustion make your money decisions for you.

Shari breaks down her simple Clean Up, Clarify, Choose framework so you can clean up what’s already leaking, clarify what money is actually available, and choose what matters most before summer chooses for you.

You’ll hear why your safe-to-spend number is not your checking account balance or your credit card limit, how to plan for predictable summer expenses you may be treating like surprises, why flexible spending ranges work better than rigid budgets, and how a weekly 10-minute money check-in can help you avoid the post-summer financial hangover.

This episode is not about making summer boring or cheap. It’s about making summer clear, intentional, and actually enjoyable.

Grab the free Summer Money Reset Plan at everyonestalkinmoneypodcast.com/1529 or click here.

If you want support staying consistent with this kind of work, check out the Everyone’s Talkin’ Money Club, where we turn podcast conversations into routines, resources, accountability, and support.

Follow Everyone’s Talkin’ Money on your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode, and keep the conversation going on Instagram @everyonestalkinmoney.

If you’re ready for personalized, judgment-free financial guidance, learn more about working with Shari. Shari Rash is the founder of GWA Wealth, a virtual advisory firm helping women make confident, values-aligned decisions with their money. Visit GWA Wealth to explore your next step.

Talkin’ Points → where your money gets smarter.

Real talk, practical tips, zero guilt straight to your inbox. Sign up here. 

Be sure to like and follow the show on your favorite podcast app!

Keep the conversation going on Instagram @everyonestalkinmoney

Shari Rash is a financial planner and Investment Adviser Representative of GWA Wealth, a Registered Investment Adviser. The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as personalized investment, tax, or legal advice. Listening to this podcast does not create an advisory relationship with Shari Rash or GWA Wealth. All investments involve risk, including the potential loss of principal. Any references to specific investments, strategies, or securities are for illustrative purposes only and are not recommendations. You should consult your own financial advisor, tax professional, or attorney regarding your individual situation before making any financial decisions.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever looked at your bank account or credit card bill and thought, “Wait…where did it all go?” You didn’t book a luxury vacation. You didn’t buy anything wildly irresponsible. You were just living your life — grabbing dinner, ordering the kid thing, paying for subscriptions, making the Target run, upgrading the trip, saying yes to the social plan — and somehow, your money disappeared.

In this episode, Shari is breaking down the hidden expenses high earners often miss and why these money leaks can be so hard to catch. Because for women who make good money, the issue usually isn’t one dramatic purchase. It’s the quiet patterns: convenience creep, forgotten subscriptions, lifestyle upgrades, emotional micro-spending, and social or family spending that was never actually planned for.

You’ll learn why income can camouflage spending leaks, how “it’s only $15” becomes a real category, why convenience is not the enemy but reactive convenience is expensive, and how to sort your spending into what supports your life, what’s neutral, and what’s just background noise draining your money.

You’ll also walk away with a simple 20-minute money audit you can do this week to find real breathing room without cutting everything fun out of your life.

Because the goal is not to spend as little as possible. The goal is to make sure your money is actually supporting the life you say you want.

Grab the $1,000 Leak Finder at https://everyonestalkinmoney.kit.com/moneyleaks

If you’re ready for personalized, judgment-free financial guidance, learn more about working with Shari. Shari Rash is the founder of GWA Wealth, a virtual advisory firm helping women make confident, values-aligned decisions with their money. Visit GWA Wealth to explore your next step.

Talkin’ Points → where your money gets smarter.

Real talk, practical tips, zero guilt straight to your inbox. Sign up here. 

Be sure to like and follow the show on your favorite podcast app!

Keep the conversation going on Instagram @everyonestalkinmoney

Shari Rash is a financial planner and Investment Adviser Representative of GWA Wealth, a Registered Investment Adviser. The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as personalized investment, tax, or legal advice. Listening to this podcast does not create an advisory relationship with Shari Rash or GWA Wealth. All investments involve risk, including the potential loss of principal. Any references to specific investments, strategies, or securities are for illustrative purposes only and are not recommendations. You should consult your own financial advisor, tax professional, or attorney regarding your individual situation before making any financial decisions.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices