Welcome

to Master Your Money: Budgeting, Saving, and Debt-Free Living

Submit a Question to Nate

Episode List

When prices spike, the instinct is to panic or stop looking at the plan altogether. Nate takes a sailor’s approach instead: read the barometer, secure the hull and reef the sails. You’ll learn the four signs rising costs are straining your plan (Jaws makes the case for noticing the fin early), meet the Foundational Five,...
Listen to this episode
Summer rarely blows up a spending plan. It quietly unravels, one snow cone, cookout and lake day at a time. In this episode, Nate opens last summer’s “garden journal” (your June, July and August bank statements) before reaching for next summer’s seed catalog. You’ll spot the warning signs of a summer spending spiral, remember why...
Listen to this episode
Four easy payments of $37 never feels like debt — until four of them land on the same paycheck. After a summer away building his Christmas light show, coaching football, and spending time with family, Nate is back with an episode built like a magic trick. Using the three acts from Christopher Nolan’s The Prestige,...
Listen to this episode
It’s mid-year, and the second half of 2026 is already loaded with predictable expenses quietly waiting to snap — back-to-school, Halloween, the holidays, annual renewals, quarterly oil changes, and more. In this episode, Nate Tanner walks you through the Triggator Alligator Audit: a step-by-step process to calculate exactly where each of your Alligator Fund goals...
Listen to this episode
Have you ever checked your bank account on a random Tuesday and felt that quiet panic — the balance is lower than expected and you’re not sure where the money went? You’re not alone. And today, we fix that. In this episode, we go back to the foundation — the Triggator Triangle. Budget, Save, Pay...
Listen to this episode
Most people negotiate their salary and never think twice about what comes after. But tucked inside your benefits package is a second paycheck — one that doesn’t require a side hustle, a budget overhaul, or a perfect financial situation. It just requires you to say yes. In Episode 100 of Master Your Money, Nate breaks...
Listen to this episode
Your Spending Plan might be solid — but is it leaking? In Episode 99, Nate Tanner breaks down the three hidden money drains that quietly erode your paycheck before you even notice: forgotten subscriptions, misaligned bill due dates, and impulse buys that never had a home in the plan. You’ll learn how to run a...
Listen to this episode
Modern money advice is louder, faster, and more confident than ever—but not all of it leads to peace of mind. In this episode, Nate Tanner breaks down why so much popular financial advice feels good in the moment yet quietly undermines progress over time.nnUsing relatable stories, pop culture moments (like The Karate Kid’s “wax on,...
Listen to this episode
Debt stress can feel like a financial emergency—and when that happens, the goal isn’t perfection, it’s stabilization. In this episode, Nate Tanner walks through a calm, practical recovery plan focused on stopping the bleeding before real progress can begin. You’ll learn how to inventory your debts without shame, choose a payoff strategy that fits your...
Listen to this episode
Tax season doesn’t have to spike your stress. In this episode, Nate walks you through a calm, confidence-building approach to the 2026 tax season. You’ll learn which tax changes actually matter, how to handle owing without panic, and why taxes are best treated as a predictable Alligator expense instead of a surprise crisis. Nate introduces...
Listen to this episode

About the Host

Hi, I’m Nate Tanner—co-creator of Triggator, host of the Master Your Money podcast, and a firm believer that financial freedom is about more than just numbers on a spreadsheet.

I started Triggator and this podcast because I know what it’s like to feel stuck, stressed, and overwhelmed by money—and I also know that it doesn’t have to be that way. Over the years, I’ve helped countless people trade in their budgets for something better: a spending plan that actually fits their life, lets them save with confidence, and ditch debt for good.

Each episode, I blend real-world experience with practical tips, a little tough love, and maybe even a few dad jokes (fair warning). Whether you’re living paycheck to paycheck, trying to finally build that emergency fund, or just want to stop losing arguments with your Amazon cart, I’ve got your back.

I’m passionate about making personal finance simple, motivating, and—dare I say—fun. I love sharing listener stories, answering real-life questions, and challenging you to make small changes that lead to big results.

When I’m not behind the mic, you can find me chasing my kids, working on the Triggator app, or plotting my next victory over an alligator-sized expense.

Welcome to the show—let’s master your money together!

{"email":"Email address invalid","url":"Website address invalid","required":"Required field missing"}