The Pete the Planner® Show

Latest Episodes:

Navigating Now: How do market bubbles pop? Jun 12, 2025

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The markets are soaring, the economy is expanding, and everyone's wondering—are we in a bubble? In today’s CalmCast, Pete breaks down the difference between market momentum and market mania, explores what real economic growth looks like, and helps you focus your energy on what matters most: your personal financial vision. Whether you’re tempted to chase hot stocks or just trying to make sense of the noise, this episode will help you zoom out, calm down, and plan forward.

Understanding the markets's tell -- Volume Jun 10, 2025

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Sometimes the markets have confidence, well at least their investors do. And sometimes the market struggles to find conviction. What helps you understand the difference between the two? Volume. In this episode of Navigating Now, Pete helps you understand what you can learn from volume. Additionally, he'll chat through the trade deficit and then touch on net worth as well.

Why smart people make dumb money decisions Jun 06, 2025

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Think being smart protects you from financial blunders? Think again. In this episode of The Pete the Planner Show, we uncover why even the most intelligent, high-earning individuals routinely make money mistakes. From gym memberships we never use to inflated lifestyles we never questioned, we explore the sneaky psychological traps—like overconfidence, present bias, and lifestyle creep—that derail even the best of us.

You’ll learn why financial IQ doesn’t always translate to good behavior, and more importantly, how to bridge that gap with practical tools rooted in behavioral science. Whether you're making six figures or just trying to make ends meet, this episode will help you stop being your own financial enemy.

Segments include:

You Know Better, But Do You Do Better? – Why knowing isn’t doing.
The Smart-People Traps – The surprising ways confidence costs you.
How to Outsmart Your Smart Self – Tactical strategies to outwit your own brain.

Smart doesn’t equal invincible. Let’s get better together.

Is Stagflation Inevitable? Jun 05, 2025

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The markets are nervous, the economy’s acting weird, and housing feels increasingly out of reach. In today’s CalmCast, we walk you through three critical signals: what investor sentiment is telling us (and why it’s not the whole story), what stagflation is and whether we’re in danger of it, and why housing affordability is straining the budgets of millions.

We’ll help you make sense of what’s happening—and what you can do to stay grounded, no matter the economic weather.

Topics Covered:
Market Sentiment: Why moods move markets
Stagflation: The warning signs and what they mean
Housing Affordability: Owning vs renting in 2025

Stay calm. Stay informed. Stay on course.

Paying for your own destruction...for the dopamine Jun 04, 2025

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We know it’s bad for us—and we still buy it. In today’s Storytime with Pete, we dig into the bizarre economics of spending money on things that actively hurt us: alcohol, junk food, and those late-night dopamine bombs we call “treats.” Why do we do it? Blame your brain chemistry. Pete unpacks the science of dopamine, the illusion of indulgence, and the very real cost of self-sabotage—with just enough sarcasm to keep you from crying into your curly fries. This one’s part money talk, part emotional intervention. Bring your budget... and maybe a kale smoothie.

Navigating Now: Understanding Circuit Breakers Jun 03, 2025

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In this episode of CalmCast, we break down one of the most misunderstood stock market tools: the circuit breaker. What triggers it, why it exists, and what it actually means for your investments. Then, we zoom out to explore how a sharp drop in U.S. markets can ripple through the global economy — impacting everything from oil prices to your grocery bill. Finally, we bring it back to you: how to set meaningful financial goals when the world feels financially unstable.

Whether you're anxious about your 401(k) or just trying to stay the course, this episode is your reminder to pause, breathe, and take one solid financial step forward.

How AI is changing how we manage money May 30, 2025

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AI isn’t coming for your wallet—it’s already living in it. In this episode, Pete unpacks the surprising ways artificial intelligence is reshaping your financial life, from how your bank detects fraud to how scammers clone your voice. We explore the good (smart budgeting tools), the bad (AI-generated investment scams), and the weird (why your insurance premium changed without a human decision). Whether you’re intrigued or uneasy, one thing’s clear: ignoring AI in finance is no longer an option.

Navigating Now: Understanding Market Caps May 29, 2025

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In today’s episode, Pete peels back the curtain on three numbers that get tossed around like financial gospel — but may not tell the whole story. We kick off with market cap: what it actually means, how it defines a company’s identity, and why share price alone can be misleading. Then, we dive into the often-misunderstood unemployment rate — a metric that sounds solid on headlines but misses huge swaths of the American workforce. Finally, Pete helps you recalibrate your budget by reexamining the age-old debate of needs vs wants, especially as the threat of a recession looms. If you're confused by the disconnect between financial headlines and your lived experience, this episode is the bridge.

Your body called - it wants a line item in your budget May 28, 2025

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In this episode of Storytime with Pete, we tackle the awkward truth about spending money on your health. Sure, it doesn’t come with rewards points or Instagram clout, but ignoring your body’s maintenance needs? That’s a financial strategy with a guaranteed crash. Pete breaks down why co-pays feel like emotional theft, how preventative care is the least sexy but most valuable expense in your budget, and what it really means to invest in your future self—even when it feels like paying for a gym you barely go to. Spoiler: staying alive costs money, and that’s not a scam. It’s just adulthood.

Navigating Now: What is technical analysis? May 27, 2025

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Reading the Signals: What Charts, Indicators, and Your Wallet Are Telling You
In this episode of CalmCast, Pete the Planner breaks down three of the most important tools for staying steady in a shaky economy:

Technical Analysis – Why traders are obsessed with charts, and what you can learn from their patterns.
Leading Indicators – The economic signals that whisper “recession” before anyone makes it official.
Cash Flow – Your personal financial early-warning system—and how to use it to stay in control when everything else feels out of whack.

Whether you’re managing a portfolio or just trying to make it to next payday, this episode will help you spot the signals that matter—and ignore the noise that doesn’t.

Breathe easy. Make a plan. Let’s get to it.

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