Is This Normal Show

Shelton and Sephora
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Society & Culture
  • Updated Weekly

"Most financial content speaks to one person in the relationship. But money is never just one person's conversation. We're Shelton and Sephora, and we live on both sides of that tension. One of us is the money person, one of us isn't. This is us walking back through our journey: the sacrifices, the surprises, and the moments we looked at each other and asked, is this normal? We're having that conversation out loud, so you don't have to figure it out alone."

  1. 6d ago

    Conversations We Should've Had Before Marriage (Part 1)

    Part 1 of 2. There are conversations every couple should have before marriage. We didn't have them. We never talked about money before we got married. We didn't know when the right time was. One of us wanted to plan. The other wanted it to happen naturally. In this episode we go back and have the conversations we should've had: what our financial life would look like, her dreams (shopping in SOHO), what happens when a career costs you family time, and the big one: our money, your money, or my money? If you're married, you'll relate. If you're not yet, take notes. New episodes every Thursday. Subscribe so you don't miss Part 2. CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro 01:39 When's the right time to talk about money? 05:47 Sephora thought she'd be shopping in SOHO every day 12:20 We should've talked about careers 16:00 No money and no time for each other 17:28 Lonely, not working, and completely dependent 20:35 Saving money to wind down and recharge 24:15 Family time vs. career: the impact on our daughter 27:00 How to make decisions together 30:35 How many kids should we have? 32:00 Our money vs. your money vs. my money Is This Normal? is a podcast about marriage, money, and the conversations couples often avoid.  Subscribe and join the conversation. FOLLOW US ON:  Instagram: @isthisnormalshow  Facebook: @isthisnormalshow  YouTube: @IsThisNormalShowOfficial  LISTEN TO THE PODCAST ON:  🎧 Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/is-this-normal-show/id6792963919  🎧 Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/033NGa9dW4wDfSQNf0XoR8?si=QI8JDeLrSeiaYSpWqF9kSA&utm_source=copy-link #IsThisNormal #IsThisNormalShow #Marriageeandmoney #Financialindependence #Couplesandmoney Music by: Reggie Halsey

    Conversations We Should've Had Before Marriage (Part 1)

  2. Oct 8

    Golden Handcuffs: She Wanted to Quit, Our Goals Said No

    This is our golden handcuffs story: the season our goals kept Sephora in a job she wanted to leave, the job loss that changed everything, and how we rebuilt — the emergency fund, the vision, and the moment that gave this show its name. CHAPTERS 00:00 Golden Handcuffs 02:41 When Sephora Felt Handcuffed 08:50 Wanting to Leave vs. Our Goals 10:49 Job Loss and Getting Through That Season 16:08 "I'm Just a Housewife" vs. "You're a Businesswoman" 19:39 Making a Plan for the New Normal 23:00 Living Below Your Means and Building Margin 27:40 Why the Emergency Fund Matters 31:40 Building a Vision 35:52 Defining Financial Independence for Yourself 39:52 How Is This Normal? Got Its Name Is This Normal? is a podcast about marriage, money, and the conversations couples often avoid.  Subscribe and join the conversation. FOLLOW US ON:  Instagram: @isthisnormalshow  Facebook: @isthisnormalshow  YouTube: @IsThisNormalShowOfficial  LISTEN TO THE PODCAST ON:  🎧 Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/is-this-normal-show/id6792963919  🎧 Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/033NGa9dW4wDfSQNf0XoR8?si=QI8JDeLrSeiaYSpWqF9kSA&utm_source=copy-link #IsThisNormal #goldenhandcufss #Marriageeandmoney #Financialindependence #Couplesandmoney Music by: Reggie Halsey

    Golden Handcuffs: She Wanted to Quit, Our Goals Said No

  3. Oct 1

    It's On Sale: The Most Dangerous Words in Our Marriage

    Every couple has a code for "I'm about to spend money". We turned ours into a game. After enough years, you don't need a receipt... you can hear the purchase coming. For example, "I'm just going to look" "It's on sale" What's the phrase your spouse says that tells you money is about to leave the account? Drop it in the comments.Is This Normal? is a podcast about marriage, money, and the conversations couples often avoid. Subscribe and join the conversation. FOLLOW US ON: Instagram: @isthisnormalshow Facebook: @isthisnormalshow YouTube: @IsThisNormalShowOfficial LISTEN TO THE PODCAST ON: 🎧 Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/is-this-normal-show/id6792963919 🎧 Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/033NGa9dW4wDfSQNf0XoR8?si=QI8JDeLrSeiaYSpWqF9kSA&utm_source=copy-link #IsThisNormal #couplesfinance #MoneyAndMarriage #FinancialPlanning #marriageandmoney Music by: Reggie Halsey

    It's On Sale: The Most Dangerous Words in Our Marriage

  4. Sep 24

    What a Heart Scare Taught Us About Legacy

    I thought I was fine. Then my heart said otherwise. A hospital bed, a heart catheterization, and a question that wouldn't let go: did I do enough? Shelton and Sephora talk about what legacy really means and why it's not about money. It's the receipt you leave behind, and you either shape it on purpose or it gets shaped for you. CHAPTERS 00:00 When Legacy Gets Personal 01:04 Defining Legacy Beyond Money 05:10 The Health Scare That Changed Everything 08:18 Inside the Hospital 15:05 Facing a Heart Catheterization 19:00 The Question: Did I Do Enough? 21:53 What Matters More Than Money? 26:53 Faith and Rested Assurance in Christ 29:36 The Power of a Support System 31:03 The Legacy We Want to Leave Behind Is This Normal? is a podcast about marriage, money, and the conversations couples often avoid. Follow us on:Instagram: @isthisnormalshowFacebook: @isthisnormalshowYouTube: @IsThisNormalShowOfficial Is This Normal? A podcast about marriage, money & the conversations couples avoid. Music by: Reggie Halsey

    What a Heart Scare Taught Us About Legacy

  5. Sep 17

    Why Giving Money Feels Impossible

    We're wired to measure everything... income, investments, returns. When it comes to generosity, you may not see an ROI. That's why it can be hard for some, especially for people who spend their lives measuring performance, financial professionals included. This episode is our conversation about tithing, generosity, and why giving is one of the hardest financial decisions to make peace with, even when you believe in it. Chapters: Intro Did We See Generosity at Home? Why Is It Hard to Be Generous? S&P 500 vs. Generosity, The ROI Problem Friction in Marriage Around Tithing Coming Around to Tithing Knowing What's Coming In Set an Amount to Give Set Up a Separate Giving Account Be Prepared for an Opportunity Is This Normal? is a podcast about marriage, money, and the conversations couples often avoid. Follow us on: Instagram: @isthisnormalshow Facebook: @isthisnormalshow YouTube: @IsThisNormalShowOfficial Is This Normal? — A podcast about marriage, money & the conversations couples avoid. Music by: Reggie Halsey

    Why Giving Money Feels Impossible

  6. Sep 10

    I Got So Good at Saving, I Forgot How to Spend

    What if you can have a spending problem without actually spending too much? For years, I focused on doing all the 'right' things with money. Save, invest, pay off debt, and build towards financial freedom... And I did. But somewhere along the way, I got so good at saving, I forgot how to spend. This episode is about what happens when being financially responsible starts to go too far. When every dollar has a job, and spending money on something you can actually afford still feels wrong. It's not just me. This is common in the FIRE community too. We can get so focused on reaching financial independence that we forget to ask what we're actually trying to be free for. So where's the line between being responsible with money and being afraid to spend it? And if the goal is financial freedom, shouldn't we learn how to enjoy some of that freedom along the way? This is our conversation about saving, spending, and something I had to learn the hard way: building wealth is only part of the story. Don't forget to live. Chapters: 00:00 Intro 04:45 What Causes a Spending Problem? 10:00 Thinking "How Can I?" Instead of "I Can't" 19:20 Staring at the Financial Scoreboard 24:30 Growing Apart Financially 30:00 Healthy Ways to Spend 38:00 Normalizing the Conversation Is This Normal? — A podcast about marriage, money & the conversations couples avoid. Music by: Reggie Halsey

    I Got So Good at Saving, I Forgot How to Spend

  7. Sep 3

    Why Your Budget Breaks Every Few Years

    Income minus expenses equals savings. That's the equation everyone uses. It's also missing something. Real life doesn't move in one straight line. Baby seasons, debt payoff seasons, one-income seasons, catch-up seasons, sometimes several stacked on top of each other at once. That equation makes your finances look simple on paper, but REAL life isn't. This episode walks through the actual seasons most families move through, why the math changes in each one, and what it means for the income side of the equation too. 00:00 — Intro 00:50 — What Is the Financial Equation? 02:33 — The Baby Season 11:17 — The Debt Paydown Season 13:53 — The One-Income Season 16:08 — The Catch-Up Season 20:08 — When Seasons Overlap 23:55 — The Income Side of the Equation Is This Normal?  A podcast about marriage, money & the conversations couples avoid.

    Why Your Budget Breaks Every Few Years

  8. Aug 27

    The Money Guy Didn't Change Our Future - She Did (The Switch)

    The money guy wasn't the one who changed our financial future. She was. For most of our marriage, Shelton handled the numbers. Sephora was the dreamer. So you'd assume Shelton was the one who pushed us into investing and eventually into buying real estate. He wasn't. She was the catalyst behind our biggest financial moves, pushing us to invest in stocks for ourselves and our children, and taking the journey toward purchasing our first home. This episode is about more than investing. It's about why you can't afford to overlook the person sitting across from you, especially when it comes to money. True wealth doesn't always come from the person who knows the most. Sometimes it comes from the person willing to ask the question nobody else is asking. 00:00 Intro to The Switch 02:25 Investing in Stocks for Us & Our Children 13:45 The Journey of Purchasing Our First Home 26:14 Not Overlooking the Non-Financial Spouse Is This Normal? — A podcast about marriage, money & the conversations couples avoid. Music by: Reggie Halsey

    The Money Guy Didn't Change Our Future - She Did (The Switch)
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

"Most financial content speaks to one person in the relationship. But money is never just one person's conversation. We're Shelton and Sephora, and we live on both sides of that tension. One of us is the money person, one of us isn't. This is us walking back through our journey: the sacrifices, the surprises, and the moments we looked at each other and asked, is this normal? We're having that conversation out loud, so you don't have to figure it out alone."

Information

  • Creator
    Shelton and Sephora
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    13
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Shelton and Sephora
  • Show Website
    Is This Normal Show