Episode #31
31 - Money, God & the Squatty Potty: What’s Your Number?
Quick note before we get into it: the audio is a little wonky this week. Apparently my headphone mic is, in fact, garbage and even Descript’s “Studio Sound” couldn’t completely save me. So bear with us—you can absolutely hear everything, we just sound a little less professional podcast studio and a little more two friends talking about money at the kitchen table. Which, honestly, is pretty on brand. This week, we’re talking about one of those topics that can make people—especially Christians—get a little squirmy: MONEY. Is wanting more money greedy? Are we supposed to just trust God to provide and quit thinking about it? Why do some of us immediately wrinkle our noses when we hear the words rich people ? And why can Staci handle an emergency without breaking a sweat but spiral at the thought of running out of cereal before payday? This conversation was sparked by Shelby Kurz’s article, “How Much Money Is Enough?” Her point stopped us in our tracks: enough isn’t just a feeling. At some point, you have to actually figure out what your version of a good life costs. So we’re unpacking our own beliefs around money, scarcity, abundance, faith, generosity, hard work, and that Bible verse we’ve all heard quoted as “money is the root of all evil.” Spoiler alert: that’s not actually what 1 Timothy 6:10 says. We talk about growing up with scarcity, feeling weird about wanting financial success, the difference between loving money and simply having it, and why financial security doesn’t have to mean yachts, mansions and becoming a bazillionaire. Sometimes your dream is simply: ✨ Buying groceries without doing mental math in the cart ✨ Having money set aside when the car inevitably does something stupid ✨ Taking your family on an actual vacation ✨ Working fewer hours and being home more ✨ Giving generously without worrying about whether you’ll have enough ✨ Having some freaking breathing room Shelby lays out a simple exercise: calculate your fixed expenses, your real cost of living, a buffer for unexpected expenses, the things you actually want to enjoy, and margin for the future. Then add it up. THAT is your number. And maybe—just maybe—you’re not as far away from it as you think. Of course, because this is The Debrief , we somehow also cover hidden snack stashes, expired vehicle tabs, ramen-noodle summers, faux-pineapple zucchini, swimming in fresh milk, and why apparently everyone should own a Squatty Potty. Your challenge this week: Forget HOW you’re going to get there for a minute. Sit down and figure out: What’s your number? What would it actually cost for you and your family to live comfortably... with margin, rest, fun and room to breathe? Then take a look at where you are right now. You might be surprised by what you find. Mentioned in this episode How Much Money Is Enough? — Shelby Kurz, No Small Life Read Shelby’s article on Substack How to Solve Your Money Problems Forever — Victor Boc And YES—Staci officially has another round of the Money Mindset Book Club coming this fall! Grab your spot HERE! If this episode brought up some weird, uncomfortable, “oh crap, maybe I DO have some money stuff to unpack” feelings, you’re not alone. Sometimes the first step is simply getting curious about where those beliefs came from. Until next week—notice what you have, appreciate the abundance already around you, and remember: What you notice and appreciate, appreciates. Love you mucho.
