Podcast Summary: Travis Makes Money

Episode: CO-HOST | Make Money by Finding Hidden Cash with Unclaimed Property
Host: Travis Chappell
Guest/Co-Host: Eric (Producer)
Date: March 29, 2026

Episode Overview

In this engaging and energetic episode, Travis Chappell and his producer Eric uncover one of the easiest ways to immediately put cash in your pocket: unclaimed property. Eric promises that not only Travis, but listeners and their families, can find "quantifiable amounts of money" just waiting to be claimed—simply by searching their names in state unclaimed property databases. The conversation demystifies the process, shares personal stories, and even explores the potential of turning this into a side hustle. It’s a practical, surprising, and lighthearted guide to finding "hidden money" you may have forgotten all about.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. What is Unclaimed Property?

[03:13–04:26]

• Unclaimed property refers to funds or assets (like overpaid insurance premiums, old refund checks, dormant bank accounts) that companies or institutions owe people, but which never made it to the recipient.
• If the company can’t contact you, the money gets turned over to the state’s unclaimed property office.
• Every state has a website (run by the state comptroller/treasurer) where you can search for unclaimed funds connected to your name.

Eric [03:26]: "When they can't find you to pay you, they just give it to the city to put in unclaimed property."

2. Real-Time Demos & Personal Finds

[04:30–10:12]

• Eric demonstrates live searches, finding several family members—and Travis himself—owed various amounts.
• Examples:
  • Travis’ old PO Box: 42 cents
  • Another entry for Travis: $12.54
  • Travis’ wife Jackie: Multiple payments totaling about $150
  • Travis’ father: $185.85
  • Travis’ grandparents: $1,156

Eric [08:47]: “That’s free money... if you’re listening to this, there are people with hundreds, even thousands of dollars waiting for them right now.”

Travis [11:13]: “And I have $12.96. So between the two of us, we have basically a free dinner.”

3. How to Find Unclaimed Property & Claim It

[05:02–07:00]

• Steps are simple:
  1. Google “unclaimed property [your state]”
  2. Use the official state website (look for .gov sites, e.g. State Controller/Treasurer)
  3. Enter your name/city/zip to search
  4. File a claim right from the site, following the instructions

Eric [05:04]: “Make sure it’s the official site—this is the state comptroller’s office... Google unclaimed property, your state. Pull over the car, or not—I can’t control you. Just go check!”

4. The Side Hustle Angle: Finding Money for Others

[12:37–14:38]

• Eric explains how some people make money by finding unclaimed property for others and charging a “finder’s fee” (legally capped at 10% in most states).
• Ethically, you should not overcharge for this service, and transparency is key.
• This is a legit side hustle, especially for students or those looking to help friends/community.

Eric [13:25]: “Once you convince them that it’s not a scam... you can get a finder’s fee—not more than 10%. Great side hustle for a high school student!”

• But, emphasizes: You can always do it yourself via the official website—no need to pay anyone.

5. Surprising Statistics & Success Stories

[17:00–21:41]

• Listeners react with disbelief to the amounts people forget about—sometimes $10,000, $96,000, or even more.
• State-level records:
  • Missouri (2011): $6.1 million
  • South Carolina: $763,000
  • Tennessee: $1.2 million
  • Chicago: $11 million estate
• Nationally, unclaimed property is estimated at $50–70 billion!

Travis [20:27]: “Fifty to seventy billion dollars sitting in unclaimed property across the country!”

Eric [20:41]: “Go to your zip code, type it in... there’s hundreds of thousands of dollars in your neighborhood easily.”

6. Turning Unclaimed Property Searches Into Content & Business

[21:41–24:25]

• Eric and Travis brainstorm how this could be expanded into a scalable business model:
  • Use AI/automation to mass-search and contact people.
  • Turn the process into viral social content—film cold calls, document success stories.
  • Could fuel itself with social proof as people react to “is this real?” with their stories.

Travis [22:24]: “…With AI and stuff, if you spent a couple days… you could probably make some pretty decent money. Name a better form of business!”

Eric [23:19]: “It’s the best cold call because you’re telling them they get free money!”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Eric, opening bold promise [00:55]:
  “I guarantee you I’m going to make you and some people in your family money... you’ll be able to quantify.”

• Eric, on family and skepticism [05:39]:
  “I sent my brother [info]... I think he thought I was hacked or something.”

• Jackie (Travis’ wife) reaction, live on air [11:13]:
  “What’s the catch?”
  Eric: “There’s no catch. You just have to file a claim.”

• Eric, imagining the business opportunity [14:38]:
  “...if someone approaches you, you can just skip them and go straight to the website and search it yourself.”

• On the largest payouts [19:01]:
  Travis: “$6.1 million.”
  Eric: “I don’t think that’s that crazy... imagine, just finding you have $1,000 that’s just gone is crazy.”

• On the massive national pool [20:27]:
  Travis: “50 to 70 billion is crazy.”

• Practical tip for listeners [25:02]:
  Eric: “...if you move states, search every state you lived in. Search unclaimed property your state, put in your name and make some money.”

Action Steps for Listeners

1. Go to Google. Search “unclaimed property” plus your state’s name (e.g. “unclaimed property California”).
2. Find the official .gov site.
3. Search your name, family names, past addresses/cities.
4. Claim any listed property, following the site’s instructions—no fees, no catch.
5. If you’re entrepreneurial, consider helping friends/family (for free, or a small finder’s fee not exceeding 10%).
6. Let the show know—share your stories if you score a windfall!

Funniest/Memorable Exchanges

• [10:26] Eric (egging on Travis to call Jackie):
  “Call Jackie right now and tell her the good news… She’s been bringing me acai bowls... this will almost cover it.”
• [13:25] Eric (on how to start as a teen):
  “If you go to a church and you’re a young kid, like—leave for your safety... but, also, start looking up everybody you know!”

Recap & Takeaway

This episode is an empowering reminder to check for secret money that’s rightfully yours—and may just be sitting with your state waiting for you to claim it. Travis and Eric deliver a practical, step-by-step guide, debunk the idea that it’s “too good to be true,” and showcase how this can become a profitable, ethical business or at very least a win-win favor for friends and family. Millions—even billions—are unclaimed every year. Go check yours, tell your relatives, and maybe even pocket a little lunch money or more today!

Travis [25:29]: "Money only solves your money problems, but it’s easier to solve the rest of your problems with money in the bank. So let’s start there."

Don’t wait—search your name now. Your hidden cash might be just a few clicks away!

[End of core content. Advertisements, intro, and outro skipped.]