There’s no doubt that Derek Sisterhen knows what he’s talking about when it comes to money. He’s the Lead Financial Coach at Lukas Coaching, the host of the Past Due Radio show, a blogger at PastDueRadio.com and an avid tweeter by the name @DJSisterhen. This financial pro lives in Raleigh, North Carolina with his wife Elisa.
OODC: How did you get started blogging and tweeting?
@DJSisterhen: I started blogging regularly about two years ago when I became the Lead Financial Coach at Lukas Coaching. I took my articles for our weekly newsletters and started posting them as blogs. It wasn’t long before the articles, and the Past Due Radio podcasts, started to garner a following.
I was a bit hesitant about Twitter at first. I thought everyone was tweeting about tying their shoes, or buttering toast. I started tweeting about six months ago and have since developed some very meaningful relationships with folks I otherwise would’ve never met. Nowadays, I let everyone know when a new show is ready, new blog is available, and when I’m buttering my toast!
OODC: You write about the hedonic treadmill, how our expenses will rise to meet our income creating the feeling that we never earn enough money. How can people avoid that?
@DJSisterhen:You know, as Americans we are a severe disadvantage when it comes to avoiding the hedonic treadmill. The problem is that we live in such a consumer-driven culture that we’ve come to believe more stuff means more satisfaction. Those stuck on the hedonic treadmill have a very difficult time experiencing contentment within their means.
To avoid the trap, we simply have to live below our means. Easier said than done, I know, but we must recommit ourselves to a lifestyle built on relationships, not on material things. There are only three uses of money: you give it, save it, and spend it. Those on the hedonic treadmill value what their money will buy for themselves now more than how they can give or save it, establishing peace at home. As a result, they spend everything they earn and wind up running in place.
OODC: You host a weekly radio show about money. Who’s been your favorite guest?
@DJSisterhen:Easy: My wife, Elisa. I’ve been fortunate to have some great folks on my show, but by far the best was when my wife Elisa joined me for the “So, I Married a Financial Coach” episode. We told our story – of how we used to only talk about money with our hands around each other’s throats – and how we’ve worked hard to get out of the rut that claims so many marriages. She offered a new perspective on me during that show (probably the accurate perspective!) that my listeners hadn’t gotten before.
OODC: Why do you think so many people have a tough time managing their money?
@DJSisterhen:The funny thing about personal finance is that it’s actually personal. Those who try to re-run the numbers or crank out a new spreadsheet are fooling themselves. It isn’t until we get real with the person in the mirror that we can understand whether our behaviors are driving us toward or away from what’s right for ourselves and our money.
OODC: What do you hope people gain from reading your blog?
@DJSisterhen:My “blog” is a bit unique because it combines a traditional blog with podcasts. We’re enamored with using finances as a scorecard or measuring stick of success in this country. My hope is to challenge others to think less about everyone else’s money, and more about how they can live significant lives. It might mean paying off debt to be able to give more freely, or to get on the same page financially so that a couple’s kids learn how to manage money in a loving, productive household, or to get a handle on finances to make a career transition possible. Whatever it is, minimizing the burden of finances so others can live lives of significance is what this is all about, so I hope that’s what visitors are gaining.
OODC: Who are some of your favorite money tweeters?
@DJSisterhen:@jayperoni, @Elle_CM, @moneyfunk, @EngagedMarriage, FinanciallyPoor, @BudgetsAreSexy
Thanks again to @DJSisterhen for being a part of this week’s Twitter Tuesday Profile. Want to be considered for an upcoming profile? Just tweet me!