From Paycheck to Plan: The Money-Management Basics Every Tradesperson Needs

Financial stress among trades workers is the number one thing that keeps showing up before something breaks. Not the physical load. Not the hours. Money. Jed Collins is a former NFL fullback, Amazon bestselling author, and certified financial planner. Despite being an accounting major at Washington State, he was unprepared for the financial questions that came with his first NFL paycheck. That gap became his mission. Today Jed works with over 20 NFL teams on NFL player financial advice and brings that same conversation directly to the field workers and tradesmen who need it most. In this episode of the WorkReady Podcast he breaks down the Money Vehicle framework, burn rate budgeting, and the mindset shifts that help people in the trades stop living paycheck to paycheck and start building something that lasts. What You'll Learn • The four choices every paycheck gives you and how most people get them in the wrong order • Why you cannot save your way to wealth and what to do instead • How to find a fiduciary financial advisor and the three questions to ask before hiring anyone • What failure is first attempt in learning actually means and how a seven-year NFL career was built on it • How much you should save each month as a blue collar worker and where to start • Why thinking like a business owner in the trades changes everything about how you manage money • The portfolio paycheck system Jed uses with his own family If you are 50 and feel behind you are at halftime not game over Subscribe to the WorkReady Podcast and join the WorkReady Community. _____________________________________________________________________ CONNECT Connect with Dr. Kevin Rindal • WorkReady Hub: https://www.kevinrindal.com/ • LinkedIn:   / kevinrindal   • Instagram:   / workready_kevin   • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?... • Subscribe to Field Notes: https://www.kevinrindal.com/connect Connect with Jed Collins • LinkedIn:   / jedidiah-collins   • Website: https://jedidiahcollins.com/ • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fullbackoff... RESOURCES • Guide to understanding the language of money and making your paycheck work for you:⁠ https://www.yourmoneyvehicle.com • Book: Your Money Vehicle by Jed Collins: https://amzn.to/43PRyda • Book: Fourth and Goal by Jed Collins: https://amzn.to/4woz3ZF 🎉 SPONSORS • Vimocity Workforce Readiness Platform: http://vimocity.com • WorkReady Community (FREE for field pros) https://www.vimocity.com/workready-co... 🛠️ TOOLS FOR THE WORKFORCE ATHLETE — PARTNER DISCOUNTS The gear, supplements, and recovery tools we trust. These links support the show. • FUNCTION HEALTH — Comprehensive lab testing built around 100+ biomarkers. → https://my.functionhealth.com/signup?... Code: KRINDAL10 • GREENS FIRST — Daily greens you can take in the truck or on the job. 15% off for the WorkReady community. → https://greensfirst.com/discount/Work... • THORNE — Practitioner-grade supplements trusted by elite sport. → https://thorne.com/u/PR889833 • WHOOP — Recovery, strain, and sleep tracking built for high-performance bodies. → https://join.whoop.com/us/en/98024C53 • SAATVA — Mattresses and pillows engineered for recovery. 15% off through our partner link. → https://partners.saatva.com/ypdg8ii1cdh8 • AIRESTECH — EMF protection technology. 10% off for WorkReady listeners. → https://airestech.com/workready • PH PRESCRIPTION — Alkaline water systems for the field worker who's serious about hydration. 5% off with code workready5. → https://phprescription.com/?ref=workr... Code: workready5 CHAPTERS 00:00 Financial Stress in the Trades 03:10 FAIL: First Attempt in Learning 08:50 If You Don't Care About Future You, Nobody Does 11:00 You Are a Business Owner Whether You Know It or Not 15:20 The Four Choices Every Paycheck Gives You 20:00 You Cannot Save Your Way to Wealth 24:20 Know Your Burn Rate or You Don't Have a Plan 38:40 How to Find a Financial Advisor Who Actually Works for You 51:40 Three Takeaways for the Workforce Athlete