This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/4s5VJwC

Trevor Cummings hosts the Thoughts on Money podcast with Brett Bonecutter and Blaine Carver (“Joe Bob”) to explain bond yields and interest rates through a scripted “table read.” They frame interest rates as the price of money, shaped by supply and demand, time, risk, and expectations for inflation and growth. The discussion distinguishes loans from bonds, explains why investors buy Treasuries, and clarifies maturities, the yield curve, and why the 10-year note is a benchmark influencing mortgage pricing via mortgage-backed securities. They note Treasury rates are set by auctions and that the Fed targets the overnight federal funds rate, mainly affecting the short end while markets price longer maturities. They address how rising yields lower existing bond prices, why predicting rate moves is difficult, why recent yield spikes may relate to bond supply (including corporate issuance tied to AI), and how current yields improve forward bond return prospects despite recent declines.

00:00 Welcome and Setup

01:00 Table Read Begins

01:17 Price of Money Basics

03:03 Loans vs Bonds

04:49 Treasuries and Yield Curve

07:10 Who Sets Rates

08:39 Investor Takeaways

10:06 Fade Out and Debrief

10:57 Why This Article

13:46 Why Bonds Move

17:12 Fed vs Market Dynamics

26:40 Bond Portfolio Math

30:16 Opportunities and Levers

33:34 Fed Signals Explained

37:43 Wrap Up and Call to Action

Links mentioned in this episode:

• http://thoughtsonmoney.com
• http://thebahnsengroup.com

This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/4AXYRyJ

Trevor Cummings hosts the Thought Someday podcast with Brett Bonecutter and Blaine Carver to discuss his blog post, “The Cost of Paying Later,” focusing on the cultural shift toward “buy now, pay later” financing from firms like Affirm and Klarna for everything from small purchases to luxury items. They argue people fixate on monthly payments rather than total cost, making commitments easier and leading to “death by a thousand cuts” as multiple payments and subscriptions accumulate, especially with frictionless tools like Apple Pay. They note interest rates can range from 0% to 30% and question disclosure, delinquency, and why consumers choose these services over credit cards. Trevor emphasizes the importance of counting the full cost and trade-offs, balancing cash flow versus balance sheet, and recognizing how financing and easy credit can distort behavior and reduce flexibility over time.

00:00 Welcome and Setup

00:17 Buy Now Pay Later Boom

02:56 Monthly Payment Mindset

06:07 Keeping Up and Comfort Creep

09:02 Rates and Disclosure Questions

10:36 Layaway Versus Instant Credit

12:19 Is It Dangerous Socially

16:50 Why Not Use Credit Cards

19:38 Frictionless Spending Traps

20:53 Textbook Math Versus Behavior

24:49 Should Versus Could Afford

30:15 Balance Sheet Versus Cash Flow

37:32 Opportunity Cost and Compounding

39:58 Practical Takeaways and Wrap

41:44 Final Thoughts and Sign Off

Links mentioned in this episode:

• http://thoughtsonmoney.com
• http://thebahnsengroup.com

This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/4hpwdik

Brett Bonecutter hosts “Thoughts on Money” solo to discuss “Profits: Vice or Virtue?” inspired by David Bahnsen’s book and moral defense of profit amid renewed cultural debate over socialism versus capitalism. He argues free markets are not defensible because greed is useful, but because properly earned profit rewards value creation and serving others. He critiques conservatives for leaning on “greed is good” and notes socialists frame their case as empathy and equity versus capitalist greed, viewing free markets as manipulated and profit as exploitation. Bonecutter concedes profit can come from fraud, coercion, cronyism, or lack of competition, but defines virtuous profit as evidence of transformational value through voluntary exchange (illustrated with toothpaste). He says profit-seeking drives progress, competition and cooperation coexist, profit-and-loss signals resource allocation, profits act as a wealth engine, and this system best expands opportunity and addresses poverty without promising utopia.

00:00 Solo Intro and Theme

01:48 Thesis Profit as Virtue

03:27 Moral Framing of Socialism

05:51 Why Greed Argument Fails

10:12 Socialist View of Profit

15:19 Five Points Overview

15:24 Profit Creates Value

21:00 Progress Through Competition

28:04 Profit and Loss Signals

30:46 Wealth Engine Explained

32:43 Profits and Poverty

34:58 Closing Takeaways

Links mentioned in this episode:

• http://thoughtsonmoney.com
• http://thebahnsengroup.com