TCB Introduces: What We Spend

Summary

Podcast Title: The Commercial Break
Episode: TCB Introduces: What We Spend
Release Date: May 19, 2025
Host: Bryan Green and Krissy Hoadley

---

Introduction to the Episode

In this episode of The Commercial Break, hosts Bryan Green and Krissy Hoadley shift gears to introduce their listeners to a compelling new podcast from their network partner, Odyssey, titled "What We Spend". Stepping away from their typical improv-comedy and pop culture discussions, Bryan takes the spotlight to delve into the intricate and often personal topic of finances, showcasing a unique perspective on money management through intimate storytelling.

---

Overview of "What We Spend" Podcast

Bryan provides a thorough overview of What We Spend, highlighting its innovative approach to dissecting personal finances. Unlike traditional discussions that often skirt around the emotional and psychological aspects of money, this podcast ventures deep into individuals' financial lives, offering listeners a raw and unfiltered look at how money impacts daily living.

Bryan explains:

“What We Spend... hosts Courtney Harrell talks with just one person and they document an entire week of their lives and all the ways money plays a factor in it. People from all over the country, in all walks of life, they talk about how they make money, how they spend money, all the thoughts and emotions they have around money."
[02:45]

He emphasizes the podcast's relevance in 2025, a time marked by social media-driven financial comparisons and economic uncertainties, positioning What We Spend as a timely exploration of financial transparency and personal budgeting.

---

Preview Clip: Kelly's Story

To illustrate the podcast's impact, Bryan shares a poignant preview clip featuring Kelly, a 32-year-old professional navigating significant student loan debt and striving to balance her financial responsibilities with personal aspirations like buying a home and starting a family.

Key Highlights from the Clip:

• Student Loan Debt: Kelly reveals the extent of her educational expenses, detailing an initial $300,000 loan reduced to $150,000 with familial assistance.

  "I have 150,000. I had more. I had 300,000 after my master's... It still feels like I have still $150,000 of debt."
  [06:16]

• Financial Responsibility: She meticulously outlines her monthly budget, allocating funds for rent, utilities, car insurance, groceries, and personal expenses, highlighting the challenges of managing a tight budget.

  "On a Sunday, I will sit down and look at the budget. And I made a spreadsheet."
  [08:44]

• Emotional Relationship with Money: Kelly candidly discusses her emotional struggles with debt, comparing it to an addiction that is "all-consuming" and constantly present in her life.

  "I would describe it as all consuming... It feels like that. And I try really hard to, like, be in control."
  [08:12]

• Future Aspirations and Concerns: Despite her financial burdens, Kelly remains optimistic yet anxious about tracking her expenses, fearing she might reveal financial irresponsibility but also curious about the outcomes.

  "I'm feeling nervous because maybe I will just realize through tracking every expense that I'm actually just a dumb, dumb... But I'm feeling curious."
  [13:49]

---

Discussion and Reflections

After the clip, Bryan reflects on the universal struggles depicted in Kelly's story, relating it back to the shared experiences of The Commercial Break audience. He underscores the relatability of financial anxieties and the solace found in knowing others face similar challenges.

Bryan shares:

"Listening to that, I recognize myself in it. I recognize my emotions in it... it's like, everything's going to be okay for Kelly. And now I feel like everything's going to be okay for me, too."
[14:09]

He appreciates Courtney Harrell's empathetic interview style, noting how her "calm, reassuring voice" provides comfort to both the podcast's subjects and listeners grappling with their financial dilemmas.

---

Conclusion

The episode serves as a bridge between The Commercial Break's comedic and lighthearted content and the profound, introspective narratives of What We Spend. By introducing listeners to Kelly's financial journey, Bryan and Krissy highlight the importance of open conversations about money, fostering a sense of community and understanding among their audience.

Bryan concludes:

"What We Spend is available now wherever you're listening to this podcast or on the free Odyssey app... a show that will leave you entertained, but we may also leave feeling better and smarter."
[14:19]

Listeners are encouraged to explore What We Spend for a deeper dive into personal finance stories that resonate on a human level, offering both entertainment and enlightenment.

---

Notable Quotes:

• Bryan on the Importance of What We Spend:

  "We all want to know what our friends make and what they spend their money on, how they're flourishing or how they're suffering around money. But do we ask? No, we do not."
  [04:29]

• Kelly on Financial Struggles:

  "It's a tug of war... but it's kind of this tug of war."
  [08:35]

• Kelly on Education and Debt:

  "I thought I was supposed to because I was told that... if you don't go to college, you're going to end up working at McDonald's..."
  [11:42]

---

Through this episode, The Commercial Break successfully introduces a compelling narrative that invites listeners to engage with real-world financial challenges, blending empathy with insightful storytelling.

Transcript

[Brian]

Are you buying a home in California? Yeah. It can feel like trying to solve a puzzle with a hundred missing pieces. I remember searching for my first home, thinking how does anyone do this without losing their mind? I wish I could go back and tell myself that the first step you should take is to find a realtor. They make everything make sense. From pre approvals to paperwork, from offers to closing. It's someone that you can trust that'll walk you through it all. They'll answer all the questions, even ones you don't know to ask, and when are feeling a little bit overwhelming, you can count on them to keep you grounded. That kind of steady support, you cannot get that from going it alone or guesswork. A realtor knows the ins and outs of the California real estate market and helps turn what feels like impossible into done. Don't let what you don't know stop you from starting your next chapter. Find your [e-mail] that's championsofhome.com this episode is sponsored in part by Five Hour Energy Cinco Domingo okay, you know you like to get all your facts from the commercial break, so here's some facts you may or may not know. I am hot. I am attractive. I am a super spicy human being. And hot people like hot foods according to the charts and graphs in an article I once read sometime. You get the point. I didn't make up the rules, I just read about them. And I happen to fit inside of the data points that say that hot people like hot food. That's why I was excited to try Spicy Cinco de Mango, the new flavor from the makers of five Hour Energy. It's sweet, it's spicy. It's a tad unhinged and sweet. Spicy and unhinged is what my wife might say about me. You get the kick of hot chili flavor and then bam. Mango sweetness swoops in like a saucy little twist. It's basically the drama your taste buds deserve. Hot people like hot foods and apparently hot energy shots too. So if you think you're hot, and I know you do, prove it. Take the heat with five Hour Energy. Spicy Cinco de Mango and their spicy hot sauce. Yeah, they went all in. Life's too short for bland. Spice it up this Cinco de Mayo. Get energized. Get spicy. Five Hour Energy's Spicy Cinco de Mango is only available online for a limited time. Head to 5hourenergy.com to order yours today. That's 5hourenergy.com and thanks to Five Hour Energy for being a sponsor of the commercial break. Hey there, cats and kittens. It's Brian coming to you on an off day to share more about a podcast that we are enjoying from our network partner, Odyssey. And the new podcast, what We Spend is extraordinarily interesting. Let me tell you why so much of the commercial break is a fly on the wall perspective of the unfiltered conversations that Chrissy and I have about friendship, offbeat topics, things we find interesting, wild, unforgettable, or just a crazy from our personal life. One thing that always gets a laugh but often doesn't get talked about in a deeper way on the commercial break is personal finances. That's because personal finances are personal. We all want to know what our friends make and what they spend their money on, how they're flourishing or how they're suffering around money. But do we ask? No, we do not. We never dare ask. Well, this new podcast, what We Spend, it does just that. Every episode, host Courtney Harrell talks with just one person and they document an entire week of their lives and all the ways money plays a factor in it. People from all over the country, in all walks of life, they talk about how they make money, how they spend money, all the thoughts and emotions they have around money. These conversations are intimate, they're thoughtful, funny, sometimes emotional, but it's always raw and it's always real. In 2025, when so much of our social media, our news, the people we look up to, our politicians, sports players, all make us feel this Keeping up with the Joneses jealousy or desire? I think this podcast has come along at exact right time. I want to share a preview with you. In this clip, we hear from Kelly as she navigates life with her burden of outstanding loan debt, something I'm sure a lot of you can understand. If you want to listen to the full episode, search for what we spend on your favorite podcast platform, wherever you're listening to this show. Or you can download the free Odyssey app and find it there. What We Spend by Courtney Harrell. Okay, let me drop in that clip. I'll be back in a few minutes.

[Courtney Harrell]

You know how you always want to know about everyone else's money? You do, right? Like you'll see someone buying something you want or taking some amazing vacation and you think, how can they afford that? Or you meet your friend's new girlfriend and she has some very impressive job and you think, how much money does she make? I think when it comes to money, even if you don't want to admit it, we're All a little nosy, but I don't know. I actually think that's good. I think we should be talking about money more and all the ways, big and small, that it impacts our lives. On this show, we are actually going to do that. We are going to go somewhere that we almost never get to go deep into the heart of someone else's finances. Here's how this is going to work. Each week, I'm going to introduce you to a new person from somewhere across the country, and they are going to tell tell us everything about their finances, how much they make, how much they want to make, what they worry about, or if they don't worry at all. And then for one week, we'll follow them through their daily routine. Every day, they'll record an audio diary with all the nitty gritty details of how they're spending their money. I mean, the coffees, the groceries, the rent that's due, the car accident that suddenly upends everything. And after that, we'll talk about what the week brought up for them, what it's made them feel. Because whatever you're buying or not buying or saving or spending, at the end of the day, money is always about more than your balance. I'm Courtney Harrell, and this is what we spend. How much school debt do you have?

[Kelly]

I have 150,000. I had more. I had 300,000 after my master's. I had a great uncle pass away who was an artist. And my parents chose with their share of that that they would help pay off all my private loans. And so that was a crazy night. I remember pressing submit on $150,000 payment and just being like, holy shit. And they were like, yay. Doesn't that feel so much better? And I was kind of like, it feels like 50% better. And it still feels like I have still $150,000 of debt.

[Courtney Harrell]

This is Kelly.

[Kelly]

I turned 32 in one week, and I live in Salt Lake City.

[Courtney Harrell]

Kelly is One of the 42.8 million Americans who has student loan debt. And also, like a lot of her generation, she wants to buy a home and have a baby. And she's trying to figure out if it's possible to make all that work. Kelly married her husband about a year ago, and eight months ago, the two of them moved from Tennessee to Salt Lake City, Utah. Ben is an engineer for a software company. Kelly's a director of client experience at a medical spa, and she's also an online mental wellness coach.

[Kelly]

I used to be a therapist, and for lots of Reasons I'm not right now, but I will always have therapy or coaching in my life, and I will probably go back to that full time at some point.

[Courtney Harrell]

Kelly is paid hourly, but she makes about 50k a year, and Ben makes about 78k. That's before taxes and health insurance together. That puts them just under the average income for married couple families in Salt Lake City. How would you describe your relationship with money consuming?

[Kelly]

Oh, I would describe it as all consuming. Yeah. The thing that keeps, like, coming to mind is, you know when someone has, like, an addiction or a struggle and they call it like the monkey on their back. Yeah, because you just can't get away from it. It's just clinging, and it's present with you all the time. It feels like that. And I try really hard to, like, be in control, like, maintain my control.

[Courtney Harrell]

Yeah.

[Kelly]

But it's kind of this tug of war.

[Courtney Harrell]

What do you do on a weekly basis to manage your expenses?

[Kelly]

On a Sunday, I will sit down and look at the budget. And I made a spreadsheet.

[Courtney Harrell]

Okay. Yeah. So walk me through your spreadsheet. So I would love to hear what all of your regular expenses are and, like, what you kind of typically pay in each category.

[Kelly]

So rent and utilities. $2,800. That's pretty expensive for rent. Anytime I tell someone that, they're like, that's more than my mortgage. I'm like, yeah, I. I know. Please don't tell me what your mortgage is. I don't want to know.

[Courtney Harrell]

Two gym memberships, 108. Car insurance, 254.

[Kelly]

Gas, 125.

[Courtney Harrell]

Do you have a car payment?

[Kelly]

No, we just buy used cars.

[Courtney Harrell]

Nice.

[Kelly]

Ben's car, basically, the. The roof flies off, but, you know, just don't take it on the highway, you know, we don't have a car payment.

[Courtney Harrell]

Who needs a roof?

[Kelly]

Yeah, who needs that? It's a convertible.

[Courtney Harrell]

Phone payment, 75. Pet insurance, 76. And physical therapy for 250. It helps with Kelly's chronic back pain and osteoarthritis.

[Kelly]

And then groceries. This one sucks the most right now, and I really feel like everyone will understand. I put 600amonth for our groceries. And I mean, that include includes, like, toiletries and stuff, too.

[Courtney Harrell]

They have a Costco membership, but they pay that yearly fee with the cash.

[Kelly]

Back they get from their credit card medications and supplements. Like, Ben works out, so he has, like, this huge bag of protein powder that he gets from Costco. So Ben's is mostly workout supplements and just one medication, and mine is, I think, like, four Medications and like, a probiotic and some multivitamins. Total for that is 650 streaming platforms. No, we mooch off of our families.

[Courtney Harrell]

Some of the subscriptions are on them, though. Dropbox for 12, SoundCloud for 6, Spotify for 10.

[Kelly]

Hair, my hair. I put $40 next to my hair, and that's so I can spend that $40 and get my hair washed by somebody else one time every month. And it is like the gift to me to have somebody else wash my hair every once in a while. And isn't that shitty that, like, even now, just reading my own budget, that it really is just my business? I still feel the need to justify, like, I just need to treat myself sometimes and have my hair washed.

[Courtney Harrell]

What does that make your expenses altogether.

[Kelly]

Your regular expenses, around 4,800amonth. But then you get to debt.

[Courtney Harrell]

How much debt do you have?

[Kelly]

A lot. If you are. Including my student loans, we have $202,728 in debt.

[Courtney Harrell]

Where did you go to school?

[Kelly]

I went to Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee.

[Courtney Harrell]

Why did you go to school?

[Kelly]

I thought I was supposed to because I was told that, you know, this is. This is the next step. And I think this is part of, like, the. The dream or the lie that was sold to my generation was like, if you don't go to college, you're going to end up working at McDonald's, you know, and, like, you're going to be a deadbeat and you're going to have to live with your parents and you're probably going to use marijuana even, and, like, you're going to be a bad person essentially, if you don't go to college.

[Courtney Harrell]

Kelly's degree cost about 40 grand a year. And after undergrad, Kelly went on to grad school at the same university. She has a master's in mental health counseling. But as Kelly sees it now, the math doesn't make much sense. I want to ask you something about that, and I mean, no judgment with this. How did you think you were going to pay off that amount of tuition? Or were you at the time, like, I know I can't pay this off. Like, how did you think about it then?

[Kelly]

Oh, no, it's a good question. I didn't. I did not think about it. I had no clue what I was doing. It wasn't like, I wonder how I'm going to pay this off when the, you know, average annual salary for a therapist is 40 to 60 thousand dollars a year. I was not thinking about that. I had no idea what I was doing. And I didn't really have anyone around me who was explaining what I was doing. Like, your prefrontal cortex is not developed when you are making those decisions.

[Courtney Harrell]

Yeah.

[Kelly]

Ultimately, I don't regret anything because I am who I am and I'm happy, but I'm financially trapped.

[Courtney Harrell]

So that's Kelly. And this week, instead of just tracking it in her spreadsheet, she's going to tell us about every dollar she spends and every feeling that comes with it. How are you feeling about tracking your finances for a week?

[Kelly]

I'm feeling nervous because maybe I will just realize through tracking every expense that I'm actually just a dumb, dumb. And I'm very irresponsible and this is all my fault. But I'm feeling curious. I'm just curious to see what comes of it.

[Courtney Harrell]

Yeah, me too. I will check in with you on the other side of your week. Okay.

[Brian]

Like butter cutting through a knife. Listening to that, I recognize myself in it. I recognize my emotions in it. I recognize my thoughts and fears around money. I recognize this specific verbiage monkey on my back. All consuming. Listen, it doesn't take a genius to figure out. Nor do you have to listen to 658,000 episodes of the Commercial Break to understand being an independent creator and being an entrepreneur doesn't always mean multimillionaire or financial comfort. I'm sure that that clip resonated with a lot of people. And as tough as some of that is to hear, there's a certain level of comfort that comes with knowing somebody else is out there tossing a turning at night thinking about the same thing. Plus, let's be honest, Courtney has that, like, calm, reassuring voice. I feel like everything's going to be okay for Kelly. And now I feel like everything's going to be okay for me, too. What We Spend is available now wherever you're listening to this podcast or on the free Odyssey app, you can go download it from the App Store. Go take a listen to a full episode of what We Spend. This is one of those shows where we will leave entertained, but we may also leave feeling better and smarter. What We Spend by Courtney Harrell, available now. We'll see you on the flip side. Bye.