Pennies and Popcorn

This is a special episode for us, in part because we both love this movie. But ... it's also a bit of a send-off for us. We're taking an indefinite hiatus - more on that in the episode. We've loved making this podcast and hope to be back soon, but need a little time off. In this episode, we discuss estate tax issues, whether Andy Dufresne was awful at tax law or maybe a secret genius, and talk about what it feels like to break free of the obligation to work. You don't want to miss this one! IMPORTANT NOTE: We discuss in the episode that inheritances are tax-free to the beneficiary. Caveat we forgot to include: we were talking about federal law. Some states do impose an inheritance tax. If you inherit money, talk to a pro to make sure you pay any appropriate taxes. If you'll miss this podcast, please let us know! Reach out at penniesandpopcorn@gmail.com

Guest host Doug Cunnington stops by to talk about one of his favorite flicks, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. We got into whether real or fake Christmas trees are more economical, decided that Cousin Eddie is actually a Zen-master whom we should all emulate, got into van/RV life, and finally talked all about the Christmas bonus check Clark Griswold was waiting on throughout the film. We discussed the cost of owning and maintaining a swimming pool, and what our thoughts are on subscription gifts (like the jelly of the month). Also - Carla was TOTALLY right. There is a Christmas carol with the lyrics "It doesn't matter if you're rich or poor, he loves you just the same." That carol is Here Comes Santa Claus. You may have heard of it. You can find our blog posts and more at: www.penniesandpopcorn.com Follow us on Twitter at: @penniesnpopcorn Follow us on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/penniesandpopcorn/

The holiday fun continues this week with the classic film It's a Wonderful Life. We talk about whether Mr. Potter was actually all that bad or just a savvy investor, the value of building a community of people who care about you, why panic-buying OR selling is always a terrible idea, and finally talk about why the offer of salary 8x what you're currently making is always worth a quick chat with your spouse. Also - we all know Mr. Potter basically sucked but ... was he an actual thief? You can find our blog posts and more at: www.penniesandpopcorn.com Follow us on Twitter at: @penniesnpopcorn Follow us on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/penniesandpopcorn/

It's the holiday season! Which comes with SO. MANY. MONEY. ISSUES. We use the comedy Four Christmases as a launching point to talk about all kinds of holiday-related spending issues. We get into the cost of holiday travel and whether you should visit family at Christmas or take off for exotic destinations. We also debate the value of spending caps and explore some stats on how many holiday gifts are unwanted each year. And we dispense some advice on how to avoid being the one who gives all those unwanted gifts! Warning to parents! We give away some rather large secrets about Santa's workshop in this episode so tread lightly. You can find our blog posts and more at: www.penniesandpopcorn.com Follow us on Twitter at: @penniesnpopcorn Follow us on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/penniesandpopcorn/

As we approach the holiday season, cozy favorites like Pride and Prejudice always call to us. So this week, we're doing a rebroadcast of one of our favorite episodes: Pride and Prejudice. We talk about the Bennet family's finances, debate just how rich Mr. Darcy was, and discuss why you should save money for a rainy day so you don't feel pressured to marry someone like the dreadful Mr. Collins. We also talk about whether vacation homes make financial sense and whether dowries are still a thing today. Make sure you stick around until the end of the episode to listen to Carla's rendition of the dreamy piano theme from this movie! You can find our blog posts and more at: www.penniesandpopcorn.com Follow us on Twitter at: @penniesnpopcorn Follow us on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/penniesandpopcorn/

Happy Thanksgiving! This week, we're publishing the audio from the presentation we gave at Rocky Mountain CampFI in July 2022. We go over many of our favorite examples of outlandish on-screen spending, and talk about how the unrealistic portrayals we see on TV affect our psyche. We also discuss our strategies for inoculating ourselves against this constant messaging of how we're supposed to dress, where we're supposed to live, what we're supposed to drive, and who we're supposed to be. Check out the YouTube version (with fun visuals included!) here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvPGqhCy7es You can find our blog posts and more at: www.penniesandpopcorn.com Follow us on Twitter at: @penniesnpopcorn Follow us on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/penniesandpopcorn/

In the last episode of our Tom Cruise series, we're tackling Rain Man. This 1988 Oscar winner has its moments, and it's brimming with money lessons. We debate whether the estate tax (the DEATH tax) is a good or bad thing, go over the stats on how many people are actually affected by it, and analyze the argument that the estate tax is awful for small business owners and farmers. We also talk about challenging the validity of a will, and round things off with a rant about how hard it is to win big by counting cards in blackjack. You can find our blog posts and more at: www.penniesandpopcorn.com Follow us on Twitter at: @penniesnpopcorn Follow us on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/penniesandpopcorn/

The Tom Cruise love (hate?) fest continues. The 1988 film Cocktail is on the Razzie's list of the 100 most "enjoyably bad" films ... and for good reason. But even though the film is bad, the money content is amazing. We cover whether inventions are a good pathway to wealth, whether Tom Cruise's character should've gone to college, what the GI Bill actually covers, and why getting rich quickly is pretty much always a pipe dream. You can find our blog posts and more at: www.penniesandpopcorn.com Follow us on Twitter at: @penniesnpopcorn Follow us on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/penniesandpopcorn/

We're on a 90s Tom Cruise kick! This week, we're relying on Carla's legal knowledge to figure out just how ridiculous the plot of The Firm is. Spoiler alert ... it's SUPER ridiculous. We talk about starting salaries for big firms, what Mitch McDeere's earning potential was, and why basically all the decisions in this film were, to use a legal term, wackadoodle. You can find our blog posts and more at: www.penniesandpopcorn.com Follow us on Twitter at: @penniesnpopcorn Follow us on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/penniesandpopcorn/

Show me the money!!! Jerry Maguire is full of quotable lines and epic money mistakes. How should Jerry have gone about leaving his job? Should Dorothy Boyd have gone with him? And was Rod Tidwell quiet quitting the NFL?? You can find our blog posts and more at: www.penniesandpopcorn.com Follow us on Twitter at: @penniesnpopcorn Follow us on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/penniesandpopcorn/

This 1985 hidden gem is ALL about financial independence and chasing a more meaningful life. It's also a bit of a cautionary tale. You probably haven't seen this film, but you should still give this episode a listen. We follow the main characters David and Linda on their journey to "dropping out of society" and analyze how they manage (and mismanage) their funds as they strive to leave work behind - maybe forever? This one is full of lessons, cringe-worthy moments, and lots of laughs. You can find our blog posts and more at: www.penniesandpopcorn.com Follow us on Twitter at: @penniesnpopcorn Follow us on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/penniesandpopcorn/

This is 40 came out ten years ago, but the film's money lessons resonate just as much today. We talk about partner communication over finances, when second mortgages make sense, how much accountants cost, and how to draw boundaries on lending money to family. Also, Robert tattles on Carla and dredges up an 18-year-old fight. You can find our blog posts and more at: www.penniesandpopcorn.com Follow us on Twitter at: @penniesnpopcorn Follow us on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/penniesandpopcorn/

Did you know that October 13 is officially Treat Yo Self Day?? Parks and Rec characters Donna Meagle and Tom Haverford created this holiday that exists for just one reason: pamper yourself! We talk about whether this is a good concept, what a Treat Yo Self day Carla-and-Robert-style would look like, and also get into the numbers of how much Tom and Donna's day would cost in real life and whether they could afford it. As Tom and Donna would say: "It's the best episode of the year!!" You can find our blog posts and more at: www.penniesandpopcorn.com Follow us on Twitter at: @penniesnpopcorn Follow us on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/penniesandpopcorn/

We've been wanting to cover Wild since we started this podcast. Thru-hiking is near and dear to our hearts, as we attempted to trek all of the PCT in 2019. Though we didn't make the whole way, we had an incredible time and we LOVE backpacking. This week, one of our thru-hiking besties stopped by to talk about all things PCT-related. We talk gear, how to expect the unexpected, how to keep costs low, and what our recommendation for a thru-hike budget is. Whether you are considering a long-distance hike, just want to hear some fun backpacking stories, or maybe you just love a good Scottish accent, this is the episode for you! You can find our blog posts and more at: www.penniesandpopcorn.com Follow us on Twitter at: @penniesnpopcorn Follow us on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/penniesandpopcorn/

It's the final episode of our Back To School series! This week, we're covering Season 2, Episode 18 of Gilmore Girls, Back In The Saddle Again. We discuss whether aptitude tests have any merit at all, and delve deeply into the mental health issues that can often follow retirement. We also dig into the oft-quoted statistic that early retirement = early death. Also ... do locker alarms ever make sense?? You can find our blog posts and more at: www.penniesandpopcorn.com Follow us on Twitter at: @penniesnpopcorn Follow us on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/penniesandpopcorn/

Ohh, Adam Sandler. King of the utterly inane comedy. In keeping with our September Back to School theme, we're covering Billy Madison this week. This comedy may be ridiculous, but the money lessons aren't. We get into how businesses should plan for transitions to the next generation, how to give your kids a good head start in life, and the cost of pet ownership and whether pet insurance is a good call. You can find our blog posts and more at: www.penniesandpopcorn.com Follow us on Twitter at: @penniesnpopcorn Follow us on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/penniesandpopcorn/

We will never stop trying to make fetch happen. In honor of September and a hint of fall weather, we're focusing this month on movies and shows that have a "Back to School" theme, and we're starting with a cult classic: Mean Girls. This hit from the mind of Tina Fey features money tidbits galore. How much do prom dresses cost? How much did Ms. Norbury make as a teacher and was bartending really her best side-hustle choice? How much did Regina's fancy purses and Lexus convertible cost? And finally ... is there a REAL inventor of Toaster Strudel who is fabulously wealthy? We answer all these burning questions and more! You can find our blog posts and more at: www.penniesandpopcorn.com Follow us on Twitter at: @penniesnpopcorn Follow us on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/penniesandpopcorn/

We're suckers for a John Williams and Steven Spielberg collab ... but turns out that we were ALL suckers when we watched this movie. Because this film - allegedly based on Frank Abagnale's real cons - is actually just based on Frank Abagnale's lies. None of his claims have been verified and in fact have been directly contradicted. But the completely fictional story of this film is nevertheless compelling and full of great money tidbits. We talk about how confidence affects which jobs we apply for, how checking accounts affect credit scores, and whether appearances affect banks' credit decisions or your success in life overall. You can find our blog posts and more at: www.penniesandpopcorn.com Follow us on Twitter at: @penniesnpopcorn Follow us on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/penniesandpopcorn/

Opa! Time to get Greek. We talk about just how much weddings actually cost and toss out some fun ideas for venues that won't cost you a fortune (and might make you a legend among your friends). We also get into parental expectations and talk about just how much a country club membership can set you back. Finally, we kick around letting our backgrounds shape who we are. You can find our blog posts and more at: www.penniesandpopcorn.com Follow us on Twitter at: @penniesnpopcorn Follow us on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/penniesandpopcorn/

This show is one of our all-time favorites, and it's jam-packed with money lessons. So much so that we are tackling just the pilot episode for starters. We talk about how much a stand-up comic can expect to make, balancing the pursuit of a dream with the day-to-day reality of bills, and we also delve into the debate of whether your job should BE your passion or just FUND your passions. Finally, we got a little philosophical and talked about what it means to live a "significant" life. You can find our blog posts and more at: www.penniesandpopcorn.com Follow us on Twitter at: @penniesnpopcorn Follow us on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/penniesandpopcorn/