Financial Rebellion

Outside of a house, a car is the biggest thing most people ever buy. And most people walk in with a monthly payment in their head and nothing else. Todd Romer sits down with Andy Gruber, General Manager of Cronin Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, who has been on the dealer side for seven years and was a regular customer for twenty before that. No pitch. Just what he actually tells people across the desk. What you get in 27 minutes: - The rule of thumb that reframes every car on the lot: every $10,000 you finance is about $200 a month. A $30,000 car is roughly $600. - Why a thin credit file gets treated exactly like a bad one, and what to do about it before you need the loan. - The costs nobody budgets: insurance, gas, maintenance, repairs. The payment is not the cost. - Why most of Cronin's financing goes to credit unions, and what being an owner instead of a customer actually changes. - You can refinance a car loan the same way you refinance a house. Most people do not know it. - What cars really cost now: $50,000 to $55,000 new, $25,000 to $30,000 used. - Leasing is not a dirty word, and when buying new beats buying used. Andy also gives up his own worst money move, which involves a folding table at Ohio University, a $1,000 credit limit, and two weeks. CHAPTERS 0:00 Intro 1:40 Cold open: why a car podcast on a money show 3:33 Icebreaker: worst and best money move 3:44 The Discover card at Ohio University, and the Army 5:15 Best move: saving early, out of sight out of mind 6:24 What unpreparedness looks like at the dealership 6:50 Do your research (and how to use AI tools for it) 7:32 Build your credit. A thin file is a bad file 8:12 Total cost of ownership, not the monthly payment 9:08 When they have to turn someone down 10:45 You can refinance a car loan 12:10 Why most of their financing goes to credit unions 14:43 Is leasing a dirty word? 16:05 What cars actually cost now 16:20 THE RULE: every $10,000 financed is about $200 a month 17:33 Buying pre-owned, and what Carfax tells you 18:48 When it is actually a good time to buy new 25:33 They ship to every state, and how that works 27:30 Wrap The Financial Rebellion newsletter is free, every week: https://financial-rebellion.com #FinancialRebellion #CarBuying #PersonalFinance #CreditUnions #CarLoan #FirstCar #MoneyTips

Ashton Kooken had just been in a car accident from falling asleep behind the wheel. He had already lost his sister on the road, and a close friend had lost their dad in a semi accident. Then his capstone class at the University of Dayton put a piece of athlete fatigue technology in front of him, and he asked one question: if this can tell when an athlete is exhausted, why can't it tell when a driver is?That question became Soterix. It's an in ear wearable for long haul truck drivers that reads four biometric sensors and catches a driver falling asleep, or having a medical emergency, before it happens. It won $50,000 at Flyer Pitch. Pilots start in the next four months.Todd Romer sits down with Ashton to talk about the fear that shows up in every business, what he learned about himself building this, and the two money moves that defined his last year. One of them saved him $30,000 by refusing to move fast. The other one cost him everything he had in a crypto coin that got pulled the next day.Then Todd puts him on the spot with the street question: what is the actual difference between a credit union and a bank?CHAPTERS00:00 Why this podcast exists01:39 Meet Ashton Kooken, University of Dayton grad03:23 The personal reason he started Soterix04:40 The in ear device and the four sensors inside it05:48 How close it is to market06:46 Winning $50,000 at Flyer Pitch07:48 Who else is on the team08:27 What he does when the fear and doubt show up09:23 What building Soterix taught him about himself11:51 What he'd tell anyone too scared to start12:39 Why he's taking the risk now instead of in 10 years13:40 Best money move: slowing down saved him $30,00014:48 Worst money move: the crypto coin that got pulled15:43 He's getting featured in the newsletter17:14 Street question: credit union or bank, what's the difference?17:47 Why he banks with Wright-Patt18:57 The real answer: rates, loans, and being a member owner19:39 The one money topic he wants to learn next21:08 Parting wordsABOUT FINANCIAL REBELLIONWe help 18 to 34 year olds rebel against traditional financial norms that stopped working decades ago. How to dream differently. How to get past the limiting beliefs you have about yourself and money. How to save and spend in a way that lowers stress instead of raising it. And how to build real wealth over time.We're also big fans of credit unions, and most people still can't tell you what makes one different from a bank. We fix that.Free weekly newsletter: https://financial-rebellion.comAll episodes: https://podcast.financial-rebellion.comFree money tools: https://learn.financial-rebellion.com/interactive/Music: "City Sparks" by Vlad Annenkov.#FinancialRebellion #Entrepreneurship #CreditUnions #StudentFounder #UniversityOfDayton #YoungEntrepreneur #StartupStory #PersonalFinance

What if the reason you've been successful is also what's holding you back? In this episode of Financial Rebellion, Todd Romer reconnects with Ida Abdalkhan more than 20 years after she wrote for Young Money magazine. Since then, Ida has built an impressive career—from managing global brands at Procter & Gamble to founding a successful marketing agency and launching Be Unlost, where she helps high achievers replace anxiety-driven success with purpose-driven living. Together, they explore why so many ambitious people achieve everything they thought they wanted yet still feel unfulfilled. In this episode: ✔️ Ida's best and worst money decisions in her 20s ✔️ Why your skills aren't the same as your gifts ✔️ How fear and anxiety secretly fuel high performers ✔️ Why external success doesn't always create happiness ✔️ The surprising science behind laughter and emotional well-being ✔️ How to discover the work you were meant to do Whether you're just starting your career or questioning what's next, this conversation will challenge how you think about success, fulfillment, and purpose. 📬 Subscribe to the Financial Rebellion newsletter: https://financial-rebellion.com Follow Financial Rebellion for more conversations about money, investing, entrepreneurship, and building a life you actually want.

What if your financial institution was more than a place to store money? What if it was your financial best friend? In this episode of Financial Rebellion, Todd sits down with Tansley Stearns, President & CEO of Orsa Credit Union, to discuss her remarkable journey from a marketing role in a small credit union headquartered in the basement of a Macy’s store to becoming a credit union CEO. Tansley shares why credit unions are uniquely positioned to help people navigate both the brightest and darkest financial moments of life, how financial habits are formed long before adulthood, and why the next generation is looking for organizations that align with their values. They explore financial literacy, investing, saving, purpose-driven leadership, and the role credit unions play in helping people build financial confidence and freedom. From innovative products and financial wellness programs to teaching kids about money through Roblox, this conversation offers a fresh perspective on what it means to be financially empowered. In this episode: Tansley's journey from marketer to CEO What makes credit unions different Why financial education needs to start earlier The power of saving, spending, and investing intentionally Building financial confidence through experience How credit unions support communities during life's toughest moments Why purpose-driven organizations matter to younger generations The future of financial wellness and member engagement

What happens when a college student starts a sports podcast from his dorm room and turns it into a thriving digital marketing agency? In this episode of Financial Rebellion, Todd sits down with entrepreneur Kevin Fedor, founder of Follow Spike, to discuss his journey from filing paperwork as an intern to building multiple successful businesses. Kevin shares how he grew his first audience organically, launched an athlete marketing platform connecting brands with professional athletes, and now helps direct-to-consumer companies scale through digital marketing. They dive into entrepreneurship, financial literacy, social media strategy, AI's impact on marketing, overcoming fear and self-doubt, and why investing in your own skills may be the best financial move you can make. Whether you're building a business, growing a side hustle, or looking for inspiration to take the next step, this conversation is packed with practical insights and hard-earned wisdom. In this episode: Building a business from a college dorm room The best and worst money decisions of Kevin's 20s Growing audiences in the age of social media Why content is still king in 2026 The role of AI in modern marketing Entrepreneurship as the ultimate personal development tool How to think about risk, failure, and financial freedom