Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)

Summary

Podcast Summary: Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel

Episode Title: Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Release Date: December 5, 2024
Host/Authors: Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Description: Rachel Cruze and George Kamel engage in an unfiltered discussion about financial missteps, drawing from listener submissions and their personal experiences. The episode delves into various financial faux pas, offering insights and practical advice on navigating social and financial boundaries.

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1. Introduction to Financial Faux Pas Debate

The episode kicks off with Rachel and George setting a convivial tone, inviting listeners to join their financial “happy hour” discussion. Rachel introduces the theme by referencing a personal incident involving George and his daughter’s first birthday party, which serves as a springboard for broader conversations about financial mistakes.

Notable Quote:

• Rachel (00:20): “This is the show where two friends who happen to be money experts talk about what you're talking about. So everything from pop culture, current events, and money.”

2. George’s Financial Faux Pas: Tacky College Fund Solicitation

George shares a story about trying to manage gift expectations at his daughter Mia’s first birthday party. Frustrated with the influx of material gifts, he opted to include a QR code for donations to Mia’s college fund. Intended as a humorous gesture, the attempt backfired as guests perceived it as soliciting money, leading Rachel to label George’s approach as “tacky.”

Notable Quotes:

• Rachel (03:14): “Which was not your intent.”
• George (03:18): “Not because you were serious though.”

This incident highlights the delicate balance between managing finances and maintaining social etiquette, setting the stage for examining other listener-submitted financial missteps.

3. Listener Submissions: Exploring Various Financial Faux Pas

Rachel and George present and analyze multiple listener-submitted scenarios, discussing whether each situation constitutes a financial faux pas and offering their perspectives.

a. Marie Mathy’s 600-Mile Road Trip Without Gas Contributions

Marie’s friend drove a substantial 600-mile round trip to Florida without offering to contribute to gas expenses, prompting Rachel and George to question the context and appropriateness of such an expectation.

Notable Quote:

• Rachel (07:31): “All right, we got a Laura Jeremiah, and she said...”

b. Laura Jeremiah’s Air Fryer Transaction Fee

Laura purchased an air fryer from a coworker who charged an additional $5 for bringing it into work. The hosts discuss the norms of gift exchanges and question the fairness of adding fees to such transactions.

Notable Quote:

• George (07:57): “What, like a delivery fee?”

c. Kyla Penner’s Forgotten Bridal Shower Gift

Kyla forgot to bring a gift to a bridal shower and was subsequently contacted by the host to confirm the gift’s delivery. Rachel and George explore the nuances of gift-giving expectations and appropriate follow-ups.

Notable Quote:

• Rachel (08:35): “So if Someone says that to me and then I don't see it...”

d. DeleteRocks 2024: Charging for Guest Room Stays

A listener reported a friend charging $15 per night plus an energy fee for staying in her guest room. Rachel and George express disbelief, emphasizing the importance of hospitality without financial strings attached.

Notable Quote:

• Rachel (13:24): “Yo, who are these?”

e. Katie Perez’s Playdate Snack Charges

Katie shared a story about a mother charging other moms for snacks consumed during playdates. The hosts discuss the boundaries of sharing and monetizing social interactions involving children.

Notable Quote:

• Rachel (14:03): “Can we just normalize, like, charging?”

f. George S. Chotus’s MLM Pressure on Church Friends

George S. Chotus faced social backlash after refusing to purchase an MLM product from church friends, leading to strained relationships. The hosts critique the transactional nature of such friendships and the ethical implications of MLM practices.

Notable Quote:

• George (16:10): “They don't actually like you, probably.”

g. Sam Martinez’s Dinner Bill Dilemma

Sam was upset about being expected to split a dinner bill at Buca Di Beppo despite being sober while everyone else ordered wine. Rachel and George navigate the complexities of shared expenses in social dining scenarios.

Notable Quote:

• George (17:50): “Don't put that socialism on me.”

h. Nicolette’s Extravagant Gift-Giving Constraints

Nicolette struggles with not being able to reciprocate extravagant gifts from a friend. The hosts advise on managing expectations and maintaining healthy relationships without financial strain.

Notable Quote:

• Rachel (21:37): “And if you get them whatever you want to get them, it's going to be great.”

i. Jesse618’s Unagreed Group Gift Contribution

Jesse618 was asked to contribute $25 to a group gift for their boss without prior agreement. Rachel and George discuss the etiquette of group gifting in professional settings.

Notable Quote:

• George (24:10): “That's fair.”

j. Barbara B.’s Holiday Party Venmo Request

Barbara B. was asked to Venmo her portion for a holiday party, raising questions about whether hosts should cover all expenses or if guests should contribute.

Notable Quote:

• George (25:00): “I do always try to bring a gift.”

k. Zach Ford’s Public Venmo Child Support Payments

Zach Ford publicly pays child support via Venmo, sometimes labeling payments passively aggressively. The hosts address the appropriateness and privacy concerns of such practices.

Notable Quote:

• Rachel (28:01): “It didn't have to be this way.”

l. Jennifer’s Freelance Photography Asking for Payment

Jennifer struggles with clients requesting free photography services. Rachel and George role-play a scenario addressing how to assert the value of freelance work respectfully.

Notable Quote:

• George (31:55): “It's always a kind gesture to do for a.”

4. Key Insights and Practical Advice

Throughout the episode, Rachel and George emphasize several key strategies to avoid financial faux pas:

• Create a Budget: Establishing a budget provides financial margin to handle unexpected expenses without strain.

  Rachel (33:07): “Because things are going to come up that you may be like, oh, I need to chip in on the gift that's coming...”

• Communicate Clearly: Open communication about financial boundaries and expectations can prevent misunderstandings and awkward situations.

  George (33:44): “Communicating and setting the boundaries ahead of time is important.”

• Set Boundaries: Knowing when and how to set financial boundaries helps maintain healthy relationships while managing personal finances.

• Respect Professional Etiquette: In workplace settings, understanding appropriate gift-giving norms can preserve professional relationships without financial entanglements.

5. Guilty as Charged: Social Media Stalking Confessions

In their closing segment, Rachel and George participate in "Guilty as Charged," where they confess minor indiscretions. Both discuss their tendencies to stalk people on social media, sharing humorous and introspective anecdotes about their online behaviors.

Notable Quotes:

• Rachel (34:37): “I did a deep stalk on someone I didn't even know.”
• George (36:25): “I know maiden names. I know kids names. I know the dog name.”

6. Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Rachel and George wrap up the episode by reiterating the importance of budgeting, communication, and setting financial boundaries to navigate social and financial interactions effectively. They encourage listeners to review their financial habits and engage in open conversations about money to foster healthier relationships and personal financial well-being.

Notable Quotes:

• Rachel (33:32): “So if you have not done a budget... it gives you peace of mind.”
• George (33:44): “Make good decisions.”

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Key Takeaways:

• Budgeting is essential for managing unexpected expenses and maintaining financial stability.
• Clear Communication about financial expectations can prevent misunderstandings in both personal and professional relationships.
• Setting Boundaries helps protect personal finances while respecting social norms.
• Understanding Etiquette in various settings, such as workplace gift-giving, is crucial to maintaining healthy relationships.

Notable Quotes Highlights:

• Rachel (00:20): Introduction to the show's premise.
• Rachel (03:14): Clarifying George’s intent with the QR code.
• George (16:10): Critiquing transactional friendships in MLM contexts.
• Rachel (33:32): Emphasizing the importance of budgeting.

This episode offers valuable insights into navigating financial interactions, providing listeners with practical advice and relatable anecdotes to help avoid common financial pitfalls in everyday life.

Transcript

[A]

Foreign. Hey, guys, I'm Rachel.

[B]

I'm George.

[A]

And this is Smart Money Happy Hour. Cheers.

[B]

Cheers.

[A]

Oh, wonderful.

[B]

That'll cure almost anything.

[A]

Well, this is the show where two friends who happen to be money experts talk about what you're talking about. So everything from pop culture, current events, and money.

[B]

And we're kicking off today's episode with a public debate.

[A]

Yeah, it's not political, so don't worry, guys. Don't get scared off. But it is crazy, and it has to do with George. That's all I'll say.

[B]

Don't pin it on me. Okay, well, before we get to that, what are we sipping on?

[A]

Rachel, We've got a division bell.

[B]

You can taste the devices.

[A]

That's funny. Actually, the cocktail name fits really well.

[B]

Actually, think out of all the things in this episode, we'll agree that this is a good drink.

[A]

So good.

[B]

So stick around till the end. We'll give you the cost per glass, we'll give you our rating, and the recipe is in the show notes.

[A]

Okay, so this all started when I heard about something that went on at Mia, who is George's daughter, who just turned one, confusingly, George's daughter's birthday. But you said that you did something at this party. I'll let you explain to the people.

[B]

And I thought, you act like this is public indecency. What a tease.

[A]

And I thought it was a joke. And I was like, oh, that's funny, George. Or you did it as a joke. And then I learned later on that afternoon that, like, no, no, no. He did this like it was being serious about it. And I was like, oh, my gosh, George Campbell, you are tacky.

[B]

So tacky. This is an episode about financial faux pas. And apparently I committed one big one while just trying to prepare for my daughter's future. Like, what a noble way to be.

[A]

On the backs of friends.

[B]

Okay, here's what happens. Daughter's first joke.

[A]

Like, I thought this was like a. Oh, George, you're funny.

[B]

What you guys need to know is that I'm tired of crap. And babies just get a lot of stuff, and people just think, I bet they want more stuff. And so we keep getting stuff. And so I thought for the party, which, by the way, was just family and close friends, I decided, close friends.

[A]

Loud and clear.

[B]

To be honest, I wanted nothing to do with the invite. Listen. And it was just like, it's fine, Winnie. Invite your best girlfriends. I don't want to. I don't have friends. I don't. Guys don't want to go to first birthday parties. Can we just say that that's fair?

[A]

That's fair.

[B]

So anyways, I decided, you know what, instead of making everyone like, hey, bring a gift, bring more stuff. What if I did a little QR code and if you so chose, you could give to her future college fund. So I made a cute. It was really cute. It said like, cowgirls, blah, blah, blah, support cowgirls college fund with a QR code to go scan and donate directly to the fund. This was not like my Venmo. So I then posted on social media, like I'm posting a picture as a joke. Like when you're the, when you give people financial advice and you're the girl that, whatever. As a funny joke. Then people thought, wow, he's soliciting donations from social media now.

[A]

Oh, they thought.

[B]

So they thought it was tacky that I was on social trying to get money for my daughter's college fund.

[A]

Which was not your intent of that.

[B]

Which was not the intent. It was supposed to be a funny joke. Like this is classic George behavior that amidst all the gifts, George is like, hey, you could donate to the college fund because it will, at a 12% rate of return, it'll turn it, you know.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Nerding out.

[A]

Yeah. But like, it's funny that you would do that because you would just do that because it's funny. Not because you were serious though.

[B]

And to be fair, not a single person donated to the college fund, so. But I did get really good at canva. I got, I became an expert in canva. Just making, just to make the poster for it. I was very proud of my work.

[A]

Oh my gosh. Were you expecting people to donate?

[B]

I didn't. But if it was me, I would personally rather give to my friend's kids college fund than to like buy them another thing that will likely be thrown away or returned.

[A]

Did they know this was an option?

[B]

No, it was a last minute thing.

[A]

So it was like, hey, you came to the party.

[B]

Whitney already said that.

[A]

And if you happen to want to donate here after you bought a gift, here's this too.

[B]

Pretty much again, Hail Mary. But Rachel thought, I cannot believe you did that. And so we decided we'd do a whole episode on other financial faux pas. That's how we got here. So I want to know in the comments, am I in the wrong? Am I a terrible dad?

[A]

Actually, I would love to know.

[B]

Here's the deal. Anyways, we polled you guys on social media to share more real life financial dilemmas and faux pas with friends. And finances. And so today we're going to hear your case as the judge and jury. We're going to share our thoughts. And if QR code gate is any indication, this might. There might be some friendly debate among.

[A]

Rachel and I. Yeah, this could be good. Okay, before we dive in, do you have any just social pet peeves that come to mind?

[B]

Ooh, like, financial faux pas. I think that, like, you've said this, but the nitpicking of, like, a Venmo, like, well, it was $4.28 per, so we're gonna.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Like, amongst friends.

[A]

Right.

[B]

I. You know, I don't like the. Let's just.

[A]

I think under. Like, for sure, under 15 in my book.

[B]

You're like, don't worry about it.

[A]

And then you could go a little higher too, if you want to, but, like. Yeah, like, got you covered. Don't worry. I'll grab the coffee or whatever, you.

[B]

Know, There was one that really grinded my gears, and it's not from a person, it's from a place, but I got it to go order from one of my favorite burger places.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And they started a mandatory tip on to go orders, which I was like, okay, fine. I get. They're putting a lot of work into this. They want to chart now. It went from a 10% mandatory tip to a 15% automatic gratuity on a takeout order. I grab the bag and I leave. Yeah, this is a little bit over the top.

[A]

Yep.

[B]

To force my hand into a 15 tip for showing up to your restaurant and grabbing an order.

[A]

Grabbing an order.

[B]

No one waited on me.

[A]

I get to, like, 15 to 20 is when someone, like, waits on you for an hour and pours drinks and brings you food.

[B]

I was like, I might as well have just enjoyed the meal.

[A]

Exactly. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Totally. No, so that one.

[B]

That one was a real gear grinder for me. A financial faux pas for small business owners.

[A]

Okay, how about this one? Electric car friend to electric car friend. This may be snobby. We went and stayed at a place, and it was like this, like, resort kind of, you know, place, and it was nice. In every hotel that we've stayed in, we'll take the Tesla. Like, we went to Memphis for weddings. We took the Tesla. Like, we'll take the Tesla.

[B]

Like, a shorter drive.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like, within four hours thing. And almost every hotel or place we've been, they'll, like, they have charging stations in the parking lot. This one was a pay. Oh, you had to pay for it.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

I know. And I just Thought really? Like, you're trying.

[B]

Who's making the money? The hotel? Or is it like a.

[A]

No, it was like a company.

[B]

Like chargepoint Road.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But I was like, oh, man. Hotel. You could have like. I don't know. So I thought about that recently too.

[B]

Here are the listener submissions. Marie Mathy said, drove to Florida with a friend, 600 miles round trip, but they never offered to pay for gas.

[A]

Ooh, tacky, tacky.

[B]

Now, I wanna know the context. Like, they drove in, apparently, her car. She was driving, I assume, in her.

[A]

I mean, 600 miles. I mean. Yeah.

[B]

Was the trip for her with, like, were they helping her move?

[A]

Oh, okay.

[B]

You know what I mean? Like, I need to know the context in which they decided to go on this road trip.

[A]

Like a Matlock.

[B]

Yeah, I'm good today. Just really, I prefer wishbone getting to the bottom of this case or Mary Kate and Ashley solving any crime by dinner time.

[A]

Yeah, you're very Mary Kate right now, Nashley.

[B]

I appreciate that. So overall faux pas without knowing any more context.

[A]

All right, we got a Laura Jeremiah, and she said, bought an air fryer from a co worker and he charged me an extra $5 just for bringing it into work for me.

[B]

What, like a delivery fee?

[A]

If anything, it's like, thank you for taking my air fryer and buying it from me.

[B]

My guess is the next thing was like, turn around on the phone, like, hey, just gonna ask you a few questions. Asking for the tip on the air fryer.

[A]

Oh, my gosh, I don't understand.

[B]

Did he explain it? He must have. And said, hey, yeah, it'll be an extra five bucks since I brought it versus you driving to me and picking it up. You're going to work anyways.

[A]

Same place. Yeah, that's. That's cheap. That's cheap right there.

[B]

Don't love that one. Here's one from Kyla Penner. Forgot to bring a bridal shower gift. Two days later she called me asking where I dropped off my card. Oh, man, this is giving some Bridezilla McKenzie energy with a G.H. mcKenzie, you know? You know the type.

[A]

Oh, McKenzie, calm down.

[B]

There's a lot going on here. So you forget to bring the gift.

[A]

Okay, now my question would be, did.

[B]

You actually get a gift?

[A]

Can I go devil's advocate on this one?

[B]

Sure.

[A]

What if Kayla said, oh, shoot, I forgot the gift. I'm so sorry, I'll drop it off later. Right, and, like, make up.

[B]

Hey, where'd you drop off the card?

[A]

And then. So if Someone says that to me and then I don't see it. I could see a day where you're like, oh, hey, I just want to.

[B]

Make sure, like, I didn't lose it or something.

[A]

Yeah. That it didn't, like, get like, like blown away if you left at the front door or, like, did you. I don't know.

[B]

You were the Matlock of kindness and benefit.

[A]

Could there be a. Could there be that? Could there be that?

[B]

That's.

[A]

You know what I will do? I will follow up on gifts nowadays, which is so great thank you technology that, like, you can ship gifts to people directly.

[B]

Y.

[A]

So, like, for weddings or baby showers. And I do that a lot now. And if I don't hear from them, it's not that I need a thank you, but I do follow up like a week later. And I'm like, hey, did. Did it come? Like, I want to make sure you got it because I paid for it. Making sure you actually got the gift. So I will do a follow up text. I'm not looking for a thank you, but it's just a.

[B]

What is your. This is another built in financial faux pas. Do you feel like it's a faux pas to not send a thank you after getting a gift for a, you know, baby shower, bridal birthday?

[A]

I written cards. I don't, like, get one and be like, oh, thank God they wrote me a card. Like, I'm like, oh, that's nice. I don't. I'm very, like, neutral to them. That was Winston and I's first fight. Did you know this? We were married for eight days or whatever we were. And it was January, duck hunting season or whatever it was.

[B]

And I know it well.

[A]

And. Cause I probably had a little Sharon. Love you, Sharon. Had a little Sharon in the back of my head that I'm like, I have to write all these thank you cards for our wedding. And we kind of had a big wedding. Like, we, we.

[B]

Not that I was invited.

[A]

And I was like, didn't know you, George, 15 years ago. And I remember being like, I'm going to have to get these thank you cards out. And I'm like, gosh, my gosh, gosh. And like, I was very overwhelmed. And I remember being like, winston, will you help me? And he was like, oh, Carson invited me to go duck hunting this morning.

[B]

It's not Carson.

[A]

And I was like, what? And I cried, y'all. I cried. I was like, is this what marriage is? Like, he's gonna chase Carson over. We had to do everything. Oh, yeah. Y'all it was like a. It was like a first. Like, how do we. You know? And you look back now, I'm like, dear God. I was like, Rachel, jeez.

[B]

I cannot.

[A]

I felt like this made up expectation of a timeline, number one. And number two, go hunt. I mean, like, yeah, it would be. It would be a different situation.

[B]

Why would you choose duck hunting over writing? Thank you.

[A]

I know, right?

[B]

Wow. Glad that's over.

[A]

But two weeks in, man, it's like.

[B]

I don't know what is soul crushing second guess everything. I'm glad you guys have made it 15 years now. Congrats.

[A]

Thank you. Thank you.

[B]

Despite the incident.

[A]

So. Yeah, so thank you cards. And I'm terrible at them, I'll say that. And my kids, I make the list at the birthday parties of who brought what gift and do we send out thank you cards off that list?

[B]

I just think a text is enough. Like, hey, thanks so much for the gift. Love seeing you.

[A]

Me too.

[B]

Maybe say what the gift is if you want to go extra. But like writing a letter and mailing.

[A]

It feels like maybe a wedding. Do you feel like a wedding and a shower maybe is a different level of.

[B]

There's a formality with weddings that I feel like, is there.

[A]

There's something there.

[B]

All right, here's one from DeleteRocks 2024. This company only charges me $9 a month to save me hours of time and potentially thousands protecting me from Internet scammers.

[A]

Well, that sounds like actually a great friend.

[B]

And this was clearly a plant. Dm.

[A]

It's great though. Delete Me, y'all, is a fabulous service where you go and you fill out your profile. So you go and you give them some information and then they scour the Internet and find your home address, phone numbers, old addresses, even like.

[B]

Like they will people you're related to.

[A]

All around the Internet and take your information off. And it is so great because let's be Honest, today in 2024, man, our information's everywhere on the Internet. There's more forms. Yeah.

[B]

More scams than ever. So protect yourself from the risks of all of that with our friends at Deleteme. And they're giving our listeners a great discount. 20% off any of their plans. When you go to JoinDeleteMe.com sl smart money, you'll get 20% off. And the planes are super affordable. I really, weirdly was in my report the other day, just for fun. I was like, yeah, you were. Where am I at? Because sometimes if you Google your information, people you will find out you are on way more of the Internet than you thought. Your address, your phone number, it's out there. Don't like it. And it's reduced spam for me. I don't get like, I used to get all these spam calls and texts.

[A]

Yes. Not as much anymore.

[B]

Anymore.

[A]

So good. I love it. Sleep me is amazing. Check it out. Okay.

[B]

Anyhow. All right, here's another submission from Neoteruya. My friend offered her guest room to me while I was in town. Charged me $15 per night plus an energy bill fee on Venmo.

[A]

Yo, who are these?

[B]

Are these people real people? Like, 15 per night is almost like, don't even. Why even do it?

[A]

Why? No.

[B]

How many nights were you there? Was it. Were you there for a month? Said while you were in town. We don't know how long.

[A]

Oh, my gosh. I could not. I could imagine.

[B]

But the energy bill fe.

[A]

I mean, I'm not friends with those people. Like, that's terrible. If we went and stayed with people. We did that. We recently went stay with some friends of Chattanooga. They thin mode us people stay at our house. I'm like, no, no, we're not doing that.

[B]

Wow. I cannot imagine charging friends when they stay. Like, if you're going to invite someone over, like, hey, just stay in our place. Do not charge them money.

[A]

Yeah, we don't need that. Okay, how about this? Katie Perez says, I've heard moms charging other moms after play dates because their kids ate some of the family snacks. This actually went viral on I say Instagram. You may say Tik tok, because I.

[B]

Saw it first on Tik Tok. You saw it a month later on Instagram probably, and think you're better than us tiktokers and.

[A]

Yeah, and this mom was the one charging people, and she's like, can we just normalize, like, charging? Because, like, all the supplies and the snacks and all of this. And I was like, oh, my gosh. What is this? This is crazy.

[B]

I feel like I would just send my daughter with all the supplies she needed and say, don't take anything from these people.

[A]

Yeah. Just. Yeah, yeah. Don't use their water.

[B]

I'm not gonna get dead mode after this.

[A]

Don't do anything.

[B]

Don't flush the toilet.

[A]

Can't use anything.

[B]

They're gonna charge us for that too, man. That's overkill. Why don't we just. Our moms that. I feel like they're really moms that are that petty out there. Like, I understand if they're gonna go do an adventure hey, we're gonna take them to Chuck E. Cheese. Great. I'm gonna give her money.

[A]

Yeah, that's right. That. Yeah. If you're going out somewhere and there's like an admission, a movie or something, for sure.

[B]

What if your kids are going over to a friend's house and it's like, hey, we're getting a bunch of pizzas. And you're like, hey, look, I'd love to like chip in to.

[A]

You know what? I don't chip in for pizzas. Movie. Yeah. And no one's chipped in for me. Like, I think that's a.

[B]

That's a unspoken rule. If you have friends when they're over, we'll cover it. When.

[A]

Yeah. That is funny though, because then, like, I'll take a bunch of girls like Sonic or something after school. We've done that. And like, the moms will Venmo me. And I didn't ask. And I'm like, I didn't ask for it, but they will. But people don't do pizza, so that's an interesting thing.

[B]

I'm thinking about my own childhood now because I was always over at friends houses and we just like eat whatever they were having for dinner and I don't think there was any money exchanged for anything.

[A]

You know, it's funny though. I had Denise and my sister over and her family and we, we ordered a bunch of pizzas to our house and stuff and Denise Venmoed me after for the pizza.

[B]

Sweet Denise for the pizza.

[A]

I know. And I was like, I mean, I think she's very thoughtful. Just more conscious of that stuff, I guess.

[B]

And it's more for them. If it's like, if that's what they want to do, sure, then fine. It's not going to hurt you. Like, it's not what you. You didn't ask for it. It was almost like a generosity thing.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

So funny.

[B]

Way to go, Denise.

[A]

All right, this next one.

[B]

George S. Chotus said our church friends stopped talking to us when we wouldn't buy an MLM product from them. Good. They weren't loyals here. You think they were friends. This was all a lead up to get you to buy the product. They don't actually like you, probably.

[A]

Okay, George, do you feel like MLMs have died out? Because I just don't hear about them as much anymore.

[B]

I think people caught on to it and some of them have gone under. I mean, Beauty counter had a pretty famous blow up and so all, all the people in the downline lost their Income and Tupperware just filed bankruptcy.

[A]

Wait, Beauty counter's done.

[B]

They. I don't think they're coming back. I think they were like, hey, we're gonna just disappear for a little while. And I think people kind of see the writing on the wall. I'm not in the, like, MLM Scoop community.

[A]

Sure.

[B]

Someone can prove me wrong that it's coming back with a vengeance, but I think overall, MLMs have sort of. It was almost like a trend, and it's hopefully dying out. Some will stick around, sure. The ones with better products and services sure will stick around. But overall, interesting.

[A]

I don't stop talking to you because you didn't that.

[B]

But that, to me, says this was not a true friendship. Any true friendship that ends because you didn't buy a thing is not a friendship. It was transactional.

[A]

That is crazy.

[B]

And they faked it really well up until then.

[A]

All right, we got Sam Martinez, and he says, if you're out to dinner at Buka Deepo and everyone orders wine but you're sober, you shouldn't have to split the bill. Right. Wow.

[B]

This one goes back to my thing of, like, everyone gets the apps and the drinks, and I got one thing and a water. I feel like it's not fair to then charge me the same.

[A]

Yeah, I would. I agree.

[B]

Don't put that socialism on me. So, no, I. I think all equals. Not a faux pas here.

[A]

Well, Buca Beppo is hard because it is family style, so it's not like everyone gets their own individual entree.

[B]

Wow, look at you defending Buka to be, well, their defense. It's a family style, authentic Italian experience.

[A]

You don't eat. It's not like, oh, I'm ordering my, you know, salad and water here. It is a shared. So that's. That is a harder restaurant to divvy up checks.

[B]

Agreed. But also, it's. I get that it's a lot of work to get, like, the waiter to split it, but it's also they're. It's. They're used to it. So I don't buy when someone's like, well, it's just easier to. To just do it all together so the waiter doesn't have to. And if the waiter comes over with one big bill, I go, hey, I know it's a pain. Would you mind splitting it up? And they go, okay. And they go, split it up. But I think calling it out like, hey, if you guys are going to get alcoholic, would you mind if I'm just on a separate tab, just calling it out early on.

[A]

Okay. Because I would say the appetizer. I would say the. The alcohol is for sure the difference. Because it is expensive. Right. And if you get.

[B]

Especially in Tennessee, because there's a liquor tax. Did you know this? 15 on top of everything else, on top of your normal tax, on top of tip, because we don't have income.

[A]

Tax, they get us. That's how they get us other places. But if there's, like a spinach dip in the middle of the table, I.

[B]

Mean, you're gonna get a bite. Yeah.

[A]

I don't know.

[B]

I don't know.

[A]

Right?

[B]

That's a good one. What do you think about people who. This happens to me often. Someone who sneaks up and gets the weight of their card and sneakily pays for the table.

[A]

That's great.

[B]

No faux pause there. Is there a good way to do it? Is there a bad way to do it?

[A]

Like, if you're the one, like, paying for the dinner?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I mean, I would just tell the waiter, hey, it's all just gonna be on one check. Oh, yeah, we'll do that. And then I'll say this on the end of, like, wanting to be generous. This just happened, like, last week. And it's like, yeah, we'll. We'll treat them. And then the people that fight it.

[B]

No, split it.

[A]

Split it. I'll split it. You know, like, I get it, but I don't know.

[B]

Yep. That's a very. Also coming from Middle Eastern culture that every single time, like, the dads at the table are fighting. No, no, no.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[B]

And I'm like, okay, can we just be done with this charade?

[A]

Totally, totally, totally, totally. Yep.

[B]

But my brother is the. He is the king of. I'm gonna. He's gonna sneakily get. He did it yesterday. He was in town, and we're with a big group, and he's. I'm like, how did you even get your card to the waiter? Like, I didn't even see you get up. It's like a magic trick. He's like David Blaine of generosity.

[A]

I think that's people.

[B]

But he is very generous.

[A]

Yeah. And I think people. That's like their.

[B]

Like, their love language almost. Yeah.

[A]

It's what they do. Yeah. I love it.

[B]

But it's not that I'm not a good gift giver. We've talked about this. Neither of us are, like, the mega thoughtful, like, oh, I'm gonna get them the perfect gift. So if you are looking for a good gift this holiday season, you gotta check out Cozy Earth, one of the sponsors of today's episode.

[A]

Yes. Oh, my gosh, this company, you guys. I've been wearing the pajamas, been wearing the joggers, been sleeping in the sheets. We have the blankets, everything. And it is fantastic. The quality and the material, y'all, it is. It is what you need for this fall, this winter, this spring. It is. They're the best.

[B]

Absolutely. Whitney was just telling me she has the cozy Earth PJ's in Navy. Now. She's like, I really want the ones that come in brown. I was like, is this a hint? Because I love this shopping list you're giving me because it's so much easier.

[A]

And we have a code which you get to save some money. George, that make you happy?

[B]

I love a code. Honestly, I feel like if I'm not getting a code, I'm getting ripped off. And Cozy Earth has been very generous with our listeners. If you go to this website, cozyearth.com smartmoney, you'll get 40% off. That's incredible. Do not miss this. And that's code Smart Money. If you're just on the website, you can use code Smart Money at checkout. And if you get a post purchase survey, be sure to let them know that you heard about Cozy Earth on this show.

[A]

Because we love it. Love it, love it.

[B]

Wrap yourself up in luxury this holiday season, man.

[A]

That big fur blanket, though, game changer. Something else.

[B]

It's great.

[A]

It's very, very nice. All right, next. Nicolette.

[B]

Nicolette.

[A]

Nicolette. Gavin. Gavin.

[B]

Govon.

[A]

Govon. She said, my friend always gives me extravagant birthday and Christmas gifts, but I can't afford to do the same for her. Oh, it's fine.

[B]

No faux pas here. But I do think some communication might be helpful in this relationship. I don't think. Here's the thing, when people give extravagant gifts, I don't think they expect the same level of extravagance in return. I think they're just naturally gift givers.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

But in our minds, we go, I need to return the fate. Now I gotta get them a really nice gift. And the truth is, if you get them whatever you want to get them, it's going to be great.

[A]

Yes, that's right. And I'll be honest, to get birthday gifts from other friends as an adult is always shocking to me.

[B]

I got some orders to cancel. Nevermind, that's fine.

[A]

Do you feel like that, though? Like, I went out to lunch with a bunch of my girlfriends for my birthday and like, two of them brought me a gift and I'm Like, I just don't expect. I do not expect, expect.

[B]

That's true. I have maybe one or two friends that still want to do, like, birthday gifts. Exactly. I accept it with.

[A]

It's very fun. But, yeah, I just have.

[B]

I'd rather do, like, hey, we're going out to this Mexican restaurant. Come join us for my birthday.

[A]

Yeah. Love it.

[B]

That kind of thing.

[A]

Yep. All right. Jesse618, says, My work friend says I still owe $25 for a group gift that she put together for our boss, but I never agreed to that.

[B]

I will say group gifts are the bane of my existence, and we've done them here, so it's not like.

[A]

I know it happens a lot.

[B]

So traditional etiquette says that you never gift up at work. So, like, giving your. Your boss a gift, that's just traditional etiquette. Not saying it doesn't happen, not saying it's not okay. But just the proper way to do it is peers or people that are, like, kind of down. Maybe your team members.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[B]

You know, if a leader gets a gift for their team versus a team member getting a gift for their leader, that makes sense. But I'm not a fan of group gifts where it's like, hey, we're all going in. Here's what you owe. I don't like that.

[A]

You don't.

[B]

Not a fan. I do it because I'm just like, whatever. I will assimilate and not be the squeaky wheel who's like, I'm not doing it on principal. Just. It's fine.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. See, group gifts for me, because I think about teacher gifts here at work. There's some of these that happen, and it's more convenience for me to just make.

[B]

Someone else is dealing with it. They've thought of it.

[A]

They're kind of purchasing it.

[B]

I can just send a Venmo and be done.

[A]

Yep.

[B]

That's fair. So you think that you're happy to pay because of the convenience?

[A]

I think so, yeah. Yeah. And I don't think it's with people that are outside of, like, a situation that I'm like, why would I get them a gift? Because, like, I don't even talk to them or whatever. You know, there's usually something there. I don't know the group gift I like.

[B]

I just. I want to make it clear no one has ever gotten me a group gift.

[A]

We'll make sure to Venmo and get some money after the shoot. George, for you.

[B]

This is a good one. Barbara B. Got invited to a holiday party and was asked to venmo my portion.

[A]

Oh, my gosh. Barbara B. Barbara Bush.

[B]

We don't know. It could be. This sounds like something she would get herself into. Unless it's a casual potluck style. This is the question. Should the host cover everything if they're hosting a dinner party? Or is it okay to say, hey, are. Are you guys cool chipping in $10?

[A]

Think if you're catering in food. Oh, and then a text could be like, hey, we're going to bring in this.

[B]

What if I buy filet mignon steaks from the grocery store?

[A]

Yeah, that feels cheaper to me for some reason. I don't know why.

[B]

Wow. Okay, here's an example.

[A]

If someone's cooking steak and you were.

[B]

Like, yeah, it depends on the experience.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[B]

Because our friend, mixologist Michael Redish, he throws these very elaborate Halloween parties. We're talking swag and catering. And so there is a ticket fee. Like I go on. He makes it like a full event registration. And you pay a fee because it covers. It helps cover the cost of the event. It's not a money making scheme. They're not making money at all. But it's a very expensive thing to put on.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You're talking thousands of dollars.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So that's the only time I think it makes sense to pay a fee to attend a party. But if it's just like a friend's.

[A]

But if someone's like, I'm having a Christmas party, we all please come. And then they ask you to venmo that.

[B]

I do always try to bring a gift, like maybe a bottle of something or you know.

[A]

Yeah, totally.

[B]

Don't I just say, hey, is there anything I can bring? I think it's a nice thing to ask.

[A]

Always. Yes. Yeah. Yeah, I agree. I'm with you. I'm with you.

[B]

Hey, we finally agreed on something.

[A]

Oh, that's good, George. Glad we're on the same page.

[B]

I cannot wait for you to read this next one.

[A]

Oh, my gosh. Is this real? This is funny.

[B]

This is real.

[A]

Allison Ramsey, my sister in law, she answered this. So when you're a Ramsey and someone goes to pay for something, it is like, oh, so, so sorry about my credit card.

[B]

The apologetic nature happens all the time of a non r. Like, oh, they.

[A]

Always point it out.

[B]

Do you deal with that with your friends? Yes.

[A]

Like, if we all throw our cards in, everyone's like, sorry, Rach. You know, like we're putting on the capital one.

[B]

Don't be upset.

[A]

Or they'll be like, Avert your eyes. We'll probably get a. A free flight out of this southwest. You know, like, they'll always, like, rub it in. Rub in the points. And they.

[B]

That's happened to dinner before. People really. They cornered me. Friends were like, no, but really, like, you have a credit card, right? I was like, this is my entire wallet. It's just a license and a debit card.

[A]

Oh, yeah.

[B]

And they're shocked. It's like a magic trick.

[A]

No. Yeah. People know me, George.

[B]

They know you. They know you don't secretly got nothing.

[A]

Yeah, no, but that.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Or people that we don't. I mean, our good friends don't do that anymore, but, like, if we don't really know the couple, and they're like. They think it's a joke.

[B]

Like, very funny.

[A]

Like, I remember growing up going out to dinner with mom and dad and the waiter. This happens a lot. Hope this isn't a credit card.

[B]

Oh. Because I see Dave always. That happened to me at Costco once. The lady didn't even stop. She just walked right past me and said, hope you're paying cash for that. And I was like, yep. Kept walking our separate ways.

[A]

Just a quick little assignment keeping us accountable, publicly.

[B]

Appreciate that.

[A]

Thank you. Thank you.

[B]

All right, this one comes from. It's Zach Ford. I believe that's a friend of ours. Yes, one of my high school buddies sends his child support via Venmo every month for the world to see. Sometimes it's labeled passive aggressively. Like, didn't have to be this way. Wow. Is it a faux pas?

[A]

That's funny. That's really funny.

[B]

I see more humor in it than I see faux pas.

[A]

Oh, that's funny.

[B]

It didn't have to be this way.

[A]

It didn't have to be this way.

[B]

It's such a dark joke, but I'm here for it. Oh, my gosh. I love putting anything publicly on Venmo. Like, my Venmo is set to private it for everything.

[A]

Yeah, mine is, too.

[B]

There's not a single payment that I'm like, I think people should know about this one. You know what?

[A]

I don't even know. How do you know if it is?

[B]

Oh, I need to check Rachel's Venmo.

[A]

No, hold on, hold on.

[B]

She been public all.

[A]

How do I. How do I know there'll be a.

[B]

Little lock next to the transaction?

[A]

Lock, lock, lock, lock, lock, lock. I am. I am zipped up, y'all. This is great.

[B]

It's an easy setting.

[A]

Got it.

[B]

I do, like, my only social media that I really Enjoy.

[A]

Is.

[B]

Is the Venmo transaction feed. It's amazing.

[A]

Do a lot of people keep it public?

[B]

Yeah. And they're like, you're deciphering what happened.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Like, I tell myself the story of what I think is being paid for.

[A]

And it's based on the emojis or something. You're like, what happened?

[B]

Or it's just like, weird emojis or like, cryptic words. I'm like, what happened here? What does this really mean?

[A]

That is good entertainment.

[B]

That's a good one. Okay.

[A]

Oh, my God.

[B]

Out of all the submissions, which one really stuck with you?

[A]

I'd say a guest room.

[B]

That one's charging for.

[A]

Charging to say someone. I mean, the hospitality. I'm reading a John Mark Comer book right now, and, like, part of it's about hospitality. And that just goes in the face of, like, just be a good person and, like, open your hands and your life to people. And, like, that's terrible.

[B]

I'm gonna say that that's a really good one. I'm gonna go with the air fryer delivery fee. That one, I think, is actually creative and petty, which I appreciate the creativity. If you're gonna charge someone a fee just to bring it to work where they already go every day, that's sad. And just for fun, because it's been a while since we have role played and people loved Rick and the boat situation. We have one last listener submission that we're going to act out. So here's what Jennifer sent in. I do freelance photography on the side, and people always ask if I can, quote, take a few pics free of charge. This conversation never gets easier. How do I tell them this is my work and I deserve to be paid for it.

[A]

Oh, man.

[B]

So you're going to be the frugal freelancer. I'm going to be the socially unaware friend slash customer.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Jen, girl. Oh, my gosh. I saw that. Y'all are going to Destin and we're gonna be there at the same time.

[A]

Oh, my God. No way. Are you guys. Were you guys. What part?

[B]

Yeah, we'll be on 30A right there.

[A]

So great.

[B]

I know you all stay there with your family. Is there any way, like, we should, like, meet up maybe for drinks? And maybe we can just grab a few, like, family pics if you don't mind. Just, like, just kind of a quick, like, real quick free. Like, not a big shoot.

[A]

I hope it's sound good. This is easy. Patrice, you just. You just threw me a softball. Oh, I don't work on vacation. I'm so sorry.

[B]

Oh, no, no, girl. It wouldn't be, like, work. Like, obviously, you're gonna have your camera taking pictures of your own family. Like, we'll just, like, jump in for a quick pick. Like, quick pick. All white against the dune. Like, just really classic. It'll be so fun. We can hang. I'll bring some drinks. It'll be a good time. Sound good?

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Yes. Awesome. You're the best. I just. Your photos are, like, so good. Like, I don't know what filter you're using or if it's your camera, but it's clearly not you. It's. You have the filter of the camera. My favorite disc to a photographer, what camera do you use because your photos are so good. That's a tough one because I made it so, like, it's, like, not even worth it.

[A]

So not a big deal.

[B]

I'm basically giving you something.

[A]

I think photographers get the short end of the stick all the time. People that are, like, starting a photography business, it's like, hey, do you care to come shoot a couple of pictures with my family? It'll just be in our backyard. It's not a big deal. And you're like, no, but it takes so much time to edit. Like, I don't think people know the time and effort it puts in for that.

[B]

100%. Can I say, we did this yesterday with our friend Cody. He took family pics, and we pay him. We don't expect anything for free. I'm like, hey, man, like, what? How much do I need to Venmo you? And it was great.

[A]

So great.

[B]

Because I want to make sure that he knows, like, I respect his talent, his time.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

And the fact that he would do this for us. Pay your friends. I get. Like, don't be Patrice. If you want to be like, hey, like, I've done, like. Like, hey, you got, like, a friend discount, you know?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And usually, like, yeah, we'll take, you know, 50 bucks off or whatever. I'm not trying to totally really, like, take him to the cleaners on this, but it's always a kind gesture to do for a.

[A]

For sure. For sure.

[B]

So that's a.

[A]

That's a good one.

[B]

And you failed.

[A]

Wow. You threw out the beach aspect. That was hard. The vacation went quick. I mean, that was.

[B]

I would be like, oh, my gosh, girl. Like, I would. But, you know, with the in laws, like, I don't even know where we're gonna be.

[A]

Right? So, like, I feel like vacation. There's a lot of ways to get out of it. But if it's like, hey, would you guys, do you mind coming to. I think. I think it would be harder to say, I'm gonna charge you for it, than to say, oh, my gosh, the kid's schedule's crazy. I don't have time. Like, Right. The excuse is more on the time and effort standpoint versus, like, I. I need to be paid for this.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You know what I mean?

[B]

Yeah. I think a good friend wouldn't put you in that position if we're going to be really honest.

[A]

Yeah, let's. Let's hope not. Let's hope.

[B]

Okay, so what's the takeaways here?

[A]

All right, so listen, some expenses are uncontrollable, right? They're going to happen, which is why you want to create margin with your money. Because things are going to come up that you may be like, oh, I need to chip in on the gift that's coming, or whatever it may be that you don't realize. And so having a budget is so key. So if you have not done a budget, you guys, every dollar is the best tool to use, so you can actually do a free budget. We'll leave a link in the description, but make sure to do that because it gives you peace of mind when things do come up that you're like, oh, yeah, I do actually need to Venmo someone or pay for this thing. You have the margin to do it.

[B]

And it gives you the margin to be generous. If you just want to spontaneously cover it and go, listen, it's not worth the relational transaction, awkward tension. Let's just cover it and be done. You can do that when you budget for it.

[A]

Yeah. I'd also say communicate. Right. The road trip stuff on here. Dinner's out. Like, if there's a thing, you know, and if you're on a tight budget and you're like, nope, I'm not going to be paying for everyone's filets. Right. I'm not going to split a filet with everyone. Then say it out loud and be okay with that.

[B]

And maybe don't plan to get filet mignon for everyone at your party.

[A]

Yeah, that's right, too. Yeah.

[B]

You know, make good decisions. And again, the communicating and setting the boundaries ahead of time is important. Don't do it on the back end and blindside people, because that's not fair to them. Yeah, that's actually on you.

[A]

That's right. That's right. So good.

[B]

I learned a lot. Thank you for all your submissions. That was a lot of fun.

[A]

I know. It was so wonderful. All right, you guys, it's almost the end of the episode, and we close out every episode with guilty as charged. And this is where our producer, Kelly, gives us a new guilty as charged question every week. And if we're guilty, we take a sip. Kelly.

[B]

All right.

[A]

Have you ever stalked someone on social media?

[B]

And if so, did you ever get found out? Oh, that got dark real quick.

[A]

Yes. Yes.

[B]

Define stalking. Like, if I just go to the profile casually once in a while, is that considered a stock?

[A]

Yeah, you're looking at what they're doing. Oh, I did a deep stalk on someone I didn't even know. Are you ready for this? So we were going on this trip, this was, like, a few years ago, to this new place. And you can go on Instagram where people tag photos of the place. You know what I mean? Like, if they're somewhere and they, like, take a picture and they tag, like, a resort, the location, you can go.

[B]

To the resort page and see all the posts.

[A]

Yeah, because I look at those more when we travel versus, like, what the website shows. Yes, because you get more of the real, like, okay, Instagram versus reality.

[B]

Except it's Instagram.

[A]

And one night, I just couldn't sleep, y'all. And we were going to this place. I was like. And I looked it up on Instagram. I was like. I looked at the tags, and there was this wedding, like, crazy.

[B]

Over the top.

[A]

Over the top wedding. And I was like, who are these people, y'all? For about an hour and a half at, like, 1 in the morning, I found out every. And I Googled, like, the dentistry the dad owns. Like, I mean, I, like, knew every. Everything about this family. I couldn't stop. I couldn't stop.

[B]

Yeah. No, that's sociopath level of manipulation. Rachel, I'm proud of you.

[A]

I thought about it, though. I was like, oh, my gosh. This is. And it scared me for myself of, like, wow.

[B]

Like, what are you capable of? What kind of Breaking Bad situation could.

[A]

You find yourself in? What do people know about me that they could, like, weasel their way in? Right.

[B]

That's a good point. I'll have to stalk tonight and see what I can find out. I'll report back.

[A]

But, yeah, I did some. That was my deepest stalking. And I went, like, in laws. I mean, I knew everything about this. Like, oh, call me crazy.

[B]

Okay. I just realized, as you were saying, that I'm very guilty of this. It was someone in our neighborhood, and we're always like, what do they do? Like, how are People always over their house. Like, 9am, 10pm, people over, hanging out. And I was like. We're like, is she deep in an mlm? Like, are there always? And so I did some Googling.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Way too deep. I had people in. I had a team figuring out who these people are, and it was the most boring. I was like, I have no. I'm no further.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

To the truth.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

But I know way too much about them. I'm like, I know maiden names. I know kids names. I know the dog name. I'm like, this is. I need to go to bed. This is too much.

[A]

I know.

[B]

And if you're wondering. No, I don't have hobbies. Thanks for asking.

[A]

If you're a good stalker online, though, there's some people in my life that if I was like, hey, will you find this person? And they know how to do it. They. They're like the.

[B]

It's a good skill to have. Not a healthy skill, but a good one.

[A]

Investigator. Yep.

[B]

Wow. All right.

[A]

Yep. You. Crap happened before. I know y'all, but I don't know why I remember that one, but I do. And I was like, and if I.

[B]

See them, what if you befriend her?

[A]

Well, no, I didn't. I could. I could.

[B]

Is she a celebrity or. No. Can you say no?

[A]

No, no, no, no, no. Just family from South Carolina.

[B]

Just wanted to have a great wedding. Cool. Wow. Okay, let's talk about this drink. It was the division bell. Delicious. Who finished first? You were closer. Rating.

[A]

I'm going 10 out of 10.

[B]

10 out of 10. You cannot improve on this drink.

[A]

This drink is so good.

[B]

It's only $2.83, really. Which is on the low side of cocktails. It's got mezcal, maraschino liqueur, oh, lime, and aperol.

[A]

It's like really easy. Yay.

[B]

Very balanced while remaining complex, which is what I look for in a cocktail. So good you can find the recipe in the show notes. I highly suggest you give it a try this weekend if that's what you're into.

[A]

I love it. Well, you guys, it's closing time, so make sure to leave us a review if you enjoyed this episode. And if you want to hear more crazy financial faux pas, make sure to check out our conversation we had with, actually, my mom, Sharon Ramsey.

[B]

One of the best episodes.

[A]

It's a good one. And make sure to follow subscribe so you don't miss an all new episode of Smart Money Happy Hour.

[B]

What's up, guys? George Camel here. I know there's lots of influencers on social media telling you which cryptocurrency to invest in for your star sign or which tech startup is definitely maybe going to be the next Microsoft. But seriously, investing can feel confusing and stressful and it doesn't have to be that way. That's why I'm pumped to be hosting Investing Essentials with the man himself, Dave Ramsey. This is a two night virtual event where we're going to deep dive into investing. We're going to talk about how to get the most out of your 401k and mutual funds and share strategies for staying confident in your investments. Plus, we'll give you the inside scoop on popular investment trends to follow and the ones you need to avoid. It's also the only event where you're going to hear Dave Ramsey unpack his personal playbook for how he made millions in real estate investing. Now, I know what you're thinking. How could this possibly get better? Well, it's virtual, so you don't even have to leave your house to watch. Join us live on March 4th and 5th to start investing with confidence. Tickets start at 199 bucks. Get [e-mail] events.